Глава IV

Timothy's responsibilities in view of the expected coming of Christ and the departure of the Apostle Paul from this life (1-8). Conclusion of the message: various kinds of instructions, orders, advice and greetings (9–22). 2Tim.4:1. Therefore I charge you before God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: “Until His appearing and His kingdom” is an inaccurate and insufficiently defined translation. It is correct to translate this expression (κατά τ . έπιφ ά . καί τ . Βασ . ά .) as follows: “in accordance with His appearance at the end of days, on the one hand, and in accordance with His Kingdom, on the other.” Christ will be judged as one who will come already clothed with the honor and power of God, and not as a poor son of man who lived in the form of a slave, crucified in weakness - not as taken from the family of the living, but as resurrected and reigning in heaven and having to establish His eternal Kingdom on earth (John Chrysostom). Accordingly, all the dead and living will stand before Him for judgment, and He will give everyone their due. Timofey should remember this every time he has a difficult time in the fight against his enemies. 2Tim.4:2. preach the word, be persistent in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and edification. “Infusion” – more precisely: stand forth (έπίστηθι cf. Jer. 46:14 to 70 and 2 Samuel 1:20). “In time and out of time” - that is, without paying attention to whether this speech seems opportune for those before whom Timothy will have to speak. 2Tim.4:3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires they will heap up for themselves teachers, having itching ears; Timothy must now take the opportunity to address his listeners with exhortation, because the time will come when he will no longer find people ready to listen to him; people will be more willing to listen to other teachers. 2Tim.4:4. and they will turn away their ears from the truth and turn to fables. 2Tim.4:5. But be vigilant in everything, endure sorrows, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. And under Timothy such unhealthy strivings for novelty in Christianity were already revealed. Therefore, now Timofey must be “sober” (in Russian: “vigilant”), in contrast to those teachers who, like drunken people, do not clearly understand what they themselves are saying, do not distinguish between the important and the unimportant, between form and content, paying more attention to what satisfies the tastes of the crowd. Such people will not suffer for the Gospel, and Timothy is obliged to do this. “Broadcaster” - (εύαγγελιστής) - not only telling about the life and conveying the speeches of the Savior, but also a missionary preaching Christian teaching in general, in order to spread the Kingdom of Christ. “Fulfill” - that is, fully, and not halfway, look at your service as the goal of your life (πληρορ - cf. Lk 1: 1). 2 Timothy 4:6. For I am already becoming a victim, and the time of my departure has come. Until now, Timothy had his support in Paul. But now the great apostle of tongues is leaving this life. It is shed like wine offered as a sacrifice to God (a hint of the apostle's impending martyrdom). 2 Timothy 4:7. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; "Kept the Faith". – The Apostle speaks here about the general Christian faith. 2 Timothy 4:8. and now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who loved His appearance. “Preparing” - more precisely: it lies already in a finished form (άπόκειται). “Truth” - i.e. righteousness: the apostle thinks of the crown as a reward for his righteous life. But what this crown consists of is not said. What is certain is that this is a symbol of heavenly glory (1 Pet. 5:4), eternal life (James 1:12). “Lord” – i.e. Jesus Christ (cf. John 5:22). “His appearance” is, of course, the second (cf. 2 Tim. 4:1). 2 Timothy 4:9. Try to come to me soon. "Soon". In 2 Timothy 4:21 it is added - until winter. Perhaps Timothy had already let the apostle know that he was going to Rome. 2 Timothy 4:10. For Demas left me, having loved this present age, and went to Thessalonica, Criscent to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia; Only Luke is with me. The apostle feels lonely in Rome. “Dimas” was previously an employee of the Apostle Paul. (Phil.1:24), and now he has gone to Thessalonica on his personal, perhaps commercial, business. “Criscent to Galatia” - i.e. to Gaul, which among the ancient Greeks and at the beginning of the Christian period was known under the name Galatia, while eastern Galatia was called Galatia Asiatic or Gallogrecia. “Titus to Dalmatia”, i.e. to southern Illyria. "Only Luke is with me." Perhaps Luke was especially needed by the Apostle Paul, who was often ill, as a doctor (cf. Col. 4:14). 2 Timothy 4:11. Take Mark and bring him with you, for I need him for service. “Mark” – about Mark, see the introduction to the Gospel of Mark. “For service” - that is, for fulfilling various assignments of the Apostle Paul. 2 Timothy 4:12. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. "Tychika" - see Acts 20:4. As a native of Asia, Tychicus in Ephesus and in the region dependent on Ephesus was more in place than the Jerusalemite Mark. 2 Timothy 4:13. When you go, bring the phelonion that I left in Troas with Carpus, and books, especially leather ones. “Phelon”, i.e., a traveling cloak (paenula), which was worn by Roman soldiers over the toga. The apostle is not referring here to the journey to Troas spoken of in Acts 16:3, nor to the one spoken of in Acts 20:5 et seq., because a full 12 years have already passed since the first, and 6 years since the second. He probably means here the last, third, stay in Troas (cf. 1 Tim 1:3). Books - in all likelihood, these are the sacred books of the Old Testament. "Especially leather ones". If Titus finds it inconvenient to carry all the books left by Paul in Troas, then he must seize at least those written on leather or parchment. Perhaps among these books were the travel notes of the Apostle Paul. 2 Timothy 4:14. Alexander the coppersmith did me a lot of harm. May the Lord reward him according to his deeds! 2 Timothy 4:15. Beware of him too, for he strongly opposed our words. "Alexander" . This probably refers to the Alexander who is mentioned in the story of Demetrius's indignation (Acts 19:33). He was a coppersmith, or, more correctly, a metal worker in general (Homer says about one coppersmith that he was engaged in processing gold things. Od. III, 432). Although he was a Jew, he nevertheless helped Demetrius in making idols. Apparently, this Alexander arrived at the head of an entire delegation to Rome in order to accuse Paul before the highest Imperial court. “Strongly opposed” is more correct: he is still opposing (άντέστηκεν). From this we can conclude that Alexander was now in Rome and that Timothy would have had to encounter him upon his arrival in Rome. Therefore, the apostle urges Timothy to be especially careful. 2 Timothy 4:16. When I first answered, no one was with me, but everyone left me. May it not be imputed to them! 2 Timothy 4:17. The Lord appeared to me and strengthened me, so that through me the gospel would be established and all the pagans would hear; and I got rid of the lion's jaws. 2 Timothy 4:18. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and preserve me for His Heavenly Kingdom, to Him be glory forever and ever. Amen. It was the custom of the Romans for the friends of the accused to appear in court during the examination of cases, who, by their mere presence, supported the spirit of the accused and exerted some influence on the judges. During the trial of the Apostle Paul's case, none of his friends were found to appear at the trial. But the Lord Himself helped him. The Lord's help consisted in the fact that He supplied him with the power of His Spirit (Matthew 10:20). At the same time, it is likely that God Himself appeared to the Apostle of the Gentiles (cf. Acts 18:9 et seq. and the expression of v. 17: “The Lord appeared to me”). As a result, the speech of the Apostle Paul breathed with such power and had such an amazing effect that he then “at the first answer” got rid of the lion’s jaws. This image, taken from the book of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 6:22, 27), cannot be taken literally to mean that Paul was freed from the danger of being thrown to the circus lions. He was a Roman citizen and by law could only be executed by beheading. Here, obviously, the apostle generally has in mind his salvation from mortal danger and wants to say that at the first trial of his case the death sentence was not pronounced upon him. The only question is what event the apostle is referring to here. Interpreters think differently about this. Some say that the apostle here refers to the first trial of his case, which, thanks to the convincing speech of Paul, went well for him. Pavel thus had to wait for a new summons to court, which should have had a more unfortunate outcome for him. Others accept that that first answer did not take place during this Roman captivity, not during the process that took place there, but in circumstances of an earlier time, and that Paul here tells how he was delivered from that first captivity. This passage, for some ancient interpreters, was the basis for the assumption that Paul was released from the first Roman bonds (about them, see Acts 28), and then was captured again, and that the second letter to Timothy was written from the second Roman bonds. “So that through me the gospel might be established,” that is, so that the apostle could fulfill, after being released from his first bonds, his plans, which he spoke about in his letter to the Romans (Rom. 15:24). “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil deed.” Just as the apostle was saved the first time, so he will be saved in future times from all attacks of evil people, although, however, this does not mean that he will not die. The words: “save for His Heavenly Kingdom” mean that he will be introduced into the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ through the worthy acceptance of death, which the Apostle, as can be seen from 2 Tim. 4:6, was expecting at that time. Thus, death was for him the path to eternal life. Therefore, the apostle gives glory to the Lord for everything, even for death itself. 2 Timothy 4:19. Hail Priscilla and Aquila and the house of Onesiphorus. “Priscilla and Aquila” - see Acts 18:2, 18; Rom.16:3. “House of Onesiphoros” - see 2 Timothy 1:16 et seq. 2 Timothy 4:20. Erastus remained in Corinth; I left Trofim sick in Milita. "Trophim" - see Acts 20:4 and Acts 21:29. 2 Timothy 4:21. Try to come before winter. Evvul, and Pud, and Lin, and Claudia, and all the brethren greet you. 2 Timothy 4:22. The Lord Jesus Christ is with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. The persons listed here are unknown from other sources. About Linus, only Saint Irenaeus (“Against Heresies” III, 3) reports that he was a bishop in Rome after Paul. You might be interested in: