The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Timothy — Section 70

lovingly ministering lo his sufferings. The conduct of Delll88 w1111 daatardly and cruel, calculated to destroy his influence as a Christian teacher. We are not warranted in saying that it excluded after-penitence and wrecked his destiny. It ha■ been his earthly destiny to be asBOciated with a black act done to one of the noblest of men at 11 time when his nobility shoue forth mosi cle~rly. In explanation of his iBO)atioo, Paul mentions without comment the departure of Crescen■ to Galatia, and of Titus to Oalmatia. In their case we may understand that there was not desertion of Paul, but pressure of Christian work and a mission frorn Paul. The only one of Paul's assistants who was with him was Luke, so often mentin11ed in connection with Paul. In connec- tion with the mention of hill name here, it is remarkable that he who was with Paul during his second imprisonment in Rome only brings down the apostolic history to the period of the firat impriBOnment theru. With the exception of Luke there were no Christian workers with Paul who could enter intelligently and sympathetically into his plans and render assistance on the spot. 3. Requested to take Mark, and l,,,.ing him with him. "Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is useful to me for ministering. But Tychicua I sent to Ephesus." After what ha.d happened, the honourable mention of Mark in Col. iv. 16 and again here is honourable to Paul. His opinion of him had u11dergo11e great change. He had ma.de a firm stand against him as an unsuitable com!Janion in labour; now be bases his request for the presence of th" evangelist at Ro,ne on his being useful for ministering. Tychicus, who is warmly commended in Eph. vi. 21, ha.d been tbv.s u~eful; but he bad been under the necessity of sending him on a missiou to Ephesus. The ministering to be thought of was not so much to Paul the prisoner as to Paul in his imprisonment planning for the future of Christianity. Theae, then, we are to ihink of as the three workers who surrounded the apostle in Rowe as he neared his martyrdom-Timothy, Mark, Luke. They were men of like spirit, to whom he coul,I freely communicate his plans and also the enthusiasm necessary for carrying them out. All three ba.d the evangelistic faculty. If Timothy had more of the administrative faculty, 1uarking him out a.s, more than the other two, the successor of Paul, they had more of the literary faculty, marking them out for service to future generations. 4. Requested to bring belongings of the apostle with him from Troas. "The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, bring when thou comest, and the books, especially the parchments." The apostle bad not lived to accumulate property; aud none would be much the richer by what be left behind. He possessed a cloke, which some friend may have gifted to him-a large warm cloke for winter, when lately at Troas-since the previous winter, we may 8upp(1se-he had not been able to bring it with him, but had left it with Carpus. As Timothy would pass Troas on his way to Home, he is requested to bring it with him. Paul did not, in the spirit of modern monasticism, court suffering; he provides agaiast the coming winter, even wbeo that winter was to bring his martyrdom. He also possessed books, which are a necessity for the preacher. lie who has influenced so many by his books was himself influenced by the books of others. He also possessecl 1,archments, on which he laid greater stress as his own compositions, containing records aud statements of truth in which he was deeply interested, as fitted to keep the current of Christianity clear and pure. Timothy, who in the First Epistle is charged to attend to reading, would find in these books and parchments good pabulum and companiomship on his journey from Troas to Rome. II. ALEXANDEB. 1. His injurious conduct. "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil." The fact of bis being styled tlie coppersmith seems to point to his being distinguished from others of the same name. We would not, therelore, identify him with the Alex1rnder of the Firet Epistle, or the Alexander of the Acts of the Apostles. We may conclude, from the language, that he bore personal animosity to Paul. 2. The Righter in heaven. "The Lord will render to him according to bis works." This is very different from invokiug a curse on Alexander. He found it in his heart to make matters much worse for Paul. The Lord would judge between them. This would 1ssu11 in evil to Alexander, unless his present spiteful works were followed by repentan.Je. 3. No confiden~ to be pl11ced in him. "Of whom be tho!l ware a,so;. for be greatly withstood our words." P11,ul bad good reason to be on his guard agamst him. We can unJerstaud his having a certain conneltion with Christianity, which would give him all the n,ure power to injure Paul. But he bad not the svirit of  76 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. [cR. IV. 1-29.