So, it's...uh...been awhile.
Now that school is out and I'm getting myself organized once again, we're getting back in the game. And what better way to get back in the game than by finishing the book I started well over a month ago?
2 Thessalonians: 3.
This whole book is something of a footnote to the first one, clarifying some points that were misinterpreted the first time around. Paul has already taken care of the main points, and is now just making a few last statements before signing off.
"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith."
- Two kinds of people we need protection from: wicked men, who are actively seeking to destroy the work of God, and unreasonable men, who are just screwing things up. You don't have to be an active enemy of the Gospel to be bad for the Kingdom. If you don't think things through, if you let your emotions run your life, or if you ignore common sense, you could be a liability that we need to pray for protection against.
"But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one"
- But don't freak out too much - prayer works and God's got it under control.
"And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ."
- Paul knew they were doing the right things and that they were in no real danger of straying, but he still prays for them to grow in love and patience.
- Just doing the right thing isn't enough. From what you hear taught and the way people talk, you would think that once you've got all the "thou shalt not" and "thou shalt" commands right, you were doing pretty well, but not necessarily. Paul acknowledges their good works, but encourages them to add love to it and to be patient. If your actions are becoming more like Jesus, but your character isn't, you're not really growing.
" But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us."
- There are people without patience and love, who make a big show of themselves and call themselves Christians. It's best for everyone to just not hang around them, because they're doing a disservice to the movement.
- The Greek word "disorderly" is only used in this chapter, but it's often used to describe soldiers who are walking out of rank or out of step. Paul has spent many letters describing how the Christian walk should be - people who sit under that teaching, know better, call themselves Christians, and consciously choose not to do it are not good company. This isn't talking about non-Christians, or people who are just immature and still have some growing to do, but those who make themselves out to be something big, but then live like idiots on purpose. Just don't bother with them.
"For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. "
- Since Paul and his crew first brought the Gospel to this region, they made absolutely sure to model what the Christian life was supposed to be - they didn't even charge money for their services when they had every right to, just to make the point clear. Between their letters and their lives, these people who were walking out of line had no excuse.
"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread."
- So the issue here is that people were doing nothing, then acting like they had a right to food. These parasites were distorting the teachings of Paul and Jesus, who commanded that the poor be taken care of that we love one another, to mean that, if they decided not to do anything with their lives, the other Christians were obligated to take care of them.
- Paul calls this crap out, saying that he didn't even eat the food he worked for as a missionary, but made extra work for himself. The command to give is so we can help those who have fallen on hard times, not so lazy good-for-nothings can leech off the work of honest people. People are supposed to work, not complain about it, and eat what they've earned. The kind of people who twist Scripture into self-serving garbage like this are the kinds of people Paul is saying to just have nothing to do with.
"But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good."
- In a world of wicked people out to destroy you, unreasonable people destroying you without meaning to, and freeloading bums, it's easy to get tired and want to join one of their camps. But we have to hang in there - all of these people would be lost without the good we do. The wicked would turn on each other, the unreasonable would screw things up even further, and the parasites would shrivel and die. Hence all the requests to keep praying for each other, so we can stay strong.
"And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."
- Now, the Christians who are being idiots shouldn't be treated the same as the wicked people who are actively out to get us. It's best not to hang out with them, but in a well-explained "Look, you're killing us, and it's best for all of us if we part ways" type of setting. Even when breaking company, it must be done in love and with the intent to teach.
" Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ bewith you all. Amen."
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And thus ends 2 Thessalonians. This book stands out as one of the best examples of leadership Paul gives - his first letter was misunderstood and resulted in quite a few problems. Many people would get frustrated and/or angry and/or depressed, but Paul took charge and wrote a follow-up, further clarifying the misunderstood points and addressing new problems that had arisen.
It's good to be back. This is going to be a good summer.
