The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 64

EXPOSITION. progrces lllay be removed : that ita dift'ualoa CHAPTER m. may be free and unimpeded: that, like the CoNTENTB.-The npostle now oomea to the sun, it may rejoice as a strong man to run oonclusion of his Epistle. He beseeches the hill raoe (Ps. xix. 5: comp. Ps. cxlviL 15, " He sendeth forth his oommandment upon Th888&lon iaDl! for an interest in their prayel'B, earth: his word runneth very ■wiftly "). that the gospel may be rapidly ditl'used and And be glorified; namely, in the conversion glorified by numerous oonversions, and that of souls (comp. Acts xiiL 48). The allusion be and bis fellow-workers may be enabled may be to the applause given to the viotors to preach it unhindered by the opposition of in the foot-races which constituted so con- siderable a part of the Grecian games. This their enemies. He expresses his oonfidence personification of the Word of the Lord ill that the Lord will preserve them from evil a favourite figure with the apostle. "In and rend,·r them obedient to his instruc- St. Paul's language there is but a thin film tions, it being his earnest prayer for them between the Holy Ghost, the Divine per- that they might be direoted· into the love of sonal Spirit, and the spirit in the believer's inmost being. And eo in St. Paul's concep- God and the patience of Jesus Christ. The tion there is but a thin film between the apostle then proceeds to admonish them on Word preached and the living Word of God account of the disorderly oonduct which who is God" (Bishop Alexander). Even as many of them exhibited. He had heard it is with yon; a recognition of the eager- that there were some among them who ness with which the Thessaloniana had walked disorderly, and who, either from received the gospel. Ver. 2.-And that; a further addition dread or from excitement on account of to the prayer. We; either I Paul, or else their belief in the immediate coming of the Paul and Silas and Timothy. Kay be Lord, had deaieted from their worldly em- delivered; not may "come oft' victorious ployments. He commands such to return to whether by life or death" (Calvin), but their duties, giving him.self as an example, may be rescued from our enemies. Jowett observes that we have here the shrinking inasmuch as, when at Thessalonica, he had of the flesh from the dangers whioh awaited laboured with his own hands for snpport. the apostle. But there is no trace of If, however, such disorderly persons were cowardice in these words ; the apostle de- not to be persuaded, then he enjoins the sires deliverance, not for his own sake, but members of the Church to withdraw from for the sake of the free dilfusion of the gospel. From nnreuonable; a word whose them and exclude them from their society, original meaning is " out of place ; " then in order that they might be ashamed and used in &D ethical sense, "wicked," "absurd," brought to repentance and amendment of "unreasonable;" perhaps here applied to life. He invokes peace npon them from the persons who will not listen to arguments. Lord of peace ; he authenticates his Epistle And wioked men. By these unreasonable and wicked men are not to be understood to guard againllt imposition ; &Dd ooncludes the Jews of Thessalonica, from whom Paul with his apostolic benediction. formerly suffered, for their influence would Ver. !.-Finally; furthermore; for the hardly extend to Corinth; nor Christian ■ rest; introducing the concluding part of who were only so in name (Calvin), and the Epistle (see l These. iv. I). Brethren, specially the Judaizing Christiana, for there pray for us (see a similar request in l Thesa. is no alluijion as yet to their attacks upon v. 25). Observe the unselfishness of the the apostle; but the fanatical and unbeliev- apostle's request. He does not ask the ing Jews at Corinth (see Acts xvili. 1~). Thessalonians to pray specially for himself, J'or all men have not faith ; or, thB faith; but for the unimpeded diffusion and success t1l6 faith i, not thB poBBBBBion of all. Faith 1-f the gospel, and for himself only in so far here ill the Ohriatian faith : all men have ,.. that he might be freed from all hindrances not reoeived it---ob'riously alluding to the la preaching the gospel-that God would be unbelieving Jews. The words cannot mean, pleased to crown his labours with success. all men have not the true faith-referring That; introducing the subject-matter of to pretended Christians-false brethren, but prayer; what he requested the Thessa- secret enemies (Calvin). Nor ill it to be lonians to pray for. The word of die Lord- rendered "all men have not the oopacity of namely, the gospel-may have free ooune; faith." Others understand by faith that literally, fflGJI .-vn ; that all obstacles to ita upriiht and candid dillpo8ition whioh would cu. UL 1-18.) THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. 63