Analysis Of The Chapter 2 Thessalonians 3 is made up of exhortations and directions in regard to the performance of various Christian duties. (1)The apostle asks for their prayers; 2 Thessalonians 3:1. He desires them to pray particularly that the true religion might be prospered, and that, in pre... [ Continue Reading ]
FINALLY, BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US - That is, for Paul, Silas, and Timothy, then engaged in arduous labors at Corinth. This request for the prayers of Christians is one which Paul often makes; see the notes, 1 Thessalonians 5:25. THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY HAVE FREE COURSE - That is, the gospel. The... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT WE MAY BE DELIVERED FROM UNREASONABLE AND WICKED MEN - That is, from opposition in their endeavors to spread the gospel. Paul encountered such men everywhere, as all do who labor to diffuse the knowledge of the truth, but it is probable that there is particular reference here to the opposit... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE LORD IS FAITHFUL - - Though human beings cannot be trusted, God is faithful to his promises and his purposes. He may always be confided in; and when people are unbelieving, perverse, unkind, and disposed to do us wrong, we may go to him, and we shall always find in him one in whom we may con... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD - Not primarily in you, for you have hearts like others, but in the Lord. It is remarkable that when Paul expresses the utmost confidence in Christians that they will live and act as becomes their profession, his reliance is not on anything in themselves, but wholl... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS INTO THE LOVE OF GOD - So direct your hearts that you may love God. “And into the patient waiting for Christ.” Margin, “patience of Christ.” The marginal reading is in accordance with the Greek, and seems best to express the apostle’s meaning. The prayer of the apostl... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WE COMMAND YOU, BRETHREN - The apostle now 2 Thessalonians 3:6 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 Epis... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YOURSELVES KNOW HOW YE OUGHT TO FOLLOW US - You know what you should do in order to imitate us. FOR WE BEHAVED NOT OURSELVES DISORDERLY AMONG YOU - See the notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER DID WE EAT ANY MAN’S BREAD FOR NOUGHT - We were not supported in idleness at the expense of others. We gave a fair equivalent for all that we received, and, in fact, labored for our own support; see the notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT POWER ... - See the notes on 1 Corinthians 9:6, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVEN WHEN WE WERE WITH YOU, THIS WE COMMANDED YOU - It would seem from this that the evil of which the apostle here complains had begun to operate even when he was with them. There were those who were disposed to be idle, and who needed the solemn command of an apostle to induce them to labor. T... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE HEAR - It is not known in what way this was made known to Paul, whether by Timothy, or by some other one. He had no doubt of its truth, and he seems to have been prepared to believe it the more readily from what he saw when he was among them. WHICH WALK DISORDERLY - See the notes, 2 Thessalo... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEM THAT ARE SUCH WE COMMAND AND EXHORT BY OUR LORD JESUS ... - A more solemn command and appeal to do what he had before enjoined on all of them; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; see the notes on that verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YE, BRETHREN, BE NOT WEARY IN WELL-DOING - Margin, “faint not.” The Greek means, properly, to turn out a coward; then to be faint-hearted, to despond. The idea is, that they were not to be discouraged from doing good to the truly worthy and deserving by the idleness and improper conduct of some... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF ANY MAN OBEY NOT OUR WORD BY THIS EPISTLE - Margin, “or signify that man by an epistle.” According to the marginal reading this would mean “signify, mark out, or designate that man to me by an epistle.” The difference is merely whether we unite the words “by the epistle” with what goes before... [ Continue Reading ]
YET COUNT HIM NOT AS AN ENEMY, BUT ADMONISH HIM AS A BROTHER - This shows the true spirit in which discipline is to be administered in the Christian church. We are not to deal with a man as an adversary over whom we are to seek to gain a victory, but as an erring brother - a brother still, though he... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE LORD OF PEACE - The Lord who alone can impart peace; see the Romans 15:33 note; 1 Corinthians 14:33 note; Hebrews 13:20 note; John 14:27 note.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SALUTATION OF PAUL WITH MINE OWN HAND; - See the notes, 1 Corinthians 16:21. “Which is the token in every epistle.” Greek: “sign.” That is, this signature is a sign or proof of the genuineness of the epistle; compare the notes on Galatians 6:11. SO I WRITE - Referring, probably, to some mark or... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL; - See the notes, Romans 16:20. From the subscription to this Epistle, it purports to have been “written from Athens.” This is probably incorrect, as there is reason to think that it was written from Corinth. See the introduction. At all events, th... [ Continue Reading ]