Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Thessalonian 3:2
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all [men] have not faith.
2. and (pray) that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men ] Better, perverse and evil men. The Apostle is thinking, no doubt, of the fanatical Jews at Corinth (see Act 18:5-17), who stood in the way of the Gospel; when Gallio’s judgement removed this obstacle, Christianity appears to have spread rapidly in this city. Comp. Rom 15:31, “that I may be delivered from the disobedient in Juda.” From Ephesus four years later he writes (1Co 16:9), “A great and effectual door is opened” to me, notwithstanding “many adversaries.” Through this open door the word gloriously ran; at Corinth it was not so as yet.
For “wicked” (or “evil”), see notes on 1Th 5:22, and also 2Th 3:3 below. For “delivered” (or rescued) comp. 1Th 1:10 (note), where the same word is used. It points to enemies who seemed to have the writer in their power. Read 2Co 11:23-33 for a graphic description of the Apostle’s perils.
for all men have not faith ] Or, not to all does the faith belong. There are those, alas, with “no part nor lot in the matter” (Act 8:21). The Apostle puts his meaning in a pathetically veiled and softened way (see note on “not pleasing,” 1Th 2:15). “It is not all who share our faith: many are its enemies, and bear us on its account a deadly hatred. Will you pray that we may be delivered from their power?” Their unbelief in Christ made the Corinthian opposers “perverse and evil.” Not being for Him, they came to be furiously against Him (Mat 12:30). This is enough, in the Apostle’s view, to explain their conduct; comp. 2Th 3:10, “they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
With relief he turns from these perverse unbelievers to think of the safety and confidence that abide within the Church of Christ:
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men – That is, from opposition in their endeavors to spread the gospel. Paul encountered such men everywhere, as all do who labor to diffuse the knowledge of the truth, but it is probable that there is particular reference here to the opposition which he encountered when in Corinth. This opposition arose mainly from the Jews; see Act 18:5-6, Act 18:12-13. The word unreasonable is rendered in the margin as absurd. The Greek word ( atopos) means, properly, out of place; then absurd, unusual, strange; then improper, unreasonable, wicked. It is rendered in Luk 23:41 as amiss; in Act 28:6 as harm. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It refers here to people who acted amiss or improperly; people who were not found in the right place, or who did not have the right views of things; and probably does not refer so much to their being positively wicked or malicious, as to their putting things out of their proper place.
They gave an undue prominence to certain things, and less importance to others than they deserved. They had a distorted vision of the value of objects, and in tenacious adherence to their own views, and prosecuting their own objects to the exclusion of all others, they presented a constant obstruction to the true gospel. This word would apply, and probably was designed to be applied, to Jewish teachers (see Act 18:5-6), who gave an undue prominence to the laws of Moses; but it will apply well to all who entertain distorted views of the relative importance of objects, and who put things out of their place. People often have a hobby. They give more importance to some object than it deserves. They, therefore, undervalue other objects; press their own with improper zeal; denounce others who do not feel the same interest in them which they do; withdraw from those who will not go with them in their views; form separate parties, and thus throw themselves in the way of all who are endeavoring to do good in some other method. It was from people who thus put themselves out of place, that the apostle prayed to be delivered.
And wicked men – Men with bad aims and purposes. It is not always true that those who would come under the appellation of what the apostle here calls unreasonable, are wicked. They are sometimes well-meaning, but misguided people. But in this case, it seems, they were men of bad character, who were at heart opposed to what was good, as well as inclined to put things out of their place.
For all men have not faith – Of the truth of this, no one can doubt. The only question is, as to its bearing on the case before us. Some suppose it means, there are few men whom we can safely trust; others, that it means that they have not that upright and candid disposition which would engage men to receive the testimony of the apostles (Doddridge); others, that all men do not embrace the Christian faith, but many oppose it (Benson); and others, that all men do not believe, but the worthy only – Bloomfield. The connection seems to require us to understand it as meaning that all people are not prepared to embrace the gospel. Hence, they set themselves against it, and from such people Paul prayed that he might be delivered; compare 2Ti 3:8. The state of mind in which the apostle was when he wrote this, seems to have been this: He recollected the readiness with which the Thessalonians had embraced the gospel, and the firmness with which they held it, and seems to suppose that they would imagine the same thing must be found true everywhere. But he says all people have not the same faith; all were not prepared cordially and fully to embrace the gospel. There were unreasonable and wicked people whom he had encountered, from whom he prayed that he might be delivered.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Th 3:2
That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men–The curious word rendered unreasonable is rendered amiss in Luk 23:41, wickedness in Act 25:5, harm in Act 28:6, occurring nowhere else in the New Testament.
It properly means something misplaced, hence extravagant, monstrous. Thus the dying robber says that our Lord has done nothing so monstrous as to deserve crucifixon; Festus ironically invites the priests to a serious journey to St. Pauls trial, if there be something so monstrous in him; the Maltese say that nothing so monstrous happened to him after all. So St. Paul wishes the Thessalonians to pray for his deliverance from those monstrous and depraved people. He is evidently meaning some particular foes whom he fears, for the original has the definite article. Who, then are those monstrous persons? If we turn to Act 18:6; Act 18:9; Act 18:12, and observe the circumstances under which the letter was written, we can hardly doubt that they are the unbelieving Jews of Corinth. From these Jews he was narrowly delivered. It was perhaps in direct answer to the prayers for which St. Paul here asks that he received the vision and assurances of our Lord, and that Gallio was moved to quash so abruptly the proceedings of the Jews. (Canon Mason.)
