ACC ~ 2 Timothy 4 v9 - 22

OVERVIEW:

While Paul was being held in Nero’s prison, he was composing this second epistle to Timothy, indicating that his first defense had taken place and that martyrdom was at hand (EUSEBIUS). Amid defections of some colleagues, Paul is alone in his prison in Rome, wishing to see Timothy soon. He asks Timothy to bring his books and parchments and cloak (AMBROSIASTER, CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORE) and warns him to avoid Alexander, a dangerous man (CHRYSOSTOM). He describes his lonely preliminary trial at Rome. He conveys greetings and gives news of his close associates in ministry, especially recounting the importance of the ministry of women (CHRYSOSTOM).

Paul concludes with words of encouragement for Timothy as sufferings inevitably come and as Timothy will have to learn to rely increasingly, in the face of his human weakness, on fresh measures of divine grace for his sustenance (CHRYSOSTOM). Paul is preoccupied with the practical arrangements and details that will govern the continuing mission by his disciples, so that he himself may have the assistance that he needs and so that the others may receive guidance (THEODORE, THEODORET, AMBROSIASTER).

4:9 | Come to Me Soon

PAUL NOT ARROGANT. CHRYSOSTOM: It is worthwhile to raise the question of why Paul calls Timothy to come to him, when it is Paul who has the responsibility of caring for the church, indeed for a whole people. Paul does not do this out of arrogance. Paul was in fact ready to come to Timothy, as he says, “If I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God.” But necessity constrained him. He was no longer the 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 he might not die before he saw his disciple, he therefore sends for him, desiring to see him before he dies and perhaps to turn over heavy responsibilities to him. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

4:10a | Demas, in Love with This World

TO CONFIRM US. CHRYSOSTOM: Demas, having loved his own ease and security away from danger, has chosen rather to live luxuriously at home, rather than suffer hardships with Paul and share his present dangers. Paul has indeed blamed him, but only in order to confirm us, that we may not sink to self-indulgent weakness in declining toils and dangers, for this would amount to “having loved this present world.” HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

THE FUTURE WORLD OUR HOPE. POLYCARP: Now I exhort all of you to be obedient to the word of righteousness and to exercise all patient endurance, such as you have seen with your very eyes, not only in the blessed Ignatius and Zosimus and Rufus but also in others who were of your membership, and in Paul himself and the rest of the apostles; being persuaded that all these “did not run in vain” but in faith and righteousness, and that they are now in their deserved place with the Lord, in whose suffering they also shared. For they “loved not this present world” but him who died on our behalf and was raised by God for our sakes. LETTER OF POLYCARP 8.

4:10b | Crescens Gone to Galatia

WHICH GALATIA? THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: He calls “Galatia” what we now call Gaul; for so all of the older peoples called this place, as anyone can recognize from many sources, especially from the Jewish history written by Josephus. For those people who are now called Galatians are so designated in the old narratives that trace their movement from those regions to various places. COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY.

4:11 | Bring Mark with You

ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE GOSPEL. CHRYSOSTOM: It was not for his own relief but for the ministry of the gospel that Paul wanted Mark with him. For though he was imprisoned, he never ceased to preach. For the same reason he sent for Timothy, not for his own comfort but for the work of the gospel, so that his death would not disturb the faithful. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

4:13 | Bring the Coat and the Books

BRING THE COAT. CHRYSOSTOM: This phailonēn may mean a garment, or, as some say, a bag, in which the books were contained. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

A GARMENT. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The view that this paenula is some other kind of book, rather than just a garment, is ridiculous. COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY.

THE DRESS OF A ROMAN CITIZEN. AMBROSIASTER: The paenula is the distinctive dress of a Roman citizen, thus a garment that Paul would have needed on his journeys to identify him as such. COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.

THE PATRIMONY OF BOOKS. CHRYSOSTOM: 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. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

BOOKS AND PARCHMENTS. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Paul makes a distinction here between the parchment volumina, which are in the form of scrolls, and the regular libros, which are in book or codex form. COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY.

4:14 | Alexander the Coppersmith

CALL TO FORTITUDE. CHRYSOSTOM: Here again he 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. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

4:16 | No One Took My Part

PAUL SPARES HIS BETRAYERS. CHRYSOSTOM: If in time of war someone abandons a companion who is exposed to danger and shrinks back from the confrontation with the enemy, he would be justly condemned by the others for this gross betrayal. It is even more true with those who work for the gospel. But he then moves on to give encouragement to his disciple in what follows. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

OUR DEBT TO PAUL. AUGUSTINE: For we owe “fruits” to those who minister spiritual doctrine to us through their understanding of the divine mysteries. We owe these to them as men. We owe these fruits also to “the living souls” since they offer themselves as examples for us in their own continence. CONFESSIONS 13.25.38.

