+I. The grace of hope.+--1. _Refers to the resurrection of the body._
2. _To eternal life to be enjoyed by both soul and body._
3. _Pre-requisites of this hope._--Conviction of sin. An experimental
acquaintance with the Gospel.
+II. The excellency of this hope.+--"A good hope." 1. _In opposition
to the hopes of worldly men._ 2. _It is a lively hope._ 3. _The
object of it is an infinite and eternal good._ 4. _It has a good
foundation._ 5. _It produces good effects._
+III. The source of this hope.+--"Through grace." 1. _Man is the
subject of infinite demerit._ 2. _Christ alone possesses infinite
merit._ 3. _The Scripture warns against all self-dependence.--Helps
for the Pulpit._
* * * * * * * *
+CHAPTER III.+
_CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES._
Ver. 1. +Have free course and be glorified.+--Probably St. Paul took
this image from the Old Testament. In Ps. cxlvii. 15 the word of the
Lord is said to "run very swiftly."
Ver. 2. +Unreasonable and wicked men.+--The word for "unreasonable"
only occurs twice besides in the New Testament: once, the malefactor
on the cross says, "This man has done nothing amiss," or out of
place; and again the barbarians "beheld nothing amiss" come to Paul
when the viper had fashioned on his hand. The thief is a good
commentator here. Men who by their vagaries hold even their friends
in painful suspense, and especially such as are indifferent to
morality, seem to be meant.
Ver. 3. +And keep you from evil.+--"Keep" here is a military word
reminding of the psalmist's name for God--"Shield." The Revisers add
"one" after "evil," as in the Lord's Prayer.
Ver. 5. +Direct your hearts.+--The same word for "direct" again
occurs only in 1 Thess. iii. 11 and Luke i. 79. A similar phrase in
the LXX. of 1 Chron. xxix. 18 (R.V. "prepare"). +Into the patient
waiting for Christ.+--A.V. margin and R.V. text, "into the patience
of Christ." "The Thessalonians were eagerly awaiting His return: let
them wait for it in His patient spirit" (_Findlay_).
Ver. 6. +Walketh disorderly.+--Falling out of the ranks and desertion
of the post of duty are grave faults, which if the _esprit de corps_
does not prevent it must be punished by treating the defaulter as one
who has discredited his comrades in arms.
Ver. 7. +We behaved not ourselves disorderly among you.+--"We never
lived an undisciplined life among you." Men will bear the sharp
rebukes of a martinet, even when they observe that he is as much
under discipline as he would have the youngest recruit, as the lives
of men like Havelock and Gordon testify.
Ver. 10. +If any would not work, neither should he eat.+--"A stern,
but necessary and merciful rule, the neglect of which makes charity
demoralising" (_Ibid._). It is parasitism which is condemned.
Ver. 11. +Working not at all, but are busybodies.+--"Not working, but
working round people," as we might represent St. Paul's play on the
words. "Their only business is to be busybodies."
Ver. 13. +Be not weary in well-doing.+--Such bad behaviour under
cover of the Christian name is abhorrent to St. Paul. "The loveliness
of perfect deeds" must be worthily sustained. Well-doing here points
to that which is admirable in conduct rather than that which is
beneficent.
Ver. 14. +Have no company with him.+--The difference between this
treatment of a delinquent and excommunication may be more in idea
than fact. He would feel himself tabooed in either case. But this
agrees better with the notion of Christians as being separated.
_"Come out from among them."_ Cf. Tit. ii. 10. +That he may be
ashamed.+--Not, of course, that he may become a laughing-stock, but
that, feeling abashed, he may quickly put himself right with the
community.
Ver. 15. +Yet count him not as an enemy.+--When Christ says the
impenitent brother is to be regarded as a Gentile, He gives no
sanction to the way in which the Jew too often regarded the Gentile.
+Admonish him as a brother.+--Who, though in error, has not
sacrificed his claim to gentle treatment and consideration.
Ver. 16. +Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always.+--The
Church at Thessalonica had been passing through stormy waters. The
apostle prays that God may give them to--
"Feel His halcyon rest within
Calming the storms of dread and sin."
Ver. 17. +The salutation . . . the token.+--As though he said, "This
that I am about to write is my sign-manual."
Ver. 18. +The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
all.+--Whatever St. Paul's handwriting may have been, it could not
well be more characteristic than this word "grace," as certainly he
could not have chosen a more beautiful word to engrave on his seal.