A marvellous deliverance
A worthy servant of God, pastor in one of the cantons of Switzerland, took a lively interest in a prisoner condemned to death. On the evening before the execution the pastor could not account for a strange repugnance to perform a duty that he had hitherto discharged without hesitation. A voice within him seemed to say, Do not go. Fearing to neglect a duty, he ran to the prison. Arrived at the gate, the same irresistible voice seemed to say to him, Do not enter. The pastor returned to his study, assured that he was obeying the will of Him whom he desired to serve. He afterwards learned that the prisoner had resolved to make a desperate effort to escape, and as soon as the pastor entered that day, to attack him, and then escape to some place of concealment. The unhappy prisoner, exasperated by disappointment, roared with anger. The gaoler, hearing an unaccountable noise, suddenly entered the cell. The condemned man, supposing this was his intended victim, threw himself, with the fury of despair, on the gaoler, and struck him on the head with his irons. The gaoler fell dead, while the prisoner ran towards the gate to escape, and was only secured after a terrible conflict. (J. L. Nye.)
God a protector
Some years ago, a band of missionaries in the Fiji Islands found their home surrounded by a troop of savages armed for battle. Being both unable and unwilling to fight, they shut their door and began to pray. Presently the howling of the savages ceased. Then one of the missionaries went out, and found only one savage there. Said the missionary: Where are your chiefs? They are gone. They heard you praying to your God; and they know yours is a strong God, and they are gone. The savages were right at last. God is a strong God; strong to help those who love Him–strong to punish His enemies.
All men have not faith—
Lacking the essential
I. What faith is.
1. It is taking God at His word. Noah did it about a thing unknown (Heb 11:7); Abraham did it about a thing unlikely (Heb 11:17-19); Moses did it about a thing untried (Heb 11:28).
2. It is trusting Jesus at His invitation. The Jews who had no faith, had no profit (Heb 4:2); Peter who had little faith, had little comfort (Mat 14:28; Mat 14:30-31); the woman of Canaan, who had great faith, had a great blessing (Mat 15:28); the centurion, who had most faith, had most honour (Mat 8:10). Trust your souls to Christs care (Act 7:59); trust your sins to Christs cleansing (1Pe 1:18-19); trust your life to Christs keeping (Col 3:3-4).
II. Whence faith comes.
1. From Gods grace (Eph 2:8; Rom 12:3).
2. From Gods Word (Rom 10:17; 2Ti 3:15).
3. From Gods working (1Jn 5:1; Col 2:12).
4. From mans heart (Rom 10:10; Rom 6:17).
III. How faith works.
1. It overcometh the world (1Jn 5:4).
2. It purifieth the heart (Act 15:8-9).
3. It worketh by love (Gal 5:6). Two great benefits come from faiths.
(1) the preciousness of Christ (1Pe 2:7);
(2) the blessedness of Christ (1Pe 1:8). (Archdeacon Richardson, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. Unreasonable and wicked men] The word , which we translate unreasonable, signifies rather disorderly, unmanageable; persons out of their place-under no discipline, regardless of law and restraint, and ever acting agreeably to the disorderly and unreasonable impulse of their own minds.
For all men have not faith.] The word is without doubt, to be taken here for fidelity or trustworthiness, and not for faith; and this is agreeable to the meaning given to it in the very next verse: But the Lord is faithful, .