4:17 | Rescued from the Lion’s Mouth

WRITTEN FROM NERO’S PRISON. EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA: Story has it that the apostle, after defending himself, was again sent upon the ministry of preaching and coming a second time to the same city met death by martyrdom under Nero. While he was being held in prison, he composed the second epistle to Timothy, at the same time indicating that his first defense had taken place and that martyrdom was at hand. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22.

THE LION IS NERO. CHRYSOSTOM: He had fallen into the very jaws of the lion. For he calls Nero a lion from his ferocity and the violent and daring character of his government. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

THE ONE WHO DEVOURS SOULS. ANONYMOUS: And again Paul, giving thanks to the Lord for his own salvation, says, “I was rescued from the lion’s mouth, meaning the one who roars to devour souls.” For he is full of wiles and at times he makes a lie appear as truth. THE FIRST GREEK LIFE OF PACHOMIUS 135.

4:20 | Trophimus Ill

DIVINE PERMISSION. CHRYSOSTOM: The apostles could not do everything. They did not dispense miraculous gifts upon all occasions, lest more should be ascribed to them than was right. … For many things were permitted by God that the weakness of human nature might be manifested. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

4:21 | Claudia

MANY WOMEN SUFFERED MARTYRDOM. CHRYSOSTOM: You see how zealous for the faith the women were, how ardent! Such was Priscilla and this Claudia, already crucified, already prepared for the battle! But why, when there were so many faithful, does he mention only these women? Clearly because they in purpose had already withdrawn from worldly affairs and were illustrious above others. … Such holy women are not prone to be discouraged by impediments in the affairs of this life. This is a work of divine grace given to this sex. A woman undertakes no small share of the whole administration, being the keeper of the house. And without her not even political affairs could be properly conducted. For if their domestic concerns were in a state of confusion or disorder, those who are engaged in public affairs would be kept at home and political business would be ill managed. So that neither in these matters, as neither in spiritual, is she inferior. For she is able, if so inclined, to endure a thousand deaths. Accordingly many women have suffered martyrdom. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 10.

THE EPISTLE TO TITUS

ARGUMENT: Paul’s intention is to write a letter of encouragement, so that believers will persevere in virtue and so that they may be protected from Judaizing tendencies (CHRYSOSTOM). Having evangelized the Cretans, Paul, after dispatching Timothy to Ephesus, turns over the mission in Crete to Titus, who needs instruction on matters of organization and guidance in countering the arguments of the Jews (THEODORE). More specifically, it is particular instruction about the importance of the incarnation that Paul intends as Titus’s mainstay (THEODORET). Paul’s instructions to Titus the bishop are intended to make him appropriately careful about ordinations, since there are many who seek this by pretending that they are worthy (AMBROSIASTER). Despite objection by some heretics to the authority of this letter, it must be accepted as ancient and genuine (JEROME).

GREETINGS TITUS 1:1-4

OVERVIEW: Paul describes his great confidence in Titus and emphasizes the central importance of reliance on God’s grace as it builds on and transforms the human striving for godliness (CHRYSOSTOM). Paul’s apostleship is for the sake of those whom God has chosen to receive his goodness and to know the truth of eternal life. The natural drift of the letter is toward Paul’s spiritual relationship with Titus and the instructions to follow. Paul hands on to Titus faith in the coequal Father and Son, a reality from all eternity and a belief essential to the success of his mission (THEODORET).

As servant and apostle, Paul occupies a position of great honor, one to which God has chosen him on the basis of spiritual virtues and which requires Paul to proclaim the fatherhood of God in all creation, a fatherhood that manifests the essential immortality of God, far above that of the angels (JEROME). Paul’s entrustment to apostolic leadership of the elect (JEROME) was not due to his own achievements but to grace (CHRYSOSTOM). God existed before time (AUGUSTINE). Nothing is impossible to God except to lie (CLEMENT OF ROME). God has no difficulty knowing the future, since God exists in an entirely different relation to time than we do (AMBROSE, AUGUSTINE). The excellence of a herald consists in boldly proclaiming to all what has really happened, not in adding or taking away anything. Commands are not left to our choice (CHRYSOSTOM). The sonship of Titus is in relation to a common faith into which both Paul and Titus have been born—a sonship by choice rather than natural birth (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORET).