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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - 2 Timothy 4:19 - 4:21
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Ti_4:19-21
19Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. 21Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren.
2Ti_4:19 "Prisca and Aquila" The lady (also called Priscilla) is mentioned first in Act_18:18; Act_18:26; Rom_16:3 and here; her husband is mentioned first in Act_18:2 and 1Co_16:19. Possibly she was mentioned first, which was highly unusual, because she was of Roman nobility. She may have been the stronger personality of the couple. They were tentmakers (or leather workers) like Paul and were his good friends and co-laborers in the gospel.
▣ "Onesiphorous" See note at 2Ti_1:16-18.
2Ti_4:20 "Erastus" The same name is also mentioned in Act_19:22 and Rom_16:23, but it is probably not the same person.
▣ "Trophimus I left sick" This man is mentioned in Act_20:4; Act_21:29 and possibly 2Co_8:19-22.
There are so many questions we would like to ask the NT writers. One subject all believers think about is physical healing. In Acts (cf. Act_19:12; Act_28:7-9) Paul is able to heal, but here and in 2Co_12:7-10 and Php_2:25-30, he seems unable. Why are some healed and not all, and is there a time window connected to healing which has closed?
I surely believe in a supernatural, compassionate Father who has and does physically as well as spiritually heal, but why is this healing aspect seemingly present and then noticeably absent? I do not think that it is connected to human faith, for surely Paul had faith (cf. 2 Corinthians 12). I feel that healing and believing miracles affirmed the truthfulness and validity of the gospel, which it still does in areas of the world where it is first proclaimed. However, I feel that God wants us to walk by faith and not by sight. Also, physical illness is often allowed in believer's lives
1. as temporal punishment for sin
2. as consequences of life in a fallen world
3. to help believers mature spiritually
My problem is I never know which one is involved! My prayer for God's will to be done in each case is not a lack of faith, but a sincere attempt to allow the gracious, compassionate God to work His will in each life.
▣ "at Miletus" This was a seaport of western Asia Minor (western Turkey), south of Ephesus.
2Ti_4:21 "Make every effort to come before winter" Paul was lonesome and probably had eye problems. Shipping stopped in the winter, so no one would be able to come to him after the seasonal storms began (cf. Titus 3:21).
▣ We do not know of any of these believers from other parts of the NT. Oh, but God does!
There is an early church tradition (i.e., list of Roman bishops from Irenaeus) that a man named "Linus" was the leader of the church in Rome in the late 60's to late 70's.