Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:13 - 3:15

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:13 - 3:15


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

The apostle once more urges church discipline:

v. 13. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.

v. 14. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

v. 15. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Instead of condoning the tendency toward loafing, toward disorderly conduct, which was evident in the Thessalonian congregation, the apostle urges: You, however, brethren, do not become weary in well-doing. They should not become dispirited, fatigued, in performing such deeds, in living such a life as agreed with all demands of honesty and charity. Their conduct should be unblamable, steady, loving, earnest, with a proper practice of due beneficence toward those actually in need. Instead of becoming objects of charity and depending upon the liberality of others, Christians will at all times conduct themselves in their work so as to have enough for their own needs and to spare for those of others.

The apostle now returns to the thought of v. 6: But if anyone will not yield obedience to our word through this epistle, mark that man, do not associate with him, in order to make him feel ashamed; and still do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him, put him under discipline, as a brother. Though the apostle does not speak with the fire which he uses in the case of frightful vices, 1Co_5:1-5, yet he writes with an unmistakable seriousness, which permits no misconstruing of his words. The people in the congregation that still, after the sending of this second epistle, persisted in disobeying the apostle and in continuing their disorderly conduct, must be disciplined. Every transgressor should be marked, distinctly set a part from the rest, as such. Paul's command is that the members of the congregation do not mix themselves up with such a man, have no dealings with him, cultivate no fraternal intercourse with him. This course was intended to make the guilty one feel ashamed of himself, make him realize that his persistence in his transgression would eventually shut him out entirely from all brotherly intercourse with the members of the Christian congregation. At the same time they were not to treat him as an enemy of Christ and the Church as yet, but were still to use all power of persuasion and admonition. Their disapproval was therefore not to be tainted with personal hostility, which would make it lose its effect and object, but was to be directed against the sin for the purpose of gaining the sinner. The apostle therefore seems to be recommending a course, in itself a part of church discipline, which has in view this means of winning the erring brother before the final step must be taken, Mat_18:17. Or the apostle assumes the third step to have been taken, and warns against the introduction of personal hostility into the intercourse with such a person, as the members met him in a social or in a business way.