He begs their prayers and warns them against idleness.
He desireth their praiers, 4 and inculcateth his precepts and traditions, namely of vvorking quietly for their ovvne liuing, commaunding to excommunicate the disobedient.
1For the rest, brethren, pray for us that the word of God may run and may be glorified, even as among you:Del rimanente, fratelli, pregate per noi, affinchè la parola di Dio corra, e sia glorificata, come già tra di voi:FOR the rest, brethren, pray for vs, that the vvord of God may haue course and be glorified, as also vvith you:De cetero fratres, orate pro nobis ut sermo Dei currat, et clarificetur, sicut et apud vos: 2And that we may be delivered from importunate and evil men: for all men have not faith.E affinchè siamo liberati dai protervi, e cattivi uomini: imperocché non è di tutti la fede.and that vve may be deliuered from importunate and naughtie men. for al men haue not faith.et ut liberemur ab importunis, et malis hominibus: non enim omnium est fides. 3But God is faithful, who will strengthen and keep you from evil.Ma fedele è Dio, il quale vi conforterà, e vi difenderà dal maligno.But our Lord is faithful, vvho vvil confirme and keepe you from euil.Fidelis autem Deus est, qui confirmabit vos, et custodiet a malo. 4And we have confidence concerning you in the Lord that the things which we command, you both do and will do.Abbiamo questa fidanza nel Signore rispetto a voi, che quanto vi abbiamo ordinato, e lo fate, e lo farete.And vve haue confidence of you in our Lord, that the things vvhich vve commaund, both you doe, and vvil doe.Confidimus autem de vobis, in Domino, quoniam quæ præcepimus, et facitis, et facietis. 5And the Lord direct your hearts, in the charity of God and the patience of Christ.Il Signore poi governi i vostri cuori con la carità di Dio, e con la pazienza di Cristo.And our Lord direct your hartes in the charitie of God, and patience of Christ.Dominus autem dirigat corda vestra in caritate Dei, et patientia Christi. 6And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.Vi facciam poi sapere o fratelli, nel nome del Signor nostro Gesù Cristo, che vi ritiriate da qualunque fratello, che viva, disordinatamente, e non secondo la dottrina, che hanno ricevuta, da noi.And vve denounce vnto you, brethren, in the name of our Lord IESVS Christ, that you vvithdravv your selues frō euery brother vvalking inordinarly, and not according to the traditiō vvhich they haue receiued of vs.Denuntiamus autem vobis, fratres, in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi, ut subtrahatis vos ab omni fratre ambulante inordinate, et non secundum traditionem, quam acceperunt a nobis. 7For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us. For we were not disorderly among you.Imperocché voi sapete, come dobbiate imitar noi: imperocché non ci diportammo inordinatamente tra voi:For your selues knovv hovv you ought to imitate vs: for vve haue not been vnquiet among you:Ipsi enim scitis quemadmodum oporteat imitari nos: quoniam non inquieti fuimus inter vos:
8Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing: but in labour and in toil we worked night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you.Nè mangiammo ad ufo il pane di veruno, ma con fatica, e stento, lavorando di, e notte, per non essere di aggravio ad alcuno di voi:neither haue vve eaten bread of any man gratis, but in labour & in toile night and day vvorking, lest vve should burden any of you.neque gratis panem manducavimus ab aliquo, sed in labore, et in fatigatione, nocte et die operantes, ne quem vestrum gravaremus. 9Not as if we had not power: but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us.Non come se non avessimo potuto farlo, ma per darvi noi stessi modello da imitare.Not as though vve had not authoritie: but that vve might giue our selues a paterne vnto you for to imitate vs.Non quasi non habuerimus potestatem, sed ut nosmetipsos formam daremus vobis ad imitandum nos. 10For also, when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat.Imperocché eziandio allorché vi eravamo dappresso, v'intimavamo: che chi non vuol lavorare, non mangi.For also vvhen vve vvere vvith you, this vve denounced to you, that if any vvil not vvorke, • neither let him eate.Nam et cum essemus apud vos, hoc denuntiabamus vobis: quoniam si quis non vult operari, nec manducet. 11For we have heard there are some among you who walk disorderly: working not at all, but curiously meddling.Imperocché abbiamo udito, che alcuni da voi procedono disordinatamente, i quali non fanno nulla, ma si affaccendano senza pro.For vve haue heard of certaine amōg you that vvalke vnquietly, vvorking nothing, but curiously meddling.Audivimus enim inter vos quosdam ambulare inquiete, nihil operantes, sed curiose agentes. 12Now we charge them that are such and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ that, working with silence, they would eat their own bread.Or a questi tali facciam sapere, gli scongiuriamo nel Signor Gesù Cristo, che lavorando in silenzio, mangino il loro pane.And to them that be such vve denounce, & beseeche them in our Lord IESVS Christ, that vvorking vvith silence, they eate their ovvne bread.Iis autem, qui ejusmodi sunt, denuntiemus, et obsecramus in Domino Jesu Christo, ut cum silentio operantes, suum panem manducent. 13But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing.Ma voi, o fratelli, non vi rallentate nel ben fare.But you brethren fainte not vvel-doing.Vos autem, fratres, nolite deficere benefacientes. 14And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.Che se alcuno non ubbidisce a quanto diciamo per lettera, notatelo, e non abbiate commercio con esso, affinchè v'abbia confusione:And if any • obey not our vvord, • note him by an epistle:Quod si quis non obedit verbo nostro per epistolam, hunc notate, et ne commisceamini cum illo ut confundatur:
15Yet do not esteem him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother.E nol riguardate come nimico, ma correggetelo come fratello.and do not companie vvith him, that he may be confounded: and do not esteeme him as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother.et nolite quasi inimicum existimare, sed corripite ut fratrem. 16Now the Lord of peace himself give you everlasting peace in every place. The Lord be with you all.E lo stesso Signor della pace dia sempre a voi pace in ogni luogo. Il Signore sia con tutti voi.And the Lord of peace him self giue you euerlasting peace in euery place. Our Lord be vvith you al.Ipse autem Dominus pacis det vobis pacem sempiternam in omni loco. Dominus sit cum omnibus vobis. 17The salutation of Paul with my own hand: which is the sign in every epistle. So I write.Il saluto (è) di mano di me Paolo: questo è il sigillo in ogni mia lettera: scrivo così.The saluation, vvith mine ovvne hand, Paules: vvhich is a signe in euery epistle. so I vvrite.Salutatio, mea manu Pauli: quod est signum in omni epistola, ita scribo. 18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.La grazia del Signor nostro Gesù, Cristo con tutti voi. Così sia.The grace of our Lord IESVS Christ be vvith you al. Amen.Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum omnibus vobis. Amen.
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Challoner
May run. That is, may spread itself, and have free course. (Challoner)
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Witham
From troublesome, or importunate men. In the Greek, is signified men who act unreasonably, absurdly, etc. (Witham)
Calmet
For all men have not faith. Faith is a gift of God, which he is not obliged to give but to whom he will. St. Paul here assures us that he finds nothing but obstacles in his great work, nothing but enemies of the truth, and nothing but men who resist the inspirations and calls of God, opposing the preaching of the gospel. He exhorts them not to be scandalized at what they see him suffer, but to return thanks to God, who has vouchsafed to call them, giving them an understanding and docile heart. (Calmet)
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Witham
From evil. It may either signify evil things, or the evil one, the devil. (Witham)
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Or, according to the Greek, may the Lord direct and carry your hearts to the love of God, and to the expectation of Jesus Christ.
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Charge, or declare; or by the Greek, we command.
Witham
In the name of our Lord. This may signify a separation by excommunication. (Witham)
That you withdraw, etc. St. Chrysostom upon this place, St. Augustine, Theophylactus, and others understand St. Paul as speaking of a kind of excommunication. But St. Chrysostom on ver. 13. and 14. seems to restrain its meaning to a prohibition for the guilty to speak to any body, unless they spoke to him, if their conversation tended to exhort him to repentance. Theophylactus likewise remarks that this punishment was formerly much dreaded, though now not in use.
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Witham
Burthensome. By the Greek, he understands those who being idle, and not keeping themselves employed, lead a disorderly life. (Witham)
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Estius
If I, to whom you are indebted for the preaching of the gospel, have yielded my claims, unwilling to receive any thing from you, and even labouring with my own hands for the necessaries of life, how are those to be borne with who do nothing, and yet will be supported at another's expense? for St. Paul had witnessed amongst them some of this idle disposition. (Estius)
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Witham
Not work. By prying with curiosity into other men's actions. He that is idle, saith St. Chrysostom, will be given to curiosity. (Witham)
The apostles, like our Lord, were fond of introducing popular saying or axioms. Another, and not unlike the former, is found in one of the Jewish rabbies, Zeror: Qui non laboraverit in Prosabbato, nè edat in Sabbato.
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Witham
Eat their own bread, which they work for, and deserve, not that of others. (Witham)
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Here the apostle teaches that our pastors must be obeyed, and not only secular princes; and with respect to such as will not be obedient to their spiritual governors, the apostle, (as St. Augustine affirmeth) ordains that they be corrected by admonition, by degradation, or excommunication. (Cont. Donat. post Callat. 2 Thessalonians 4:20. et lib. de correp. et grat. ch. III.)
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Witham
Do not regard him as an enemy. A necessary introduction for those whom Providence has placed over others, to admonish and correct them, but with charity and peace; so that we neither be, nor give them occasion to think we are their enemies. (Witham)
Calmet
He is your brother; compassionate his weakness; he is a sick member of the same body of which you are one of the members; the greater his infirmity, the greater should be your charity and anxiety for his cure; the greater excommunication separated the delinquent from the communion of the Church, making him in our regard as a heathen or a publican. But he is not here speaking of this kind, for he allows the faithful to speak to him for his spiritual advantage. (Calmet)
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Estius
The salvation of, etc. The apostle gives them this caution, for fear the faithful might be deceived by fictitious letters. For they had already received one of this kind, which had terrified them, by foretelling that the day of judgment was at hand. This deception he is here anxious to remove, signing the present communication with his own hand, and sealing it with his own seal. For although the rest of the epistle had been written by another, these words to the end were written by himself. (Estius)
Bible de Vence
All the civilities of this great doctor of grace terminate in wishing it to his friends. This is his genuine character, because it is the love and continual effusion of his heart. (Bible de Vence)
Polus synopsis Criticorum
Amen. This the congregation added after the epistle had been read, and from this circumstance alone has it found a place here. (Polus synopsis Criticorum, p. 1003, vol. 4.)
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May run.... That is, may spread itself, and have free course.
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St. Paul write this Epistle to his BELOVED TIMOTHY, being then bishop of Ephesus, to instruct him in the duties of a bishop, both in respect to himself and to his charge; and that he ought to be well informed of the good morals of those on whom he was to impose hands: Impose not hands lightly upon any man. He tells him also how he should behave towards his clergy. The Epistle was written about 33 years after our Lord’s Ascension; but where it was written is uncertain: the more general opinion is, that it was in Macedonia.
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• Here also 〈◊〉 as is noted before 2 Thess. 2. 15.) the aduersaries in their translatiōs auoid the vvord, Tradition, being plaine in the Greeke, lest them selues might seeme to be noted as men vvalking inordinately, and not according to Apostolical Tradition, as al Schismatikes, Heretikes, and rebels to Gods Church doe.
Concordance Ep. 6, 18.
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Concordance Col. 4, 3.
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〈Greek〉
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Concordance Act. 20.
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Concordance 1. Cor. 4.
Concordance 1. Th. 2.
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Concordance 1. Cor. 9, 6.
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10. Neither let them eate.] It is not a general precept or rule, that euery man should liue by this handvvorke, The heretikes cauillation against Religious mē that vvorke not, ansvvered. as the Anabaptistes argue falsely against Gentlemen, and the Caluinistes applie it peruersely against the vacant life of the Clergie, specially of Monkes and other Religious men. But it is a natural admonitiō onely, giuen to such as had not vvherevvith to liue of their ovvne, or any right or good cause vvhy to chalenge their finding of others, and to such as vnder the colour of Christian libertie did passe their time idly, curiously, vnprofitably, and scandalously, refusing to do such vvorkes as vvere agreable to their former calling and bringing vp. Such as these, vvere not tolerable, specially there and then, vvhen the Apostle and others (that might lavvfully haue liued of the altar and their preaching) yet to disburden their hearers, and for the better aduancement of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9. vvrought for their liuing: protesting neuertheles continually, that they might haue done othervvise, as vvel as S. Peter and the rest did, vvho vvrought not, but vvere found othervvise iustly and lavvfully, as al sortes of the Clergie preaching or seruing the Church and the alter, be and ought to be, The spiritual trauailes of the Clergie. See S. Cypr. ep. 66. by the lavv of God and nature. Vvhose spiritual labours far passe al bodily trauailes, where the dueties and functions of that vocation be done accordingly: as S. Augustine affirmeth of his ovvne extraordinarie paines incident to the Ecclesiastical affaires and regiment: in steede of vvhich, if the vse of the Church and his infirmitie vvould haue permitted it, Religious mē working with their handes. he vvisheth he might haue laboured vvith his handes some houres of the day. as some of the Clergie did euer voluntarily occupie them selues in teaching, vvriting, grauing, painting, planting, sovving, embrodering, or such like seemely and innocent labours. See S. Hierom ep. 114 seu praef. in Iob. and in vit. Hilario.
