1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

As touching brotherly love That peculiar affection which one disciple of Christ owes to another; ye need not so much that I should write unto you; for ye yourselves Independent of any teaching of mine; are taught of God By his Spirit; to love one another In an especial manner, even with pure hearts fervently, 1 Peter 1:22. And indeed ye do it And not only with respect to the brethren in your own city, but toward all who are in Macedonia All the believers in that province, relieving them in their necessities according to your ability. But we beseech you that ye increase more and more In this divine and necessary endowment. And that ye study Literally, that ye be ambitious, to be quiet To live quietly in the practice of those peaceful and humble virtues which suit the genius of Christianity; an ambition worthy of a follower of Jesus: and to do your own business Without meddling, uncalled, with the concerns of others; and to work with your own hands Not a needless caution; for to attend to temporal matters is often a cross to them whose hearts have been lately filled with the love of God. That ye walk honestly Ευσχημονως, decently, as becomes Christians; toward them that are without The enclosure of the church; that they may have no pretence to say, (but they will say it still,) “This religion makes men idle, and brings them to beggary.” And that ye may have lack of nothing Needful for life and godliness: more than which no Christian should desire, unless that he may have wherewith to supply the wants of others.