Homilies on Second Timothy

<!--<span class="stiki"></span>-->2 Timothy 4:9-13

“Do your diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come, bring with you, and the books, but especially the parchments.”

It is worth while to enquire why he calls Timothy to him, inasmuch as he was entrusted with a Church, and a whole nation. It was not from arrogance. For Paul was ready to come to him; for we find him saying, “But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God.” But he was withholden by a strong necessity. He was no longer master of his own movements. He was in prison, and had been confined by Nero, and was all but on the point of death. That this might not happen before he saw his disciple, he therefore sends for him, desiring to see him before he dies, and perhaps to deliver much in charge to him. Wherefore he says, “Hasten to come to me before the winter.”

“For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” He does not say, “That I may see you before I depart this life,” which would have grieved him, but “because I am alone,” he says, “and have no one to help or support me.”

“For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed to Thessalonica”; that is, having loved his own ease and security from danger, he has chosen rather to live luxuriously at home, than to suffer hardships with me, and share my present danger. He has blamed him alone, not for the sake of blaming him, but to confirm us, that we may not be effeminate in declining toils and dangers, for this is, “having loved this present world.” At the same time he wishes to draw his disciple to him.

“Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.”

These he does not censure. For Titus was one of the most admirable men, so that to him he entrusted the affairs of the island, no small island, I mean, but that great one of Crete.

“Only Luke is with me.” For he adhered to him inseparably. It was he who wrote the Gospel, and the General Acts; he was devoted to labors, and to learning, and a man of fortitude; of him Paul writes, “whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches.”

“Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”

It is not for his own relief, but for the ministry of the Gospel that he wanted him. For though imprisoned, he did not cease to preach. So it was on the same account he sent for Timothy, not for his own, but for the Gospel's sake, that his death might occasion no disturbance to the faithful, when many of his own disciples were present to prevent tumults, and to console those who would scarce have endurance to bear up at his death. For it is probable that the believers at Rome were men of consequence.

“And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come bring with you, and the books, but especially the parchments.”

The word here translated “cloak” may mean a garment, or, as some say, a bag, in which the books were contained. But what had he to do with books, who was about to depart and go to God? He needed them much, that he might deposit them in the hands of the faithful, who would retain them in place of his own teaching. All the faithful, then, would suffer a great blow, but particularly those who were present at his death, and then enjoyed his society. But the cloak he requires, that he might not be obliged to receive one from another. For we see him making a great point of avoiding this; and elsewhere, when he was addressing those from Ephesus, he says, “You know that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to those that were with me”; and again, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Ver. 14. “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works.”

Here he again makes mention of his trial, not wishing merely to censure and accuse the man, but to prepare his disciple for the conflicts, that he might bear them firmly. Though they be mean and contemptible persons, and without honor, who cause these trials, they ought all, he says, to be borne with fortitude. For he who suffers wrong from any great personage, receives no little distinction from the superiority of him who does the wrong. But he who is injured by a vile and abject person, suffers the greater annoyance. “He did me much evil,” he says, that is, he persecuted me in various ways. But these things will not go unpunished! For the Lord will reward him according to his works. As he said above: “What persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” So also here he consoles his disciples by a double consideration, that he himself had suffered wrong, and that the other would be rewarded for his evil deeds. Not that the Saints rejoice in the punishment of their persecutors, but that the cause of the Gospel required it, and the weaker would derive consolation from it.

Ver. 15. “Of whom also beware; for he has greatly withstood our words.”

That is, he is hostile to us, and opposes us. He has not said, Revenge, punish, expel him, although by the grace given him he might have so done, but he does no such thing; nor does he arm Timothy against him, but only commands him to avoid him, leaving vengeance to God, and for the consolation of the weaker he has said that He will reward him, which is a prophecy rather than an imprecation. And that he says these things to prepare the mind of his disciple, is manifest also from what follows. But see how he mentions other of his trials.

Ver. 16. “At my first answer,” he says, “no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”

Do you see how he spares his friends, notwithstanding it was a grievous thing they had done? For it is not the same thing to be despised by aliens, as by our own friends. Do you see his intense dejection? It cannot be said, that I was assailed by those without, but had comfort in the attention and support of my friends; for these also betrayed me. “All men,” he says, “forsook me.” And this was no light offense. For if he that in war abandons one who is exposed to danger, and shrinks from meeting the hands of his enemies, is justly smitten by his friends, as having utterly betrayed their cause, much more in the case of the Gospel. But what “first answer,” does he speak of? He had stood before Nero, and had escaped. But afterwards, because he had converted his cup-bearer, he was beheaded. And here again is encouragement for his disciple in what follows.

Ver. 17. “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me.”

Though deserted by man, God does not permit him to suffer any harm. He strengthened me, he says, that is, He gave me boldness in speaking. He suffered me not to sink.

“That by me the preaching might be fully known.”

That is, might be fulfilled. Observe his great humility. He does not say He strengthened me as deserving of His gift, but that “the preaching,” with which I was entrusted, “might be fully known.” As if any one should wear a purple robe and a diadem, and to that circumstance should owe his safety.

“And that all the Gentiles might hear.”

What is this? That the luster of the Gospel, and the care of His Providence for me, might be known to all.

“And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”

Ver. 18. “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work.”