2 Timothy Study #10

“Final Thoughts, P.S., and BTW”

2 Timothy 4:9-22

Study #10 in 2 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

We have come to the end of this precious letter from Paul to Timothy. As far as any of us knows, it is the last thing Paul ever wrote. We believe that he was martyred soon after the completion of the epistle. If he wrote other letters God has not seen fit to preserve them for us as part of the Canon of Scripture.

In this brief letter we can sense the urgency Paul felt to say some important last things to his beloved protégé, Timothy, who he loved like a son. Sitting in that prison cell he had a lot of time to think, and I believe he compiled a mental list of a few more things he wanted Timothy to know. And in the off chance that his execution should be postponed he wanted Timothy to bring him some items that he needed to make his prison stay more bearable.

TRANSITION:

When we write letters, text messages, or emails to one another we often attach a P.S. (“postscript”) or a BTW (“by the way”) to the end of the communication. It’s because as we are writing we sometimes have a last-minute thought that we want to include. Rather than go back and insert it into the body of the letter we tack it on to the end. That’s what these verses feel like to me. Verses 9-22 are the P.S. of Paul’s second letter to Timothy.

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 9-10: Make every effort to come to me soon; ¹⁰ for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

• “Make every effort to come to me soon” – Paul was a strong, mature follower of Christ but he was not a Super Saint. He was like us in most ways despite being a hand-picked servant of Christ, and like us, he needed and wanted companionship. I think that Paul was lonely. During his first Roman imprisonment he was lodged in a rented apartment of some kind, and he had lots of company and friends dropping by at all hours to visit him. Not so this time around. He was in a dark cave-like dungeon in Rome’s infamous Mamertine Prison, and he had few visitors. 
• “…for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” – Paul was very aware of those who had forsaken him but his abandonment by his friend, Demas, was especially disappointing. He says that Demas left him because he “loved this present world” (literally, “this now age”), implying that he loved this world more than he loved Christ. Demas was mentioned in Paul’s earlier letters as a trusted fellow-worker, but something went sour, and he got off-track and went astray (cf. Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 1:24). His previous faithfulness made it even more painful for Paul.
• “Crescens has gone to Galatia” – Others left Paul out of necessity; their services being needed elsewhere (like Crescens and Titus). Some others left because Paul sent them on special missions, like Tychicus mentioned in verse 12. This is the only mention of Crescens in the NT. Galatia can refer either to the northern area of Asia Minor known as Gaul, or to a Roman province in what is now Central Turkey.
• “Titus to Dalmatia” – Dalmatia corresponds to modern day Albania and part of Yugoslavia, also known in the NT as Illyricum (cf. Romans 15:19).

Verses 11-12: Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. ¹² But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 

·       “Only Luke is with me” – Dear Luke, who had traveled with Paul on many of his missionary journeys, remained with Paul, probably serving as his personal physician as well as his trusted companion. Everyone else was gone. This was a significant contrast to Paul’s first Roman imprisonment several years before, when he received many visitors (Acts 28:30-31).

·       “Pick up Mark and bring him with you” – This is evidence of a restoration of trust in Mark from Paul. Paul had wanted nothing to do with him in Acts 15:36-40 when Barnabas suggested taking Mark on yet another missionary trip. Mark had abandoned them on their first journey and had run home to his momma, so Paul had written him off.

• “…for he is useful to me for service” – This is the fascinating ending to the story of the conflict between Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark and proof of two things: (1) that Mark had matured and become a faithful Christ-follower and minister of the Gospel, and (2) that Paul could admit that he had been proven wrong about Mark. At this stage, Paul held Mark in high esteem.
• “But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus” – I am wondering if having just asked Timothy to come soon to Rome if Paul is now sending Tychicus to replace him for a while to care for the flock in Ephesus during Timothy’s absence.

Verse 13: When you come, bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.

·       “When you come, bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus” – I think that it is likely that Paul was arrested at Troas, resulting in this second imprisonment at Rome. In those days the arresting soldiers had the right to lay claim to any extra garments in the possession of the arrestee. It’s possible that Paul was forewarned of the arrest and therefore entrusted his few belongings, especially his books, parchments, and this “cloak” to the care of a friend named Carpus. We know nothing about the man as this is the only time he is mentioned in Scripture. The cloak in question was a traveling cape called a phailónes, which was a large circular cape that came down below the knees, with an opening for the head in the center. It was used for protection against the cold and stormy weather.

