For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; (8) nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, (9) not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. (10) For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. (11) For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
The 2ND letter to the THESSALONIANS was written by the Apostle Paul. Paul and the gospel teach that work is essential to the Christian character and that idleness leads to being “busybodies”. Meddlesome interference, showing lack of character and living off others is a very dangerous path. This is hardly the brotherly love Paul preached – and the freeloaders Paul is writing about here are the Christians. He is telling his readers that no work leads to an undiscliplined life and meddling in the lives of others is hindering others
In Genesis, even before the fall, God decreed that man must work and after the fall man received the curse of hard labor and toil. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that he was entitled to be supported as an Apostle and in his ministry but he chose not to exercise that right. Paul practiced what he preached in regard to work to be an example of Christian living.
He gave very specific instructions as to work and focused on those who were idle in the context of the believers sanctification. Paul writes that they must imitate him – he uses the word command in regard to work ethics. Paul considers this such a serious problem that later in chapter three he urges Christians in Thessalonica to withhold fellowship with those Christians who refuse to work – but in this disassociation they are to still regard them as brothers, not the enemy. He feared they were walking a very dangerous path and were in urgent need of correction.