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2
Thessalonians Chapter Three
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Supplementary Words
A. Pray for one another (v.1-5):
1. Believers shall pray for the Lord’s servants
(v.1-2);
2. The Lord’s workers shall pray to the Lord
for believers (v.3-5);
B. Walk orderly (v.6-12):
1. Withdraw from those who walk
disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received (v.6);
2. Follow the examples of the workers who walk
orderly (v.7-9);
3. The content of the teachings of walking
orderly (v.10-13);
4. The treatment of those who do not walk
according to the tradition (v.14-15);
C. Greeting and blessing (v.16-18):
1. May the Lord give you peace and be with you
(v.16);
2. The salutation of Paul with his own hand and make sure the sign (v.17);
3. May the grace of the Lord be with all
believers (v.18);
II.
Verse by Verse commentary
2Thess. 3:1 “Finally, brethren, pray
for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it
is with you,”
YLT: “As to the rest,
pray ye, brethren, concerning us, that the word of the Lord may run and may be
glorified, as also with you,”
Meaning of Words: “word”: utterance, speech; “run swiftly”:
run or walk hastily, have course;
Literal
Meaning: “finally, brethren”,
“finally”, it indicates that the main part has finished and added some
supplementary words (see 2Cor. 13:11; Eph. 6:10; 1Thess.4:1)
“Pray for us”, “pray” the tense unveils that prayer is demanded
unceasingly. Paul often asks others to pray for him in his epistles (see Eph.
6:19;
“That the word of the Lord may run swiftly”, this is the first purpose
of prayer. “Run swiftly”, it is spread swiftly without any hindrance. The whole
verse indicates that the word of the Lord has power and works itself swiftly to
fulfill the will of God (see Ps. 147:15; 19:4-5).
“Be glorified”, it has two sorts of meaning: 1) the spreading of the
Lord’s word manifests the power of victory. 2) When the word of the Lord has
entered into those who have believed and received it, their daily life will be
transformed and thus good testimony will be presented.
“Just as it is with you”, when Paul preached the word in the Thessalonica,
the word was rather efficacious (see 2Thess. 2:13). Therefore, Paul at this
time hopes to receive the same good effect in
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) He who believes God not only always prays
for himself but also often asks others to pray for him.
2) Prayer of believers for one another is the
manifestation of the solicitude and fellowship and oneness in spirit. Besides,
it is also the necessary attitude of a normal Christian.
3) What Paul cares for is not whether he
himself is safe or has received profit, but whether the gospel of God will be
preached widely.
4) The servant of God may be bound, but the
word of God has not been bound (2Tim. 2:9).
5) The word of God is living and operative
(Heb. 4:12) and can grow and multiply (Acts. 12:24), which fosters the effect
of the gospel (Acts. 6:7).
6) The word of the Lord is spirit and life
(John 6:63). And the effect of the word will be manifested in those who have
received it and make others see what the Lord’s word has fulfilled from the
change of the receivers and thus confess the Lord and praise His word (see Acts
13:48).
7) Today, many works in the Christianity are
promoted by men’s counsel, not the word of God, for many servants of God rely
on their own counsel rather than the word of God so that the word they preach
on the platform has been gradually replaced with recreational programs.
2Thess. 3:2 “and that we may be
delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.”
YLT: “and that we may be
delivered from the unreasonable and evil men, for the faith not of all;”
Meaning of Words: “unreasonable”:
out of place, harm, amiss, improper; “wicked”: hurtful,
grievous, bad;
Literal
Meaning: “be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men”, this is the second purpose that Paul asks the
Thessalonians to pray for him. “Unreasonable”, out of place; “wicked”, it is
not only being passively involved in evil things but also positively doing
evil. “Unreasonable
and wicked men”, since there is
the definite article in the original, the men refer to some certain characters
who oppose Paul particularly and restrain him from preaching (see Acts 17:13;
18:12).