·       “…and the books, especially the parchments.” – Paul was a scholar to the end, and he wanted his books (papyrus scrolls, cf. biblía). He especially wanted the beloved parchments (membrána, made of sheep or goat skin) which were hand-written portions of the Old Testament. I believe that Paul was hungry to feast his eyes once again on the words of the Word of God, the thing that would bring him the greatest comfort in his greatest hour of need.

Verses 14-15: Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.

• “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm” – In 1 Timothy 1:20 Paul mentioned Alexander as someone whose faith had suffered shipwreck. Now Paul warned Timothy about this same man. Paul simply wrote that Alexander “did me much harm” – but implied that he would almost certainly also oppose Timothy (“Be on guard against him yourself.). We can be sure that Timothy respected Paul’s judgment and took seriously his wise advice to beware of Alexander.
• By the way, “…the coppersmith” does not mean that he worked only in copper. It was commonly applied to workers in any kind of metal.

·       “…did me much harm” – We do not know specifically what Alexander did against Paul. Perhaps he was a traitor, an informer who betrayed Paul to the Roman government and was responsible for his current imprisonment. Perhaps Alexander was a witness against Paul at his first defense. William Barclay says this: “Informers were one of the great curses of Rome at this time. And it may well be that Alexander was a renegade Christian, who went to the magistrates with false information against Paul, seeking to ruin him in the most dishonourable way.”

·       “…the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.” Alexander’s judgment would be simple. It is a terrible thing to be judged according to one’s deeds. This is neither a curse nor a prediction from Paul but simply a statement of fact. Paul recognized that vengeance was not his to mete out, but he knew that God will avenge him in the day of His Wrath. See Romans 12:19.

Verse 16: At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.

• “…At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me” – Paul’s “first defense” perhaps refers to his first imprisonment in Rome (spoken of at the end of Acts), or it could also have been a first hearing under his current imprisonment.

·       “…no one supported me, but all deserted me” – Evidently Paul was all alone during that official court proceeding, and he was hurt by being left to face it all by himself.  

·       “…may it not be counted against them.” – Despite the fact that Paul had felt abandoned by his friends, these words show that Paul was not bitter. This is powerful evidence of a gracious spirit and spiritual maturity.

Verse 17: But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.

• “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” – This reminds me of our Lord’s words recorded in Luke 12:11-12, “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” This was Paul’s experience.
• “…so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished” – Even in these dire circumstances Paul testified about his faith in Jesus Christ to the Imperial Court. I am reminded of the Lord’s words to Ananias concerning Paul as recorded in Acts 9:15-16, “This man is My chosen instrument to proclaim My name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”
• “…and that all the Gentiles might hear” – His eye is still on the prize. He is committed to sharing the saving Gospel with the Gentiles in every place. Only death will prevent him from continuing that mission (cf. Romans 15:24, 28).
• “…and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.” – I think Paul is seeing his situation as akin to Daniel’s, when God preserved him from the lions. God had certainly delivered Paul before, so he had no doubt about God’s power or goodness. Paul just didn’t know if this time his fate would end with being delivered out of the lion’s mouth or being graduated to His heavenly kingdom.

Verse 18: The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

• “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” This statement reflects Paul’s optimism and joy even as he faced his last moments of this life. Despite being penniless, alone, without valuable possessions, cold, lacking adequate clothing, and destined for painful martyrdom, Paul would not trade places with anyone. Knowing the heavenly reward that awaited him, he was content.
• “…to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Paul bursts forth spontaneously in praise and thanks to God. This degree and quality of faith blows my mind. 

Verse 19: Greet Prisca and Aquila (Gr. Akúlas), and the household of Onesiphorus.

·       In his parting words, Paul’s heart was for the people he knew. He thought about others and not himself. Paul knew the nature of Jesus and was an others-centered person just as Jesus was.

