CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.
Ver. 1. Have free course and be glorified.—Probably St. Paul took this image from the Old Testament. In Ps. cxlvii. 15 the word of the Lord is said to “run very swiftly.”
Ver. 2. Unreasonable and wicked men.—The word for “unreasonable” only occurs twice besides in the New Testament: once, the malefactor on the cross says, “This man has done nothing amiss,” or out of place; and again the barbarians “beheld nothing amiss” come to Paul when the viper had fashioned on his hand. The thief is a good commentator here. Men who by their vagaries hold even their friends in painful suspense, and especially such as are indifferent to morality, seem to be meant.
Ver. 3. And keep you from evil.—“Keep” here is a military word reminding of the psalmist’s name for God—“Shield.” The Revisers add “one” after “evil,” as in the Lord’s Prayer.
Ver. 5. Direct your hearts.—The same word for “direct” again occurs only in 1 Thess. iii. 11 and Luke i. 79. A similar phrase in the LXX. of 1 Chron. xxix. 18 (R.V. “prepare”). Into the patient waiting for Christ.—A.V. margin and R.V. text, “into the patience of Christ.” “The Thessalonians were eagerly awaiting His return: let them wait for it in His patient spirit” (Findlay).
Ver. 6. Walketh disorderly.—Falling out of the ranks and desertion of the post of duty are grave faults, which if the esprit de corps does not prevent it must be punished by treating the defaulter as one who has discredited his comrades in arms.
Ver. 7. We behaved not ourselves disorderly among you.—“We never lived an undisciplined life among you.” Men will bear the sharp rebukes of a martinet, even when they observe that he is as much under discipline as he would have the youngest recruit, as the lives of men like Havelock and Gordon testify.
Ver. 10. If any would not work, neither should he eat.—“A stern, but necessary and merciful rule, the neglect of which makes charity demoralising” (Ibid.). It is parasitism which is condemned.
Ver. 11. Working not at all, but are busybodies.—“Not working, but working round people,” as we might represent St. Paul’s play on the words. “Their only business is to be busybodies.”
Ver. 13. Be not weary in well-doing.—Such bad behaviour under cover of the Christian name is abhorrent to St. Paul. “The loveliness of perfect deeds” must be worthily sustained. Well-doing here points to that which is admirable in conduct rather than that which is beneficent.