Turning now, and as it were, with a sense of relief from warnings against impurity and covetousness, but still keeping in view the aim of his whole exhortation, viz., "the will of God, even your sanctification," the Apostle resumes the subject of brotherly love. The cultivation of the Christian graces is the best safeguard against any relapse on the part of believers into the besetting sins of the Gentile world. It is here said that the Thessalonian Christians abounded in the grace of love. It was their crown of glory.
I. Their love had a wide sphere for its activity. All their brother Christians throughout the whole of Macedonia had been revived and comforted by it. Paul learned this, doubtless, from Timothy's report. But what form did this brotherly intercourse assume? Possibly the circulation of Luke's Gospel, in whole or in part, to which honourable work Thessalonica appears to have been directly called. But this brotherly love also manifested itself in pecuniary assistance rendered to those who were in want. The hearts of many brethren in Macedonia were blessing their benevolence.
II. None the less, Paul wrote to them, "But we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more." Their brotherly love was to show its life in continuous growth. There can be no halting-point in this, or in any other Christian grace.
III. Idleness is a foe to all growth in grace. Spenser speaks of "sluggish idleness, the nurse of sinne." It is the very cancer of the soul. Activity, on the other hand, if it be in the line of duty, even means progress. God helps the worker, and looks after him. The Christian must be ever ready to assist others, but he must never be ready unnecessarily to be assisted by others. Others' needs he must recognise as his own special burden, but his own special burden he is not to be eager to put on others.
J. Hutchison, Lectures on Thessalonians,p. 150.