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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Th_3:6-15
6Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. 10For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. 13But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. 14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
2Th_3:6 "we command you, in the name of our Lord" This is the polite plural including Silas and Timothy, but in reality it is a word from Paul the Apostle. He recognizes his inspiration and authority in Christ to lead and command (present active indicative) the church (cf. 2Th_3:10; 2Th_3:12). "In the name of" is a Hebrew idiom referring to one's character or person.
▣ "in the name of " This is a Semitic idiom representing a person' character (cf. 2Th_1:12). Paul did not speak from his own authority. See Special Topic: The Name of the Lord at 2Th_1:12.
▣ "keep away from" This is a present middle infinitive, often used in Koine Greek as an imperative, "you, yourselves, continue to keep away from" (cf. 2Th_3:14). Believers should not enter into intimate personal relationships with those who do not obey (cf. Rom_16:17; 1Co_5:11; 2Th_3:14). This is not referring to casual friendship with lost people and errant believers (cf. 2Th_3:15).
NASB "leads an unruly life"
NKJV "walks disorderly"
NRSV "living in idleness"
TEV "who are living a lazy life"
NJB "who refuses to work"
This is another military term "disorderly conduct" (cf. 2Th_3:6-7; 2Th_3:11). It is used here for idle, uncooperative believers (cf. 1Th_4:11-12; 1Th_5:14). The apparent closeness of the Second Coming had caused many believers to quit the normal affairs of life. They expected to be supported by other church members. See hyperlink at 1Th_4:2.
NASB "which you received from us"
NKJV "which he received from us"
NRSV "that they received from us"
TEV "that we gave them"
NJB "we passed on to you"
There is a Greek manuscript variant related to the form of the verb:
1. parelabosan or parelabon (aorist active indicative, third person plural), "they received" – NRSV
2. parelaben (aorist active indicative, third person singular) "he received " – NKJV
3. parelabete (AORIST ACTIVE INDICATIVE, 2nd PERSON PLURAL) "you received" – NASB, NJB
There is much manuscript variation in Paul's letters in areas involving the pronouns.
2Th_3:7 "ought to follow our example" There was no written NT at this time. These believers had to (1) receive Paul's gospel, and (2) walk in his example (cf. 2Th_3:9; 1Co_4:16; Php_3:17; Php_4:9; 1Th_1:6).
2Th_3:8 "nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it" This is a Hebrew idiom. Paul, like all rabbis, worked for his daily needs (cf. 1Co_9:12; 1Co_9:18; 1Co_11:7; 2Co_11:9; 2Co_12:13-14; 1Th_2:9). In the Greco-Roman world many traveling tricksters and con-men preyed upon people. Paul had often been accused of preaching for money. Being sensitive to this charge, he seldom took money from those who heard him preach.
▣ "with labor and hardship we kept working" To the Greeks manual labor was for slaves only, but the Bible affirms work as from God. In Genesis work is both before the Fall and after (cf. Gen_2:15; Gen_3:19; Exo_31:3; Exo_35:35; Deu_5:13; Isa_54:16). The concept of working for one's own needs is crucial to this context. Some believers had rejected work because they assumed the Second Coming was near.
▣ "night and day" This is the Jewish order of time (cf. Gen_1:5; Gen_1:8; Gen_1:13; Gen_1:19; Gen_1:23; Gen_1:31). This is an idiom meaning "worked full time," not literally 24 hours a day.
2Th_3:9 "not because we do not have the right to this" Paul was affirming the concept that believers should support their leaders (cf. 1Co_9:4-17; Gal_6:6). However, in this specific situation he acted (1) to set an example for those who had quit working and (2) to avoid possible criticism.
▣ "model" See Special Topic: Form at 1Th_1:7.
2Th_3:10 "we used to give you this order" This is an imperfect active indicative, which in context must mean that Paul had told them over and over when he was with them. This command was not new information. This problem must have surfaced early in this church, possibly even before Paul had left.
▣ "if" This is a first class conditional sentence. There were people like this in the church.
▣ "anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either" This is a present active indicative followed by a present active imperative. This is the point of the entire chapter. It addresses lifestyle inactivity, not temporary unemployment. One must balance this with Paul's other letters on his care for the poor (cf. Act_24:17; Rom_15:26-29; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Gal_2:10). This command can be understood as (1) not feeding those who refused to work or (2) excluding them from the common Christian meal or love feast (cf. 2Th_3:13-14).
2Th_3:11 "we hear" This is a present active indicative, which is literally "keep hearing."
NASB "but acting like busy-bodies"
NKJV "but are busy-bodies"
NRSV "not doing any work"
TEV "who do nothing except meddle in other people's business"
NJB "interfering with everyone else's"
This is a play in the Greek text on the word "work" — "not working (epgazomenous), but working around (periergazomenous)." Their "work" had become interfering with everyone else's business (work). Paul uses the term "work" often in this chapter (cf. 2Th_3:8; 2Th_3:10-12 and 1Th_4:11).
2Th_3:12 Paul uses strong words of admonition
1. "command" present active indicative
2. "exhort " present active indicative)
3. "in the Lord Jesus Christ"
This could imply (1) that the idlers are Christians or (2) that it is in the name of Jesus that Paul commands them.
▣ "to work in quiet fashion" This is a recurrent admonition of Paul's (cf. 1Th_4:11; 1Ti_2:2). This seems to mean that believers are not to draw undue attention to themselves by strange, unusual behavior, but by living appropriate quiet, gentle, patient, moral, loving, caring, working lives (the opposite of 2Th_3:11).
So often in our day believers make the "headlines " because of their strange beliefs or actions! As Paul was an example to working and witnessing, so too, should modern believers. If the message causes conflict, so be it, but not the messengers!
NASB, NKJV "eat their own bread"
NRSV "do their own work"
TEV "work to earn their own living"
NJB "earning the food that they eat"
This is an idiom which means to support yourself with your own labor.
2Th_3:13 "do not grow weary of doing good" This refers to the church's quiet, gentle, daily living (cf. Luk_18:1; 2Co_4:1; Gal_6:9). People are watching and taking notice of godly living.
2Th_3:14 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes.
NASB "take special note of that person"
NKJV "note that person"
NRSV "take note of those"
TEV, NJB "take note of him"
This is a present middle imperative. This is literally "tag" or "mark." This is a metaphor of "taking notice of" mentally.
▣ "do not associate with him " This is a present middle (deponent) INFINITIVE used in an imperative sense. This is the same as "draw back from" of 2Th_3:6. It is uncertain if this involved
1. a full excommunication
2. an exclusion from the collective church meals (agape feasts)
3. some type of exclusion from leadership roles or fellowship situations
It is similar to 1Co_5:9; 1Co_5:11 (same word, found only here and 1 Corinthians 5), which refers to intimate fellowship/friendship. Paul did not want these to radicalize the other believers, but neither did he want them to leave the fellowship of believers (and possibly start a rival eschatological faction).
▣ "so that he will be put to shame" The purpose of church discipline is redemptive as well as disciplinary (cf. 2Th_3:15; Gal_6:1; 1Th_4:15). The goal is restoration!