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"But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labour among you, and are over
you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them exceeding highly in love for
their work's sake" (verse 13 R.V.).
This is high commendation indeed, and it may be that the staunch and fruitful witness
of this church was largely due to their faithful and enthusiastic leaders. Verses 14 and 15
may have been written for their guidance.
"And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted,
support the weak, be longsuffering toward all" (14 R.V.).
The word `disorderly' (`unruly' A.V.) is ataktous which literally means `those who do
not remain in the ranks'. Dr. F. F. Bruce's note here is `or those who play truant',
referring to loafers (Moffatt) who neglected their daily duty and lived in idleness. Such
would be a continual source of trouble and must be checked. There is a similar reference
in II Thess. 3: 11, 12.
The Apostle now reminds them of the need for continual rejoicing, unceasing prayer
and giving thanks, for this was the will of God for them, as it is for believers of all
dispensations. This is the atmosphere in which the Christian life and witness should be
lived and it is the only one in which it can flourish. The next injunctions relate specially
to Pentecost gifts.
"Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things. Hold fast that
which is good" (19, 20).
The special gifts which were peculiar to the Acts period are made clear in I Cor. 12:
They were given by the Holy Spirit and distributed to believers as He willed. The gift of
prophecy was one of them, hence it was not so much the Holy Spirit who could be
quenched, but the special gift he had given. "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the
prophets" (I Cor. 14: 32). No one was compelled by irresistible power to use whatever
gift had been given. It could be neglected and therefore `quenched'. The warning not to
`quench the Spirit' was specially related to believers living in the period covered by the
Acts of the Apostles. Not only could these gifts be quenched, they could be counterfeited
and so the Thessalonian saints are warned to `prove all things'.
These sign gifts were not an unmixed blessing, for they gave the Enemy an
opportunity of doing his clever work of copying and imitating the work of God in order
to deceive. Those today who long for them back should remember this and the dangers
attached to them. For ourselves, we are thankful to realize that we belong to a calling
where there are none, but every blessing is spiritual and connected with riches beyond
dreams associated with the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God (Eph. 1: 3, 18; 3: 16-19).
"Hold fast that which is good. Abstain from every appearance (form R.V.) of evil" (21).
These two commands are evidently complimentary. Eidos evil has at least two
meanings: (1) outward appearance; (2) kind. The A.V. leans to (1); the R.V. to (2).
Both meanings are suitable to the context. Holding fast that which is good must
necessarily exclude all evil whether in appearance or fact.