And Monkes for the most part in the primitiue Church (fevv of them being Priests, and many taken from seruile vvorkes and handicraftes, yea often times professed of bondmen, made free by their maisters to enter into religiō) vvere appointed by their Superiors to vvorke certaine houres of the day, to supply the lackes of their Monasteries: as yet the Religious do (vvomen specially) in many places, vvhich standeth vvell vvith their profession. And S. Augustine vvriteth a vvhole booke (de opera Monachorum to. 3.) against the errour of certaine disordered Monkes that abused these vvordes, (Nolite esse soliciti, he not careful &c. and Respicite v•latilia cali, behold the foules of the aire &c.) to proue that they should not labour at al, but pray only and commit their finding to God: not only so excusing their idlenes, but preferring them selues in holines aboue other their fellowes that did worke, Monkes were shauen in the primitiue Church, and Nonnes clipped of their heare. and erroneously expounding the said Scriptures for their defence: as they did other Scriptures, to proue they should not be shauen after the maner of Monkes. Vvhich letting their heads to grow he much blameth also in them, See li. 2. Retract. c. 21. & • op. Monach. c. 31. and S. Hieromes. ep. 48. c. 3. of Nonnes cutting their heare.
Vvhere by the vvay you see that the Religious vvere shauen euen in S. Augustines time, vvho reprocheth them for their heare, calling them Crinitos, Hearelings, as the Heretikes novv contrarievvise deride them by the vvord Rasos, Shauelings. So that there is a great difference betvvene the auncient Fathers and the nevv Protestant. And as for hand labours, as S. Augustine in the booke alleaged, would not haue Religious folke to refuse them, vvhere necessitie, bodily strength, and the order of the Church or Monasterie permit or require them: S. Augustines opinion concerning Religious mens working or not working. so he expresly vvriteth, that al can not nor are not bound to vvorke, and that vvho so euer preacheth or ministreth the Sacraments to the people or serueth the altar (as al Religious men commonly now do) may chalenge their liuing of them vvhom they serue, li. de •p Monach. c. 21. and are not bound to vvorke, no nor such neither as haue been brought vp before in state of Gentlemen, and haue giuen avvay their lands or goods, and made them selues poore for Christes sake. Vvhich is to be noted, because the Heretikes affirme the said Scripture and S. Augustine to condemne al such for idle persons.
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Concordance Gal. 6, 9.
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14. Obey not.] Ecclesiastical censures against the disobedient. Our Pastors must be obied, and not onely secular Princes, and such as vvill not be obedient to their spiritual gouernours, the Apostle (as S. Augustine saith) giueth order and commaundement that they be corrected by correption or admonition, By degradation, excommunication, and other lavvful kindes of punishments. Cont. Donatist. post collat. c. 4. 20. Read also this holy fathers answer to such as said, Let our Prelates commaund vs onely vvhat vve ought to do, and pray for vs that vve may do it: but let them not correct vs. Vvhere he proueth that Prelates must not onely commaund and pray, but punish also if that be not done vvhich is commaunded. Li. de correp. & grat. c. 3.
14. Note him.] Not to communicate with excōmunicate persons but in certaine cases. Disobedient person to be excommunicated, and the excommunicated to be separated from the companie of other Christians, and the faithful not to keepe any companie or haue conuersation vvith excommunicated person, neither to be partaker vvith them in the fault for vvhich they are excommunicated, nor in any other act of religion or office of life, except cases or mere necessitie and other prescribed and permitted by the law: al this is here insinuated, and that al the Churches censures be grounded in Scriptures and the examples of the Apostles.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 43
… if where they are strangers they shine so bright, how great will they become when they shall have won their native land!” Thus they too will be reformed, and the word of godliness “will have free course,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 4
Chap. iii. 1 . “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it is with you.”
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistle of Pope Anterus 1
… for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”
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St Hippolytus † AD 235 Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 1
… And the things that thou hast heard of me in many exhortations, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” If, then, the blessed (apostle) delivered these things with a pious caution, which could be easily known by all, as he perceived in the spirit that “all men have not faith,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 4
Ver. 2 . “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.55
… It is, however, by no means meant to be implied that all who are born in sinful flesh are themselves actually cleansed by that Flesh which is “like” sinful flesh; “for all men have not faith;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin 1.11
… by which wisdom is not only re vealed, but also loved; by which everything that is good is not only recommended, but pressed upon us until we accept it. For all men do not possess faith,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 25
… This, however, is not the grace which the apostle commends to us through the faith of Jesus Christ. For it is certain that we possess this nature in common with ungodly men and unbelievers; whereas the grace which comes through the faith of Jesus Christ belongs only to them to whom the faith itself appertains. “For all men have not faith.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints 1.10
… But he ascribed to himself, and not to God, some good gift which pertained to a holy life, and was puffed up therewith when he deserved to hear the rebuke, “Who hath made thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou receivedst not?” For though the capacity to have faith is of nature, is it also of nature to have it? “For all men have not faith,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 77.8
… Whoso riseth again in soul, riseth again in body to his blessedness. For in soul all do not rise again; in body all are to rise again. In soul, I say, all do not rise again; but they that believe and, obey; for, “They that shall hear shall live.” But as the Apostle says, “All men have not faith.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 52.11
11. Accordingly, after saying, “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out,” He added, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things after me.” And what “all” is that, but those out of which the other is ejected? But He did not say, All men, but “all things;” for all men have not faith.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 115.4
… For this, then, that is, on this account, He declared that He was born, and to this end He came into the world, to wit, by being born of the Virgin, that He might bear witness unto the truth. But because all men have not faith,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 60.8
… But tabernacles he made there because of his sheep and herds, and called the place Tabernacles. And these I will divide, saith the Church. What is this, “I will divide Sichima”? If to the story where the idols were hidden is the reference, the Gentiles it signifieth; I divide the Gentiles. I divide, is what? “For not in all men is there faith.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 129
… Apostolic See, as showed that the Egyptians had from the first learnt from the teaching of the most blessed Apostle Peter through his blessed disciple Mark , that which it is agreed the Romans have believed, that beside the Lord Jesus Christ “there is no other name given to men under heaven, in which they must be saved .” But because “all men have not faith
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St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
2 Thess. iii. 3 . The Lord is faithful, He shall establish you.
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Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistle of Pope Anterus 1
… Wherefore ye ought to reprehend such persons, and turn away from them, to the end that, all darkness of this manner being completely done away, the Morning Star may shine upon them, and gladness arise in their hearts. “ And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, brethren, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.”
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St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 21
… But our own security must not be regarded by us before the truth. We have learnt from the Apostle, “the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.14
97. And that you should not suppose that anything had fallen from the Apostle by oversight, but that he knowingly and designedly and inspired by the Spirit designated Him Lord, Whom he felt to be God, he repeated the same in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, saying: “But the Lord direct your hearts in the love of God and in the patience of Christ.”
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.4.2
2. To which course many nations of those barbarians who believe in Christ do assent, having salvation written in their hearts by the Spirit, without paper or ink, and, carefully preserving the ancient tradition,
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 14
… Some other, then, it was to whom he willed the “rebuke” to be sufficient; if, that is, the fornicator had incurred not “rebuke” from his sentence, but “condemnation.” For I offer you withal, for your investigation, this very question: Whether there were in the first Epistle others, too, who “wholly saddened” the apostle by “acting disorderly,”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 18
… for ye were at one time darkness.” And yet more earnestly: “Communicate not with the unfruitful works of darkness; nay rather withal convict them. For (the things) which are done by them in secrecy it is disgraceful even to utter.” What more disgraceful than immodesties? If, moreover, even from a “brother” who “walketh idly”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 54.21
… “We command you,” he says, “in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Unity of the Church 23
… The word of the witnessing apostle is: “We command you,” says he, “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from all brethren that walk disorderly, and not after the tradition that they have received from us.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.69
Paul to the Thessalonians: “But we have commanded you, in the name of Jesus Christ, that ye depart from all brethren who walk disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received from us.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… He does not say have a meeting and come to blows, but “avoid them.” For if it was from ignorance or error that they did this, one ought to set them right. But if they sin willingly, spring away from them. And in another place too he says this. For he says, “Withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 6 . “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which they received of us.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 4
… For also when we were with you, we gave you this charge, that if any will not work, let him not eat. For we have heard that certain among you walk unquietly, working not at all, but being busy-bodies. Now them that are such we charge and beseech in our Lord Jesus Christ, that with silence they work, and eat their own bread.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 10.7
… and he no longer applies the treatment of gentle words, no mild and kindly expressions, as these, “But we ask you, brethren,” but “We adjure you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 10.13
… “For we have heard that some among you walk disorderly, working not at all, but curiously meddling.” He is nowhere satisfied to speak of those who will not give themselves up to work, as if they were victims of but a single malady. For in his first Epistle
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 7, 8 . “For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand.”
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 5.2
… and even after his rapture to the third heaven and paradise, he did not proudly arrogate anything to himself when he said, “Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 1-2.10
… and afterwards did not hoard even what remained to him, so that he too might have made the Apostles’ boast, ‘Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 9
… But if from spiritual work he had not carnal food, it remains that from bodily work he had it and thereof saith, “Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 15
15. But when he might use to work, that is, in what spaces of time, that he might not be hindered from preaching the Gospel, who can make out? Though, truly, that he wrought at hours of both day and night himself hath not left untold.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 22
… And, at the least, touching those sayings above recited, “Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?” and, “We have not used this power;” and, “When we might be burdensome to you, as Apostles of Christ,” and, “Night and day working that we might not burden any of you;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 122.3
… Unless any one have the boldness to imagine or to affirm, that the Apostle Paul attained not to the perfection of those who left all and followed Christ, seeing that, in order not to become a burden to any of those to whom he preached the gospel, he worked with his own hands for his support:
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 10.8
… with what confidence shall we dare with idle hands to eat our bread for nought, when the “chosen vessel,” constrained by his anxiety for the gospel and his work of preaching, did not venture to eat without labouring with his own hands? “But in labour,” he says “and weariness, working night and day lest we should be burdensome to any of you.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 9
… The prophets were His servants, and foresaw Him by the Spirit, and waited for Him as their Teacher, and expected Him as their Lord and Saviour, saying, “He will come and save us.” Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath after the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness; for “he that does not work, let him not eat.”
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Antiochians 11
… But as to the practice of magic, or the impure love of boys, or murder, it is superfluous to write to you, since such vices are forbidden to be committed even by the Gentiles. I do not issue commands on these points as if I were an apostle; but, as your fellow-servant, I put you in mind of them.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 5.16
… Now He who has the right of inflicting the vengeance, has also sole claim to that which occasions the vengeance, I mean the Gospel; (in other words,) both the truth and (its accompanying) salvation. The charge, that “if any would not work, neither should he eat,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 3
… So dwelling there at first, he confirmed his purpose not to return to the abode of his fathers nor to the remembrance of his kinsfolk; but to keep all his desire and energy for perfecting his discipline. He worked, however, with his hands, having heard, ‘he who is idle let him not eat
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.2
… and nothing ought to be spent beyond what is necessary, or for mere extravagance; this is a misuse of our property. The Christian ought not to seek for honour, or claim precedence. Every one ought to put all others before himself. The Christian ought not to be unruly. He who is able to work ought not to eat the bread of idleness,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 12.5
… Therefore also the Scripture has sent the sluggard to the ant, saying, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, emulate his ways, and be wiser than he.” Art thou unwilling, he means, to learn from the Scriptures, that it is good to labour, and that he who will not work, neither ought he to eat?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 35
… but rather very earnestly wishing all to be employed; for sloth is the teacher of all wickedness: but I beseech you not to be unmerciful, nor cruel. Since Paul also, having made infinite complaints, and said, “If any will not work, neither let him eat,” stopped not at this, but added, “But ye, be not weary in well doing.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 11
… And why is he to be maintained in idleness? But (tell me) is it by working that thou hast what thou hast, didst thou not receive it as an inheritance from thy fathers? And even if thou dost work, is this a reason why thou shouldest reproach another? Hearest thou not what Paul saith? For after saying, “He that worketh not, neither let him eat” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 17.2
… I have robbed no man of anything; neither have I taken what I have not earned. With my own hand daily and in the sweat of my brow I labor for my food, knowing that it is written by the apostle: “If any will not work, neither shall he eat.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 24.4
4. To go on with my story, her ways were quiet and she lived in great privacy. In fact, she rarely went abroad or spoke to a man. More wonderful still, much as she loved her virgin sister, she did not care to see her. She worked with her own hands, for she knew that it was written: “If any will not work neither shall he eat.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Life of S. Hilarion 5
… At the same time he wove baskets of rushes and emulated the discipline of the Egyptian monks, and put into practice the Apostle’s precept,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 1
… For our Lord Jesus Christ, dwelling in thine inner part, and inspiring into thee a solicitude of fatherly and brotherly charity, whether our sons and brothers the monks, who neglect to obey blessed Paul the Apostle, when he saith, “If any will not work, neither let him eat,”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 24.12
… “If a man does not work, neither let him eat.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 11 . “For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 10.21
… “That ye withdraw yourselves,” says he, “from every brother that walketh disorderly and not according to the tradition which they received from us.”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 16
… obey his precepts, “that with silence they work and eat their own bread,” may yet from many causes stand in need of somewhat by way of supplement to the like sustenance, therefore, after he had thus said, teaching and premonishing, “Now them which are such we command and beseech in our Lord Jesus Christ, that with silence they work and eat their own bread;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 37
… Of how near and dear charity is our care on your behalf, let Him look into it Who hath given what we may offer to be looked into by His eyes. In fine: think what ye will of us: Paul the Apostle enjoins and beseeches you in the Lord, that with silence, that is, quietly and obediently ordered, ye do work and eat your own bread.
