2 Thessalonians 3:1 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Finally, brethren, pray for us See on Colossians 4:3; that the word of the Lord may have free course Greek, τρεχη, may run, go on swiftly without any interruption; and be glorified Acknowledged as divine, and bring forth much fruit; even as it is with you This is a very high commendation of the Thessalonian brethren, and was designed to encourage them in their attachment to the gospel. And that we may be delivered Rescued and preserved; from unreasonable and wicked men The word ατοπων, rendered unreasonable, properly signifies men who have, or ought to have, no place, namely, in society. Bishop Wilkins thinks that absurd, contumacious persons are intended; such as are not to be fixed by any principles, and whom no topics can work upon. Doubtless the apostle had in his eye chiefly, if not only, the unbelieving Jewish zealots, who were so exceedingly enraged against him for preaching salvation to the Gentiles, without requiring them to obey the law of Moses, that they followed him from place to place, and raised a furious storm of persecution against him wherever they found him, by inflaming both the rulers and the people against him; and they had lately made an insurrection at Corinth, with an intention to have him put to death. For all men have not faith And all who have not are, more or less, unreasonable and wicked men. By faith, in this passage, it seems we are not to understand the actual belief of the gospel, (for that all men had not that faith was a fact too obvious to be thus noticed by the apostle,) but such a desire to know and do the will of God as would dispose a person to believe and obey the gospel when fairly proposed to him. And it seems, in making this observation, the apostle glances not only at the Jews, who boasted of their faith in the true God, and in the revelation of his will which he had made to them, but at the Greek philosophers likewise, who had assumed to themselves the pompous appellation of lovers of wisdom, or truth. But the Lord is faithful And will not deceive the confidence, or disappoint the hopes of any that trust in him, and expect the accomplishment of his promises; who shall stablish you Even all that cleave to him by faith and love; and keep you from evil From all the mischievous devices of Satan and his instruments, 2 Timothy 4:18. The Greek, απο του πονηρου, is literally, from the evil one; the name given in other passages of Scripture to the devil, Matthew 6:13; Matthew 6:19; Ephesians 6:16. And we have confidence in the Lord Or we trust in the Lord concerning you, that he will not withhold from you the aids of his grace; that ye both do already, and will do, in future, the things which we command In thus speaking, the apostle expresses his good opinion of the greater part of the Thessalonian brethren, but not of every one of them without exception, as is plain from 2 Thessalonians 3:11-14.