The former verses contained consolation, this is an exhortation: the apostle had assured them of their being elected and called, yet exhorts them to their duty. Assurance of salvation doth not encourage negligence; the apostle takes his argument from thence to quicken them: Therefore, & c. And that which he exhorts them to is:
1. To stand fast; a military word, speaking as a captain to his soldiers; so 1 Corinthians 16:13 Ephesians 6:14; having before foretold a great apostacy that would come. Or because he had told them of the great glory they had been called to the obtaining of by the gospel, he exhorts them to stand fast, which implies a firm persuasion of mind and constant purpose of will, and stands opposite to hesitation and despondency.
2. To hold the traditions which they had been taught. The word tradition signifies any thing delivered to another; especially meant of doctrines. The Pharisees doctrine is called tradition, Matthew 15:3; and so the true doctrines of the gospel, being such as the apostles delivered to the people; as the doctrine of the Lord's supper is said to be delivered, 1 Corinthians 11:23; and so Romans 6:13. Whether by word, or our epistle; by word of mouth in public preaching, or private instruction. The apostle had both preached and written to these Thessalonians, before he wrote this Second Epistle. And that the papists should hence infer that there are matters of necessary consequence in religion, not contained in the Scriptures, is without ground. These they call traditions, some whereof are concerning faith, others concerning manners, others ritual, with respect to the worship of God, or the external polity of the church. But who can assure us what these are? What a door is here opened to introduce what men please into the church, under pretence of tradition! Who were the persons the apostle intrusted to keep these traditions? Why should he not declare the whole system of gospel truths he had received from Christ in writing, as well as part? Why should he conceal some things, when he wrote others? And doth not the apostle assure Timothy that All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for correction, for instruction; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works? 2 Timothy 3:16,17. What need then traditions? And how can we know that they are by Divine inspiration, as we are assured all Scripture is? Our Saviour reproved the Pharisees about their traditions, when from hence they would observe and impose ceremonies of washing hands, cups, and platters, Matthew 15:2-6, yea, and by them make the commandments of God of none effect; which the apostle cautions the Colossians about, Colossians 2:8; and whereof Paul declares his zeal before his conversion, Galatians 1:14: and we find men's zeal still more about them than moral duties, and express institutions of God's worship. All the apostle's doctrine, whether by word or epistle, he calls by the name of traditions in the text here, and he commends the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 11:2, that they kept the traditions delivered to them; but were not they all committed to writing in some place or other of his Epistles? And which were, and which were not, who can be certain? And why should traditions be confined only to those things which the apostle did not write? He exhorts the Thessalonians to hold the traditions which they had been taught, whether by word or epistle. And if they hold them with strength, as the word is, by this means they would stand fast.