1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| II Thessalonians 1:1 | Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. | |
| II Thessalonians 1:2 | Grace unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. | |
| II Thessalonians 1:3 | We ought to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith increaseth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you towards each other, aboundeth: Ephesians 5:6. | |
| II Thessalonians 1:4 | So that we ourselves also glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith, and in all your persecutions and tribulations, which you endure, | |
| II Thessalonians 1:5 | For an example of the just judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer. | For an example of the just judgment of God. That is, that the persecutions and troubles you suffer in this world shew the justice of God in punishing men for their sins, even in this life, so that by these temporal pains you may be found worthy of a crown of eternal glory in the kingdom of God. (Witham) --- The afflictions, which are here frequently the portion of the just, are sensible proofs of the rigour with which the Almighty will, at the day of final retribution, pour out his indignation on the wicked. For, if he is unwilling to let the just be free from all temporal punishment, (though he discharges their debt of the eternal) and if he continually exposes them to the derision, calumnies, and persecutions of the wicked, what have not the wicked to apprehend when he shall stretch forth his hand in vengeance? Or, as others explain it, God permits the good to be persecuted here, that one day he may treat the wicked according to the rigour of his justice. He permits them here to fill up the measure of their iniquities, that on the last day he may reward the long suffering of the one, and punish the infidelity of the other. In both the one and the other, the finger of God's justice will clearly manifest itself. If the hopes of the good reached no farther than this life, they would be the most wretched of beings; for here, in general, they are more exposed than any to the injuries of the wicked. Nothing proves more clearly the necessity of a general judgment, than this his conduct to his most chosen servants. For it is impossible that, just as he is, he should permit patience and faith to go unrewarded, or wickedness and injustice unpunished. The Son of God has promised us heaven only on condition that we bear wrongs patiently. (Calmet) --- Here again the apostle teaches the advantages of sufferings which the Thessalonians joyfully underwent, to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, Kataxiothenai umas; and ver. 11, ibid. axiose. The apostle teaches here, that nothing defiled shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven; and gives us to understand at the same time, that he will one day punish with extreme rigour the cruelty and impiety of persecutors. (Bible de Vence) |
| II Thessalonians 1:6 | Seeing it is a just thing with God to repay tribulation to them that trouble you: | Seeing{ Ver. 6. Si tamem justum est, eiper dikaion. See St. Chrysostom, (log. b. p. 226) eiper entautha anti tou epei, etc.|} it is a just thing. Literally, If yet it be just. St. Chrysostom takes notice, that we must not expound the text as if St. Paul made a doubt whether it was just or not for God to repay retribution to such as troubled, afflicted, and persecuted his faithful servants, and to punish them when he shall be revealed (that is, at the day of judgment) with flaming fire, or with the flames of hell: nothing certainly is more just; as on the contrary, it is just to reward the pious and those who are found worthy of the glorious kingdom of God. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 1:7 | And to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the Angels of his power, | |
| II Thessalonians 1:8 | In a flame of fire, inflicting vengeance to them, who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. | |
| II Thessalonians 1:9 | Who shall suffer eternal pains in destruction, from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his power: | Being confounded with the face of the Lord, whom they have rejected, and with the glory of his power and greatness, which will appear in irresistible splendour and majesty. |
