Exegesis and Exposition of Second Timothy 4 19 22

Exegesis and Exposition of Second Timothy 4:19-22 Second Timothy 4:19 2 Timothy 4:19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. (NASB95) This verse is composed of the following: (1) second person singular aorist middle imperative form of the verb aspazomai (ἀσπάζομαι), “greet” (2) accusative feminine singular form of the proper name Priska (Πρίσκα), “Priscilla” (3) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (4) accusative masculine singular form of the proper name Akylas (Ἀκύλας), “Aquila” (5) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (6) genitive masculine singular form of the proper name Onēsiphoros (Ὀνησίφορος), “of Onesiphorus” (7) articular accusative masculine singular form of the noun oikos (οἶκος), “the house.” The apostle Paul employs the figure of asyndeton in Second Timothy 4:19 which means he is not using connective word between his previous statement in Second Timothy 4:18 and the greeting he wants Timothy to pass along to Prisca and Aquila. He uses this figure to mark a transition from the completion of the body of the letter in Second Timothy 4:18 to an exchange of greetings and a final Spirit inspired desire for Timothy and the Christian community in the Roman province of Asia and the city of Ephesus. The etymology of aspazomai is uncertain but it appears from Homer onwards and is used in classical Greek of the customary greeting upon entering a house, meeting someone on the street, or saying farewells. The basic meaning of the word is “to embrace.” It denotes the embrace of greeting as well as the erotic embrace of love. Gestures probably included embracing, kissing, offering the hand, or even doing homage as to an overlord or king. From this original concrete meaning the more general sense follows: (1) with a personal object, “to be fond of someone, to like someone, to agree to something, to pay one’s respects to someone” (2) with a material object, “to give oneself gladly to something, to accept with pleasure a situation or event, to welcome a given factor or a prospect.” By extension, the word came to mean “to follow eagerly” and “to be glad” about something. Aspazomai in a letter is a greeting from a distance, which is a substitute for greeting and embracing someone in a personal encounter. It expresses sincere attachment in separation and thus serves to strengthen personal fellowship. The custom of epistolary greeting was only gradually adopted in the sphere of Greek and Roman culture. In letters of the pre-Christian period greetings are not too common and there are no long series of greetings. In the Septuagint, aspazomai appears 8 times in the Septuagint, 2 of which are canonical (Exodus 18:7; Esther 10:3). In Exodus 18:7, the word is used for the Hebrew phrase sha’al leshalom, “to inquire concerning the welfare or peace.” The whole passage introduces fairly fully the customary greetings on a visit. The verb aspazomai appears about 59 times in the Greek New Testament. The Gospels echo the LXX usage of the word of inquiring about one’s welfare. Greetings were offered upon the first meeting (Mk. 9:15) and upon taking leave (Acts 20:1). Jesus taught His disciples to address a salutation to a hospitable household almost as a blessing (Mt. 10:13). As Jesus sent out His disciples, however, He cautioned them not to be sidetracked from their mission by greeting everyone along the way (Lk. 10:4). The greeting is also the first sign of the love of enemies in actual practice (Mt. 5:47), nevertheless, the practice of greeting should not hamper haste in the proclamation of the message (Lk. 10:4). For Jesus the greeting becomes a first realization of Christian conduct. His own people should not expect a greeting (cf. Mk. 12:38) but instead a greeting should first be given by them. For the Jews in Jesus’ day, greeting was an important ceremony. This may seen from Jesus accusation that the scribes love greetings in the market place (Mk. 12:38; Mt. 23:6f.; Lk. 20:46; 11:43). Like the seat of honor in the synagogue or at a feast, greeting in the market-place is one of the distinctions to which rabbis raise claim by reason of the dignity of their office. A greeting is given on the street first to the one who is to be honored, thus the rabbis desired to be addressed first, and therefore publicly recognized as superiors. Jos. Ant. 11, 331 Censuring the claim of the rabbis to aspasmos, Jesus does not wish His disciples to be honored by greetings but rather to greet others. It is known that this basic principle was taught and practiced by many rabbis, especially Jochanan ben Zakkai. The common use of aspazomai (over 40 times) is a formula at the close of the epistles conveying greetings to various churches and individuals (Rm. 16:3-16, 21-23). The greeting between believers often included the embrace accompanied by a “holy kiss” (Rm. 16:16). Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament lists the following: (1) strictly embrace; hence greet, salute, express good wishes; literally, of those entering a house greet, salute; of meeting someone along the road greet; of departing take leave of, say good-bye to; in letters (often imperatively) greet someone, remember (the writer to someone; of short official visits pay one’s respects to; figuratively, of treating someone affectionately be fond of, be friendly to; of things be happy about, welcome, anticipate. Page 78 A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: ① to engage in hospitable recognition of another (w. varying degrees of intimacy), greet, welcome τινά someone Just Just Just , II a.d.—List 5., A I, 65, 2 (a) through word or gesture or both: of those entering a house Mt 10:12; Lk 1:40; Ac 21:19; Hv Hv Hv = Visions 5:1. Of those meeting others (Jos. Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5, Ant. 8, 321) Lk 10:4; welcome, greet someone (Philostrat Philostrat Philostrat = Flavius Philostratus, the Sophist II–III a.d.—List 5., Vi. Vi. Vi. = Vita, Vitae Apoll. 1, 12) Mk 9:15; Hv Hv Hv = Visions 1, 1, 4; 1, 2, 2; 4, 2, 2; AcPl Ha AcPl Ha AcPl Ha = Acts of Paul, PHamb—List 1 7:38; 8:3. Of those departing take leave of (X. X. X. = Xenophon, V–IV b.c.—List 5, An. 7, 1, 8; Nicol. Dam.: 90 Fgm. Fgm. Fgm. = fragment, fragmentary 68, 7 Jac. Jac. Jac. = Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker, ed. FJacoby—Lists 5, 6; Plut Plut Plut , I–II a.d.—List 5., Aemil. P. 270 [29, 1] ἀσπασάμενος ἀνέζευξεν) Ac 20:1, 12 D D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1; 21:6 v.l. v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading); AcPl Ha AcPl Ha AcPl Ha = Acts of Paul, PHamb—List 1 5, 13.—Mt 5:47 ἀ. here denotes more than a perfunctory salutation and requires some such rendering as spend time in warm exchange (cp. cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts X. X. X. = Xenophon, V–IV b.c.—List 5, Cyr. 1, 4, 1; Ael. Aristid. Ael. Aristid. Ael. Aristid. = Aelius Aristides, II a.d.—List 5 31, 6 K.=11 p. 128 D D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1.; Aelian Aelian Aelian , II a.d.—List 5, VH 9, 4; Appian Appian Appian , I–II a.d.—List 5, Bell. Civ. 3, 79 §322 τ. ἐναντίους); w. ἀγαπάω (vs. 46), of which it is almost a synonym (as Plut Plut Plut , I–II a.d.—List 5., Mor. 143b; s. HAlmqvist, Plut Plut Plut , I–II a.d.—List 5. u. das NT NT NT = New Testament, ’46, 34; Ptolem Ptolem Ptolem , math., II a.d.—List 5., Apotel. 1, 3, 17.—W. φιλέω: Hierocles Hierocles Hierocles , Commentarius in aureum carmen, V a.d.—List 5 19, 460; opp. opp. opp. = opposed to, opposite μισέω: Simplicius Simplicius Simplicius , VI a.d.—List 5 in Epict Epict Epict , various works, I–II a.d.—List 5. p. 31, 6). See FPorporato, Verb. Domini 11, ’31, 15–22.—Freq. in written greetings (cp. cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts the exx. exx. exx. = examples in Ltzm. Ltzm. Ltzm. = HLietzmann, commentator and editor of various works, Griech. Papyri [Kleine Texte 14]2 1910, nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13.—FZiemann, De Epistularum Graec. Formulis Soll., diss. diss. diss. = dissertation Halle 1911, 325ff; FXJExler, The Form of the Ancient Gk. Gk. Gk. = Greek Letter 1923; ORoller, D. Formular d. paul. Briefe ’33, 67ff; HKoskenniemi, Studien z. Idee u. Phraseologie d. griech. Briefes ’56, 148ff); the impv. impv. impv. = imperative may be transl. transl. transl. = translate, translation greetings to (someone) or remember me to (someone); other moods than impv. impv. impv. = imperative may be rendered wish to be remembered, greet, send greetings Ro 16:3, 5ff; 1 Cor 16:19f; 2 Cor 13:12; Phil 4:21f; Col 4:10, 12, 14f; 2 Ti 4:19, 21; Tit 3:15; Phlm 23; Hb 13:24; 1 Pt 5:13f; 2J 13; 3J 15; IMg IMg IMg = Ignatius to the Magnesians—List 1 ins ins Ins, ins = Inscription, Inschrift, inscription(s). Without a period, esp. in lists, as at the beginning of entries; the capitalized form is used in titles. In conjunction with literary works this abbr. refers to the title or description of contents.; 15; ITr ITr ITr = Ignatius to the Trallians—List 1 ins ins Ins, ins = Inscription, Inschrift, inscription(s). Without a period, esp. in lists, as at the beginning of entries; the capitalized form is used in titles. In conjunction with literary works this abbr. refers to the title or description of contents.; 12:1; 13:1; IRo IRo IRo = Ignatius to the Romans—List 1 ins ins Ins, ins = Inscription, Inschrift, inscription(s). Without a period, esp. in lists, as at the beginning of entries; the capitalized form is used in titles. In conjunction with literary works this abbr. refers to the title or description of contents.; 9:3; IPhld IPhld IPhld = Ignatius to the Philadelphians—List 1 ins ins Ins, ins = Inscription, Inschrift, inscription(s). Without a period, esp. in lists, as at the beginning of entries; the capitalized form is used in titles. In conjunction with literary works this abbr. refers to the title or description of contents.; 11:2; ISm ISm ISm = Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, I–II a.d.—List 1 11:1; 12:1f; 13:1f; IPol IPol IPol = Ignatius to Polycarp—List 1 8:2f. Another person than the writer of the letter sometimes adds greetings of his own Ro 16:22 (sim. sim. sim. = similarly POxy POxy POxy = Oxyrhynchus Papyri—List 4 1067, 25 κἀγὼ Ἀλέξανδρος ἀσπάζομαι ὑμᾶς πολλά). ἀ. πολλά (besides the pap pap pap = papyrus, -yri just mentioned also PParis PParis PParis = Notices et textes des papyrus (Paris)—List 4 18, 3 [Dssm. Dssm. Dssm. = ADeissmann, various works—List 6, B B B = Barnabas (the Letter of), II a.d., except in series of uncial witnesses, in which case B refers to Codex Vaticanus (s. also Vat.). When the abbrv. B would ambiguous, Vat. is used for the codex.—List 1 215]; POxy POxy POxy = Oxyrhynchus Papyri—List 4 930, 22; 935, 22; PGrenf II PGrenf II PGrenf II = BGrenfell/AHunt, New Classical Fragments—Lists 4, 73, 4 [=Ltzm. Pap. Ltzm. Pap. Ltzm. Pap. = HLietzmann, Griechische Papyri—List 4 nos. 13, 14, 15]) greet warmly 1 Cor 16:19; ἀ. κατʼ ὄνομα (PParis PParis PParis = Notices et textes des papyrus (Paris)—List 4 18, 15 [Dssm. Dssm. Dssm. = ADeissmann, various works—List 6, B B B = Barnabas (the Letter of), II a.d., except in series of uncial witnesses, in which case B refers to Codex Vaticanus (s. also Vat.). When the abbrv. B would ambiguous, Vat. is used for the codex.—List 1 216]; POxy POxy POxy = Oxyrhynchus Papyri—List 4 930, 26 [=Ltzm. Pap. Ltzm. Pap. Ltzm. Pap. = HLietzmann, Griechische Papyri—List 4 no. 13]) greet by name 3J 15; ISm ISm ISm = Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, I–II a.d.—List 1 13:2 (πάντας κατʼ ὄνομα as PMich PMich PMich = Michigan Papyri—List 4 206, 20ff [II a.d.]); ἄσπασαι τοὺς φιλοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἐν πίστει (PFay PFay PFay = Fayûm Towns and Their Papyri—List 4 119, 25ff ἀσπάζου τοὺς φιλοῦντες [sic sic sic = so, thus (indicating an error or extraordinary form transcribed from the original)] ἡμᾶς πρὸς ἀλήθιαν. Sim. BGU BGU BGU = Aegyptische Urkunden aus den Museen zu Berlin: Griechische Urkunden—List 4 814, 38) Tit 3:15. Among friends the greeting is accompanied by a kiss (Ps.-Lucian Ps.-Lucian Ps.-Lucian , after II a.d.—List 5, De Asin. 17 φιλήμασιν ἠσπάζοντο ἀλλήλους; Heliod Heliod Heliod , III? a.d.—List 5. 10, 6; φιλήματι Just Just Just , II a.d.—List 5., A I, 65, 2; cp. cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts the apocryphal preface Ath. Ath. Ath. = Athenagoras, II a.d.—List 5 32, 3 [Resch, Agrapha 137]), hence: ἀ. ἐν φιλήματι Ro 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Th 5:26; 1 Pt 5:14. Of homage to a king hail, acclaim (Dionys. Hal. 4, 39; Plut Plut Plut , I–II a.d.—List 5., Pomp. 624 [12, 4]; 13, 7; cp. cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts Jos. Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5, Ant. 10, 211) Mk 15:18 (cp. cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts Philo Philo Philo = P. of Alexandria, I b.c.–I a.d.—List 5, In Flacc. 