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 35
6. Let no man then beguile us with arguments. But although Paul saith, “If any will not work, neither let him eat,” to them he saith it; but to us he saith not this, but, on the contrary, “Be not weary in well doing.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 34
… ( 1 Sam. xv. 35 .) For by both, great good is done. Thus also here: the one is wroth, the other not so. The same happens also in matters where we are concerned. And the sharp contention with good reason, that Mark may receive a lesson, and the affair may not seem mere stage-playing. For it is not to be thought that he
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 13 . “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 11
… And even if thou dost work, is this a reason why thou shouldest reproach another? Hearest thou not what Paul saith? For after saying, “He that worketh not, neither let him eat” ( 2 Thess. iii. 10 ), he says, “But ye be not weary in well doing.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of the Work of Monks 38
… Let it be known then to the rest, our brethren and sons, who are accustomed to favor such men, and through ignorance to defend this kind of presumption, that they need themselves most chiefly to be corrected, in order that those may be corrected, nor that they become “weary in well-doing.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 13
… And yet I hear (him speak of) “affection,” not “communion;” as (he writes) withal to the Thessalonians: “But if any obey not our word through the epistle, him mark; and associate not with him, that he may feel awed; not regarding (him) as an enemy, but rebuking as a brother.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.69
Paul to the Thessalonians: “But we have commanded you, in the name of Jesus Christ, that ye depart from all brethren who walk disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received from us.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 35
… For if thou hast commanded for them not to eat, how exhortest thou us to give?” I do so, saith He, for I have also commanded to avoid them, and “to have no company with them;” and again I said, “Count them not as enemies, but admonish them;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 16
Ver. 12 , “For what have I to do with judging them that are without?” Calling the Christians and the Greeks, “those within” and “those without,” as also he says elsewhere, ( 1 Tim. iii. 7 .) “He must also have a good report of them that are without.” And in the Epistle to the Thessalonians he speaks the same language, saying, (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 33
[6.] What then doth he mean when he saith, “If any obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 14 . “And if any man obeyeth not our word by this Epistle.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 14.4
… See this strife of doves, in what the Apostle saith, “If any man obey not our word by this epistle, mark that man, and have no company with him.” Behold the strife; but observe now how it is the strife of doves, not of wolves. He subjoined immediately, “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 101.7
… as the Apostle saith, “And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.22
… Whence the same apostle again admonishes his disciples, saying, If any man obey not our word, note that man by this epistle; and have no company with him, that he may be confounded (
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St Polycarp † AD 155 Epistle to the Philippians 11
… For he boasts of you in all those Churches which alone then knew the Lord; but we [of Smyrna] had not yet known Him. I am deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for him (Valens) and his wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance! And be ye then moderate in regard to this matter, and “do not count such as enemies,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 15 . “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.22
… Whence the same apostle again admonishes his disciples, saying, If any man obey not our word, note that man by this epistle; and have no company with him, that he may be confounded ( 2 Thess. iii. 14 ). And straightway he added, Yet count him not as an enemy, but reprove him as a brother (
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 16 . “Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in all ways.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 1
… ii. 2 .) “Neither by spirit,” he says, glancing at the false prophets. Whence then shall we know them, he says? For this very reason, he added, “The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every Epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
Ver. 17, 18 . “The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every Epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
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For here in Greek it is called ὁ πονηρός, that is, the evil one by antonomasia, although τοῦ πονηροῦ in the neuter gender can be taken here to signify any evil whatsoever. (Moreover this conclusion concerning "evil" stands in the manner of epistolary style, by which namely various matters are written familiarly and without connection to friends, so that one ought not to seek connection everywhere.) Add that the Apostle does not speak here of heretics, who once received the faith of Christ and afterwards apostatized from it, but of infidels, those judaizing and Pagans, who never received the faith of Christ, but strove to impede and overturn it in all ways; such as was Alexander the coppersmith, as Paul himself confesses in II Timothy IV, 14. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus and others. You will say: Faith is a gift of God; therefore it is not in our power, but in God's power. I answer by denying the consequence: for faith is indeed a gift of God, just as prophecy, the gift of tongues, miracles, etc., are gifts of God: for these are given to man by God alone; but faith is a gift of God in the same way that prudence, fortitude, temperance and the other virtues are; indeed all good works are said to be gifts of God, because namely God by His grace stirs us up and calls us to the act of faith and of other virtues; yet so that He leaves it free to us to assent to this grace, or to dissent; to embrace it, or to reject it; to work with it and to believe, or to neglect it and to be unwilling to believe. Thus Theodoret and others. See what is said at I Corinthians VII, 7, where I explained how each one has his own gift of chastity from God.
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3. NOW GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL CONFIRM YOU, AND WILL KEEP YOU FROM EVIL. — These things are to be connected with verse 12 of the preceding chapter and the last part of the same: for there he said that God chose them as firstfruits unto salvation, that is, the firstfruits of the faithful and those to be saved, and he prayed that God would confirm them in all good: but here he says that God will do this, so that, because He is faithful and truthful, He will confirm, perfect and complete the work of faith and salvation which He has begun in them. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus. Although it is not necessary in these epistles, as being written in the manner of epistolary style, to seek connection everywhere. Will keep you from evil, — from Satan, so that he himself may not prevail over you, says Chrysostom and Theophylactus.
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4. WE CONFIDE CONCERNING YOU IN THE LORD, BECAUSE WHAT WE COMMAND, YOU BOTH DO AND WILL DO. — Because he had said that God is faithful, so as to perfect in them the work of faith which He had begun, lest now, thinking, says Theophylactus, that all is God's, they themselves become sluggish and idle, behold here he demands cooperation from them, as if to say: God indeed is faithful, and will do all that is His, if you in turn do not cease from the grace of God, but work together with it; lest however they arrogantly claim this cooperation for themselves, he adds: "In the Lord," that is, in the grace of the Lord, so as to indicate that all depends on the Lord and on God's grace. Finally, not content to say you do, he adds, and will do; so as to signify that the spirit must do this continually and even to the end. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus.
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5. MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS IN THE CHARITY OF GOD, AND IN THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST. — In Greek εἰς ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, that is, may God direct you in charity, or the love of God, and in the patience of Christ. Note that "direct," that is, may He cause you to walk in the straight path of charity and patience, so that you do not stray from that path, nor turn aside to the right or to the left; for this is the straight way to perfection, to salvation and to heaven, if we walk in the straight path of charity and patience. Paul therefore wishes them to be directed in charity and patience, as it were in the straight path to salvation: for there are many things, as Chrysostom says, and Theophylactus from him, which strive to draw us from this straight path, namely riches, vain glory, afflictions, temptations, dangers; but God, either removing these obstacles or overcoming them, causes us to walk the straight way and to pursue it continually. Note: Any Christian who cares for his salvation ought continually to pray to God, that He protect, stir up, and direct him in all things, as He knows to be expedient for his salvation: that He lead him by those ways which have no scandal of sin, by which God foresees that man will not fall into sin, but will go with untroubled step through acts of charity and patience straight to heaven. This ought to be our perpetual vow and continual supplication, since the hinge of our salvation turns upon it, namely that God grant us that way, that state, that measure of helps, by which He knows us will most certainly be saved; again, by which He knows the work which we undertake will be happily brought to completion. Blessed are those who are so directed by God that they can say: "The Lord ruleth me, and I shall want nothing; He leadeth me as a sheep Joseph (me)!" Of such a one it is said in Psalm 1: "And all things whatsoever he shall do, shall be prosperous." AND IN THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST. — First, that you imitate the patience of Christ, says Anselm. Second and better, "in patience," that is, unto the perseverance and patient expectation of Christ, and of His glory and crown: for the Greek ὑπομονή signifies perseverance and endurance of something troublesome under hope and expectation of deliverance or reward. Whence the Syriac translates, May our Lord direct your hearts in the love of God, and למסברנותיה lamsabberanutheh, that is, in the expectation of the Messiah or Christ: so that according to His coming to judgment, and to crown your hope, charity and patience, you may wait with long-suffering; and if He delay, you may not despair, but firmly believe that what He has promised He will certainly fulfill. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus, who add: To charity, they say, the Apostle joined patience, because this is the charity of God, and this is to love God, if on account of Him you are patient in mind in adversities and persecutions, you do not stir up crowds, you are not disturbed, but patiently await deliverance and the crown of glory from Christ the judge.
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6. NOW WE CHARGE (παραγγέλλομεν, that is, we command, says the Syriac, Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Vatablus) YOU, BRETHREN, IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, — that is, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, by Jesus Christ Himself: for "name" is put metonymically for the thing signified by the name. Thus it is often said in the Scriptures that one ought to hope in or invoke the name of the Lord, that is, to hope in the Lord, to invoke the Lord. He commands therefore by Christ, that is, by the name of Christ, in His place, power and authority, which He exercised as it were as a legate, vicar and Apostle of Christ. THAT YOU WITHDRAW YOURSELVES FROM EVERY BROTHER (Christian) WALKING (living) disorderly. — In Greek ἀτάκτως, that is, inordinately, disorderly, turbulently, which happens when someone, for example, despising public laws and common order, wishes to live by his own judgment and disordered and inordinate fancy; ἀταξίαν here he calls the disturbance of order and discipline consequent upon idleness, and consequently idleness itself. For just as in camps soldiers who break military discipline are called ἄτακτοι: so Paul here calls those Christians ἄτακτοι who break the Ecclesiastical and Christian discipline prescribed by him as it were as their leader and Apostle. And just as in camps idleness induces this disturbance of discipline: for idle soldiers begin to grow sluggish, to indulge in luxury, to murmur, to clamor for money, to disturb all order, and finally to rebel; so in the Church of the Thessalonians, and any other, the idleness of many produced their curiosity, curiosity produced restlessness, restlessness dissolved discipline; for those who are idle in regard to themselves are curious regarding others and wish to meddle in everything, and thus they disturb order and all things. AND NOT ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION WHICH THEY RECEIVED FROM US. — Note again the name of tradition: In Greek it is παράδοσιν, which the Syriac translates as precepts; Vatablus as institution; tradition therefore is an institution handed down by word, or, as Chrysostom and Theophylactus say, by deed; whence it follows:
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7. FOR YOURSELVES KNOW HOW YOU OUGHT TO IMITATE US, — that is to say, I have been to you a type and norm of living, my life has prescribed and delivered to you a form of life; follow therefore this institution of mine, which I have delivered to you not so much by words as by deeds. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus. FOR WE WERE NOT UNRULY AMONG YOU. — In Greek it is the same word which Our translation in the preceding verse rendered inordinately, namely ἠτακτήσαμεν, that is, we were disorderly, undisciplined, turbulent; Ambrose renders it, we lived not intemperately (that is, turbulently) among you; Our translation renders not word for word, but the sense, when it renders, we were unruly; for by this disorder and irregularity the Apostle understands idleness, and the unrest consequent upon it, and the disturbance of all discipline and order, that is to say, We were not idle among you; and consequently neither unruly, nor turbulent. "Disorder (says Chrysostom and Theophylactus) Paul calls idleness: for God placed man for labour, and fashioned his limbs for this; wherefore he who is idle falls away from his order and creation."
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8. WORKING NIGHT AND DAY, THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE CHARGEABLE TO ANY OF YOU. — Paul therefore exercised a mechanical art, namely tent-making, together with the preaching of the Gospel, as is evident from Acts XVIII, 3. Whence Origen, homily 17 on Numbers: Paul, he says, was transferred from making earthly tabernacles to constructing heavenly ones. Namely, he was accustomed to sew tabernacles from hides, which soldiers used in camps. You may ask, in what manner did Paul, when he was noble and learned in the sacred Scriptures, learn a mechanical art? I answer, he did this according to the custom of the ancient Rabbis: for thus R. Shemaiah and R. Gamaliel prescribed to those who learned the sacred Scriptures, that they should also learn some manual craft, both that they might thereby procure their livelihood, and for the sake of exercising the body and relaxing the mind from studies; and they added that those who neglected this would be more prone to sins. Thus R. Johanan learned shoemaking, R. Judah learned baking. Thus Charlemagne, as testified by Einhard and others in his Life, wished his sons to learn some mechanical art and his daughters wool-working or linen-working. The same some nobles do even today, and this both for the sake of avoiding idleness and sins, and so that, if need and necessity should arise, they might procure their livelihood by this manual labor and their art. Paul therefore did the same, and the other Apostles, and exhorted others to do likewise: for these are their words in Clement, book I of the Constitutions, chapter LXVII: "You who are young in the Church, take care to serve diligently in all necessary matters, apply yourselves to your work with all holiness, so that at all times you may be able to provide for yourselves and for the needy, lest you burden the Church of God. For we also, being occupied with the word of the Gospel, do not neglect the successive hours: for some of us are fishermen, others are tent-makers, others are farmers, lest we ever be idle." And concerning the brethren of the Lord, Eusebius relates, book V of the History, XV, from Hegesippus, that they were summoned before Domitian, as being descended from the Davidic and royal blood, whom he had determined utterly to destroy. When they showed their hands, some hardened with calluses, some torn by mechanical labor, they were dismissed from all suspicion of sedition without any trouble. The same thing, that Christian priests and monks did, not from obligation, but from voluntary humility and devotion, Epiphanius relates, heresy 80: "They labor," he says, "with their own hands to distribute also to the needy; just as in individual monasteries both in the region of Egypt and in all other places, so they labor unto justice (namely, that with just gain, earned by their labor, they may feed themselves and others) like bees, having in their hands the wax of their craft, and in their mouth drops of honey, while with their own hymn-bearing voice they praise the Lord of all according to their own understanding." An equally fitting and pleasant example is found in the Lives of the Fathers, book V, title X, number 27, and in Rufinus, book III, number 56, concerning John the Short, or the Dwarf: "He," it says, "said once to his brother: I wish I were secure like the angels doing nothing, but serving God without ceasing: and stripping himself of what he was wearing, he went into the desert. And having spent one week there, he returned to his brother, knocking at the door. And his brother said: Who, he says, are you? And he: I am John. Then his brother: John has become an angel, and is no longer among men. But he kept knocking, saying: I am. And he did not open to him, but allowed him to be afflicted. But afterwards, opening the door, he said to him: If you are a man, you need to work in order to live; but if you are an angel, why do you seek to enter the cell? And he, doing penance, said: Forgive me, brother, for I have sinned." Hence also Theodosius the anchorite in Theodoret, in the Philotheos, chapter X: It is absurd, he says, that seculars afflict themselves with labors for themselves, for princes, for the poor; "but we sit with hands folded, and enjoy the labors of others." St. Augustine wrote on this matter, in the book On the Work of Monks, in which he sharply censures idle and slothful monks, who were unwilling to labor with their hands. The Novatians foolishly twist this against the Mendicant Orders, as if these eat bread in idleness, when it is clear that they apply themselves to psalmody, prayers, confessions, preaching and other pious exercises and devote themselves to their neighbor, as St. Thomas rightly teaches, II II, Question CLXXXVII, articles 4, 5; St. Bonaventure, book On the Poverty of Christ, before the middle, page I.