There are many, even of those who have received a measure of the Divine light, in whom we cannot confide; they are irregular, disorderly, and cannot be brought under regular discipline: to these we cannot trust either ourselves or any thing that concerns the cause of God. But the Lord is worthy of your whole confidence; doubt him not; he will establish you, and keep you from any evil to which you may be exposed by these or such like persons.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Their prayers are here desired by the apostle with respect to their persons, which relates to the prayer desired before with respect to the word; for the apostle and his fellow labourers met with such men that did oppose them, and by that means were hindered in their work of the ministry, and the free course of the word obstructed. What were these men? Were they the persecuting Gentiles? They met with such: or the envious, malicious Jews? They met with such also; and here at Thessalonica in particular, and which followed Paul to Berea, Act 17:1-34. Or were they false brethren crept into the church? As he complains of his perils by them, 2Co 11:26; which some think most probable, by what he adds, for all men have not faith, even of those that make profession. Why may not we take in all these? But whoever they were, he styles them, first,
unreasonable men, men out of place, as the word imports; taken either literally, for vagrants, wanderers, not keepers at home; or such as follow the apostle from place to place, to hinder his ministry. Or logically, for men that argued absurdly, and kept to no sound topics in reasoning; either false teachers among the Jews, or the heathen philosophers, such as he met with at Athens, whom he disputed with Act 17:1-34. Or morally, for men that had corrupt principles and practices, that kept not to the duty of their place and station, (desordonnez, French translation), and wandered out of the path of righteousness. We render it unreasonble men; men transported with fury and passion against all reason, as we read of the Jews, Act 17:5. Or such as acted contrary to reason, as the apostle speaks of such Jews in the former Epistle, who were contrary to all men, foridding them to preach to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, 1Th 2:15,16. Or men of sensual lives, living more like brutes than reasonable creatures. Secondly,
wicked men; so that whoever they were, whether Jews or Gentiles, teachers or the common people, learned or unlearned, they were wicked; and whatever was meant by the former word, yet this is plain; and the word imports either men that are laborious in wickedness, or that by their wickedness create labour and trouble to others. And such the apostle met with at Thessalonica, Jews who took to them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and drew Jason and others before the rulers, assaulting his house, Act 17:5,6; and indeed wherever they came, they met with such kind of men. Through the lusts of mens hearts, and the enmity and malice of the devil, faithful ministers will meet with opposition, and such as will hinder what they can the free course of the word. And therefore the apostle desires prayer to be delivered from them, , the word signifies a rescue by strength from some impending or incumbent evil, oft used, Luk 1:74; Col 1:13; 1Th 1:10. And he desires deliverance rather for the gospels sake than his own. And though it is honourable to suffer for the gospel, yet it is desirable to be kept out of the hands of such men as these. The apostle subjoins the reason why men are thus,
for all men have not faith. He needed not say this of infidels, which all men know to be without it, and therefore it is thought the apostle here means professors. There may be true faith wanting where faith is professed. Faith is sometimes taken for fidelity, a moral virtue, and some think is meant here, because it follows in the next verse by way of antithesis: But the Lord is faithful. But rather, I take it for a theological grace; for that true evangelical faith which purifies the heart, and worketh by love, and brings forth the acts of obedience to all Gods commandments. Had they this faith they would not be unreasonable and wicked. But can we suppose such to be in the church? As well as those, 2Ti 3:5, whom the apostle describes to have a form of godliness under all that wickedness he there mentions. But let men have civility, sobriety, external devotion, and profession, yet if they oppose the gospel, in the power, purity, and progress of it, they may be styled unreasonable and wicked men; and from such men we may pray, as the apostle desired here: Good Lord, deliver us. And it is the duty of people with respect to their faithful ministers, and the work of the gospel in their hands, to pray that they may be delivered from such men.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. that we . . . be delivered fromunreasonable . . . menliterally, men out of place, inept,unseemly: out of the way bad: more than ordinarily bad. Anundesigned coincidence with Ac18:5-9. Paul was now at Corinth, where the JEWS”opposed themselves” to his preaching: in answer to hisprayers and those of his converts at Thessalonica and elsewhere, “theLord, in vision,” assured him of exemption from “the hurt,”and of success in bringing in “much people.” On theunreasonable, out-of-the way perversity of the Jews, as known to theThessalonians, see 1Th 2:15;1Th 2:16.
have not faithor asGreek, “the faith” of the Christian: the onlyantidote to what is “unreasonable and wicked.” TheThessalonians, from their ready acceptance of the Gospel (1Th 1:5;1Th 1:6), might think “all”would similarly receive it; but the Jews were far from having such areadiness to believe the truth.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men,…. Either from the unbelieving Jews, see Ro 15:30 who were the avowed enemies of the Gospel, and did all they could to hinder the spread of it; and who were the implacable and constant adversaries of the apostle; who often lay in wait for him, and opposed him, and gave him trouble in all places, stirring up the people against him: or from the false teachers, and those of their party, who are the false brethren by whom he often was in perils; who were enemies of the cross of Christ, and great hindrances to the spread of the Gospel; being men of absurd principles, and of wicked lives and conversations, whereby they perverted the Gospel of Christ, brought a reproach upon it, stumbled some, and overthrew the faith of others; and from these the apostle desires to be delivered:
for all men have not faith: no man has faith of himself, it is the gift of God, and the operation of his Spirit; and it is only given to the elect of God, who are ordained unto eternal life, and therefore it is called the faith of God’s elect; all mankind have it not, none but Christ’s sheep; and the reason why others have it not is, because they are not of his sheep. This is a truth; but rather the true sense of the words is, that all that are professors of religion, and members of churches, and even all that are preachers of the word, have not faith. They may have an historical and temporary faith and the faith of miracles, and even all faith but the true faith; they may profess to believe, and yet not believe, as Simon Magus, and his followers seem to be intended here; for this is given as a reason why the apostle desired to be delivered from the above men. The Jews say o, that
“he that studies not in the law, , “there is no faith in him”–and it is forbidden to come near him, or to trade with him, or to walk with him, “because there is no faith in him”.”
The apostle seems to allude to this custom.
o Zohar in Lev. fol. 33. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And that we may be delivered ( ). A second and more personal petition (Milligan). First aorist passive subjunctive of , old verb to rescue. Note change in tense from present to aorist (effective aorist).
