14, 15. A fresh series of instructions still addressed like the preceding to the whole company of believers, and calling upon the (stronger) ‘ brethren’ to extend their aid towards those who are ‘ weak.’ ‘ Further we call upon you, Brothers, to warn those who are neglecting their proper duties. Let the despondent be encouraged, and those who are still weak in faith be upheld. Cherish a spirit of forbearance towards all men, and take special care that, so far from yielding to the old spirit of revenge, you make it your constant effort to seek the good of all.’ 14. νουθετεῖτετ. ἀτάκτους] Beza monete inordinatos rather than Vg. corripite inquietos. Ἄτακτος (ἅπ. λεγ. N.T.) primarily a military term applied to the soldier who does not remain in the ranks, and thence used more generally of whatever is out of order. In the present passage the special reference would seem to be to the idleness and neglect of duty which characterized certain members of the Thessalonian Church in view of the shortly-expected Parousia (Intr. p. 46 f.). Contrast the unbroken front over which St Paul rejoices in Colossians 2:5 χαίρωνκαὶβλέπωνὑμῶντὴντάξινκαὶτὸστερέωματῆςεἰςΧριστὸνπίστεωςὑμῶν. For the meaning of ἄτακτος see further Add. Note G. παραμυθεῖσθεκτλ.] ‘ encourage the faint-hearted’ (Vg. consolamini pusillanimes, Wycl. counforte e men of litil herte), whether from over-anxiety regarding their departed friends, or from fear of persecution, or from any other cause leading to despondency. Ὀλιγόψυχος, ἅπ. λεγ. N.T., occurs several times in the LXX. (e.g. Isaiah 57:15 ὀλιγοψύχοιςδιδοὺςμακροθυμίαν), as do the corresponding subst. (ὀλιγοψυχία) and verb (ἀλιγοψυχεῖν). For the verb cf. also P.Petr. 2:40 (a), 12 f. (3./b.c.) μὴοὖνὀλιγοψυχήσητεἀλλʼ ἀνδρίζεσθε. ἀντέχεσθεκτλ.] ‘ lay hold of the weak’ with the added idea of supporting them (Beza sublevate infirmos). For ἀντέχεσθαι (N.T. only midd.) in its more primary sense ‘ hold firmly to’ cf. Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13, Titus 1:9, Isaiah 56:4 ἀντέχωνταιτῆςδιαθήκηςμου; and from the Κοινή such passages as P.Par. 14, 22 f. (2./b.c.) οὐθενὸςδικαίουἀντεχόμενοι, P.Amh. 133, 11 ff. (2./a.d.) καὶμετὰπολλῶνκόπωνἀνηκάσαμεναὐτῶνἀντασχέσθαιτῆςτούτωνἐνεργίαςἐπὶτῷπροτέρῳἐκφορίου, ‘ and with great difficulty I made them set to work at the former rent.’ The weak here can only be the spiritually weak (Thdt. τοὺςμὴἑδραίανκεκτημένουςπίστιν): cf. Romans 14:1, 1 Corinthians 8:9; 1 Corinthians 8:11; 1 Corinthians 9:22. μακροθυμεῖτεκτλ.] ‘ be long-suffering toward all,’ i.e. do not give way to a ‘ short’ or ‘ quick’ temper (ὀξοθυία) towards those who fail, but be patient and considerate towards them: cf. 1 Corinthians 13:4, Galatians 5:22, and especially Ephesians 4:2 where μακροθυμία is explained as ἀνεχόμενοιἀλλήλωνἐνἀγάπῃ. In this sense μακροθυμία is assigned as an attribute to God Himself, Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22, 1 Peter 3:20. Th. Mops. (who confines the reference to the Church-leaders): ‘patientes estote ad omnes, eo qued hoe necessarium ualde est magistris, ita ut non facile desperent propter peccata, patienter uero suam impleant doctrinam, expectantes semper ut discipuli meliores sui efficiantur.’