notes

Main point summary

The apostle Paul shows how he was abandoned in Asia by all but searched and refreshed by Onesiphorus, and prays for God's mercy on Onesiphorus and his household on the day of judgment to encourage Timothy not to be ashamed of the faith but keep on in courage in all, appraising the Lord.

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2 Timothy 1:15-18

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Οἶδας

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ἀπεστράφησάν

με

prepphrase

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ἐν

τῇ

Ἀσίᾳ

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οἱ

πάντες

ὅτι

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Φύγελος

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2 Timothy 1:15

2 Timothy 1:16

ὁ

κύριος

δῴη

ἔλεος

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τῷ

οἴκῳ

Ὀνησιφόρου

ἐπαισχύνθη

οὐκ

τὴν

ἅλυσίν

μου

ἀνέψυξεν

πολλάκις

με

καὶ

ὅτι

2 Timothy 1:17

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ἀλλὰ

ὁ

κύριος

δῴη

αὐτῷ

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εὑρεῖν

ἔλεος

παρὰ

κυρίου

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2 Timothy 1:18

σὺ

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ὅσα

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διηκόνησεν

ἐν

Ἐφέσῳ

(με)

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ἐζήτησέν

σπουδαίως

εὗρεν

με

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γενόμενος

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Ῥώμῃ

καὶ

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2 Timothy 1:15-18

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You are aware that p all who are in Asia turned away from me,

Οἶδας τοῦτο ὅτι ἀπεστράφησάν με πάντες οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ,

among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

ὧν ἐστιν Φύγελος καὶ Ἑρμογένης.

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May the Lord grant mercy to q the household of Onesiphorus,

δῴη ἔλεος ὁ κύριος τῷ Ὀνησιφόρου οἴκῳ,

for he often r refreshed me

ὅτι πολλάκις με ἀνέψυξεν,

and was not ashamed of s my chains,

καὶ τὴν ἅλυσίν μου οὐκ ἐπαισχύνθη·

but when he arrived in Rome

ἀλλὰ γενόμενος ἐν Ῥώμῃ ⸀ σπουδαίως

t he searched for me earnestly

ἐζήτησέν με

and found me—

καὶ εὗρεν—

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may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on u that Day!—

δῴη αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος εὑρεῖν ἔλεος παρὰ κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ—

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and you well know all the service he v rendered at Ephesus.

καὶ ὅσα ἐν Ἐφέσῳ διηκόνησεν, βέλτιον σὺ γινώσκεις.

