Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
He repeats the injunctions, 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. We command you. Hereby he puts to a test their obedience in general, which he had recognized, 2 Thessalonians 3:4.
Withdraw, х stellesthai (G4724)] - to furl the sails: to steer clear of (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:14). Some had given up labour, as though the Lord was immediately coming. He had enjoined mild censure of such in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, "Warn them that are unruly." Now that the mischief had become more confirmed, he enjoins stricter discipline-namely, withdrawal from their company (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 John 1:10-11); not a formal excommunication, such as was subsequently passed on more heinous offenders, as in 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20.
Brother - professing Christian; for, in the case of unprofessing pagan, believers were not to be so strict (1 Corinthians 5:10-13).
Disorderly. Paul plainly would not have sanctioned the Order of Mendicant Friars, who reduce such a "disorderly," lazy life to a system. Call it not an Order, but a burden to the community [Bengel, alluding to the epibaresai, 2 Thessalonians 3:8, "be chargeable;" literally, be a burden].
The tradition - the instruction orally given by him to them (2 Thessalonians 3:10), and subsequently committed to writing (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
Which he received of us. B G read 'ye received.' 'Aleph (') A C Delta f, 'they received.'