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9. NOT AS IF WE HAD NOT (in Greek ἔχομεν, that is, we have) POWER (namely, to be chargeable to you in expense, and to ask food from you as from my catechumens), BUT THAT WE OURSELVES MIGHT GIVE (in Greek δῶμεν, that is, we give) YOU A FORM TO IMITATE US. — He tacitly excuses the other Apostles, who, using their right in evangelizing, received food from their people, and at the same time exaggerates his own abstinence and charity, in that he relinquished this right of his with so great inconvenience to himself for their comfort and example.
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10. THIS WE COMMANDED (παρηγγέλλομεν, that is, we enjoined) YOU, THAT IF ANY MAN WILL NOT WORK, NEITHER LET HIM EAT. — Because it is written in Genesis, chapter III, verse 19: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." Whoever therefore does not labor for bread, it is fitting that he should not eat bread, and consequently is worthy to die of hunger; for he who is idle has a useless existence, and therefore deserves not to exist. For idleness, as Seneca says, is the burial of a living man. Whoever therefore while living willingly buries himself and his vigor and strength through idleness, is worthy to die and be buried in reality. Wherefore wisely St. Ephrem in that passage, "Take heed to thyself," chapter V: "Let not labor," he says, "be burdensome to thee. Learn by working, that thou mayest not learn by begging." The same, in the tract On the Consummation of the World: "Do not flee from labor, that thou mayest not lose thy crown." Note here a moral lesson, how evil idleness is, and how it ought to be avoided by a Christian and by any man, and this for many reasons, which the Apostle here suggests. The first is derived from man's very condition; for man is born for labor, a bird for flight, as the Wise Man says. The second is from the examples of other creatures: behold the sun and the heavens, how they never rest, but are perpetually revolved in their motion and traverse the greatest spaces. Behold fire and the elements, how they are never idle, but always act. Behold horses, oxen, asses, how they run and bear burdens. Go to the ant, O sluggard, and see how diligent and laborious it is. The third is from the fitness of the matter, and from the law and will of God. For God did not give us hands and strength in vain, but willed that we use them and work. "God," says St. Basil in the Longer Rules, rule 27, "who has furnished us with strength adequate for laboring, will also demand from us on the day of judgment an equal diligence in laboring." Hence Themistocles used to say that "idleness and sloth are the burial of a living man"; and when he himself was dying, in his one hundred and seventh year, he grieved, saying that he was then dying when he was beginning to know and to work wisely. Hence also that strong and industrious woman is praised, Proverbs XXXI, because she did not eat bread in idleness: "She hath sought," it says, "wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel (that is, by the work and industry) of her hands: she is become as the merchant's ship, bringing her bread from afar, and she riseth in the night, and giveth a prey (the Hebrew טרף tereph signifies any food whatsoever, a metaphor taken from lions, whose every food is acquired by preying) to her household and victuals to her maidens: she hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm: she hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle." Hence also she received the reward of her labor; for "of the fruit (that is, the labor, the gain) of her hands she planted a vineyard. She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. She hath made for herself coverings of tapestry; fine linen and purple is her clothing; her husband is honorable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle (sold it) to the Chanaanite (merchant): strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day." The fourth is from merit and reward: for the present time is the time of labor, the future time will be the time of reward. "This day," says the author of the Imperfect Work, homily 39, "is a day of work; but that day which follows (of blessed eternity) will be a day of rest." The fifth is from the effects of idleness. "Idleness hath taught much wickedness," says Ecclesiasticus, XXXIII, 29; and Ezekiel XVI, 49: "This," it says, "was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance, and the idleness of her, and of her daughters, and they did not put out their hand to the needy and the poor." For, as Ovid says: If thou takest away idleness, the bow of Cupid is destroyed. And again: Why is Aegisthus made an adulterer? The cause is at hand, he was idle. And another: "Idleness kills the body, sloth kills the mind, but exercise makes both most beautiful." "By idleness," says St. Augustine, book I of the City of God, "Rome perished, Carthage having been destroyed." Hence also Cleomenes said of Manius Sura that he was not acting, but busying himself, because in acting he would be tumultuous: for he acts who performs his duty; he busies himself who strives vehemently, but in vain, says Erasmus. There is also an antithesis: for he ἐργάζεται (works) who performs fruitful work; he περιεργάζεται (busies himself), who performs fruitless, superfluous, useless, side-work and things pertaining to nothing, acts and works. Such are the idle and curious, who are vacant and eager to hear, narrate, judge, and censure the deeds of individuals: who, although they do nothing, yet busy themselves, move and incite others to do things, disturb and change those things which their restless and turbulent imagination thinks should be done and changed. St. Jerome observes in chapter III of Galatians 1 that the Apostle often in his letters denotes both the vices and virtues of the particular nation to which he writes, and adds that those nations remained subject to the same things even to his own times. "Thus," says Jerome, "the Apostle notes the faith, facility, and pride of the Roman people; the women of Corinth with uncovered head, men wearing long hair, eating indifferently in temples, puffed up with worldly knowledge; the Macedonians he praises in charity, in hospitality and the reception of brethren; but he reproves them as idle, expecting another's food." And he admonished them of these things no more by the office of a teacher than by the virtue or vice of the nation.
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11. FOR WE HAVE HEARD (ἀκούομεν, that is, we hear) THAT SOME AMONG YOU WALK DISORDERLY (in Greek ἀτάκτως, that is, inordinately, confusedly, concerning which I spoke at verse 6), DOING NOTHING, BUT BUSYING THEMSELVES CURIOUSLY. — For since, says Theophylactus from Chrysostom, our mind is mobile (and like a mill which is always turning, and grinds either flour or itself), it is necessary, if it does not undertake fruitful work, that it attempt fruitless and useless work, and thus idly scrutinize the lives of others, whence it is led to detraction and other trifles. Hence Cato truly said: "By doing nothing we learn to do evil; and on the contrary, by always doing well we learn to do well." Thus the poets relate that Diana preserved perpetual virginity, because she was never idle, and because she was always hunting and occupied in the mountains. In the Greek there is a beautiful paronomasia: μὴ ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους, that is, not working, but busying themselves. Thus Tullius relates that Domitius Afer, when asked why the Lacedaemonians did not destroy the Argives, their enemies, answered: "They," he said, "are the whetstone of our youth." Chryostom gives the reason, homily 7 on II Corinthians: "Just as," he says, "land not occupied with sowing or planting will produce any herb: so also the soul, whenever it does not have something to do of necessary things, since it absolutely desires to do something, delivers itself to depraved actions. And just as the eye does not cease to see, and on this account sees evils, if good things are not sometimes presented: so also thought, whenever it withdraws itself from necessary things, is already occupied with useless things: for it is evident from all sides that occupation and care avails to repel the first assault." Hence St. Anthony heard from God: "Anthony, do you seek to please God? Pray, and when you are not able to pray, labor with your hands and always do something. As long as David exercised himself in warfare, luxury did not assail him; but after he remained idle in his house, he labored in adultery and committed murder. Samson, while he fought with the Philistines, could not be captured by enemies; but after he slept in the bosom of a woman and remained idle with her, soon he is captured and blinded by enemies. Solomon, while he was occupied in the building of the temple, did not feel luxury; but soon, withdrawing from the work, he felt the assault of luxury, and worshipped the golden calf." Finally, Chrysostom, homily 35 on the Acts of the Apostles: "Who," he says, "is more useful, he who is in delights, or he who is exercised? Which ship, that which sails, or that which remains on the shore? Which water, that which flows, or that which stands? Which iron, that which is moved, or that which no one uses? does not the latter indeed shine and is like silver, while this is consumed by rust and is useless everywhere? Something like this happens also in an idle soul. For a certain rust seizes it and consumes its splendor and all other things." Then Chrysostom proceeds to depict graphically the inertia and baseness of an idle man.
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12. TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THIS KIND, WE COMMAND (παραγγέλλομεν, that is, we enjoin) and beseech in THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, — that is, through the Lord Jesus Christ. Note: For we beseech, in Greek it is παρακαλοῦμεν, which first signifies we exhort; second, we beseech or adjure. And this suits this place more aptly: for the Apostle mixes prayers with the precept, so that they might mitigate the severity of the precept; and lest either the authority of the one commanding or the kindness of the one beseeching be despised, he adds: "In the Lord Jesus Christ." THAT WITH SILENCE (μετὰ ἡσυχίας, that is, with quietness: thus the Syrian and Vatablus) working their own bread (τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρτον, that is, their very own bread, not another's) THEY MAY EAT. — For not, says Theophylactus, ought they to fix their eyes upon the hands of others, but to eat their own bread, that is, bread earned by their own hand and labor. Again note: The Apostle teaches here that idle men are curious, garrulous, talkative; they do not act, but bustle about: whereas the industrious, as he adds, eat their bread in silence, and do many things, but speak few things, and those well-considered. Those he compares to swallows, these to swans, Nazianzen, in his epistle to Celesius. For when Nazianzen was reproached by Celesius for excessive silence, as if by nature more taciturn, he responded to this with a witty apologue: "Swallows," he says, "once caviled at swans, because they neither wished to associate with men, nor publicly, but only to sing to themselves around meadows and rivers: on the contrary, ours, they said, are the cities, and with our chatter we delight mortals. But the swans, offended by their garrulity, scarcely deemed them worthy even to address. But when they were brought to this point: But, O illustrious ones, they say, let no one go into solitude to hear our music: since we have permitted the zephyr to inflate our feathers, and although not much, yet we modulate something pleasant and harmonious. But you, even when admitted to houses, men disdain, and when singing, they turn away, because you are the most talkative of birds, and not even with your tongue cut out could you be silent. Therefore if you find," says Nazianzen, "my taciturnity surpassed by your eloquence, cease to detract from our silence." Cassianus treats this passage at length, lib. X, which is on Acedia, cap. VII and seq., where in cap. XXIII, he says: "A working monk is struck by one demon, but an idle one is truly devastated by innumerable spirits." And in cap. XXV, from Abbot Moses he says: "It has been proven by experience that the assault of acedia is not to be avoided by fleeing (for thus it will attack us more fiercely), but is to be overcome by resisting." It is otherwise in the temptation of lust: for this is to be overcome by avoiding occasions and enticements.
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13. BUT YOU DO NOT GROW WEARY IN DOING GOOD. — The Apostle has thus far addressed and instructed the idle and restless; now he turns his discourse to the very body of the Church of the Thessalonians, as if to say: Concerning you, O Christian Thessalonians, I have better hopes and knowledge, namely that you, with few exceptions, have changed your native disposition and proneness to idleness through the faith and grace of Christ, and are now not idle and restless, but working and doing good. I exhort you therefore to continue thus, and do not grow weary (μὴ ἐκκακήσητε, that is, do not become sluggish, do not become exhausted) in doing good, and showing charity to all, even to those idle and lazy ones: from whom, although in the following verse and verse 6, I command that you withdraw yourselves, for their shame and correction; yet I do not wish that you allow them to perish from hunger, or be pressed by grave want. Thus Theophylactus.
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14. IF ANYONE DOES NOT OBEY OUR WORD BY THIS EPISTLE (namely, my admonitions and precepts, which I prescribe by this epistle. St. Chrysostom for ἡμῶν, that is, our, reads ὑμῶν, that is, your, as if to say: If anyone does not obey you saying and admonishing those things which I prescribe), NOTE THIS MAN (σημειοῦσθε, that is, mark, as are marked bulls prone to gore, says Erasmus) and do not associate with him. — That is, as the Syrian, do not converse and have commerce with him, so that he may be put to shame; namely, that seeing himself avoided and neglected by all, he may be ashamed, repent and be corrected.
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15. ADMONISH HIM AS A BROTHER. — In Greek νουθετεῖτε, that is, admonish, and as it were restore and replace the mind which he has lost; Ambrose reads, admonish with counsel.
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16. NOW MAY THE LORD HIMSELF, THE LORD OF PEACE (God the source, author and lover of peace) give you peace always (διὰ παντός, that is, always, perpetually) in every way. — In Greek there is a twofold reading, the former ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ, that is, in every manner, that is, complete peace, in every matter, namely in all opinions, words and deeds: as Theophylactus explains. The latter, ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ, that is, in every place, and thus our text reads, as well as Ambrose, Chrysostom and others, and it is more apt; for he wishes that God give them peace always and everywhere, that is, in every time and place.
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17. The Greeting, in my own hand Paul, — that is to say, This greeting with which I Paul greet you, I subscribe with my own hand. Now the greeting is the prayer which follows, namely: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." The Apostle teaches that our greetings ought to be not mere symbols of friendship, but prayers joined with spiritual profit. Thus Chrysostom and Theophylactus. WHICH IS THE SIGN (of me) IN EVERY EPISTLE, SO DO I WRITE. — Just as we subscribe Vale to our letters, so the Apostle subscribes:
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18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. — For this has been found subscribed to all his epistles hitherto. By this sentence therefore, as it were by a sign, he wishes his epistles to be distinguished from the epistles of false apostles that are forged. Thus Theodoretus. For the relative pronoun which refers to the word greeting; for this is the sign which he places here, and the greeting moreover is this, as I have said, which follows, "The grace of our Lord Jesus, etc." Secondly, this greeting appears to be the whole hand of Paul, that is, the whole of what Paul subscribed here with his own hand, that is to say, Lest anyone forge letters to me, as I have said some have done in chapter II, verse 2, behold I subscribe with my own hand, so that both from the sense I have already stated, and from the writing, you may recognize this epistle to be mine, not forged. Perhaps there was also some character subscribed by Paul here, which he calls his sign: just as now many delineate the sign of the hand, as they call it, by certain flourishes which are not easy to imitate, under their letters, so that it may be clear to those to whom they write that the epistle is genuine, not forged.
