For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
The verse describes some among the Thessalonian brethren who walked disorderly by refusing to work with their hands, working not at all while acting as busybodies. Their idleness grew from the mistaken idea that Christ's return was so immediate that ordinary work should stop, so they waited idly, neglected present duties and daily needs, and became a burden to fellow believers. In that setting Paul set a right example by working with his own hands at tent-making night and day so as not to be chargeable to anyone, and gave command with exhortation by the Lord Jesus Christ that such persons work quietly and eat their own bread, under the rule that if any would not work neither should he eat. Idleness is sin, and those having health and strength are to work diligently to provide for themselves and their families and to have something to give to others, for the prospect of Christ's soon coming is no reason to stop working but should move people to faithful use of their talents. To be a busybody is to neglect one's own appointed work to watch another's duties and spread hearsay, which leaves one's own work undone and opens the way to temptation, disorder and fanaticism, while quiet, steady labor guards health of body and mind, keeps from meddling, and protects the church's reputation.
Meaning and Setting
For we hear points to some among the Thessalonian brethren who were walking disorderly by working not at all but acting as busybodies, including a class who refused to work with their hands. Their idleness grew from the mistaken idea that Christ's return was so immediate that ordinary work should stop, so those expecting Him soon stopped working and waited idly. In doing so they neglected present duties and daily needs and became a burden to fellow believers.
The disorderly ones were self-willed and impetuous, promoting fanatical ideas and doctrines and refusing to submit to the appointed leaders of the church. While at Thessalonica Paul met these idle ones and set before them a right example. He worked with his own hands in self-supporting labor while preaching the Word, laboring night and day so as not to be chargeable to anyone and not to eat any man's bread for nothing. He had learned the trade of tent-making in its higher and lower branches and often worked at it during his ministry, working late into the night when needed, in order to support himself and others.
In that setting Paul gave the tradition and command received from him, with exhortation by the Lord Jesus Christ, that such persons live quietly and do their own work. With quietness they were to work and eat their own bread, those able to work earning and eating their own bread. This stood under the rule that if any would not work neither should he eat, with withdrawal from every brother who persists in disorder. To be a busybody is to neglect one's own appointed work by watching and concerning oneself with another person's duties and spreading hearsay. Such meddling wastes time, leaves one's own work undone, and makes one slothful and spiritually weak.
Call to Quiet Labor
Idleness is sin, and it is not guiltless before the Lord. To walk disorderly is to have health and strength to work and yet to work not at all, living as a burden on others. Those who refuse to work and become a burden to others are disorderly, and ministers in particular are to do useful work for themselves and lighten the burdens of those who host them rather than allow others to wait on them.
Walking disorderly includes refusing useful physical labor and living off the labor of others. It counts it degrading to wait on oneself and to cultivate land and raise food, looks upon all labor as drudgery, and holds non-working sentiments while depending on the labor of others in the fields. It also crowds into cities to obtain a living by scheming rather than by patient toil, and such laziness lies at the foundation of many a shipwrecked life, with extravagance and every evil.
Expectation of Christ's return must not lead to idleness or neglect of practical responsibilities and daily needs. Some who expected Him to come soon neglected present duties and became a burden to fellow believers, but the prospect of His soon coming is no reason to stop working. That prospect should instead motivate people to use their talents and do what they can to benefit humanity.
Those able to work are to use their time and strength productively, provide for themselves, and not live on others' support. Those poor through lack of diligence in business, economy, and good management must reform, husband their time, provide for their own families, and have something to give to the cause of God. Their labor can also provide means to help others and advance God's cause, and one not actively engaged in God's work should work with his hands to help support his family, for indolent habits are not approved.
The church and those with means are not to keep able but unwilling people in idleness by providing for them. The wealthy are not required to support those who can help themselves, for the poor are as accountable to God for the strength He gave them as the rich are for their property. Refusing work is not a reason to receive continued support, and withholding food and charity from the able but unwilling is meant to press them toward responsible work and earning their own bread.
Refusing to work promotes disorder and can open the way to fanaticism and other errors. Industry and steady labor keep people from temptation and help prevent gossip, disorder, and harm to the church's reputation.
Applications for Health and Service
Useful work and physical exercise for all stand commended over against idleness and meddling in the affairs of others. Living without work harms physical, mental, and moral health, while patient, joyous labor brings health to the mental, moral, and physical powers. Weariness that comes from labor does not injure health as exhaustion does.
An idle life leaves hands and minds open to Satan's influence. Idleness opens the door and invites him in, giving opportunity to draw the young into his snares, weakening moral strength and increasing the impulse of passion until the whole citadel of the mind is taken and conscience is compelled to surrender to vile passion. Active exertion shields from a multitude of temptations and makes life happier, and an orderly life that balances work with study keeps young people healthy and useful.
Children must be given enough to do and taught habits of patient industry, so they learn self-reliance and generous, noble principles. Parents must not indulge children too much but help them through difficulty in labor instead of carrying them over it. Daughters in particular should be taught useful household work and to follow duty rather than be encouraged in idleness or frivolous use of time.
Ministers are to follow the example of learning a trade in its higher and lower branches and often working at it during ministry to support self and others, showing that idleness is sin and that refusing to work and becoming a burden to others is disorderly conduct. They should do useful work for themselves and help lighten the burdens of those who host them rather than allow others to wait on them, and useful labor also provides physical exercise whose neglect can lead to poor health. Time spent in such labor is not lost, for it gives access to a class who could not otherwise be reached, shows that skill in the common arts is a gift from God, honors God even in everyday toil, and toil-hardened hands detract nothing from the force of appeals.
People should learn and do useful work for missionary service, with missionaries trained in practical skills so they can support themselves, teach others to labor, and avoid depending on the people they serve. Learning how to engage in useful physical labor and opening the way for the dependent to cultivate land and raise their own food is the highest and most abiding missionary work to God and to fellow men.
Church order requires avoiding meddling in others' affairs and spreading hearsay and instead quietly attending to one's own work, being ready to do difficult work and bear trials as duty. Having health and strength to work yet working not at all and living as a burden on others is disorderly, so those poor through lack of diligence in business, economy, and good management must reform, husband time, provide for their own families, and have something to give to the cause. A careless, loafing spirit injures the cause, as when needy families through lack of diligence travel with children to every meeting, waste days going and coming, burden hosts with food, lodging, and unruly children, gain no benefit and give no help, waste precious time they must answer for, bring suffering in cold weather unless helped, vex those with means, and stand in the way of faithful labor.
The verse describes some among the Thessalonian brethren who walked disorderly by refusing to work with their hands, working not at all while acting as busybodies. Their idleness grew from the mistaken idea that Christ's return was so immediate that ordinary work should stop, so they waited idly, neglected present duties and daily needs, and became a burden to fellow believers. In that setting Paul set a right example by working with his own hands at tent-making night and day so as not to be chargeable to anyone, and gave command with exhortation by the Lord Jesus Christ that such persons work quietly and eat their own bread, under the rule that if any would not work neither should he eat. Idleness is sin, and those having health and strength are to work diligently to provide for themselves and their families and to have something to give to others, for the prospect of Christ's soon coming is no reason to stop working but should move people to faithful use of their talents. To be a busybody is to neglect one's own appointed work to watch another's duties and spread hearsay, which leaves one's own work undone and opens the way to temptation, disorder and fanaticism, while quiet, steady labor guards health of body and mind, keeps from meddling, and protects the church's reputation.
Meaning and Setting
For we hear points to some among the Thessalonian brethren who were walking disorderly by working not at all but acting as busybodies, including a class who refused to work with their hands. Their idleness grew from the mistaken idea that Christ's return was so immediate that ordinary work should stop, so those expecting Him soon stopped working and waited idly. In doing so they neglected present duties and daily needs and became a burden to fellow believers.
The disorderly ones were self-willed and impetuous, promoting fanatical ideas and doctrines and refusing to submit to the appointed leaders of the church. While at Thessalonica Paul met these idle ones and set before them a right example. He worked with his own hands in self-supporting labor while preaching the Word, laboring night and day so as not to be chargeable to anyone and not to eat any man's bread for nothing. He had learned the trade of tent-making in its higher and lower branches and often worked at it during his ministry, working late into the night when needed, in order to support himself and others.
In that setting Paul gave the tradition and command received from him, with exhortation by the Lord Jesus Christ, that such persons live quietly and do their own work. With quietness they were to work and eat their own bread, those able to work earning and eating their own bread. This stood under the rule that if any would not work neither should he eat, with withdrawal from every brother who persists in disorder. To be a busybody is to neglect one's own appointed work by watching and concerning oneself with another person's duties and spreading hearsay. Such meddling wastes time, leaves one's own work undone, and makes one slothful and spiritually weak.
