2 Thessalonians 3

Ken and Steve conclude their study of 2 Thessalonians, focusing on Paul's final chapter about Christian community and personal responsibility while working through protection from evil, idleness, and authentic discipleship.

• Paul asks for prayer that the gospel message would spread rapidly
• The Lord protects believers from the evil one through spiritual preservation, not necessarily physical protection
• Paul uses strong language about work ethic with his famous "if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" statement
• Clear distinction between those unwilling to work versus those unable to work
• Busybodies who meddle in others' affairs rather than focusing on their own work are addressed
• Church discipline involves temporarily withdrawing association to encourage repentance
• Paul authenticates his letter with his own handwriting as a distinguishing mark
• The hosts debate what book of the Bible they'll study next

Thanks for listening to the Regular Guys Bible Study podcast! Please leave comments through the link in our description - we'd love to hear from you.

Transcript

Introduction to Regular Guys Bible Study

Speaker 1 0:12

You are listening to the Regular Guys Bible Study podcast, the Bible study for regular guys by regular guys.

Speaker 2 0:19

We are your hosts, Ken and Steve and we are just regular guys studying the Bible together, not the Bible together, not theologians. You make fun of me.

Speaker 1 0:38

You know why I make fun of you, Steve? Because some people are make fun of a bull.

Speaker 2 0:45

Oh, okay, that's an answer.

Speaker 1 0:48

And that is who you are. You are make fun of a bull, and I think it would be probably disrespectful to you if I didn't take advantage of that. Oh all right? That sounded like it was real and sincere. Maybe All right.

Speaker 2 1:12

Anyway.

Second Thessalonians Chapter 3 Begins

Speaker 1 1:15

Well, we missed a week, guys, because Steve decided to get sick.

Speaker 2 1:21

I'm still a bit stuffy, so if you hear some snot slurping and stuff and coughing, that's, that's me all right, that's okay.

Speaker 1 1:31

Please don't that's so gross. Just keep your phlegm to yourself. Um, all right, but we are on second thessalonians uh chapter. So this is the final chapter of all the Thessalonians. So we did 1 Thessalonians, 1 through 5, I think Five chapters that sound was Ken, that wasn't me. And 2 Thessalonians 1 through 3 will close it out. So, as always, if you haven't read the chapter, please pause and go read the stupid chapter.

Speaker 2 2:11

The chapter isn't stupid.

Speaker 1 2:13

No, but you know, I'm just saying, I'm just kind of emphasizing that you need to just read the Bible. Go read it. Quit relying on other people to read the Bible for you.

Speaker 2 2:26

Come on, but why do we read it?

Speaker 1 2:27

quit relying on other people to read the bible for you, come on. Why do we read it out loud? Because because that's what we do. Steve, look, even though, even though you should read the bible yourself, you should also get other people's take on what you've read. There's nothing wrong with that, but you should read it yourself so very true all right, well, um you want me to read that first paragraph?

Speaker 1 2:53

no, I'm gonna read the first paragraph, because I normally make you read the first paragraph, but this time I'm gonna do it how about you read the first two and then I'll read the last one? No, I'll read the first and the last. That makes me read two paragraphs all right, all right fine, that's right. You know what steve. You're smarter than me, which makes you a better reader than me it just makes me an overall better person than you no, it doesn't.

Speaker 1 3:22

Smartness is not a goodness but in this case no I'm better than you no, no, you are, you read better.

Speaker 2 3:32

You read better than me I'm not so sure about that.

Speaker 1 3:36

Well, because I don't want to read. I'm going to say that regardless of truth. All All right, here we go. Second, third, see, I can't even say it. Second Thessalonians, chapter three verse one through five.

Speaker 1 3:56

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored just as it was with you, and pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith that the Lord is faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

Protection from the Evil One

Speaker 1 4:30

You must be reading NIV oh, I did not mention which one I was going to read from. I decided to read from NIV. After the two weeks of reading the different things I decided NIV is the clearest.

Speaker 2 4:44

Well, I'm going to switch over. Then you can do whatever, steve. Well, I'm gonna switch over then you can do whatever.

Speaker 1 4:46

Steve, I'm not gonna make you read whatever I mean. They all say the same thing do they? Yeah, they do, they do. All of them say the same thing. I think the niv is clearer okay, all right.

Speaker 2 5:03

Well, what did you uh get out of this all?