| II Thessalonians 1:10 | When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made wonderful in all them who have believed: because our testimony was believed upon you in that day. | This shall be at the last day, when Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made{ Ver. 10. Admirabilis fieri in omnibus, thaumasthenai en pasi.|} wonderful (to be admired and praised) in or by all them who have believed in that day: (that is, the things foretold of that day) because our testimony{ Ver. 10. Quia creditum est testimonium nostrum super vos in illa die, oti episteuthe to marturion emon eph umas, en te emera ekeine.|} was believed upon you concerning that day, that is as to the punishments and rewards that shall be given on that day. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 1:11 | Wherefore also we pray always for you: that our God would make you worthy of his calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith in power, | Wherefore, also we pray, etc. By the Greek, the sense and construction cannot be in, or on which day; and therefore it must be referred to what was said before, that God should be glorified in his saints, and so may be translated, on which{ Ver. 11. In quo, eis o, in quod, but it cannot agree with emera, day.|} account we pray, etc. that Christ may be glorified in you, being made saints by his grace, etc. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 1:12 | That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ. | That the name of our Lord, etc. The name of God is glorified by the virtuous lives of Christians, but more especially by that constancy and firmness evinced by the faithful under the hands of the executioner. It is an act of the most perfect charity, to lay down our lives in defence of his truths and the glory of his name, and the most disinterested testimony of our allegiance to him. Nothing appeared more admirable than the constancy of the first Christians, and nothing contributed more to the conversion of the Gentiles than the firmness with which they maintained, even in death, the truths that had been taught them. For, said they, this religion is certainly true, since there is nothing they are not willing to suffer in defence of it. (Calmet) --- And you in him, etc. If Christians are any way instrumental in procuring the glory of God, let them not attribute it to themselves, but to God alone, form whom comes every gift. If they procure his glory before men, he at the day of final retribution will clothe them with never-fading robes of immortality, in the presence of men and Angels. If it be glorious for God to be adored by such faithful servants, it is much more glorious for Christians to be rewarded by such a Master: for it is the glory of a servant to be faithful to his master, and the glory of the master to recompense his servant. (Estius, Grotius, Theophylactus, etc.) |
| II Thessalonians 2:0 | The day of the Lord is not to come, till the man of sin be revealed. The apostles' traditions are to be observed. | |
| II Thessalonians 2:1 | And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him: | And we, etc. Some impostors had taken occasion from St. Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, to teach that the day of judgment was at hand. The apostle here maintains that it certainly will come, but that it will come like a thief in the night. He says nothing of the time when it is to arrive; he merely refutes those who spoke of its taking place immediately. --- By the coming, etc. Grotius and some others explain this coming, of the vengeance he took on the Jews by the arms of the Romans. It is true he speaks in many places of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of his coming at the last day, in terms exactly the same. But the context of the whole epistle demonstrates that he is here speaking of the last day. (Calmet) --- And of our gathering together{ Ver. 1. Et nostrae congregationis in ipsum, kai emon episunagoges ep auton.|} unto him. Literally, of our congregation unto him. That is, that you be not moved by any pretended revelation, nor by any words or letter, as spoken or written by me. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 2:2 | That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. | St. Augustine, writing to Hesychium, declareth that no one from the Scripture can be assured of the day, year, or age[century] when the second coming shall be. (ep. lxxx.) Let us attend to what St. Augustine declares he had learnt from the first Church authorities. At the last judgment, or about that time, will arrive Elias, the Thesbite, the conversion of the Jews, the persecution of antichrist, the coming of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the separation of the good from the bad, the conflagration of the world, and the renovation of the same: that these things will arrive, we are to believe, but in what manner and in what order experience will teach better than reason. It is my opinion that they will come in the order I have related them. (De Civ. Dei. lib. xx. cap. ultra) That the man of sin will be born of the Jewish tribe of Dan, that he will cruelly persecute the faithful for three years and a half, that he will put to death Henoch[Enoch] and Elias, and that great, very great, will be the apostacy, is the general belief. Oh! God, preserve us with thy grace, and do not permit us to lose sight of the dreadful danger that threatens even the elect. |
