For why has he not said, But if they are not disorderly let them be maintained by you; but requires both, that they be quiet, and that they work? “That they may eat their own bread,” says he, not that of another.
Ver. 13. “But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
See how immediately the fatherly heart was overcome. He was not able to carry out his reproof farther, but again pitied them. And see with what discretion! He has not said, But pardon them, until they are amended; but what? “But you, be not weary in well doing.” Withdraw yourselves, he says, from them, and reprove them; do not, however, suffer them to perish with hunger. What then, he says, if having abundance from us, he should remain idle? In that case, he says, I have spoken of a mild remedy, that you withdraw yourselves from him, that is, do not partake with him in free conversation; show that you are angry. This is no little matter. For such is the reproof that is given to a brother, if we wish really to amend him. We are not ignorant of the methods of reproof. For tell me, if you had a brother in the flesh, would you then overlook him pining with hunger? Truly I think not; but perhaps you would even correct him.
Ver. 14. “And if any man obeys not our word by this Epistle.”
He has not said, He that disobeys, disobeys me, but “note that man.” This is no slight chastisement. “Have no company with him.” Then again he says, “that he may be ashamed.” And he does not permit them to proceed farther. For as he had said, “if any does not work neither let him eat” fearing lest they should perish by hunger, he has added, “But in doing good, be not weary.” Thus having said, “Withdraw yourselves, and have no company with him,” then fearing lest this very thing might cut him off from the brotherhood— for he who gives himself up to despair will quickly be lost if he is not admitted to freedom of conversation— he has added,
Ver. 15. “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
By this he shows that he has assigned a heavy punishment against him, in depriving him of freedom of conversation.
For if to be a receiver even with many others is worthy of disgrace, when they even reprove while they offer it, and withdraw themselves, how great is the reproach, quite sufficient to sting the soul. For if only giving rather tardily, and with murmuring, they inflame the receivers— for tell me not of impudent beggars, but of the faithful— if they were to reprove while they give, what would they not do? To what punishment would it not be equal? We do not do so, but as if we had been greatly injured, we so insult and turn away from those who beg of us. Thou dost not give, but why do you also grieve him? “Admonish them,” he says, “as brethren,” do not insult them as enemies. He who admonishes his brother, does it not publicly. He does not make an open show of the insult, but he does it privately and with much address, and grieving, as hurt, and weeping and lamenting. Let us bestow therefore with the disposition of a brother, let us admonish with the good will of a brother, not as if we grieved at giving, but as if we grieved for his transgressing the commandment. Since what is the advantage? For if, even after giving, you insult, you destroy the pleasure of giving. But when you do not give and yet insult, what wrong do you not do to that wretched and unfortunate man? He came to you, to receive pity from you, but he goes away having received a deadly blow, and weeps the more. For when by reason of his poverty he is compelled to beg, and is insulted on account of his begging, think how great will be the punishment of those who insult him. “He that dishonors the poor,” it says, “provokes his Maker.” For tell me, did He suffer him to be poor for your sake, that you might be able to heal yourself— and do you insult him who for your sake is poor? What obstinacy is this! What an act of ingratitude is it! “Admonish him as a brother,” he says, and after having given, he orders you to admonish him. But if even without giving we insult him, what excuse shall we have?
Ver. 16. “Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in all ways.”
See how, when he mentions the things that are to be done, he sets his mark upon them by prayer, adding prayer and supplication, like certain marks set upon things that are laid up. “Give you peace,” he says, “at all times, in all ways.” For since it was likely that contentions would arise from these things, those men becoming exasperated, and the others not supplying such persons so readily as formerly, he with good reason now offered this prayer for them, saying, “Give you peace at all times.” For this is what is sought, that they may ever have it. “In every way,” says he. What is, “in every”? So that they may have no occasion of contention from any quarter. For everywhere peace is a good thing, even towards those who are without. For hear him elsewhere saying, “If it be possible, as much as in you lies, be at peace with all men.” For nothing is so conducive to the right performance of the things which we wish, as to be peaceable and undisturbed, and to be flee from all hatred, and to have no enemy.
“The Lord be with you all.”
<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->Ver. 17, 18. “The salutation of me Paul with my own hand, which is the token in every Epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
This he says that he writes in every Epistle, that no one may be able to counterfeit them, his subscription being subjoined as a great token. And he calls the prayer a salutation, showing that everything they then did was spiritual; even when it was proper to offer salutation, the thing was attended with advantage; and it was prayer, not merely a symbol of friendship. With this he began, and with it he ended, guarding with strong walls what he had said elsewhere, and laying safe foundations, he brought it also to a safe end. “Grace be unto you and peace,” he says; and again, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” This the Lord also promised, saying to His disciples, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” But this takes place when we are willing. For He will not be altogether with us, if we place ourselves at a distance. “I will be with you,” He says, “always.” Let us not therefore drive away grace. He tells us to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly. This was then a great evil, to be separated from the whole body of the brethren. By this indeed he punishes all, as elsewhere in his Epistle to the Corinthians he said, “With such a one no, not to eat.” But now the majority do not think this a great evil. But all things are confounded and corrupted. With adulterers, with fornicators, with covetous persons, we mix freely, and as a matter of course. If we ought to withdraw ourselves from one who was only supported in idleness, how much more from the others. And that you may know how fearful a thing it was to be separated from the company of the brethren, and what advantage it produces to those who receive reproof with a right mind, hear how that man, who was puffed up with sin, who had proceeded to the extreme of wickedness, who had committed such fornication as is not named even among the heathens, who was insensible of his wound— for this is the excess of perversion— he after all, though such an one, was so bent down and humbled that Paul said, “Sufficient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the many. Wherefore confirm your love toward him.” For as a member separated from the rest of the body, so was he at that time.
Source: Homilies on Second Thessalonians (New Advent)