2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Sunday, October 12, 2008
6 “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." 11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”
(1) Paul begins by clarifying the situation. He states the grounds of his rebuke as a universal truth or principle in proverbial form: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (3:10). His words and clear and concise; they are not subject to misunderstanding. Still, some tried.
“”The problem…was not inactivity, but the wrong kind of activity. Paul’s mention in 3:11 of “working” (NIV “busy”) hints that those whom he is criticizing may have claimed that they were engaged in legitimate “work.” Whatever it was they were doing, however, was from Paul’s perspective not work at all but pseudo-work, busyness that disrupted rather than benefitted the community…Instead of working responsibly to support themselves, the people in question were eating other people’s bread and thus living “irresponsibility” or “in an undisciplined manner,” which was burdensome to the rest of the congregation. Their behavior was… undisciplined, disruptive, or “disorderly” rather than merely “idle” (The NIV Application Commentary, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Michael W. Holmes, Zondervan, 1998, p.272).
Leon Morris (The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, Eerdmans, 1991, p. 253) adds, “They would find such conduct all the easier in view of the Greek idea that labor was degrading. It was a menial occupation, fit for slaves only, not for those who were free. But this kind of conduct could not be overlooked as due to ignorance of the obligations of Christian discipleship. It was contrary to the “tradition,” which indicates that Paul had given instruction on this specific point.”
(2) When subtly did not work, Paul commanded the church to enforce the apostolic (today we would say “Biblical”) principles. Paul’s thinking went this way: “I taught you a principle handed down to me for your sake: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ Then Paul gave these people the benefit of the doubt: ‘Maybe they misunderstood my teaching about Christ’s return so I will remind them of what I taught. The reports I have received indicate they think manual labor is degrading so they will “counsel” or “teach” other people they way they think people should live and receive their “bread” in return for their words.
More than likely their “words” included something close to ‘What you do with your body doesn’t matter since all that really matters is what you believe in your head. This “counsel” allowed converts from a pagan and sexually promiscuous background to continue the sexual practices they “enjoyed” before they were taught the Christian truths about relationships. Paul deemed their work “meddling” and “contrary to sound doctrine” and demanded the church move against them. Being lazy (whether by personality or aided by cultural mores), creating false doctrine to excuse that laziness, and meddling in the positive and forward work of the church by teaching these beliefs in the church in return for “bread” demanded action from the leaders of the Thessalonian church. If these people continued their ways, they could eventually undo or jeopardize the work of sanctification in the Thessalonian believers. The hard-working members of the congregation might also stop working. Paul commanded these same “busybodies” (3:11) “to settle down and earn the bread they eat” (3:12) and reminded the godly leaders in the church to “never tire of doing what is right” (3:13).
Then Paul added an intriguing command: 14 “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).
The process of Church or Christian discipline is intended to evoke “shame” that leads to changed behavior. (3) Paul counted on “shame” to change the behavior of these recalcitrant members. Shame is what we are supposed to feel any time we sin. Before Adam and Eve sinned they were “both naked, and they felt no shame” (Genesis 2:25). After they sinned their shame caused them to attempt to cover up or hide their fallen state (see Genesis 3:10f). If we read verse 14—“do not associate with him”—and fail to read verse 15—regard “him as a brother”—we will miss the genius of Paul’s words. It is not our actions that lead to repentance; Paul wants Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to convict hearts.
The kind of association Paul says we lack when we sin or when we fall under discipline is the close intimate communion of friends. A better way for us to hear with 21st century ears what Paul is saying would be: “What you have done has seriously injured our friendship. I would love to see our friendship not only restored to its rightful place, but I would like what we are going through to eventually lead to us being even better and closer friends. I can’t go down the path you are walking, but whenever you want to walk beside me once again know my arms are open wide.”