2 Timothy 4

2 Timothy 4:3

This I prescribe as the method proper for the present condition of those under thee, that thou mayest gain as many as is possible; as foreseeing that the number of obstinate heretics will so increase within a while that there will be little for thee then to do, little hope of working on them, when men begin to advance to the higher pitch of heresy, and (to get patrons for their base lusts and vicious practices) betake themselves to false teachers, any that will please or gratify their humour;

2 Timothy 4:4

And refuse and reject all true doctrine, and betake themselves to the fabulous divinity of the Gnostics, made up of Gentilism and Judaism, an odd mixture of both.

2 Timothy 4:5

But do thou watch over thy flock with all diligence and wariness; be not discouraged with any pressures or dangers; hold out in despite of them all; do that which belongs to one that is by the apostles of Christ intrusted (under them) with the propagating of the gospel, and maintaining it where it is taught; which being a task of some weight and largeness, see thou perform all the parts of it:

2 Timothy 4:6

And this the rather, because I have been in great danger, brought out to be tried for my life, (see note [a] title of this epistle, and note [e] Phil. ii.) and my death hath been very nigh at hand:

2 Timothy 4:7

Which I can mention cheerfully, as having the testimony of my conscience that I have behaved myself faithfully in my combat, run all the hazards, and passed through them, and never fallen off from the discharge of my duty according to my Christian profession and office apostolical.

[a] I have fought—] These two verses are wholly agonistical. Ἄγων is any of the four famous games, Olympic, &c. (and of that, as it signifies suffering of afflictions, see note [b] on 1 Thess. ii.) Δρόμος is one sort of combat in either of those four, that of racing. The ἀγών is called καλός good, either as being in a good cause, or as νόμιμος, ch. ii. 5, according to the laws of the agones: and so his fighting a good fight is suffering Christianly and valiantly. Τελείν is to perform, and so τελείν δρόμον to run, or perform the race, (see note [a] on Acts xxi.) Then τηρείν πίστιν not referring to his whole life, but this one combat here insisted on, his danger at Rome. And then τηρείν πίστιν, to keep the faith, is to observe the gospel rules, and so not to offend against the νόμοι laws of the combat, (see note [a] on the title of this Epistle.) Thus in those writings that go under Trismegistus’s name, we have (Κλεῖσ. l. iv. p. 2.) ἡ ψυχή τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγώνα ἡγωνισμένη, the soul that hath undertaken and performed this strife, or combat, of piety. Then the στέφανος, crown, that is the βραβείον, the reward, and that is here called στέφανος δικαιοσύνης, crown of righteousness, possibly in the notion that the Hebrew צוקח (to which δικαιοσύνη, righteousness, is answerable) is taken Isa. xlviii. 18, Nehem. ii. 20, Psalm xxxv. 27, that is for felicity. As Prov. viii. 18, where wealth and righteousness are put together. Abenezra interprets it felicity, or prosperity; and so δικαιοσύνη is used Rom. vi. 16, and opposed to death, by which it there appears to signify eternal life. But it may also signify a righteous life, which is thus rewarded and crowned by God. Then δίκαιος κριτής, the righteous judge, is the βραβευτής who gives the crown to the conqueror.

2 Timothy 4:8

For this I doubt not but God will give me my reward, when he comes to crown his combatants, even that eternal bliss and felicity which, as the judge or rewarder in the Olympic games or combats, he will certainly adjudge to me, as one who have endured much therein. And the same will he adjudge to all others who shall have so spent their time, and continued in a Christian course, as that Christ’s coming to reward the faithful and to destroy all opposers and unfaithful, may be matter of desire and not terror to them, who if they live not to enjoy his deliverances here, will be abundantly recompensed by death.

2 Timothy 4:9

I desire with all possible speed that thou come hither to me;

2 Timothy 4:10

There being these motives to hasten thee: first, because Demas, that did assist me in preaching the gospel, Philem. 24. and Col. iv. 14, hath now left me, betaking himself to his worldly affairs, (see note [a] 1 Tim. iii.) and is gone to Thessalonica, whether to his home there, or to trade and get wealth in that place. As for Crescens, though he be gone into Gallia, (or France, saith Epiphanius, Hær. Ἄλογ.) yet that is not for any such worldly end, but to preach the gospel there; and so Titus is gone another way, to Dalmatia.

