In this final chapter, Paul charges Timothy to continue to do his work as an evangelist in reaching the lost, 1 Timothy 5:21. It’s possible that Timothy had stopped preaching and teaching, and so, Paul encourages him to start doing what God called him to do.
It’s Christ Jesus who will judge the living, 2 Timothy 4:1, that is, all those who are still alive when He returns, 2 Thessalonians 4:16-17 / 1 Corinthians 15:51, and he will judge those who have died, 2 Timothy 4:1 / John 5:28-29 / Acts 17:30-31. This judgment will take place when Christ appears again for the final time, 2 Timothy 4:1 / 2 Thessalonians 2:8 / 1 Timothy 6:14 / 2 Timothy 1:10 / Titus 2:13.
It’s very clear that Paul was living in the hope of the imminent return of Christ, and he knew that when Christ returned. All shall see the full extent and majesty of Christ’s kingdom, Acts 14:22 / Romans 14:11. As no one knows when Christ will return, Paul charges Timothy to ‘preach the word’, 2 Timothy 4:2, despite any opposition he may be receiving.
This is an important lesson for all preachers and teachers to learn, especially if we believe that Christ is coming back as judge of the world, there are souls to be saved, and we need to preach the Gospel to everyone we meet, John 12:48 / 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
Paul also charges him to be ‘prepared in season and out of season’, 2 Timothy 4:2. That is, Timothy should be ready to preach, Romans 12:12, anytime, anywhere, not just when it’s convenient for him to do so. If his heart is full of love for the Saviour and for souls, Timothy won’t be able to help himself from doing so.
Lenski, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Many a preacher who should be a herald and is not, must stammer and blush when he faces Christ’s appearance and his kingdom.’
White, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Do not ask yourself if this is a suitable occasion for preaching? But ask rather why this should not be a suitable occasion. Have no limited season; let it always be thy season.’
Paul also charges him to ‘correct’, 2 Timothy 4:2. That is, Timothy was to convince people of the truth of the Scriptures and allow them to see their need for the truth, John 20:30-31 / 2 Timothy 3:16 / Titus 2:15. We must remember the power is in the Word of God, not the preacher, Hebrews 4:12.
Paul also charges him to ‘rebuke’, 2 Timothy 4:2, that is, to reprove sharply, to reprimand with authority. Timothy is to rebuke those Christians who are living in sin, Matthew 8:26 / 1 Timothy 5:20 / Titus 1:13 / Titus 2:15 / Jude 1:9. Preachers and teachers should never forget whose Word it is they are preaching and teaching from.
Paul also charges him to ‘encourage’, 2 Timothy 4:2, that is, Timothy is to encourage those who are struggling in their Christian walk, Romans 12:8. Although encouragement can come in various ways, struggling Christians are uplifted when they are encouraged by God’s Word, 1 Timothy 4:13.
Paul also charges Timothy to do all these things ‘with great patience and careful instruction’, 2 Timothy 4:2. Every preacher and teacher know if they want to change people’s behaviour and beliefs, they must do so patiently and carefully, especially if they are being opposed, Romans 2:4 / Romans 9:22 / 2 Corinthians 6:6 / Galatians 5:22 / Ephesians 4:2 / Ephesians 6:18 / Colossians 1:11 / Colossians 3:12 / 1 Timothy 1:16 /2 Timothy 2:25.
Paul now informs Timothy of a time which is coming, when people won’t put up with sound doctrine anymore. This is probably the time Paul spoke in 2 Timothy 3:1, ‘the last days’.
This would be a time when those listening to God’s Word would no longer be content with God’s Word on its own, 2 Timothy 4:3 / 1 Timothy 1:10 / 2 Timothy 1:13.
These same people will turn away from God’s Word to listen to preachers and teachers who say things they want to hear. These preachers and teachers will only preach things that suit the desires of their audience, 2 Timothy 4:3 / Isaiah 30:10 / Mark 4:24 / Luke 8:18 / 2 Timothy 3:7-8 / Hebrews 5:11.
Hendriksen, in his commentary, says the following concerning the words, ‘itching ears’, 2 Timothy 4:3.
‘This comes from a verb which in the active means to tickle; hence in the passive to be tickled, thus, to itch, or have an irritating desire.’
Preaching and teaching have almost become a profession today, and sadly, some churches are buying into that mindset. They go all out to get the best preachers and teachers, pay them a fortune for wages, regardless of their abilities or beliefs, but as long as they can keep people coming back, that’s all that matters.
The real danger is that these preachers don’t really preach anything of substance; it’s all feel-good stuff. You never hear words like hell, repent, and judgment being used; those words are simply too offensive to some. In all of this, true preachers and teachers of God’s Word get rejected for preaching and teaching the truth, Mark 7:1-9.
These same people will turn away from truth and turn to myths, 2 Timothy 4:4 / 1 Timothy 1:4-6 / Titus 1:14. Paul says they have given up the truth to satisfy their curious minds with senseless discussions about things for which there is no revelation from God.
Paul now tells Timothy to ‘keep his head in all situations’. That is, he must be watchful against error and sin, and he must be faithful in his work as an evangelist, Matthew 25:13 / 1 Corinthians 16:13.
He is also to ‘endure hardship’, Acts 9:16 / Acts 14:22 / 2 Timothy 1:18 / 2 Timothy 2:3. In light of what Paul said earlier about people not putting up with the sound doctrine anymore, it’s clear that those who preach the truth will face much opposition and go through much hardship.
Paul also tells Timothy to ‘do the work of an evangelist’. That is, he is to get on with the work of preaching the Gospel to the lost, Acts 21:8 / Ephesians 4:11. The word ‘discharge’ means to ‘fulfil’, 2 Timothy 4:17. In other words, Paul is telling Timothy to fulfil his duties as an evangelist, to be faithful, and loyal in serving the Lord as His evangelist, Acts 16:1-3.
The time had come for Paul’s departure from this world, 2 Timothy 4:6. This was something he was always looking towards, Philippians 1:21-22 / 2 Corinthians 5:8 / 1 Thessalonians 4:14.
Paul is suffering from a struggle with loneliness, and we hear how he shares how he is feeling when he talks to Timothy. I don’t know of any man who has ever been a finer Christian than the apostle Paul, and if anybody deserves in his last days to be supported by loads of other believers, it was Paul, but he wasn’t.
He was in a prison cell about to die, and only Luke could get in occasionally to see him, and Paul was going through the pain of loneliness. And one of the points I want to make is that some of God’s best people have been lonely.
If you’re lonely today, that isn’t a sin; that is a part of what it means to live in this sin perverted world. And some of the same things that caused his loneliness caused yours.
Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:6, ‘The time has come for my departure’; he was experiencing a significant transition in life, getting ready for his death, waiting in prison.
Life is full of transitions that are going to bring loneliness, and some of them we expect. We get transferred to a new place in the company. You go to a new school, and you don’t know anybody. You have just had a baby and are home all the time. Or maybe you have just said, ‘Goodbye’ to your last child, and you’re going through empty nest.
There are going to be some things in life that you know are coming that are going to be times of loneliness. But then there are going to be some things that you don’t know are coming.
It could be a divorce, and suddenly you are by yourself. It could be a sudden illness, and now your life is dramatically changed by your new handicap. Or I don’t know of an adjustment, which is harder to make, than losing your husband or wife.
A lot of us are married, and the great majority of us are going to say, ‘Goodbye’ to our mate, or they will say, ‘Goodbye’ to us. And we will spend some time adjusting to life without them. Some of you are in the midst of a real painful transition right now, and maybe just knowing that transitions are a part of life helps.
There is another cause of loneliness, and it’s ‘separation.’ It comes when you are simply unable to be with the people you love. Your son has been sent overseas to an army base in Germany.
Or your daughters all the way across the country with their babies because her husband has a new job. Or your children are off at college. Or maybe your dad has a job where he has to be away from the house three or four nights a week, and you miss him, but he can’t help it.
He was ‘already being poured out like a drink offering’, 2 Timothy 4:6 / Philippians 1:23 / Philippians 2:17 / 2 Peter 1:14. He was comparing himself to the drink of the wine that was poured out beside the altar in the Jewish sacrifices, Numbers 15:1-10.