From unreasonable and evil men ( ). Ablative case with . Originally in the old Greek ( privative and ) is out of place, odd, unbecoming, perverse, outrageous, both of things and persons. is from , to work (), looking on labour as an annoyance, bad, evil. Paul had a plague of such men in Corinth as he had in Thessalonica.
For all have not faith ( ). Copula not expressed. is predicate possessive genitive, faith (article with abstract substantive) does not belong to all. Hence their evil conduct.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Unreasonable [] . See on Luk 23:41, and comp. Act 25:5; Act 28:6. In LXX in a moral sense, iniquitous, Job 4:8; Job 11:11; Job 34:12. The word originally means out of place.
All men have not faith. See on Act 6:7; Gal 1:28.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And that we may be delivered” (kai hina hrusthomen) “and in order that we may be delivered”; God responds to prayers of the righteous, even to deliver His servants from wicked men and wretched circumstances. He did Peter, Act 12:5-12; 2Ti 4:18.
2) “From unreasonable and wicked men” (apo ton atopon kai poneron anthropon) “From perverse and wicked men”; (1) as Joseph was from his brethren and Potiphar’s wife, Gen 37:29; Gen 50:20-21; (2) as Moses and Israel were from Pharaoh, Exo 12:51; Exo 14:30; (3) and as Daniel and the three Hebrew children were from Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 3:6.
3) “For all men have not faith” (ou gar panton he pistis) For not all men (have) the faith,” or “the faith (is) not of all men”; the idea is that not all who claim it, have or hold the faith, the body of truth, as revealed in the Word. Seducers, false prophets, leeches, and religious vampires are on every hand, Mat 7:15; Mat 7:21-23; Mr 7-1-9; Act 20:28-30. Hymenaus and Alexander put aside and made shipwreck concerning it, 1Ti 1:19-20; and Philetus joined them in overthrowing the faith of some, reeking confusion by saying the resurrection was past, 2Ti 2:17-18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
2 That we may be delivered. The old interpreter has rendered it, not unhappily, in my opinion — unreasonable (693) Now, by this term, as also by that which immediately follows, ( τῶν πονηρῶν,) evil, Paul means wicked and treacherous men, who lurked in the Church, under the name of Christians, or at least Jews, who with a mad zeal for the law furiously persecuted the gospel. He knew, however, how much danger impended over them from both these classes. Chrysostom, however, thinks that those only are meant who maliciously oppose the gospel by base doctrines, (694) — not by weapons of violence, as for example, Alexander, Hymeneus, and the like; but for my part, I extend it generally to all kinds of dangers and enemies. He was at that time proceeding towards Jerusalem, and wrote in the midst of his journeyings. Now, he had already been divinely forewarned that imprisonments and persecutions awaited him there. (Act 20:23.) He means, however, deliverance, so that he may come off victorious, whether by life or by death.
All have not faith. This might be explained to mean, “Faith is not in all.” This expression, however, were both ambiguous and more obscure. Let us therefore retain Paul’s words, by which he intimates that faith is a gift of God that is too rare to be found in all. God, therefore, calls many who do not come to him by faith. Many pretend to come to him, who have their heart at the farthest distance from him. Farther, he does not speak of all indiscriminately, but merely animadverts upon those that belong to the Church: for the Thessalonians saw that very many held faith in abhorrence; (695) nay, they saw how small was the number of believers. Hence it would have been unnecessary to say this as to strangers; but Paul simply says that all that make a profession of faith are not such in reality. Should you take in all Jews, they appeared to have nearness to Christ, for they ought to have recognized him by means of the law and the prophets. Paul, there can be no question specially marks out those with whom he would have to do. Now, it is probable that they were those who, while they had the appearance and honorary title of piety, were nevertheless very far from the reality. From this came the conflict.
With the view of shewing, therefore, that it was not groundlessly, or without good reason, that he dreaded contests with wicked and perverse men, he says that faith is not common to all, because the wicked and reprobate are always mixed with the good, as tares are with the good wheat. (Mat 13:25.) And this ought to be remembered by us whenever we have annoyance given us by wicked persons, who nevertheless desire to be reckoned as belonging to the society of Christians — that all men have not faith. Nay more, when we hear in some instances that the Church is disturbed by base factions, let this be a shield to us against offenses of this nature; for we shall not merely inflict injury upon pious teachers, if we have doubts as to their fidelity, whenever domestic enemies do them harm, but our faith will from time to time waver, unless we keep in mind that among those who boast of the name of Christians there are many that are treacherous. (696)
(693) Importunos . Wiclif (1380) renders it noyous. — Ed.
(694) “ Fausses et peruerses doctrines;” — “False and perverse doctrines.”
(695) “ En horreur et disdain;” — “In horror and disdain.”
(696) “ Qu’il y a beaucoup d’infideles, desloyaux, et traistres;” — “That there are many that are unbelieving, disloyal, and traitorous.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Text (2Th. 3:2)
2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith.
Translation and Paraphrase
2.
And (please pray also) that we may be delivered from perverse (men, such as are out of their divinely appointed place and manner of life) and (from) evil men. For (it goes without saying that) the faith is NOT (held) by all (people. And these unbelieving men would hinder us if they could).
