And that you study to be quiet, and to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
All Commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Go To 1 Thessalonians 4
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
And that you want nothing of any man's. This is the sense by the Greek, nor does the Latin here signify to desire, but to want them that are without; i.e. infidels out of the pale of the Church. (Witham)
In regard of brotherly love, he advises them to remain quiet, at peace with every one, troubling nobody, nor interfering with the concerns of others, but each one minding his own work. It had been reported to the apostle that there were some at Thessalonica who made religion a pretest for idleness. It is to reprove such persons as these, that we are given to understand in this place that religion will never excuse the neglect of relative duties, either to our neighbours or to ourselves. It is the duty of all to labour, in order to prevent the evils of poverty; for involuntary poverty is a great snare, and a dangerous temptation against salvation. It exposes to ignorance, to meanness, and low actions; it conducts to fraud, to falsities, to impudence, and forgetfulness of God. Happy are the poor in spirit, but miserable they who are involuntarily so: miserable, not for the wants, the humiliations, or inconveniences of their state, but for the irregularities and disorders of conduct to which they are exposed. It is therefore wise of man to pray, Give me not riches nor poverty, but give me only what is sufficient (Calmet)