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 1, 2.
_Prayer for Ministers._
Prayer should not be all on one side. It is a mutual obligation and
privilege. The Thessalonians are reminded how often they were the
subject of anxious prayer, and they are now asked to remember their
own ministers at the throne of grace. Mutual prayer intensifies
mutual sympathy and affection and deepens the interest of both
parties in promoting the success of the Gospel. Note:--
+I. That prayer for ministers is apostolically enjoined.+--"Brethren,
pray for us" (ver. 1). True prayer is spontaneous. It does not wait
to be formally authorised. A loving heart loves to pray.
Nevertheless, there are laggards in this duty, and they may be
prompted to the exercise by employing all the weight of apostolic
authority and example. If apostles felt the need of prayer, how much
more should we! Ministers are but men; but by the use of the word
"brethren" the writer indicates that ministers and people have common
privileges, common wants, and common dangers. The ministerial office
has also its special responsibilities and perils, and nothing helps
more vitally the efficient discharge of its duties than the constant
prayers of an appreciative and devoted people.
+II. That prayer for ministers should have special reference to the
success of the Gospel.+--1. _The Gospel is Divine._ "The word of the
Lord" (ver. 1). The Gospel is a message to man, but it is more than a
human message. It is the voice of God speaking to man through man. If
it had been simply of human origin, it would have been forgotten and
superseded by the changing theories ever teeming from the fertile
brain of man. Every human institution is liable to be supplanted by
another. There is nothing permanent in philosophy, government, or
morals that is not based on eternal truth. The Gospel is abiding,
because it rests on unchanging truth. It is the "word of the Lord."
2. _The spread of the Gospel is beset with difficulties._--"That the
word of the Lord may have free course" (ver. 1). The pioneers of the
Gospel in Thessalonica had to contend with the malignant hatred of
the unbelieving Jews, with the seductive theories of the Grecian
philosophy, and with the jealous opposition of the Roman power. All
hindrances to the Gospel have a common root in the depravity of the
human heart--hence the difficulties occasioned by the inconsistencies
of half-hearted professors, the paralysing influence of scepticism,
and the violence of external persecution. The chief difficulty is
spiritual, and the weapon to contend against it must be
spiritual--the weapon of _all-prayer._ Savonarola once said, "If
there be no enemy, no fight; if no fight, no victory; if no victory,
no crown." We are to pray that the Gospel "may have free course"--may
run, not simply creep, or loiter haltingly on the way, but speed
along as a swift-footed messenger. "Take courage from thy cause: thou
fightest for thy God, and against His enemy. Is thy enemy too potent?
fear not. Art thou besieged? faint not. Art thou routed? fly not.
Call aid, and thou shalt be strengthened; petition, and thou shalt be
relieved; pray, and thou shalt be recruited."
3. _The glory of the Gospel is to change men's hearts and ennoble
men's lives._--"And be glorified, even as it is with you" (ver. 1).
You Thessalonians, notwithstanding your imperfect views and defective
conduct, are samples of what the Gospel can do in changing the heart
and giving a lofty purpose to the life. Pray that its triumph may be
more complete in you, and that its uplifting influence may be
realised by others. "That which Plato was unable to effect," says
Pascal, "even in the case of a few select and learned persons, a
secret power, by the help only of a few words, is now wrought upon
thousands of uneducated men."
+III. That prayer for ministers should be offered that their lives
may be preserved from the violence of cruel and unbelieving
enemies.+--"And that ye may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked
men: for all men have not faith" (ver. 2). _Not all have faith,_ even
among those who profess to have it, and it is certainly true of all
those who scout and reject the Gospel. The unbelieving are perverse
and wicked, and it is from this class that the minister is met by the
most unreasonable and malicious opposition. Perhaps the most
dangerous foes with which a minister has to contend are those who
make some profession of religion, but in heart and practice deny it.
"Men will write for religion, fight for it, die for it--anything but
live for it." The minister, girded with the prayers of his people, is
screened from the plots and attacks of the wicked.
+Lessons.+--1. _The success of the Gospel is a signal demonstration
of its Divine authorship._ 2. _Ministers of the Gospel have need of
sympathy and help in their work._ 3. _The grandest spiritual results
are brought about by prayer._
_GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES._