The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 79

["'rticnlars of the order of which they bad been the medium of deliTery. Special refer• ence iB made to their beiu.g an example of indepen<lence acquired by manual labour, ft conld not be Be.id of tham that they had eaten bread for nought at any man's hand. They bad eaten bread in labour and travail, working night and day, to be raised above the point of being burdensome to any of them. Very similar language is used in the F'irst Epistle. "For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you," Tho thought there is that, by their having adopted this course, they were placed above all suspicion of selfishness, They were only l!ivera to the Thessalonians, as mothers to their infant children. We are here told what led to their supporting themselves by the labour of their own hands. It was the consideration of example. In the excitement into which the Thessalonian Church had been thrown by the announcement of the coming, there had. been early observed a tflndency to neglect the duties of their worldly calling, which could only result in their making themselves a burden. To counteract this tendency, they had thrown the influence of their example into the scale of industry. As they were not burdensome to the Thessalonians, let none of them be burdensome to any. Reserwtion of right. "Not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an example unto you, that ye should imitate us." As preachers they had the right to be maintained by those to whom they ministered. In preaching they were as much labouring-giving out their strength, even the strength of their bodies-as when they were tent-making, or engaged in other manual labour. And, according to the principle which is brought in elsewhere, the labourer is worthy of his hire. In certain circumstances they felt free to accept of maintenance from those among whom they laboured, and thus to '..'.ive their whole strength to spiritual work. Even at Thessalonica they felt free to accept of a gift from the Philippian Church. They did not feel free to accept of maintenance from the Thessalonian Church, simply because it was necessary, by their example, to encourage among them a spirit of independence in connection with diligence in performing the duties of their worldly calling. Ill. DtrTY ENFORCED BY THE PLAIN MANNER IN WHICH THE PREACHERS HAD TAUGHT, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat." In the First Epistle it had been said, "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you." The Thessaloniansare now referred back, beyond that point, to the time when the preachers were with them. In prescribing starvation as the remedy for the sl,1rking of labour, Christianity bas a certain aspect of severity. And yet, in this respect, Christianity is only sanctified common sense. There may be doubt in par- ticular cases whether a man has the ability to work or the opportunity to work. ilut there can be no doubt of this, that if he has the ability to work and the oppor- tunity and will not work, then he should be allowed to starve. That is to say, let the struggle go on in him between hunger and indolence, There is no call for our inter- posing in the name of Christian charity, which needs to be salted with salt, if it would not lose its flavour. We may expect that the struggle will encl in hunger gaining the mastery over his indolence. And there will be an experience gained which may make him a profitable member of society for the time to come. It is well that the Christian rule is so plainly laid down. For there is a false spiritualism that looks askance at labour. It has even been attempted to throw a Christian halo around idleness in the order of the mendicant monks. But there is a sensible practical tone about Christianity which must commend it even to those who are not in sympathy with its central teaching. We do not need to engao-e in our worldly business with a grudge, as though all the time gained to the body ~ere lost to the soul. We may feel free, with Paul and Silas and Timothy, in labour and travail, to work night and day, that we may not be burden- some to any. TI,ere is indeed danger, and very great danger, of our going over to the other side, and neglecting our spiritual duties, becoming worldly in our business. Dut that is to go beyond the intention of Christ. He means that, by attention to our spiritual duties, we should be fitted for our worldly duties. He means that we should be mindful of him, and loyal to his laws in our worldly duties, He means that, through tl,e right performance of our worldly duties, our highest spirituality should be pro- moted. And blessed is he who can work out this problem aright in his life. IV. Ooc.a.11101'1' FOR LA YING DOWN THE DUTY. "For we hear of some that walk among OH. UL 1-18.) THE SECOND ErISTLE TO THE THESS.ALONIANS. n