38). (b) of short friendly visits, ‘look in on’ Ac 18:22; 21:7; IRo IRo IRo = Ignatius to the Romans—List 1 1:1. Of official visits pay one’s respects to (Sb Sb Sb = Sammelbuch griechischer Urkunden aus Aegypten—Lists 3, 4 8247, 13; 15 [II a.d.]; BGU BGU BGU = Aegyptische Urkunden aus den Museen zu Berlin: Griechische Urkunden—List 4 248, 12; 347 I, 3 and II, 2; 376 I, 3; Jos. Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5, Ant. 1, 290; 6, 207) Ac 25:13 (OGI OGI OGI = Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae—List 3 219, 43 [III b.c.]) s. Schwyzer Schwyzer Schwyzer = ES., Griechische Grammatik—List 6 II 301, also 297. Of the greeting given to a priest in a liturgical service τοῦ ἀσπάσασθαι αὐτὸν ἐν εὐχῇ to greet him with prayer GJs GJs GJs = Gospel of James (Protevangelium Jacobi), II a.d.—List 1 24:1. ② to express happiness about the arrival of someth. someth. someth. = something, welcome, greet, fig. ext. ext. ext. = extension of 1 in ref. ref. ref. = reference(s) to someth. someth. someth. = something intangible (Eur Eur Eur , V b.c.—List 5., Ion 587; Chariton Chariton Chariton , scriptor eroticus (writer of romances) I–II a.d.—List 5 6, 7, 12; Alciphron 1, 3, 3; Diog. L. Diog. L. Diog. L. = Diogenes Laertius, III a.d.—List 5 σοφίαν ἀσπαζόμενος; POxy POxy POxy = Oxyrhynchus Papyri—List 4 41, 17 τὴν παρʼ ὑμῶν τιμήν; CPR CPR CPR = Corpus Papyrorum Raineri—List 4 30 II, 39; Philo Philo Philo = P. of Alexandria, I b.c.–I a.d.—List 5, Det. Pot. Ins. 21; Jos. Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5, Ant. 6, 82; 7, 187; TestGad TestGad TestGad = Testament of Gad, s. Test12Patr—List 2 3:3; Just Just Just , II a.d.—List 5.) τὰς ἐπαγγελίας the promises Hb 11:13.—DELG DELG DELG = PChantraine, Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque—List 6. M-M M-M M-M = JMoulton/GMilligan, Vocabulary of Greek Testament—Lists 4, 6. TW TW TW = Theologisches Wörterbuch zum NT; tr. GBromiley, Theological Dictionary of the NT—List 6. Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 144). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: (1) to employ certain set phrases as a part of the process of greeting, whether communicated directly or indirectly – ‘to greet, to send greetings’. 33.20 (2) to be happy about something, on the basis that it would prove particularly welcome (thus implying a type of future orientation) – ‘to be happy about, to anticipate with pleasure’. 25.130 (3) to welcome something or someone, with focus upon the initial greeting – ‘to welcome, to accept gladly’. 34.55 In Second Timothy 4:19, the verb aspazomai means “greet” or “gives one’s regards to someone” and is used of Paul requesting that Timothy pass along his regards or greeting to Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. This verb is in the aorist imperative form and is a pure ingressive aorist imperative expressing the urgency of Paul’s desire that his regards or greeting to Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus would be passed along by Timothy. The imperative is an imperative of entreaty meaning that Paul is requesting that Timothy pass along a greeting from himself to Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. The middle voice of the verb aspazomai is an intensive or indirect middle since one can see the middle force of the word here in this passage. Some grammarians call this an indirect middle, dynamic, indirect reflexive, benefactive middle. The subject acts for (or sometimes by) himself or herself, or in his or her own interest. The subject thus shows a special interest in the action of the verb. Therefore, the middle voice of the verb aspazomai emphasizes that it is Paul’s greeting. So what Paul is saying here with the middle voice is that he is giving his regards to Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. The name Priska, “Prisca” means “little old woman” and the diminutive form of her name, Priscilla is used by Luke in Acts 18. This word is functioning as an accusative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb aspazomai indicating Prisca is receiving the action of receiving a greeting from Paul. The conjunction kai is adjunctive meaning it introduces an additional individual whom Paul is commanding the leadership in Rome to give his regards to. The name Akylas means “eagle” and is the husband of Prisca and a native of Pontus (Acts 18:2). His name was common among slaves and freedmen and is Latin but doubtless had a Hebrew name. This word is functioning as an accusative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb aspazomai indicating Aquila is receiving the action of receiving a greeting from Paul. Once again we have the conjunction kai which is again adjunctive meaning it introduces Onesiphorus and his household as another group of individuals whom Paul is requesting that Timothy pass along his greeting to. The proper name Onēsiphoros means “help-bringer” and the noun oikos means “household” consisting of those related by blood and marriage as well as slaves and servants living in the same house or homestead. Louw and Nida, 10.8 Towner writes, “Although the phrase to follow this requirement resolves itself into family leadership (TNIV), and ‘family’ is the modern equivalent in Western culture to the ancient household concept (oikos), the stipulation here initially exceeds issues of parenting and husbanding to include management of slaves, property, business interests and even maintenance of important relationships with benefactors/patrons or clients.” Towner, Philip H., The Letters to Timothy and Titus; page 254; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, MI, 2006 In Second Timothy 4:19, the noun oikos means “household” and is used in relation to Onesiphorus. Consequently, the word is referring to those individuals who are related by blood to Onesiphorus as well as any slaves or servants living in the same house or homestead. The articular construction of this word is employed with the proper name Onēsiphoros in order to denote possession indicating that this house is household “belongs to” Onesiphorus. Therefore, this proper name functions as a genitive of possession meaning it possesses the noun oikos to which it stands related. On the other hand, the noun oikos functions as an accusative direct object meaning it is receiving the direct object of the verb aspazomai indicating Onesiphorus and his household are receiving the action of receiving a greeting from Paul. Translation of Second Timothy 4:19 Second Timothy 4:19 I urgently request that you please give my regards to Prisca and Aquila as well as Onesiphorus’ household. (Author’s translation) Exposition of Second Timothy 4:19 Second Timothy 4:19-22 contains the closing of the epistle which contains greetings for certain people, personal news of friends, a final request, greetings from specific persons and a final benediction. In Second Timothy 4:19, the apostle urgently requests that Timothy pass along his personal greeting to Prisca and Aquila. These two individuals were a prominent Jewish couple in the first century apostolic church and are mentioned six times in the Greek New Testament, four of which have Prisca mentioned before Aquila. It is not clear why Prisca is mentioned before her husband. Melick writes “In four of six instances the name of Priscilla appears before that of Aquila. Most interpreters assume that this indicated her greater social prominence or more forceful personality. Ramsay indicates that her name was that of a prominent Roman family and that Aquila was frequently used of freedmen. Ibid They were a remarkable couple who had risked their lives to save Paul’s life and had sacrificed time, money, and reputation for the cause of the gospel.” Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, pp. 259–260). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers. Knight writes “Prisca is usually named before her husband, and various theories have been proposed to explain this unusual order. It is possible that she was the more active Christian. Ramsay pointed out another case in which a woman was named before her husband probably because she was of higher rank (cited in BAGD BAGD W. Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, tr. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich. 2nd ed. rev. and augmented by F. W. Gingrich and F. W. Danker from Bauer’s 5th ed. (1958), Chicago, 1979. s.v. Πρίσκα). It is also possible that placing Prisca’s name first is an expression of Christian courtesy extended to her because she is a woman. In Paul’s case in particular (and perhaps his attitude is also reflected by his companion Luke in Acts), it may reflect his gratitude in that the couple’s hospitality toward him involved her in considerably more work. He names Aquila first only in 1 Cor. 16:19, where his mentioning “the church in their house” may recall the leadership role of Aquila in the church. These various theories are nothing more than that, and no conclusions should be drawn from them, particularly none that would contradict Paul’s direct statements regarding the role of women in the church (especially 1 Tim. 2:10–15; also 1 Cor. 14:34ff.). Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (pp. 475–476). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. Prisca and Aquila were tentmakers and met Paul at Corinth through this trade during his second missionary journey since he was a tentmaker and they became his loyal friends (See Acts 18:2-3, 18-26; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19). They were expelled from Italy because of the edict of Claudius in A.D. 49 (Acts 18:2). They served with Paul at Corinth for a period of time and then he dropped them off in Ephesus to begin work there (Acts 18:18). They brought Apollos to a better understanding of Christ (Acts 18:26) and joined Paul in Ephesus for a long time there ministering to the Ephesians (1 Corinthians 16:19). It is not known when they returned to Rome but undoubtedly they must have returned after the death of Claudius in 54 A.D. Later on they returned to Ephesus according to 2 Timothy 4:19. The fact that they were a well-traveled couple and that they provided a meeting place for a group of Christians in Rome indicates that they were wealthy since only the wealthy could travel extensively as they did. Not only does Paul urgently request that Timothy pass along his personal greeting to Prisca and Aquila but also to the household of Onesiphorus. This is the second time that Onesiphorus is mentioned in Second Timothy by Paul. The first time was in Second Timothy 1:16. Second Timothy 1:16 May the Lord extend compassion to Onesiphorus’ household because he often encouraged me and in addition he never permitted himself to be ashamed of my imprisonment. 17 But rather when he entered into Rome, he diligently searched for me so that he found me. 18 May the Lord bestow upon him compassion from the Lord on that day. Indeed, you know first-hand better than anyone how many ways he served at Ephesus. (Author’s translation) These verses reveal that Onesiphorus often encouraged him during his and final Roman imprisonment which ended in execution. Paul says that this man never permitted himself to be ashamed of his imprisonment. In fact, Paul states that this man’s household extended him compassion during his imprisonment. Thus, it appears that this man’s entire household whether those related by blood or his servants, were all Christians who operated in the love of God. Now, here in Second Timothy 4:19 Paul urgently requests that Timothy pass along his personal greetings to this man’s household. Notice he doesn’t mention Onesiphorus but only his household which might indicate that this man was with Paul in Rome or was in some other location which was not revealed by Paul. It is more likely that Onesiphorus was at some other location rather than in Rome with Paul since we would expect that Paul pass along Onesiphorus’ greeting to his household. Or he could have been killed in Nero’s persecution of Christians. As we noted the name “Onesiphorus” means “help-bringer” and thus we can see that this Christian lived up to his name. He also serves as a living example of Proverbs 17:17. This encouragement that Onesiphorus extended to Paul during his imprisonment would be stimulating the apostle to continue to live in a manner worthy of his calling, to grow up to become like Christ. It would involve Onesiphorus stimulating Paul to continue to live according to the Father’s will and reassurance of God’s love for the apostle and that he was suffering according to the will of the Father. This encouragement would have also involved comforting Paul as he was experiencing suffering emotionally or physically. It would also manifest itself by Onesiphorus helping the apostle and giving him support during this difficult adversity. This encouragement would also involve Onesiphorus quoting from the Scriptures to help remind Paul of God’s care and to help him deal with this adversity so as to keep him from getting depressed, frustrated or grieved. This encouragement would of course involve Onesiphorus praying with Paul for help in this adversity. By encouraging Paul during his imprisonment, Onesiphorus was exercising the love of God toward the apostle. God’s love