PRACTICAL COMMANDMENTS The Apostle’s talk about the great movement of falling away (rebellion), provoked by the appearance of the man of sin, the son of perdition, before the ultimate coming of Christ, does not destroy his psyche, but, on the contrary, it enflames his heart toward the serious spiritual work to the account of the heavenly kingdom. Yet he seeks the support of the congregation, by prayer, and by walking according to the order befitting to them. That is why this part of the epistle came: 1- Seeking their prayers 1 - 5 2- Exhorting them not to walk disorderly 6 - 16 3- The conclusion of the epistle 17 – 18 1- SEEKING THEIR PRAYERS: If the talk about the “man of sin” concerns the believers who will live in the era just before the ultimate coming of the Lord Christ, Yet, being actually a proclamation of the war of the devil in its fiercest forms, which has, and still is, setting forth to oppose the work of Christ wherever and whenever it is; The apostle demands from his people: “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified just as it is with you” (1). This apostolic demand reveals the role of the laymen in the church; That they are not mere listeners to the word of the Lord, but they, being living members in the body of Christ, should be aware of the goal of the head, and should work to the account of this goal. If they are incapable of preaching the word by giving sermons, yet they may at least pray for the sake of the word of God to have free course, and be glorified in men. These prayers have their activity in the life of ministers, in the word of preaching, as well as in the listeners, not less than the word of sermon itself. If the apostle Paul is committed to pray for the sake of the people of God, to enjoy the fellowship of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2: 14); On another aspect, he is aware of his need for 50 their prayers for him, for the sake of his spiritual growth, and of the apostolic work. If the apostle Paul was separated from his mother’s womb for this apostolic task (Galatians 1: 15); And according to the command of the Holy Spirit to the church, saying: “Separate to me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13: 2); Yet, that would not mean that the apostle could manage without the prayers of the people for his sake. It is not out of the spirit of humility, which should be the feature of every Christian, and in particular of every shepherd; But it is also a sign of the active mutual love between the members of the one body of the church, who should pray for one another, so that the Lord would grant success to all, according to the specific ministry and talent of each; And it is as well a sign of the apostle’s faith in the work and activity of prayers. Commenting on this phrase, St. John Chrysostom says: [Yes, he was praying for the sake of their fastness; And now he asks them to pray to God for his own sake, not to protect him from danger, “for (he) is appointed to this” (1 Thessalonians 3: 3), namely, to endure sufferings; but “for the word of God to have free course and be glorified” 1. That is what preoccupies his mind, for which he strives, and for the sake of which he asks for their prayers; that the word of God, like the sun, would shine all over the world, and make it rejoice; Or, according to the Psalmist, that the Lord would “send out His command to the earth, His word (would) run very swiftly” (Psalm 147: 15). If the apostle encountered opponents in his ministry like Alexander the coppersmith who did him much harm (2 Timothy 4: 15); he asks the congregation to pray to make their opposition to no avail; saying: “that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith” (2). The apostle probably, with the intention to encourage them to strive in spiritual life and ministry, reveals to them that he is opposed by wicked men, the same way they are; and that he suffers the same way they do. Praying for their sake to God to grant them success, and to scatter every evil counsel against them, he reveals 1 In 2 Thess. Hom 4. 51 to them that he is, as well, in need of their prayers. How beautiful indeed is the life of fellowship and mutual love between the shepherd and his flock … a fellowship in love, in work, in sufferings, and in prayers. Then the apostle again confirms that the commitment does not stop at prayers, whether on his part or theirs, but prayers should be melded with work; and the work of God’s free grace with life; saying: “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 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” (3-5). If they need in their spiritual life, as well as in their testimony to the Lord, to depend upon the Lord, He is faithful in His care for His church, despite the existence of the wicked men, according to the words of the apostle: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2: 13). He establishes the believers, keeps them against the evil one, guides their hearts – the center of life – toward the divine love, and the endurance of the sufferings with patience. Yet the believers, in turn, are committed to undergo a positive role; saying: “that you do, and will do the things we command you” (4); We are committed to pray to seek the free grace of God, yet, without getting slothful in our strife. Commenting on this apostolic saying, St. John Chrysostom says: [How great indeed is the activity of prayer, if, on our side, we do our part!] 1. And in another location he says: [God, although He does all the work, intends to make His servant look as though has contributed something, lest he would fall into shame] 2. Confirming the divine work in our life, the apostle says: “The Lord will establish you and guard you from the evil one; … will direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ” (3, 5); And in another location he says: “It is God who 1 Ibid 5. 2 In Matt. PG 58: 592. 52 works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2: 13). He works in us, grants us the conquest over the evil one, establishes us in Him, gives us the good will, the heavenly love, and the feature of patience of the Lord Christ. We owe Him everything; as according to St. John Chrysostom: [We cannot run along the way of God, unless we are carried on the wings of the Spirit] 1. The apostle proclaims his longing to see God leads his people’s hearts to the divine love, and to see them bear the feature of Christ, namely, patience. In other words, by love, the believer enters into the cross of the Lord, and endures the suffering with joy, as being a fellowship with the crucified, and bearing His feature of endurance. 2- EXHORTING THEM NOT TO WALK DISORDERLY: “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. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you” (6, 7). We can understand the importance of walking in an orderly manner from the commandment within our hands. On one aspect, saying: “We command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”, is a confirmation of its seriousness and the importance of being committed to it. And on another aspect, he does not stop at warning us against walking disorderly, but he commits us to withdraw from every brother who so walks. I do not intend to repeat what I have already said, in my commentary on the first epistle, concerning the concept of ‘order’, or of the ‘rite’, being, not mere following certain church systems and arrangements, but it is a matter of life control, which touches our doctrine, worship, feelings, and dealings with others. As much as God commands us to love everybody, He demands from us through His gospel, to withdraw from the fallen 1 In Rom. Pg 60: 409. 53 brethren, who have the name of Christ, and not His strength; and who keep the formalities of worship, and not its spirit. He demands from us to withdraw from those who walk disorderly; like the heretics who corrupt the rite of faith, the adulterers, etc. The apostle says: “Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump” (1 Corinthians 5: 7); And, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has unrighteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness, and what accord has Christ with Belial?” (2 Corinthians 6: 14, 15). And St. John the beloved says: “If anyone comes to you, and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him” (2 John 10, 11) Concerning this, St. Cyprian says: [There is no fellowship between faith and non-faith; between him who is with Christ, and who opposes Him; between him who is a stranger to unity, and the lover of peace] 1. And talking about withdrawing from the wicked, he says: [It would be befitting of us to withdraw, and even flee from the fallen, who walk in evil, and persist on sin, lest we, as well, would divert from the truth] 2. At the same time the apostle Paul commands the believers to withdraw from those who walk disorderly, and not according to the tradition received from him, he asks them to follow his lead, having translated the spiritual rite practically in his own life, and having walked with order and true evangelic rite. As though the order for him, is not mere oral or written instructions he preaches, but a way of life; he says: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you” (7) Introducing himself as a role model to the people of God, he does not do it with pride of heart; but is committed to utter it through his compassionate fatherhood. … According to St. John Chrysostom: [How great is the confidence in the teacher, whose good behavior and life, makes him a role model for his disciples, 1 In Matt., in Gen 57: 30 L 53: 228. 2 Epistle 54: 21. 54 more than the words of his sermons…. What the apostle said was not out of pride, but for the sake of public benefit] 1. Talking about the good example in the life of a shepherd, St. John Chrysostom says: [The good example produces a tune sweeter than that of songs and all the instruments of music; because people give heed to what you do, more than to what you say!] And according to him: [The Lord put us here to be light; to teach others; to be like leaven; to walk like angels among men; like fathers among their children; as spirituals among men, who would draw benefit from us; to become like seeds which produce fruition]2. And St. Augustine says: [The life of a priest should be like a perpetual sermon among his congregation] 3. The apostle Paul presents himself an example and a role model in following the tradition he gave them, one aspect of which is the commitment to work. He labored day and night in making tents, so as not to be a burden on anyone; and to proclaim that Christianity, together with its heavenly nature, does not despise the daily temporal labor, but sanctifies it as an integral part of the spiritual entity of the believer. The apostle says: “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 on any of you; not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves as example of how you should follow us. 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. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good” (8-13). In the first epistle, we talked about the authority of St. Paul, being an apostle, to eat out of the gospel; Yet he intended to waive it, so as not to become a burden on anyone; … he kept laboring and 1 Treatise 1 on the Unity of the Church 23. 2 In 2 Thess. Hom 4. . 3 المؤلف: الحب الرعوي، ص 170 55 toiling day and night (a Thessalonian 2: 9); which he committed himself to do, as well, in Corinth (Acts 18: 3; 2 Corinthians 9: 9), and in Ephesus (Acts 20: 34). He presented himself an example, proclaiming his Christian commitment to labor, as an integral part of his spiritual work; continually putting before his eyes the commandment saying: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (10), (with the exemption of those physically or mentally incapable of working); which is the natural law set by God, when He created and put man in paradise to work (Genesis 1). And the Lord Himself says: “The laborer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10: 7). The apostle, not only exhorts them to work diligently, but “not to grow weary in doing good” (13); namely to strive doing good, whatever the obstacles may be. By “doing good”, he probably means that man’s labor is sanctified, and is considered “good”, even if it is a regular daily labor; having in mind that the Lord Christ has partaken of our labor before He begins His preaching ministry. Finally the apostle warns them, saying: “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” (14, 15). The apostle, while commanding us to be firm with those inside, who do not give heed to the commandment, or obey the apostolic word, by withdrawing from them, and not keeping company with them, that they may be ashamed; At the same time, he commits us to mix firmness with love, not to count them as enemies whom we should oppose, but to admonish them as brethren whose salvation and their return to the holy life, we seek. St. Ambrose, talking about the importance of mixing firmness with love, says: [It is not befitting of a shepherd to be cruel or violent, nor to be too lenient; lest, in the former case, he would look as though, one with a tyrant authority; and in the later, as insulting without due cause, the office he got] 1. . 1 الحب الرعوي، ص 607 56 Then the apostle ends his warning with a prayer to God, the King of peace, to grant them the true peace, that springs up in the heart, and reflects on the outer behavior of man; The secret of which being the proclamation of the presence of God Himself in the life of man and with him; saying: “Now, may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all” (16). And ends his epistles to the Thessalonians by saying: “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine; it is the way I write” (17, 18) The apostle wrote this conclusion with his own handwriting, to discern between his authentic epistles he sent to them, and the ones wrongly referred to him; Or to give his apostolic blessing to them, praying to the Lord Jesus Christ to grant them His grace to work in them, and to accompany them always, until they consummate their strife with joy.
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