Notes (2Th. 3:2)
1.
Paul did not ask for prayer merely to escape hardship and persecution. Compare 2Th. 3:1. He wanted to be delivered from the restraint that wicked men would impose on his preaching.
2.
Everywhere Paul went he faced unreasonable and wicked men, such as he described here. In fact he was facing such men in Corinth at the time this letter was written. See Act. 18:6; Act. 18:12.
3.
The word translated unreasonable (Gr., atopos) means out of place, not befitting, unbecoming, improper, wicked unrighteous. (Thayer). The Amplified New Testament renders it perverse and the New English Bible as wrong-headed. (We like that rendering.)
4.
It has always been true that all men have not faith. Those without faith are not to be relied on without caution. They often plot and persecute in an attempt to hinder the preaching of the gospel. Even Jesus would not commit himself to men, because he knew all men, and knew what was in man. Joh. 2:24-25.
5.
Some people will never believe, no matter how clearly and tenderly the gospel is preached to them. We can only pray that we may be delivered from such men.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(2) And that we may be delivered.Compare Rom. 15:31. This clause is an amplification of the word may run along: the impediments to the gospel progress were (except that all were overruled for good) such persecutions as these. St. Paul gives thanks for such deliverances in 2Co. 1:10; 2Ti. 3:11; 2Ti. 4:17. Perhaps (as St. Chrysostom suggests) one reason for here inviting their prayers for himself was to nerve the Thessalonians by the sense that they were not the only people in the world in danger.
From unreasonable and wicked men.The curious word rendered unreasonable is rendered amiss in Luk. 23:41, wickedness in Act. 25:5, harm in Act. 28:6, occurring nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means something misplaced hence extravagant, monstrous. Thus the dying robber says that our Lord had done nothing so monstrous as to deserve crucifixion; Festus ironically invites the priests to a serious journey to St. Pauls trial, if there be something so monstrous in him; the Maltese barbarians saw that nothing so monstrous happened to him after all. So St. Paul wishes the Thessalonians to pray for his deliverance from these monstrous and depraved people. He is evidently meaning some particular foes whom he fears, for the original has the definite article. Who, then, are these monstrous persons? If we turn to Act. 18:6; Act. 18:9; Act. 18:12, and observe the circumstances in which the letter was written, we can hardly doubt that they are the unbelieving Jews of Corinth. From these Jews he was, though narrowly, delivered. It was, perhaps, in direct answer to the prayers for which St. Paul here asks that he received the vision and assurances of our Lord, and that Gallio was moved to quash so abruptly the proceedings of the Jews.
For all men have not faith.This clause gives the reason for the alarm implied in the last clause: Do not be surprised at my needing help against bad men; for you know that it is not every one that believes. There is something a little scornful and embittered in the expression (recalling the invective against the same people in 1Th. 2:15-16), for it suggests the thought that nothing better was to be expected from such a set of unconverted Jews. Tacitly, also, the unbelieving Corinthians are contrasted with the Thessalonians who had so readily embraced the truth. It may, however, be doubted whether this sentence is not an instance of a common Hebrew idiom, occurring more than twenty times in the Greek Testament, by which the combination of all and not amounts to not any. Thus, all flesh shall not be justified, in Rom. 3:20, is rendered no flesh shall be justified; they are not all of us, in 1Jn. 2:19, means not one of them is of us. So here it may be, for there is not one of them that believes; and so also, again speaking of the Jews, in Rom. 10:16, they did not all obey may mean none of them obeyeda rhetorical exaggeration, which the writer proceeds to justify by the exhaustive question from Isaiah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Delivered from The great impediment to the free course of the word.
Unreasonable The word means, etymologically, out of place; and hence, as an adjective signifies, unsuitable, unfitting. In Luk 23:41 it is rendered “amiss;” in Act 28:6 it is rendered “harm,” meaning harmful. At this time of writing at Corinth, probably St. Paul was being harassed by the unbelieving Jews, who raised an “insurrection,” and arraigned him before Gallic, (Act 18:12-17,) and it is very possible that it is to them he here alluded.
All not faith Why state so obvious a fact as that all men are not Christians in faith? To obviate this difficulty some commentators understand by faith, fidelity, good faith, sincerity. And such meaning it has in Mat 23:23, and Tit 2:10. This is strongly favoured by the apparently antithetic word faithful in next verse, and in have confidence, in 2Th 3:4. Let us suppose that the unsuitable and evil men were unreliable professors of Christianity, “false brethren,” who were out of place in Christian communion, and we get a very consistent train of thought. Pray deliverance from untrusty adherents, (who prevent the gospel’s being glorified,) for not all prove faithful; yet faithful is the Lord, and we have faith through him in you. This seems better than Lunemann’s (followed by Alford) interpretation of faith as receptive predisposition. Every other interpretation than ours reduces the antithesis between faith and faithful to one of “sound,” (Alford,) and does not notice the confidence of 2Th 3:4 at all.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Th 3:2. Unreasonable ‘, absurd, contumacious persons, who are not to be fixed by any principles, and whom no topics can work upon. Some suppose that the unbelieving Jews are here meant. By faith, in this verse, some understand a principle of honesty, which may encourage a confidence to be reposed; but it seems rather here to mean that upright and candid disposition, which would engage men through grace to receive cordially the testimony of the apostles; and not particularly justifying or sanctifying faith.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Th 3:2 . In deliverance from his adversaries lay the condition that he, the apostle, could work the more effectively for the diffusion of the gospel. Theodoret: , , .
