2 Timothy 4:11

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. LUKE (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24). He went with Paul on his second missionary journey, Acts 16:10; again with him to Asia, Acts 20:6, and to Jerusalem, Acts 21:15; and was with him during his captivity at Cesarea, Acts 24:23; and at Rome, Acts 28:1...

9-13 The love of this world, is often the cause of turning back from the truths and ways of Jesus Christ. Paul was guided by Divine inspiration, yet he would have his books. As long as we live, we must still learn. The apostles did not neglect human means, in seeking the necessaries of life, or their own instruction. Let us thank the Divine goodness in having given us so many writings of wise and pious men in all ages; and let us seek that by reading them our profiting may appear to all....

Verse 11. _ONLY LUKE IS WITH ME._] This was _Luke_ the evangelist, and writer of the Acts of the Apostles, who was always much attached to St. Paul, and it is supposed continued with him even to his martyrdom. _TAKE MARK, AND BRING HIM WITH THEE_] This was _John Mark_, the sister's son of Barnabas, who, after having wavered a little at first, became a steady, zealous, and useful man; his name and conduct have been often before the reader. See the parallel passages. _FOR HE IS PROFITABLE TO ME FOR THE MINISTRY._] εις διακονιαν. _For service_; that is, he would be very useful to the apostle, to minister to him in his present close confinement. Some think that the apostle means his _preaching the Gospel_; but at this time, I should suppose, there was very little, if any, public preaching at Rome....

ONLY LUKE IS WITH ME - Luke, the author of the gospel which bears his name, and of the Acts of the Apostles. For a considerable part of the ministry of Paul, he was his traveling companion (compare the notes on Acts 16:10), and we know that he went with him to Rome; Acts 27:1. TAKE MARK - John Mark, see the notes at Acts 15:37. He was the son of a sister of Barnabas, and had been the traveling companion of Barnabas and Paul. There had been a temporary alienation between Paul and him Acts 15:38; but this passage proves that that had been removed, and that Paul was reconciled to him.

EXPOSITION 2 TIMOTHY 4:1 _In the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus _for _therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, _A.V. and T.R.; _and by _for _at, _A.V. and T.R. I CHARGE THEE (διαμαρτύρομαι); as 2 Timothy 2:14 and 1 Timothy 5:21 (where see note). The words οὖν ἐγώ, wanting in some of the best manuscripts, are "rejected by Griesbach, Tischendorf, Lachmann," and by Huther, Alford, Ellicott, and others. The chapter opens rather abruptly without the connecting "therefore." AND BY HIS APPEARING AND HIS KINGDOM. The reading of the T.R., κατὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν κ.τ.λ.., "at his appearing and kingdom," makes suc

ONLY LUKE IS WITH ME,.... The beloved physician, who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and "the Acts of the Apostles", and was a constant companion of Paul's in his travels and sufferings: TAKE MARK, AND BRING HIM WITH THEE; who might be at Ephesus, or somewhere in Timothy's way as he came to Rome. This seems to be the same with John Mark of Jerusalem, the son of Mary, the sister of Barnabas, and who was with Paul and Barnabas in their travels, and who parted from them at Pamphylia; on whose account, and for that reason, there was so great a difference between Paul and Barnabas, as to separate upon it; but now the apostle had entertained a better opinion of him, and was reconciled unto him, and was very desirous of his company and assistance; and which he had, 1 Thessalonians 4:10. FOR HE IS PROFITABLE TO ME FOR THE MINISTRY; that is

2 Timothy 4:1. _I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word;_ We are not to use such strong language as this, unless there is some sufficient reason for it. We must not be too hot upon cold matters, but even this is better than to be cold upon matters that require heat. When John Calvin wished to leave Geneva to complete his studies elsewhere, that man of God, Farrell, knowing how necessary it was for the Church that Calvin should remain at Geneva, charged him before God that he dared not go, and hoped that a curse might light upon all his studies, if for the sake of them he should forsake what he held to be his duty. So sometimes, like the Apostle, we may before the Judge of quick and dead, charge men not to forsake their work and calling....

IV. THE LAST WORDS OF THE APOSTLE CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The last charge (2 Timothy 4:1)_ 2. His last testimony (2 Timothy 4:6) 3. The last personal messages (2 Timothy 4:9) 2 Timothy 4:1 This last chapter is a most impressive one. It is the farewell of this great man of God. joy and sorrow, confidence and love breathe in his final charge and message. “The sorrow that he might have in his soul was only for those he was leaving, and even that is almost swallowed up in the joyful consciousness of the thought with whom he was leaving them.” And so he delivers one more charge, and that solemnly before

PERSONAL REQUESTS AND PERSONAL NEWS. Timothy's summons to Rome seems inconsistent with the discharge of the duties just enforced. If the letter is a unity, its main instructions may concern his conduct after, as well as before, his visit to Rome and Paul's death (Ramsay). For the significance of the historical allusions that follow, see Introduction, at end of § 1. Others being absent on different missions, only Luke, of Paul's immediate circle, is now with him (2 Timothy 4:21 names merely local acquaintances). Let Timothy bring Mark, reconciled to Paul since Acts 15:38 (Colossians 4:10), and able, in Tychicus-' absence, to render needed personal service (contrast AV); and also Paul's travelling-cloak, with cert

PAUL'S GROUNDS OF APPEAL (2 Timothy 4:1-5)...