The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Thessalonians — Section 100

Ver. 11.-fte industrial life. Christianity has eomething to say on the indl18trial life. It has been charged with discrediting industry. No calumny could he more false. It certainly discourages engrossing worldly cares, and hitls men remember their heavenly citizenship. But it only inculcates a more faithful discharge of earthly duty by insisting on lofty views of life and the pure principles which should inspire it. Three duties in regard to the industrial life are here urged by St. Paul. L AN AMBITION TO BE QUIET. The word" study" mean& literally," he ambition&.• This is a remarkable collocation of ideas-ambition and quiet. It is as though the apostle eaid, "You have been ambitious to make a noise in the world; reverse your aim: be ambitious of quiet." This striking piece of advice is urged in close con- nection with directions regarding the industrial life. Probably the Church at Thesea- lonica was largely composed of working-men. There was a danger lest the new privil~es of Christianity should make some of these men foolishly anxious to make themselves conspicuous. 1. We shO'Uld aim at doing much good without attracting attt:r,tion to oursel,vet.. The Christian s1iould not clamour for recognition. He should be content that his work prospers, though he remains obscure. 2. We should be too busy with work to have much time for talk. Busybodies are generally drones. How silent is the work of God in nature ! Silently the forest grow& So let our work be done. 3. We should work peaceolJly. The noisy man is too often the quarrelsome man. In the ambition to sound a name abroad, bitter envy and jealousy are excited. 4. IfrW"'O,nt peopk should not suppose that the privi'kges of Christian brotherhood quallf, them to teach others. "Be not many teachers" (Ja.s. iii. 1). II. A DOING ONE'S OWN BUBINEBB. L fte claims of the (Jhurch are no tJIUUsefor the neg'kd of a man's secular bu.'lines,. It is wrong to become so much the slave of business as to have no time or energy for mission work, Sunday echool teaching, etc. But it is e.lso most certainly wrong to fail in our duty in the secular sphere. The Christian should be the most punctnal, prom pt, and energetic man of business. He should rerve Christ in it. If he is responsible to others, his religion should strengthen his fio.elity not to give eye-service as a man-pleaser. 2. ReUgion does not remove a man from tM station in which he is placed l>y Providence. It may so improve his habits of work aud may bring such ble,sings upon him as may enable him gradually to rise in the social sea.le. But it may permit no such external change; it should not he expected to do so in every ca.se. And however that may be, religion can make no sudden change in a man's circumstances. The Christian slave was in outward circumstances a slave still. The artisan remained an artisan. 3. <Jhristianity forbids UB to be envious of the more prosperous condition of other people. It is not for us to snatch at their privileges to the neglect of our own duty. Every man has hie Divine vocation. It is the Christian's duty to find hiB special vocation and to follow it, whether it lead him up the Beulah heights or down through the valley of humiliation. In the Church let each man find his own place and do his own work. There is a diver11ity of gifui. One has a gift of speech, another a gift of deft handiwork. Let neither be ambitious to usurp the place of the other. 4. Christiana ,hould be too busy with their own work to have time to judge their neighbour,. We are workmen, not judges. To his own Master each man stands or falls. Ill. AN HONEST DILIGENCE IN .MANUAL LABOUB. This duty is clearly brought out in the Revised Version, which omits the word "own• before "hand11," so that we read the clause, " Work with your hands." 'l'hus we have a direct recommendation of manual labour. 1. Manual labQU,r i, necessary. There is hard, rough work of thie JH, IV. 1-18.J THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. 18