2 Thessalonians 3:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Listen to what he says elsewhere: "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Rom 12:18). Nothing contributes so much to the proper fulfillment of all that we desire as abiding in peace and quiet, withdrawing from every enmity, and having not a single enemy among us.

Nothing contributes so much to the correction of what we wish to correct as peaceful, untroubled conduct and admonition without anger. "The Lord be with you all." The Lord also promised this: "And lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Mt 28:20). If, he says, He is with you all, that is, both with those who must be corrected and with those who have been corrected, then everything will be for good. He will heal those unwilling to labor, and He will strengthen those who love labor in diligence.

Nothing contributes so much to the correction of what we wish to correct as peaceful, untroubled conduct and admonition without anger." Concerning the words "The Lord be with you all," St. John Chrysostom remarks: "We also can ask this for ourselves, if only we fulfill what the Lord has commanded. For listen to what Christ says to His disciples: 'Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age' (Mt 28:20). This was said not only to them, the Apostles, but also to us, because the words 'to the end of the age' show that this was promised not only to them, but to all who will follow in their footsteps. The Lord promised, 'Lo, I am with you,' but this happens only when we desire it. For He will certainly not be with us if we ourselves begin to withdraw from Him. Let us not drive this grace away from ourselves."

So he prays that the Lord preserve and establish among them a firm and all-embracing peace. By his corrective measure, the Apostle indeed seems to divide. Yet he does so not so that there may be discord, but so that those being separated may come to their senses and turn from their wrong path. Then, by likeness of disposition, entering into communion with all, they will give all the faithful the possibility of enjoying warm peace. St. Chrysostom writes: "See how, when he commands them what must be done, he seals his exhortations with prayer, placing prayers and supplications as a kind of seal upon these treasures. 'May He give you peace.' Since, probably, quarrels could arise from this, that is, from the way he commanded them to treat the disobedient, because some would become more insistent and others less yielding. He does not pray about this without reason." Oecumenius explains: "He knew that quarrels are born from rebukes and admonitions when those upon whom they fall remain obstinate. Therefore he asks peace for them from the God of peace." "Peace always in every way." "That you may be at peace with the Lord and with one another, and be delivered from the snares of adversaries. For this is what 'in every way' means" (Theodoret). "That they may have no occasion for discord from anywhere, neither from words nor from manner of action. For in this way they will easily make even those disobedient ones better. Nothing contributes so much to the correction of what we wish to correct as peaceful, untroubled conduct and admonition without anger" (Theophylact). "The Lord be with you all." This is the summit of Christian good wishes. For if the Lord remains with them, then with Him every good thing unto salvation will multiply abundantly among them. "If He is with you all," he says, "that is, both with those who must be corrected and with those who have been corrected, then everything will be for good. He will heal those unwilling to labor, and He will strengthen those who love labor in their diligence" (Theophylact). St. Chrysostom gives this lesson here: "We also can ask this for ourselves, if only we fulfill what the Lord has commanded. For listen to what Christ says to His disciples: 'Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age' (Mt 28:20). This was said not only to them, the Apostles, but also to us, because the words 'to the end of the age' show that this was promised not only to them, but to all who will follow in their footsteps. The Lord promised, 'Lo, I am with you,' but this happens only when we desire it. For He will certainly not be with us if we ourselves begin to withdraw from Him. 'I will remain with you forever,' He says. Let us not drive this grace away from ourselves."