2 Thessalonians 3:3
But ethe Lord is ffaithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
πιστὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, ὃς στηρίξει ὑμᾶς καὶ φυλάξει ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.
Textual key: no entry
e:
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
f:
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
1 Thessalonians 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
These words are added by way of consolation:
1. With respect to their establishment, which the apostle had before prayed for, 2Th 2:17, and here he assures them of it. What God hath promised, yet we may and ought to pray for; and ministers should exhort people to seek that grace which they may be sure beforehand God will give. And this establishment respects either their mind, in the belief of the gospel against false doctrine; or their hearts, against inordinate fears of men; or their practice, against departing from the way of holiness.
The apostle well knew the tenure of the new covenant, which contains promises of perseverance and establishment, as well as of pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace, Jer 32:40; and he grounds his confidence of their establishment upon God’s faithfulness, as upon the same account he comforts the Corinthians, 1Co 10:13, and these Thessalonians, 1Th 5:24, and it may be the apostle hath here reference to what he had said before; Though we shall meet with wicked and unreasonable men, yet fear not, God will establish you, for he is faithful. As God’s promises are according to his purposes, so his performances will be according to his promises, which is his faithfulness.
2. As God would establish them, so keep them from evil. There is moral and penal evil, of sin and suffering; the Greek word imports the former; never used but for sinful evil, or sometimes for the devil, with respect to the sin that dwells in him, and occasioned by him, Eph 6:16 1Jn 5:18. And it is true, that God will keep his people from the devil, as some read the word. But I suppose the apostle means here by evil, evil work; as he speaks, 2Ti 4:18: The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work. But whether the evil work of others, or their own? The latter I incline to, for he could not well assure them of the former. But how could he assure them of the latter?
Did he think God would keep them from all sin? The apostle doth not mean so, nor say so; God keeps his people from much evil and sin which others fall into, though not from all. And he keeps them from falling under the power of it. Though they may be tempted by Satan, the world, or their own hearts, yet not so as finally to be overcome. However, the more God doth establish his people, the more will they be kept from evil. And the apostle doth also comfort them in this from the consideration of God’s faithfulness. But these promises of God’s keeping us do not exclude our endeavours of keeping ourselves: He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not, 1Jn 5:18. Hence those exhortations: Keep thy heart with all diligence, Pro 4:23, and Keep yourselves in the love of God, Jud 1:21, &c. And our keeping is ascribed to our own faith with the power of God, 1Pe 1:5.