] is used of that which is not in its right place. Used of persons, it denotes one who does or says that which is inappropriate under the circumstances. Thus it is equivalent to ineptus (Cic. de orat. ii. 4). From “propriety” it passes to its wider ethical meaning, and is used of men who act contrary to human or divine laws. Thus it receives the general signification of bad or godless . See examples in Kypke, Observ. II. p. 145 f.; Loesner, and Wetstein.
But the Thessalonian Jews are not to be understood by the , from whose persecution the apostle had already, at an earlier period, frequently suffered (so, as it would seem, Pelt), for their influence hardly extended to Corinth. Persons must be meant who were then present in Corinth itself . But we are not to think on Christians who were only so in name (Zwingli, Musculus, Hemming, Flatt, Schrader, and others), and particularly on false teachers among the Jewish Christians (Schott), but on fanatical Jews . [70] Comp. Act 18:6 ; Act 18:12 ff. That the adversaries of the apostle could not have been already Christians, follows from the inferential clause setting forth the naturalness of the existence of such people, , for faith is not an affair of all, i.e. it finds not a place among all, all have not a susceptible heart for it. On the form of the expression, compare the well-known proverb: (Strabo, viii. 6. 20, ed. Siebenk.; Suidas, T. 2, p. 739.)
] on account of the article, can only denote the Christian faith simply and generally . To understand the expression of fidelity or honesty , with Schoettgen, Moldenhauer, Koppe, Bolten, Krause, Flatt, and others, is as incorrect as to interpret it of true faith, with Schott. For in the first case would require to have been written, and in the second case .
[70] Hammond also finds here another reference to the Gnostics!
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 2217
ALL MEN HAVE NOT FAITH
2Th 3:2. All men have not faith.
IF we considered the condition of fallen man, and the merciful provision which God has made for him in the Gospel of his Son, we should think it impossible for any one, who heard the glad tidings of salvation proclaimed to him, not to embrace the offers of mercy, and to bless God for such a marvellous dispensation of his grace. But the fact is, that there is no other thing in the whole world so hated and despised as this very Gospel. Persons of every description combine against it. To the Jews it is a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness: and multitudes, even of those who profess to receive the sacred records as inspired, are found amongst the enemies of the Gospel: for, as the Apostle justly says, all men have not faith.
Let me,
I.
Shew to whom this charge applies
It doubtless comprehended, in the first instance, the Jews, who professed to believe in the One true God. And it also referred to those who, whilst they ostensibly embraced the faith of Christ, were, in reality, no better than hypocrites; deceiving others, and deceiving also their own souls.
Amongst those who have not faith, we may fitly number,
1.
Infidels
[The very term Infidel does, in fact, imply this. Not but that persons of this description would be grievously offended, if you should represent them as no Christians. Yet it is, in fact, their character: for, in holding up to derision the great truths of revelation, they shew, beyond all doubt, that they possess not the faith of Christ.]
2.
Formalists
[These take credit to themselves as having attained a high degree of righteousness. But, whilst they go about to establish a righteousness of their own, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God which is by faith in Christ [Note: Rom 10:2-3], they shew, that they have no just views of the Saviours office, or of the salvation which he has wrought out for us by his own obedience unto death. The Gospel which they maintain is another Gospel [Note: Gal 1:6-9.]; and not that which Christ has revealed, and which his Apostles preached.]
3.
Hypocrites
[How many of these do we read of in the sacred records; men who, having a form of godliness, denied the power thereof [Note: 2Ti 3:5-8.]! Of such St. Jude speaks; saying, Clouds are they without water, carried about of winds; trees, whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever [Note: Jude, ver. 12, 13.].]
If it be thought hard to say, of all these persons, that they have not faith, I will,
II.
Adduce evidence in confirmation of it
Amongst the persons that have been specified, not a few are unreasonable and wicked men
[All of them will, more or less, unite in reviling and persecuting the Gospel of Christ. Though there is no other point in which they are agreed, they will stand together readily and harmoniously upon this ground. Who were greater enemies to the Gospel than the false brethren whom St. Paul enumerates among the catalogue of those who sought his life [Note: 2Co 11:26.]? That a profligate and abandoned rabble should seek to destroy him, we do not wonder [Note: Act 17:5.]: but that devout and honourable women should lend themselves as instruments to persecute him, we should scarcely conceive, did we not know it as a fact recorded by the inspiration of God [Note: Act 13:50.]. But the truth is, that no persons under heaven are more adverse to the pure doctrines of the Gospel, and to those who preach it, than the self-righteous Pharisees. The conduct of Paul, previous to his conversion, fully evinces this [Note: Gal 1:13-14.]; and the experience of the Church, in all ages, bears witness to it.]
