2 Timothy 1:16

δῴη ἔλεος, κ. τ. λ.: δίδωμι ἔλεος, like εὑρίσκω ἔλεος, is a Hebraism. See reff. The correlative, λαμβάνω ἔλεος occurs Hebrews 4:6. ποιεῖν ἔλεος μετά τινος (Luke 1:72; Luke 10:37; James 2:13) is a similar phrase. Here, we should say, May God bless so and so. ἔλεος does not correspond to any special sin.

τῷ Ὀν. οἴκῳ : This household is saluted in 2 Timothy 4:19. It is most natural to suppose that Onesiphorus himself was dead, both from this expression and from the pious wish in 2 Timothy 1:18. Prayer for living friends is normally and naturally in regard to objects which will be realised here in earth. The evidence of 2Ma 12:44-45, proves that an orthodox Jew of our Lord's time could have prayed for the dead. A full discussion of the question must embrace a consideration of the final cause of prayer, and of the nature of that which we call death. See reff. to recent literature on this subject in Milligan's art. Onesiphorus in Hastings' D. B.

ἀνέψυξεν : The comprehensive term refresh expresses the notion admirably. They are “the blessed of God the Father” to whom the King shall say, “I was in prison, and ye came unto me” (Matthew 25:36. See Hebrews 10:34; Hebrews 13:3). For St. Paul's appreciation of the pleasures of friendly intercourse, see Romans 15:32; 1 Corinthians 16:18; 2 Corinthians 7:13; Philemon 1:7; Philemon 1:20.

ἐπαισχύνθη : For other examples of the absence of the temporal augment cf. Luke 13:13 (ἀνορθώθη [307] [308] [309], etc.); Luke 24:27; John 6:18; Acts 2:25; Romans 9:29 (ὁμοιώθημεν [310] [311] [312] [313] [314]).

[307] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[308] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[309] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[310] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[311] Codex Augiensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS.

[312] Codex Boernerianus (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthæi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis (δ) of the Gospels.

[313] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[314] Codex Porphyrianus (sæc. ix.), at St. Petersburg, collated by Tischendorf. Its text is deficient for chap. 2 Timothy 2:13-16.