“For
not all have faith”, some Bible
expositors think here “faith” is not the faith of being saved, but the faith of
being preserved (see v.3) by the Lord. However, it is not reasonable: 1) it is
impossible that Paul and his fellow workers ask believers in Thessalonica to
pray for them for the sake of their lack of faith toward the Lord’s
preservation. 2) “Faith”, in the original there is the definite article before
“faith”, which refers to the specific faith toward particular men or things. 3)
The word “for” indicates that it is related to the previous word. Therefore,
the faith in this verse indicates that prayers are needed for the sake of the
preachment of the gospel as well as the opposition and persecution of the
unreasonable and wicked men.
No matter prayers are needed for the sake
of the preachment of the gospel or the unreasonable and wicked men, the faith
here is supposed to be the faith of being saved, namely, the true faith of the
gospel that Paul preaches (see 2:13). Not everyone who hears Paul’s preachment
receives it with joy (see Acts.18:6), so he needs prayers of believers in
Thessalonica for the works of the gospel (see v.1). No wonder that there are
men who oppose the works of the gospel. Therefore, they need prayers.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) No wonder that we may encounter unreasonable
and wicked men and are hated and persecuted and assailed by them unreasonably
when we preach the gospel. Therefore, prayers are quiet needed before
preachment (see Acts 6:4).
2) Believers are supposed to walk “on the right
position”. Otherwise, it is “out of place” in the sight of God.
3) Men have become “unreasonable and wicked
men”, for they do not believe the truth and yet have pleasure in
unrighteousness (see 2:10-12) so as to be used by the devil ---- “the wicked
one” (see v.3).
4) Just as God uses many faithful servants to
preach His word, Satan also uses many unreasonable and wicked men to resist the
word of God. And even many Christians have unconsciously been used by Satan to
hinder the wide preachment of God’s word.
2Thess. 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful,
who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”
YLT: “and stedfast is
the Lord, who shall establish you, and shall guard from the evil;”
Literal Meaning: “but the Lord is faithful”, “faithful” and
“faith” (see v.2) in the original share the same etymon. Here it seems that
Paul makes the faithfulness of the Lord in sharp contrast with men’s lack of
faith. “The Lord is faithful”, which means that he will fulfill His will in
those who are of Him and not give them up halfway in their failure (see 1Cor.
1:9; 10:13)
“Who
will establish you”, the Lord
“establishes” believers through eternal consolation and good hope (see
2:16-17).
“And
guard you from the evil one”, “the evil one”,
it refers to both men and things according to the original, namely, “the evil
one” and “the evil”. The former is Satan (see Matt. 6:13; 1John 5:19), and the
latter refers to the persecutions and temptations from Satan (see 1:4; 2:15).
“Guard … from the evil …”,
it does not mean that we will never experience persecutions or temptations, but
we are enabled to stand in persecutions and temptations (see 1:4; 2:15).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The unbelief of men (see v.2) can not make
void of God’s faithfulness (
2) The way of being delivered from the evil one
for believers is to be established by the Lord rather than escape in fear.
3) The whole world lies in the wicked one
(1John 5:19). However, believers must be guarded from the evil one by the Lord
who loves us (John 13:1). Since the Lord is faithful, He has loved his own who
are in the world and loves them unto the end (John 13:1).
4) In the face of the wicked one, we cannot
believer ourselves but are enabled to believe that God will help believers.
5) Jehovah who looks upon and keeps us is
faithful. And He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Ps. 121:14). Therefore, we shall
rest without any fear.
2Thess. 3:4 “And we have confidence in
the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command
you.”
YLT: “and we have
confidence in the Lord touching you, that the things that we command you ye
both do and will do;”
Literal Meaning: “we have confidence
in the Lord”, Paul have confidence concerning believers because of the
confidence in the Lord.
“Both that you do the things we command you”,
“command” in the original means “the military command conveyed by the superior
officers”. “The things we command”: teachings in the epistles of Paul (see
1Thess. 4:2-4, 9-12; 5:11-22; 2Thess. 2:2, 15; 3:6, 10, 12-15).