But the true believer is the very reverse of these
[Compare him with the Infidel.A man who believes in Christ cannot make the truths of revelation a subject of profane mockery: no; he reverences the word of God, and trembles at it; and is as much assured, as he is of his own existence, that every jot and tittle of it shall be fulfilled in its season.
Compare him with the Formalist.The believer in Christ, so far from seeing any thing of merit in himself, is humbled in the dust, under a sense of his own demerit; and, renouncing utterly all dependence on himself, he looks for salvation simply and entirely through Christ alone.
Compare him with the Hypocrite.The believer endeavours as much to fulfil the law, as if he thought he was to be saved by his obedience to it. Could he attain his hearts desire, he would stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Compare him with the unreasonable and wicked Persecutor.The true Christian has received a spirit of love, and of power, and of a sound mind: and, so far from wishing to obstruct the Gospel by an envious opposition to those who are more distinguished than himself, he esteems himself less than the least of all saints, and rejoices in all the good that is done by Gods most-favoured servants. Whether, therefore, we view the unbeliever as he is in himself, or as contrasted with a believing soul, the truth of the Apostles assertion will be placed beyond a doubt.]
Application
1.
Examine carefully, whether ye be in the faith
2.
Be careful, also, to shew forth your faith by your works
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
Ver. 2. From unreasonable ] , men compact of mere incongruities, solecising in opinion, speeches, actions.
For all men have not faith ] And are therefore unreasonable; nothing is more irrational than irreligion. An unbeliever is no better (but in some respects worse) than a beast; a brutish person skilful to destroy, Eze 21:31 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2 .] And in order for that to be the case, that we may be free to preach it. On , Lnem. says, “it is properly used of that which is not in its right place. When of persons , it designates one who does or says that which is inappropriate under the circumstances. Thus it answers to ineptus in Latin (Cic. de Orat. ii. 4). From ‘aptitude,’ it passes to its wider ethical meaning, and is used of men who act contrary to divine or human laws. Thus it gets the general signification of bad or ungodly . See examples in Kypke, Obss. ii. p. 145, in Lsner and Wetst.” Who are these men? It is obvious that the key to the answer will be found in Act 18 . They were the Jews at Corinth, who were at that time the especial adversaries of the Apostle and his preaching. And this is confirmed by the clause which he has added to account for their and :
for to all men the (Christian) faith does not belong all men do not receive it have no receptivity for it obviously pointing at Jews by this description. It is more natural to understand the article here as definite, the faith , than as abstract: for faith , as such, would not bear much meaning here.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
delivered. Greek. rhuomai, as in Rom 15:31.
unreasonable. Greek. atopos. See Act 28:6.
wicked. App-128.
men. App-123.
faith. App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] And in order for that to be the case,-that we may be free to preach it. On , Lnem. says, it is properly used of that which is not in its right place. When of persons, it designates one who does or says that which is inappropriate under the circumstances. Thus it answers to ineptus in Latin (Cic. de Orat. ii. 4). From aptitude, it passes to its wider ethical meaning, and is used of men who act contrary to divine or human laws. Thus it gets the general signification of bad or ungodly. See examples in Kypke, Obss. ii. p. 145,-in Lsner and Wetst. Who are these men? It is obvious that the key to the answer will be found in Acts 18. They were the Jews at Corinth, who were at that time the especial adversaries of the Apostle and his preaching. And this is confirmed by the clause which he has added to account for their and :
-for to all men the (Christian) faith does not belong-all men do not receive it-have no receptivity for it-obviously pointing at Jews by this description. It is more natural to understand the article here as definite, the faith, than as abstract: for faith, as such, would not bear much meaning here.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Th 3:2. ) , inept [liter, out of place], unreasonable.- , does not belong to all) Tapeinosis,[24] i.e. of fear. The Thessalonians, who had believed with great readiness, might easily suppose that all would be equally ready. Paul declares, from his own experience of the very reverse, that it was quite otherwise.- ; faith) viz. in God through Christ. It is this alone that takes away , what is inept [unreasonable] and wicked.
[24] Less said, than is to be understood. Append.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Th 3:2
and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men;-This clause is an amplification of the words may run and be glorified. The impediments to the gospel progress were-except when they were overruled for good-such persecutions as these. [When Paul expressly requests the Ephesians (6:19, 20) and the Colossians (4:13) to pray that he may have boldness, and when God, on the very occasion of which Paul is now speaking, sees it needful to address him in the words, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee, we need not scruple to ascribe to him so much apprehension of danger as would prompt him to ask the Thessalonians to pray for his deliverance. The actual circumstances in which Paul was, and what the dangers were, may be learned from Act 18:9-17, this Epistle having probably been written during the latter part of Pauls residence in Corinth. It was perhaps in direct answer to the prayers for which Paul here asked that he received the vision of assurance of our Lord, and Gallio was moved to quash so abruptly the proceedings of the Jews.]
