Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Thessalonian 3:15
Yet count [him] not as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.
15. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother ] Lit., And do not regard him as an enemy, &c. The R.V. retains “yet” in italics (“And yet ”); but the contrast thus implied is not in St Paul’s thought, any more than in his language. The measure which he directs to be taken in 2Th 3:14 is a saving measure, designed to bring the intractable man to a better mind “that be may be ashamed.” Hence there must be no unkind feeling towards him, no bitter expression. This would provoke him to sullenness instead of shame, defeating the Apostle’s purpose. In its sympathy with St Paul the assembly might easily be stirred, on reading this letter, to some hostile demonstration that would cause a decisive rupture; this he deprecates.
The instruction of 2Th 3:6 was general in its terms, and would apply to any sort of disorder; so the direction of 1Th 5:14, “Admonish the unruly.” Those two injunctions are here combined, and enforced in this specific instance. For in such a case the disorder takes the form of open and avowed disobedience to the Apostle, such as the Church is bound to deal with publicly and to put an end to. But even now expulsion is not so much as named.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother – This shows the true spirit in which discipline is to be administered in the Christian church. We are not to deal with a man as an adversary over whom we are to seek to gain a victory, but as an erring brother – a brother still, though he errs. There was necessity for this caution. There is great danger that when we undertake the work of discipline we shall forget that he who is the subject of it is a brother, and that we shall regard and treat him as an enemy. Such is human nature. We set ourselves in array against him. We cut him off as one who is unworthy to walk with us. We triumph over him, and consider him at once as an enemy of the church, and as having lost all claim to its sympathies. We abandon him to the tender mercies of a cold and unfeeling world, and let him take his course. Perhaps we follow him with anathemas, and hold him up as unworthy the confidence of mankind. Now all this is entirely unlike the method and aim of discipline as the New Testament requires. There all is kind, and gentle, though firm; the offender is a man and a brother still; he is to be followed with tender sympathy and prayer, and the hearts and the arms of the Christian brotherhood are to be open to receive him again when he gives any evidence of repenting.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Count him not as an enemy] Consider him still more an enemy to himself than to you; and admonish him as a brother, though you have ceased to hold religious communion with him. His soul is still of infinite value; labour to get it saved.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They having thus proceeded against the disorderly and disobedient, the apostle directs them about their after-carriage, which either respects their inward opinion of the mind, or outward action.
Yet count him not as an enemy; they should not count him an enemy, putting a great difference between an offending brother and a professed enemy. They ought not to hate him as an enemy, nor look upon him as upon such who out of enmity to the gospel persecute Christianity, nor to have an unreconcilable mind towards him.
But admonish him as a brother; and as to outward action, should admonish him as a brother. It is either private or public, ministerial or fraternal, gentle or severe, joined with commination. The Greeks express it in the degrees of it by three words, , , . The word in the text signifies a putting in mind: they were to put the offender in mind of his sin, and in mind of his duty. Though they were to have no company with him in a way of familiarity, yet to be in his company so as to admonish him; and the admonition here meant is either public, in the church, or private; or first private, then public, as our Saviour gives the rule, Mat 18:15-17. So that his repentance is to be endeavoured not only by abstaining his company, but by admonition. And it is to be performed to him as a brother, which either respects the state of the person admonished: he is not an enemy, or pagan, or one out of the visible church, but a brother, whereby some conceive that the apostle had not before spoken of his excommunication. Or it respects the way of admonition: it is to be performed with love, tenderness, and compassion, as to a brother, not to upbraid him, but to gain him; as Mat 18:15; If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. And for that end great prudence is to be used. The temper of the offenders, the quality of the sin, their outward condition in the world, their age, yea, the circumstances of time and place, are to be considered.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. admonish him as a brothernotyet excommunicated (compare Le19:17). Do not shun him in contemptuous silence, but tell him whyhe is so avoided (Mat 18:15;1Th 5:14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yet count him not as an enemy,…. As an enemy of Christ, and the Christian religion, as the Jews and Pagans were; or as an enemy of all righteousness, as Elymas the sorcerer was; as one that has an implacable hatred to good men, and a persecutor of them, and has an utter aversion to them and their principles; nor deal with him in an hostile, fierce, furious, and passionate manner, as if you were seeking his destruction, and not his restoration. This seems to be levelled against the Jews, who allowed of hatred to incorrigible persons: they say t,
“an hater that is spoken of in the law, is not of the nations of the world, but of Israel; but how shall an Israelite hate an Israelite? does not the Scripture say, “thou shall not hate thy brother in thine heart?” the wise men say, when a man sees him alone, who has committed a transgression, and he admonishes him, and he does not return, lo, it is , “a commandment to hate him” until he repents and turns from his wickedness.”
