The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 78

organ of God. De11pUeth; or, rejecteth. Not rality of the richer members of the CbUl'Ob man; that. le, not me, as If the commands wes abused and perverted, so o.e to promote were given from myeclf-were of mere indolence. And to do yonr own busineu; to hume.n origin. But God; the Giver of theee attend. to ~he duties of your worldly calling, commands. So e.leo Peter eaid unto to avoid idleness. And to work with your Ananias, " Thou haet not lied unto man, own hands. From thie it would appear that but unto God" (Acte v. 4); and our Lord the members of the Theasalonian Church Hye, " He that rejeoteth you rejecteth me" were chiefly composed of the labouring (Luke x. 16). Who bath also given unto ua classes. As we commanded you. A precisely his Holy Spirit. If this is the correct similar exhortation is given in the Epistle reading, then the apostle here again aee~rte to the Ephesians: "Let him that stole llteal hie own inspiration, e.nd that in the strongest no more: but rather let him labour, working ancl plainest terms. The best me.nuscripts, with his hands the thing which is good" however, ree.d, "who giveth bis Holy Spirit (Epb. iv. 28). unto you" (R.V.)-a strong enforcement of Ver. 12.-That ye walk honestly; that is, holiness, inasmuob BB the Holy Spirit waa oonourably ; •eemly. Toward them that are given them for the express purpose of pro- without; without the po.le of the Christian ducing boliuese within them. Church, toward those who are not Chris- Ver. 9.-The apostle now proceeds to a tians, wbether Jews or Gentiles, the un be- new exhortation. But aa touching brotherly lieving world. So also, in another Epistle. love. Brotherly love is the love or Chris- the apostle says, "Walk iu wisdom toward ti&n1 to Christians, that special affection them that are without" (Col. iv. 5). That whioh believers be&r to e&eh other; a virtue ye may have lack of nothing; either neuter, which was co.rried to such perfection in the of no thing; or perhaps rather masculine, of primitive Churoh aa to call forth the ad- no man; that ye be under no necessity of miration of their heathen adversaries. This aaking assistance either from heathens or virtue is often inculcated in Scripture (Heb. from fellow-Christians; inasmuch as working xiii. 1; 1 John iii. 14), and is distinguished with your bands will put you in possession from love in general (2 Pet. i. 7). Ye need of what is neceasary for life; whereaa idle· not that I write unto you ; a delicate and ness necessarily involves poverty and depen- gentle reproof. For ye yourselves are taught dence on others. of God. We &re not here to think or the Ver. 13.-With this verse the apoatle new commandment of brotherly love given proceeds to another subject, namely, to by the Se.vionr, nor on the Divine compassion comfort those who were mourning the death exciting us to love ; but " taught of God" of their friends. It would appear that the by the influences of the Spirit on their heart■ Thessalonie.ns were in perplexity and dis- and consciences to love one another. tress concerning the fate of their deceased Ver. 10.-And indeed ye do it toward all friends, feuing that these would miss those the brethren whioh are in all Macedonia. blessings which they expected Christ to Not only to those in Thesaalonica., but to all confer at his advent. Their views of the believers in your country and neighbour- time e.nd nature of the advent and of the hood. But we beseeoh you, brethren, that future state in general were confused. They ye increase more and more; that ye me.ke expected that Christ wonld come imme- progress in brotherly love-that it incree.se diately e.nd establish his kingdom on e&rth; in purity, in wumth, e.nd in extent. and consequently they feared that thoee who Ver. 11.-And that ye study; literally, had died would be excluded from it. But I that ye be ambitioua. To be quiet; to avoid would not have you to be ignorant, brethren; unrest, to live in peace. Worldly ambition a phrase often used by the apostle, when he excludes quietness and prompts to restless- me.kes a transition to new and important ness ; so that the apostle's admonition really matters (comp. Rom. i. 13; xi. 25; 1 Cor. is, "that ye be ambitious not to be ambi- x. 1 ; xii. 1 ; 2 Cor. i. 8). Concerning them tious." The unrest which disturbed the whioh &re asleep; or, are fallen asleep. peace of the Thessalonian Church wo.a not The death of believers in the New Testa- political, but religious; it arose from the ment is frequently called "sleep." "Our t'Xcitement no.turo.lly occasioned by the friend Lazarus sleepeth" (John xi. 11). Of entrance of the new Jeeling of Christianity Stephen it is said that " be fell o.sleep" among them. It would also appear that (Acts vii. 60). "Many &re wel.l.k and sickly they were excited by the idea of Christ's among you, e.nd many sleep" (1 Cor. xi. 30). immediate advent. This bad occasioned "Then they also which are fallen o.aleep in diaorders, and had caused severe.I to negleot Christ are perished" (1 Cor. xv. 18). "We their ordine.ry business and to give tbem- she.II not o.11 sleep, but we shall all be sel ves over to an indolent inactivity, so that ohanged" (l Cor. xv. 51). "He fell a~leep" Christian prudence wo.a overborne ( comp. 2 ii, a common epitaph on early Chrutia.n 1'heBB. iii. 6-12). Perhapa, also, the libe- tombstones. It is to be observed that it i,  i6 THE FlHST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [cH. 1v. 1-18.