DRAFT ONLY

Introduction
      In chapter 4:1-12, Paul spends a moment dealing with practical ethical issues. Paul reminds his readers that when he was with them he instructed them "how to live in order to please God", and now he writes to urge them to do this "more and more", v1. In v3-8 he deals with sexual immorality, v9-10 brotherly love, and v11-12 earning a living.

The passage
      v9. Brotherly love is certainly the mark of the Christian community in the first century. "Behold how these Christians love one another", (Tertullian's Apology). Paul's subject is "brotherly love" (philadelphia). In Greek society brotherly love was primarily sibling love, but in the New Testament the word is always used of love between believers. Paul doesn't need to write to the Thessalonians about this matter because they are a loving Christian community "taught by God to love each other." The teaching is by the Spirit, that is, the indwelling Spirit of Christ compels them to love as Christ loves, therefore they do not need anyone to teach them about love. Paul now uses "love" in the sense of self-denying compassion (agape). God's character is defined by such love and the believer in Christ, by means of the indwelling compelling of the Spirit of Christ, takes on this God-like character.
      v10. Paul notes that the believers in Thessalonica do exhibit love, in fact they have demonstrated this in their compassion toward the other churches in Macedonia. We have little idea how many Christian communities existed at this stage. Paul's mission has only just begun. None-the-less missionaries like Silvanus, Timothy and Luke had worked in Macedonia and so other churches obviously existed. Yet Paul does not leave it at that, he exhorts them to "do so more and more." He calls on them to abound, to excel, in love.
      v11. We now get a hint that the Thessalonians may well have become overly enthusiastic about the coming of the Lord. The need to proclaim the coming Christ, given his imminent return, may well have resulted in many of the believers leaving their place of employment. "The expectation of the Lord's return does not paralyse energy. The imperatives call up a fine picture of preparedness" (Creed). The opening phrase "lead a quiet life" means something like "be quiet", "be happy don't worry". He is encouraging them to return to the tranquility of their normal everyday, workaday lives. The next phrase, "mind your own business", encourages the believers to worry about their own affairs rather than getting caught up in everyone else' affairs. Again simplicity is the aim. Finally he gets to the nub of the matter. He encourages them to get back to work. They are to return to their daily chores and calm down. It is interesting how he makes note of working with their hands. In Greek society manual labor was normally undertaken by slaves, but the New Testament is not ashamed of manual labor. Jesus was a carpenter. Working with our hands is worthy and good, Eph.4:28. We need only to work as to the Lord, Col.3:17.
      v12. Paul now gives two reasons for settling down their lives and getting back to work. The first is the impact their behaviour has on outsiders. From the outside their behaviour would seem that of lazy busy-bodies. He urges them to consider the implications of their behaviour and act in a way that wins the respect of outsiders - act becomingly, ie. work and so set a good example. The second reason identifies the parasitic nature of their behaviour. At the moment many of the believers were living off the generosity of others. Paul's exhortation therefore is something like, "work, and then you will have no need for anyone to help you. You will be quite independent."

Work is a given
      Paterson Smyth quotes a story from New England "of a day during one of those times of excited expectancy at the end of the world when a sudden darkness at noon interrupted the session of the Assembly. Some cried fearfully: 'It is the coming of Christ: it is the end of the world.' But the old President ordered light to be produced: 'Bring in candles,' he said, 'and get on with your work. If the Lord is coming, how better can He find us than quietly doing our duty?'"
      The reality of the coming Kingdom can easily leave us unattached to life's daily grind. Flesh and blood we are and our walk with Jesus does not alter that fact. The business of survival remains, and so we must strive until that great and awesome day. Survival remains a daily chore for the believer, as it does for all humanity.