OUTLINE:
- Prayer for their continuing missionary work (verses 1-2).
- Encouragement (verses 3-5).
- A command to separate from believers not willing to work (verses 6-12).
- A command to not grow tired of doing good (verse 13).
- A command to not associate with, but warn, those who refuse to obey what's in this letter (verses 14-15).
- Benediction, closing, signature (verses 16-18).
(1) Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.
- Pray for us:
- The tense of "pray" is present and means "keep on praying".
- Paul constantly asked other Christians to pray for him (Romans 15:30, 2 Corinthians 1:11, Ephesians 6:18-19, Philippians 1:19, Colossians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:25 and Philemon 1:22). Paul knew that the success of his ministry in some measure depended on the prayers of God's people.
- In Spurgeon's very large church, a group of visiting pastors asked to see the boiler room. They wanted to know how to heat a building of this size. Spurgeon took them, on a Sunday afternoon to a room full of people on their knees praying for the Sunday night service. Spurgeon said (in a sense), “That gentlemen, is our boiler room”.
- J. Hampton Keathley III: "Here was a giant among men and one used mightily by the Lord. Paul gave us more books of the New Testament than any other of the apostles or their associates, yet this great man of God humbly sought the prayer of those he and his team had led to Christ and were teaching to help them grow in Christ. Thus, recognizing their own inadequacy and need of God’s enablement, the apostle and his team humbly sought the prayer support of others."
- Romans 15:30-31: Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.
- Ephesians 6:19-20: And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.
- Colossians 4:2-4: Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
- The Lord's message will spread rapidly:
- "The Lord's message" should be translated “The word [logos] of the Lord”.
- The words “will spread rapidly” in Greek is one word - trecho, which means, “to run or walk hastily.” The Interlinear Transliterated Bible renders it “may have free course.”
- Did God need their prayers for the Gospel to spread rapidly throughout the Gentile world - and did the Gospel spread rapidly?
- Isaiah 55:11: It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
- Acts 6:7: So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
- Acts 13:48-49: When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region.
- Honored:
- The Pulpit Commentary states: “And be glorified; namely, in the conversion of souls. The allusion may be to the applause given to the victors in the foot-races.”
(2) Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer.
- Rescued (Greek ruomai):
- Colossians 1:13-14: For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
- Wicked and evil people:
- His main opponents were Jews who professed to believe in YHWH and who prided themselves on their keeping the commandments. Jesus launched His most bitter accusations not to “sinners” but to the religious leaders of His time. They were Paul’s enemies at Corinth.
(3) But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
- The Lord is faithful:
- The Lord's faithfulness is the secret of his success.
- Even when our faith is weak, He is still faithful.
- Here Paul is contrasting people and the Lord. We cannot always trust people but we can trust the Lord. People may fail us but the Lord never will. The Lord will do what he has promised.
- 1 Corinthians 1:9: God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13: The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3: But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
- The evil one:
- Satan is "the evil one" - tou ponerou. The noun preceded by the definite article "the" indicates personality, not a mere force or influence, and tells us who he really is.
- Behind all opposition to the Gospel (the Lord's message) is Satan himself:
- John 17:15: I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
- Acts 26:17-18: And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
- Ephesians 2:2: You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
- Ephesians 6:12: For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:18: We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us.
- James 4:7: So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- 1 John 5:18: We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
(4) And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you.
- Philippians 1:6: And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
(5) May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
- Lead:
- "Lead" = "kateuthuno" means to make straight, guide, direct and is also used to refer to the removal of the hindrances.
(6) And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.
- Command:
- Not a suggestion, but a command given in the name of the Lord Jesus!
- Stay away:
- 1 Corinthians 15:33: Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
- Idle lives:
- Think about what a terrible testimony this was to the unbelievers. We should always be aware that "someone is watching" - is it real?
- Rev. John Schultz: "Some were lazy and using the prospect of Christ's imminent return as an excuse to not work, but rather take hand-outs from others.
- The Greek word used is ataktos, which means “morally irregular.” The KJV renders it “disorderly.” Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary observes that it refers to “slackness (like soldiers not keeping rank).” The moral connotation of the word indicates that it was not a matter of people who were non-conformists but that they were slack in the maintaining of their testimony of purity. We tend to think of immorality specifically in terms of sexual misbehavior. Paul connects it here to work ethics."
