2 Timothy 4:13

2 Timothy 4:13. Cloak. The meaning of the Greek word is doubtful. It may be a Greek form φελόνης of the Latin pænula, and in that case ‘cloak,' a thick travelling wrapper, is a good equivalent for it. The word seems, however, to have been one of those technical terms that depend on fashion (like ἐξουσίαν in 1 Corinthians 11:10) and soon became obsolete, and in the time of Chrysostom it was thought by many to be a travelling bag. In either case, what we note is the naturalness of the request. Age and infirmities make him wish in his prison at Rome for the cloak that had so often warmed him, or he wanted the material for his defence, or the books that were the companion of his solitude. The idea of its being a special ecclesiastical vestment which he wanted for liturgical uses, may be mentioned as one of the curiosities of interpretation. Troas, we may note, would be a natural route from Ephesus to Europe, as in 2 Corinthians 2:12.

The books, but especially the parchments. Here again we are left to conjecture. The parchments were probably more costly than the books, which may have been on papyrus rolls. The latter may have been the Greek or Hebrew copy of the Old Testament. It may have included some of his own writings, or other records of the Apostolic Age. The former may have included documents proving his Roman citizenship, or other materials for his defence. But we can say nothing certain, and must be content with noting the fact (indicated also in the ‘much learning,' i.e. the ‘many books ' of Acts 26:24) that St. Paul habitually travelled as with a portable library among his baggage.