“And will do”, the teachings of the truth shall not
be kept transiently, but continually.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God preaches the teachings of the truth by
His servants to make us understand them as well as do them (see Matt. 7:24-27).
2) Perseverance is demanded when believers keep
the word of God (Acts 2:42; Col. 1:23). The halfway keeping of God’s word is
nothing before God.
2Thess. 3:5 “Now may the Lord direct
your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”
YLT: “and the Lord
direct your hearts to the love of God, and to the endurance of the Christ.”
Meaning of Words: “direct”: straighten fully,
guide; “love”: the divine love, the perfect love, the absolute love; “patience”: endurance, constancy;
Literal
Meaning: “may the Lord direct your
hearts”, “direct” in the
original carries the meaning of removing the obstacles in the way. “Heart”
includes (intellect), emotion and will, namely, the whole of the soul. However,
here the mind the major object of being directed: man may firstly have right
mind and then obtain right emotion ---- love and then right will ---- patience.
“Into
the love of God”, this is one of the result of the Lord’s direction
of us. “Love”, it does not refer to man’s imperfect and conditional love, but
the perfect and selfless love. Only believers are enabled to obtain and enter
into such love (see 1John 4:7).
“And
into the patience of Christ”, it refers to the
attitude of the Lord Jesus when He is faced with the insults of sinners and the
afflictions of the cross. Man has no such patience. Only if we live in Christ
and are united with Him into one, can we experience the patience of Christ.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Not that we loved God, but that He loved us
(1John 4:10). We love because He has first loved us (1John 4:19).
2) The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Spirit (
3) The way of overcoming the evil men and
tribulations is to love God and learn the patience of Christ ---- be motivated
by the love of God and imitate the patience of the Lord Jesus in heart.
4) When our hearts have entered into the love
of God, we shall respond to Him with love. When our hearts are immersed in the
patience of Christ, we will obtain such patience of Christ.
5) Positively, we love God for we have enjoyed
the love of God, keeping the word of God in our life (see v.4). Passively, we
have part in the patience of Christ for we have experienced the patience of
Christ, keeping the word of the Lord in tribulations (see 2:15).
6) If we truly love the Lord and love men, we
will be enabled to suffer the humiliations and tribulations because of the
gospel.
2Thess. 3:6 “But we command you,
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every
brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he
received from us.”
YLT: “And we command
you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves
from every brother disorderly walking, and not after the deliverance that ye
received from us,”
Literal Meaning: “but we command you,
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”,
“in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”: in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ,
namely, by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ; “command”, it in the
original refers to the military command that men cannot but obey.
“Every
brother who walks disorderly”, “disorderly”: it means disordering the procession and
not keeping the command or order and getting away in the original. Here, it
means ignoring the responsibility in daily life and being unwilling to work and
becoming interfering busybodies (see v.11-12). Some believers in the church
in Thessalonica think they have to betake them more into the spiritual service
in the church (actually it is not spiritual) instead of laboring for eating
like those who are in the world since the Day of the Lord has come (see 2:2).
It is walking disorderly in the sight of Paul.
“And
not according to the tradition which he received from us”, “the tradition which he received from
us”, in general, it refers to the oral and
written teachings of the apostles (see 2:15). And in a narrow sense, it means
that we shall possess our vessels in sanctification and honor (not commit fornication) and work with our own
hands (see 1Thess. 4:1-12). Here Paul emphasizes the latter one, especially the
teaching of “working with one’s own hands” (see v.8-12).
“That
you withdraw from”, (see v.14-15),
“withdraw from”: furl the sails and withdraw backwards; Here it does not mean
giving up him or regarding him as enemy, but having no associations with him or
not accompanying him, making him ashamed (see v.14-15) and keeping oneself from
the bad influence of walking disorderly.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) If one is unwilling to work with his own
hands but relies on the help of the church or brethren under the guise of
serving the Lord, and yet has not served the Lord well with his whole heart,
such a man is the one who walks disorderly.