| II Thessalonians 2:3 | *Let no man deceive you by any means: for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, | \f + \fr 2:3-4\ft First, etc.{ Ver. 3-4. Nisi venerit discessio primum, e apostasia. St. Jerome (Ep. ad Algasiam. q. 11. t. 4. p. 209) Apostasia, inquit [] ut omnes Gentes, quae Rom. Imperio subjacent, recedant ab eis.|} What is meant by this falling away, (in the Greek this apostacy) is uncertain, and differently expounded. St. Jerome and others understand it of a falling off of other kingdoms, which before were subject to the Roman empire; as if St. Paul said to them: you need not fear that the day of judgment is at hand, for it will not come till other kingdoms, by a general revolt, shall have fallen off, so that the Roman empire be destroyed. The same interpreters expound the sixth and seventh verses in like manner, as if when it is said, now you know{ Ver. 3-4. St. Chrysostom (log. d. p. 235) says that by these words, you know what hindereth, is probably understood the Roman empire, etc. and Tertullian (lib. de Resur. Carnis. ch. XXIV. p. 340) on those words, till taken out of the way, donec de medio fiat, Quis nisi Romanorum status?|} what withholdeth, etc. That is, you see the Roman empire subsisteth yet, which must be first destroyed. And when it is added, only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way; the sense, say these authors, is, let Nero and his successors hold that empire till it be destroyed, for not till then will the day of judgment come. Cornelius a Lapide makes this exposition so certain, that he calls it a tradition of the fathers, which to him seems apostolical. But we must not take the opinion of some fathers, in the exposition of obscure prophecies, where they advance conjectures (which others at the same time reject, or doubt of) to be apostolical traditions, and articles of faith, as the learned bishop of Meaux, Bossuet, takes notice on this very subject, in his preface and treatise on the Apocalypse, against Jurieux. St. Jerome indeed, and others, thought that the Roman empire was to subsist till the antichrist's coming, which by the event most interpreters conclude to be a mistake, and that it cannot be said the Roman empire continues to this time. See Lyranus on this place, St. Thomas Aquinas, Salmeron, Estius, and many others; though Cornelius a Lapide, with some few, pretend the Roman empire still subsists in the emperors of Germany. We also find that divers of the ancient fathers thought that the day of judgment was just at hand in their time. See Tertullian, St. Cyprian, St. Gregory the Great, etc. And as to this place, it cannot be said the fathers unanimously agree in their exposition. St. Chrysostom{ Ver. 3-4. St. Chrysostom (log. g. p. 232) ti estin e apostasia autoi kalei ton Antichriston. See Theodoret on this place.|}, Theodoret, St. Augustine in one of his expositions, by this falling off, and apostacy, understand antichrist himself, apostatizing from the Catholic faith. And they who expound it of Nero, did not reflect that this letter of St. Paul was written under Claudius, before Nero's reign. According to a third and common exposition, by this revolt or apostacy, others understand a great falling off of great numbers from the Catholic Church and faith, in those nations where it was professed before; not but that, as St. Augustine expressly takes notice, the Church will remain always visible, and Catholic in its belief, till the end of the world. This interpretation we find in St. Cyril{ Ver. 3-4. St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Cat. xv) says, this apostacy is from the true faith and good works: aute estin e apostasia. St. Anselm and others mention both expositions, that is from the Roman empire, or from the faith.|} of Jerusalem. (Catech. 15.) See also St. Anselm on this place, St. Thomas Aquinas, Salmeron, Estius, etc. In fine, that there is no apostolical tradition, as to any of the interpretations of these words, we may be fully convinced from the words of St. Augustine{ Ver. 3-4. St. Augustine: Ego prorsus quid dixerit, me fateor ignorare....suspiciones tamen hominum, quas vel audire, vel legere potui, non tacebo, etc. Quidam putant hoc de Imperio dictum esse Romano, etc.|}, lib. xx. de Civ. Dei. 2 Thessalonians 19. t. 7. p. 597. Nov. edit., where he says: For my part, I own myself altogether ignorant what the apostle means by these words; but I shall mention the suspicions of others, which I have read, or heard. Then he sets down the exposition concerning the Roman empire. He there calls that a suspicion and conjecture, which others say is an apostolical tradition. In like manner the ancient fathers are divided, as to the exposition of the words of the sixth and seventh verse, when it is said you know what hindereth; some understand that antichrist must come first. Others, that the beforementioned apostacy, or falling off from the Church, must happen before. And when St. Paul says, (ver. 7.) that he who now holdeth, do hold; some expound it, let him take care at the time of such trials, to hold, and preserve the true faith to the end. When the expositions are so different, as in this place, whosoever pretends to give a literal translation ought never to add words to the text, which determine the sense to such a particular exposition, and especially in the same print, as Mr. N. hath done on the seventh verse, where he translates, only let him that now holdeth the faith, keep it until he be taken out of the way. --- And the man of sin{ Ver. 3-4. O anthropos tes amartias, o uios tes apoleias, o antikeimenos, etc. ille homo peccati, ille filius perditionis: the Greek articles sufficiently denote a particular man.|} revealed, the son of perdition, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. He is called again, (ver. 8.) that wicked one....whom the Lord Jesus Christ shall kill with the spirit of his mouth. By all these words is described to us the great antichrist, about the end of the world, according to the unexceptionable authority and consent of the ancient fathers. It is as ridiculous as malicious to pretend, with divers later reformers, that the pope, and all the popes since the destruction of the Roman empire, are the great antichrist, the man of sin, etc. Grotius, Dr. Hammond, and divers learned Protestants, have confuted and ridiculed this groundless fable, of which more on the Apocalypse. It may suffice to observe here that antichrist, the man of sin, the son of perdition, the wicked one, according to all the ancients, is to be one particular man, not so many different men. That he is to come a little while before the day of judgment. That he will make himself be adored, and pretend to be God. What pope did so? That he will pretend to be Christ, etc. (Witham) --- St. Augustine (de Civ. Dei. book xx. 2 Thessalonians 19.) says, that an attack would be made at one and the same time against the Roman empire and the Church. The Roman empire subsists as yet, in Germany, though much weakened and reduced. The Roman Catholic Church, notwithstanding all its losses, and the apostacy of many of its children, has always remained the same. (Calmet) --- The two special signs of the last day will be a general revolt, and the manifestation of antichrist, both of which are so dependent on each other, that St. Augustine makes but one of both. What presumptive folly in Calvin and other modern reformers, to oppose the universal sentiments of the fathers both of the Latin and Greek Church! What inconsistency, to give such forced interpretations, not only widely different from the expositions of sound antiquity, but also widely different from each other! The Church of God, with her head, strong in the promises of Jesus Christ, will persevere to the end, frustra circumlatrantibus haereticis. (St. Augustine, de util. cred. ch. XVII.) --- In the temple. Either that of Jerusalem, which some think he will rebuild; or in some Christian Church, which he will pervert to his own worship; as Mahomet has done with the churches of the east. (Challoner) |
| II Thessalonians 2:4 | Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. | |
| II Thessalonians 2:5 | Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? | |
| II Thessalonians 2:6 | And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. | |
| II Thessalonians 2:7 | For the mystery of iniquity already worketh: only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. | The mystery of iniquity already worketh,{ Ver. 7. Mysterium jam operatur iniquitatis, to musterion ede energeitai.|} or is now wrought, by the precursors of antichrist; that is by infidels and heretics. For, as St. John says, there are many antichrists, precursors to the great antichrist, and enemies of Christ. (1 John 2.) (Witham) --- That he who now holdeth, do hold. That is, let each one remain in the faith which he has received of us, and let him not permit himself to be deceived by any discourse, as coming from us. Or rather, let those who shall then be in the world keep their faith, remaining firm in their belief and attachment to the Church of Christ, until antichrist, that man of iniquity, shall be taken away. (Calmet) --- According to others, it is an admonition to the faithful not to be beguiled during this day of trial by such, as under the garb of religion, and with an ostentatious parade of zeal for the holy Scriptures, seek to deceive them. When the mystery of sin shall be revealed, then shall we plainly discover that apostacy from the Catholic Church is the obvious and certain road to a dereliction of all religious principle; yes, to antichristianism and to atheism. (Haydock) |
| II Thessalonians 2:8 | And then that wicked one shall be revealed, *whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: him, Isaias 11:4. | Spirit of his mouth, etc. St. Paul makes use of this expression, to shew the ease with which God can put down the most powerful from his seat. He does it likewise to give the Thessalonians a right notion of the man of sin. For as he before told them, he would cause himself to be adored, they might have imagined him more upon an equality with the Almighty. These words, however, quite take away that meaning. He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. (Isaias 11:4. etc.) (Calmet) |