2 Timothy 4:11

By which means I am almost alone, nobody but Luke remaining with me, which makes me stand in need of thy help and presence. And when thou comest, bring Mark, Barnabas’s kinsman, with thee, for I have especial use of him, for the preaching of the gospel.

2 Timothy 4:13

When I came from Troas I left a parchment roll with Carpus, and some books; I pray in thy passage call for them, and bring them with thee hither, but especially the parchment roll.

[b] cloke] The authority which I have for rendering φελόνην the roll, is from the ancient glossaries. Thus Phavorinus, φελόνης εἰλητὸν τὸ μάριον βέμβρανον, which without question should be written thus, τομάριον μέμβρανον, and so the explication of φελόνης will be, a little piece of parchment folded up, which perhaps may be all one with the μεμβράναι hereafter mentioned, because they being added with a μάλιστα δέ, but especially, seem to denote somewhat which had been formerly mentioned, rather than any new thing. See St. Hierom, Ep. 125, ad Damas. q. 2.

2 Timothy 4:14

Alexander, mentioned Acts xix. 33, (see note [e] on that chapter,) did me a great deal of wrong at my being there. He will one day meet with his just reward for such injuries.

[c] the Lord reward] Of this form of speech Ἀποδώθη Κύριος, it is not here amiss to note that the full importance of it is no more than a prophetical denunciation or prediction that should in the just judgment of God befall. Thus some of the best MSS. read ἀποδώσει, the Lord shall reward; others of the ancients who read ἀποδώθη, reward, yet expound it ἀποδώσει, shall reward. So the author of the questions and answers assigned to Justin, making it πρόρρησιν, a prediction. So Chrysostom and Theophylact ἀποδώθη, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀποδώσει, it is instead of the future, shall render, adding that “pious men do not rejoice in or desire to hasten the punishments of the wicked,” but that they foretell them, the gospel and weak believers having need of such comforts. To this may be added, that it is a vulgar Hebraism for the imperative and future tense to be used promiscuously, the one for the other. Psalm vii. 9, in the future, complebitur or consumetur, “shall be consumed or fulfilled,” is yet by the ancient interpreters rendered in the imperative; συντελεσθέτω, say the LXXII, “Let it be accomplished; and so the Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Æthiopic, and only the vulgar

2 Timothy 4:15

The reason why at this time I mention him is, that thou mayest beware of him, avoid him, look upon him as an excommunicate person, delivered up to Satan, 1 Tim. i. 20, for he stands out contumacious

⁶ have loved, ἡγαπηκόσι. ⁷ Hasten to come to me speedily, ἀπούδασον ἐλθεῖν πρὸς με ταχέως. ⁸ roll. ⁹ will, or, shall reward: for the Syriac and the King’s MS. read ἀπολύσαι; and so Scriptor. Resp. ad Orthod. seems to have done, calling it πρόρρησιν, a prediction fit for an apostolical person: see Theophylact.

2 Timothy 4:16

At my coming to Rome, when I was to plead for myself, all my acquaintance (all that were able to have stood me in any stead, either by their power at Rome, or by their testimonies in my defence) forsook me, for fear of suffering: (I pray God to pardon them for it.)

2 Timothy 4:17

Yet God assisted and vindicated my innocence, that the gospel might be preached by my means, and so the Romans, the Gentiles might receive it (see Phil. iv. 22); and to that end I was at that time delivered from a most considerable present danger, though not freed from prison.

2 Timothy 4:18

And I am confident that God will at this time so guard me, that I shall be delivered from every enterprise against me; however, that he will keep me from doing any thing unworthy of an apostle and servant of his, that so when I lose this miserable life, I may attain to that eternal kingdom of God.

2 Timothy 4:19

See note [a] ch. i. * See note on the title of the epistle.