2) As the proverb goes, He that lies down with
dogs must rise up with fleas. To those whose conduct is evil, we’d better
“withdraw from” them unless we are strong and keep the attitude of sharing
Christ with them. Otherwise, we may be evilly influenced and have part in his
sins.
2Thess. 3:7 “For you yourselves know
how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;”
YLT: “for yourselves
have known how it behoveth to imitate us, because we did not act disorderly
among you;”
Literal Meaning: “for you yourselves know how
you ought to follow us”, once believers in Thessalonica had received the
true faith, they had known they had to follow the apostles’ examples (see
1Thess. 1:6).
“For
we were not disorderly among you”,
Paul indicates that they are not those who can say and yet not do (Matt. 23:3).
They set themselves as an example for believers to imitate.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) To the teachings of the Lord’s servants that
are worthy of the Scriptures, we shall keep them. However, to those who can say
and yet not do, we shall not imitate their works (Matt. 23:2-3).
2) If a preacher wants to be respected by
believers, the best way is to give heed to him and to the teaching. If he
continues in them, he will be able to subdue the hearts of those who hear him
(1Tim. 4:16).
2Thess. 3:8 “nor did we eat anyone's
bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we
might not be a burden to any of you,”
YLT: “nor for nought did
we eat bread of any one, but in labour and in travail, night and day working,
not to be chargeable to any of you;”
Literal Meaning: “nor did we eat
anyone’s bread free of charge”, “eat…bread”, it is a Hebrew expression, which
refers “making a living” (see Gen. 3:19; Amos. 7:12). “Eat anyone's bread free of
charge”, it means that one
has no genuine occupation but desires to enjoy the fruit of others. Note that
Paul does not say that he refuses the help of believers in money, but that he
never takes advantage of others and eats without working (see 1Thess. 2:9).
“But
worked with labor and toil night and day”, “labor”: weariness because of labor; “toil”: the
lack of rest; Paul had once or twice received the provision of the church in
“That
we might not be a burden to any of you”,
since believers in Thessalonica at that time had not believed the Lord long,
Paul would rather let not him become a financial burden to believers in
Thessalonica than let the ministry of the preachment be interrupted (see
1Thess. 2:6, 9; 1Cor. 9:18).
2Thess. 3:9 “not because we do not have
authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.”
YLT: “not because we
have not authority, but that ourselves a pattern we might give to you, to
imitate us;”
Literal Meaning: “not because we do
not have authority”, “authority”: the right of eating and making a living by
the preachment of the gospel (see 1Cor. 9:4-15). In other words, all those who
labor in spiritual things, they have right to receive material things that keep
their living (see 1Tim. 5:17-19).
“But
to make ourselves an example”, he who has right
and yet does not use the right has set him an example, and such example will
seem to be more persuasive.
“Of
how you should follow us”: follow the spirit
of Paul who prefers to give up the right of living for the purpose of preaching
the gospel (see v.7-8; 1Thess. 2:9);
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The Lord gives the preachers authority and
right for more efficacious works, not for their enjoyment. Therefore, the
faithful preachers will put their authority and right aside if necessary.
2) For the glory of God and the profit of man,
one is willing to give up his sound right ---- this is the characteristic of
the way of the cross of Christ. All those who follow the Lord in this path
shall cling to such a principle.
3) Examples excel in thousands of teachings.
Not only the preachers shall observe whether they have live a good example, but
also shall we believers also pay attention to the deeds of the preachers more
than their words (see Heb. 13:7).
2Thess. 3:10 “For even when we were with
you, we commanded you this If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”
YLT: “for even when we
were with you, this we did command you, that if any one is not willing to work,
neither let him eat,”
Literal Meaning: “for even when we were with
you, we commanded you this”, “command”: oral
teachings; concerning this problem, Paul not only teaches them orally but also
teaches them with written epistles (see 1Thess. 4:11-12).
