9 DO YOUR BEST TO COME TO ME QUICKLY, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 ONLY LUKE IS WITH ME. 2 Timothy 4
Paul concludes his second letter to Timothy and the future Church with a summing up of personal and other relationships within the body. His comments show a variety of outcomes, which may be instructive for us to note. He also makes personal requests to Timothy to provide practical help in some matters.
Demas is mentioned in Colossians and Philemon as a fellow worker, but now he has left Paul, ‘because he loved this world’. He’d probably given up a lot to serve with Paul and his companions but he’d been seduced by the things of the world away from Christ and we don’t know if he ever found his way back. We all have free will and even though we may serve and fellowship for a time with strong believers, we will ultimately decide our own destiny.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2
Others may simply have moved on, finding their own fields of service, but Luke the Gentile doctor and author had stayed on with Paul.
Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 2 Timothy 4
Paul asks for Mark, or John Mark and he tells Timothy to bring him too because he can be of help to him. There’d been a major disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over this young man, but they must have become reconciled. There may be some occasions for us to be reconciled, even after strong disputes. We should welcome them and honour other members of the Lord’s Body.
Paul asks Timothy for practical help, a cloak before winter and some particular scrolls. Close friendships may often mean helping those we love in times of need.
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your father,
and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you –
better a neighbour nearby than a brother far away. Proverbs 27
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 2 Timothy 4
There were those who attacked Paul, ‘he did ME a great deal of harm’ and ‘opposed the message WE brought’. Paul trusted the Lord to repay this man for what he’d done and warned Timothy to be wary of him.
Paul had people who’d served with him and then deserted him. Others such as Mark had become reconciled and now helped him and some who’d attacked him and the message he carried. Above all he had a faithful spiritual son in Timothy, who always sought to help and serve him.
May we have some we can trust fully, who walk with us today. Amen