2 Thessalonians 3

1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

The word ‘free’ here has been added by the translators. This is a Hebrew idiom. You will see the Greeks try to unravel its meaning with three words.

G5143 τρέχω trecho (tre’-chō) v. race.
δρέμω dremo (d̮re’-mō) [(base G1408) in certain tenses] career.
τράχω tracho (tra’-chee-los) [Doric/Dorian Greek] to run.

• Matthew 7:12-13 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” [these are the commands like “dont repay evil for evil”… if you accidentally wronged someone (evil) and you wanted to make it right … it would be horrible for the other person to exact a judgment (punch you in the eye) when you were there to apologize and make things right.]
• 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” [talk about encouragement! the modern church so often states out of rote behavior (and ignorance) “we cant keep the whole law and if we can then we are doomed”… Paul is telling us otherwise… strive for the goal.. give it all you got… we tell all our athletes this and he was speaking to the inventors of the games…. he knew what to say to get their attention… something relatable.]
• Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” [These are the OG’s of the faith. (Digressing) having been involved with the motorcycling community I have encountered many things. A common theme is seen on patches sewn to dusty tattered leather vests with simple letters ‘DILLIGAF’ … Does it look like I give a ____…. while the phase is there to create ire…. one has to wonder if we as believers (or ever the burly bikers) can honestly “knuckle down”, “nose to the grindstone”, can plow through life without care of what the world thinks? Look how the tough guys get when the charity rides start up each spring… tough guys and teddy bears.]
• Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” [Should be obvious that our path is Torah and it, along with the Holy Spirit, is here to guide us,]

² And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

³ But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

• Isaiah 42:16 “And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” [Prophesy of the coming of Yeshua]

⁴ And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

• John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

⁵ And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

• Philippians 4:13 “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
• Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.”

Once again “church” … what are you doing? what are you denying? … it sounds like you are denying the instructions of God while leaning on your own understanding when you say the Torah is no longer valid…

• Proverbs 14:12″There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
• Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

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 he received of us.

• G813 ἄτακτος ataktos (a’-tak-tos) adj. unarranged. insubordinate (religiously).
• This word is G3862 παράδοσις paradosis (pa-ra’-d̮o-sis) and it is the combination of παρά para meaning very close and the word δίδωμι didomi (d̮iy’-d̮ō-miy) greatly modified by the connection, to offer up, grant, or shew

Same as the previous chapter: Paul is telling the Thessalonians that they should continue in the Feasts and gatherings as prescribed in the Scriptures as they teach the love of God that we are to display to others. That this activity creates a closer bond to God and to others. It is through living out the Feasts that we see the Salvation of Christ displayed in the Spring Feasts and the Redemption of man in the Fall Feasts.

⁷ For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

• G813 ἄτακτος ataktos (a’-tak-tos) adj. unarranged. insubordinate (religiously).

⁸ 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: [did not cause them financial distress or create the need to do more work because of their trip]

⁹ Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. [no use of coercion, fire and brimstone, guilt trips or tactics, just simple teaching]

¹⁰ For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

The world wants to avoid work as much as they want to avoid the Torah. It is commanded that we work. In a line from a Morgan Freeman movie (I cant seem to remember the title)… “Some of God’s finest creation comes home at the end of the day smelling to high Heaven.” There is no shame in hard work, or in the dirty jobs… we should value the human over the job and recognize the world needs that job done for the sake of all involved.

• Genesis 3:19 “You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

¹¹ For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

• G4020 περιεργάζομαι periergazomai (pe-riy-er-ğa’-zo-mai) v. i.e. bustle about (meddle).

¹² Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. [a polite way to say “mind your own business”]

¹³ But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

¹⁴ 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.

This statement has brought many a scholar to question. Talmudic Judaism would have the Hebrews at complete odds to the Gentile world. We know from the exchange in Galatians 2 that Paul was not a dispensationalist. There was no “Us and Them” in his mind. In the same thought process as “one bad apple spoils the whole basket” we need to cautiously approach those that claim Christ and are not living as He lived.

• Galatians 2:11 “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.”
• 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

¹⁵ Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

¹⁶ Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷ The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.