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2Th_3:16. The apostle, hastening to a conclusion, annexes a benediction to the exhortation. By ὁ κύριος τῆς εἰρήνης is meant not God, but Christ, and the genitive designates Him as the Creator and Producer of εἰρήνη .
τῆς εἰρήνης and τὴν εἰρήνην ] are usually interpreted, either of mutual harmony or of peace of mind (or even, as e.g. by Schott, of both together, external and internal peace). The first-mentioned interpretation is untenable, because there is in the Epistle not the slightest trace of dissensions in the church; and the shift that the fanatical excitement in the church, and the idleness consequent upon it, might lead to external disquiet, and accordingly the wish of the apostle was occasioned with a view to the future, is far-fetched and arbitrary, because Paul prays for what was immediately to occur. There is nothing against the second interpretation, as calmness of mind or peace of soul is undoubtedly indicated by εἰρήνη (Php_4:7). See Meyer and Weiss in loco. Yet it is also admissible to understand εἰρήνη both times (corresponding to the Hebrew ùÑÈìåÉí ; see Fritzsche, ad Rom. I. p. 22 ff.) in the sense of salvation or blessing, and, indeed, on account of the article τῆς and τήν , of the definite,—that is to say, the specifically Christian blessing or salvation. This interpretation is also supported by the fact, that as χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη at the commencement of the apostolic Epistles corresponds to the Salutem or εὖ πράττειν of profane writers, so the apostolic benediction at the conclusion of the Epistles is nothing else than the Christian transformation of the usual Valete or ἔῤῥωσθε .
διὰ παντός ] always, Rom_11:10; Mat_18:10; Act_2:25.
μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ] accordingly even with the ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντες .