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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 4
A solemn charge to preach the gospel in a day of spostasy—Paul and
saints assured of exaltation.
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1 I CHARGE thee
therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
ajudge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom;
2 aPreach the word;
bbe cinstant in season, out of season;
dreprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not
aendure sound bdoctrine; but after their
own clusts shall they heap to themselves
dteachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears
from the atruth, and shall be turned unto
bfables.
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5 But awatch thou in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work of an bevangelist,
cmake full proof of thy ministry.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
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7 I have fought a good
afight, I have bfinished my
course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a
acrown of brighteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous cjudge, shall give me at that day: and not to
me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
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9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
10 For aDemas hath
bforsaken me, having loved this present
cworld, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to
Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
11 Only aLuke is with me.
Take bMark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable
to me for the ministry.
12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
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13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus,
when thou comest, bring with thee, and the
abooks, but especially the parchments.
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil:
the Lord reward him according to his aworks:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath
greatly awithstood our words.
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16 At my first aanswer no
man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it
may not be laid to their bcharge.
17 Notwithstanding the aLord
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 liona.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every
evil work, and will apreserve me unto his heavenly
kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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17a I was delivered out of the mouth of
the lion This may be an allusion to Paul being delivered from the
judgment of Nero when in Rome, Nero being compared to a lion. Or it may
even either mean that Paul was speared being thrown to the lions in the
amphitheater or even when and if he was so thrown to the lions that the lion's
mouth was shut up against him and he was literally speared by such a miracle
as was Daniel in the lion's den. This last consideration would mean that Paul
prevailed by 'ordeal', being shown guiltless due to the fact that the lion
would not destory him in the arena and therefore Paul was left to continue to
preach Christianity, though not perhaps released from confinement itself.
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19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
22 The aLord Jesus Christ
be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
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¶ The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop
of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was
brought before Nero the second timea.
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¶a when Paul was brought before Nero
the second time Paul's 'first answering' before Nero had ended in
Paul being miraculously delivered from the mouth of the lion. Paul had then
been released and had since visited Crete, Spain and Britian. Upon returning
to Rome and perhaps after the death of Peter, Paul was again taken captive
and imprison in Rome. It is propable that having once been excussed, Paul by
the ordeal of the lion, Nero was not inclined to kill Paul and thus Paul's
actual execution may have not been until after Nero's death and before the
next Caesar was formally installed about June of 68 A.D. (Note: Though the
Roman Coliseum itself may not have been built by this time, the various Roman
'arenas' of entertainment were in existence and throwing one to the lion was
in vogue.
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