2 Timothy 4:9-22

by | Jan 31, 2025 | 1 Timothy, New Testament

9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 
10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 
12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 
13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

Be diligent to come to me quickly
Paul was a man of God but he was not superhuman. 
He needed and wanted companionship. 
Paul was lonely.
For Demas has forsaken me: Paul remembers those who have forsaken him. Demas left him because he loved this present world (literally, “the now age”). Crescens and Titus left him out of necessity. Tychicus left because Paul sent him.
Demas was mentioned in Paul’s earlier letters as a fellow worker but later he went astray (Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24). 
Only Luke is with me
Luke, who had traveled with Paul on many of his missionary journeys, remained with Paul. Everyone else was gone. 
This was a significant contrast to Paul’s first Roman imprisonment ten years before, where he received many visitors (Acts 28:30-31).

Get 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. (Paul & Barnabus)

Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas
This tells us that it is likely that Paul was arrested at Troas, resulting in this second imprisonment at Rome. 
In those days the arresting soldiers had claim to any extra garments in the possession of the one arrested. 
It may be that Paul was forewarned of the arrest and therefore committed his few books and this cloak – an outer garment – to the care of an honest man named Carpus.
The cloak was “A circular cape which fell down below the knees, with an opening for the head in the centre.” (White)

This cloak left in Troas shows us:
Paul gave up everything to serve Jesus (all he had at the end of his life was a cloak and a few books).
Paul was almost completely forsaken by his friends (he apparently had no friends to lend or obtain a cloak for him in Rome).
Paul was an ordinary man with ordinary needs.

And the books, especially the parchments
Paul stayed a scholar to the end and wanted his books. 
He especially wanted the parchments, which were portions of the Old Testament.
I do not disbelieve in the gift of prophecy, and that God can and does reveal information to His people.                                                    I also believe in the gift of Word of Knowledge.                                                                                                I believe that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still in operation today.
But Paul was a man who also wanted to know the heart and mind of God through what had been written.
Paul had received visions, dreams, prophetic utterances, etc.
But Paul was also a man who studied God’s word.
2 Timothy 2:15  “Rightly dividing”- To cut a straight line.  Remember that Paul was a tent maker.
Good pastors feed their flocks.

Matthew 4:4  “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Acts 20:27  27For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

There is great benefit in teaching our churches the entire word of God. 
If pastors teach only the things they are interested in, then the church is out of balance.
If we don’t teach the entire word of God, the people in our churches can’t grow in spiritual discernment.

Ephesians 4:14  14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine,

Some portions of scripture are harder to teach than other portions of scripture.
It takes more work to study it, to understand it, to appreciate it.

But it is God’s Word, and he has revealed it to us.
Shouldn’t we consider it important to study, learn, and then teach?
Choose a book of the Bible and study and teach it verse by verse.
That is how Christians become mature, healthy, and discerning of false doctrine.

Pastors- feed your churches the entire word of God.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.                                                          15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 
Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm
In 1 Timothy 1:20 Paul mentioned Alexander as someone who whose faith had suffered shipwreck. 

Now Paul warned Timothy about this same man. 
Paul didn’t simply write that Alexander did me much harm – but that he would also oppose Timothy (You also must beware of him).

In my city, I try to be friends with other pastors.
They are brothers in Christ, and also shepherd churches in my city.
I need to care for their churches also.
I need to care for my entire city, not just my church.
Did me much harm: The implication of this phrase is that he “informed many things against me.” Perhaps Alexander was a traitor, an informer who betrayed Paul to the Roman government and was responsible for his current imprisonment. Perhaps the thought of he has greatly resisted our words meant that Alexander was a witness against Paul at his first defense.
“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.” (Barclay)
“They were accused of ‘atheism,’ because they avoided idolatry and emperor-worship.
 Of cannibalism, because they spoke of eating Christ’s body.

May the Lord repay him according to his works: Alexander’s judgment would be simple.                   It is a terrible thing to be judged according to one’s works.

16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.   
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 
18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
No one stood with me . . . But the Lord stood with me: Paul was all alone, but Jesus stood by him and Paul served God faithfully during his first defense.
The words “May it not be charged against them” show that Paul was not bitter that all forsook him. This is powerful evidence of a great work of grace and spiritual maturity.
Paul’s first defense may have been his first imprisonment in Rome (spoken of at the end of Acts), or it could have been a first hearing under his current imprisonment.
And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion: God had 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 be delivered out of the mouth of the lion or being preserved for His heavenly kingdom.
To Him be glory forever and ever
This reflects great optimism and joy. 
Paul faced his last moments of this life and he was, but many accounts, penniless, friendless, possessionless, cold, without adequate clothing, and destined for a soon death. 
Yet, especially knowing the heavenly reward waiting for him, he would not trade his place with anyone.

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 
20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.
21 Do your utmost to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, 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.

Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick
Paul was a man used by God to perform remarkable miracles of healing (such as in Acts 14:8-10 and 19:11-20), yet he left Trophimus sick
This shows that even the Apostle Paul did not have miraculous healing powers to use at his own will. He could only give a gift of healing if God it was God’s will and timing.
 

  1. It is the will of God that some good men should be in ill health. 
  2. Good men may be laid aside when they seem to be most needed. 
  3. Good men would have the Lord’s work go on whatever becomes of them.

I know that some in the Body of Christ believe that God always heals people and that we should never be sick.

The Bible does teach that God heals people, and uses prayer, the laying on of hands, and the anointing with oil to heal people.

Paul had the gift of healing.  Acts 14 & 28.

Yet God did not heal Trophimus.

  1. Either Paul and Trophimus didn’t have enough faith for him to be healed.
  2. God didn’t direct Paul to pray for Trophimus this time.
  3. For some reason, God saw that it was better that Trophemus be left in Miletus.

If we believe the doctrine that says “God always heals people”, but the people that we pray for are not healed, then what are we to think?

  1. Do we tell the sick person that it was because they did not have enough faith?
  2. Do we leave them sick and discouraged because they don’t have enough faith?

Read Deuteronomy 7:15
Now read Deuteronomy 7:12-18
The promises for national health was a covenant between God and Israel, and was a general promise that depended upon their faithfulness.

If we don’t understand the difference between Israel and the Church, we will claim promises that are not meant for us.
We will seek after things that God hasn’t promised us.
We will be disappointed and disappoint others.

Should we pray for healing?  YES!
James 5:14-16 tells us to call for the elders of the church, to anoint with oil, and to pray for healing.

Do your utmost to come before winter: This 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. We don’t know if Paul ever saw Timothy again, but we can be sure Timothy did his utmost to come before winter.

Paul was martyred in the aftermath of the great fires that swept Rome in A.D. 64 – which Nero, in some manner, tried to blame on Christians. According to some traditions, he was beheaded on the same day Peter was crucified upside-down. Paul was a Roman citizen and could not be legally crucified.
22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
The Lord Jesus Christ 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.
“Here a very close personal association between the Lord and Timothy is prayed for.” (White)

Amen: Paul invited Timothy to affirm all this by an agreeing “Amen.” 
Paul had fulfilled his ministry and was ready to receive his reward, and he wanted Timothy to do the same