“If
anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” “Will not”: it is not “cannot”, but that one is
physically capable and yet is mentally unwilling. “Neither shall he eat”: it is
imperative. It is more serious than “not working and not eating” of the
heretics.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Christians shall not become men who are idle
with no works.
2) According to the teaching of the Scriptures
here, to those who are able to work and yet unwilling to work and live in reliance
on social welfare system, we need not to be excessively kind to help them.
3) Indeed Christians are supposed to love one
another, but the love of Christians shall be of principle ---- neither connive
at sins nor encourage idleness, otherwise the love will become overindulgence,
wrong and foolish love
2Thess. 3:11 “For we hear that there
are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are
busybodies.”
YLT: “for we hear of
certain walking among you disorderly, nothing working, but over working,”
Literal Meaning: “for we hear that there are
some who walk among you in a disorderly manner”,
possibly, the number of believers in the
church in Thessalonica who are unwilling to earn their own living becomes
increasingly abundant and the situations become ever more serious. Therefore,
it arouses Paul’s special attention.
“Not
working at all, but are busybodies”,
it is a pun on a sentence in the original, which means “being busy with things
of all men except for oneself”, or “intermeddling with all things and yet being
idle to fulfill one’s duty”.
It is worse than “idleness”. Idleness only exerts
bad influence on oneself and his family members. However, “busybodies” will be
interfering and unprofitable to all. Generally, those who do not work will be
idle, thus “going about from house to house, and not only idle, but tattlers
also and busybodies, speaking things not becoming” (1Tim. 5:13).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Those who are idle without working will
bring damaging outcome to the church and the society. The more those who do not
work in a group, the more will the problems there be.
2) It is in no wise a normal phenomenon that
one is an interfering meddler but ignores his own affairs, or one intermeddles
with all things of others but fails to manage his own things. The more one
thinks himself spiritual, the more will he make such mistakes.
3) Only the idle one has the spare time to
intermeddle with others. If the church forbids interfering things, the idle
ones should be removed ---- by exhortation (see v.12) or “withdraw from…” (see
v.6).
4) If a believer has not been truly called by
God to let him give up his worldly career to serve the Lord, it is better for
him to serve the Lord while working, lest he should not bring positive influence
but negative destruction.
5) Today, in the church, there are many
so-called workers of the Lord are “voluntary” workers that are not called by
God. Finally, they cannot solve many problems in the church, but create many
problems.
2Thess. 3:12 “Now those who are such we
command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness
and eat their own bread.”
YLT: “and such we
command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness working,
their own bread they may eat;”
Literal Meaning: “now those who are such we
command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ”, “through our Lord Jesus Christ”, it means that his commands and exhortations are from the Lord Jesus
Christ.
“That
they work in quietness”, “quietness”: it is not utter silence, but working more
and speaking less, namely, being content with one’s own lot.
“And
eat their own bread”, it is opposite to
“eating anyone's bread free of charge” (see v.8). Since one is willing to work with his
own hand, he lacks nothing (see 1Thess. 4:11-12). Therefore, he is
self-sufficient without any reliance on others.
2Thess. 3:13 “But as for you, brethren,
do not grow weary in doing good.”
YLT: “and ye, brethren,
may ye not be weary doing well,”
Literal Meaning: “doing good”: keep the teachings and commands of the
apostles (see v.4) and all good word and work (see 2:17) and things that are
true, honorable, just, pure, amiable and of good report (Phil. 4:8), namely,
keep the good thing (see 2Tim. 1:14).
“Grow
weary”: be disappointed
(Luke 18:1) or faint (2Cor. 4:1; Eph. 3:13). No matter ignorance or shuffling
off of responsibility, or taking up the minor issue to evade the major one, or
sluggishness, or procrastination, or perfunctoriness, it is the expression of
wearisome.
“Do
not grow weary in doing good”, possibly, those
who walk disorderly have made believers who are zealous in doing good
disappointed, so they need encouragement. Paul here means that the motivation
of Christians’ good works is not the result, but the origin ---- the “good” God
(see Matt. 19:17)
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) No matter in what line of business, if
Christians do it for the Lord and the church, it is good and noble and
valuable.
2) The life of Christians is progressive and is
a war (see 1Cor. 9:24-27). Besides, it is unceasingly ongoing and struggling
(see Phil. 3:12-14) until the end of the days on the earth. Therefore, we shall
never be weary, but run with endurance the race that lies before us (Heb.
12:1).
3) Good works or service of the Lord may often
be misunderstood, which tends to hinder men because of wearisome. However, the
motivation of Christians’ good works and service is not pleasing men, but God
who tests our hearts (1Thess.2:4; Matt.6:1-4). If we have clearly known the
judgment of the Lord upon our works, we will not become weary because of
misunderstanding of others.
4) If a Christian does good out of himself, not
according to the principle of good works, the good works will not benefit the
objects but make himself weary and suffer loss.
2Thess. 3:14 “And if anyone does not
obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with
him, that he may be ashamed.”
YLT: “and if any one do
not obey our word through the letter, this one note ye, and have no company
with him, that he may be ashamed,”
Meaning of Words: “keep company with”: mix up, keep company with, associate with;
Literal
Meaning: “and if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle”, “anyone”: there is
always someone…; it seems that Paul foresees that someone will obstinately
refuse to listen to his exhortations; “our word in this epistle”, especially the teaching of walking
disorderly (see v.6-12).
“Note
that person and do not keep company with him”,
“note that”, it means giving particular
attention in the original; “keep company with”: mix up together; Here, the
person should “be noted” so that he shall become a special one; “not keep
company with him”: temporary alienation (see v.6), which makes him feel that he
is no longer a member of the church.
“That
he may be ashamed”, “ashamed”: not be
respected; therefore, he gets a sense of crisis that whether he is of the
church so that he will give heed to this situation and find he is thus treated
because of his improper conversation. Thus, he will repent and turn over a new leaf
(see 2Cor. 7:9-10).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) To those who have made mistakes, exhortation
and teaching shall be firstly given. If they do not hear it, the church shall
take necessary disciplinary actions.
2) The purpose of the church’s dealing with a brother
who has made mistake is not chastening him, but recovering him and gaining him
(see Matt. 18:15) so as to restore the normal life of fellowship in the church.
3) When the church bears witness to the Lord in
the world, she has to give attention to both “righteousness” and “love”. If
either is biased, the Lord will be misunderstood and misrepresented.
2Thess. 3:15 “Yet do not count him as
an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
YLT: “and as an enemy
count not, but admonish ye as a brother;”
Literal Meaning: “yet do not count him as an
enemy”, it means not being hostile to him. The faults of
believer in conversation do not change his status ---- even though a brother
has made a mistake, he is still a brother.
“But
admonish him as a brother”: exhort in love;
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The disciplinary actions in the church
should not be excessively severe, but be still full of brotherly love.
2) The principles of believers’ treating with
one another is not recompensing to men evil for evil, but overcoming evil with
good (Rom. 12:17, 21). Even though a brother has made a mistake, he is still a
brother. At most, let him be as one of the nations (Matt, 18:17), not enemy.
3) Today, in the Christianity, those who have
different views on truth tend to be hostile to one another, and even wickeder
than to sinners. However, the brothers they are hostile to may have the same
view on the fundamental truth (e.g. the only God, the deity of Jesus Christ,
the truth of redemption etc.), and have different points of view toward
knowledge irrelevant to the great will of God. Such treatment with one another
is indeed not the supposed condition of true believers.
2Thess. 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace
Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.”
YLT: “and may the Lord
of the peace Himself give to you the peace always in every way; the Lord with
you all!”
Literal Meaning: “now may the Lord of peace
Himself”, “peace” refers to
the quietness and rest in heart ---- not be disturbed and waved in a disordered
condition. Such peace is “the peace of the Lord”. Only the Lord Himself has
such peace. And only through His gift, we will obtain such peace. Therefore, He
is “the Lord of peace”.
