2 Thessalonians 3:12-13

Paul commanded the idle to settle down and to support themselves (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:11; Genesis 3:19). The obedient majority he counseled to endure this added affliction patiently and to continue doing right.

"’With quietness,’ emphatic by its forward position [in the Greek text], points to the quality of mind that is to be associated with their working. It denotes a condition of inward peace and tranquillity reflecting itself in outward calmness; it is the opposite of their fussy activity as busybodies." [Note: Hiebert, p. 347.]

"Exemplary conduct serves as a constant reprimand to wrongdoers and is an incentive for them to turn from their delinquency." [Note: Thomas, "2 Thessalonians," p. 335.]

Why were these Thessalonians not working? The answer probably lies in the phrase "in quiet fashion."

"The root trouble apparently was their excitability. The thought of the nearness of the Parousia had thrown them into a flutter, and this had led to unwelcome consequences of which their idleness was the outstanding feature." [Note: Morris, The First . . ., p. 256.]

This clause, "in quietness," ". . . is to be understood as the opposite of . . . the feverish excitement of mind stimulated by the belief that the Parousia was at hand . . ." [Note: Frame, p. 307.]

"It seems apparent, then, that these idle Christians believed in the imminent coming of Christ; however, they had concluded wrongly that ’imminent’ equals ’soon.’ Thus, instead of believing that Christ could come soon, they were convinced that He definitely would come soon, and work was therefore no longer necessary for them.

"Why did the Thessalonian Christians believe in the imminent coming of Christ? It must have been because they had been taught the imminent coming of Christ by a person whose authority they trusted. It would appear that Paul is the one who taught them the imminent coming of Christ. His negative reaction to their actions, however, implies that their wrong conduct was the result of a perversion of his teaching (cp. 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:10). Contrary to them, Paul did not equate ’imminent’ with ’soon’ and think, therefore, that work was unnecessary." [Note: Showers, Maranatha . . ., p. 134. See also Stanton’s discussion of imminency, pp. 108-37.]