And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Here the apostle teaches that our pastors must be obeyed, and not only secular princes; and with respect to such as will not be obedient to their spiritual governors, the apostle, (as St. Augustine affirmeth) ordains that they be corrected by admonition, by degradation, or excommunication. (Cont. Donat. post Callat. chap. iv. 20.lib. de correp.grat. chap. iii.)
He has not said, He that disobeys, disobeys me, but note that man. This is no slight chastisement. Have no company with him. Then again he says, that he may be ashamed. And he does not permit them to proceed farther. For as he had said, if any does not work neither let him eat fearing lest they should perish by hunger, he has added, But in doing good, be not weary. Thus having said, Withdraw yourselves, and have no company with him, then fearing lest this very thing might cut him off from the brotherhood— for he who gives himself up to despair will quickly be lost if he is not admitted to freedom of conversation
Wherefore if any one.
But I do not "said he, "give opportunity for the doing of these deeds, but that he who has sinned may sin no more. But with regard to his previous transgressions, there is One who is able to provide a cure;
Ast? no allocution touching the future? Nay, more; he goes further, and beseeches that they "would confirm toward him affection "as if he were making satisfaction to him, not as if he were granting an indulgence! And yet I hear (him speak of) "affection "not "communion; "as (he writes) withal to the Thessalonians "But if any obey not our word through the epistle, him mark; and associate not with him, that he may feel awed; not regarding (him) as an enemy, but rebuking as a brother."
