In 2Thessalonians 3:6 Paul told the believers at Thessalonica to withdraw (G4724) themselves from any brother who walked disorderly. There are two things one needs to know about what Paul said in order to fully understand what he told his readers to do. First, we need to know what he meant by withdraw (G4724). Did he mean ‘shun,’ as is done according to the traditions of some denominations, or, perhaps he meant to ‘excommunicate,’ as is the practice of other denominations of Christianity, or could he have meant something else? Secondly, in order for anyone to correctly understand what Paul told his readers to do in the first century AD, we need to know what he meant by a brother who walked disorderly (G814).
If we consider the Greek word, stello (G4724), meaning to withdraw or keep away from, we need to be careful how we interpret the word, because Paul modified the word’s meaning in 2Thessalonians 3:15. While shunning, as is practiced among some groups of Christians, and the idea certainly could fit the meaning of stello (G4724), in what way would shunning be different, as is practiced toward a brother or sister in Christ, from how one would normally be inclined to treat an enemy? If I saw an enemy approaching, someone who might do me harm, I would probably be inclined to avoid him entirely, if possible. While it does cause one to successfully avoid one’s brother or sister, it is hardly the way one should treat a person one loves.
How then could a believer both withdraw from an erring brother or sister and still avoid treating him or her as an enemy? In the context of the first century AD this might look like a disorderly brother or sister being stripped of legitimate responsibilities within the church. Moreover, the body of believers would avoid enabling the erring brother or sister by not debating doctrine with him or her (if doctrine was the issue), or they would avoid conversations with him that might permit him to challenge what the church was doing (if criticism was the issue) etc. Worshiping together shouldn’t be a problem, nor should speaking with or eating with such a person be a problem. In other words, one could avoid giving him opportunity in offensive issues and still treat the brother or sister in Christ as one’s friend.
Secondly, we need to understand what a brother or sister would have to do in order to be understood as walking disorderly (G814). The Greek word is a military term meant to express uniformity. If one marches out of step, for example, that one is more easily noticed by onlookers than the rest of the military formation, who are marching in step with one another. If we apply this idea to the context of a group of believers, the disorderly (ataktos; G814) brother would be the one who had a different agenda in doctrine or thought the church should be doing something different than what the church officers decided to do. It isn’t a matter of believing differently on issues or even disagreeing with the church officers, but disorderly (ataktos, G814) points to seeking to impose one’s own agenda (doctrinal or behavioral) upon the rest of the body of believers.
Paul also described such brethren as busybodies (G4020), who seemed to have a lot to say about what others said and did, while he seemed to be lacking in any good work done for the sake of Christ (2Thessalonians 3:11). In other words he was the critic who stood by, telling others how things should be done, either in the church as a whole or in what another brother or group of brethren did for Christ. The unruly brother wasn’t striving to be quiet, doing his own business, and working with his own hands (1Thessalonians 4:11-12). Rather he was idle in things pertaining to anything he did for Christ. It is impossible for a disorderly believer to be working out his own salvation (Philippians 2:12), if he is constantly meddling in the affairs of his brethren.
This idea reminds me of what the Lord said to the servant whose “money” (symbol of doing business for Christ) was preserved intact, but it wasn’t increased for the sake of the Lord (Luke 19:20-24). To labor for the Lord, one needs to work out one’s own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). If one lacks the faith to do that, he could at the very least throw in with a brother who was doing well in his business for the Lord and serve the Lord by laboring side by side with his brother in Christ in his brother’s ministry (cp. Luke 19:23). In doing so, he would be working with a brother who was increasing in faith, and thereby the weak brother would eventually learn to step out in his own faith and do his own business to honor Christ. This, I believe, is the intent behind Paul’s command in 2Thessalonians 3:6.
Smoodock's Blog 