Speaker 1 5:05

right, I have a couple of notes chapter you spent, I read oh, so well uh, I actually have three notes in this one little paragraph really yeah, you know, wow, when you read it as many times as I did because you were sitting, you and you feel then I had plenty of time to overanalyze things.

Speaker 2 5:30

So my notes probably are over analyzing all right, we'll just let you lead the whole thing and I'll just kind of throw in a few things here and there no, I don't like that idea.

Speaker 1 5:40

All right, but in three, three, uh, let's see. But the lord is faithful and he will strengthen you. And to protect you from the evil one, all right. When paul uses the phrase protect you from the evil one, does he mean that they will be kept from harm, because he knows they're going to be persecuted and some will be put to death, probably, and physically harmed. So why does he say this?

Speaker 2 6:15

The Lord is faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing, and will continue to do, the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love, Christ's perseverance. Well, just before that, he says pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people. Mm-hmm, I don't think that is. That's hard to say. It sounds like he's claiming that the Lord will keep them safe, but we know better.

Speaker 1 7:08

So he also says, though, in this phrase, that the Lord will will strengthen you, meaning you need this strength. You need this strength because you're going to be persecuted um and protect you from the evil one, um. I think maybe protect you from the evil one here might not be physical harm, um, but protect you from the final judgment or even being deceived by Satan.

Speaker 2 7:37

All right.

Speaker 1 7:38

Through the persecution. Okay, so that could be that could be. See, that's a, that's a valid note, right, you know it's very valid you looked like. You had a look on your face like oh wow, I didn't think about that kid because I didn't, I didn't think about 20 times you know what?

Speaker 2 7:57

you're smarter than me. Maybe you should read the whole chapter I'm not smarter than you.

Speaker 1 8:06

You just sound stupid when you say, dave, hmm, anyway, all right, so anyway, that's what I'm thinking that means because he knows they're going to be persecuted. He was persecuted there, they're going to be persecuted, and you know. And you know it's, it's. I think there is some you know. May may the lord protect you as as long as he sees fit.

Speaker 2 8:37

Um all right yeah so the esv is a little different and and I feel like it conveys a slightly different meaning All right, good Read what it says. It says but the Lord is faithful, he will establish you and guard you against the evil one, and that sounds more like what you were explaining. You know, keep him from fooling you or deceiving you. Yeah, that's a good point.

Speaker 1 9:08

But the truth is they do say the same thing. But it is true that the way it is said, there's nuance, that might mean different things and, um, you know, they're just translating the best they can here. So thanks for reading that, steve All right.

Speaker 2 9:30

What made me think of it is my note, for verse three was count on the Lord's faithfulness, and I didn't see that in the NIV.

Speaker 1 9:38

Yeah, all right, that's good, all right. And then in verse 4, he says we have confidence in the Lord that you are doing, and will continue to do, the things we command. And I just think it's interesting how he uses the word command. And now I've got to look at the ESV. What does he say?

Speaker 2 10:04

It says command as well.

Speaker 1 10:05

Okay, good um he doesn't say do the things we've asked you to do. He, or, you know, do the things that, um, um, we did. He says do the things we command.

Speaker 2 10:24

So, paul, um, through that I mean he's putting himself in authority by saying that, not just so but, I think this is the paul, timothy and silas right, which he's in other books you know, established his uh discipleship or his apostleship credentials, and all that to show that he does have that authority.

Speaker 1 10:51

Yeah.

Speaker 2 10:52

But I think what we might be running into is one of those words that's hard to translate, Because if I look at the Strong's definition, there are other words you could use instead of command like declare Okay, and declare to me sounds less commandy but it's still.

Speaker 1 11:14

yeah, but it's still the same thing. I understand, yeah.

Speaker 2 11:17

Yeah, but it's more like an announce instead of hey, go do that.

Speaker 1 11:20

Yeah, that's a good point, all right, um and then that, yeah, that's a good point, all right. And then I have one more comment. Let's see In five. It says may the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. Hit this comment I made so long ago. I don't even know what I said. Okay, okay, what does this mean? Is it just to love like God and persevere like Jesus? Is that what he's saying? May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love. Okay, they seem like flowery words, but what does it mean? May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

Speaker 2 12:06

So my note on that verse is that they're going through persecution and doubt and they know that Christ persevered through all and trusted in God for everything.

Speaker 1 12:29

So all they have to do is look at what Christ went through and know that God's got them Okay. So that's what I'm saying. So persevere like Christ.

Speaker 2 12:34

I think so.

