2 Thessalonians 3:7–9: Edit history

Context

2 Thessalonians presents itself as a letter sent to the church at Thessalonica by Paul together with Silvanus and Timothy (2 Thessalonians 1:1). It has traditionally been accepted as Paul's letter, though some critical scholars regard it as a later work written in Paul's name.

Second Thessalonians 3:6–15 addresses those in the church who walk "disorderly" and do not work. The Greek word rendered "disorderly," ataktōs, originally meant "out of rank" or "unruly." In verses 7–9, Paul reminds his readers that while he and his companions were in Thessalonica, they did not "eat any man's bread for nought" but worked "night and day." He then explains that they did this "not because we have not power," but by choice, in order to set an example. Verse 10 immediately follows with the command: "if any would not work, neither should he eat." A similar recollection appears in 1 Thessalonians 2:9.

Interpretation

• Reading in connection with eschatological expectation: This interpretation links the passage to the situation described in chapter 2, where believers were unsettled by claims "that the day of Christ is at hand" (2 Thessalonians 2:2). It reads the passage as a correction of those who had abandoned their everyday work in expectation of an imminent Second Coming. Many commentators hold this view, although some point out that the text does not directly connect the two issues.
• Reading with attention to the social background: Some scholars point to the Greco-Roman practice of living in dependence on wealthy patrons. On this reading, Paul is rebuking those who relied on the community's generosity for their living.
• Reading as the minister's right and its renunciation: The "power" (that is, the right) mentioned in verse 9 is understood as the right of those who preach the gospel to receive support from the community. This view interprets the passage alongside 1 Corinthians 9, which makes the same argument, and holds that Paul acknowledged this right while voluntarily setting it aside. Acts 18:3 records that Paul worked as a tentmaker.

Questions of Application

There is little doctrinal dispute among denominations over the text itself. Discussion arises mainly over how it should be applied today.

• Pastoral livelihood: Those who favor bivocational ministry cite Paul's "tentmaking" as a biblical precedent. Those who urge caution emphasize that verse 9 clearly affirms the right to receive support. They also note that at other times Paul accepted support from churches such as the one at Philippi (Philippians 4:15–16), and conclude that self-support is not a norm for all ministers. The passage is also raised in discussions of the legitimacy of pastoral compensation.
• Translation: Some Korean Bible translations render ataktōs not with the traditional Korean expression meaning "without proper order" but with words closer to "disorderly" or "idly." The sense of the passage therefore shifts depending on which nuance is emphasized.
• Citation out of context: Verse 10, "if any would not work, neither should he eat," is also quoted outside the church, for example in debates over welfare policy. Critics of such use point out that the words were originally addressed to believers who were able to work yet sought to depend on the community.

In the Korean Church

In Korean Protestant churches, this passage is often cited as a basis for self-supporting ministry (jabiryang, literally "providing one's own provisions"). In explanations of so-called "tentmaker" missions, in which missionaries hold a profession and support themselves locally while carrying out their work, this passage is cited together with the account of Paul in Acts. It is also frequently mentioned in discussions of the livelihood and bivocational work of pastors serving churches that are not financially self-supporting.

Related Passages

• 1 Thessalonians 2:9: Paul's recollection of laboring night and day while preaching the gospel in Thessalonica
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12: Exhortation to work with one's own hands
• 1 Corinthians 9:12–15: The same argument about not using the right to support
• Acts 20:34–35: Paul's recollection of his self-supporting ministry, addressed to the Ephesian elders
• Ephesians 4:28: Exhortation to labor and to give to those in need