2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 | |
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. | 6. Praecipimus autem vobis, fratres in nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi, ut vos subducatis ab omni fratre, qui inordinate ambulet, et non iuxta institutionem, quam accepit a nobis. |
7. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; | 7. Ipsi enim scitis, quomodo oporteat nos imitari, quia non inordinate egimus inter vos: |
8. Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: | 8. Neque gratis panem comedimus a quoquam, sed cum labore et sudore nocte dieque facientes opus, ne cui vestrum graves essemus. |
9. Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. | 9. Non quod non habeamus potestatem, sed ut nos ipsos exemplar proponeremus vobis ad imitandum vos. |
10. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. | 10. Etenim quum essemus apud vos, hoc vobis praecepimus, ut, qui laborare non vult, is neque comedat. |
He now proceeds to the correcting of a particular fault. As there were some indolent, and at the same time curious and prattling persons, who, in order that they might scrape together a living at the expense of others, wandered about from house to house, he forbids that their indolence should be encouraged by indulgence, 1 and teaches that those live holily who procure for themselves the necessaries of life by honorable and useful labor. And in the first place, he applies the appellation of
6.
As to his saying, that he
9.
10.
Thou art blessed, eating of the labor of thy hands,
also in Proverbs 10:4,
The blessing of the Lord is upon the hands of him that laboreth,
it is certain that indolence and idleness are accursed of God. Besides, we know that man was created with this view, that he might do something. Not only does Scripture testify this to us, but nature itself taught it to the heathen. Hence it is reasonable, that those, who wish to exempt themselves from the common law, 10 should also be deprived of food, the reward of labor. When, however, the Apostle commanded that such persons should not eat, he does not mean that he gave commandment to those persons, but forbade that the Thessalonians should encourage their indolence by supplying them with food.
It is also to be observed, that there are different ways of laboring. For whoever aids 11 the society of men by his industry, either by ruling his family, or by administering public or private affairs, or by counseling, or by teaching, 12 or in any other way, is not to be reckoned among the idle. For Paul censures those lazy drones who lived by the sweat of others, while they contribute no service in common for aiding the human race. Of this sort are our monks and priests who are largely pampered by doing nothing, excepting that they chant in the temples, for the sake of preventing weariness. This truly is, (as Plautus speaks,) 13 to "live musically." 14
1 "Il defend aux Thessaloniciens d'entretenir par leur liberalite ou dissimulation l'oisiuete de telles gens;"--"He prohibits the Thessalonians from encouraging by their liberality or dissimulation the indolence of such persons."
2 "Desordre et grande confusion;"--"Disorder and great confusion."
3 "Ceste separation ou retirement;"--"This separation or withdrawment."
4 "Les Docteurs et Ministres;"--"Teachers and ministers."
5 "Comme s'ils viuoyent inutiles et oiseux;"--"As if they lived uselessly and idly."
6 "Viuent du labeur et bien d'autruy;"--"Should live on the labor and substance of others."
7 "Ainsi que les bourdons entre abeilles ne font point de miel, et neantmoins viuent de celuy des autres;"--"As drones among bees do not make any honey, and yet live on that of others."
8 "Son exemple;"--"His example."
9 "Gratuitement et sans luy bailler aucuns gages;"--"Gratuitously, and without giving him any remuneration."
10 "De la loy et regle commune;"--"From the common law and rule."
11 "Aide et porte proufit;"--"Aids and brings advantage."
12 "En enseignant les autres;"--"By instructing others."
13 The passage alluded to is as follows: "Musice, Hercle, agitis aetatem"--("By Hercules, you pass life musically") Plaut. Mostellariae, Act in. Sc. 2, 40.--Ed.
14 "Plaute poete Latin ancien, quand il vent parler de gens qui viuent a leur aise, il dit qu'ils viuent musicalement, c'est a dire, en chantres. Mais a la verite on pent bien dire de ceux--ci, en tout sens qu'on le voudra prendre, qu'ils viuent musicalement;"--"Plautus, the ancient Latin poet, when he has it in view to speak of persons who live at their ease, says that they live musically, that is to say, like singers. But truly it may be well said of those persons, in every sense in which one might choose to take it, that they live musically."