2Th 3:6-12 | JFB | STEP | 6. we command you —Hereby he puts to a particular test their obedience in general to his commands, which obedience he had recognized in . withdraw —literally, "to furl the sails"; as we say, to steer clear of (compare ). Some had given up labor as though the Lord's day was immediately coming. He had enjoined mild censure of such in , " Warn . . . the unruly"; but now that the mischief had become more confirmed, he enjoins stricter discipline, namely, withdrawal from their company (compare ): not a formal sentence of excommunication, such as was subsequently passed on more heinous offenders (as in ). He says "brother," that is, professing Christian; for in the case of unprofessing heathen, believers needed not be so strict ( ). disorderly —Paul plainly would not have sanctioned the order of Mendicant Friars, who reduce such a "disorderly" and lazy life to a system. Call it not an order, but a burden to the community (BENGEL , alluding to the Greek, , for "be chargeable," literally, "be a burden"). the tradition —the oral instruction which he had given to them when present ( ), and subsequently committed to writing ( ). which he received of us —Some oldest manuscripts read, " ye received"; others, " they received." The English Version reading has no very old authority.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12

6. we command you—Hereby he puts to a particular test their obedience in general to his commands, which obedience he had recognized in 2Th 3:4.

withdraw—literally, "to furl the sails"; as we say, to steer clear of (compare 2Th 3:14). Some had given up labor as though the Lord's day was immediately coming. He had enjoined mild censure of such in 1Th 5:14, "Warn . . . the unruly"; but now that the mischief had become more confirmed, he enjoins stricter discipline, namely, withdrawal from their company (compare 1Co 5:11; 2Jo 10, 11): not a formal sentence of excommunication, such as was subsequently passed on more heinous offenders (as in 1Co 5:5; 1Ti 1:20). He says "brother," that is, professing Christian; for in the case of unprofessing heathen, believers needed not be so strict (1Co 5:10-13).

disorderly—Paul plainly would not have sanctioned the order of Mendicant Friars, who reduce such a "disorderly" and lazy life to a system. Call it not an order, but a burden to the community (BENGEL, alluding to the Greek, 2Th 3:8, for "be chargeable," literally, "be a burden").

the tradition—the oral instruction which he had given to them when present (2Th 3:10), and subsequently committed to writing (1Th 4:11, 12).

which he received of us—Some oldest manuscripts read, "ye received"; others, "they received." The English Version reading has no very old authority.

7. how ye ought to follow us—how ye ought to live so as to "imitate (so the Greek for 'follow') us" (compare Notes, see on 1Co 11:1; 1Th 1:6).

8. eat any man's bread—Greek, "eat bread from any man," that is, live at anyone's expense. Contrast 2Th 3:12, "eat THEIR OWN bread."

wrought— (Ac 20:34). In both Epistles they state they maintained themselves by labor; but in this second Epistle they do so in order to offer themselves herein as an example to the idle; whereas, in the first, their object in doing so is to vindicate themselves from all imputation of mercenary motives in preaching the Gospel (1Th 2:5, 9) [EDMUNDS]. They preached gratuitously though they might have claimed maintenance from their converts.

labour and travail—"toil and hardship" (see on 1Th 2:9).

night and day—scarcely allowing time for repose.

chargeable—Greek, "a burden," or "burdensome." The Philippians did not regard it as a burden to contribute to his support (Php 4:15, 16), sending to him while he was in this very Thessalonica (Ac 16:15, 34, 40). Many Thessalonians, doubtless, would have felt it a privilege to contribute, but as he saw some idlers among them who would have made a pretext of his example to justify themselves, he waived his right. His reason for the same course at Corinth was to mark how different were his aims from those of the false teachers who sought their own lucre (2Co 11:9, 12, 13). It is at the very time and place of writing these Epistles that Paul is expressly said to have wrought at tent-making with Aquila (Ac 18:3); an undesigned coincidence.

9. (1Co 9:4-6, &c.; Ga 6:6.)

10. For even—Translate, "For also." We not only set you the example, but gave a positive "command."

commanded—Greek imperfect, "We were commanding"; we kept charge of you.

would not work—Greek, "is unwilling to work." BENGEL makes this to be the argument: not that such a one is to have his food withdrawn from him by others; but he proves from the necessity of eating the necessity of working; using this pleasantry, Let him who will not work show himself an angel, that is, do without food as the angels do (but since he cannot do without food, then he ought to be not unwilling to work). It seems to me simpler to take it as a punishment of the idle. Paul often quotes good adages current among the people, stamping them with inspired approval. In the Hebrew, "Bereshith Rabba," the same saying is found; and in the book Zeror, "He who will not work before the sabbath, must not eat on the sabbath."

11. busy bodies—In the Greek the similarity of sound marks the antithesis, "Doing none of their own business, yet overdoing in the business of others." Busy about everyone's business but their own. "Nature abhors a vacuum"; so if not doing one's own business, one is apt to meddle with his neighbor's business. Idleness is the parent of busybodies (1Ti 5:13). Contrast 1Th 4:11.

12. by—The oldest manuscripts read, "IN the Lord Jesus." So the Greek, 1Th 4:1, implying the sphere wherein such conduct is appropriate and consistent. "We exhort you thus, as ministers IN Christ, exhorting our people IN Christ."

with quietness—quiet industry; laying aside restless, bustling, intermeddling officiousness (2Th 3:11).

their own—bread earned by themselves, not another's bread (2Th 3:8).