The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 66

idlen-. The apoetle had oensured this Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. ix. 1-18). ronduct in his former Epistle (1 These. iv. But for the ~ake of bis converts, to give 11. 12). but the evil had rather increased them an example of diligent working, and than diminished; and, aroordingly, he ee• to remove every impediment to the progress of the gospel, be of.ten waived his ri~bts. verel.y rebukes this spirit, and sets himself Thus be did at Thedsalonico. (I Thcss. 1i. 6, to oorrect the disorders OC0&11ioncd by it. 9), at Corinth (Acts xviii. 3: 2 Cor. xi. 9), Ver. 6.-Now we oomme.nd you, brethren. and at Ephesus (Acts xx. 34); in all these An injunction, not specially directed to the places he laboured for his maiutcnonce o.e a elders or office-bearers, but to the members, of tent-maker. But-we aoted so-to make our- ;he Church in general (see I These. v.14). In selves an ensample unto you to follow- the Na.me of the Lord Jesus Christ. Strength- imitate---us. ening the comn,and, as being given in the Ver. 10.-l'or even when we were with Ne.me and authority of the great Head of the you; during our residence in Thessalonica. Church; not we, but Christ himself commands This we commanded, that if any man.,wo!lld yon. That ye withdraw yourselves. A not work, neither should he eat. This or nautical expreseion, denoting to "shorten similar expressions have been· shown to be t.he sails;" l,ence metaphorically to keep out a proverb in frequent use among the Jews. of the way, ~ withdraw; that ye avoid in- Thus: "Whoever doth not work doth not tercourse and fellowsnip with; no allusion ee t" (' Bereshitb Rabbe.'); "Let not him as yet to eicummunication. From every who wonld not fobour before the sabbath brother-fellow-Christian-that walketh dis- eat on the sabbath " (' In Lib. Zenon.'). It orderly; literally, out of the ranks (see l is a law of nature, and the apostle liere sanc- Thesa. v. H ). And not after the tradition; tions it as a law of Christianity. There is or, the instructiOM; not the example of the here a reference to the sentence pronounced apostle, which ie afterwards mentioned, but ou man in Pura<lise in consequence of dis- the instructions which he orally delivered obedience: "In the sweat of thy face sbalt when at Tbessalonica, 11.nd subsequently thou eat bread " (Gen. iii. 19). Labour, in- confirmed by the Epistle which be bad deed, may in one point of vic-w be considered written to them (see eh. ii. 15). Whioh he as pa.rt of the curse, but it is also a blessing received of 118. Here the readings of me.nu- adopted to man's fa.lieu nature. Labour is scri pt.s differ. Some read "which you re- the law of God; idleness is the parent of ceived of us," and others "which they," many crimes and is pruducti\'e of misery. namely, those represented by the brother He who has no business allotted to him that walketh disorderly, "received of us" ought to choose some useful occupation for (so R. V.). himself. Ver. 7.-For yo11r11elves know; without it Ver. ll.-For; the reason for the allusion being necessary for me to say anything about to this proverb. We hear. The apostle had the matter; ye yourselves eze witnesses. either heord from Timothy who had rejoined B:ow ye ought to follow (or, imitate) us; him from Thessalonica, or from the report better, perhaps, to be restricted to Paul than of the bearers of the First Epistle. That used as in.elusive of Silas and Tioiotliy. For there are some whioh walk among you dis- we behaved not 011r11elves disorderly among orderly, working not at all, but are busy- you; referring to the apostle's residence in bodies. There is here a paranomasia or Thessalonica. play upon words, the words "working" and Ver. 8.-Neither did we eat any man'• ••busybodies" being cognate. It iii difficult bread; a Hebraism for "neither did we to preserve the resemblance in a translation. get our sustenance," as bread was the staff "Busy only with what is not their own of life. For nought; gratis, free of expeI1Be. business" (Jowett); "Working e.t no busi- But wrought with labour and travail night ness, but being busybodies'' (Ellicott); "Not and de.y, that we might not be ohargeable busy, but busybodil'S" (Wordsworth). The u.nto any of yon. The apostle makes tha word "busybodies" denoks busy in useless •awe declaration in hi• Firat Epistle, ex- and superfluous things, about which one pressed in almost similar terms : " For ye need not trouble himself-occupied about remember, brethren, our labour and travail; trifles. The apostle refers to the fano.tioal for labouring nigLt and day, because we excitement in the Church on account of would not be che.rgeable unto any of yon, which the Thessalonians, instead of occupy- we preached unto yon the gospel of God " (I ing themselves with the fulfilment of the The1111. ii. 9). duties of their earthly calling, busied them- Ver. 9.-Not beoe.nse we have not power; selves about matters which were unproflt&ble that ia, to demand aupport. Pe.ul, e.s e.n and vain. a.poet.le, he.d the rightof maintenance from the Ver. 12.-Now them that are snoh we Churchea among whom he laboured. This command e.nd exhort by (or, as the best right of support he inaists upon in the First manuscripts reacj, in) our Lord lesu• cH. m. 1-18.J THE t:,J<.:(.)O.Nl> .l!,;l'l:::,1L~ TU 'lHE THESSALONIANS. ,;.,