Ver. 13. And to esteem them very highly in love.—R.V. “exceeding highly”—the same Greek adverb as in ch. iii. 10, the strongest intensive possible to the language. So deep and warm should be the affection uniting pastors and their flocks. Their appreciation is not to be a cold esteem (Ibid.).
Ver. 14. Warn them that are unruly.—R.V. “admonish the disorderly.” Every Church knows these characters—men who will break through all restraint. Comfort the feeble-minded.—R.V. “encourage the faint-hearted.” In ch. ii. 11 we have met the verb before. The feeble-minded would have been scarcely worth the pity of the philosophers with whom alone the great-souled man was supreme. The comfort in that teaching, for the hour when the strong shall be as tow, was very scanty and inadequate. Support the weak.—So be like the Lord who “upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down” (Ps. cxlv. 14). Be patient toward all men.—R.V. “longsuffering.” It is the very opposite of what we mean by being “short-tempered.”
Ver. 15. Evil for evil.—A quid pro quo, similar in kind and in quantity perhaps, but retaliation delights in interest.
Ver. 19. Quench not the Spirit.—When there has been excess, and a good has come into disrepute, it is natural to seek to stifle down further manifestations of it. The energy of the Holy Spirit, like Pentecostal flame, is regarded as being capable of extinction.
Ver. 20. Despise not prophesyings.—Do not set down as of no value, prophesyings. The word for “despise” is used of those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and set at nought others (Luke xviii. 9), and the contemptuous bearing of him who eats flesh with which an idol’s name has been associated, and laughs at the shuddering scruples of the brother who thinks it a dreadful thing to do, and sets him at nought (Rom. xiv. 3–10). The prophesyings at Corinth were such as might easily be contemned (1 Cor. xiv. 23).
Ver. 21. Prove all things.—Make trial of all. A sentence fatal to the suppression of inquiry and to credulous faith. It forbids me to accept what is given out as prophecy even, unless it has a self-evidencing power. Hold fast that which is good.—The good here is that which is ethically beautiful. In ver. 15 another word points the contrast to the evil return of injury.
Ver. 22. Abstain from all appearance of evil.—Perhaps the best idea of the word rendered “abstain” would be gained by “hold off,” in antithesis to the “hold fast” of ver. 21.
Ver. 23. Sanctify you wholly. “Rather—unto completeness. The apostle prays that they may be sanctified to the fullest extent” (Ibid.). Your whole spirit . . . be preserved blameless.—R.V. “be preserved entire, without blame.” “From the degree of holiness desired we pass to its range, from its intension (as the logicians would say) to its extension” (Ibid.).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Verses 1–11.
The Attitude of the Church towards the Second Coming of Christ.