Concluding Blessing Grant us, O Lord, not to fail in doing good, grant us eternal peace, grant us thyself: because thou art ETERNITY of peace, of joys and of all good things. Amen.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Supra instruxit eos de futuris in novissimis, hic instruit eos de quibusdam, quae particulariter eis agenda erant, ubi primo ponitur instructio; secundo epistolae conclusio, ibi ipse autem Deus pacis. Item primo monet qualiter se habeant ad ipsum; secundo ostendit quid de eis confidat ipse, ibi fidelis autem Deus; tertio quomodo se habeant ad alios, qui inordinate ambulant, ibi denuntiamus autem vobis. Circa primum primo ponit orationem; secundo quid in oratione est petendum, ibi ut sermo. Dicit ergo de caetero, scilicet quia estis sufficienter instructi, orate pro nobis. Rom. XV, 30: obsecro igitur vos, fratres, per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum et per charitatem spiritus sancti, ut adiuvetis me in orationibus vestris pro me ad Deum. Et hoc est debitum, quia curati habent curam utilitatis gregis. Hebr. XIII, 7: mementote praepositorum vestrorum, qui vobis locuti sunt verbum Dei, et cetera. Secundo ostendit quid petendum est, ut scilicet tollantur impedimenta praedicationis; et ideo dicit ut sermo Dei currat, quia non potest totaliter impediri, sed retardari. Ideo dicit currat. Col. IV, 3: orantes simul etiam pro nobis, ut dominus aperiat nobis ostium sermonis ad loquendum mysterium Christi. Item ut clarificetur, scilicet per claram et lucidam expositionem, apud rudes et sapientes, sicut et apud vos. Rom. I, 14: sapientibus et insipientibus debitor sum. Prov. XIV, v. 6: doctrina prudentium facilis. Item per miracula, quae sunt demonstrationes fidei. Est enim omnis scientia clara per demonstrationes, et hoc est orandum. Act. IV, 29: da servis tuis cum omni fiducia loqui verbum tuum, et cetera.
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Item, secundo, orandum est pro praedicatoribus, ut liberentur ab importunis et malis hominibus, scilicet pseudoapostolis, qui sunt importuni in disputando, mali in seducendo. Vel a persecutoribus qui cogitaverunt iniquitatem in corde. Et ratio petitionis est, quia omnium non est fides, quia licet videantur habere eam, non tamen habent veram. Is. LIII, v. 1: domine, quis credidit auditui nostro? Rom. X, 16: non omnes obediunt Evangelio. Deinde cum dicit fidelis, etc., ponit fiduciam quam habet de eis. Et primo facit hoc; secundo orat pro eis, ibi dominus autem, et cetera. Fiducia autem pendet ex eo qui gratiam dat, et ex hominibus qui sunt liberi arbitrii, ut dirigantur in gratia. Dicit, primo, ex parte Dei: confido quod orabitis, et exaudiemini, quia fidelis est dominus, qui confirmabit in bonis quae in vobis est operatus. I Petr. ult.: perficiet, confirmabit, consolidabitque, et cetera.
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Et custodiet a malo, culpae et poenae. Si tamen in mala poenae incidant, est eis in bonum, quia diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum, ut dicitur Rom. VIII, 28.
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Secundo, ex parte eorum dicit confidimus autem de vobis, fratres, scilicet ex gratia quam accepistis, sed in domino, non in virtute vestra. Hebr. VI, 9: confidimus autem de vobis, dilectissimi, meliora et viciniora salutis, et cetera. Quoniam quaecumque praecipimus, etc., id est, quoniam perseverabitis. Ex. XXIV, 7: omnia verba, quae locutus est dominus, faciemus.
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Deinde cum dicit dominus, etc., pro eis orat, dicens dominus autem dirigat, scilicet ut perveniatis. Est autem hominis animam praeparare, et domini linguam gubernare, ut dicitur Prov. XVI, 1. Et paulo post: cor hominis disponit viam suam, sed domini est dirigere gressus eius, scilicet ad destinatum bravium. Et ideo dicit dirigat corda nostra, non solum exteriora opera; et hoc in charitate Dei. Duo autem sunt, per quae in via salutis incedimus, scilicet bona quae facimus, et mala quae sustinemus. Sed opera non sunt bona, nisi directa in finem charitatis. I Tim. c. I, 5: finis praecepti est charitas, et cetera. Item nec patientia, nisi per Christum. Lc. XXI, 19: in patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras. Matth. V, 11: beati eritis, cum maledixerint vobis homines. Et ideo dicit et patientia Christi, id est, tolerantia malorum propter Christum, vel ad exemplum eius. I Petr. II, 21: Christus passus est pro nobis, vobis relinquens exemplum, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit denuntiamus, etc., ostendit quomodo se habeant ad homines inordinatos. Et primo proponit edictum; secundo exponit, ibi ipsi enim, etc.; tertio ostendit necessitatem edicti proponendi, ibi audivimus. Dicit ergo: sic vos vivitis, et sic confido; sed quia sunt quidam mali inter vos, denuntiamus, etc., scilicet perfectis, in nomine, et cetera. Hoc enim ad praelatum pertinet. Is. LVIII, 1: annuntia populo meo scelera eorum, et domui Iacob peccata eorum, et cetera. Ez. III, 18: sanguinem illius de manu tua requiram. Et sequitur edictum, dicens ut subtrahatis, et cetera. Ex hoc introductum est in Ecclesia, quod mali vitentur, et hoc ne infirmiores ex eorum consortio maculentur. Eccli. XIII, 1: qui tetigerit picem inquinabitur ab ea. I Cor. c. V, 6: modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit. Item ad sanationem peccantis, ut confusio cedat ei in salutem. Eccli. IV, 25: est confusio adducens peccatum, et est confusio adducens gloriam. Nec hoc debet fieri passim, sed cum deliberatione et maturitate. I Cor. V, 4: congregatis vobis et meo spiritu cum virtute domini Iesu tradere huiusmodi hominem Satanae in interitum, et cetera. Et sic hic dicitur ut subtrahatis, et cetera. Nec debet fieri excommunicatio, nisi pro aliquo peccato, quia hic dicitur inordinate, et cetera. Et hoc est quando aliquid est secundum se malum, et contra ordinem iuris naturalis, ut Glossa exponit. I Cor. XIV, 40: ut omnia honeste et secundum ordinem fiant in vobis. Rom. XIII, 1: omnia quae sunt, a Deo ordinata sunt. Vel quia est prohibitum, et contra doctrinam Ecclesiae.
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Unde dicit et non secundum traditionem, et cetera. Supra secundo huius: tenete traditiones quas didicistis sive per sermonem, sive per epistolam nostram. Deinde cum dicit ipsi enim, etc., exponit quantum ad ultimum quod dixerat, scilicet secundum traditiones, ostendens quae sit traditio haec, et quomodo acceperunt ab ipso. Est autem haec traditio ut non essent otiosi, vel curiosi. Et primo ostendit quomodo acceperunt exemplo; secundo quomodo verbo. Item primo ostendit quod vitavit inquietudinem; secundo quomodo; tertio assignat causam. Dicit ergo traditionem quam acceperunt, scitis, etc., quia praelati sunt imitandi non in omnibus, sed in his, quae sunt secundum regulam Christi. I Cor. IV, 16 et c. XI, 1: imitatores mei estote, sicut et ego Christi. Et in quo?
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Quoniam non inquieti fuimus inter vos. Erant enim Thessalonicenses valde liberales. I Thess. IV, 9: de charitate fraternitatis non necesse habemus scribere vobis, ipsi enim didicistis, et cetera. Et hac ratione pauperes otiose vivebant, et ex otio dabant se operibus indebitis, nec pertinentibus ad eos. Et hoc erat inquietudo. Et ideo dicit quoniam non inquieti, et cetera. I Thess. IV, v. 11: operam detis, ut quieti sitis, et cetera.
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Item neque gratis panem manducavimus, etc., quia operibus manuum operabatur. Act. XX, 34 dicitur: ipsi scitis quoniam ad ea quae mihi opus erant, et his qui mecum sunt, ministraverunt manus istae. Et Prov. ult.: panem otiosa non comedit. Num. XVI, 15: tu scis, quia nec asellum quidem unquam acceperim ab eis, et cetera. Sed in labore et fatigatione. Non parum, sed nocte et die, id est, continue, quia aliquando oportebat eum praedicare et docere, et residuum ponebat in labore, ne quem vestrum gravaremus. II Cor. XII, 13: quid est quod prae caeteris minus habuistis, nisi quod non gravavi vos? Deinde cum dicit non quasi, etc., assignat causam sui operis manualis. Ubi excludit primo causam falsam, secundo ponit veram. Falsa quidem causa esset si quis diceret quod ei non liceret accipere ab eis sumptus.
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Et ideo dicit non quasi non habuerimus, immo habuimus potestatem vivendi de sumptibus fidelium. I Cor. IX, 13: qui altari deserviunt, cum altari participant. Matth. X, v. 10: dignus est operarius cibo suo. I Cor. c. IX, 14: sic et dominus ordinavit his qui Evangelium annuntiant, de Evangelio vivere. Et sic ex Evangelio sunt duo genera hominum potestatem habentium vivere ex aliorum sumptibus, qui scilicet altari deserviunt, et praedicatores. Deinde cum dicit sed ut vos, etc., ponit veram causam. Nam duplicem causam invenimus, quare apostolus manibus laboravit: una apud Corinthios; alia hic. Illi enim erant avari, et graviter tulissent, sicut ibi dicitur. Causa autem quare laboravit hic fuit horum otium. Et ideo dicit ut nos formam daremus, etc., scilicet laborandi. I Tim. IV, 12: exemplum esto fidelium in verbo, in conversatione, in charitate, in fide, in castitate. I Petr. V, 3: forma facti gregis. Alia causa ponitur in Glossa, I Cor. IV, scilicet quando non invenimus qui det nobis, et tunc laborabat. Quarta causa erat, ut sicut monachi Aegypti non essent otiosi. Eccli. XXXIII, 29: multam malitiam docuit otiositas. Unde qui non habent exercitium officii, vel studii, vel lectionis, periculose vivunt otiosi.
Supra ostendit apostolus quid eis suo exemplo tradidit, ut scilicet non essent inquieti, sed ut operarentur, hic ostendit quomodo hoc praesens verbis et factis tradidit. Unde dicit cum essemus, quasi dicat: ut formam daremus vobis, fecimus quod docuimus, quia hoc denuntiabamus, quoniam, et cetera. Haec verba, sicut dicit Glossa et Augustinus in libro de operibus monachorum, quidam pervertebant quod non sit licitum servis Dei manibus operari, propter hoc quod dicitur Matth. VI, 34: nolite solliciti esse, et cetera. Nam dicunt hanc operationem pertinere ad sollicitudinem victus. Et propter hoc istud referebant ad spiritualia opera; quasi dicat: si quis non vult facere opera meritoria et spiritualia, non est dignus manducare. Sed hoc est contra intentionem apostoli, qui dicit denuntiabamus nos sic fecisse, scilicet in labore et fatigatione. Sed quid est quoniam si quis non vult, et cetera? Estne hoc consilium vel praeceptum? Et videtur esse praeceptum, quia infra dicitur: si quis non obedierit verbo nostro, et cetera. Ergo omnes tenentur manibus operari. Qui igitur non operatur manibus, sed stat otiosus, peccat mortaliter. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod est praeceptum, sed aliquid praecipitur dupliciter: simpliciter, vel sub conditione. Simpliciter praecipitur quod per se est necessarium ad salutem: et haec sunt opera virtutum. Sub conditione vero, ut quando talis est casus, quod sine opere manuali praeceptum servari non potest. Praecipitur autem homini quod corpus suum sustentet, alias enim est homicida sui ipsius. Gen. II, 16: de omni ligno Paradisi comede, et cetera. Ex praecepto ergo tenetur homo corpus suum nutrire, et similiter ad omnia, sine quibus corpus non potest vivere, tenemur. Unde quicumque non habet alias, unde corpus sustentet licite, vel possessione, vel licito negotio, tenetur laborare, ne furetur. Eph. IV, 28: qui furabatur, iam non furetur, magis autem laboret operando manibus suis, et cetera. Est ergo praeceptum, quando aliter non potest licite vivere.
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Unde dicit si quis non vult operari, nec manducet. Est ergo alterum duorum necessarium, ut homo possit manducare, scilicet vel quod habeat possessionem, vel quod licite procuret. Ps. CXXVII, 2: labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis, et cetera. I Thess. IV, 11: operamini manibus vestris, sicut praecepimus vobis, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit audivimus, etc., ponit necessitatem huius praecepti, quia apostolus dicit hoc non tam ex officio docentis, quam propter vitium gentis. Ideo primo ponit culpam quae inducit necessitatem praecepti; secundo adhibet remedium, ibi his autem qui, et cetera. Dicit ergo audivimus, etc.; quasi dicat: ideo non occulto hoc praeceptum, quia audivimus quosdam, et cetera. Anima enim hominis semper oportet quod circa aliquid occupetur, et ideo necesse est quod otiosi inquietudinem patiantur circa illicita. I Thess. c. IV, 11: operam detis ut quieti sitis, et cetera.
