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2Th_3:14. Διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ] is, by Nicolas de Lyra, Luther, Calvin, Musculus, Hemming, Bullinger, Lucius Osiander, Balduin, Grotius, Calovius, Clericus, Sebastian Schmid, Bengel, Moldenhauer, Zachariae, Koppe, Krause, Pelt, Winer, p. 108 [E. T. 147], and others, united with what follows. It is usually explained: If any obey not my word, note that man to me in writing, sc. in order that I may direct what punishment is to be inflicted on him. But this interpretation is to be rejected—(1) on account of the article τῆς , which, if unforced, can only denote a definite epistle lying before them, not an epistle to be written only at a later period; (2) as the inversion of the words: διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τοῦτον σημειοῦσθε , instead of the natural order: τοῦτον διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς σημειοῦσθε , would not be justified; (3) lastly, because it is very improbable that Paul should still have retained for himself a statement of the punishment, as he has already in 2Th_3:6 stated the mode of punishment, and again repeated it in this verse, commanding them to withdraw from the society of every brother acting contrary to his admonitions. But interpretations in this connection, as that of Bengel: “notate notâ censoriâ, hanc epistolam, ejus admonendi causa, adhibentes eique inculcantes, ut, aliorum judicio perspecto, se demittat,” or that of Pelt: “eum hac epistola freti severius tractate,” alter the idea of the verb σημειοῦσθαι . We are obliged to unite διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς with τῷ λόγῳ ἡμῶν . So, correctly, Chrysostom, Clarius, Estius, Piscator, Andrew Osiander, Aretius, Menochius, Vorstius, Cornelius a Lapide, Beza, Fromond., Hammond, Nat. Alexander, Joachim Lange, Harduin, Whitby, Benson, Bolten, Flatt, Schott, Olshausen, de Wette, Baumgarten-Crusius, Bloomfield, Alford, Ewald, Bisping, Buttmann, Gramm. des neutest. Sprachgebr. p. 80 [E. T. 92]; Hofmann, Riggenbach, and others. It was not necessary to repeat the article τῷ before διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς , because τῷ λόγῳ ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς is blended into the unity of the idea of a written command. Comp. Winer, p. 123 [E. T. 169]. ἡ ἐπιστολή denotes the definite Epistle, i.e. our Second Epistle to the Thessalonians (comp. 1Th_5:27; Rom_16:22; Col_4:16); and the command expressed by that Epistle is the admonition in 2Th_3:12. The meaning is: But if any one acts contrary to my prohibition repeated in this Epistle, note that man, i.e. mark him, sc. in order to avoid intercourse with him (comp. 1Co_5:9; 1Co_5:11), and thereby to bring him to shame (and amendment); as Paul, explaining himself, expressly adds: καὶ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθε αὐτῷ , ἵνα ἐντραπῇ . This meaning also remains, if, instead of the Receptus καὶ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθε , we read, with Lachmann and Tischendorf 1, after A B D* à , the infinitive μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι , only the form of expression being changed.
ἐντραπῇ ] is passive, not middle (Pelt). Comp. Tit_2:8; 1Co_4:14; 1Co_6:5; 1Co_15:24.