The time of his death was probably around A.D. 67, and from historical writings, we learn that Paul was beheaded in Roman imprisonment during the reign of Nero.
He has ‘fought the good fight’, 2 Timothy 4:7, that is, he won the spiritual warfare he was involved in throughout his Christian life, Acts 9:15-16 / Acts 20:23-24 / Acts 21:12-14 / 1 Timothy 6:12.
He has ‘finished the race’, 2 Timothy 4:6, that is, his mission is complete, Philippians 3:14. Paul has ‘kept the faith’, 2 Timothy 4:7, that is, he remained faithful to the teachings of the Scriptures and defended them when he needed to, Jude 3.
Paul knows what lies ahead for him when he departs; he knows he will receive a crown of righteousness, 2 Timothy 4:8. This was the physical victory crown that was worn by conquering kings when they returned from battle.
Because Paul remained faithful to his mission and the faith, there was reserved for him the spiritual victory crown, 1 Corinthians 9:25 / James 1:12 / 1 Peter 5:4 / Revelation 2:10. Paul will receive his ‘crown of righteousness’, 2 Timothy 4:8, from Jesus Himself when he dies, as will all those who long for His coming, 2 Timothy 1:12.
At the Olympic Games, the whole purpose is to win a race, but there was only ever one victor’s crown which would be given out; however, the Christian race allows everyone who takes part to be winners, provided they finish the race, Matthew 20:8 / 2 Timothy 4:8.
When we consider the ‘Day’ mentioned in Acts 17:31, ‘Judgment Day’ and contrast it with the ‘day’ that Paul mentions in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, we soon discover that the word ‘day’ is used in two very different contexts.
There is a difference between the two days which is important to understand. The ‘day’ mentioned in Acts 17:31 relates to sin and salvation, and therefore, concerns ‘those who are not in Christ’.
The ‘day’ mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 specifically concerns the saints, and only the saints, believers, and the relationship they have with their Lord. This is the day of accountability for Christian, the day we will be judged not for salvation but for the things we have done, Romans 14:10 / 2 Corinthians 5:10 / 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.
Having already been judged and acquitted in the person of the Lord Jesus, they will not again stand trial for their life, Romans 8:1. This verse says, quite literally, ‘There is no sentence to be served.’ ‘katakrima’, for those who are in Christ Jesus.’
‘Judgment Day’ will be the day when those who are not ‘in Christ’ will be condemned, but those who are ‘in Christ’ will appear before the judgment seat of Christ for commendation.
In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul wasn’t referring to Judgment Day, as he, like all Christians, had already been judged and saved in Christ, but the day when he would stand before the judgment seat of Christ at his death to give an account of his work and deeds.
As we have shown in this study, the judgment seat of Christ has nothing to do with salvation and nothing to do with non-Christians; it is the place where saved Christians will give an account to God for judging any other Christians inappropriately, and they will give an account concerning their good or bad acts of righteousness, Matthew 6:1-2. Note that we will answer for what we have done, not for what others do.
We must learn to keep things in their context so that we don’t use these texts to mean something they don’t mean or to apply to people they weren’t meant to be applied to, that is, non-Christians, 1 Corinthians 4:6.
Many Christians have built up a great reward in heaven, but we must ensure that we don’t forfeit those rewards, 2 John 4-10. John does not want any of us to lose our ‘full reward”.
He doesn’t want anyone to get to heaven and receive only a portion of what could have been theirs. He wants us to get all the rewards God wants us to have, 2 John 4:8.
Paul is about to die, and he urges Timothy to come to Rome, as quickly as he can, so Paul can spend his last hours with his travelling companion and his intimate friend, 2 Timothy 4:9.
Although a man named Demas is mentioned in Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24, no one really knows if this is the same person. We do know that the Demas mentioned here deserted Paul when Paul was in need and went to Thessalonica because he loved this world, 2 Timothy 4:10.
Why he went to Thessalonica is also unknown, but it was obviously something to do with worldly business, 2 Timothy 4:10 / Matthew 6:19-34 / 1 Timothy 6:6-10 / 1 Timothy 6:17-19 / 1 John 2:15. We don’t know anything more about ‘Crescens’, except that he went to Galatia, 2 Timothy 4:10, although we’re not told why he went there.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Some translations, as a footnote, give the name, ‘Gaul’ as an alternative reading. If this is correct, Crescens’ going there may have indicated that Paul, on the trip to Spain which he very probably made between the first and second imprisonments, might also have established congregations in Gaul, in France.’
Titus was a Gentile, 2 Timothy 4:10 / Galatians 2:20, who was led to faith in Christ by Paul, Titus 1:4. He worked alongside Paul in preaching the Gospel, Acts 15:2 / 2 Corinthians 8:6 / 2 Corinthians 8:16-17 / 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 / 2 Corinthians 7:6-7 / 2 Corinthians 7:13-14 / 2 Corinthians 8:10 / 2 Corinthians 8:17 / 2 Corinthians 8:24.
Titus and Paul travelled to Crete, where Titus was left behind to continue and strengthen the work, Titus 1:5 / Titus 3:12. Paul says that ‘Titus went to Dalmatia’, 2 Timothy 4:10, although, just like Crescens, we’re not told why he went there.
Because all of Paul’s friends left for various reasons, it’s understandable why he wants Timothy to come to him quickly. Significantly, only Demas is mentioned for leaving negatively; this implies that Crescens and Titus left him to carry on with the work of sharing the Gospel.
Paul says that only Luke is with him, 2 Timothy 4:11, that is, Luke, the physician, Paul’s private doctor. He was with Paul during Paul’s first arrest in Judea and his trip to Rome for his first imprisonment. Luke, for a considerable part of the ministry of Paul, was Paul’s travelling companion, Acts 16:10 / Acts 27:1.
Interestingly, Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him, because he is useful to Paul in his ministry, 2 Timothy 4:11. On the first missionary journey of Paul, when he and Barnabas left Antioch, Paul and Barnabas got into a heated debate with each other over Mark, and Mark left, Acts 13:13 / Acts 15:36-41. However, Paul now asks Timothy to bring him to Rome because he’s useful to Paul, 2 Timothy 4:11. This implies that Mark has now matured as a Christian.
Tychicus was Paul’s beloved brother and a faithful minister in the Lord. He worked as an evangelist in Asia Minor, 2 Timothy 4:12 / Acts 20:4 / Ephesians 6:21 / Colossians 4:7 / Titus 3:12.
No one knows why he sent him to Ephesus, although some suggest that Paul was ‘in the process of sending him to Ephesus’, where he could deliver this letter to Timothy.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘But it may be asked why he did not retain him with him, or why should he have sent him away, and then call Timothy to him? The probability is, that he had sent him before he had seen reason to apprehend that he would be put to death, and now, feeling the need of a friend to be with him, he sent to Timothy, rather than to him, because Tychicus had been employed to perform some service which he could not well leave, and because Paul wished to give some special instructions to Timothy before he died.’
Here we find Paul asking Timothy to bring certain items with him, and Timothy was somewhere in Asia Minor. He had the opportunity to come through Troas on his way to Rome, Acts 16:8.
As winter was fast approaching, 2 Timothy 4:21, Paul wanted Timothy to bring his travelling ‘cloak’, which would keep him warm in the colder months. Paul refused to feel sorry for himself. If he was going to die in prison, Rome was going to have to kill him; he wasn’t going to help them do the job. Now, if you’re lonely, you ought to do what Paul did.
A lot of times when we start to feel sorry for ourselves, we let ourselves physically deteriorate, and all that’s going to do is increase the depression. You need to take care of yourself, stay active, and be healthy.
No one knows anything about Carpus. His name only appears here, but he was obviously a friend of Paul, and it appears that Paul may have stayed at his house whilst in Troas; hence, that’s where Timothy would find his cloak.
Paul also asks Timothy to bring him his ‘scrolls’, which were rolls of paper made from the papyrus plant. It’s impossible to know what scrolls Paul is referring to, although it may have been portions of the Old Testament Scriptures, 2 Timothy 2:15, or scrolls written by himself. Some commentators suggest that these were unfinished letters, Paul, and some suggest they were letters he received from other churches.
If you are feeling lonely, you need mental stimulation. If you’re struggling with loneliness, sitting there changing the channels for that junk on TV isn’t going to make you feel better. You need to find something positive and healthy that’s going to challenge your mind and make you grow.
Paul especially wanted the ‘parchments’, which were of tanned animal skins that were used for writing and were also called vellum. These parchments appear to be different from the scrolls and may refer to his own New Testament writings.
He wanted the Scriptures. What Satan is going to do when you are lonely is keep you out of the word of God. Now, why does Paul want the Scriptures? He’s not working on a new sermon series, he’s not going to get to preach any more sermons, he’s about to be executed. He wants to spend time with God, and you need to do the same thing.
Alexander the metalworker, 2 Timothy 4:14, is probably the same person who is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20, and possibly the same person who is mentioned in Acts 19:33.
The text doesn’t tell us what the actual ‘harm’ 2 Timothy 4:14, he did to Paul, however, if it is the same person mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20, it’s possible that he didn’t harm Paul personally, but Paul’s preaching work for the Lord, 2 Timothy 2:17-18.
In other words, because he harmed Paul’s work as a preacher, he was actually harming God’s work through Paul, and as a result, the Lord was going to punish him for the damage he caused, 2 Timothy 4:14 / Deuteronomy 32:35 / Acts 19:33 / Romans 12:19 / 1 Timothy 1:20 / Hebrews 10:30.
Timothy is to be on his ‘guard’ against him too because he ‘strongly opposed the message’ of the Gospel, 2 Timothy 4:15. It’s clear that Alexander wasn’t a Christian but may have had a lot of influence and some authority within his community.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘If Alexander lived in Ephesus, where Timothy was located, or if he lived in Rome to which Paul summoned Timothy, Timothy would encounter him either way; hence the necessity of this warning.’
Paul here possibly speaks about his initial trial before Nero’s court; no one supported him, and everyone deserted him, Timothy 4:16 / Job 19:13-17. This was clearly a time of great stress for Paul, but even more stressful for those who were with him, as it appears that Paul was abandoned by everyone because they were afraid, 2 Timothy 4:16.
Anyone associated with a prisoner would often be identified as being like them and in support of them, Luke 23:43 / Acts 7:59-60. Paul, however, didn’t hold it against them, 2 Timothy 4:16 / Acts 7:60 / Romans 4:3 / Luke 23:34.
He completely understood why they left him alone, but more importantly, he also understood that he wasn’t completely alone; he knew ‘the Lord stood at his side’, 2 Timothy 4:17 / Deuteronomy 32:6 / Psalm 27:10 / Job 5:17-19 / Isaiah 14:1-2.
No one knows how he received strength from the Lord, 2 Timothy 4:17, but we do know that the Lord strengthened him, probably through this difficult time when everyone deserted him, Acts 23:11 / Philippians 4:13. We also know that this strength from the Lord helped him preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, 2 Timothy 4:17 / Acts 9:15-16 / Romans 1:10 / Philippians 1:12.
Paul says he was ‘delivered from the lion’s mouth’, 2 Timothy 4:17. This obviously isn’t a literal lion, Psalm 22:13 / Psalm 22:21 / Jeremiah 2:30, but he uses these words to describe being delivered from death, 1 Samuel 17:37 / Psalm 22:21.
This is probably a reference to him being delivered from Nero, that is, the ‘lion’, 1 Corinthians 15:32, although some people believe he’s referring to being delivered from a literal lion, which was used in the Roman amphitheatres.
Paul had absolute confidence in the Lord to deliver him from any situation, 2 Timothy 4:18, even if that meant those who can kill the body but not the soul, Psalm 121:7 / Matthew 10:28 / Philippians 1:21-24 / 2 Timothy 4:6 / 2 Peter 2:9.
Stibbs, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The deliverance Paul expected was from all evil, not from death, but through it.’
He also had absolute confidence that the Lord God would bring him safely into his heavenly kingdom, 2 Timothy 4:8. Because the Lord holds such power to deliver him and bring him safely to his heavenly kingdom, 2 Timothy 4:18. Paul gives the Lord all the glory, 2 Timothy 4:18 / Romans 11:36 / Galatians 1:4 / Hebrews 13:21 / 2 Peter 3:18.
Priscilla and Aquila, 2 Timothy 4:19, worked very closely with Paul on many of his missionary journeys. They were instrumental in helping Paul not only establish a new church but also edifying them, Acts 18:2 / Acts 18:18-20 / Romans 16:3-5 / 1 Corinthians 16:19.
Paul greets them because they were dedicated to the preaching of the Gospel with others, Acts 8:4. We don’t know much about Onesiphorus, 2 Timothy 4:19, but Paul describes him in three wonderful ways back in 2 Timothy 1:16.
1. He often refreshed Paul, 2 Timothy 1:16.
This tells us that Onesiphorus was a continual blessing to Paul and his work, Philemon 20. He looked after Paul’s needs as he was imprisoned and as Paul continued to preach the Gospel to the lost. The name Onesiphorus means ‘help bringer’, and that’s exactly what he was doing with Paul.
2. He wasn’t ashamed of Paul’s chains, 2 Timothy 1:16.
This tells us that Onesiphorus wasn’t ashamed to have a friend and brother in Christ in prison and to be associated with Paul, Acts 28:20 / Philippians 1:15-18 / Colossians 4:3 / Colossians 4:18 / Philemon 1:10 / Philemon 1:13-14 / Philemon 1:16.
3. He searched for Paul until he found him, 2 Timothy 1:17.
Rome was a huge city and filled with many prisons, and it appears that Onesiphorus went from one prison to another to find Paul, Matthew 25:36. Paul prays that Onesiphorus will find mercy on the day of judgment, 2 Timothy 1:18 / Matthew 6:4 / Mark 9:41 / Matthew 25:31-40 / 2 Timothy 1:12.
Erastus was a co-worker of Paul, 2 Timothy 4:20, and the city of Corinth’s director of public works, Romans 16:23. When Paul preached and ministered in Ephesus for over two years, every Jew and Greek who lived in the province of Asia had a chance to hear the Word, Acts 19:10.
Eventually, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem and on his way, he passed through Macedonia, where he saw ministry opportunities. So he sent Erastus, along with Timothy, to Macedonia while he moved on, Acts 19:22.
Because Paul mentions him here, it appears that Erastus travelled and ministered with Paul at some point before returning to his public works office in Corinth.
Trophimus, 2 Timothy 4:20, accompanied Paul during a part of his third missionary journey, Acts 20:4 / Acts 21:29. He was with Paul in Jerusalem, and the Jews, supposing that the apostle had brought him with him into the temple, raised a tumult that resulted in Paul’s imprisonment.
Notice that Paul left ‘Trophimus sick in Miletus’, 2 Timothy 4:20. It’s worth noting that the miraculous gift of healing was already beginning to cease at this time; otherwise, Paul would have simply healed him, Acts 19:11-12 / Philippians 2:25-28 / 2 Timothy 4:20.
We must remember that miracles were performed by the apostles to confirm the message they preached, Mark 16:17-20 / Hebrews 2:3-4. These miracles were never meant to be ongoing but would cease when the New Testament Scriptures had been completed, 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 / Jude 3.
Paul ends his letter by reminding Timothy to do his best, 2 Timothy 4:9, to come to Paul before winter arrives, 2 Timothy 4:21. Paul didn’t have long left to live in his physical body, and he desperately wanted the companionship of his friend Timothy.
No one knows who ‘Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia’, 2 Timothy 4:21, are, but they, along with ‘all the other brothers and sisters’, 2 Timothy 4:21, weren’t ashamed to be associated but were willing to be identified with Paul as a preacher of the Gospel of Christ, Philippians 1:12-18.
Paul’s final words to Timothy are heartfelt, ‘the Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all,’ 2 Timothy 4:22 / Galatians 6:18 / Romans 15:20. Paul, more than most, understood the need for the grace of God in people’s lives because he received it himself. Paul had fulfilled his ministry and was ready to receive his reward, and he wanted Timothy to do the same.
Lenski, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This is Paul’s own prayer-wish for Timothy; they are the great apostles’ last words that came down to us through history.’