But admonish, or “reprove” him
as a brother; as one that has been called a brother, and a member of the church, and who, though criminal, has no bitterness in him against the church, or against the name of Christ, and the doctrines of Christ; and therefore should not be treated in a virulent manner, but with a brotherly affection, meekness, compassion, and tenderness; and who indeed is to be reckoned as a brother, while the censure is passing, and the sentence of excommunication is executing on him; for till it is finished he stands in such a relation: though this also may have respect, as to the manner of excommunicating persons, so to the conduct of the church to such afterwards; who are not to neglect them, and much less to treat them as enemies, in a cruel and uncompassionate manner; but should inquire, and diligently observe, what effect the ordinance of excommunication has upon them, and renew their admonitions and friendly reproofs, if possible, to recover them.
t Maimon. Hilchot Rotzeach, c. 13. sect. 14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Not as an enemy ( ). This is always the problem in such ostracism as discipline, however necessary it is at times. Few things in our churches are more difficult of wise execution than the discipline of erring members. The word is an adjective, hateful, from , hate. It can be passive,
hated , as in Ro 11:28, but is usually active
hostile , enemy, foe.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Admonish [] . See on Act 20:31, and Eph 6:4.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Yet count him not as an enemy” (kai me hos echthron egeisthe) “and yet deem him not as an enemy”; as one who opposes truth intentionally, but ignorantly, that requires discipline. Even the law required a show of mercy to one who had done so wrong as to be beaten with forty stripes. He was thereafter addressed as a brother, not a sinner. Deu 25:3; Lev 19:17-18.
2) “But admonish him as a brother” (alla noutheteite hos adelphon) “but remind, chide, or admonish (him) as a brother”, who is weak or thoughtless. After a brother has suffered exclusion from a church fellowship, or received a reprimand, he should be treated as a brother, without giving any appearance of sanction for the wrong for which he was excluded, Gal 6:1-2; Rom 15:1-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15 Regard him not as an enemy. He immediately adds a softening of his rigor; for, as he elsewhere commands, we must take care that the offender be not swallowed up with sorrow, (2Co 2:7,) which would take place if severity were excessive. Hence we see that the use of discipline ought to be in such a way as to consult the welfare of those on whom the Church inflicts punishment. Now, it cannot but be that severity will fret, (730) when it goes beyond due bounds. Hence, if we wish to do good, gentleness and mildness are necessary, that those that are reproved may know that they are nevertheless loved. In short, excommunication does not tend to drive men from the Lord’s flock, but rather to bring them back when wandering and going astray.
We must observe, however, by what sign he would have brotherly love shewn — not by allurements or flattery, but by admonitions; for in this way it will be, that all that will not be incurable will feel that concern is felt for their welfare. In the mean time, excommunication is distinguished from anathema: for as to those that the Church marks out by the severity of its censure, Paul admonishes that they should not be utterly cast away, as if they were cut off from all hope of salvation; but endeavors must be used, that they may be brought back to a sound mind.
(730) “ Face entameure et trop grande blessure;” — “Make an incision, and too great a wound.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) Yet.The original is simply And, which is much more beautiful, implying that this very withdrawal from brotherly intercourse was an act of brotherly kindness.
An enemy.In the private, not the public, sense. Do not think of him as one with whom you must be at feud, to be thwarted and humbled on every occasion. St. Chrysostom exclaims, How soon the fathers-heart breaks down!
Admonish him as a brother.How was this to be done without having company with him? Perhaps the presbyters, to whom the work of admonishing, or warning, specially belonged (see 1Th. 5:12; 1Th. 5:14), were to visit them in private with that object. Or possibly, the admonition was to consist in the act of separation, and not in verbal reproof at all.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. As an enemy Indulge no hatred; do him all the good in your power.
Admonish This is the meaning of your withdrawal from him, as an admonition and a guidance of the man to the resumption of his position as a brother. From the entire tenure of this paragraph it is clear that St. Paul held that the possible nearness of the advent should with Christians not change the tenor of life. The artisan should ply his trade, the scholar his books, and the farmer cultivate the soil, as usual. We should, indeed, live as holily as if the advent were to be today, but as practically as if the world were to last forever.
2Th 3:15 . But no hostile feeling against the erring was to be conjoined with this avoidance of social intercourse; on the contrary, as he is a Christian brother, advice and admonition are not to be omitted in order to convert him from his error by convincing reasons.
] united with , otherwise unusual, brings still more prominently forward the subjective notion or representation implied in the verb. In a corresponding manner occurs with in the LXX. Comp. Job 19:11 ; Job 33:10 .
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Ver. 15. Yet count him not, &c. ] If there be but aliquid Christi, anything of Christ to be discerned in him.
But admonish him as a brother ] Conscience is a nice and sullen dame; man a cross, crabbed creature, and will hardly be wrought upon by a stoic sourness, or an imperious boisterousness; but must be gently handled, and fairly admonished. Gentle showers comfort the earth, when dashing storms drown the seed.
15 .] is more delicate than or would be: q. d. ‘and I know that it will follow as a consequence of your being Christians, that ye will, &c.’
in the first clause seems superfluous: it is perhaps inserted to correspond with the other clause, or still further to soften the . So , Job 19:11 ; Job 33:10 .
2Th 3:15 . Disapproval, as a means of moral discipline, loses all its effect if the offender does not realise its object and reason ( ), or if it is tainted with personal hostility. . Compare the fine saying of Rabbi Chanina ben Gamaliel on Deu 25:3 , that after the punishment the offender is expressly called brother, not sinner.
count = reckon. Greek. hegeomai. See Php 1:2, Php 1:6.
15.] is more delicate than or would be: q. d. and I know that it will follow as a consequence of your being Christians, that ye will, &c.
in the first clause seems superfluous: it is perhaps inserted to correspond with the other clause, or still further to soften the . So , Job 19:11; Job 33:10.
2Th 3:15. , and yet do not) Caution is given us on all sides, lest we fall into extremes.-, admonish) It is not enough not to keep company with a person: 2Th 3:14; the man ought to know [ought to be made sensible] why it is so done.
2Th 3:15
And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.-[Though deprived of church privileges, and shut out from fellowship with the members of the church, he was not to be counted hopeless. This discipline was to be expected to terminate in his repentance and restoration. And for this end, he was to be admonished as a brother.]
count: Lev 19:17, Lev 19:18, 1Co 5:5, 2Co 2:6-10, 2Co 10:8, 2Co 13:10, Gal 6:1, 1Th 5:14, Jud 1:22, Jud 1:23
admonish: Psa 141:5, Pro 9:9, Pro 25:12, Mat 18:15, 1Co 4:14, Tit 3:10, Jam 5:19, Jam 5:20
Reciprocal: Lev 13:3 – pronounce Job 13:24 – holdest me Mat 18:17 – let Rom 16:17 – mark 2Co 2:7 – ye Col 3:16 – teaching 2Th 3:6 – that ye 1Ti 1:20 – that
2Th 3:15. In a sense, every person who does wrong is an enemy of righteousness and of the church. The idea here is that this man is not an enemy in the same rank as an outsider who has always been in the army of the toe. He has been in the congregation, but had to be dealt with on the principle of discipline, hence he should be regarded in the light of a member of the family who has gone wrong. By such a token, the admonition should be as to a wayward brother and not as to a member of a foreign family. The word admonish implies that some undesirable result may follow if the wayward member does not return to the government of the Father’s family.
2Th 3:15. Count him not as an enemy. Though deprived, as we say, of church privileges, and shut out from fellowship with the members of the church, he was not to be counted hopeless. This discipline was to be expected to terminate in his repentance and reclamation. And for this end, he was to be admonished as a brother.
And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. [They were not to give him the complete estrangement of Mat 18:17 . The purpose of discipline is to save (1Co 5:5). It is medicine for curing, not poison for killing; it is not to gratify the hatred of the judge, but to admonish the offender who is judged (Gal 6:1). Yet the safety of the church sometimes demands complete excommunication.]
3:15 {14} Yet count [him] not as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.
(14) We must avoid familiarity with the one who has been excommunicated in such a way, that we diligently seek every occasion and means that may be, to bring them again into the right way.
However, Paul warned against overreacting. The church should always treat the offender as a brother, not an enemy. We warn brothers, but we denounce and condemn enemies. The aim of all church discipline must be repentance followed by restoration. [Note: See J. Carl Laney, "The Biblical Practice of Church Discipline," Bibliotheca Sacra 143:572 (October-December 1986):353-64; and Ted G. Kitchens, "Perimeters of Corrective Church Discipline," Bibliotheca Sacra 148:590 (April-June 1991):201-13.]
"The situation is different from that envisaged at Corinth, where ’someone who is called a brother’ (ean tis adelphos onomazomenos . . .) lives and acts in such a way as to give the lie to his Christian profession; that person is to be treated as an unbeliever, with no entitlement to the privileges of Christian fellowship (1Co 5:11)." [Note: Bruce, p. 210.]
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)