“Prisca (aka Priscilla) and Aquila” – A Christian couple, originally from Pontus. These are Paul’s dear friends from his days in Corinth where they ministered together (cf. Acts 18). After that they accompanied Paul to Syria, and some years later ended up serving the Lord in Ephesus.

·       “…and the household of Onesiphorus.” – We learned about him in chapter 1, verses 16-18. Apparently, he had traveled all the way from Ephesus to Rome and had searched for Paul until he found him, just to be a comfort and encourager to the old apostle. That’s what I call Agape love. This must have happened during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment. However, the fact that Paul now sends greetings this greeting to “the household of Onesiphorus” leads me to conclude that he had since died.

Verse 20: Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.   

• “Erastus remained at Corinth” – Some scholars have theorized that Erastus and Trophimus were with Paul when he was arrested the second time, and that they remained in his company as far as Miletus and Corinth respectively, but we have no way of knowing for sure.
• “…but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.” – Paul was a man used by God to perform remarkable miracles of healing (cf. Acts 14:8-10 and Acts 19:11-20), yet he left Trophimus sick. Why couldn’t Paul heal him? This verse shows that even the Apostle Paul did not have miraculous healing powers to use at his own will. He could only heal if it was God’s will and God’s timing for God’s purposes.
• Charles H. Spurgeon preached a whole sermon on the words, “…but Trophimus I left sick in Miletus” (cf. “The Sick Man Left Behind”). His three points were:
• It is the will of God that some good men should be in ill health.
• Good men may be laid aside when they seem to be most needed.
• Good men would have the Lord’s work go on whatever becomes of them. 

Verse 21: Make every effort to come before winter. Eúbulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudía (means “lame”) and all the brethren.   

• “Make every effort to come before winter.” This request has much heart and emotion behind it. As an old man, Paul dearly wanted to see his young associate before he laid down his life for his Lord. This is the fourth mention of Timothy coming to visit Paul:
• In verse 9: “Make every effort to come to me soon.”
• In verse 11: “Pick up Mark and bring him with you.”
• In verse 13: “When you come, bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus.”
• In verse 21: “Make every effort to come before winter.”
• We don’t know if Paul ever saw Timothy again, but we can be sure Timothy did his utmost to come before winter.
• Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren – Here Paul sends greetings to Timothy from some people that Timothy had met in Rome during Paul’s first imprisonment. We know nothing about them other than the fact that they were Roman believers that had befriended Paul and apparently were continuing to try to minister to his needs. These four are mentioned nowhere else in the New Testament. They are just a few of the countless unsung disciples of Jesus that we will one day meet in Heaven.
• Paul’s imprisonment in the Mamertine prison (a bleak building still standing in Rome, built 100 years before Paul’s imprisonment for political enemies of Rome) lasted until he was beheaded under Nero outside Rome’s Ostian Gate at a place now called “Three Fountains.” A good article about this can be found here: https://www.insight.org/resources/article-library/individual/historical-background-of-paul-s-final-imprisonment
• Paul was martyred in A.D. 67 in the aftermath of the great fires that swept Rome in A.D. 64, which Emperor Nero, tried to blame on Christians. According to Roman Catholic traditions, he was beheaded on the same day Peter was crucified upside-down. Paul was a Roman citizen and could not be legally crucified. However, there is no evidence that Peter ever even stepped foot in Rome, which casts doubt on the story.

Verse 22: The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.   

• The last words of Paul reflect a man who simply loved Jesus and had received His grace. This simplicity, and all the power that went with it, marked the entire ministry of Paul.

CONCLUSION:

Paul’s second letter to Timothy is a powerful call for Timothy to remain steadfast in faith despite facing sundry trials. Paul’s message is both personal and urgent. He encourages Timothy to remain passionate for Christ, to hold firm to sound doctrine, and to avoid ungodly beliefs and practices. The letter is deeply touching, as Paul shares his own struggles, especially considering his looming martyrdom. This context adds immense weight to his words of encouragement and counsel. Through various instructions, Paul prepares Timothy for the challenges he will face in the years ahead, emphasizing the importance of faithfully preaching the Word of God even in difficult times. Paul’s reflections also remind us of the importance of mentorship and perseverance. His heartfelt messages still resonate today, providing timeless insights into faith, leadership, and courage.