2 Thess. 3 2 Thess. 3:1–2 The apostle desireth the Thessalonians to pray for him, 2 Thess. 3:3–4 testifying his confidence in them, 2 Thess. 3:5 and praying God to direct them. 2 Thess. 3:6–15 He censureth the idle and disorderly, and requireth others to abstain from their company, 2 Thess.

The apostle now draws towards the close of his Epistle, as appears by the word finally, which he also useth in the close of other Epistles, as 2 Cor. 13:11, Eph. 6:10, Phil. 4:8; το λοιπον. It imports the adding of something that remains.

Their prayers are here desired by the apostle with respect to their persons, which relates to the prayer desired before with respect to the word; for the apostle and his fellow labourers met with such men that did oppose them, and by that means were hindered in their work of the ministry, and the…

These words are added by way of consolation: 1. With respect to their establishment, which the apostle had before prayed for, 2 Thess. 2:17, and here he assures them of it.

The apostle had before declared his confidence that God would establish them and keep them from evil, and now here declares his confidence in them concerning their obedience; for he knew well that this is the way of God’s keeping men; and hereby he shows that he built his confidence concerning what…

Here the apostle prays for them again, as he had done a little before, 2 Thess. 2:17; and as this shows how much they were in his heart, so the frequent mingling of prayers with his exhortations shows they could not be effectual without God. And he prays for two things: 1.

Here the apostle proceeds to a discourse of another kind, which is about their carriage to disorderly members in the church. And having before declared his confidence, 2 Thess.

Whereby the apostle intimates the aggravation of their crime who did walk disorderly, and so justifies the withdrawing from them. For they would be reproved not only by his doctrine, but example: what he required of others he practised himself, and that in some cases for this end alone, that he…

Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought: the apostle here gives a particular positive instance of what before he speaks negatively, and in general; and brings his discourse home to the present case, and declares his orderly working in this, that he wrought for his own bread, and did not eat…

The contents of this verse are already spoken to in the former, only the apostle asserts the right of maintenance due to the ministry by the name of power. It may be claimed by authority from Christ, though it should not be commanded by any laws from men.

The words contain a reason, as the illative for imports; but what it refers to is uncertain; most probably a further reason of the apostle’s working with his hands, because when with them he left this command, that if any would not work, neither should he eat; he would therefore practise himself…

For we hear: the apostle gives the reason of this discourse he fell into about disorder, and commends, yea, commands, a remedy against it. He had heard of this disorderly walking, else his discourse might have been esteemed vain and needless.

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ: he had before given command to the church to withdraw from them, 2 Thess. 3:6; and now he lays the commandment upon themselves, and that in the name of Christ.

But ye, brethren: the apostle now directs his speech to those of the church that were not guilty of the disorders before mentioned, to whom he speaks in mild and familiar language, as if the others deserved not to be so called.

Here we have further commandments given concerning the disorderly; in case of obstinacy, to proceed further against them. The apostle had given commandments about their walking in his first preaching to them, after that he repeats them in his First Epistle, and again in this Second.

They having thus proceeded against the disorderly and disobedient, the apostle directs them about their after-carriage, which either respects their inward opinion of the mind, or outward action.

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace: the apostle is now taking his leave, and closing up his Epistle; and this he doth with prayer; and what he prays for is peace: and though the word peace hath various acceptations, and is of comprehensive signification, yet here it is to understood of…

This the apostle addeth after he had finished his Epistle, and taken his farewell, as a proof that the Epistle was genuine, and came from himself; because it may be there were some then who did counterfeit his Epistles, as there have been many since who have counterfeited creeds, liturgies,…