“Give
you peace always in every way”, “always in every way”: such word has not been used in other
epistles; it means in all time and in all things; especially when we are faced
with disturbing situation, namely, when we have the need of…;
“The
Lord be with you all”, the Lord Himself
is the answer of all problems ---- where there is His presence, there is peace.
Where there is His presence, it is paradise.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The Lord of peace will give the peace we
need according to the rhythm of the storms and waves so that we will be above
them.
2) Though we do not know the way lying before
us tomorrow, we know we can enjoy the presence and visitation of the Lord in
the path that we tread on everyday.
2Thess. 3:17 “The salutation of Paul
with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.”
YLT: “The salutation by
the hand of me, Paul, which is a sign in every letter; thus I write;”
Literal Meaning: “the salutation of Paul with
my own hand”, generally the epistle of Paul was dictated by him
and written by others (see Rom. 16:22), and Paul wrote his name at the end and
added some words (see 1Cor. 16:21; Col. 4:18; Philem. 19). Though this epistle
mentions three names at the outset (see 1:1), it is actually dictated by Paul
and gone over and agreed by the other two brothers.
“Which
is a sign in every epistle; so I write”,
since the epistles of Paul are dictated by him and written by others, in order
to guard against the false epistles under the guise of Paul’s name (see 2:2),
Paul gives the salutation in the epistle with his own hands so that believers
will easily distinguish authenticity
2Thess. 3:18 “The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
YLT: “the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ with you all! Amen.”
Literal Meaning: “the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ”, it is the
enjoyment of the Lord Jesus, for grace is none other than Christ himself who
has become the enjoyment of men instead of some material blessing.
“Be
with you all. Amen.” “With”, it
indicates both sides are living persons. Therefore, “the grace of the Lord
Jesus” is that believers have enjoyed the Lord Jesus Himself to a degree that
He is with us fully and richly. Such presence will become the source of our
strength in our daily life so that we are enabled to stand firmly in spite of
the assault of the evil one and keep the teaching of all truth to embrace the
Lord’s coming again.
Note that “you all” refer to all the brothers and
sisters in the church, including those who walk disorderly. All of them are the
objects of Paul’s blessing. Therefore, his reproof aims at things rather than
men. Though he rebukes their conversation severely, he still cares about them
and gives them blessing.
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
The Reasons Why Prayers for One Another Are
Needed
A. That the word of the Lord may run swiftly
and be glorified (v.1);
B. That the Lord’s workers may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men (v
C. For not all have faith (v.2b);
Things that the Faithful Lord Will Do on
Believers
A. To establish us (v.3b);
B. To guard you from the evil one (v
C. That we do and will do teachings of the
truth (v.4);
D. To direct our hearts (v.5):
1. The love of God;
2. The patience of Christ;
How to Keep the Order in the Church?
A. Teachings in the Scriptures (v.6);
B. Examples of the Lord’s workers (v.7-10);
C. Exhortations and encouragements of the
saints (v.11-15);
D. Grace and strength in the Lord’s presence
(v.16-18);
Men That Are Unwilling to Work
A. They do not walk disorderly (v. 6, 7, 11);
B. They do not keep the teachings of the
apostles (v.6b,
C. They eat the bread of others free of charge (v
D. They become a burden to others (v.8b);
E. They do not work at all (v.11b);
F. They are busybodies (v
How to Deal With Those Who Walk Disorderly?
A. Withdraw from him (v.6b);
B. Command and exhort them through the Lord to
work in quietness and eat their own bread (v.12);
C. Note that person and do not keep company
with him that he may be ashamed (v.14b);
D. Do not count him as an enemy (v.15);
The Good in Christ
A. The Lord Himself gives us peace (v
B. The Lord Himself is with us (v.16b);
C. The intimate care and special fellowship of
the Lord’s workers (v.17);
D. The Lord’s grace is with us (v.18);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou