Pone Tigellinum, taeda lucebis in illa
Qua stantes ardent, qui fixo gulture fumant. "If into rogues omnipotent you rake,
Death is your doom, impaled upon a stake;
Smear'd o'er with wax, and set on blaze to light
The streets, and make a dreadful fire by night."
Dryden.
I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge - How much more simple, elegant, and expressive are the apostle's own words: Μη αυτοις λογισθειη· let it not be placed to their account! Let them not have to reckon for it with the supreme Judge at the great day!
Verse 17
The Lord stood with me - When all human help failed, God, in a more remarkable manner, interposed; and thus the excellency plainly appeared to be of God, and not of man.
That by me the preaching might be fully known - When called on to make his defense he took occasion to preach the Gospel, and to show that the great God of heaven and earth had designed to illuminate the Gentile world with the rays of his light and glory. This must have endeared him to some, while others might consider him an opposer of their gods, and be the more incensed against him.
I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion - I escaped the imminent danger at that time. Probably he was seized in a tumultuous manner, and expected to be torn to pieces. The words εκ στοματος or εκ βρυγμου λεοντος ῥυεσθαι, to be rescued from the mouth or jaws of the lion, are a proverbial form of speech for deliverance from the most imminent danger. Several writers think Nero to be intended by the lion, because of his rage and oppressive cruelty. But Helius Caesarinus was at this time prefect of the city; Nero being in Greece. He was a bloody tyrant, and Nero had given him the power of life and death in his absence. The apostle may mean him, if the words be not proverbial.
Verse 18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work - None of the evil designs formed against me to make me unfaithful or unsteady, to cause me to save my life at the expense of faith and a good conscience, shall succeed; my life may go, but he will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. A continuance on earth the apostle expects not; but he has glory full in view, and therefore he gives God glory for what he had done, and for what he had promised to do.
Verse 19
Salute Prisca and Aquila - Several MSS., versions, and fathers have Priscilla instead of Prisca: they are probably the same as those mentioned [Act 18:18], [Act 18:26].
The household of Onesiphorus - See [2Tim 1:16]. Onesiphorus was probably at this time dead: his family still remained at Ephesus.
Verse 20
Erastus abode at Corinth - He was treasurer of that city, as we learn from [Rom 16:23] (note). The apostle had sent him and Timothy on a mission to Macedonia, [Act 19:22], whence it is probable he returned to Corinth, and there became finally settled.
Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick - Even the apostles could not work miracles when they pleased; that power was but rarely given, and that for very special purposes. Trophimus was an Ephesian. See [Act 20:4], and the note there.
Miletus was a maritime town of Ionia, not far from Ephesus; but there was another Miletus, in Crete, which some learned men think to be intended here. It appears that St. Paul went from Macedonia to Corinth, where he left Erastus; from Corinth he proceeded to Troas, where he lodged with Carpus: from Troas he went to Ephesus, where he visited Timothy; from Ephesus he went to Miletus, where he left Trophimus sick; and having embarked at Miletus, he went by sea to Rome. See Calmet. It is most likely, therefore, that the Miletus of Ionia is the place intended.
Verse 21
Come before winter -
1. Because the apostle's time was short and uncertain.
2. Because sailing in those seas was very dangerous in winter. Whether Timothy saw the apostle before he was martyred is not known.
Eubulus - This person is nowhere else mentioned in the New Testament.
Pudens - Of this person we have traditions and legends, but nothing certain. The Catholics make him bishop of Rome.
Linus - He also is made, by the same persons, bishop of Rome; but there is no sufficient ground for these pretensions.
Claudia - Supposed to be the wife of Pudens. Some think she was a British lady, converted by St. Paul; and that she was the first that brought the Gospel to Britain.
All the brethren - All the Christians, of whom there were many at Rome; though of Paul's companions in travel, only Luke remained there.
Verse 22
The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit - This is a prayer addressed to Christ by one of the most eminent of his apostles; another proof of the untruth of the assertion, that prayer is never offered to Christ in the New Testament. He prays that Christ may be with his spirit, enlightening, strengthening, and confirming it to the end.
Grace be with you - These words show that the epistle was addressed to the whole Church, and that it is not to be considered of a private nature.
Amen - Omitted by ACFG and some others. See the note on this word at the end of the preceding epistle (note).
The principal subscriptions, both in the versions and MSS., are the following: -
The Second Epistle to Timothy was written from Rome. - Syriac.
To the man Timothy. - Aethiopic,
Nothing in the Vulgate.
End of the epistle; it was written from the city of Rome when Timothy had been constituted bishop over Ephesus; and when Paul had stood the second time in the presence of Nero Caesar, the Roman emperor. Praise to the Lord of glory, perpetual, perennial, and eternal! Amen, Amen, Amen. - Arabic.
The Second Epistle to Timothy is ended, who was the first bishop of the Church of Ephesus. It was written from Rome when Paul had stood the second time before Nero, the Roman emperor. - Philoxenian Syriac.
Written from Rome, and sent by Onesimus. - Coptic.
The MSS. are also various: -
The Second Epistle to Timothy is finished; that to Titus begins.
The second to Timothy, written from Laodicea. - Codex Alexandrinus.
The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy, ordained the first bishop of the Church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome when Paul was brought the second time before Nero Caesar. - Common Greek Text.
There are other slighter differences in the MSS., but they are unworthy of note.