 |  |
The love of God can be regarded here either objectively or subjectively. If
subjectively then it refers to God's love for His children, or if objectively, their love for
Him. The R.V. regards the phrase the `patience of Christ' as relating to the patience
shown by Christ rather than the believers `patient waiting for Christ' as the A.V. There is
no word for `waiting' in the Greek. The example of His unflagging patience was to be
the prime source of inspiration to any who were troubled.
With verse 6 a new section commences, going on to verse 15. In the structure of the
epistle this balances the section 2: 1-12 thus:
B | c | 2: 1-12. We beseech. Lawlessness.
B | c | 3: 6-15. We command. Disorderliness.
"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" (3: 6).
The Apostle now deals with some in the church who were lazy and giving a bad
witness to an unbelieving world. Ataktos disorderly, is a military word `to break rank' or
`play truant'. It occurs as an adjective, as we have seen in I Thess. 5: 14, where it is
translated `unruly'. The doctrine of the Second Advent was being misinterpreted by
some and used as an excuse to give up working. The saying that `Satan finds mischief
for idle hands to do' was well illustrated here. Paul declares that such were not only
refusing to work, but were busybodies, interfering in other people's affairs, and so
causing trouble"
"For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all,
but are busybodies" (3: 11).
Again there is a play upon words in the Greek. Moffatt brings it over well into
English by rendering: "Busybodies instead of busy." As a contrast to this the Apostle
brings forward his own example, how he worked night and day so that he would not be
chargeable to any one of them. How absolutely practical was this great man of God!
Later on to the church at Philippi he could write:
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me,
do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (4: 9).
Only one who is living very close to the Lord could write like this without idle
boasting. May it be the aim of both writer and reader so to combine doctrine and
practice, that it can be said truthfully that we are living epistles known and read of all
men.