SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:11
y que procuris tener quietud, y hacer vuestros negocios, y que obris con vuestras manos de la manera que os hemos mandado;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 4:11
Verse 11. That ye study to be quiet] Though in general the Church at Thessalonica was pure and exemplary, yet there seem to have been some idle, tattling people among them, who disturbed the peace of others; persons who, under the pretense of religion, gadded about from house to house; did not work, but were burdensome to others; and were continually meddling with other people's business, making parties, and procuring their bread by religious gossipping. To these the apostle gives those directions which the whole Church of God should enforce wherever such troublesome and dangerous people are found; viz: That they should study to be quiet, hsucazein, to hold their peace, as their religious cant will never promote true religion; that they should do their own business, and let that of others alone; and that they should work with their own hands, and not be a burden to the Church of God, or to those well meaning but weak and inconsiderate people who entertain them, being imposed on by their apparent sanctity and glozing conversation. An idle person, though able to discourse like an angel, or pray like an apostle, cannot be a Christian; all such are hypocrites and deceivers; the true members of the Church of Christ walk, work, and labour.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. And that ye study to be quiet , etc.] To live peaceably in their own families, and to give no disturbance to other families, by talebearing, whispering, and backbiting; to behave with quietness in the neighbourhood, town, or city, they dwell in, and to seek the peace thereof; and to lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, in the commonwealth, and under the government to which they belong; and not to create and encourage factions, divisions, animosities, and contentions, in their own church, or in any of the churches of Christ; and it becomes saints to make this their study, to be very solicitous for it, to strive for it, and pursue after it: the word used signifies to be ambitious of it, as what is a man's glory and honour, to emulate and strive to outdo each other, as who shall have the honour of being the quietest person, and the most peaceable member in the community: and to do your own business : or private business, or what is proper and peculiar to a man's self; to abide every man in his own calling wherein he is called, and attend the business of it, and not thrust himself into other families, and officiously take upon him, under a pretence of zeal, affection, and friendship, to inspect, direct, or manage the business of others: in short, he should not meddle with other people's business, but mind his own: and this is what the Jews call Ura rd , the way of the earth, or the business of life: there are four things, (they say f25 ) in which a man should employ himself continually, with all his might, and these are they, the law, and good works, and prayer, and the business of life; upon which the gloss has this note by way of explanation, if a man is an artificer (let him attend) to his art; if a merchant to his merchandise, and if he is a soldier to war; and which may serve to illustrate the apostle's sense: and to work with your own hands ; the reason of this is, because there were some among them, who would not work at all; (see 2 Thessalonians 3:11) and by this instruction it appears, that the members of this church, in common, were such as were brought up to handicraft trades and businesses, and were poor and mean; and this was the general case of the primitive churches: it pleased God to choose and call the poor of this world, to whom the Gospel was preached, and they received it; few of the rulers among the Jews believed in Christ, and not many mighty, rich, or noble among the Gentiles were called; some there were, and in this church there were some of the chief women of the city, ( Acts 17:4), and though these and others of the better sort, as well as ministers of the Gospel among them, who laboured in the word and doctrine, were not obliged by this to perform manual work and labour, yet were not exempted from all concern in the exhortation; it being proper and necessary, that all sorts of persons be employed in one sort of business or another, and to use diligence and application in it: the apostle's view being chiefly to inveigh against sloth and idleness, and to exhort to labour and industry as the most effectual method to preserve peace and quietness, and to keep persons from being troublesome and hurtful, in families, churches, and commonwealths: the reasons enforcing this follow in this and the next verse, as we commanded you ; and the command of an apostle carries weight and authority with it, and ought to be obeyed; yea, they not only strictly enjoined a diligent application to business, but set them an example themselves, (see 1 Thessalonians 2:9 2 Thessalonians 3:7,8).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-12 - We should notice in others what is good, to their praise, that we ma engage them to abound therein more and more. All who are savingl taught of God, are taught to love one another. The teaching of the Spirit exceeds the teachings of men; and men's teaching is vain an useless, unless God teach. Those remarkable for this or any othe grace, need to increase therein, as well as to persevere to the end. It is very desirable to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of peaceable and quiet behaviour. Satan is busy to trouble us; and we have in our hearts what disposes us to be unquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet. Those who are busy-bodies, meddling in other men's matters have little quiet in their own minds, and cause great disturbance among their neighbours. They seldom mind the other exhortation, to be diligent in their own calling, to work with their own hands Christianity does not take us from the work and duty of our particula callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein. People often by slothfulness reduce themselves to great straits, and are liable to man wants; while such as are diligent in their own business, earn their ow bread, and have great pleasure in so doing.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 φιλοτιμεισθαι 5389 5738 ησυχαζειν 2270 5721 και 2532 πρασσειν 4238 5721 τα 3588 ιδια 2398 και 2532 εργαζεσθαι 2038 5738 ταις 3588 ιδιαις 2398 χερσιν 5495 υμων 5216 καθως 2531 υμιν 5213 παρηγγειλαμεν 3853 5656
Vincent's NT Word Studies
11. Study (filotimeisqai). P o . Make it your aim. Comp. Rom. xv. 20 (see note); 2 Cor. v. 9. Often in Class. Lit. to be fond of honor: hence to strive for honor, to be ambitious.
To be quiet (hsucazein). Note the paradox, strive to be quiet. For similar instances see Rom. i. 20, unseen things clearly seen: Rom. i. 22, wise, be fooled (comp. Horace, Od. 1, 34, 2, insaniens sapientia): 2 Corinthians viii. 2, poverty abounded unto riches: 2 Cor. vii. 10, repentance, not to be repented of. The disturbances rebuked in the second Epistle may have begun to show themselves, so that there is a possible allusion to the idle busybodies of 2 Thess. iii. 11.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:11 {That ye study to be quiet} (filotimeisqai hesucazein). First infinitive dependent on parakaloumen (verse #10, we exhort you), the second on filotimeisqai (old verb from filotimos, fond of honor, filos, time). The notion of ambition appears in each of the three N.T. examples (#1Th 4:11; 2Co 5:9; Ro 5:20), but it is ambition to do good, not evil. The word ambition is Latin (_ambitio_ from _ambo, ire_), to go on both sides to accomplish one's aims and often evil). A preacher void of ambition lacks power. There was a restless spirit in Thessalonica because of the misapprehension of the second coming. So Paul urges an ambition to be quiet or calm, to lead a quiet life, including silence (#Ac 11:18). {To do your own business} (prassein ta idia). Present infinitive like the others, to have the habit of attending to their own affairs (ta idia). this restless meddlesomeness here condemned Paul alludes to again in #2Th 3:11 in plainer terms. It is amazing how much wisdom people have about other people's affairs and so little interest in their own. {To work with your own hands} (ergazesqai tais cersin humwn). Instrumental case (cersin). Paul gave a new dignity to manual labor by precept and example. There were "pious" idlers in the church in Thessalonica who were promoting trouble. He had commanded them when with them.
