SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:6
¶ Pero os denunciamos, hermanos, en el nombre del Seor nuestro Jess, el Cristo, que os apartis de todo hermano que anduviere fuera de orden, y no conforme a la doctrina que recibieron de nosotros;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Thessalonians 3:6
Verse 6. That ye withdraw yourselves] Have no fellowship with those who will not submit to proper discipline; who do not keep their place; ataktwv, such as are out of their rank, and act according to their own wills and caprices; and particularly such as are idle and busybodies. These he had ordered, 1 Thessalonians iv. 11, 12, that they should study to be quiet, mind their own business, and work with their hands; but it appears that they had paid no attention to this order, and now he desires the Church to exclude such from their communion. And not after the tradition] This evidently refers to the orders contained in the first epistle; and that first epistle was the tradition which they had received from him. It was, therefore, no unwritten word, no uncertain saying, handed about from one to another; but a part of the revelation which God had given, and which they found in the body of his epistle.
These are the only traditions which the Church of God is called to regard.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. Now we command you, brethren , &c.] The apostle is now come to the main thing itself he has in view in this part of the epistle, which is to encourage a regard to the discipline of God's house; and to exhort this church to excommunicate, or remove from communion, all disorderly persons; and those who are to do this he points out, and calls upon, and even commands; and these are the fraternity, the brethren, the society of believers, all the members of the church; for to them to whom belongs the power of receiving members, to them only belongs the power of excluding offenders: the executive power lies in the hands of the elders or pastors of churches; they are the persons by whom the church receives or casts out members; but the power of judgment, or of determining who shall be received into, or who shall be removed from communion, lies in the church, and not in the pastors and elders only; whoever therefore take upon them to receive, or refuse, or cast out members of themselves, and at their own pleasure, act the part of Diotrephes, ( 3 John 1:9,10). The authority for removing disorderly persons from communion is an apostolical command, we command you; who are the apostles of Christ, immediately sent by him, who had their mission and commission from him, and which were confirmed by miracles; these had a greater power and authority than the ordinary ministers of the word; they were the ambassadors of Christ, stood in his stead, represented him, and acted in his name; what they said, he spake by them; and it was all one as if he had spoke it himself: and that this might appear not to be of them, but of him, it is added, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ; that is, by his power and authority, if they had any regard to that, or to his honour and glory: that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly ; by a brother is meant, not one in a natural or civil sense, who is so by blood, or by neighbourhood, by being of the same country, or of the same human species, since all are of one blood; but one in an ecclesiastical sense, a church member, who is called a brother, though he may not be really a child of God, one of the brethren of Christ, or born of the Spirit; yet being a fellow citizen with the saints, and of the household of God externally, he bears this character; and such an one only is cognizable by a church, who have nothing to do to judge them that are without, only them that are within: and every brother in this sense falls under their notice; everyone that is a member, whether male or female, for this word includes both; and as the sisters, as well as the brethren, stand in the same relation, are in the same church state, partake of the same ordinances, and enjoy the same privileges, they are obliged to regard the same rules of the Gospel, and duties of religion, and, in case of disorder, to be withdrawn from: and this also regards every brother, of whatsoever state or condition, bond or free, high or low, rich or poor; no partiality is to be used, no preference to be given to one above the other; a poor member in a disorder is not to be bore hard upon, while a rich one is winked and connived at: and it also respects the brethren, whether private members, or officers of the church; for not only the former, but also the latter, when they walk disorderly, whether in the discharge of their office, or in any other part of their conduct, are liable to the notice and censure of the church: and which is only to be done when any of them walk disorderly; not for every disorder they are guilty of; there is no man lives without sin; and church members have their infirmities, and will have, as long as they are in the flesh, or in the body; and they are not to be made offenders for a word, or for a single disorder, or for the common infirmities of life; nor are the just to be set aside for a thing of nought, or a small offence, and that not continued in: it is one thing to be guilty of a disorder, and another thing to walk disorderly; which denotes a way, a course, a series of disorder, and proceeding on in it, a going from evil to evil, an increasing to more ungodliness; for walking is a progressive action, and disorderly persons do not stop, but grow worse and worse; for they take pleasure in their disorders; they choose their own ways, and delight in their abominations; the paths of sin are pleasant paths to them: and they are disorderly walkers, who pertinaciously and stubbornly continue in their disorders, notwithstanding the admonitions of private persons, and of the whole church; and of this sort there are such that walk disorderly in the world, in the commission of notorious and scandalous sins, such as uncleanness, intemperance, covetousness, &c. and that walk disorderly in families; as husbands that are not affectionate to their wives, and provide not for their household; and wives that are not in subjection to their husbands; parents that provoke their children to wrath; and children that are disobedient to their parents; masters who give not that which is fit and equal to their servants; and servants that despise their masters because they are brethren, when they should serve them the more cheerfully, because faithful and beloved: and also that walk disorderly in churches, that fill not up their places, but neglect attendance with the church, on the word and ordinances; and who are contentious and quarrelsome, and will not submit to the sentiments of those who are superior to them in number and sense; and likewise such who entertain bad notions and principles, derogatory to the grace of God, the person and offices of Christ, and the operations of the Spirit; who walk, not in the truth, nor according to the standard of the word of God; and especially such are designed here, who are busy bodies, and idle persons, who work not at all, but live at the tables, and upon the substance of others, as appears from ( 2 Thessalonians 3:11). These act contrary to the order and decorum of nations, towns, and families, and to that which God has fixed among mankind; and to the example of God, and Christ as God, who work hither to and jointly together in Providence, and in the government of the world; and to the example which Christ, as man, has set, and to the example of the apostles, and to their commands: wherefore it follows, and not after the tradition which he received of us ; meaning either the Gospel of Christ, which being, preached was received, but the walk and conversation of some was not agreeably to it; or the ordinances of the Gospel, and the precepts of religion which the apostles delivered, and were received, and yet due attendance to them was not given; (see Gill on Thessalonians 2:15), or rather that particular injunction concerning quietness, and doing their own business, and working with their own hands, ( 1 Thessalonians 4:11). The Vulgate Latin version reads, which they received of us: the sense is the same; and the Ethiopic version, and not according to the constitution we appointed them. Now what is commanded to be done to such disorderly persons, by the church, even the whole fraternity, is to withdraw themselves from them; by which is meant, not only to distinguish themselves from them by an orderly and regular conversation, and a strict observance of Gospel discipline, which to do is very right; nor barely to curb and restrain the affections towards such persons, lest by carrying it as heretofore, in a kind, tender, and affectionate manner, they should take encouragement from hence to continue in their disorders, as tender parents keep in their affections, and from showing them to their children, when in disorder, and under their corrections, that they might not seem to countenance them in that which is evil, though this is also very proper; nor also merely to contract or shut up the hand to such persons, and refuse to distribute to then, living such an idle life, and in such a disorderly way, though this is what ought to be done; nor does this phrase only intend a forbidding such persons their houses and their tables, not suffering them to sit at the one, nor even to come into the other, not allowing any company and conversation with them, that they may have no opportunity of indulging their laziness and tale bearing, though so to serve them is highly just and reasonable; nor does it design only a suspension, or a debarring of them from the Lord's table, which ought not to be done to any persons, while they continue in relation to the church, and members of it; but a removal of them from church communion, or an excommunication of them; which is sometimes expressed by rejecting persons, casting them out of the church, and putting them away, and here by withdrawing from them; which are all synonymous phrases, and intend exclusion from the communion of the church. And so the Ethiopic version here renders it, that ye remove every brother, &c. From this passage we learn who they are that are to be excommunicated or removed from the communion of churches, all disorderly walkers; what the act of excommunication is, it is a withdrawing from them, a separating them from the church, and its communion; and who they are that have the power to do it, the whole fraternity or body of the church; and also the authority for it, an apostolical command, in the name of Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-15 - Those who have received the gospel, are to live according to the gospel. Such as could work, and would not, were not to be maintained i idleness. Christianity is not to countenance slothfulness, which woul consume what is meant to encourage the industrious, and to support the sick and afflicted. Industry in our callings as men, is a duty require by our calling as Christians. But some expected to be maintained i idleness, and indulged a curious and conceited temper. They meddle with the concerns of others, and did much harm. It is a great error an abuse of religion, to make it a cloak for idleness or any other sin The servant who waits for the coming of his Lord aright, must be working as his Lord has commanded. If we are idle, the devil and corrupt heart will soon find us somewhat to do. The mind of man is busy thing; if it is not employed in doing good, it will be doing evil It is an excellent, but rare union, to be active in our own business yet quiet as to other people's. If any refused to labour with quietness, they were to note him with censure, and to separate from his company, yet they were to seek his good by loving admonitions. The Lords is with you while you are with him. Hold on your way, and hold of to the end. We must never give over, or tire in our work. It will be time enough to rest when we come to heaven.
Greek Textus Receptus
παραγγελλομεν 3853 5719 δε 1161 υμιν 5213 αδελφοι 80 εν 1722 ονοματι 3686 του 3588 κυριου 2962 ημων 2257 ιησου 2424 χριστου 5547 στελλεσθαι 4724 5733 υμας 5209 απο 575 παντος 3956 αδελφου 80 ατακτως 814 περιπατουντος 4043 5723 και 2532 μη 3361 κατα 2596 την 3588 παραδοσιν 3862 ην 3739 παρελαβεν 3880 5627 παρ 3844 ημων 2257
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Withdraw yourselves from (stellesqai umav apo). Stellesqai, P o . In the active voice, to place, arrange, equip: in the middle voice, to provide for, take care. See 2 Cor. viii. 20. Here with ajpo from, to place one's self away from.
Disorderly (ataktwv). This adverb, the verb ajtaktew, and the adjective ataktov are found only in Paul, and only in the Thessalonian Epistles. See on 1 Thess. v. 14.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:6 {Now we command you} (paraggellomen de humin). Paul puts into practice the confidence expressed on their obedience to his commands in verse #4. {In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ} (en onomati tou kuriou iesou cristou). {Name} (onoma) here for authority of Jesus Christ with which compare {through the Lord Jesus} (dia tou kuriou iesou) in #1Th 4:2. For a full discussion of the phrase see the monograph of W. Heitmuller, _Im Namen Jesu_. Paul wishes his readers to realize the responsibility on them for their obedience to his command. {That ye withdraw yourselves} (stellesqai humas). Present middle (direct) infinitive of stellw, old verb to place, arrange, make compact or shorten as sails, to move oneself from or to withdraw oneself from (with apo and the ablative). In #2Co 8:20 the middle voice (stellomenoi) means taking care. {From every brother that walketh disorderly} (apo pantos adelfou ataktws peripatountos). He calls him "brother" still. The adverb ataktws is common in Plato and is here and verse #11 alone in the N.T., though the adjective ataktos, equally common in Plato we had in #1Th 5:14 which see. Military term, out of ranks. {And not after the tradition} (kai me kata ten paradosin). See on 2:15 for paradosin. {Which they received of us} (hen parelabosan par hemwn). Westcott and Hort put this form of the verb (second aorist indicative third person plural of paralambanw, the -osan form instead of -on, with slight support from the papyri, but in the LXX and the Boeotian dialect, Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 335f.) in the margin with parelabete (ye received) in the text. There are five different readings of the verb here, the others being parelabon, parelabe, elabosan.
