2 Thessalonians 3:6-12

2 Thes 3:6 “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”

We all know that there are individuals who are disabled, who are feeble, who are sick and unable to work, or to which there are no jobs available. This passage is not concerning such who should be supported by those who are able. Rather this passage is directed to those who are able bodied, but are either lazy or refuse to work to provide for their own needs or the needs of their families.

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly…” The disorderly walk is to refuse to work and provide for their own needs or the needs of their families. The command given to the church is to withdraw from them. The church has no responsibility to provide for such individuals.

“And not after the tradition which he received of us.” The tradition Paul is referring to is listed for us in the following verses: “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:” Paul and those ministers who traveled with him set an example or tradition for the disciples in that they labored to provide for their own needs while at the same time laboring in the gospel. Ministers who think they are owed a living by the members of the church and who refuse to work would be guilty of walking disorderly. Now a church can decide if they are able to provide for the needs of the gospel minister and his family so that he can spend all his time in the gospel labors. “Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.” Paul and the ministers with him considered it good to set an example or tradition to the disciples, even when they had power or authority to abstain from working.

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” When a man has nothing to eat, before long he will most likely change his mind and start working so that he has something to eat.

“For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” Notice that the men under consideration not only had walked disorderly by not working, but had also become busybodies.

“Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”

2 Thessalonians 3:13-18

2 Thes 3:13 “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 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. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” What would cause someone to be weary in well doing? First we look at the situation of the Thessalonian church. Paul had commended them for all the good things that they were doing. However, he also pointed out that some would not work and were busy bodies in other peoples’ matters. One of the things that can discourage a person who is busy in well doing is to see others who should be working and sharing the load, being lazy and not helping. Sometimes there are just a few in a church who are bearing the burdens that need to be borne when the majority in the church seems to be unconcerned in helping with the burdens. This situation can lead to those who are busy becoming discouraged and become weary in well doing. However, we need to remember the Lord’s answer to Peter when Peter asked the Lord what he would have John to do. The Lord’s answer was “If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee. Follow thou me.” Our well doing should not be dependent on whether someone else is carry their share of the load. After all “we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” We are to “let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.” As the Lord said, “herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit."

Another thing that could lead someone to become weary in well doing is when those that we are trying to help show no thankfulness for the help that we have given them. However, at that time we need to consider ourselves. Have we always been thankful for all the good things God has done for us? Let us not be weary in well doing.

“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.” A person who is so lazy that he will not work to provide for himself and his family should be avoided for such action so that he may be ashamed of his callous laziness. “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” In many ways we seem to have lost the desire to admonish a brother in this day in which we live. The Lord’s church is a family and we are brothers and sisters. We should love one another enough that we would be willing to admonish an erring brother.

“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.” The Lord is both the giver of peace and the bringer of peace in our lives. He both gives peace and brings peace to us when we are troubled. It should be our desire to live in peace as we journey through this life.

“The Lord be with you all.” As a church body we are often during the week separated from being close to all our brothers and sisters. Yet though we are separated from our brothers and sisters in the church, the Lord can be with us all in every second of our lives.

“The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” In every letter that we know that Paul wrote that made its way into the cannon of scripture, Paul closed with the token of mentioning God’s grace. So he did with this epistle as well.