Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Thessalonians 3:2

"and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have not faith." — 2 Thessalonians 3:2 (ASV)

And that we may be delivered — . This clause expands on the phrase "may run along." The obstacles to the gospel's progress were persecutions like these, although God ultimately overruled them for good. Paul gives thanks for such deliverances in 2 Corinthians 1:10, 2 Timothy 3:11, and 2 Timothy 4:17. Perhaps, as Chrysostom suggests, one reason Paul invited their prayers was to strengthen the Thessalonians with the knowledge that they were not the only ones facing danger.

From unreasonable and wicked men — The unusual word translated "unreasonable" is rendered "amiss" in Luke 23:41, "wickedness" in Acts 25:5, and "harm" in Acts 28:6, appearing nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means something "out of place," and therefore "improper" or "monstrous." Thus, the dying robber says that our Lord had done "nothing so monstrous" as to deserve crucifixion; Festus ironically invites the priests to Paul's trial, "if there is something so monstrous in him;" and the Maltese islanders "saw that nothing so monstrous happened to him after all."

Therefore, Paul wants the Thessalonians to pray for his deliverance "from these monstrous and depraved people." He is clearly referring to specific enemies he fears, as the original Greek includes the definite article. Who, then, are "these monstrous persons?" If we examine the circumstances described in Acts 18:6, 9, and 12, when this letter was written, we can have little doubt that he means the unbelieving Jews of Corinth. He was, in fact, delivered from these Jews, though it was a narrow escape. It was perhaps in direct answer to the prayers Paul requests here that he received the vision and assurances from the Lord, and that Gallio was moved to dismiss the Jews' case so abruptly.

For all men have not faith — This clause explains the reason for the alarm expressed in the previous one. It is as if Paul is saying, "Do not be surprised that I need help against wicked men, for you know that not everyone has faith." There is a somewhat scornful and embittered tone in this expression, recalling the denunciation against the same people in 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16. It suggests that nothing better could be expected from such a group of unconverted Jews. Tacitly, the unbelieving Corinthians are also contrasted with the Thessalonians, who had so readily embraced the truth.

However, this sentence may also be an instance of a common Hebrew idiom, found over twenty times in the Greek New Testament, in which the combination of "all" and "not" means "none." For example, all flesh shall not be justified in Romans 3:20 is rendered as "no flesh will be justified," and they are not all of us in 1 John 2:19 means "not one of them is of us." If so, the phrase here could mean, "for not one of them believes." Similarly, when speaking of the Jews in Romans 10:16, the phrase they did not all obey may mean "none of them obeyed." This would be a rhetorical exaggeration, which the writer then proceeds to justify with an exhaustive question from Isaiah.