for all have not faith.-In this the apostle refers to the Jews who boasted of their faith in the true God, who assumed to themselves the appellation of lovers of wisdom and truth. [But perhaps the Jews were not the most serious enemies of faith. It is not a want of susceptibility of faith in the most desperate class of sinners of which Paul speaks, but of the actual destitution of faith in some to whom the gospel came. And the fact is stated in general terms as something that holds good, as with the force and regularity of a law wherever the gospel is preached. Perhaps these are the most serious enemies of faith. With many their hostility, often bitter in its tone and manifestly anxious to wound, creates a feeling of sorrow and shame rather than of alarm or doubt. They may do less harm than those who, without denying Christ, render him no true service. For these create an atmosphere of indifference to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his service. Unreasonable and wicked men may often escape public notice, while the influence of their characters and lives is wholly hostile to faith. We need, then, to watch, not only against the open and confessed adversary, but also against the unsuspected and secret source of danger.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
delivered: Rom 15:31, 1Co 15:32, 2Co 1:8-10, 1Th 2:18, 2Ti 4:17
unreasonable: Gr. absurd
for: Deu 32:20, Mat 17:17, Mat 23:23, Luk 18:8, Joh 2:23-25, Act 13:45, Act 13:50, Act 14:2, Act 17:5, Act 28:24, Rom 10:16, 2Co 4:3, 2Co 4:4
Reciprocal: 1Sa 26:24 – let him deliver Psa 97:10 – delivereth Gal 5:22 – faith Col 4:3 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Th 3:2. Be delivered. Be rescued or be protected from falling into the hands of them. Unreasonable literally means “out of place”; men who do not keep their place in society. Wicked has the regular meaning, referring here to the men who do not stay in their proper places nor mind their own business. All men have not faith. Paul regards this as the explanation of why some men are unreasonable and wicked. If a man does not believe the word of the Lord, he will not have any motive for respecting righteous people.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Th 3:2. That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. Ellicott says that to find here [as Jowett does] a mere shrinking of the flesh on the part of the apostle from the dangers that awaited him, is to assign to the apostle a character that never belonged to him. But when Paul himself expressly requests the Ephesians and Colossians to pray that he may have boldness; and when God, on the very occasion of which the apostle is now speaking, sees it needful to address him in the words, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, we need not scruple to ascribe to the apostle so much apprehension of danger as would prompt him to ask the Thessalonians to pray far his deliverance. The actual circumstances in which he was, and what the dangers were, and who the mischievous and wicked men were, will be learned from Acts 18; this Epistle having probably been written during the latter part of the residence in Corinth, which is there described. This verse gives us one of those undesigned coincidences between the Epistles and the narrative of the Acts, which afford one of the strongest proofs of their genuineness.
For not all have faith. Wherever the Gospel is preached, it meets with such opposition as Paul speaks of, for not all accept it. It always sifts a community, and marks off a remnant, large or small, who do not believe, the perverse and wicked men.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
In the former verse, St. Paul desired the Thessalonians’ prayers with reference to the word; here he requests it with relation to himself, that his person might be preserved, as well as his preaching prosper; that so long as God had any work for him to do, he might be preserved from the rage and fury of the unbelieving Jews, and persecuting Gentiles, who followed him from place to place, to give him trouble: That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.
Where note, The odious character with which the apostle brands the enemies of his ministry; he calls them unreasonable men, whom no reason or argument could convince and satisfy; and wicked men, of vicious lives and debauched practices: they are usually the vilest and worst of men, the very dregs of mankind, who set themselves to persecute the preachers, and oppose the preaching of the gospel.
Next, he subjoins a reason why he did so earnestly desire their prayers for deliverance from dangers: because all men have not faith, neither fidelity, nor faithfulness, much less sincere faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; for then they would not oppose his gospel, nor persecute us from place to place, for the plain and persuasive preaching of it.
Where note, That what profession soever a person makes of godliness and religion, and how high soever his pretences are of external devotion, yet if he opposes the gospel, in the power, purity, and progress of it, he is and may be deservedly styled, an unreasonable and wicked man, who wants fidelity, moral honesty, and real virtue; and acts only for his own interest, and to please a party.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith. [i. e., all professed Christians are not really such. A phrase answering to that at Rom 9:6]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
3:2 And that we may be delivered from {a} unreasonable and wicked men: {2} for all [men] have not faith.
(a) Who do not do or care about their duty.
(2) It is no wonder that the Gospel is hated by so many, seeing that faith is a rare gift of God. Nonetheless, the Church will never be destroyed by the multitude of the wicked, because it is grounded and stayed upon the faithful promise of God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Also Paul desired that God would grant him and his colleagues deliverance from unreasonable and harmful unbelievers who sought to limit the spread of the gospel. This is the negative side of the former positive request. To oppose the spread of the gospel is unreasonable behavior since the gospel brings spiritual life to those who are dead in sin. These men were probably unbelieving Jews who were opposing Paul in Corinth (cf. Act 18:5-6; Act 18:12-13).
"There is something deeply moving in the thought of this giant among men asking for the prayers of the Thessalonians who so well recognized their own weakness. Nowhere is Paul’s humility more clear to see. And the fact that he, as it were, threw himself on their hearts, must have done much to bind even his opponents to him, because it is very difficult to dislike a man who asks you to pray for him." [Note: Barclay, p. 250.]