- Barnes’ Notes: “The apostle now... turns to an important subject - the proper method of treating those who were idle and disorderly in the church. In the previous Epistle, he had adverted to this subject, but in the mild language of exhortation. When he wrote that Epistle he was aware that there were some among them who were disposed to be idle, and he had tenderly exhorted them ‘to be quiet, and to mind their own business, and to work with their own hands;’ 1 Thessalonians 4:11. But it seems the exhortation, and the example of Paul himself when there (1 Thessalonians 2:9), had not been effectual in inducing them to be industrious. It became, therefore, necessary to use the strong language of command, as he does here, and to require that if they would not work, the church should withdraw from them.”
- Ecclesiastes 10:18: Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.
- Matthew 25:26: “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate,
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14: Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
- Tradition ... from us (Greek paradosis - Strong's 3862 - an instruction, tradition):
- This is not a reference to human tradition, but to apostolic teachings given orally before there was any such thing as a New Testament.
- Charles Wanamaker (The New International Greek Testament Commentary): "The tradition to which Paul refers has a twofold character, as verses 7-12 indicate. In verses 7-9 the apostle elaborates on his and his colleagues' example as a guide for responsible behavior for their converts. The introductory words of verse 7 reveal that his and his fellow missionaries' behavior was intended to have the normative character of a received tradition. In addition, as a matter of course, Paul issued ethical instruction to new converts in order to regulate their behavior as Christians. In verse 10 he cites the specific tradition involved with regard to work."
- Random House College Dictionary: 'Tradition' is currently defined: 'the handing down of statements, beliefs ... from generation to generation...' In theology, it especially refers to teachings handed down from past generations but not written in the Bible."
- Unfortunately, many churches and denominations have replaced the Word of God (the Bible) with their "traditions" - often contradicting what the Word teaches:
- Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald - Teachings of the Orthodox Church: "While the Bible is treasured as a valuable written record of God's revelation, it does not contain wholly that revelation. The Bible is viewed as only one expression of God's revelation in the ongoing life of His people. Scripture is part of the treasure of Faith which is known as Tradition. Tradition means that which is "handed on" from one generation to another. In addition to the witness of Faith in the Scripture, the Orthodox Christian Faith is celebrated in the Eucharist; taught by the Fathers; glorified by the Saints; expressed in prayers, hymns, and icons; defended by the seven Ecumenical Councils; embodied in the Nicene Creed; manifested in social concern; and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is lived in every local Orthodox parish. The life of the Holy Trinity is manifested in every aspect of the Church's life. Finally, the Church, as a whole, is the guardian of the authentic Christian Faith which bears witness to that Revelation."
- Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church: ". . .the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence'."
- Many of the traditions of Christendom are derived from paganism reaching all the way back to Babylon:
- "Christian" holidays: the Christmas tree, December 25 as the birth date of Jesus, Lent, Easter (the word easter refers to Ishtar, a pagan Babylonian goddess), Easter eggs and bunnies (symbols of fertility).
- Common church "practices" not in scripture (some contrary to scripture): Church buildings (and steeples), formal church membership, an "ordained" clergy, sunday school, a pulpit, church choir, tithing (that was for Israel only), infant baptism, replacement theology (the belief that the church replaced Israel), the tradition that we join that Church by water baptism - the Bible says that we are baptized into the Church by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13).
- Roman Catholic "practices": Salvation by a combination of faith and works, transubstantiation, sacraments, rituals, confirmation,confession of sin to the priest, holy water, catechism, ordination of a special priesthood, nuns, monasteries, a "special" priesthood, "extreme unction" for the dying, the cult of Mary - the "queen of heaven" (read Jeremiah 7:18 44:17-25), the rosary, purgatory, relics, canonization of dead "saints", redefinition of who a saint is (all Christians are "saints"), prayer to the "saints", priesthood celibacy, papal infallibility, "Father" used to address a priest - Jesus said to call no man "your father" (Matthew 23:9), prayers for the dead.
- Matthew 15:2-6, 8-9: “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. ... ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”
- Galatians 1:14: I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.
- Colossians 2:8 (KJV): Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:18 (KJV): Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.
(7) For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.
- Imitate us:
- mimeomai = mimic, imitate. The present tense means "be constantly imitating us."
- How? First, he is the model of a disciplined life and a model of endurance. He endures labor and hardship. His method is to be the example of what he wants us to become. Now, that brings to mind a phrase I've often used in study - "someone is watching you." Someone may be watching your actions and your words to see if a relationship to Jesus is real. We are to be witnesses for Christ - we are to be different. The Greek word for "church" is ekklesia - "The called-out (ones)" [ecc = out; kaleo = call]. We are called out from the world - in the world, but not of the world (John 17:16).