Call to Quiet Labor
Idleness is sin, and it is not guiltless before the Lord. To walk disorderly is to have health and strength to work and yet to work not at all, living as a burden on others. Those who refuse to work and become a burden to others are disorderly, and ministers in particular are to do useful work for themselves and lighten the burdens of those who host them rather than allow others to wait on them.
Walking disorderly includes refusing useful physical labor and living off the labor of others. It counts it degrading to wait on oneself and to cultivate land and raise food, looks upon all labor as drudgery, and holds non-working sentiments while depending on the labor of others in the fields. It also crowds into cities to obtain a living by scheming rather than by patient toil, and such laziness lies at the foundation of many a shipwrecked life, with extravagance and every evil.
Expectation of Christ's return must not lead to idleness or neglect of practical responsibilities and daily needs. Some who expected Him to come soon neglected present duties and became a burden to fellow believers, but the prospect of His soon coming is no reason to stop working. That prospect should instead motivate people to use their talents and do what they can to benefit humanity.
Those able to work are to use their time and strength productively, provide for themselves, and not live on others' support. Those poor through lack of diligence in business, economy, and good management must reform, husband their time, provide for their own families, and have something to give to the cause of God. Their labor can also provide means to help others and advance God's cause, and one not actively engaged in God's work should work with his hands to help support his family, for indolent habits are not approved.
The church and those with means are not to keep able but unwilling people in idleness by providing for them. The wealthy are not required to support those who can help themselves, for the poor are as accountable to God for the strength He gave them as the rich are for their property. Refusing work is not a reason to receive continued support, and withholding food and charity from the able but unwilling is meant to press them toward responsible work and earning their own bread.
Refusing to work promotes disorder and can open the way to fanaticism and other errors. Industry and steady labor keep people from temptation and help prevent gossip, disorder, and harm to the church's reputation.
Applications for Health and Service
Useful work and physical exercise for all stand commended over against idleness and meddling in the affairs of others. Living without work harms physical, mental, and moral health, while patient, joyous labor brings health to the mental, moral, and physical powers. Weariness that comes from labor does not injure health as exhaustion does.
An idle life leaves hands and minds open to Satan's influence. Idleness opens the door and invites him in, giving opportunity to draw the young into his snares, weakening moral strength and increasing the impulse of passion until the whole citadel of the mind is taken and conscience is compelled to surrender to vile passion. Active exertion shields from a multitude of temptations and makes life happier, and an orderly life that balances work with study keeps young people healthy and useful.
Children must be given enough to do and taught habits of patient industry, so they learn self-reliance and generous, noble principles. Parents must not indulge children too much but help them through difficulty in labor instead of carrying them over it. Daughters in particular should be taught useful household work and to follow duty rather than be encouraged in idleness or frivolous use of time.
Ministers are to follow the example of learning a trade in its higher and lower branches and often working at it during ministry to support self and others, showing that idleness is sin and that refusing to work and becoming a burden to others is disorderly conduct. They should do useful work for themselves and help lighten the burdens of those who host them rather than allow others to wait on them, and useful labor also provides physical exercise whose neglect can lead to poor health. Time spent in such labor is not lost, for it gives access to a class who could not otherwise be reached, shows that skill in the common arts is a gift from God, honors God even in everyday toil, and toil-hardened hands detract nothing from the force of appeals.
People should learn and do useful work for missionary service, with missionaries trained in practical skills so they can support themselves, teach others to labor, and avoid depending on the people they serve. Learning how to engage in useful physical labor and opening the way for the dependent to cultivate land and raise their own food is the highest and most abiding missionary work to God and to fellow men.
Church order requires avoiding meddling in others' affairs and spreading hearsay and instead quietly attending to one's own work, being ready to do difficult work and bear trials as duty. Having health and strength to work yet working not at all and living as a burden on others is disorderly, so those poor through lack of diligence in business, economy, and good management must reform, husband time, provide for their own families, and have something to give to the cause. A careless, loafing spirit injures the cause, as when needy families through lack of diligence travel with children to every meeting, waste days going and coming, burden hosts with food, lodging, and unruly children, gain no benefit and give no help, waste precious time they must answer for, bring suffering in cold weather unless helped, vex those with means, and stand in the way of faithful labor.