2 Timothy 4:11

Only Luke Lucas is a contraction of Lucanus, which occurs frequently in inscriptions, and may indicate the position of a libertusor freedman: many such, we know, were the house physicians, the profession, as such, being in very little esteem. See Plaut. Menæchm. 2 Timothy 4:3-5, and cf. Bekker's Gallus, p. 207. St Luke is distinguished from -they of the circumcision," Colossians 4:14, and so cannot be identified with Lucius St Paul's -kinsman," Romans 16:21. He first appears as a companion of St Paul, Acts 16:1, at a time very nearly that of an attack of the Apostle's constitutional malady or -thorn in the flesh," Galatians 4:13; and the words in Colossians 4:14 -the beloved physician" seem to breathe a feeling of personal gratitude and obligation. St Luke travelled with the Apostle on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1) and also, two years later from Jerusalem to Rome (Acts 27:2). The absence of his name from the greetings in Philippians may be due to his having then left Rome for a time; but he was again with him before the close of the two years, Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24; and is now at his side -alone" in his last hours. See Introd. p. 44. After St Paul's death, according to Epiphanius cont. Hær. Leviticus 11, St Luke -preaches first in Dalmatia and Gallia; in Italy and Macedonia, but first in Gallia; as Paul himself says of some of his companions in his epistles "Crescens in Gallia," for we are not to read "in Galatia" as some mistakenly think, but "in Gallia." " Bithynia and Achaia are named as the place of his martyrdom somewhere between a.d. 75 and a.d. 100.

For a striking comparison drawn between St Luke and Demas see Keble's Poem on St Luke's Day (Christian Year):

-Two converts, watching by his side,

Alike his love and greetings share;

Luke the beloved, the sick soul's guide,

And Demas, named in faltering prayer.

Pass a few years look in once more

The Saint is in his bonds again;

Save that his hopes more boldly soar,

He and his lot unchanged remain.

But only Luke is with him now!

Alas! that even the martyr's cell,

Heaven's very gate, should scope allow

For the false world's seducing spell."

Take Mark A.V. varies between -Mark" and -Marcus" in the different passages where the name occurs. R.V. rightly throughout -Mark" (Lightfoot, N. T. Rev., p. 157). -Marcus" was the Latin surname for John (Johanan, the Grace of God) the son of Mary, who lived at Jerusalem, apparently with good means (Acts 12:12), and -cousin" of Barnabas of Cyprus (Colossians 4:10). He and his mother must have been well known to St Peter, who went to her house straight from the prison; and the phrase -Mark my son" 1 Peter 5:13 makes it probable that he was converted by that Apostle. Compare a similar phrase in 1Ti 1:2; 1 Timothy 1:18. He was -minister" to Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey through Cyprus, but left them at Perga (Acts 13:5; Acts 13:13), possibly to escape the dangers of Asia Minor; and for this reason St Paul declined to have his help on the second journey (Acts 15:38) though at the cost of breaking with St Barnabas, who took St Mark again to Cyprus. A reconciliation must have taken place before we next hear of him, as he is reckoned by St Paul in the first imprisonment at Rome as one of his -fellow labourers unto the kingdom" who have been -a comfort" unto him, Colossians 4:10. After this he seems to have joined St Peter at -Babylon" (1 Peter 5:13) whence he must have returned to Asia Minor, so that Timothy could now -take him up." After St Paul's death he is said to have laboured in Egypt and to have died by martyrdom. His Gospel must have been written between a.d. 63 and a.d. 70; according to Irenæus, after the deaths of St Peter and St Paul; according to Jerome, -Peter relating and Mark writing." See Maclear's Introduction to St Mark's Gospel, pp. 14, 15, &c. As especially in keeping (by undesigned coincidence) with what we have seen above of St Mark's own fall and restoration and his slow advance to settled power as a -fellow labourer unto the kingdom" and -profitable to the ministry," we should observe (if it has not been noticed in this connexion before) what significance the two parables and the one miracle have which are recorded only by St Mark. They are the healing of the deaf and dumb man at Decapolis, with the five stagesin his gradual cure (Mark 7:31), the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida, with the foursuccessive stages (Mark 8:22), and the parable of the seed growing secretly and slowly, - first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear" (Mark 4:26). Among the many lessons learnt from Christ, through St Peter, thislaid hold of St Mark; it fitted his need, gave him good hope and heart that he could indeed -rise on stepping-stones of his dead self" to a new and higher life; and what he thus found so true in his own case he could not but put on record, to be a -profitable ministry" through the Holy Spirit to very many -feeble-hearts," who like him have become -great-hearts" and -lion-hearts" for Christ.

-Companion of the Saints! "twas thine

To taste that drop of peace divine,

When the great soldier of thy Lord

Call'd thee to take his last farewell,

Teaching the Church with joy to tell

The story of your love restored."

The Christian Year, -St Mark's Day."

profitable … for the ministry Lit. serviceable for ministering. Observe the emphatic position of the verb -for he is," almost implying -whatever he once may have been": primarily this ministering would be to himself, as Erastus and Timothy are designated -ministers unto him," Acts 19:22.