| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: 2 Thessalonians (Acts) |
Rusty's Notes | |
- We left off last week with Paul talking about the Day of the Lord in the body of his letter found in Chapter 2.
- Chapter 3:1-15 is considered part of the body of the letter as well.
2 THESSALONIANS 3
PRAY FOR US
- This 1st paragraph almost makes it seem like Paul got interrupted in the writing of this letter.
- He put down his pen and then came back to the letter.
- He got a running start for the 2nd issue he needed to deal with… rebellious idlers.
WARNING AGAINST IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR
- 1) Paul warned the church in Thessalonica when he was present and the church was starting.
- This was 51 AD on Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey (his current journey) when he was in Thessalonica for at least 3 weeks.
- In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Paul says, “For when we were with you, we also were repeatedly commanding this to you: ‘If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.’
- So the first warning goes all the [way back] to the foundation of the church.[1]
- 2) Paul warned them again in his 1st letter
- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 - to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.[2]
- 3) Now Paul warns the Church for the 3rd time in this 2nd letter.
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet don’t consider him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
- There are a group of people in the Thessalonian church that Paul uses the word atakt-, which is the Greek word, to describe.
- He uses that Greek root three times.
- He uses it in verse 6 and verse 7 and 11.
Primary Meaning
- And the challenge is there are two different meanings to that particular Greek root word.
- The primary meaning of that word has to do with people who are disorderly or unruly.
- So it refers to—in the context of military officers—to soldiers who do not obey their commands, to officers who neglect their duties, or [to] an army that’s in disarray.
- And in a nonmilitary context, the word is used to describe people who don’t follow the rules of proper conduct in the ancient gymnasium or sons who don’t help out their parents financially or apprentices who miss work or fail to live up to the requirements of their contract.
- So when you look at all the different contexts in which this word is often used, you end up with the meaning of, again, disorderly or unruly or insubordinate.
Secondary Meaning
- But there is a secondary meaning to this Greek root, a more narrow meaning where it talks about those who are disorderly specifically with regard to work.
- And a good couple of English words that nicely capture that are those who are “idle,” those who are “lazy.”
- And that translation is supported by the context of our paragraph.
- For instance, this would explain why Paul appeals to his example of one of self-sufficient work (verses 7–9).
- It would also explain why Paul appeals to his teaching about self-sufficient work (verse 10).
Combined Meaning
- A combined meaning of these two ideas together, is the translation “rebellious idlers.”
- On the one hand, some in the church were clearly not working, and [were] taking advantage of the love and generosity of fellow members—they were idle.
- On the other hand, this is the third time that Paul has addressed the matter; in other words, the idlers have refused to obey Paul on this matter [or] his appointed church leaders, and so they are also rebellious.
- ‘rebellious idlers’—those who were not merely lazy but who compounded their sin by rebelliously refusing to obey the command of both their congregational leaders and even Paul himself.”
1. The first paragraph is found in verse 6, and that is the opening command, “avoid the idlers.”
2. The second paragraph is verses 7–9, and that’s the example of Paul, especially his example of self-sufficient work.
3. The third paragraph is verse 10, and that’s the teaching of Paul, again, on the importance of self-sufficient work.
4. The fourth paragraph is verses 11–12, and that’s applying Paul’s example in teaching to the Thessalonian situation.
5. And then the fifth and final paragraph is verses 13–15, and that can be titled “Closing Commands,” which echo the opening command, and that is, again, “avoid the idlers.”[3]
Discipline
- The Thessalonians lived in a strongly communal culture and also a place where honor and shame were powerful forces controlling social behavior.
- So shunning, or ostracizing, a fellow church member in that kind of social context would have actually been very effective.[4]
- The context of discipline:
- In Japan, if you dishonored your family it was acceptable to commit suicide.
- When I was a kid in school… I got swats.
- The context of discipline in our American society changes with the culture.
- How would the Church deal with “rebellious idlers” today?
- How would you deal with “rebellious idlers” today?
- What is the purpose of church discipline?
- To separate bad leaven from good leaven.
- Leaven spreads.
- Imitate Paul
- He holds up God; he holds up Christ; he holds up the churches of Judaea; and he holds up his coworkers Timothy, Epaphroditus, and Titus.
- Seneca was a very famous Roman philosopher and statesman, and he said this: He said, “A model of conduct will help you more than the written word. You must go to the scene of action, first, because men put more faith in their eyes than in their ears, and second, because the way is long if one follows precepts, but short and helpful if one follows examples.”
- And other ancient writers say similar things. So when we hear Paul’s language of imitation, we must realize that he’s actually following a rather common practice or idea of his day.
- Paul—and there is good evidence of this—did not belong, originally, to the lower class; he comes from a powerful, rich, Jewish family.
- We can see that in his ability to be trained at the feet of Gamaliel—the Harvard School of Judaism.
- We can see it in the fact that he has Roman citizenship.
- Yet Paul, even though he comes from that upper class background, deliberately works. Why? Because he wants to put himself at the social level of most of his converts in order to enhance the gospel.
- That’s part of his strategy in 1 Cor 9: to “become all things to all people.”
- Now, be careful to hear exactly what Paul says in his teaching that he quotes.
- He doesn’t say “if anyone does not work.” No, he says “if anyone is not willing to work.”
- I hope you hear the difference. Paul is not talking about church members who [are unemployed] due to illness or injury or old age.
- No, he’s talking about those who are capable of working, but they nevertheless rebelliously refuse to do so.
- So, for those who are unable to work, actually, Paul is quite gracious.
- He says, in verse 13—we’ll get there in just a little bit—that the church must not be discouraged in doing good, so they should keep on showing love to members of their church who are struggling and unable to work.
- They want to, but for various reasons they are not able to.
- Paul begins with an “if” clause; the technical word is a conditional clause.
- Paul is assuming the truth of what he is “ifing.”
- In another words, Paul is actually assuming that there will in fact be some in the church who do not obey his commands in this letter.
- And those whom he’s assuming are not going to listen to him are the rebellious idlers.[5]
FINAL GREETINGS
16 May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 17 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand, which is an authenticating mark in every letter; this is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.[6]
- Paul took the letter from his secretary and wrote the personal ending (greeting) with his own hand.
- “Auto-graphed”
- Paul is giving his authority to this written letter.
- Emphasis on Jesus.
- Emphasis on peace.
- May His peace be your peace.
- Grace in salvation and grace in God’s ability to do your life.
I’m sure, out of a common conviction that the same Holy Spirit that inspired Paul to write to the Thessalonians so many years ago has indeed been at work in our hearts and lives as we’ve interpreted those letters [and] as the message of the gospel has become [more clearly] known to us.[7]
[1] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (1 Th 4:11–12). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Th 3:1–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Weima, J. A. D. (2020). NT350 Book Study: 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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