| II Thessalonians 2:9 | Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders, | |
| II Thessalonians 2:10 | And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish: because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe a lie. | God shall send them the operation of error.{ Ver. 10. Mittet illis Deus operationem erroris, pempsei, etc. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Cat. 5. sunchorei ginesthai. See also St. Chrysostom, log. d. p. 236.|} That is, says St. Chrysostom and St. Cyril, he will permit them to be led away with illusions, by signs, and lying prodigies, which the devil shall work by antichrist, etc. (Witham) --- God shall suffer them to be deceived by lying wonders, and false miracles, in punishment of their not entertaining the love of truth. (Challoner) --- The end God proposes is the judgment and condemnation of such as reject the proffered light. This is the march of sin, according to St. Thomas Aquinas on this place. In the first place a man, in consequence of his first sin, is deprived of grace, he then falls into further sins, and ends with being eternally punished. Hence it happens that his new sins are a punishment of his former transgressions; because God will permit the devil to do these things. Deus mittet, quia Deus Diabolum facere ista permittet. (St. Augustine, lib. xx. de Civ. Dei. 2 Thessalonians 19.) |
| II Thessalonians 2:11 | That all may be judged, who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity. | |
| II Thessalonians 2:12 | But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of God, for that God hath chosen you first-fruits unto salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth: | That God hath chosen you first-fruits. Called you the first, or before many others, by his eternal decree, to the faith, whilst he hath left others in darkness and infidelity. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 2:13 | Whereunto also he hath called you by our gospel, unto the purchasing of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. | |
| II Thessalonians 2:14 | Therefore, brethren, stand firm; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle. | Traditions,...whether by word,{ Ver. 14. St. Chrysostom, 237. enteuthen deilon, etc.|} or by our epistle. Therefore, says St. Chrysostom, the apostle did not deliver all things that were to be believed, by writing; (Witham) but many things by word of mouth only, which have been perpetuated by tradition, and these traditions, no less than the writings of the apostles, are deserving of faith. Omoios de kakeina, kai tauta estin axiopista. (St. Chrysostom, on this place) |
| II Thessalonians 2:15 | Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope in grace, | |
| II Thessalonians 2:16 | Exhort your hearts, and confirm you in every good work and word | |
| II Thessalonians 3:0 | He begs their prayers, and warns them against idleness. | |
| II Thessalonians 3:1 | For *the rest, brethren, pray for us, that the word of God may run and may be glorified, even as among you: Ephesians 6:19.; Colossians 4:3. | May run. That is, may spread itself, and have free course. (Challoner) |
| II Thessalonians 3:2 | And that we may be delivered from troublesome and evil men: for all men have not faith. | From troublesome, or importunate men. In the Greek, is signified men who act unreasonably, absurdly, etc. (Witham) --- For all men have not faith. Faith is a gift of God, which he is not obliged to give but to whom he will. St. Paul here assures us that he finds nothing but obstacles in his great work, nothing but enemies of the truth, and nothing but men who resist the inspirations and calls of God, opposing the preaching of the gospel. He exhorts them not to be scandalized at what they see him suffer, but to return thanks to God, who has vouchsafed to call them, giving them an understanding and docile heart. (Calmet) |
| II Thessalonians 3:3 | But God is faithful, who will strengthen and keep you from evil. | From evil. It may either signify evil things, or the evil one, the devil. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 3:4 | And we have confidence concerning you in the Lord, that the things which we command, you both do, and will do. | |
| II Thessalonians 3:5 | And the Lord direct your hearts, in the charity of God, and in the patience of Christ. | Or, according to the Greek, may the Lord direct and carry your hearts to the love of God, and to the expectation of Jesus Christ. |