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Et addit sed curiose agentes, scilicet de negotiis aliorum. Prov. XXI, 25: desideria occidunt pigrum. Deinde adhibet remedium, cum dicit his autem qui, et cetera. Et primo ex parte peccantium, secundo ex parte aliorum, ibi vos autem, et cetera. Dicit ergo his qui sunt eiusmodi denuntiamus severe, ut praelatus, et obsecramus charitative, ut pater eorum, ut panem suum, non alienum sed debitum sibi, scilicet licite acquisitum, cum silentio, id est, sine inquietudine, non discurrendo, manducet. Is. XXX: cultus iustitiae, silentium. Ez. multam malitiam docuit otiositas. Deinde cum dicit vos autem, etc. ex parte aliorum non peccantium duplex adhibet remedium. Primo scilicet quod non cessent benefaciendo, secundo quod illos corripiant, ibi quod si quis, et cetera.
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Dicit ergo vos autem, etc., quasi dicat: nolite deficere benefaciendo, licet otiosi abutantur. Gal. V: bonum facientes, non deficiamus, et cetera. Et hoc necessarium est, etiam si operentur manibus, et non deesset illis aliquid, quia necessaria est aliis subventio. Deinde cum dicit quod si quis, etc., innuit quod corrigantur, et primo ostendit quo ordine puniantur; secundo ostendit effectum poenae, ibi ut confundantur; tertio finem, ibi et nolite, et cetera. In ordine vero, primo, ponit culpam, secundo eius manifestationem, tertio eius punitionem. Culpa est inobedientia; et ideo dicit quod si quis non obedierit. I Reg. XV, 23: quasi peccatum ariolandi est repugnare, et quasi scelus idololatriae nolle acquiescere. Manifestatio et convictio ponitur, cum dicit hunc per epistolam notate, id est, manifestate, sed per veritatis inquisitionem. Iob c. XXIX, 16: causam quam nesciebam, diligentissime investigabam.
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Poena eorum est sententia excommunicationis; unde dicit et non commisceamini cum illo, et cetera. I Cor. V, 11: cum huiusmodi nec cibum sumere. II Io. V, 10: nolite recipere eum in domum, nec ave ei dixeritis. Hic nota quod excommunicatio infligitur pro inobedientia; debet tamen esse convictus. Unde dicit si quis non obedierit, per epistolam vestram, hunc notate, id est, significate nobis, ut puniatur: et tamen vos interim ne commisceamini cum illo. Sed effectus poenae est, ut confundatur, et ex hoc resipiscat. Eccli. IV, 25: est confusio adducens peccatum, et est confusio adducens gloriam. Finis autem et intentio debet esse eius correctio, quam intendit charitas; unde dicit et nolite invicem existimare, quia non debet fieri ex livore odii, sed ex studio charitatis; quasi dicat: quod ipsum vitatis, non fiat ex odio inimicitiae. Matth. V, 44: diligite inimicos vestros, benefacite his qui oderunt vos.
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Et ideo dicit sed corripite ut fratrem. In quo ostenditur charitas. Ps. CXXXII, v. 1: ecce quam bonum, et quam iucundum habitare fratres in unum, et cetera. Deinde cum dicit ipse autem, etc., concludit epistolam. Et primo ponitur conclusio; secundo salutatio, quae est quasi epistolae sigillum, ibi salutatio, et cetera. Iterum prima in duas, quia eis primo optat dona Dei, secundo ipsum Deum, ibi dominus sit, et cetera. Quantum ad primum dicit ipse, et cetera. Deus dicitur esse pacis quantum ad duo. Pax enim consistit in duobus, ut scilicet homo concordet ad seipsum, et ad alios. Et neutrum potest haberi sufficienter nisi in Deo: quia sibi non concordat sufficienter nisi in Deo et minus aliis quia tunc affectus hominis concordat in seipso quando quod appetitur secundum unum, sufficit quantum ad omnes, quod nihil potest esse praeter Deum. Ps. CII, 5: qui replet in bonis desiderium tuum. Quaecumque enim alia, praeter Deum, non sufficiunt ad omnes, sed Deus sufficit. Io. XVI, 33: in me pacem habebitis, et cetera. Item homines non uniuntur inter se, nisi in eo quod est commune inter eos, et hoc est maxime Deus. Et ideo dicit Deus pacis det, non pacem temporalem, sed sempiternam, id est, spiritualem, quae hic incipit, et ibi perficitur. Ps. CXLVII, 3: qui posuit fines tuos pacem, et cetera. Et hoc in omni loco, et in toto mundo apud fideles.
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Quantum ad secundum dicit dominus sit cum omnibus vobis, quia nihil aliud bene habetur, nisi ipse habeatur per fidem et charitatem.
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Salutatio mea, hoc dicit propter infideles pervertentes epistolas eius. Gal. ult.: videte qualibus litteris scripsi vobis manu mea, et cetera. Quod est signum, et cetera. Gratia, id est, gratuitum donum Dei, quod gratos vos reddit Deo, et cetera. Io. I, 17: gratia et veritas per Iesum Christum facta est.
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1. De caetero, fratres, orate pro nobis. Graece: Quod reliquum est, orate fratres pro nobis. Postulat Thessalonicensium orationes pro se suisque collegis Evangelii ministris. Nam eos, quod in commune Ecclesiae bonum laborarent, omnium precibus adjuvari justum erat: causam publicam ostendit, quod sequitur.
Vt sermo Dei currat et clarificetur. Graece: Ut sermo Domini currat et glorificetur. Id est, ut evangelica doctrina per nostram praedicationem feliciter ac sine impedimento propagetur ac proficiat; utque celebris efficiatur, atque de ea homines ubique bene loquantur. Hoc enim est, verbum Dei glorificari; quod quidem fit, dum Christianorum vita professioni respondet. Tale est, quod Tito praecipit cap. 2. Verbum sanum, irreprehensibile; ut is, qui ex adverso est, vereatur, nihil habens malum dicere de nobis. Nonnulli glorificationem verbi Dei intelligunt per miracula: ued si per miracula glorificatur, quanto magis per inculpatam vitam credentium? Matth. 5. et 1 Pet. 2.
Sicut et apud vos. Subaudi, glorificatus est sermo Domini. Tacitam laudem Thessalonicensium, qua ad majorem profectum incitentur, haec adjectio continet.
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2. Et ut liberemur ab importunis et malis hominibus. Pro importunis, Graece est axoTicov, qua voce significantur homines absurdi, improbi, insolentes. Quidam putant, in gecere notari malos Christianos, per quos infamabatur nomen Christi: sedmagis apparet, Judaeos peculiariter intelligi; sive eos, qui cum Christo nomen dedissent, Judaismum tamen pertinaciter fovebant, sive qui Christianam fidem et praedicatores ejus aperte persequebantur. Utrique enim Evangelii cursum impediebant, et Paulo erantinfensi; sed posteriores magis. Nam, ut docet Actorum apostolicorum liber, ubicunque Paulus Evangelium praedicabat, statim Judaei zelo malo exagitati, pervertere studebant ac destruere, quicquid ille promovisset. Vide librum Act. 13. 14. et 17. Quo postremo loco narratur, quemadmodum Judaei primum Thessalonicae, deinde Beroeae turbas concitaverint Paulo et Silae, propter Evangelium Christi in illis civitatibus praedicatum; ut cmnino verisimile sit, adejusmodi Judaeorum importunitates et persecutiones, ipsis etiam Thessalonicensibus notas et compertas, Apostolum hic respexisse. Forsan et ad etymon vocabuli (jitotuov allusit, quod sonat loci privationem: nam Judaei Pauli persecutores loco nusquam consistebant, sed velut eadem Actorum historia declarat, de civitate in civitatem Paulum insequebantur, ut a fide Christi, quam ille praedicabat, homines averterent. A talibus ergo liberari se petit, ne pergant fructum praedicationis ejus impedire.
Non enim omnium est fides. Qui partem praecedentem de malis Christianis accipiunt, hujus sensum ita reddunt: Non enim omnes, qui se fideles profitentur, vere et ex animo tales sunt; sed multi eorum ficti sunt Christiani et falsi fratres, ut mirum non sit, si a talibus, tanquam improbis et malis hominibus. liberari cupiam. Sed quoniam id, quod praecedit, ostensum est probabilius intelligi de Judaeis aperte Christianam doctrinam insectantibus; idcirco pars ista cum superiori connectenda erit hoc modo: Orate pro nobis, ut liberemur ab importunis et malis hominitus, qui verbi Dei cursum impediunt: quod mirandum non est eos facere, quia non omnium est fides, id est, non omnibus datur ut credant, non omnes ad propositum Dei pertinent, vocantis ad fidem efficaci sua vocatione, et sicut ad Rom. 10. dicit: Non omnes obediunt Evangelio. Hic igitur iminuatur, fidem esse singulare Dei donum, quod non sit omnibus a Deo concessum. Id quod non tantum de htbitu fidei, sed etiam de actu procul dubio accipiendum est. Porro quod ex hac sententia sectarii inferunt, neminem poenis ad fidem compellendum esse; id certe non magis consequens est de fide, quam de justitia, castitate, aliisque virtutibus; quae omnes dona Dei sunt, et tamen poenis cohibentur adulteri, fures, homicidae, atque ad virtutes his cjntrarias indirecte coguntur. Cur non etiam ad fidem? Etenim haec omnia ita sunt Dei dona, ut tamen ad ea suscipienda atque exercenda homines poenis admoniti libera voluntate moveantur; adeo ut et charitatem timor introducat.
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3. Fidelis autem Dominus est, qui confirmabit vos et custodiet a malo. Quamvis, inquit, sint, qui fidem graviter oppugnent, non est quod turbemini: nam fidelis est Dominus Christus, id est, verax et constans in promissis; ideoque vos confirmabit in fide, ne ab ea excidatis, et custodiet a malo, id est, ab adversario, scilicet diabolo, ne per malos homines velut artis suae instrumenta fidem vestram subvertat. Malum, Graece TCGVYjpov, ad personam referri, et proinde non alium intelligi, quam diabolum, sicut intelligunt Theophylactus et Oecumenius, probabile est ex parte praecedenti: Et malis hominibus, ubi idem est in Graeco vocabulum. Nam et alibi saepe, per antonomasiam, eo nomine diabolus significatur, quod omnium malorum caput sit et princeps: ut in oratione Dominica: Libera nos a malo. Item Matth. 13. Venit malus, et rapit, quod seminatum est. Et rursus ibidem: zizania filii sunt nequam, Graece illius mali. Et Ephes. 6. In quo possitis omnia tela nequissimi, Graece, illius mali, ignea extinguere. Quaeritur, cur haec Apostoli sententia non reddat certos tam Thessalonicenses, quam caeteros fideles, quod sint in fide et gratia Dei perseveraturi. Cum enim fidelis sit Dominus, qui promisit, nulla potest esse de re promissa, id est, de salute nostra, dubitatio; quemadmodum ex hoc loco argumentantur haeretici. Respondeo, nos de fide et veracitate Dei, et consequenter de promissis ejus, certissimos esse: verum haec non ad omnes fideles pertinent, sed proprie ad electos; in quorum tamen numero quisque fidelium collocare se debet per spem et bonam fiduciam. Verba igitur ista non fidem perseverantiae suae ab unoquoque exigunt; sed fiduciam excitant, quod sint perseveraturi; quatenus confidunt, se esse in numero electorum, ad quos solos pertinent absolutae promissiones novi testamenti. Similes sententiae sunt 1 Cor. 1. et 10. et 1 Thess. 5. Quin et hoc loco non aliud, quam fiduciam exigi a Thessalonicensibus probat, quod sequitur:
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4. Confidimus autem de vobis in Domino. Id est, per Dominum, per gratiam Domini Jesu Christi.
Quoniam quae praecipimus, et facitis, et facietis. Graece: Quod quae praecipimus vobis, et facitis et facietis. Id est, quod praecepta a me vobis tradita servatis, et, si quid minus servatum sit hactenus, id in posterum melius servaturi estis. Non ignorabat Apostolus, quaedam sua praecepta a quibusdam eorum non bene servari: nam de talibus corrigendis paulo post agit. Sed tamen vere dicit facitis, quia multi faciebant; quos et hoc verbo collaudat, sed ita ut addendo, et facietis, omnes excitatos velit ad faciendum plenius, quae praecepta erant. Male quidam codices habent, praecepimus; tam Graecis, quam manuscriptis Latinis, cum Ambrosiano et editione Clementina reclamantibus; licet significatio verbi: Praecipimus, ex Apostoli mente, etiam ad praeteritum extendatur. Intelligit enim praecepta et hujus et prioris Epistolae; nec non quae ante utramque Epistolam solo sermone tradiderat.
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5. Dominus autem dirigat corda vestra in charitate Dei, et patientia Christi. Graece: In charitatem Dei, et in sustinentiam Christi. Ambrosianus: In dilectionem Dei et expectationem Christi. Qui retinent ablativos, ita exponunt: Dominus corda vestra dirigat in charitate Dei et patientia Christi 5 velut exemplari vobis proposito; hoc est, ad imitandam charitatem Dei, qua sic dilexit mundum, utpro ejus salute daret unigenitum; itemque; ad imitandam patientiam Christi, qui pro nobis dedit semetipsum in mortem; qua in re, praeter redemptionis mysterium, reliquit nobis exemplum, ut sequamur vestigia ejus. Yerum Graeca lectio alium sensum postulare videtur, quem et Graeci interpretes magis probant; secundum quem hi genitivi Dei et Christi sumuntur passive: praeseitim cum patientia in Graeco sit otcouovtj, qua voce sustinentia, id est patiens ex6pectatio rei desideratae significatur; ut sensus sit: Opto vobis, ut Christus Dominus corda vestra dirigat, moveatque magis ac magis ad dilectionem Dei, id est ad diligendum Deum; et ad sustinentiam Christi, id est ad exspectandum patienter adventum Christi remuneratoris. Nam hujus exspectationis in utraque Epistola jam saepe meminit; et ad hunc modum saepe Scriptura loquitur, ut Psalm. 24. Universi, qui sustinent te, non confundentur. Et iterum: Te sustinui tota die. Et Psalm. 26. Confortetur cor tuum, et sustine Dominum. Et Psalm. 32. Anima nostra sustinet Dominum. Et Psalm. 36. Sustinentes Dominum ipsi haereditabunt terram. Quibus locis et similibus semper in Graeco est verbum utco/iIvsiv. quod interpres alibi vertit, exspectare: ut Psalm. 39. Exspectans exspectavi Dominum. Porro sententiam hanc apposite praecedenti, in qua praeceptorum suorum mentionem fecerat, subjunxit Apostolus; ut ostenderet, quae Deus sive per se, sive per homines, praecipit, sine ipsius gratia salubriter impleri non posse.
