Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
we command you--Hereby he puts to a particular test their obedience in general to his commands, which obedience he had recognized in 2 Thessalonians 3:4.
withdraw--literally, "to furl the sails"; as we say, to steer clear of (compare 2 Thessalonians 3:14). Some had given up labor as though the Lord's day was immediately coming. He had enjoined mild censure of such in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, "Warn . . . the unruly"; but now that the mischief had become more confirmed, he enjoins stricter discipline, namely, withdrawal from their company (compare 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 John 1:10-11): not a formal sentence of excommunication, such as was subsequently passed on more heinous offenders (as in 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20). He says "brother," that is, professing Christian; for in the case of unprofessing heathen, believers needed not be so strict (1 Corinthians 5:10-13).
disorderly--Paul plainly would not have sanctioned the order of Mendicant Friars, who reduce such a "disorderly" and lazy life to a system. Call it not an order, but a burden to the community (BENGEL, alluding to the Greek, 2 Thessalonians 3:8, for "be chargeable," literally, "be a burden").
the tradition--the oral instruction which he had given to them when present (2 Thessalonians 3:10), and subsequently committed to writing (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
which he received of us--Some oldest manuscripts read, "ye received"; others, "they received." The English Version reading has no very old authority.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Romans 16:17
1 Thessalonians 4:11
1 Thessalonians 5:14
2 Thessalonians 2:15
2 Thessalonians 3:14
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