Responsible Living—Lectionary (RCL) Reflection for Pentecost 23C/Proper 28 (2 Thessalonians 3)
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
6 Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister living irresponsibly and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not irresponsible when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living irresponsibly, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.
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A word
to the church—live responsibly. If you need an example, Paul (if Paul is the
author)—who worked for a living so that he wouldn’t be a burden to the church—offers
himself up for their imitation. This word comes in the context of a larger
discussion of the coming eschaton/Parousia (Jesus’ expected imminent
return). If Jesus is going to return any minute, why go to work? Why plan for
the future? Why protect the environment? (Paul doesn’t talk about the
environment, but some have used an imminent return of Jesus as a rationale for
not worrying about climate change).
Here we
have the final word of admonition from the author (it might be Paul or maybe
not) before he closes the letter. He offers the reader a warning about the
dangers of idleness. While he and his team were out preaching so that the “word
of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere” (2 Thess. 3:1), it
appears that there were those living idle lives. Therefore, Paul tells the
Thessalonians to have nothing to do with those who live lives of idleness or
perhaps live disruptive lives. They should also avoid those who failed to live
according to the tradition that had been delivered to them by Paul. Most likely
this reference to tradition involves not doctrine but ethical instructions
(live like Paul). These were likely the same individuals who, according to
verse 11 appear to have been busybodies and thus disrupting the community’s
life (vs. 11). These idle folks may have decided that since Jesus was expected
to return soon, they didn’t need to work. They could just depend on others for
support. Maybe they were false teachers who disrupted the community with their
teachings as well as living off the largesse of the community. Whatever the
case Paul tells the community to have nothing to do with them.
Thus,
Paul offers himself up as an example. That example involved not eating the
bread of others without paying for it. Though Paul and his companions were out
doing the Lord’s business and could easily ask for financial support, they
didn’t take advantage of that right. For those of us who have engaged in
professional ministry, and thus have been paid a salary it is good to know that
while Paul didn’t take a stipend they could have taken one. They just wanted to
give the folks in Thessaloniki an example to follow, so they worked night and
day so as not to be a burden on the folks there. That he chose this route may
have to do with the possibility that the idle ones who were causing disruption
were asking for financial support so they could be about their spiritual
business. In other words, they were freeloaders and Paul didn’t want to be
equated with them.
As we
read this passage, we need to be careful that we do not turn this into a screed
against people on welfare or other public support. Most of those who receive
government support have jobs but don’t make enough at their jobs to pay the
bills. Thus, they need help. Too often this passage, especially the declaration
that those who do not work should not eat is used by politicians as a cudgel
against folks receiving help. That message gets echoed in churches. Thus,
compassion is set aside. Of course, discernment is always needed. We needn’t
contribute to laziness, but we also need to make sure there is compassion. As
Molly Marshall writes: “The lack of empathy is strangling too many approaches
to a more just society, and our failure to cultivate this virtue is deeply
damaging” [1 & 2 Thessalonians, Belief, p. 193]. As we ponder this passage, we might also want
to keep in mind the early days of the pandemic as businesses closed down and
people got laid off. While there were those who took aid fraudulently (usually
persons of some means), there were many others who needed help. Many of those
who complained about helping others didn’t need to worry about their situation
in life.
The issue here is that the folks
who were idle and thus freeloading were also busybodies disrupting the life of
the church. That appears to be the major problem—freeloading busybodies
disrupting the congregation. Instead of working to put a meal on the table,
they were meddling in the affairs of the church members. Perhaps they were also
spreading false teachings, maybe about the imminent return of Christ, contrary
to the one that Paul had preached when he planted the church in Thessaloniki.
When we
read this, we must be careful not to swing too far the other way. Instead of
idleness, we preach workaholism. That would almost appear to be Paul’s message.
Look at us, we work day and night so we can pay our bills. There is a place for
balance. We need to work, and we need to find some time for leisure. That’s why
there is a Sabbath in Scripture (though I must admit that many of us ignore it,
especially clergy. I’ve known clergy afraid not only to take a day off from
work but even to take a vacation. That leads to burnout and affects family life).
The
final word is simply this—go to work, do your work quietly and diligently, and
never be weary in doing what is right. In other words, this is a call to
responsible living. That includes finding balance. Molly Marshall points us to
the example of Jesus who “bore witness to his dependence on prayer, retreat,
fellowship, and rest. Not pursuing a frenetic pace—walking everywhere creates a
more deliberate tempo—he measured his days with both urgency and patience. He
found time to celebrate, to care for his friends, and to do the hard and
suffering salvific work that was his calling as the anointed one” [1 & 2
Thessalonians, p. 196]. While Paul does encourage people to go to work, pay
their bills, etc., this is not a call to workaholism, even if Paul works night
and day so he’s not a burden to the folks in Thessaloniki. That call to work might
require that we adopt a balanced vision of life using Jesus as an exemplar.
Most importantly, we find here a reminder that whether or not the Parousia is
just around the corner, we should live responsibly (and following Jesus do this
at an appropriate pace/tempo).
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