| II Thessalonians 3:6 | And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us. | Charge, or declare; or by the Greek, we command. --- In the name of our Lord. This may signify a separation by excommunication. (Witham) --- That you withdraw, etc. St. Chrysostom upon this place, St. Augustine, Theophylactus, and others understand St. Paul as speaking of a kind of excommunication. But St. Chrysostom on ver. 13. and 14. seems to restrain its meaning to a prohibition for the guilty to speak to any body, unless they spoke to him, if their conversation tended to exhort him to repentance. Theophylactus likewise remarks that this punishment was formerly much dreaded, though now not in use. |
| II Thessalonians 3:7 | For yourselves know how you ought to imitate us: for we were not disorderly among you: | |
| II Thessalonians 3:8 | *Neither did we eat any man's bread for nothing, but in labour and in toil working night and day, lest we should be burthensome to any of you. Acts 20:34.; 1 Corinthians 4:12.; 1 Thessalonians 2:9. | Burthensome. By the Greek, he understands those who being idle, and not keeping themselves employed, lead a disorderly life. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 3:9 | Not as if we had not power; but that we might give ourselves a pattern to you to imitate us. | If I, to whom you are indebted for the preaching of the gospel, have yielded my claims, unwilling to receive any thing from you, and even labouring with my own hands for the necessaries of life, how are those to be borne with who do nothing, and yet will be supported at another's expense? for St. Paul had witnessed amongst them some of this idle disposition. (Estius) |
| II Thessalonians 3:10 | For also when we were with you, we declared this to you, that if any man will not work, neither let him eat. | Not work. By prying with curiosity into other men's actions. He that is idle, saith St. Chrysostom, will be given to curiosity. (Witham) --- The apostles, like our Lord, were fond of introducing popular saying or axioms. Another, and not unlike the former, is found in one of the Jewish rabbies, Zeror: Qui non laboraverit in Prosabbato, nè edat in Sabbato. |
| II Thessalonians 3:11 | For we have heard that there are some among you who walk disorderly, working not at all, but curiously meddling. | |
| II Thessalonians 3:12 | Now we charge them that are such, and beseech them by the Lord Jesus Christ, that working with silence, they would eat their own bread. | Eat their own bread, which they work for, and deserve, not that of others. (Witham) |
| II Thessalonians 3:13 | *But you, brethren, be not weary in well-doing. Galatians 6:9. | |
| II Thessalonians 3:14 | And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed: | Here the apostle teaches that our pastors must be obeyed, and not only secular princes; and with respect to such as will not be obedient to their spiritual governors, the apostle, (as St. Augustine affirmeth) ordains that they be corrected by admonition, by degradation, or excommunication. (Cont. Donat. post Callat. 2 Thessalonians 4:20. et lib. de correp. et grat. ch. III.) |
| II Thessalonians 3:15 | Yet do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. | Do not regard him as an enemy. A necessary introduction for those whom Providence has placed over others, to admonish and correct them, but with charity and peace; so that we neither be, nor give them occasion to think we are their enemies. (Witham) --- He is your brother; compassionate his weakness; he is a sick member of the same body of which you are one of the members; the greater his infirmity, the greater should be your charity and anxiety for his cure; the greater excommunication separated the delinquent from the communion of the Church, making him in our regard as a heathen or a publican. But he is not here speaking of this kind, for he allows the faithful to speak to him for his spiritual advantage. (Calmet) |
| II Thessalonians 3:16 | Now the Lord of peace himself, give you everlasting peace in every place. The Lord be with you all. | |
| II Thessalonians 3:17 | The salutation of Paul with my own hand: which is the sign in every epistle: so I write. | The salvation of, etc. The apostle gives them this caution, for fear the faithful might be deceived by fictitious letters. For they had already received one of this kind, which had terrified them, by foretelling that the day of judgment was at hand. This deception he is here anxious to remove, signing the present communication with his own hand, and sealing it with his own seal. For although the rest of the epistle had been written by another, these words to the end were written by himself. (Estius) --- All the civilities of this great doctor of grace terminate in wishing it to his friends. This is his genuine character, because it is the love and continual effusion of his heart. (Bible de Vence) --- Amen. This the congregation added after the epistle had been read, and from this circumstance alone has it found a place here. (Polus synopsis Criticorum, p. 1003, vol. 4.) |
| II Thessalonians 3:18 | The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. |