for Paul was manifested during his imprisonment through the actions and words of Onesiphorus in that the latter demonstrated an intense desire to alleviate the pain and suffering that Paul was experiencing in prison. Paul asserts in verse 17 that Onesiphorus who lived in the Roman province of Asia left this province and in particular the city of Ephesus according to Second Timothy 1:18 and traveled to Rome. He did this of course to obtain information as to where the Roman authorities had imprisoned Paul. This was a diligent search and thus a very difficult one. Onesiphorus more than likely had to go to the Roman authorities to obtain this information. This no doubt would have been a frustrating experience with the great bureaucracy in Rome. The fact that this search for Paul in Rome involved a lot of effort on the part of Onesiphorus indicates that Paul was not imprisoned in a place which had easy access. In other words, it was not a public prison or widely known. It also indicates that unlike his first Roman imprisonment, Paul was not under house arrest with the privilege of receiving visitors during this second Roman imprisonment. Onesiphorus found Paul languishing in the infamous Mamertine dungeon in the city of Rome which was a subterranean building consisting of two vaulted chambers. There was one chamber above the other and connected by a small hole. There are some who believe the lower chamber originally served as a cistern. When it was converted into a prison, prisoners were lowered through the hole and held in the lower chamber until their execution. The apostle Paul may have been placed there just prior to his execution but not likely before his final sentencing. It would have been almost impossible to receive visitors like Timothy if he had been placed in the lower chamber. Unlike his first Roman imprisonment between 60-62 A.D., he did not receive preferential treatment by the Roman authorities during his second Roman imprisonment (See Acts 28:30-31). Therefore, it was during these terrible circumstances in which Onesiphorus found Paul and the place where the apostle wrote Second Timothy. The apostle Paul in Second Timothy 1:18 communicated to Timothy one of the prayers that he would offer up to the Father for Onesiphorus and his household. This statement is not a prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ since all prayer is to be directed to the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of the Spirit (John 14:13-14; 16:23-27; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18; 3:14; 5:20; Col 1:3, 12; 3:17; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 1:6). Even the Lord Jesus Christ taught to address the Father in prayer. When His disciples asked Him how to pray, His response was, “pray to your Father” (Mat 6:6). So like Second Timothy 1:16, Paul in Second Timothy 1:18 expresses his Spirit inspired desire that the Lord Jesus Christ would extend compassion to Onesiphorus at the Bema Seat. Those Christians who mistreated Paul by deserting him during his imprisonment will receive no compassion from the Lord in the sense that they will all receive a severe rebuke from Him at the Bema Seat for their lack of compassion toward the apostle during his imprisonment. On the other hand, Onesiphorus and his family would all receive compassion from the Lord at the Bema Seat in the sense that they will receive a commendation from the Lord and rewards for this compassionate treatment of the apostle during his second and final Roman imprisonment. Second Timothy 4:20 2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. (NASB95) This verse is composed of the following: (1) nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Erastos (Ἔραστος), “Erastus” (2) third person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb menō (μένω), “remained” (3) preposition en (ἐν), “at” (4) dative feminine singular form of the proper name Korinthos (Κόρινθος), “Corinth” (5) accusative masculine singular form of the noun Trophimos (Τρόφιμος), “Trophimus” (6) conjunction de (δέ), “but” (7) first person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb apoleipō (ἀπολείπω), “I left” (8) preposition en (ἐν), “at” (9) dative feminine singular form of the proper name Milētos (Μίλητος), “Miletus” (10) accusative masculine singular present active participle form of the verb astheneō (ἀσθενέω), “sick.” The apostle Paul is once again employing the figure of asyndeton which means he is not using a connective word between his previous request in verse 19 and his statement here in verse 20. He employs this figure in order to mark a transition from this request to providing useful information which Timothy regarding Erastus and Trophimus. The proper name Erastos means “beloved” and functions as a nominative subject meaning that it is performing the action of the verb menō, “remained” indicating that Erastus, as the subject performed the action of remaining at Corinth. The verb menō is used in an intransitive sense and means, “to remain in a place, to tarry,” as opposed to go away. It is used here in a literal sense and means “to stay or dwell” in a particular location. The word pertains to remaining in the same place over a period of time. Therefore, this verb refers to Erastus “remaining” in the city of Corinth in the sense of dwelling in this city for a period of time. The aorist tense of this verb is a constative aorist describing in summary fashion Erastus remaining in the city of Corinth. The active voice of this verb is stative indicating the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb which would mean Erastus existed in a state of remaining in the city of Corinth. The indicative mood of the verb menō is declarative presenting this Pauline assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement. The proper name Korinthos, “Corinth” refers to an influential Graeco-Roman city in the Peloponnesus where Paul spent 18 months on his second missionary journey. It is the object of the preposition en which means “at” since it functions as a marker of location indicating that Corinth was the location in which Erastus remained when Paul left him. The conjunction de means “but” since it is a marker of a mild contrast meaning that it is contrasting Erastus whereabouts with that of Trophimus. It marks a contrast between Trophimus who was sick and Erastus who Paul does not describe as being sick. So the contrast is to emphasize the situation of Trophimus. The proper noun Trophimos, “Trophimus” appears three times in the Greek New Testament (Acts 20:4; 21:29; 2 Tim. 4:20). The meaning of the name Trophimus is based on the Greek word tropheia, which can refer either to “service as a wet-nurse” or to the nourishment thus provided. Therefore, the name Trophimus could mean “foster child” or “nourishment,” depending on whether the emphasis was placed on the one being nourished or on the nourishment being provided. Paulien, J. (1992). Trophimus (Person). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 6, p. 667). New York: Doubleday. The proper noun Trophimos, “Trophimus” is functioning as the object of an object-complement double accusative construction. This means that it is receiving the action of the verb apoleipō whose thought is completed by the verb astheneō. Thus, Trophimus received the action of being left behind by Paul with a debilitating illness in the city of Miletus. The verb apoleipō means “to leave behind” since it pertains to causing something to remain in a place and to go away. Therefore the verb speaks of Paul “leaving behind” a sick Trophimus in the city of Miletus. The aorist tense of this verb is a constative aorist describing this action on the part of Paul in summary fashion. The active voice of this verb is a simple active meaning that Paul as the subject performed the action of leaving behind a sick Trophimus in the city of Miletus. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this Pauline assertion as a non-contingent or unqualified statement. The verb astheneō is formed from its opposite sthenos, “strength,” and the alpha-privative prefixed, thus the verb literally means “to be without strength.” Thus, it conveys the meaning of powerlessness, weakness, lack of strength. This verb appears 66 times in the Septuagint (LXX) and is used to render extensive group of Hebrew equivalents: (1) `amal, “be weak, languish, grow feeble; pual: “waste away, languish” (1 Sm. 2:5; Lm. 2:8). (2) da’av, “sorrow” (Ps. 88:9 [87:9]). (3) dal, “weak” (Jgs. 6:15; 2 Sm. 3:1; 13:4). (4) dalal, “be low” (Jb. 28:4). (5) chalah, Qal: “be weak” (Jgs. 16:7, 11, 17); niphal: “be made sick” (Ez. 34:4; Dn. 8:27). (6) chath, “broken” (1 Sm. 2:4). (7) kashal, Qal: “be weak, feeble, stumble” (2 Ch. 28:15; Jb. 4:3; Jer. 46:16 [26:16] ); niphal: “be tottering, feeble” (1 Sm. 2:4; Ps. 9:3; Zech. 12:8); hiphil: “cause to stumble, make weak” (Jer. 18:15; Lm. 1:14; Mal. 2:8). (8) la’ah, niphal: “be weary” (Ps. 68:9 [67:9] ). (9) mahar niphal: “hastened” (Is. 32:4). (10) mul, “circumcise; hithpael: “be cut off, made blunt” (Ps. 58:7 [57:7] ). (11) mikhshol, “fall” (Ez. 21:15). (12) makhshelah, “stumblingblock” (Zep. 1:3). (13) ma`adh, “slip” (Ps. 26:1 [25:1] ). (14) tsaphaph, pilpel: “whisper” (Is. 29:4). (15) qatser, “feeble” (2 Kgs. 19:26). (16) rakhakh, “be fainthearted” (Is. 7:4). (17) raphah, “end” (Jgs. 19:9). (18) rapheh, “weak” (Jb. 4:3). (19) shakhol, “be bereaved”; piel: “fail to bear, cast one’s fruit” (Mal. 3:11). The verb astheneō first acquires a specific character in the prophetic literature. In the Psalms and in the Wisdom literature, astheneō is sometimes used as in the prophets to express the stumbling of the unbeliever and of enemies (Ps. 9:3; 27 [26]:2; 58 [57]:7; 107 [106]:12; cf. Job 28:4). On other occasions it expresses human poverty and human wretchedness (Ps. 6:2; 31 [30]:10; 88 [87]:9; 109 [108]:24; cf. Job 4:4; Prov. 21:13; 22:22). Theodotian employs the verb often where he uses it to depict the fate of wise and powerful men in the end-time (e.g. Dn. 11:14, 19, 33 ff). The fact that astheneō is used in the LXX to denote human stumbling, disaster, a sense which goes beyond the genuinely Greek meaning of human weakness, is probably to be explained by the link-word in the translation, the Aramaic teqal, which means both to stumble and to be weak. The verb astheneō appears 33 times in the Greek New Testament. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) to suffer a debilitating illness, be sick (2) to experience some personal incapacity or limitation, be weak (3) to experience lack of material necessities, be in need. Page 142 Louw and Nida list the following meanings: (1) to be in a state of incapacity or weakness - ‘to be weak, to be unable to, to be limited’. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains 74.26 (2) to be sick and, as a result, in a state of weakness and incapacity - ‘to be sick, to be ill, to be disabled.’ Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains 23:144 In Second Timothy 4:20, the verb astheneō means “to be in a state of physical or bodily weakness or incapacity.” The word pertains to be physically ill or sick in the sense of being in a state of physical or bodily weakness or incapacity. Therefore, it speaks of having a debilitating illness. Here it is used of course to describe Trophimus when Paul left him behind in the city of Miletus. The present tense of this verb is a customary or stative present used to signal an ongoing state indicating that Paul left Trophimus behind in the city of Miletus “in a state of” suffering a debilitating illness. The active voice of this verb is a stative active indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb which would mean that Paul left Trophimus behind in the city of Miletus “in a state of” suffering a debilitating illness. The participle form of this verb is functioning as a complementary participle meaning that it completes the thought of the verb apoleipō. The verb’s in the accusative case and functions as the complement of an object-complement double accusative construction. This means that the word is complementing Trophimos in that it predicates or affirms something about Trophimus. Therefore, this construction indicates that Paul is making the assertion that he left Trophimus sick in the city of Miletus. The proper name Milētos, “Miletus” and is the object of the preposition en, which means “at” since it is functioning as a marker of location indicating that Trophimus was located in the city of Miletus when Paul left him behind with a debilitating illness. Translation of Second Timothy 4:20 Second Timothy 4:20 Erastus remained at Corinth. However, I left Trophimus ill at Miletus. (Author’s translation) Exposition of Second Timothy 4:20 The apostle Paul provides Timothy some useful information regarding the whereabouts of Erastus and Trophimus. Both of whom would be useful and helpful to Timothy after Paul’s death. Erastus was a traveling companion. Paul’s statement to Timothy that he left this man at Corinth implies that he had been traveling with Paul and that after reaching Corinth Erastus stayed while Paul went on. The mention of Erastus here in Second Timothy 4:20 makes clear that this Christian was known to both Paul and Timothy. The Erastus mentioned by Paul in Second Timothy 4:20 is also more than likely the same individual mentioned in Acts 19:22 since in both passages the Erastus mentioned served as a traveling companion for Paul. The Erastus mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:23 is identified by Paul as the treasurer of the city of Corinth. However, it is unlikely that this man is the same individual mentioned in Second Timothy 4:20 and Acts 19:22 since it would be unlikely for the treasurer of the city of a large city like Corinth to have the time to serve as a traveling companion on his missionary journeys. Being the treasurer of a major city like Corinth implied residence in one locality. Corinth was an influential Graeco-Roman city in the Peloponnesus where Paul spent 18 months on his second missionary journey. The church at Corinth was the recipient of two canonical Pauline works, namely First and Second Corinthians. Corinth was about 48 miles west of Athens and was founded by Dorian Greeks in the tenth century B.C. and had established colonies at Corfu and Syracuse (Sicily) by the eighth century B.C. Corinth was destroyed by the Romans in 146 B.C. It was rebuilt about a century afterwards and was populated by a colony of freedmen from Rome. In 44 B.C. Julius Caesar undertook to refound the city naming it Colonia Laus Julia Corinthiensis. Thus, it was a fairly new city in the days of Paul. It was the third-largest city of the Roman Empire. Under the Romans, Corinth became the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia (Acts 18:12-16). During this time the city was well-known for its wealth as well as for the immoral and lascivious habits of its people. It had a large population which was composed of Romans, Greeks as well as Jews. Paul also informs Timothy in Second Timothy 4:20 that he left Trophimus ill in the city of Miletus. In Acts 20:4, Trophimus is mentioned along with Tychicus as joining Paul and others for the apostle’s final visit to Jerusalem. Asian Jews mistakenly accused Paul of taking Trophimus who was a Gentile into the Temple’s court of Israel (Acts 21:29) which prompted a mob disturbance among the Jews that led to Paul being arrested by the Roman authorities. These passages reveal that Trophimus was an Ephesian Christian and was no doubt one of the delegates of the Asian churches with the collection for the poor Jewish saints (Acts 20:1-5; cf. 1 Cor. 16:1-4). Now, here in Second Timothy 4:20, Paul informs Timothy that he left Trophimus at Miletus. This man could very well likely be the same individual mentioned in Acts 20:4 and 21:29 since in all three passages this individual is a traveling companion of the apostle Paul. However we cannot be dogmatic since there is not an overwhelming amount of evidence for this. But that being said, Paul informs Timothy that he left Trophimus sick at Miletus which was only 36 miles from Ephesus. Sickness in the Scriptures can refer to any mental, physical or spiritual disorders which originate from either Satan, man, or God and can be caused by either self-induced misery, divine discipline or undeserved suffering for blessing. There many different categories of diseases that are mentioned in the Scriptures. (1) Boils (Ex. 9:9; Le. 13:18; 2 K. 20:7; Jb. 2:7; Is. 38:21). (2) Epilepsy (Mt. 4:24; 17:14-15). (3) Fever (Le. 26:16; De. 28:22; Jb. 30:30; Mk. 1:30; Jn. 4:52; Ac. 28:8). (4) Insanity (Da. 4:33; Mt. 4:24; 17:15). (5) Leprosy (Le. 13:2; 14:2, 34; De. 24:8; 2 Ch. 26:19). (6) Loss of Appetite (1 S. 1:7; 28:23; Ps. 102:4; 107:18). (7) Paralysis (Mt. 4:24; 8:6; 9:2; Ac. 8:7; 9:33). (8) Consumption (Le. 26:16; De. 28:22). (9) Dropsy (Lu. 14:2). (10) Dysentery (Ac. 28:8). (11) Tumors (De. 28:27; 1 S. 5:6). (12) Hemorrhage (Mt. 9:20). (13) Itch (De. 28:27). (14) Sun-stroke (2 K. 4:18-19; Is. 49:10). (15) Sores (Is. 1:6; Lu. 16:20). The Scriptures also teach that there are several causes for sickness and disease in human beings: (1) Self-induced misery (2) Divine Discipline (3) Undeserved Suffering for Blessing. Sometimes sickness and disease is a result of the Supreme Court of Heaven’s judgment (Lv. 26:15-16; Dt. 28:61; 2 Ch.. 21:15; Ps. 107:17-18; Mic. 6:13). Disease and sickness can come upon a believer as a result of apostasy. God will administer three categories of divine discipline or punishment in order to prompt the believer to rebound and get back into fellowship: (1) Warning (Rev. 3:20; James 5:9) (2) Intensified (Psa. 38:1; 2 Thess. 2:11) (3) Dying (Jer. 9:16; 44:12; Phil. 3:18-19; Rev. 3:16; 1 Cor. 10:13-14; Psa. 118:17-18; 1 John 5:16). There are many physical illnesses mentioned in the Scriptures: (1) Deafness (Lv. 19:14; 2 Sm. 19:35; Ec. 12:4; Mt. 11:5; Mk. 7:32; 9:25). (2) Blindness (Gn. 19:11; 2 Kg. 6:18; Ac. 9:8; 10:46; Lk. 7:21; Jn. 9:1). (3) Lameness (Lv. 21:18; 2 Sm. 4:4; 5:8; Mt. 15:31; 21:14; Lk. 7:22; Ac. 3:2; 14:8). (4) There are many references to diseases in general (Mt. 8:17; Lk. 5:15; 13:11; Jn. 5:5; 2 Co. 12:10; Ga. 4:13; 1 Ti. 5:23; He. 4:15). The Scriptures mentioned many preventions and cures for diseases: (1) Physicians (Ge. 50:2; 2 Ch. 16:12; Je. 8:22; Mt. 9:12; Lk. 4;23; 5:31; Col. 4:14). (2) Medicine (Pr. 17:22; Je. 8:22; 30:13; 46:11; Eze. 47:12). (3) Remedies (2 K. 20:7; Is. 1:6; Lk. 10:34; 1 Ti. 5:23; Ja. 5:14). (4) Anointing with oil (Mk. 6:13; Ja. 5:14). (5) Ointment (Is. 1:6). (6) Poultices (2 K. 20:7). (7) Treatment of fractures (Eze. 30:21). (8) Treatment of wounds (Is. 1:6; Lk. 10:34). (9) Disinfection (Le. 14:41; 15:5). (10) Quarantine (Le. 13:4, 46; 14:8; Nu. 5:2; 31:19; 2 K. 15:5; Lk. 17:12). (11) Prayer (Ja. 5:14-15a; 3 Jn 2). Jesus Christ healed thousands upon thousands during His First Advent (Mt. 4:23; 8:3, 16; 9:35; 12:13, 22; 14:36; 15:30; 17:18; 19:2; 21:14; Mk. 1:31; 10:52; Lk. 7:21; 13:13; 17:14; 22:51; Jn. 4:50; 5:9; 9:6). He healed individuals with a touch (Mt. 8:3, 15; 9:29-30; Lk. 22:51). The gift of healing was often given to certain individuals to glorify God (Mt. 10:1; Mk. 3:15; 16:18; 1 Co. 12:9). The temporary gift of healing was given to the apostles during the pre-canon period of the church age (Ac. 3:7; 5:16; 9:34; 14:10; 16:18; 19:12; 28:8). There are two categories of spiritual gifts: (1) Temporary (2) Permanent. Temporary spiritual gifts are no longer extant because they were specifically designed for the pre-canon period of the church age. We live today during the post-canon period of the church age. All spiritual gifts distributed by the Holy Spirit during the post-canon period of the church age can therefore be classified as permanent. The following gifts were temporary and had disappeared by 96 A.D.: (1) Apostleship (2) Prophecy (3) Miracles (4) Tongues (5) Interpretation of Tongues (6) Knowledge and Wisdom (7) Exhortation (8) Discerning spirits (9) Temporary (10) gift of faith. The following gifts are permanent: (1) Pastor-teacher (2) Evangelist (3) Administrations (4) Helps. The spiritual gift of Apostleship required other spiritual gifts to establish his authority. These gifts identified him having the proper authority. They didn't have “badges” to mark them out, but rather they had spiritual gifts. Temporary Gifts: (1) Miracles (2) Tongues (3) Healing. Once the authority and identity of the apostle was established, the temporary gifts were removed and became non-operational. The Lord performed many miracles through certain individuals throughout human history. Prophet of Judah restored Jeroboam’s withered hand (1 Kg. 13:4-6). Elisha healed Naaman (2 Kg. 5:10). Isaiah healed Hezekiah of a terminal illness (2 Kg. 20:7). Our Lord healed: (1) nobleman’s son (Jn. 4:46). (2) demon-possessed man in the synagogue (Mk. 1:26; Lk. 4:35). (3) Peter’s mother-in-law (Mt. 8:14; Mk. 1:31; Lk. 4:38). (4) leper (Mt. 8:3; Mk. 1:41; Lk. 5:13). 95) paralyzed man (Mt. 9:2; Mk. 2:3; Lk. 5:18). (6) helpless man (Jn. 5:5). (7) withered hand (Mt. 12:10; Mk. 3:1; Lk. 6:6). (8) centurion’s servant (Mt. 8:5; Lk. 7:2). (9) widow’s son (Lk. 7:11). (10) demon-possessed (M.t 12:22; Lk. 11:14). (11) demon-possessed men of Gadara (Mt. 8:28; Mk. 5:1; Lk. 8:26). (12) Jairus’ daughter (Mt. 9:18; Mk. 5:42; Lk. 8:41). (13) hemmorrhage (Mt. 9:20; Mk. 5:25; Lk. 8:43). (14) blind men (Mt. 9:27). (15) demon-possessed man (Mt. 9:32). (16) daughter of Canaanite (Mt. 15:22; Mk. 7:25). (17) deaf and mute (Mk. 7:33). (18) blind man (Mk. 8:23). (19) lunatic child (Mt. 17:14; Mk. 9:26; Lk. 9:37). (20 ten lepers (Lk. 17:12). (21) blind man (Jn. 9:1). (22) Lazarus (Jn. 11). (23) woman with the spirit of sickness (Lk. 13:11). (24) Malchus (Lk. 22:51). Peter healed: (1) lame man (Ac. 3:7). (2) sick (Ac. 5:15). (3) Aeneas (Ac. 9:34). (4) Dorcas (Ac. 9:40). Paul healed the following: (1) lame man (Ac. 14:10). (2) girl with a demon (Ac. 16:18; 19:11). (3) Eutychus (Ac. 20:10). (5) father of Publius (Ac. 28:8). Miletus was a seaport town and the ancient capital of Ionia which was approximately 36 miles south of Ephesus. This city is near the mouth of the Meander River on the southwest coast of Turkey. It was the place where Paul addressed the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:15-35). Today the site is some 10 miles from the coast whereas in Paul’s day it was located by the sea. In ancient times, Miletus was an important port with four harbors. However, today, these harbors have long since been silted up. It was already in existence for more than a thousand years when in the sixth century B.C. it became the center of Greek art and philosophy. The people of Miletus had established trading colonies as far away as the Black Sea and Egypt. It was destroyed by the Persians in 494 B.C. However it was freed by Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. and was soon rebuilt and continued to be an important commercial center throughout the Roman period. This city flourished during the Hellenistic and Roman periods (324 B.C.-325 A.D.). Erastus, and Trophimus are all mentioned in the book of Acts but it is unlikely that the information provided by Paul for Timothy in Second Timothy 4:20 regarding these Christian men occurred during the same time period of the book of Acts since too much time had passed. This is indicated by several factors. First, if Trophimus became sick during the events of Acts 20, the last time Paul is reported to have visited Miletus, then Paul is telling Timothy about an event that took place three years earlier! Also, Timothy did not know about Trophimus’ illness and yet Miletus was only thirty-six miles south of Ephesus. We can only speculate about certain historical scenarios which could account for Paul’s journeys after Acts 28 in this area of the world with his close friends. The cities of Ephesus (verses 12, 19), Miletus (verse 20) and Troas (verse 13) were all close to each other geographically. They were all on the main travel route on the eastern coast of Asia Minor. Thus Timothy’s work in Ephesus in communicating the gospel and serving as Paul’s delegate to the church in this region could very well have been the reason for Paul’s desire to visit Ephesus again (cf. 1 Tim. 3:14). Trophimus was an Ephesian. We can’t be dogmatic but it is quite within the realm of possibility that Paul was traveling to Ephesus and was arrested more than likely at Troas. Trophimus became ill either before or after Paul’s arrest. Thus, he stayed behind at Miletus. Erastus accompanied the arrested Paul to Corinth and remained there when Paul was taken to Rome. Too much time had elapsed between Trophimus’ illness and the writing of Second Timothy. Timothy and Trophimus were perhaps friends and close associates. Thus Paul informs Timothy of the whereabouts of Trophimus since the former was in obvious need of some support. Miletus again was close geographically to Ephesus. However, Second Timothy 4:20 indicates that Timothy did not know about the situation with Trophimus being ill. This would all indicate that the illness and Paul’s arrest took place very close to each other. Paul was taken to Rome as quickly as possible since he was a leader of the Christian movement among the Gentiles. He was given a preliminary hearing and then wrote Second Timothy to request that Timothy come see him before winter and to inform him about the location of his two friends. Interestingly, Paul states in Second Timothy 4:16 that he did not heal Trophimus but in fact left him sick at Miletus. This brings up the subject of whether or not the gift of healing is still extant today or not. Do men still have the gift of healing today? It would appear that Paul did not have the gift of healing when he wrote Second Timothy. In Philippians 2:25-27, Paul asserts that Epaphroditus almost died. Why couldn’t Paul heal this man? Why does he leave people sick as he does Trophimus and Epaphroditus? Why does James instruct the church to call the elders of the church and have them pray for a sick member of the body of Christ (cf. James 5:14-16). It would appear that Paul did not heal these men or could not heal these men because the gift of healing which he had possessed early in his ministry was no longer needed. The gift of healing and miracles established the authority of the apostles like Paul in that the manifestation of these gifts demonstrated that they represented and spoke of behalf of the Father and the Son. Remember that the Jews required signs and God gave them signs such as healing (cf. 1 Cor. 1:22). So the apostles had the gift of healing in order to establish their authority as being from God but once that authority had been established, they no longer had need of the gift. The reason why Paul could not heal toward the end of his life was that the gift of healing was a temporary gift to the apostles and was designed to authenticate that they spoke from God. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. The miracles of healing that the apostles performed were signs to the Jews that the apostles spoke from God and were to be listened to and obeyed. So the temporary gift of healing was given to the apostles during the pre-canon period of the church age (Ac. 3:7; 5:16; 9:34; 14:10; 16:18; 19:12; 28:8). Norman Geisler writes “The claim that apostolic sign gifts still exist fails to distinguish between the fact of miracles and the gift of miracles: Gift of Miracles Fact of Miracles Limited to Bible times Occurs any time Temporary Permanent Done through humans Done without humans Confirms new revelation Does not confirm revelation Apologetic value No apologetic value The view that sign miracles ceased with the apostles does not demand that God has performed no miracles since the first century. It argues that the special gift of doing miraculous feats possessed by the apostles ceased once the divine origin of their message was confirmed. In Hebrews 2:3–4, the writer of Hebrews referred to these special sign gifts of an apostle as already past in about 69 when he spoke of the message ‘first announced by the Lord.’ ‘God also testified [in the past] to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.’ Jude, writing later (after 70), speaks of the faith that was “once for all entrusted to the saints” (vs. 3). Jude exhorts his hearers to ‘remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold’ (vs. 17). Here also the miraculously confirmed apostolic message was spoken of as past by a.d. 70. In spite of the profusion of apostolic miracles (cf. Acts 28:1–10) up to the end of Acts, about 60–61, there is no record of apostolic miracles in Paul’s Epistles after this time. This argument from the sudden absence of miracles after their earlier abundance is not to be confused with a fallacious ‘argument from silence.’ The Bible is not silent on the nature, purpose, and function of these special apostolic miracles (see, for example, 2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3–4). This function of confirming apostolic revelation fits with their cessation, since they were not needed after the revelation was confirmed. It is to be noted that Paul apparently could not heal some of his own trusted helpers (Phil. 2:26; 2 Tim. 4:20), asking for prayer or recommending that they take medicine (1 Tim. 5:23). Even while Paul was doing miracles he was unable to heal his own physical infirmity, Gal. 4:13. In fact, there is never a sign in Scripture of anyone performing a miracle for their own benefit. That illness may have resulted from his being blinded by God or an infliction sent to humble him. Either way, Paul regarded it as increasing his value as a servant through his weakness. Miracles were to be exercised according to God’s will. Special signs given to the apostles established their authority as representatives of Christ in founding the church. Jesus promised special ‘power’ to them as his witnesses (Acts 1:8). In 2 Corinthians 12:12, Paul offered his miracles as confirmations of his authority. Hebrews 2:3–4 speaks of the special apostolic miracles as confirming their witnesses to Christ. It was the pattern of God from Moses on to give such special confirmation for his key servants (Exodus 4; 1 Kings 18; John 3:2; Acts 2:22). The cessation view concludes, based on both Scripture and history, that extraordinary sign gifts, such as the apostles exercised, have not been possessed by any since their time. While special gift miracles have ceased, the fact of miracles has not necessarily vanished. There is no evidence, however, of groups or persons who possess special gifts. Given the media penchant for sensationalism, if anyone had such powers it would be a widely publicized fact. Apostolic miracles had at least three characteristics missing in the acts performed by any modern miracle worker. The Characteristics of New Testament Miracles. First, New Testament miracles were instantaneous. When Jesus or the apostles performed a miracle the results were always immediate. The man with a lifelong infirmity was told to ʽ“Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked’ (John 5:8–9). Peter took the hand of the beggar, and ‘instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong’ (Acts 3:7). Even the two-stage miracle of Mark 8:22–25 took moments, and each stage had immediately intended results. There are no gradual healing over days or weeks. They were all immediate. Second, a New Testament miracle never failed. A miracle is a special act of God, and God cannot fail. Further, there is no record that anyone who received one relapsed into the condition again. If there had been relapses, enemies of the gospel message would have quickly used them to discredit Christ or the apostles. Of course those who were raised from the dead died again. Jesus alone received a permanent, immortal resurrection body (1 Cor. 15:20). Lazarus died, again, when his moment had come. The final and lasting resurrection miracle will be at Christ’s second coming (1 Cor. 15:52–53). Third, New Testament sign gifts as exercised by Jesus and the apostles were successful on all kinds of conditions—even incurable diseases and dead people. They healed people who were born blind (John 9) and even dead and rotting (John 11). Further, they healed all kinds of disease, not just the easier kinds (Matt. 10:8). Sometimes, they healed everyone brought to them in the entire area (Acts 28:9). It is a verifiable fact that no one today possesses the special powers of Jesus and the apostles to instantaneously cure all sicknesses and even raise the dead on command (Acts 9, 20). These special ‘signs of an apostle’ (2 Cor. 12:12), along with the ability to give people the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:18), special gifts (2 Tim. 1:6), and smite lying Christians with death (Acts 5), have ceased. Fourth, unlike the miracles of apostolic times, modern miracles do not confirm new revelation, nor do they establish the credentials of God’s messengers. The person’s fidelity in obeying and proclaiming Scripture now establishes the message. Attempts to stress the miraculous or to claim supernatural gifts has now become a disqualifying, rather than a qualifying, mark. This is especially true among those who claim to foretell the future. For those who make such claims, the biblical standard for accuracy is absolutely no false predictions (Deut. 18:22). Since new revelation ceased with the apostles, prophetic and other miraculous claims should be seriously distrusted. Jesus the Final Revelation. Jesus was the full and final revelation of God. ‘In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe’ (Heb. 1:1–2). Jesus informed the apostles that his revelation would be continued by the Holy Spirit, who ‘will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you’ (John 14:26). Using the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit fulfills the role once taken by the prophets: ‘He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come’ (John 16:13). It is clear that the apostles were the divinely authorized agents through which the Holy Spirit proclaimed the final revelation of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the apostles claimed this revelatory power (John 20:31; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Thess. 4:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 John 2:19; 4:6), claiming the church was ‘built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets’ (Eph. 2:20). The early church recognized this authority and ‘they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). The apostles were the eyewitnesses of Christ (Acts 1:22), even Paul (1 Cor. 9:1; 15:5–9). Since these divinely authorized channels of ‘all truth’ died in the first century, it follows that divine revelation ceased with them. If revelation ceased, there was no longer a need for miracle signs of a new revelation. Conclusion. Arguments for the continuance of gift miracles miss the mark. While God does not change, his actions differ with different times. The purpose of signs and wonders was to confirm new revelation, but revelation ceased with the apostles. This is substantiated by the fact that no one since their time has actually possessed their unique power to instantaneously heal and even raise the dead. This does not mean God cannot do miracles now. But such miracles are not connected with any truth claims, nor are they a gift possessed by an individual. Whatever truly miraculous event that may occur has no apologetic value.” Geisler, N. L. (1999). In Baker encyclopedia of Christian apologetics (pp. 470–471). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. Second Timothy 4:21 Timothy Must Come Before Winter 2 Timothy 4:21 Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. (NASB95) “Make every effort to come before winter” is composed of the following: (1) second person singular aorist active imperative form of the verb spoudazō (σπουδάζω), “make every effort” (2) preposition pro (πρό), “before” (3) genitive masculine singular form of the noun cheimōn (χειμών), “winter” (4) aorist active infinitive form of the verb erchomai (ἒρχομαι), “to come.” The apostle Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton here in Second Timothy 4:21 meaning that he is not using a connective word between his statements in Second Timothy 4:20 and this statement here in Second Timothy 4:21. The reason for the use of this figure is to mark a transition. Therefore, the figure is marking a transition from Paul discussing the circumstances and location of Erastus and Trophimus in verse 20 and his request here in verse 21 that Timothy make every effort to come to him in Rome before winter. The figure also emphasizes the urgency of this request. The verb spoudazō means “to make every effort, to try hard to” doing something or “to proceed quickly” in doing something expressing the idea of urgency. Here it speaks of Timothy “making every effort” in his power to come to visit Paul in Rome before winter and expresses urgency. The second person singular form of the verb means “you” referring of course to Timothy. The active voice of this verb indicates that Timothy as the subject of this verb is to fulfill the command to make every effort to visit Paul in Rome before winter. The aorist imperative form of the verb is an ingressive aorist imperative which is a command to begin an action. The emphasis is upon the urgency of the action. A specific situation is in view with the pure ingressive rather than a general precept. Here in Second Timothy 4:21, the pure ingressive aorist imperative form of the verb spoudazō indicates that Paul is urging Timothy to begin the action of making every effort to visit him in Rome before winter and expresses a sense of urgency. The imperative form of this verb is an imperative of request indicating that Paul is not ordering Timothy to make every effort to visit him in Rome before winter but is rather requesting that he do so. The verb erchomai means “to come” in the sense of proceeding on a course with a particular destination in view. Here it refers to Timothy traveling to visit Paul in Rome before winter before he is executed by the Roman civil authorities. The aorist tense of the verb is a constative aorist describing in summary fashion the act of Timothy traveling to Rome to visit with Paul before winter. The active voice means that Timothy as the subject is to perform this action of traveling to visit Paul in Rome before winter before he is executed. The infinitive form of the verb is a complementary infinitive meaning it is completing the thought of the verb spoudazō and thus identifying for Timothy what he was to immediately make every effort to do. The noun cheimōn means “winter” since it pertains to the coldest season of the year and is the object of the preposition pro, which means “before” since it functions as a marker of a point of time prior to another point of time. The two points of time are visiting Paul in Rome and winter. Therefore, this prepositional phrase indicates that Paul is requesting that Timothy make every effort to visit him in Rome “before” winter. Several Christians Send Their Regards to Timothy 2 Timothy 4:21 Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. (NASB95) “Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren” is composed of the following: (1) third person singular present middle indicative form of the verb aspazomai (ἀσπάζομαι), “greets” (2) accusative second person singular form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “you” (3) nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Euboulos (Εὔβουλος), “Eubulus” (4) conjunction kai (καί), “also” (5) nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Poudēs (Πούδης), “Pudens” (6) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (7) nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Linos (Λίνος), “Linus” (8) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (9) nominative masculine singular form of the proper name Klaudia (Κλαυδία), “Claudia” (10) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (11) articular nominative masculine plural form of the noun adelphos (ἀδελφός), “brethren” (12) nominative masculine plural form of the adjective pas (πᾶς), “all.” Once again, Paul employs the figure of asyndeton however this time he is using it in order to mark a transition from his previous request that Timothy make every effort to visit him in Rome before winter and the greetings he passes along to Timothy which were from various Christians in Rome. He uses this figure since he wants to emphasize with Timothy that these individuals should be honored by him since they remained faithful to Paul during his time of greatest need. It emphasizes with Timothy that Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and other unidentified Christians in Rome had remained faithful to Paul despite his imprisonment. The verb aspazomai means “greet” or “gives his regards” and is used of Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and other unidentified Christians in Rome giving their regards or greeting to Timothy through this Paul’s second canonical letter to Timothy. The present tense of the verb is an instantaneous present used to indicate that the action of Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and other unidentified Christians in Rome giving their regards or greeting to Timothy through Paul’s epistle is completed at the “moment” of writing. The middle voice of the verb is an intensive or indirect middle emphasizing that it is a greeting of these individual Christians in Rome with Paul. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion that Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and other unidentified Christians in Rome were giving their regards or greeting to Timothy through Paul’s epistle as a non-contingent or unqualified statement. The second person singular form of the personal pronoun su means “you” referring to Timothy and functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving of the action of the verb aspazomai. This would indicate that Timothy is the recipient of this greeting from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and other unidentified Christians in Rome. The proper name Euboulos, “Eubulus” which was a rather common Greek name which appears often in the papyri and inscriptions. It appears he was a Gentile. The proper name Euboulos, “Eubulus” is functioning as a nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the verb aspazomai indicating that this faithful Christian was giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. The conjunction kai is adjunctive meaning it is presenting an additional faithful Christian who was giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. The word need be translating since in English it can be accounted for with a comma. The proper name Poudēs, “Pudens” means “modest” and is functioning as a nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the verb aspazomai indicating that this faithful Christian was giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. The conjunction kai is adjunctive meaning it is presenting an additional faithful Christian who was giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. The word need be translating since in English it can be accounted for with a comma. The proper name Linos, “Linus” and is functioning as a nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the verb aspazomai indicating that this faithful Christian was giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. The conjunction kai is adjunctive meaning it is presenting an additional faithful Christian who was giving her regards to Timothy through this epistle. The word need be translating since in English it can be accounted for with a comma. The proper name Klaudia, “Claudia” and is functioning as a nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the verb aspazomai indicating that this faithful Christian was giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. The conjunction kai is adjunctive meaning it is presenting additional faithful Christians who was giving their regards to Timothy through this epistle. The noun adelphos means “brothers and sisters” and refers to believers in the Christian community in Rome who remained faithful to Paul’s apostolic teaching and visited him during his imprisonment. It indicates that these Christians, Paul and Timothy were all related to each other and the Lord Jesus Christ through regeneration. Thus, the word refers to a “fellow-believer, fellow-Christian, spiritual brother or sister” emphasizing with Timothy that these faithful believers in Rome their common familial relationship with Paul and Timothy. The noun adelphos is modified by the adjective pas which pertains to the totality of faithful Christians in Rome who were passing along their regards to Timothy through Paul. The articular construction of the noun indicates that the adjective pas is in the second predicate position which indicates that the emphasis is on both words with a slightly heavier emphasis on the noun. The noun adelphos is also functioning as a nominative subject meaning it is performing the action of the verb aspazomai indicating that these faithful unidentified Christians in Rome were giving his regards to Timothy through this epistle. Translation of Second Timothy 4:21 Second Timothy 4:21 Please don’t delay, make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia as well as all the brothers and sisters give their regards to you. (Author’s translation) Exposition of Second Timothy 4:21 Second Timothy 4:21 contains a request and greetings from faithful believers in the Roman Christian community. Paul requests that Timothy would not delay in making every effort to come to visit him in Rome before winter. This request echoes the one he made of Timothy in Second Timothy 4:9. Second Timothy 4:9 Please don’t delay, make every effort to come to me soon. (Author’s translation) The difference between the two verses is that Paul does not mention Timothy arriving before winter in verse 9 as he does here in verse 21. Also in verse 9 Paul uses the word “soon” whereas he does not do so in verse 21 since coming before winter is what he means by coming to Rome soon. The reason why Paul wanted Timothy to visit him in Rome before winter was that the weather during winter would have prohibited travel whether on foot or by sea. Also another reason could have very well been that he would soon be executed before winter. Travel by land was dangerous in the winter and unpredictable in the winter since mountain passes became treacherous. So this second epistle to Timothy was probably meant to reach Timothy by early autumn at the latest which would allow the time he would need to make the trip to Rome before winter arrived. Thus, it would have been written in the spring or summer. Paul wanted Timothy to come before winter not only because he needed his coat but because transportation on the Mediterranean stopped from November through March. Mention of this season indicated that the letter was probably written in late spring or early summer. If Timothy wanted to make it to Rome during that year, he needed to leave at once. Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 261). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers. C.S. Keener writes “The seas were closed down to traffic in winter; shipping was completely closed down from around November 10 to as late as March 10, but the periods from about September 15 to November 10 and March 11 to May 26 were risky periods as well. Timothy thus could not sail from Ephesus in winter, but even if he took the overland route north of Greece, as Paul seems to expect (4:13), he would still need to sail across the Adriatic, which was also closed. If Timothy delayed, he would not be able to come until spring—and Paul might not still be alive then. Paul may have sent this letter by Tychicus in summer, leaving Timothy little time to set matters in order and come to him.” Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (2 Ti 4:21). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Dr. Clarence Macartney writes “Why ‘before winter’? Because when winter set in the season for navigation closed in the Mediterranean and it was dangerous for ships to venture out to sea. How dangerous it was, the story of Paul’s last shipwreck tells us. If Timothy waits until winter, he will have to wait until spring; and Paul has a premonition that he will not last out the winter, for he says, ‘The time of my departure is at hand.’ We like to think that Timothy did not wait a single day after that letter from Paul reached him at Ephesus, but started at once to Troas, where he picked up the books and the old cloak in the house of Carpus, then sailed past Samothrace to Neapolis, and thence traveled by the Egnatian Way across the plains of Philippi and through Macedonia to the Adriatic, where he took ship to Brundisium, and then went up the Appian Way to Rome, where he found Paul in his prison, read to him from the Old Testament, wrote his last letters, walked with him to the place of execution near the Pyramid of Cestius, and saw him receive the crown of glory.” After this request, Paul names four Christians who were passing along their greetings to Timothy. He also passes along to Timothy greetings from an unidentified number of unnamed individuals in the Christian community in Rome. “Eubulus” was a Christian who was in Rome with Paul when the latter wrote Second Timothy. Thus, he was one of the few Christians willing to risk being identified with Paul. By naming this individual would indicate that Timothy knew who Paul was referring to. Eubulus and Timothy met during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment since the latter was with the former during that period of time. “Pudens” also refers to a Christian who was in Rome with Paul when the latter wrote Second Timothy. Thus, he was another one of the few Christians willing to risk being identified with Paul. By naming this individual would indicate that Timothy knew who Paul was referring to. Pudens and Timothy met during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment since the latter was with the former during that period of time. Church tradition reveals that he was executed by Nero as well. Lock writes “A Christian at Rome in the time of St. Paul’s last imprisonment there, who sends greeting from him to Timothy (2 Ti 4:21). This is all that is certainly known of him, but conjecture has been rife in attempting to identify him with others of the same name. The name is Roman, often borne by Romans of good family, and common in the early Christian centuries. Thus we find—(1) Aulus Pudens, a soldier, the friend of Martial, and husband of a British lady, Claudia (Mart. Epigr. iv. 13; xi. 53). (2) Titus Claudius Pudens, husband of Claudia Quintilla, whose inscription to a lost child has been found between Rome and Ostia (CIL CIL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. vi. 15,066). (3) Pudens, a son of Pudentinus, a Roman who gave the site for a temple which the British king Cogidubnus erected to Neptune (CIL CIL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. vii. 17). (4) Mævius Pudens, employed by Otho to corrupt Galba’s friends (Tac. Hist. i. 24). (5) Pudens, a Roman knight, killed at the siege of Jerusalem (Jos. Jos. Josephus. BJ vi. ii. 10). (6) Pudens, a Roman senator, said by Roman tradition to have been the host of St. Peter at Rome (Baronius, Ann. Eccl. ad a.d. 44, Martyr. Rom. Rom. Roman. ad May 19; Lipsius, Apocryph. Apostel-leg. ii. 1. 207, 418). (7) Pudens, father of Pudentiana and Praxedes, c. c. circa, about. a.d. 160. The Greek Menæa, appealing to the authority of Dorotheus, regards Pudens as having been one of the seventy disciples, who afterwards accompanied St. Paul on his missionary journeys, and was beheaded under Nero. His memory is honoured with that of Aristarchus and Trophimus in the Greek Church on April 14. The Roman Church tended to identify him with the host of St. Peter (6), who was apparently confused with (7) (see Acta Sanctorum for May 19, where the editor distinguishes between the two). English writers have attempted to identify him with (1) and (3). This is possible, but cannot be regarded as proved (cf. cf. Compare. art. Claudia). So many of the name were soldiers, that the conjecture may be hazarded that Pudens was one of the soldiers who had been in charge of St. Paul, perhaps one to whom he had been chained while a prisoner.” Lock, W. (1911–1912). PUDENS. In J. Hastings, J. A. Selbie, A. B. Davidson, S. R. Driver, & H. B. Swete (Eds.), A Dictionary of the Bible: Dealing with Its Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology (Vol. 4, p. 173). New York; Edinburgh: Charles Scribner’s Sons; T. & T. Clark. “Linus” also refers to another Christian who was in Rome with Paul when the latter wrote Second Timothy. Thus, he was another one of the few Christians willing to risk being identified with Paul. By naming this individual would indicate that Timothy knew who Paul was referring to. Linus and Timothy met during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment since the latter was with the former during that period of time. Church tradition reveals that he was the son of Claudia who is also mentioned here in Second Timothy 4:21. He became a pastor for twelve years and was ordained to the office of overseer by Peter and Paul and preceded Clement in this position (Irenaeus Adv. haer. Adv. haer. Adversus omnes haereses iii.3.3; Eusebius HE HE Historia ecclesiastica iii.2, 13). “Claudia” was another Christian who was also in Rome with Paul when the latter wrote Second Timothy. Thus, she was yet another one of the few Christians willing to risk being identified with Paul. By naming this individual would indicate that Timothy knew who Paul was referring to. Claudia and Timothy met during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment since the latter was with the former during that period of time. Church tradition reveals that she was the wife of Pudens and the mother of the Linus mentioned here in Second Timothy 4:21. Her name would also suggest that she belonged to the imperial household and maybe as a slave or possibly as a member of the house of Claudia. Lock writes “Tradition treats her as the mother or, less probably, the sister of Linus (Apost. Const. vii. 46, Λίνος ὁ Κλαυδίας); she may also have become wife of Pudens, if they are to be identified with Claudius Pudens and Claudia Quinctilla, whose inscription to the memory of their infant child has been found between Rome and Ostia (CIL CIL Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. vi. 15, 066). Another very ingenious but precarious connecture identifies her with Claudia Rufina, wife ot Martial’s friend, Aulus Pudens (Martial, Epigr. iv. 13, xi. 53). On this theory she would be of British origin, a lady of high character and cultivation, and the mother of three sons; perhaps the daughter of the British king Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus, who had taken the name of Rufina from Pomponia, the wife of Aulus Plautus, the Roman commander in Britain, and had come to Rome in her train (T. Williams, Claudia and Pudens, Llandovery, 1848; E. H. Plumptre in Ellicott, N.T. Comm. ii. p. 185; but against the theory, Lightfoot, Apost. Fathers, Clem. i. pp. 29 and 76–79).” Lock, W. (1911–1912). CLAUDIA. In J. Hastings, J. A. Selbie, A. B. Davidson, S. R. Driver, & H. B. Swete (Eds.), A Dictionary of the Bible: Dealing with Its Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology (Vol. 1, p. 446). New York; Edinburgh: Charles Scribner’s Sons; T. & T. Clark. Commenting on Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia, Knight writes “These four are singled out perhaps because they have a close relationship with Timothy going back to when he was in Rome with Paul (cf. Timothy’s inclusion with Paul as author in Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; Phm. 1).” Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 477). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. “All the brothers and sisters” refers to both female and male believers in the Christian community in Rome who remained faithful to Paul’s apostolic teaching and visiting during his imprisonment. It indicates that these Christians, Paul and Timothy were all related to each other and the Lord Jesus Christ through regeneration. Thus, the word is emphasizing with Timothy that these faithful believers in Rome their common familial relationship with Paul and Timothy. No doubt Paul was comforted by the fact that were still many faithful Christians in Rome who were not afraid to identify with him. Timothy would be encouraged as well. If you recall, Paul informs Timothy in Second Timothy 1:15 and 4:16 that the majority of Christians in the Roman province of Asia upon his arrest and imprisonment. Onesiphorus was one of the few who was not afraid to visit Paul in Rome. The reason why the majority of Christians deserted Paul was to save their own skin. It was dangerous to identify with Paul because one could be arrested for such an association. Therefore, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and these other unidentified Christians were risking their lives by visiting and identifying with Paul who was considered an enemy of the state. These Christians were also trusting in the Lord which produces courage. Unbelief produces cowardice. Second Timothy 4:22 2 Timothy 4:22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. (NASB95) This verse is composed of the following: (1) articular nominative masculine singular form of the noun kurios (κύριος), “the Lord” (2) articular genitive neuter singular form of the noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “spirit” (3) genitive second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “your” (4) articular nominative feminine singular form of the noun charis (χάρις), “grace” (5) preposition meta (μετά), “with” (6) genitive second person plural form of the personal pronoun su (σύ), “you.” Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to emphasize this last statement to Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community, which concludes the closing salutation of this letter that began in verse 19. The noun kurios is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ since He was this word’s referent the last time it was used in Second Timothy 4:18. The word contains the figure of metonymy where the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is put for His grace, which is manifested through Paul’s Spirit inspired letter to Timothy. The articular construction of kurios is used as a function marker meaning it is marking this word as the nominative subject of the verb ginomai which is omitted but implied due to Paul’s use of the figure of ellipsis. This would indicate that the Lord Jesus Christ performed the action of being united with Timothy’s human spirit. At this point in the verse, we need to address a textual problem. The reading ὁ κύριος (ho kurios, “the Lord”) is well supported by א‭* ‬F G‭ ‬33‭ ‬1739‭ ‬1881‭ ‬sa.‭ ‬However,‭ ‬several witnesses expand upon this reading by including‭ ‬Ἰησοῦς‭ ‬after‭ ‬κύριος‭ (‬A‭ ‬102‭ ‬104‭ ‬1245‭)‬.‭ ‬Some have the reading‭ ‬κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός‭ (‬אc‭ ‬C D‭ ‬K L P‭ ‬Ψ‭ ‬6‭ ‬81‭ ‬257‭ ‬326‭ ‬917‭ ‬1175‭ ‬2138‭ ‬itd‭ ‬vg syrp,‭ ‬h,‭ ‬copsa,‭ ‬bo.‭ ‬As B.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Metzger notes,‭ ‬although in a late book such as‭ ‬2‭ ‬Timothy,‭ ‬one might expect the fuller title for the Lord,‭ ‬accidental omission of‭ ‬nomina sacra‭ ‬is rare‭ (‬TCGNT TCGNT A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament‭ ‬582‭)‬.‭ ‬The shorter reading is thus preferred on both external and internal grounds. Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (2 Ti 4:22). Biblical Studies Press. “Be” does not translate a word in the Greek text but is added by the translators since they interpret Paul as using the figure of ellipsis meaning that he deliberately omits the third person singular future middle indicative form of the verb eimi (εἰμί). Though it is true that Paul is using the figure of ellipsis, he is not however deliberately omitting eimi, but rather he is omitting the third person singular aorist middle optative form of the verb ginomai, which means “to be united, to be joined” indicating that Paul’s Spirit inspired desire is that the Lord Jesus Christ, namely His doctrine or His Word or in other words, His Spirit inspired teaching would be united or joined with the human spirit of Timothy. This would take place if Timothy obeyed Paul’s Spirit inspired instructions in this epistle. The aorist tense of this verb is an ingressive aorist emphasizing the beginning of an action or entrance into a state. Here it is used with reference to the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ entering into the state of being united with the human spirit of Timothy. The middle voice of the verb is a causative middle meaning that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching as the subject does something to itself. With the causative middle, the action was caused by someone who also was the recipient of its outcome in some sense. Thus, it is also an indirect middle. Therefore, the causative middle voice of the verb ginomai indicates that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching will cause itself to be joined to Timothy’s human spirit when he obeyed His voice, which is heard through the communication of this epistle. The optative mood of the verb is a voluntative optative expressing Paul’s Spirit inspired desire that the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching “would be united or joined” with the human spirit of Timothy when he obeyed the Spirit who spoke to him through this epistle from Paul. The noun pneuma refers to believer’s human spirit, which is the new Christ nature. The word functions as the object of the preposition meta, which functions as a marker of a relation in which one thing is combined with another. Louw and Nida, 89.123 Here it denotes that Paul’s Spirit inspired desire is that the grace originating from the Lord Jesus Christ would be “combined with” the human spirit of Timothy. This prepositional phrase indicates that Paul’s Spirit inspired desire is that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching would be united with the human spirit of Timothy. The noun charis, “grace” contains the figure of speech called metonymy meaning the effect is put for the cause or in other words, the thing effected for the instrument which effects it. Here grace is put for the Word of God which effects grace. Therefore, the Spirit of God speaking through the communication of the Word of God to the believer’s human spirit in this epistle regarding the will of the Father for Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community is the means by which grace is received by them as believers. The articular construction of charis indicates that the word is functioning as a nominative subject. It also functions as a possessive pronoun and should be translated “His” referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. That the Lord Jesus is in view and not the Father is indicated by the fact that in Paul’s closing benedictions, the noun charis usually has as its adjunct the phrase “Lord Jesus Christ” or “Lord Jesus” (Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; Philemon 25). The only letters that do not have this adjunct like 1 Timothy 6:21 are Colossians 4:18, 2 Timothy 4:22 and Titus 3:15. Therefore, we will translate he charis (ἡ χάρις), “His grace (i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ speaking through the Holy Spirit with regards to the will of the Father).” “Be” does not translate a word in the Greek text but is added by the translators since they interpret Paul as using the figure of ellipsis meaning that he deliberately omits the third person singular aorist middle optative form of the verb ginomai (γίνομαι), which means “to cause oneself to be manifested” indicating that Paul’s Spirit inspired desire is that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, namely His doctrine or Spirit inspired teaching would cause itself to be manifested among Timothy and members of the Ephesian Christian community. This would take place if they continue to obey the commands and prohibitions that Paul issued in this epistle. The middle voice of the verb ginomai is a causative middle meaning that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching as the subject does something to itself. With the causative middle, the action was caused by someone who also was the recipient of its outcome in some sense. Thus, it is also an indirect middle. Therefore, the causative middle voice of the verb ginomai indicates that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching will cause itself to be manifested among Timothy and the Ephesian believers when they obey His voice, which is heard through the communication of this epistle. The optative mood of the verb is a voluntative optative expressing Paul’s Spirit inspired desire that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of His Spirit inspired teaching “would cause itself to be manifested” among Timothy and the faithful members of the Ephesian Christian community when they obey the Spirit who speaks to them through the Word of God. It was a Spirit inspired desire since Paul wrote this benediction like he did all of this epistle under the inspiration of the Spirit and it was a desire that he expressed in prayer to the Father. The personal pronoun su is in the plural and means “all of you” referring to Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community. The word is used in a distributive sense meaning that there are no exceptions in the Ephesian Christian community. Paul desires that the grace of the Lord would cause itself to be manifested among each and every one of them. This word functions as the object of the preposition meta, which functions as a position within an area determined by others objects and distributed among such objects. This prepositional phrase indicates that Paul’s Spirit inspired desire is that the grace of God in the form of Paul’s Spirit inspired teaching in this epistle to Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community would cause itself to be manifested “among” all of them as a corporate unit when they obeyed this teaching. We some more textual problems to address. Some manuscripts don’t have the plural pronoun but instead the singular pronoun. The substitution of the first person plural pronoun ἡμῶν (460 1908 1984 copbo ms) could very well be an orthographic variant which arose from the circumstance that in late Greek υ and η were pronounced alike. Substituting σοῦ for the plural pronoun in several versions could have prompted σοῦ in the preceding sentence or because it would seem out of place to end with a plural pronoun when Paul has been addressing Timothy throughout this epistle. Most witnesses (א2‭ ‬D‭ ‬Ψ‭ ‬??‭ ‬lat sy‭) ‬conclude this letter with‭ ‬ἀμήν‭ (‬amēn,‭ “‬amen‭”)‬.‭ ‬Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending‭ (‬cf.‭ ‬Rom‭ ‬16:27‭; ‬Gal‭ ‬6:18‭; ‬Jude‭ ‬25‭)‬.‭ ‬A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding‭ ‬ἀμήν‭ ‬in every NT book except Acts,‭ ‬James,‭ ‬and‭ ‬3‭ ‬John‭ (‬and even in these books,‭ ‬ἀμήν‭ ‬is found in some witnesses‭)‬.‭ ‬It is thus a predictable variant.‭ ‬Further,‭ ‬there are several excellent witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts‭ (‬א‭* ‬A C F G‭ ‬6‭ ‬33‭ ‬81‭ ‬1739‭* ‬1881‭ ‬sa‭) ‬that lack the particle,‭ ‬rendering the omission the preferred reading. Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (2 Ti 4:22). Biblical Studies Press. Translation of Second Timothy 4:22 Second Timothy 4:22 May the grace originating from the Lord become united with your spirit. May His grace cause itself to be manifested among each and every one of you. (Author’s translation) Exposition of Second Timothy 4:22 The apostle Paul closes this epistle by communicating two Spirit inspired desires. The first is for Timothy and the second is for both Timothy and those who were remaining faithful in the Ephesian Christian community. Both of these desires were a part of Paul’s intercessory prayer for Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community. With regards to Timothy, Paul’s Spirit inspired desire was that the Lord Jesus Christ, namely His doctrine or His Word or in other words, His Spirit inspired teaching would be united or joined with the human spirit of Timothy. This would take place if Timothy obeyed Paul’s Spirit inspired instructions in this epistle. “Your spirit” refers to Timothy’s human spirit, which is the new Christ nature. The doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ, i.e. the Word of God feeds the human spirit, the new Christ nature. The Holy Spirit employs the Word of God to instruct the believer regarding the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is in perfect agreement with that of the Father. He also employs the Word of Christ in order to feed the new Christ nature, i.e. human spirit, which in turn enables the Holy Spirit reproduce the character of Christ in greater measure in the believer. The Spirit also employs the Word of God in order that the believer might have fellowship with the Trinity. The believer who obeys the Spirit’s message, which is received through the communication of the Word of God, will enter into fellowship with the Trinity. Paul’s prayer is that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, namely His doctrine would be communicated to the human spirit of Timothy because it will produce fellowship with God and produce greater Christ-like character in Timothy. The more the new Christ nature or human spirit is fed, the great influence and control it will have over the soul of the believer. The more the new Christ nature or human spirit is fed and grows, the more Timothy will become like the Lord Jesus Christ in thoughts, words and actions, which compose one’s character. The more the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ is communicated to the human spirit, the new Christ nature, the more Timothy will have fellowship with God and have greater ability to become like Christ, thus the reason for Paul’s benediction here at the end of the epistle, which he communicated to the Father in prayer. At the moment a sinner is declared justified by God through faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, the Holy Spirit creates a human spirit for the imputation of eternal life by God the Father, which makes the believer a new spiritual species meaning he now possesses the divine nature. This is called in theology “regeneration” is a ministry performed by the Holy Spirit on behalf of a person the moment they believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior where He creates a human spirit for the person so that they might receive the imputation of eternal life (Titus 3:5). This human spirit with eternal life imputed to it composes the believer’s new nature, i.e. the new self and this new nature is the nature of Christ. This act of regeneration makes the believer a new spiritual species, which is the nature of Christ that can never sin and that is described in Scripture by many phrases such as the “new self, new man, new creation” (Galatians 3:27; 1 Corinthian 15:45; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:9). The human spirit is the receptacle for eternal life. Together, they give the believer the capacity to metabolize and apply spiritual phenomena communicated by the Holy Spirit through the teaching of the Word of God and to pray according to the will of God and to worship and serve God (Philippians 3:2-3; 4:23). The fact that all believers received a human spirit and eternal life at the moment of salvation through regeneration makes the believer “trichotomous” in the sense that he has a body, soul and human spirit. The new Christ nature gives the believer the capacity to experience and enjoy fellowship with God and to love all men as Christ loved all men. We are commanded to put on the new Christ nature in order to practice the righteousness of God, which manifests itself in loving one another as Christ loved (Ephesians 4:24). The inner man, the new Christ nature is strengthened with power through the Spirit when the believer obeys the voice of the Spirit, which is heard through the communication of the Word of God (Ephesians 3:16). The Word of God is alive and powerful and is the believer’s spiritual food that strengthens the new nature’s control over the soul (Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 4:4). The new nature gives the believer the capacity to execute the command to be holy as God is holy and thus experience fellowship with Him (1 Peter 1:14-16). In Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3, the apostle Paul uses the expression “old man” to refer to the old Adamic sin nature and the expression “new man” to refer to the new Christ nature. He challenges the Ephesian and Colossian believers to put off living in the old nature and put on the new nature so that they might live in a manner consistent with their new position in Christ. With regards to Paul’s second Spirit inspired desire, the apostle wanted the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to manifest itself among Timothy and all those who were remaining faithful in the Ephesian Christian community. “Grace” refers once again to the means by which grace might be received, namely through the mind and thinking of Christ, the Word of God, which is inspired by the Spirit of God. It refers to the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to Timothy and the Ephesian church through the Holy Spirit with regards to the Father’s will for their lives. The Spirit, through the communication of the Word of God to the believer reveals God the Father’s grace policy to the believer. “Grace” refers to the Holy Spirit speaking through the communication of the Word of God to the believer’s human spirit or new Christ nature regarding the will of the Father. By responding to the Spirit’s appeal here in Second Timothy 4:22, Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community would be obedient to the commands in Ephesians 5:18 and Colossians 3:16, which when obeyed produce the same results. The Spirit of God speaking through the communication of the Word of God to the believer’s human spirit in this epistle regarding the will of the Father for Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community is the means by which grace is received by them as believers. “May His grace cause itself to be manifested among each and every one of you” is not merely a farewell from Paul but also a Spirit inspired desire that Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community would respond to the Spirit’s teaching in this epistle regarding the will of the Father for each of them. The apostle Paul under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit is appealing to Timothy and the Ephesian church to respond to his doctrinal teaching in this epistle, which originates from the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit through Paul’s doctrinal teaching, which originates from the Lord Jesus Christ, is requesting that Timothy and the Ephesian church feed their new nature so that more of the character of Christ would be manifested in their lives. So Paul is revealing his Spirit inspired desire which is in agreement with the will of the Father that the Word of God would be with them with the implication of becoming conformed to the image of Christ and having fellowship with the Trinity. Lifton writes “Paul’s closing benediction is first directed to Timothy (your spirit, sing. sing. singular) and then to his other readers (you, pl. pl. plural), once again demonstrating that the epistle was designed to be read widely (cf. 1 Tim. 6:21; Titus 3:15). If 2 Timothy were penned during Paul’s second Roman imprisonment, these are the last words of the apostle to have survived.” Litfin, A. D. (1985). 2 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 760). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. Wiersbe writes “The Bible does not record the final days of Paul. Tradition tells us that he was found guilty and sentenced to die. He was probably taken outside the city and beheaded. But Timothy and the other devoted believers carried on the work! As John Wesley used to say, ‘God buries His workmen, but His work goes on.’ You and I must be faithful so that (if the Lord does not return soon) future generations may hear the Gospel and have the opportunity to be saved.” Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 258). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. A. T. Robertson writes “Let us hope that Timothy and Mark reached Paul before winter, before the end came, with the cloak and with the books. Our hero, we may be sure, met the end nobly. He is already more than conqueror in Christ who is by his side and who will welcome him to heaven and give him his crown. Luke, Timothy, Mark will do all that mortal hands can do to cheer the heart of Paul with human comfort. He already had the comfort of Christ in full measure.” Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Ti 4:21). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press. Dockery writes “Second Timothy teaches us about the importance of our theological heritage (1:14). Paul had much to say about what God has done in Christ, our Savior. Jesus Christ has been revealed, destroyed death, and given us life and immortality (1:8–10). The foundation of the Christian life is what God has already done for us in Christ. We should live boldly, for we have received ‘a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline’ (1:7). These truths about the gospel and Christian living are available to us in God’s inspired Scripture (3:15–17). Now we, like Timothy, should pass on these truths to faithful men and women who can teach others also (2:2).” Dockery, D. S. (1998). The Pauline Letters. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary (pp. 609–610). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. PAGE 35 ã2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries Pastor William E. Wenstrom Jr. Wenstrom Bible Ministries   Marion, Iowa ã2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries xegesis and Exposition of Second Timothy 4:19-22