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Notes

v 15 ἀπεστράφησάν has the sense of change of perspective or worldview (Ac 3:26), refusal (Matt 5:42), putting away (Matt 26:52), one who is misleading (Lk 23:14). Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin observe, "What was the nature of the desertion? Doubtless these former friends of Paul had turned against him personally, but they also seem to have rejected or ignored the gospel he preached. Perhaps a sense of general discouragement had set in after Paul’s arrest. Particularly the appeal for faithfulness in 2:11–13 was a call for faithfulness to the gospel. The falling away was more serious than a failure to support Paul in prison. The verb “deserted” ( apostrephō ) is also used in 2 Tim 4:4 and in Titus 1:14 to refer to doctrinal apostasy. Paul’s friends were guilty of leaving both Paul and his gospel." [1] v 16 δῴη: The Apostle's usage of this word in this context in relation to Onesiphorus shows he saw that by works he was a potential candidate for God's kingdom but since entering the king of God is not by merits (v 9), he wish by way of prayer to God that He may grant him and his household mercy to be a part of his kingdom (v 18). Lea and Griffin, "What is unclear is the situation Onesiphorus faced. Was he alive or deceased? Further, if Onesiphorus were dead, was Paul’s expression in v. 16 (and in v. 18) a prayer for the dead? Disagreements among interpreters are widespread. Fee finds evidence for the death of Onesiphorus in the request of mercy for Onesiphorus’s family and also in the request for future mercy to Onesiphorus at the final judgment (v. 18). In opposition to this, Lenski suggests that Paul mentioned the “household of Onesiphorus” because the entire family allowed Onesiphorus to go to Rome. Further, he feels that if Onesiphorus had died, Paul would have sought for comfort and not mercy. The evidence for and against his death is not totally decisive, but Paul’s statements present no clear evidence of his death. The belief that he was dead is more an assumption than a direct teaching." [1] ἀνέψυξεν This word is used only in this case in the NT. It is coined word with the combination of two: ἀνε- ‘blow, breathe’ and ψῡχή 'soul, depart spirit, of various aspects of the self'; רוח — smell; be relieved; wide, spacious (1): 1 Sam 16:23; נפשׁ — breathe freely, recover (1): 2 Sam16:14; בלג — cause to flash; become cheerful, brighten up (1): Ps 38:14 [2]. Its possibility is refreshing what keeps the soul, giving the body freshness or breath to keep it running to having the soul running. ἐπαισχύνθη " to be ashamed at or of," " to be ashamed to do," " to be ashamed of doing or having done a thing," feel shame, show a sense of shame." [3]. This word is use in the NT by Jesus to communicate that those who are ashamed (refusal to deny self and follow Jesus daily, losing one's life for Jesus and not gaining the world) of him he will be ashamed of them (Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26); Paul was not ashamed of the gospel (Rom 1:16); the righteous are supposed to be ashamed of the things of the world (Rom 6:21). See also Heb 2:11; 11:16. So, not ashamed in this context shows the commitment of Onesiphorus to the faith, one who was a carry of the cross in the light of often refreshment. v 18 ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ: This expression is used 84 in 21verses general to mean the day of judgment (Matt 7:22; 2 Tim 1:18; 4:8), or a specific period of ( Matt 24:19 ), a particular day ( Ac 8:1 ), etc. This context strongly stands for the day of judgment.

Comment

Why did Paul include this section in the Epistle? The immediate context shows Paul encouraging Timothy 'do not be ashamed of the testimony of about the Lord, nor me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel... and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel' (vv 8, 10). And of course, he does this as a veteran of Faith who has lived before Timothy a life that he should emulate, in all dynamics and have others emulate his. >Suffering Abandonment in the Faith. Paul had gone through suffering that at this point, humanly speaking, he deserved no more suffering. But he still suffered abandonment by people like Phygelus and Hermogenes. They were not there for him and it is more likely that they were a part of the church. It was not good but Paul did not give up. It was like needing support or testimony as a seminarian for the Faith you proclaim and never having it from people who are free enough to give it. It should not be a practice with us but we should not be surprise when people abandon us. There may be some who will fill in the gaps in which case we should appreciate and without which we should remain strong for advancing the gospel and appreciative to God. >Gaining Support in the Faith. On a positive note, it is necessary to give support and receive support from others. Here is Onesiphorus who remembered Paul (before/when) in Roman from many miles away. (He must have been a very sacrificial man.) It is painful to need it and not have it given, and may be painful to have it given to others. Paul was moved by the often move of Onesiphorus so that he made a wish. >Expressing the Wish for the Salvation of Others. Paul expresses a wish of having the Lord show mercy show mercy to Onesiphorus and his household. It is an expression that should go alongside the preaching of gospel because he must have preached the gospel to him. So, Paul calls the Lord after all his sufferings and abandonment? Yes! >In All, Showing God at Work to Encourage Others. Generally, the Apostle sees and holds God at high esteem despite his condition and circumstances. It is visible in the text as he looks up to the Lord for the salvation of Onesiphorus and that of his household. There are many complication, complexities and dynamics that come with the advancement of the faith and the gospel that we should beware of them and remain focus on advancing with the gospel without shame. We should seek the well being of others in body and soul without being ashamed as we wait for the revealing of the Lord.

Consulted Sources

[1] Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin, 1, 2 Timothy, Titus , vol. 34, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 197–198. [2] The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Septuagint (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012). [3] Henry George Liddell et al., A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996), 604.