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6. Denunciamus autem vobis fratres. In superiori epistola cap. 4. et 5. monuerat Thessalonicenses de quibuedam eorum inquiete, otiose et curiose agentibus; jubens eos corripi et ad opus manuum revocari. Id quia nondum satis praestitum erat, in eosdem nunc severius Guil. Estll Comm. Toni. II. aliquid statuit. Denunciamus, Graece praecipimus.
In nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Quidam obtestationem esse putant, quasi dicat, per nomen Domini nostri etc. Sic enim Erasmus et Hentenius verterunt. At multo rectius est, ut auctoritatis sit allegatio; quomodo phrasis haec: In nomine, frequenter accipitur in Scripturis; ac nominatim 1 Cor. ubi in negotio simili verba haec eadem interponit, ostendens se id, quod facit, nam de excommunicando Corinthio fornicario illic agitur, in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi facere. Sensus ergo est: Praecipimus vobis nomine et auctoritate Christi Domini, cujus sumus vicarii, idque potestate ab eo accepta. Haec fere omnium expositio est; quam ipse quoque Erasmus in paraphrasi sequitur. Ex ea vero liquet, Ecclesiae praefectis datam esse a Christo potestatem praecipiendi, legesque condendi; quod negant haeretici hodierni.
Ut subtrahatis vos ab omni fratre ambulante inordinate. Id est ne conversemini cum hujusmodi fratre seu Christiano, sed ab ejus consortio vos subducatis. Id enimest, quod infra dicit: Ne commisceamini cum illo, ut confundatur. Et 1 Cor. 5. Cum ejusmodi nec cibum sumere. Ambulantem seu conversantem inordinate intelligit eum, qui quod sui est ordinis atque officii non facit, et facientes turbat. De talibus jam dictum est ultimo capite prioris Epistolae ad illud: Corripite inquietos j Graece, inordinatos.
Et non secundum traditionem, quam acceperunt a nobis. Graece, accepit, numero singulari, ut ad fratrem referatur. Sensus est: Et non secundum doctrinam et institutionem a me illis traditam. Hanc tiaditionem Graeci interpretantur ipsius Pauli exemplum propositum illis ad imitandum: nam hujus meminit verbis proxime sequentibus. Alii intelligunt sententiam illam Thessalonicensibus ab Apostolo traditam, ut ipse infra testatur: Si quis non vult operari, nec manducet. Simplicius est, si dicamus, Apostolum in genere loqui de institutione vitae Christianae; sub qua illud imprimis comprehenditur, unumquemque operi suo intentum esse debere, ex quo, si egeat, victum sibi paret. Nam et hoc specialiter Apostolum Thessalonicensibus praecepisse, ipse diserte testatur in priori epist. cap. 4. Hic quaeri potest, an Apostolus eos, quos vitari praecipit, excommunicandos censuerit. Et eadem est quaestio de iis, contra quos agit 1 Cor. 5. dicens: Si is, qui frater nominatur, est fornicator, aut avarus etc., cum ejusmodi nec cibum sumere. Respondeo secundum ea, quae diximus in ejus loci commentario, genus aliquod excommunicationis utrobique significari; nimirum tale, quod medium sit inter majorem excommunicationem et minorem, quas hodie vocamus. Nam excommunicationem in his locis agnoscunt commentatores Chrysostomus, Theophylactus, Aquinas et Cajetanus. Quin et Augustinus utrumque locum de excommunicatione interpretatur, lib. 3. contra epist. Parm. cap. 2. et contra Donatistas post. collat. cap. 4. Item lib. de fine et op. cap. 2. et hom. 50. Majorem tamen excommunicationem non significari, satis apparet; quia hos Apostolus non tradit aut tradi jubet Satanae, sicut Corinthium illum; et 1 Tim. 1. Hymenaeum et Alexandrum; sed tantum vitari praecipit, utpote,.quorum vitia non quidem enormia erant, ut propter ea praecidi mererentur a corpore Ecclesiae, et foras projici; sed ejusmodi tamen, propter quae vitandi essent a fidelibus. Unde nec minor excommunicatio significatur: haec enim non a consortio fidelium, sed tantum a sacramentis Ecclesiae removet hominem. Fatentur etiam et conqueruntur Chrysostomus et Theophylactus. hunc excommunicandi modum suo jam tempore exolevisse; quando tamen in usu fuisse constat excommunicationem majorem. Exolevisse autem intellige in communi plebe fidelium: nam adhuc usum habet, ut Cajetanus testatur, in mona- Bteriis, dum vel a templo, vel a conversatione fratrum, vel a mensa aliqui propter delicta separantur.
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7. Ipsi enim scitis, quemadmodum oporteat imitari nos. Id est: Scitis, quale exemplum ipse vobis dederim, quod imitari debeatis. Id declarst sequentibus verbis.
Quoniam non inquieti fuimus inter vos. Inquieti, Graece, TjTaxT^sajjiev, id est, inordinati fuimus, inordinate nos gessimus; ut Erasmus vertit. Nam quod Ambrosianus legit, intemperanter viximus, minus quadrat. Est autem sensus: non egimus vitam inordinatam et incompositam apud vos: non fuimus otiosi, inhiantes laboribus et mensis alienis. Cum Apostolus hic perpetuo loquatur in numero plurali; verisimile est, ipsum non in sua tantum persona loqui, verum etiam collegarum Silvam et Timothei; licet haec omnia ipsi perfectius quam caeteris competerent.
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8. Neque gratis panem manducavimus ab aliquo. Pro manducavimus, Graece est: accepimus, Ambrosiano suffragante, quanquam sensus idem est. Nequegratis, inquit, panem manducandum a quoquam vestrum accepimus. Panem nominans, per synecdochen Hebraeis familiarem intelligi voluit omne genus cibi. Quod ait: gratis, vel intellige secundum quod homines inconsiderati et carnaliter affecti judicare solent; non enim revera gratis panem manducat, qui Evangelium annuntians de Evangelio vivit etiamsi manibus non operetur; accipit enim rem jure debitam, sicut ipse Apostolus ex professo docet 1 Cor. 9., et hic quoque paulo post significat, potestatis suae mentionem faciens: vel gratis, hoc est, sine pretio, cujusmodi est opera aut pecunia, qua panis emitur. Nam etsi praedicatori evangelico victus jure debeatur, non tamen ut pretium laboris, sed ut honorarium juxta illud 1 Tim. 5. Quibenc praesunt presbyteri, duplici honore digni habeantur. Huic intellectui favet, quod sequitur:
Sed in labore et in fatigatione. Id est cum labore et fatigatione, sive ut alii vertimt: sudore. Nam vox Graeca jxox^oc, laborem significat graviorem, qui fatigare hominem ac sudorem exprimere solet. Eadem vocabula conjunxit 1 TLess. 2.
Nocte et die operantes. Subaudi: Manducavimus panem. Significatur operandi assiduitas, qua sibi victum necessarium comparabat. De hac phrasi in Scripturis frequentata dictum quoque est in priori Epistola.
Ne quem vestrum gravaremus. Id est ne cui vestrum essemus oneri, videlicet a vobis accipiendo vitae necessaria. Horum praestationem onus vocat Apostolus, non solum ad Thessalonicenses scribens, qui tenuiores erant, verum etiam ad Corinthios divites, 2 Cor. 11. et 12. Non ergo respicit hic ad paupertatem Thessalonicensium, ut quidam putant, sed loquitur ad hunc modum, vel quia carnales homines id onus reputant, si quid dandum sit Ecclesiae ministris, vel ea ratione, qua debitum omne solet onus vocari.
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9. Non quasi non habuerimus potestatem. Graece: Non quia non habtmus potestatem. Id est: Non ideo manibus nostris nos transegimus, nihil a vobis accipientes, quod non haberemus pote- 6tatem gravandi vos, cum ea potestas vere et quidem ex ipsius Christi ordinatione nobis competat, ut Evangelii ministris. Minus recte vertit Erasmus: non quod id nobis non liceat, plus est enim potestatem habere faciendi quippiam, quam licere, ut facias. Significat autem Apostolus, sibi potestatem et jus esse percipiendi carnalia ab iis, quibus spiritualia ministrabat, utens eadem voce Graeca e£ooata, quam 1 Cor. 9. identidem repetit, de jure hajusmodi disserens. Quo loco Erasmus aliique interpretes potestatem vertere non dubitarunt.
Sed ut nosmetipsos formam daremus vobis ad imitandum nos. Id est ut facto nostro vobis praeberemus exemplum, quod imitaremini. Observa, non eandem Apostolo causam fuisse nihil accipiendi a Thessalonicensibus et a Corinthiis: nam Thessalonicensibus, apud quos multi erant otio dediti et de alieno viventes, exemplum dare voluit victum proprio labore quaerendi. Corinthiis autem divitibus et avaris ideo pepercit, ut eorum pseudapostolos, qui manus habebant ad accipiendum promptas, hac gloria superaret atque ea ratione commendabilius redderet suum Evangelium. Latet autem in praesenti loco argumentum hujusmodi. Si ego, cui stipendium ratione Evangelii annuntiati debebatur, jure meo cessi, nihil a vobis accipiens, sed opere manuum vitae necessaria quaerens: quanto minus ferendum est, ut qui nihil agunt, ex alieno vivant!
3:10
10. Nam et cum essemus apud vos, hoc denuntiabamus vobis. Graece: praecipiebamus vobis, hoc nempe, quod sequitur:
Quoniam si quis non vult operari, nec manductt. Loquitur de opere manuum, de quo in superioribus. Nam et in priori Epist. cap. 4. id expressit, ita scribens: Et ut operemini manibus vestris, sicut praecepimus vobis. Quo etiam loco explicatum est, quid per opus manuum intelligatur. Notandum quoque, non dicere Apostolum: Si quis non operatur, sed si quis non vult operari. Nam si quis velit quidem, sed non possit, sive ob virium imbecillitatem, sive quia non invenit, quod operetur; is huic sententiae non fit obnoxius. Jam quod ait: nec manducet, quidam prohibitive exponunt hoc modo: Ne detur ei, quod edat; ut sic ipsa necessitate compellatur ad opus. Sed huic sensui contrarium esse videtur, quod infra dicitur: Vos autem fratres, nolite deficere benefacientes; praesertim cum non sit cujusvis judicare, num quis non velit operari. Quocirca magis qlacet haec aliorum expositio: Si quis detrectat operari, dignus non est, qui manducet, ac proinde si fame conficiatur, imputet inertiae ac desidiae suae. Sic e diverso dictum est a Domino Matth. 10. Dignus est operarius cibo suo. Et de muliere forti scriptum est Prov. ult. Panem otiosa non comedit. Vocat autem hanc suam sententiam Apostolus praeceptum, quia tacite continetur in ea praeceptum operandi manibus, id quod in priori Epistola expressum esse jam diximus. Facit hic locus contra validos mendicantes, pigros, inertes, otiosos, opus etiam oblatum vefugientes et ad nihil utiles, nisi ut fruges consumant alienas. Adversus quod genus legibus et poenis agere merito deberent Christiani magistratus, vel haec de causa, quod multam malitiam docet otiositas Eccl. 33 Videri potest Codex Theod. lib. 14. Tit 18., qui est de mendicantibus non inva lidis, et apud Justin. C. lib. 11. tit. 25 et S. Thom. 2. sec. q. 187. art. 5. ad 3 Caeterum nimis improbe detorquent haeretici sententiam apostolic/am contra fratres ordinum mendicantium ab Ecclesia approbatorum, qui cum non vacent inerti otio, sed pro salute generis humpni sanctos labores subeant, legendo, docendo, praedicando, confessiones poeni- 1 tentium audiendo; nihil interim quasi pro jure e^igentes, sed humiliter a populo mendicantes, quod manducent: profecto dignissimi sunt, quibus victus necessarius liberaliter subministretur. Qua de re nonnulla jam diximus in priori Epist. Tale quid etiam de doctoribus alendis annotatum est a Theophylacto. Qui vero monachi, et quatenus ad opus manuum induci debeant, Augustinus docet in libro de opere monach.
3:11
11. Audioimus enim, inter vos quosdam ambulare inquiete. Graece: Audimus enim quosdam ambulantes inter vos inordinate. Verbo praesentis temporis: audimus, quod et in nonnullis est Latinis, significatur fama perseverans etiam post admonitionem prioris Epistolae. Reddit igitur causam, cur nunc rursum de iisdem admoneat, et quidem severius, eo nimirum, quod malo nondum esset adhibitum remedium. Q.nos vqcet ambulantes, hoc est, versantes inordinate, dictum est nupra. Sed et ipse Apostolus exponit sequentibus verbis:
Rihil operantes, sed curiose agentes. Elegans in Graeco est rcapovojxaaia, onam interpres reddere non potuit: ita autem sonat quasi dicas: Nihil operantes, sed circumoperantes. Notantur duo vitia fere conjuncta, otium et curiositas. Sic enim comparatum est, ut otiosi homines, id est qui nihil operis ip.si faciunt, huc illuc circumcursitent, faciantque se spectatores et censores opetum alienorum. Id enim significare voluit Apostolus Graeca voce TCspispyaCou-cvoi.
