2 Thessalonians 3:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If those who give alms less willingly, or give with murmuring, enrage those who receive, do not speak to me of shameless beggars, but of believers, then what do they awaken in them when they dare to reproach them while giving alms? What punishment must they undergo for this? But we do not act so. On the contrary, we so greatly insult those who ask, and look upon them with such disgust, as though they had done us the greatest wrong. You give him nothing. Why then are you vexed? "Admonish them as brothers," said the Apostle, "and do not insult them as enemies." The one who admonishes his brother does not do this publicly, nor does he solemnly expose him to shame. Rather, he does it in secret and with great caution, grieving and contrite, with tears and weeping. Therefore let us give alms with brotherly zeal, and let us admonish with brotherly love. Let us grieve not because we give alms, but because he transgresses the commandment. What benefit will you gain from this? If, after giving him alms, you insult him, you will lose the delight produced for you by your generosity. And if you give him nothing and insult him, what evil will you not cause this wretched and unfortunate man? He came to you hoping to receive alms from you, and he went away having received a mortal wound from you. After this he will shed even more tears. Since poverty forces him to ask alms, yet he is insulted because he asks, see what punishment will overtake those who insult him. "He who oppresses the poor blasphemes his Maker" (Prov 14:31). Tell me: He permitted that man to beg for your sake, so that you might heal yourself. Yet you insult the one who endures poverty for your sake. What cruelty! What ingratitude in this deed! "Admonish," says the Apostle, "as brothers." Even after giving, he commands us to admonish him. But if we give him nothing and begin to insult him, what shall we then say in our defense?

Let us grieve, he says, not because we give alms to one who does nothing, but because he violates the law of God. Let us have compassion on him as on one who is sick. Let those hear this who not only do not give, but also insult the poor man and throw stones at him. He is poor for your sake, so that you may heal your wounds through love toward him. Yet you drive away the one who bears poverty for your sake. What insensibility this is!

But however these words are understood, either that the corrupt are punished by the Church with all strictness through excommunication, or that each person, instructing and correcting himself, casts the corrupt man out of himself, the words cited above contain no ambiguity. They prescribe not associating with brethren noted for any of the vices listed above, that is, with those of bad reputation. With what intention and with what love this merciful severity must be applied, he shows clearly not only where he says, "that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus" (1 Cor 5:5). But also elsewhere: "If anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, keep him in view, note him, and do not associate with him, that he may be ashamed; but do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

Let what the one being rebuked fears to have disclosed remain between you. It is certainly better that the one rebuked regard you as a friend rather than an enemy. It is easier to be humbled after hearing counsel than to agree with an insult. The Apostle also says: "Admonish him as a brother," that he may be ashamed, "and do not count him as an enemy" (2 Thess 3:15). Fear is an unreliable guardian of steadfastness, but shame is a good teacher of duty. The one who fears experiences external pressure and is not corrected. But in the one in whom shame works, nature is changed. The specification is excellent: "If he sins against you" (Mt 18:15), because sinning against God and sinning against man are not equal offenses. See 1 Sam 2:25. The Apostle, a faithful interpreter of the divine saying, spoke thus: "Reject a heretic after one admonition" (Tit 3:10), because false belief is not forgivable to the same degree as another sin. For the most part, error occurs through inexperience. Therefore the Apostle commands admonition, so that stubbornness in error may be avoided or a fall corrected.

Chrysostom concerning the apostolic exhortation to the Thessalonians: "The Apostle does not allow the punishment to extend beyond the proper measure. For above, after saying, 'If anyone will not work, neither let him eat,' he feared that they might perish from hunger and added, 'But you, do not grow weary in doing good.' So now also, after saying, 'Withdraw yourselves and do not associate with him,' he feared that this very thing might separate him from the community. Therefore the Apostle added, 'Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.'"

Against this, the Apostle says, I have shown you an easy remedy: withdraw from such a person. That is, do not give him boldness. Show the appearance of being angry with him. This is not insignificant. This is how we ought to punish a brother if we truly desire that he be corrected. For tell me, if you had a brother according to the flesh, would you leave him without help when he was dying of hunger? I do not think so. Rather, you would probably take care for his correction. Thus the Apostle does not allow the punishment to extend beyond the proper measure. After saying, 'Withdraw yourselves and do not associate with him,' he feared that this very thing might tear him away from the society of the brethren. Then, despairing of himself, he might soon perish if encouragement were denied him. Therefore the Apostle added, 'Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.' Admonish as a brother, said the Apostle, and do not insult as an enemy. The one who admonishes his brother does not do this publicly, nor does he solemnly expose him to shame. Rather, he does it in secret and with great caution, grieving and contrite, with tears and weeping."

Of course, the representatives and executors of such concern were to be the presiders, to whom care for the salvation of souls was entrusted. The Apostle probably laid the execution of this whole arrangement upon them. Here are St. Chrysostom's words on this passage, breathing love for the weak: "Thus the Apostle does not allow the punishment to extend beyond the proper measure. For above, after saying, 'If anyone will not work, neither let him eat,' he feared that they might perish from hunger and added, 'But you, do not grow weary in doing good.' So now also, after saying, 'Withdraw yourselves and do not associate with him,' he feared that this very thing might separate him from the society of the brethren. For then, despairing of himself, he might soon perish if encouragement were denied him. Therefore the Apostle added, 'Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.' By this he shows that he assigned a great punishment to the guilty man, one that could deprive him of every boldness. Admonish as a brother, said the Apostle, and do not insult as an enemy. The one who admonishes his brother does not do this publicly, nor does he solemnly expose him to shame. Rather, he does it in secret and with great caution, grieving and contrite, with tears and weeping."