At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me:
I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Paul is probably referring to his preliminary hearing before his main
trial. There is a possibility that he was in Rome at an earlier time and
maybe he did not have time to get to know the Roman Christians yet. However,
the way the verse is worded, it would seem that there were Christians who
knew him and that he was asking God not to lay this sin upon them. It may
have been because of the evil that Alexander the Coppersmith had done may
have been the cause of why Paul was forsaken and that no one showed up to
witness for him about his character. Maybe he knew that they forsook him out
of fear. The word “answer” is the word “apologia” in the Greek which means
“defense.” So Paul may also be referring to his final trial before Nero
which is probably what is in view because it was that trial where Paul was
finally condemned to death.
2 Tim 4:17 (KJB)
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me
the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might
hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Even though all the human beings had forsaken Paul in that hour, he knew
full well that the Lord would never forsake him and stood with him. The Lord
strengthened him to the point that he not only defended himself against
false charges, but he was able, in that moment to preach the Gospel to the
court where he was appearing before. It is a great possibility that Nero had
heard the Gospel and maybe this enflamed him more against Christians because
it pricked his conscience more than he expected. The word for “hear” in this
verse means “hearing with understanding” which means that some of the people
in that court may have become saved. One can hear the Gospel and it will not
penetrate but if one hears the Gospel and understands, then it means that
their spiritual ears have been opened. Paul preached the Gospel no matter
where he was. He knew that the final trial would yield his home going, yet
he still desired to preach the Gospel to as many as he possibly could. The
last phrase in this verse speaks about the mouth of the lion which probably
refers to the fact that he was not sentenced to the Coliseum to fight the
lions with other Christians. Instead, he was to be beheaded which would have
been swift instead of lingering pain and torture.
2 Tim 4:18 (KJB)
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve
me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
Paul knew that his home going was imminent and he realized that when he
left this world and entered the portals of Heaven, he would be delivered
from every evil work because evil would no longer have any way of reaching
him. He knows that the Lord would not only deliver him from all evil works
but preserve his soul for the kingdom of Heaven. Throughout his entire
earthly ministry, Paul had faced tremendous persecution but now those days
are at an end. In Romans 7, Paul had discussed the fact that sin dwells in
his flesh but his soul was totally cleansed by the sacrifice of Christ. This
is what Paul is speaking about that the real him, which is the cleansed
soul, will be preserved to the Kingdom of Heaven. Then Paul lauds the Lord
Jesus Christ that to Him belongs the glory, forever and ever because it is
He who was the one who cleansed Paul’s soul and also ours.
2 Tim 4:19 (KJB)
Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
In the closing verses of this letter, Paul now mentions nine of his
beloved companions in ministry. He mentions Priscilla and Aquila who helped
him in Corinth and had accompanied him to Ephesus.
(Acts 18:1-2 KJV) After these things Paul
departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; {2} And found a certain
Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife
Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from
Rome:) and came unto them. (Acts 18:18-19 KJV) And Paul after this
tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the
brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila;
having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. {19} And
he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the
synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Onesiphorus was a companion of Paul from Ephesus but he sought him out
while he was in Rome.
(2 Tim 1:16-17
KJV) The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed
me, and was not ashamed of my chain: {17} But, when he was in Rome,
he sought me out very diligently, and found
me.
2 Tim 4:20 (KJB)
Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Erastus was a fellow companion of Paul and had accompanied Timothy to
Macedonia.
(Acts 19:22 KJV) So he sent
into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus;
but he himself stayed in Asia for a season. He was
the treasurer of the city of Corinth.
(Rom 16:23 KJV) Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you.
Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
Trophimus was from Ephesus and he also accompanied Paul
on mission trips. (Acts 20:4 KJV) And
there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians,
Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia,
Tychicus and Trophimus. Trophimus was sick and
Paul had to leave him in Miletus so he could become well from whatever he
was suffering from. Miletus was about 20 miles south of Ephesus which means
he became sick while on a journey.
2 Tim 4:21 (KJB)
Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and
Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
Once again Paul asks Timothy to come to the Mamertine prison where he
was being held. Since Paul had asked Timothy to bring the cloak, he needed
some kind of outer garment because the winter would be cold in that prison.
Now history states that Nero died in June of 68 A.D. which would mean that
Paul may have been executed a few months earlier in the fall of 67 A.D.
Dates will vary depending upon the commentator. Eubulus was a Christian from
Rome. Pudens was also another believer who lived in Rome. Linus was also a
believer from Rome and some early writers have him as the first Bishop of
Rome which lasted about 20 years. Some of the early writers which mention
him are Irenaeus, Julius Africanus, Hippolytus, and Eusebius. Claudia was
another Christian worker from Rome. Tradition says that she was the wife of
Pudens and Linus was their son. I won’t go into tradition because it is all
subjective. When I speak of the Bishop of Rome, it has nothing whatsoever to
do with Roman Catholicism.
2 Tim 4:22 (KJB)
The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with
you. Amen.
The benediction is in two parts. The first part is singular and
addressed to Timothy. The Lord Jesus Christ be with his spirit. That is so
Timothy will always have the wisdom and strength of the Lord to face the
trials and tribulations which Paul faced. Then Paul speaks to all Christians
that the grace of the Lord will be with all of them. The grace of God will
under gird the believer in all the situations they will face just as it did
Paul.
(2 Cor 12:9 KJV) And he said unto
me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that
the power of Christ may rest upon me. The grace of
God not only saves a person but will strengthen the believer to walk through
this world and to do the work of an evangelist.