Brotherly Love
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
What does it look like to love our fellow brothers well?
#love
Published July 9th, 2021
Main point summary
4:9-12
Key Observations
Outline of 1 Thessalonians
Take-aways
Notes
notes
Main point summary
Love your fellow believers even more and don't impose yourselves so that you may be respected and self-sustained.
4:9-12
editing
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1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
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Now concerning brotherly love w you have no need for anyone to write to you,
Now as to the a love of the brethren, you b have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are c taught by God to love one another;
But we don’t need to write to you
Now on the topic of brotherly love 9 you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
(9-10) Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God -taught in these matters. Just love one another! You’re already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it.
We have talked about sexual impurity and now we want to talk about loving the brothers. For this, you don't need anyone to correct or instruct you how to love them.
for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,
about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.
We know this because you have already been taught this by God, that is to love each other, and it shows!
for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia.
for indeed a you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to b excel still more,
Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters 10 in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11
And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,
And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
That you have been taught by God has been confirmed because you are out there loving all of the brothers throughout the area.
But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
But even though you are doing this so well, we are still here strongly asking, dear brothers, that you would not plateau in your love for the brothers but would continue to grow in how you love them.
and to aspire to live quietly,
and to make it your ambition a to lead a quiet life and b attend to your own business and c work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
Make it your goal to live a quiet life , minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.
to aspire to lead a quiet life , to attend to your own business , and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.
and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life : You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
(11-12) Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends.
Do this and set your goal to live quietly,
and to mind your own affairs,
that is to not inappropriately meddle in other peoples business while neglecting your own
and to work with your hands,
and to work hard making a living for yourself.
as we instructed you,
just as we had originally taught you.
so that you may walk properly before outsiders
so that you will 1 a behave properly toward b outsiders and 2 c not be in any need.
Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
In this way you will live 12 a decent life before outsiders and not be in need. 13
so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
So that people who are not brothers may respect the way you live
and be dependent on no one.
and so that you don't presume upon someone else's kindness for your daily needs.
Sub-point: "Now concerning brotherly love"
Sub-point: "we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly,"
Main point: "walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."
discourse
Key Observations
The recipients are further confirmed to be believers. In this particular section we see that they are v9 taught by God and v10 brothers. Themes include the positive character of the Thessalonians and t he importance of brotherly love The tone is encouraging but serious. The continual use of the word 'urge' displays a level of seriousness of the matter. The purpose is further explanation and teaching to continue to grow the Thessalonians further than they already are. The authors do not stop after saying that they are already loving the brothers. They continue by saying, "but we urge you". v9 The authors recognize and acknowledge that there is no need to write to the Thessalonians about this particular topic. The reference for their love is towards brothers: "brotherly love", "love one another", all the brothers" after saying that the Thessalonians should do this more and more the author follows with three "and"s. v9 NLT starts the section with the word 'but' v9 NLT also includes the word 'importance' v9 ESV, NASB, NLT, NET, and NIV all say very similar things regarding 'taught by God to love on another' v10 ESV, NASB, NLT, NET say 'indeed; only NIV says 'in fact' v10 NLT and NIV change 'but' to 'even so' and 'yet' v11 ESV and NASB have the same grammar breakdown, NLT and NIV have similar grammar, and NET has its own grammar....
Outline of 1 Thessalonians
I. Introduction 1:1 1. GREETING 1:1 II. Main Body 1:2-5:22 A. THANKSGIVING FOR THESSALONIANS 1:2-3:13 i. The Establishment of the Thessalonian Church 1:2-2:16 a. The Thessalonians respond to the word 1:2-10 b. Paul's time with the Thessalonians 2:1-16 ii. Report of the Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 a. Paul sends Timothy 2:17-3:5 b. Timothy's Report 3:6-13 B. EXHORTATION 4:1-5:22 i. Reminder of Original Instructions 4:1-12 a. Concerning Personal Purity 4:1-8 b. Concerning Brotherly Love 4:9-12 ii. Doctrinal Correction 4:13-5:10 a. Resurrection of the Dead 4:13-18 b. The Return of the Lord 5:1-10 iii. Final Doctrinal Applications 5:11-22 III. Closing 5:23-28 a. Prayer 5:23-24 b. Requests 5:25-28
Take-aways
Commands: What am I told to do? Love the brothers more and more live quietly Means: How am I to obey? By what means? By the way we instructed you by mind your own affairs by work with your hands Motivations: What motivates me to obey? Why should we obey this command? The motivation to obey these commands is for the purpose walking properly before outsiders and being dependent on no one Anchors: truths that we can stake our lives on. Truths that provide a stable platform from which action can be taken: about God, about man, gospel truths you yourselves have been taught by God You have no need for anyone to write you because that is what you are doing to all the brothers Meditations and Takeaways: Although the Bible often times encourages us to bear each others burdens, encourage, and exhort one another. According to this letter, and the need that Paul felt he must correct the way that they were living with and relying on each other, there is a possibility of taking advantage of others, getting involved where you shouldn't get involved, and allowing the support of the body tempt you to fall into laziness and lose self discipline.
Notes
For my next steps in implementing what I have learned from the paraphrasing course I intend to study and paraphrase the book of Titus. I will go section by section through the book to break it down and then discuss my understanding of and take-aways from the text with my husband. I have already begun to teach the skills that I have learned here to a woman that I am discipling. I have been encouraging her to take this course as well. I also share the principles that I have learned here , ex. slow down and look, at every appropriate opportunity.
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.