Bible Commentaries
2 Timothy 4

Verses 1-22

2IV Final Exhortation to Timothy— 1. ’Living and the dead’—cf.1 Thess 4:16. The phrase in the creeds that Christ will come to judge the living and the dead is taken from this passage. The ’living’ are those who will be alive when Christ comes on the last day; of. 1 Cor 15:51f. ’At once a difficult arises about the just who are alive at the last day. St Paul meets it by telling of a ’mystery’; these just it is true will not die, but none the less their bodies will have to be glorified—all the just, the living and the dead will be changed. When the dead rise incorruptible we, the living shall be changed; our corruptible bodies will put on incorruption. After that supreme moment death will have lost all power over us’, WV, 3, 222. 2. ’In season—out of season’—Timothy must be persistent, ready to instruct or reprove at all times, whether acceptable to the hearers or not. The errors spread by false teachers are to be defeated by Timothy’s own persevering patience, sound preaching, and faithful fulfilment of duty in face of hardship. Paul’s pleading is the more urgent since he is aware that his own death is not far distant.

6-8 The Apostle’s Reward— As he reflects upon his approaching death he takes occasion to look back over his long strenuous career with all its trials and sufferings and then goes on to tell how he awaits from the just judge the crown, the reward he has earned by faithful service. 8. The ’crown’ is at once the sign and reward of a good life; it is the vision of God; cf.1 Cor 13:9-12; 1 Jn 3:1-2. There is, however, in addition, the aureola due to particular merit, for instance to the martyr, virgin, doctor. ’Of justice’—hence justly merited; eternal life is at once the reward of merit and a ’grace’ or ’free gift’ of God, because without God’s grace there can be no merit. St Augustine expresses it: ’In crowning our merits, God only crowns his own gifts’. ’Just judge . . . render’—These words are a further important witness to the doctrine of merit. ’In that day’—the day of judgement. There may be here a reference to the particular judgement, since the supposition is that the judgement and reward are to follow closely upon death.

9-18 Paul’s Lonely Imprisonment— Paul’s associates, with the exception of Luke, have left him on various missions so that the Apostle summons Timothy to visit him. 9. Demas is mentioned only in Col 4:14; Phm 24. Crescens is otherwise unknown; his departure is not defection, nor is it censured. Mark was obviously reconciled to St Paul after the events of Ac 13:13; 15:38. ’Cloak’—Some think that this may refer to some book-wrap for the book-rolls mentioned here. It is, however, probably a winter cloak which he needed during his imprisonment. Alexander may be the person mentioned in 1 Tim 1:20. He is obviously known to Timothy. He may have followed the Apostle to Rome and become an accuser or he may possibly have taken part in the events leading to the Apostle’s final arrest. However he must have returned to Ephesus since Timothy is warned against him.

16-18 Paul’s Trial— ’At my first answer’—This refers to the preliminaries of the trial, the first hearing of the case. No one came forward to ’witness on his behalf. For his part, Paul was able to seize the occasion of selfdefence to preach the Gospel. ’I was delivered’— probably means, secured a remand. While he cannot feel assured of the final acquittal, he does feel assured of his eternal salvation. ’Mouth of the lion’—danger. 18. Note how the doxology is applied to Christ. It is from him that grace, deliverance and salvation come, and to him thanks and honour are paid; cf. Prat II, 122.

19-21 Final Greetings— Erastus, mentioned in Rom 16:23, was the city treasurer of Corinth. Trophimus was an Ephesian of pagan origin. Linus—according to Irenaeus the successor of Peter as Bishop of Rome.