Speaker 1 12:36

Yeah, that's what I think, and I think that's interesting going back to my first comment, because in that comment he's saying you need to persevere, like Christ, who suffered death. Right, he persevered to the point of death, and so that's another reason why I don't think he's saying oh don't worry, god's going to protect you from being harmed. That's not what I think he's saying.

Speaker 2 13:08

All right, yep, I agree with you all right.

Speaker 1 13:11

Well, that's my notes on that section. Steve, you want to read this little section, this next little section you mean the majority of the chapter?

Speaker 2 13:20

sure, ken, I'll read it yes verse six.

Speaker 2 13:27

now we command you, brothers, in the name of our lord jesus christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it. But with toil and labor we worked night and day. That we might not be a burden to any of you, it was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate, for even when we were with you, we would give you this command If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

Speaker 2 14:07

For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busy bodies. Now, such persons we command and encourage, in the Lord Jesus Christ, to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person and have nothing to do with him that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Speaker 1 14:38

All right, and you read that in the ESV.

Speaker 2 14:42

I did because most of my study was in the ESV.

Speaker 1 14:44

That's fine, there's nothing wrong with that. Okay, what would you like to discuss there?

Speaker 2 14:55

um, my main point that I saw in this was that we're supposed to shun those that are not walking the walk in the hope that their conscience turns them around so that they'll work and do good. But I don't think it's just walk the walk. I think it's just even as simple as you know, doing your job so that you have money to buy food and eat.

Speaker 1 15:29

Yes, so he talks. There's kind of three things he talks about. He talks about people who aren't willing to work, he talks about what he calls busy bodies, um, and then he also talks about people who don't obey the instructions in the letter Right.

Speaker 2 15:56

Yep.

Speaker 1 15:57

And so it seems pretty harsh for those who are not willing to work. But he does not say those who aren't physically capable of working, he says those who are unwilling. Right, and there are people that Paul himself and the the disciples fed, like the widows, and stuff made sure the widows were fed. You know, some of those were probably incapable, some of them might have been capable of working, but I don't know.

Speaker 2 16:44

Well, I don't know what the culture was like back then. Yeah, for women to work for income yeah that's.

Speaker 1 16:52

I know there were, um, you know, like lydia was a seller of purple cloth and that kind of stuff, right, I know there were women with jobs, but yeah, I don't know, um, it's definitely not the same as um the jobs that men had. But I do think we need to distinguish between those who are unwilling to work and those without the mental or physical capacity to work, right, and so I think we there's other scripture um that you know indicates to have compassion on these people. So I think it's. I think we gotta be careful how we take that scripture by itself, um and not use it out of context.

Speaker 2 17:56

So what do you think it? Or does it apply, or how does it apply, to someone that perhaps retires early but has the saved up income to still buy their food?

Speaker 1 18:08

So I think someone who retires early or maybe goes to a three day a week work thing as part of retirement is a sinner and has probably fallen away from Christ.

Speaker 2 18:23

And that's. Thanks for that encouragement.

Speaker 1 18:29

No, I think you know honestly I struggle with what you're asking Because there's the parable about Jesus. Tells this parable about the guy who had all this grain and he built big things to store it in. He said, no, I'm not I'm never gonna work again and I'll be I'll. What does it say? I'll uh be. Have I don't wealthy all the days of my life? Whatever and then, uh, and then he dies he dies, right, and so he doesn't have anything. Um, but we're also called to be um. Uh-oh, are you still there, steve?

Speaker 2 19:19

uh-oh I think we were talking about uh okay, so we're back.

Speaker 1 19:30

We had a small technical problem, but we're back.

Speaker 2 19:35

We became a little discordant on Discord.

Speaker 1 19:43

All right, I have no idea where we were, Steve. I think we were talking about how you think that people that retire are lazy to labor until you die and it's not like it's one thing to retire and still do stuff. You're still working in the church. I think you work with the Embrace Ministry and other things at your church. Right, If you were to go, ah, I'm done.

Speaker 2 20:29

And go sit on a beach and sip pina coladas. Yeah, that would be a different thing.

Speaker 1 20:35

And not help others. I think that might be a problem, but I think you know you're not doing that, so I think you're okay, and I don't see you doing that ever.

Speaker 2 20:48

I think what I would say here is that just because I'm not earning an income doesn't mean well, at least two days a week. It doesn't mean I'm not working.

Speaker 1 21:02

Yes, also, you are not relying on other people to buy your food, and that's what this is talking about, right? Talking about people Freeloading, yeah, freeloaders other people to pay to buy your food, and that's what this is talking about, right, talking about people yeah, freeloaders um, because they don't feel like doing anything like your kids what?

Speaker 2 21:22

are you talking about?

Speaker 1 21:23

okay, my kids are all working, except my youngest, and she's in college so I know, I was just trying to raise your hackles. My hackles got raised, steve, okay, yay.

Speaker 2 21:37

All right.

Speaker 1 21:38

So then the third item, third type of person they're talking about, is also it kind of relates to that first person Instead of being busy working, they're busy bodies, um, and so you know, I kind of put my own word to busy body and I put that as where did I put that? Gossipers, is that?

Speaker 2 22:10

that's what I think of it when I hear the word busybody trying to get involved in everybody else's business right. So let's see what uh strong's definitions say on that one. Busybodies to bustle about or meddle.

Speaker 1 22:36

Meddle, that's meddling in other people's affairs.

Speaker 2 22:40

To busy oneself about trifling needless, useless matters, Hmm.

Speaker 1 22:49

Okay.

Speaker 2 22:50

Used apparently, of a person officiously inquisitive about others' affairs. That's what you and I were thinking of as a busybody.

Speaker 1 22:59

Yeah, so you know, and it's that you know, I guess, when you're inserting yourself into other people's affairs that they don't, they have not asked you to join. It doesn't necessarily mean you're gossiping about it. To join it doesn't necessarily mean you're gossiping about it, but typically that's the purpose, so that you have the insight.

Speaker 2 23:22

So what if I were to come into your house while you're trying to work on a Thursday and just constantly annoy you and interrupt you and keep you from working? Would that make me a busybody?

Speaker 1 23:36

that would make you annoying steve.

Speaker 2 23:37

That's not wait, I think you mean more annoying all right more annoying, yes, moron, annoying.

Speaker 1 23:48

Um so I you know that's. I would not call that a busybody. All right and in fact I would probably enjoy it and quit working. And I know, and, but I wouldn't. I wouldn't do my job very well, so don't do that.

Speaker 2 24:06

How would that change anything?

Speaker 1 24:09

All right. And the last group do you have any more about that group or any of those groups? The last group are these people who, uh, takes it's very short, so I'll read it take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a believer. So, um, this is um, you know it's, it's telling there, it's, it's related to those other two, right? So when so paul is saying look, you gotta work, don't be a busy body. Um, and if people aren't gonna listen and obey what I'm telling them about that, then, um, don't associate with them. But the thing is they have to know why you're not associating with them, for them to feel shame over it. Right, and you know I can imagine they would say you know, paul said I need to to not associate with you because you're not doing the right thing.

Speaker 1 25:28

And then, they would feel ashamed.

Speaker 2 25:30

hopefully, ashamed, hopefully. Yep, I did have to back up a bit here. Another comment on verse 9. That's not the way your Tesla sounds. Okay, enough of that. So in 9 it says it was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves as an example to imitate. So here they're talking about.

Speaker 1 26:07

When they were there.

Speaker 2 26:09

When they were there, they did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it. When they were there, they did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it. I was wondering, when he says they don't have the right, could he be referring to like Old Testament law where the priests were supposed to get a portion of the sacrifice as food and whatnot? And he already was of the Levites right, Wasn't he?

Speaker 1 26:40

I don't remember. He was a Pharisee, so who were the Pharisees?

Speaker 2 26:48

I always assume that you know, if you're a Pharisee, you're a Levite. That could be Maybe, not Maybe not.

Speaker 1 26:54

You know, I didn't think of it that way. It could be, though. I was thinking of it more in the line of we came in service to God and we could have demanded it from you because of that, but you might be right. There might be some old testament standings um for that, um, uh. I know that. I know that, growing up in a baptist church, and whenever the bad, the traveling baptist revival preacher would, would come through, you know, we paid for everything for him. We paid for his where he stayed. We paid for everything for him.

Speaker 1 27:35

We paid for where he stayed, we paid for all of his meals, we handled everything, probably had a lot of potlucks too. A lot of it was brought in by people. Yes, and we would feed him and eat with him and yes him, eat with him, and yes him, Always a him.

Speaker 2 27:59

Did he not use his own hands to eat? You had to actually spoon it into his mouth. What, what did I say? You'd feed him?

Speaker 1 28:12

Yes, steve. In fact, most of them didn't have teeth, so what we would do is we would chew it up, open your mouth, here comes the airplane did you ever watch the x-files?

Speaker 2 28:27

of course do you remember the episode where the, the there was all that inbreeding in that house and the mom was oh my gosh that was that's like that's a famous one.

Speaker 1 28:41

Yeah, it is a classic episode um, and that relates here clearly somehow I'm gonna leave it for the reader, for the listener, to determine how that relates.

Speaker 2 28:57

But, um, yeah, all right or, as my professors would say it's obvious to the casual observer yeah, that's, that's what, because they didn't understand it either.

Speaker 1 29:14

Yeah, all right, anything else there? Steve?

Speaker 2 29:19

No, that's it.

Speaker 1 29:20

All right, so let me read this last, very long paragraph.

Speaker 2 29:26

You don't have to read it fast.

Speaker 1 29:30

No, I'll read it slowly and it'll be over fast, because that's the quality of reader, I am All right. Be over fast, because that's the quality of reader, I am all right. Um, second those thessalonians, chapter 3, verse 16, to the end all right now. May the lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The lord be with all of you. I pa write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

Speaker 2 30:05

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Speaker 1 30:12

So I think that he probably only wrote that last sentence what?

Speaker 2 30:15

Why? Well, a lot, of, a lot of his other letters were like transcribed or whatever by somebody else, and I think uh, that's true.

Speaker 1 30:25

Well, I know at least. I know at least one or two, I don't know if a lot.

Speaker 2 30:28

Yeah, maybe not a lot.

Speaker 1 30:30

I know there's another one that he says see what big letters I use, that proving it. This proves it to me.

Speaker 2 30:40

Yeah, but I sometimes wonder if maybe he were like crippled from his beatings or something and so he had trouble writing.

Speaker 1 30:50

I think he had trouble seeing, or maybe just close up, yeah, so and and you know, maybe that's the thorn in his side is, could? Be, whatever's causing this problem, but I think it's funny. This is the distinguishing mark in all my letters.

Speaker 2 31:16

This is how I write, but you know what If I were somebody that was trying to mimic him that's exactly what I would say.

Speaker 1 31:28

Well, that's true, you would write bigger or whatever it was.

Speaker 2 31:33

It's the way I write.

Speaker 1 31:35

Yeah, um, which you know it. When I write handwritten stuff, it kind of looks like a five-year-old wrote it. So I could say you know, this is just how I write, this is it?

Speaker 2 31:51

I, it's, this is the Ken signature, that it looks like a five-year-old wrote it so when I used to get handwritten stuff from, like, my grandmother, I would have to stare at that thing for like 15 minutes to try to decipher each cursive word, what she was trying to write there oh yeah oh, it was painful yeah, I still get things like that occasionally from my mother or my wife's mother or parents.

Speaker 1 32:20

Yeah, and those things, oh, man, or an aunt, um, those things can be impossible to understand. You've got to read them in context page. Just the other day was reading something in the car that we had gotten the mail and just like, and thank you. It's like it just took forever, yeah, for her to get through. All right. Well, that's all I got, steve, you got anything else?

Wrapping Up and Next Study Plans

Speaker 2 32:49

I think that's it. This is a pretty short one yes, it was and we, we haven't talked about what we're doing next.

Speaker 1 32:55

Nope, but I think we should do an Old Testament thing Like maybe something like. Daniel, or you know, it's not a super long thing.

Speaker 2 33:05

Daniel's pretty long.

Speaker 1 33:06

It is.

Speaker 2 33:08

No, isn't it? I don't think so.

Speaker 1 33:11

It's deep, it's deep. Let's see, daniel. There's 12 chapters 12 chapters probably probably do. Um, I don't know if we some chapters would probably be done in one others. Daniel two is 50 verses that's probably not going to be one. That might be two or three even, but yeah, most of them aren't that long I don't know. Let's uh, let's talk about it and we'll come up with a new one.

Speaker 2 33:46

Um, but I think we're going to take a week off, is that okay, steve um, if we do, it's gonna be oh no, I yeah, that's fine, all right, I'm. I'm out the end of september oh but not, not on a monday okay, it's just, I might not have read much, so we should figure out this week what we're gonna do. All right, okay, so I can get ahead.

Speaker 1 34:13

I think we should go ahead and like, say, like pencil in daniel, but maybe we want to do something else because I haven't really thought hard about it. All right, well, guys, we really appreciate you, uh, listening to our podcast. Um, please leave comments. We've got a link If you go to the description. There's a link up there that you can click on and leave comments. We'd love to hear from you, the regular guys. Bible study is a chasm LLC production. All rights reserved.