- 1 Corinthians 4:15-16: For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me.
- Philippians 4:9: Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6: So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.
- 1 Timothy 4:12: Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
- Hebrews 13:7: Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
(8) We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you.
- Worked hard:
- The Jewish Rabbis taught, “He who does not teach his son a trade, teaches him to be a thief.” Paul's trade was connected with tent making and leather work (Acts 18:3).
- Acts 18:3: Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.
- Acts 20:33-35: “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9-10: Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses - and so is God - that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11: Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.
- 1 Corinthians 4:12: We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.
(9) We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.
- Example: Greek tupos (type).
(10) Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”
- Those unwilling to work:
- Ron R. Ritchie: "Many people are shocked to discover that work was ordained by God before the Fall ever occurred. Work was not introduced into the human experience because Adam and Eve sinned. In the opening two chapters of Genesis, before the fall ever occurred, scripture says that God created man and woman in his image, and assigned them to be fruitful so as to fill the earth, subdue it and rule over it. Genesis I says that the Creator God "worked" to bring order out of chaos, and concluding each stage of his work with the words "it is good," the sentiments of a worker who is satisfied with his labors. God's final act of creation was to create human beings "in his image." He then gave them the assignment to "be fruitful and fill the earth, to subdue it and rule over it.""
- Colossians 3:23-24: Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
- Not ... eat:
- Proverbs 16:26: It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.
(11) Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business.
- Hear:
- Present progressive tense - "we keep on hearing". From whom was Paul hearing this?
- Idle lives:
- "Leading an undisciplined life".
- Meddling:
- The Greek gives us a play-of-words that can be perfectly transferred in English. Paul uses two words with the same root ergazomemous, which means, “to toil” and periergazomenous “busybodies.” Adam Clarke’s Commentary: “Doing everything they should not do - meddlers with other people’s business; prying into other people’s circumstances and domestic affairs; magnifying or minifying, mistaking or underrating, everything; newsmongers and telltales; an abominable race, the curse of every neighborhood where they live, and a pest to religious society.”
- Proverbs 11:13: A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11: Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.
- 1 Timothy 5:13: And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.
- Speaking about putting young widows on the church welfare list.
- 1 Peter 4:15: If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.
(12) We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.
(13) As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.
- Doing good:
- John Wesley: "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can."
- Galatians 6:10: Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith.
(14) Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed.
- Ashamed:
- It is far better for them to experience shame now than to experience it at the Bema Seat:
- 1 John 2:28: And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
(15) Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.
(16) Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.
- Lord of peace:
- Spurgeon: "I want to call particular attention to the apostle's words in this place. He does not say 'May the Lord of peace send his angel to give you peace.' It were a great mercy if he did, and we might be as glad as Jacob was at Mahanaim, when the angels of God met him. He does not even say, 'May the Lord of peace send his minister to give you peace.' If he did we might be as happy as Abraham when Melchizedek refreshed him with bread and wine. He does not even say, 'May the Lord of peace at the communion table, or in reading the word, or in prayer, or in some other sacred exercise give you peace.' In all these we might well be as refreshed . . . but he says 'the Lord of peace himself give you peace,' as if he alone in his own person could give peace, and as if his presence were the sole means of such a divine peace as he desires."
- Matthew 8:24-26: Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
- In every situation:
- God's peace is always available in every situation and problem. His unlimited peace is available to us continually. How can we get that peace? Philippians 4:6-7: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
(17) HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING - PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME.
- My own handwriting:
- This letter is a response to a fraudulent one from an impostor. Look for the signature, he tells them.
- 1 Corinthians 16:21: HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING - PAUL.
- Galatians 6:11: Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.
- Colossians 4:18: HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING - PAUL.
- Philemon 19: I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!
- All my letters:
- This seems to indicate that Paul wrote a number of letters before this, one of his first, but God has allowed only 7 to be preserved for us.
(18) May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
- Grace:
- He ends this letter as he began it: with grace and peace from Christ.
APPLICATION:
- If Paul needed prayer from others, what about us and those we know? How often do you pray for those who are called to preach the Word to others?
- It should be the goal of the ordinary Christian to live a productive life, full of grace and peace, at the end of which your Lord will welcome you home from your pilgrimage.
NEXT STUDY: 1 Corinthians 1
NOTES:
- Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
- Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://2thessaloniansx.blogspot.com/2016/01/index-to-2-thessalonians-study.html
- Index to all our studies are at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/
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