3:12
12. Iis autem, qui ejusmodi sunt, denuntiamus, et obsecramusin Domino Jesu Christo. Graece: Talibus autem praecipimus, obsecramus per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum. Iteratio est praecepti, cujus jam ante meminit. sed ne toties praecipiendo videatur imperiose agere, praecepto jungit obsecrationem. Quod vero sequitur: In Domino, seu per Dominum etc., dupliciter accipi potest, vel ut significetur auctoritas a Christo data, quomodo in Epistola priori cap. 4. dicit: Scitis enim, quae praecepta dederim vobis per Dominum Jesum, id est jussu et auctoritate Domini Jesu, vel ut sit obtestatio, quomodo dicit ad Rom. 12.: Obsecro vos, fratres, per misericordiam Dei. Qui posterior sensus magis convenit, quia clausula per Dominu/n etc.. non adjungitur verbo praecipimus, sed verbo obsecramus. Est igitur amplificatio per incrementum in verbis Apostoli, quasi dicat: Non praecipio tantum, sed et obsecro, nec id quomodocunque, sed per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, quod est vehementer obtestantis: nihil enim majus, nihil carius, per quod obsecraret, nominare potuit.
Ut cum silentio nperantes panem suum manducent. Graece: TJt cum quiete operantes suum ipsorum panem edant. Nam et Ambrosianus eum quiete legit. Breviter Apostolus duo vitia, quae notaverat, corrigit, quietem opponens curiositati et operationem otio. Operatur ergo cum silentio et quiete, qui rerum alienarum incuriosus, suo operi incumbit; habet autem emphasim, quod ait- panem suum, qua.^i dicat: non alienum, sed suum ipsorum panem comedant; qualis maxime est, quem quisque suo labore quaesivit.
3:13
13. Vos autem, fratres, nolite deficere benefacientes. Pro deficere, apud Ambrosianum legitur defatigari, quod et alii malunt: ut et in simili sententia, quae est Gal. 6. Bonum autem facien- Us non deficiamus, vertunt: non defatigemur, tametsi Graecum verbum facile utrumque admittit. Hic jam alloquitur Apostolus eos, qui ipsius praecepta servabant; et monet, ne propter hoc, quod quidam liberalitate fratrum abutuntur ad otium et inertiam, remissiores fiant ad largiendum. Nam et si illi cibo sint indigni: non deesse tamen alios, infirmos, afflictos, miseros, veros Christi pauperes, in quos beneficentiam exerceant, sed et priores illos in necessitale non esse deserendos. Est enim haec sententia generalis, sicut et illa ad Gal., ideoque non restringenda ad certum genus hominum, quibus benefaciendum Apostolus moneat.
3:14
14. Quod si quis non obedit verbo nostro per Epistolam, hunc notate. Praeceptum hoc ad Praelatos spectat, quo jubentur inobedientes notare. Chrysostomus pro nostro legit vestro, totamque sententiam exponit hoc modo: Si quis non acquiescit vobis, ipsi dicentibus ea, quae per Epiatoiam hanc meam Jidicistis: illum mihi denuntiate. Quam lectionem et sensum Theophylactus ita refert, ut approbet. Verum ea lectio in nullis hodie codicibus reperitur, ne Graecis quidem. Dubitet autem aliquis, utrum pars illa per Epistolam ad superiora referri debeat, an ad sequentia. Quod si ad sequentia, sensus hic erit: Si quis praecepto nostro non obedit, eum mihi per Epistolam significate, ut pro disciplina ecclesiastica mihi commissa, severius cum eo agam. Sed plerique ad superiora referunt, hoc sensu: Si quis non obedit praecepto meo, quod per hanc Epistolam vobis signiiico; eum notate, ut vitetur ab omnibus. Haec autem notatio non aliud erat quam excommunicatio illa, de qua supra locuti 8umus, qua nimirum praefecti publice ac nominatim eos designabant, a quorum consortio fidelibus esset abstinendum. De qua vide Theophylactum in comment et Augustinum locis ante citatis, ac praecipue lib. 3. contra Epist. Parm. cap. 4. Recte vero Cajetanus monet, Apostolum respicere ad poenam superius decretam illis verbis: Ut subtrahatis vos ab omni fratre etc., eamque nunc restringere ad eos, qui post hanc Epistolam admoniti non obedirent. Huic sensui congru;t, quod sequitur:
Et ne commisceamini cum illo, ut confundatur. Hoc est, et ne cum eo commercium ullum habeatis, ut pudore suffundatur. cum viderit se ab omnibus vitari. Explicario est illius notationis. Ea namque ad hocfiebat, ut notatus ab omnibus vitaretur. Cur autem vitari tales juberentur, daae rationes erant: Una, ne moribus suis alios inficerent. Altera, ut hoc pudore aflecti, redirent ad mentem. Priorem rationem expressit Apostolus 1 Cor. 5. iis verbis: Nescitis, quia modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpit? Posteriorem adfert hoc looo, tametsi utraque ratio utrique loco serviat
3:15
15. Et nolite quasi inimicum existimare. Quamvis, inquit, vitandum moneam; nolo tamen, ut eum habeatis pro inimico; non enim persecutor est aut hostis Ecclesiae, neque tam malitia peccat, quam mfirmitaie. Sed neque fratris affectum abjecit. Unde sequitur:
Sed corripite ut fratrem. In priori Epistola praecaperat, ut corriperent inquietos, a quo officio ne putarent sibi cessandum esse post hujusmodi fmtris excommunicationem, idcirco nunc idem praeceptam repetit etiam de excommunicato. Hinc igitur habemus, ut observat Cajetanus, quod licitum sit admonere excommun^catos, et instruere, et hortari ad ea, quae salutis sunt. Do significatione verbi Graeci, quod interpres recte vertit: corripite, pro quo nec male legit Ambrosianus: admonete consiliis, jam egimus in priori Epistola. Porro quod ait: ul fratrem, a nonnullis sic exponitur: Quamvis ille per excommjnicationem fra'er ^sse desierit, vos tamen affectum fraternum erga eum ne exuite, sed perinde ac si frater adhuc esset, admonete. Alii vero particulam ut veritatis notam esse volunt, non nudae similitudinis, sicut et in membro praecedenti: quasi inimicum. Est enim utrobique idem Graecum adverbium tog. Simile illud Phil. 2. habitu inventus ut homo, id est verus homo, et hoc quidem probabilius. Nam excommunicatio hujus loci non separabat hominem ab Ecc^esia, ut membrum ejus ac proinde fidelium frater esse desineret; quomodo separandu3 est, de quo dicitur: Sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus Matth. 18., sed tantum prohibebat fideles a colloquio fratris, ut hac ingnominia motus resipisceret. Ita sensus erit: Corripite eum amanter et benigne tanquam fratrem, ut qui vere adhuc frater vester sit, etsi quoad reliquam conversationem vitandus, propter delictum. Favet huic sensui locus 1 Cor. 5. Si is, qui frater nominatur etc., secundum Graecam lectionem: Si quis frater nominatur etc.
3:16
16. Ipse autem Dominus pacis det vobis pacem sempitemam in omni loco. Ne, quod interdum fit, correptionem contentio sequatur, sive ex imprudentia corripientis, sive ex obstinatione ejus qui corripitur; ideo priusquam finem imponat Epistolae, pacem et animcrum concordiam a Domino Deo, pacis auctore, eis precatur. Quod et in priori Epistola fecit. Graece sic legitur: Det vobis pacem semper in omni modo. Syriace, in omni re. Quod Graeci sic interpretantur, ut nulla ex parte contentionis eis occasio relinquatur, neque ex verbo neque ex opere. Quanquam hoc tantum bonum in hac vita non completur. Nostrae versioni consonat Ambrosiana: sed hi interpretes Graece pro TpGTU» legunt totuo.
Dominus sit cum omnibus vobis, scilicet per gratiam suam. Recteque de Christo Domino intelligitur, cujus ad Ecclesiam suam haec est promissio: Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi. Matth. ult.
3:17
17. Salutatio, mea manu Pauli. Hoc idem adscripsit in fine Epistolae prioris ad Corinth. et Epistolae ad Coloss. Mea, casus est ablativus, construendus cum manu.
Qucd est signum in omni Epistola. Ita scribo. Hanc cautionem peculiariter adjicit Apostolus in fine hujus Epistolae, quam scripsit omnium secundam, ut ne deinceps supposititiis Epistolis, velut a Paulo missis, fideles deciperentur. Jam enim falso nomine Pauli quaedam ad Thessalonicenses Epistola missa fuerat, quae terruerat eos de instante die Domini; ut liquet ex hujus Epistolae cap. 2. Neque per Epistolam, inquit, tanquam per nos missam. Istiusmodi fraudi hic studiose occurrit, manum et proprium signum addens Epistolae. Nam cum tota Epistola scripta esset aliena manu, postrema haec verba ab eo loco: Salutatio etc. sua manu adscripsit. Sed quaeritur, quodnam signum intelligat, in omni Epistola a se apponi solitum; an signum aliquod nobis incognitum, quale solet quisque pro arbitrio sibi sumere ad subsignandas Epistolas, syngraphas, apochas, et alias ejusmodi; an haec ipsa verba: Salutatio mea manu Pauli, quod vult Anselmus. De quibus et Graecus scholiastes: Hoc, inquit, propria manu subscripsit, tanquam dicens: Saluto vos, aut valote, aut aliquid tale, ne adulterentur literae, aut corruptae putentur. Qui et illud, in omni Epistola, de Epistolis ad Thessalonicenses mittendis interpretatur, non de caeteris, in quibus non omnibus constat Apostolum eo signo usum. At vero longe probabilius est, quod et secundo loco tradit Anselmus, hoc signum intelligi ea verba, quae statim subjicit:
3:18
18. Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum omnibus vobis, Amen. Refertur haec pars ad salutationem. Vult enim dicere, se sua manu solere hujusmodi salutationem, seu bonam imprecationem adscribere in calce suarum Epistolarum. Quod profecto videre est in omnibus Paulinis Epistolis, etiam ea, quae ad Hebraeos est, comprehensa. Omnes enim precatione gratiae clauduntur; licet non semper iisdem omnino verbis. Nam interdum brevissima est salutatio, Gratia tecum; aut: Gratia vobiscum. Fallitur snim Cajetanus, quod et a Catharino animadversum est, dum aliquid hujus salutationis deesse putat in Epistola ad Col., eo quod ibi non addantur haec verba, Domini nostri Jesu Christi; cum nec in aliis omnibas ea addita reperiantur. Atqui in aliorum Apostolorum Epistolis hoc non est perpetuum: inter eas enim sola Petri prior Epistola hujusmodi gratiae precatione clauditur. Ex his vero intelligitur, quam insignis gratiae divinae praedicator et commendator fuerit hic Apostolus, ut omnibus etiam sris Epistolis hanc salutationem, velut pro sigillo, appenderet, adeo ut cui Epistolae hoc signum deesset, nollet eam pro sua agnosci. Haec autem salutatio seu valedictio quid sibi velit, in aliis Epistolis satis expositum est. Graecorum hypographe testatur, Epistolam ex Athenis missam esse: sed de ea re quid nobis videretur, diximus in argumento Epistolae.
3:2
… (v.) of self (Mt. 16:24; Lk. 17:33; Jn. 12:25). Moreover, among the evils that characterized the world before Christ, and that, according to the Apostle, will characterize the age that must precede the end of time, there stands in the first place e. (2 Thess. 3:2), individual and social. …
3:3
The biblical concept of S., stripped of the midrashic extravagances, is found again in Beelzebub ([v.]) E. Riehm connects it with the Aramaic be'el dēbahāh "enemy" ("the chief of the demons," in the devil (v.), translation of hafāṭān, also called "the evil one" (Mt. 13:19, 38; II Thess. 3:3; perhaps Mt. 6:13 b), "the ancient serpent" (Apoc. 12:9; 20:2), "the enemy" (Mt. 13:39), "the prince of this world" (Io. 12:31; 14:30; cf. Lc. 4:6), "the god of this age" (II Cor. …
3:6
Especially in the Pauline epistles, both the Good News in its generality (Rom. 6, 17; Gal. 1, 9-12; I Tim. 6, 20; II Tim. 1, 13 ff.) and specifically the precepts of Christian life (Phil. 4, 9; I Thess. 4, 1; II Thess. 2, 15; 3, 6), or even individual doctrines such as the Eucharist and the Resurrection of Christ (I Cor. 11, 23 ff.), are presented with a similar term and an equivalent expression. …
Epistles I-II to the Thessalonians
… (which returns, for example, in Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:13) "We beseech you, brethren, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, etc." (1 Thess. 5:14; cf. 4:11 ff.) to the alleged expectation of the imminent end. St. Paul will repeat it with energy in 2 Thess. 3:6-12: "If anyone refuses to work, let him not eat." In Thessalonica idlers must have abounded (cf. Acts 17:5), and some had insinuated themselves among the faithful, perhaps exploiting …
2. The term παραλαμβάνεων occurs many times in the Pauline epistles (I Cor. 11:23; 15:1-3; Gal. 1:2, 9, 12; Philip. 4:9; Col. 2:6; 4:17; I Thess. 2:13; 4:1; II Thess. 3:6) and, except for Col. 4:17, it is always used to signify a religious knowledge that is received. …
… as truth, or had he believed that his rivals in the apostolate were altering the type of catechesis (τύπων διδαχῆς; Rom. 6:17), accepted by all? How would he have imposed on everyone, in so energetic a manner, never to do so? (Rom. 16:17; Col. 2:6-9; II Thess. 3:6; Eph. 4:13-14).
3:7
… (II Thess. 3, 7-13; cf. also Acts 20, 33-35; Eph. 4, 28). The right to a just wage is also the object of the Apostles' preaching. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.