Sweet Fellowship

In 2 Timothy 4:9–15, we see the heart of the apostle expressing his desire for Christian fellowship. Pastoral ministry can be at times very lonely and painful. Paul had been rearrested through the efforts of his enemies like Alexander the metalworker. As he wrote 2 Timothy, he was sitting in a dungeon in Rome, awaiting his certain martyrdom. He was lonely, having been abandoned by many, including fellow believers, as he wrote, “You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2 Tim. 1:15). He also said, “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. . . . At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them” (2 Tim 4:10, 16). Only the beloved physician Luke was with him (2 Tim. 4:11).

Yet Paul had various needs, especially the need for fellowship with his close friends and fellow workers such as Timothy and John Mark. He also needed warm clothing as he lay in the cold and damp dungeon. He knew that the hour for his departure had come—departure to Christ’s heavenly kingdom, where he would receive his crown of righteousness from Jesus, whom he loved to the extent to even to suffer martyrdom (2 Tim. 4:8).

So before he died, Paul wanted to see his son in the faith, Timothy. He expressed this longing in the address of this letter: “To Timothy, my dear son” (2 Tim. 1:2). Then he said, “Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy” (2 Tim. 1:4). He was longing to have sweet fellowship even as he lay in the dungeon.

God’s saints need fellowship with God and with God’s people. Those whom Christ saves are born of God, and as children of God, they belong to God’s family. They love one another even as Christ loved us. John wrote about this: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16). Elsewhere Paul wrote about this relationship, “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God” (1 Tim. 3:15).

Those who are born of God are the people of God. As part of God’s family, we have brothers and sisters, and fathers and mothers in the church. Elsewhere Paul says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10). The early church practiced this: “They devoted themselves [gave themselves over continually] to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).

Yet many saints failed Paul at this time of his deepest need. They did not meet his need for spiritual fellowship. They were not heeding the exhortation of the writer to the Hebrews, “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (Heb. 13:3–4).

May God help us to minister to the needs of our spiritual family members sacrificially. Our deepest need is fellowship with God and with his people. So we read in 1 John 1:3, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” We all need fellowship—sweet, edifying fellowship.

1. Paul’s Need for Fellowship with His Son Timothy

Through the ministry of Paul in Lystra, Timothy became his son in the faith. Now Timothy, under Paul’s direction, was ministering in Ephesus. One of Paul’s last desires was to see his son before his impending death. So Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, which was carried to Ephesus by Tychicus, who was to replace Timothy as he left for Rome to see his spiritual father for the last time.

In verse 9, Paul tells his son Timothy, “Do everything to come to me quickly,” that is, before Paul’s execution. And in verse 21 he says, “Hasten to come to me before winter. Know, my son, that I will soon depart to Christ’s heavenly kingdom.”

My own father and mother departed to Christ’s heavenly kingdom without my seeing them before their departure. We do not know whether Timothy was able to visit Rome and see his spiritual father before his martyrdom. May God help you to see your parents often and help them before their death, whether they are believers or not.

2. The Pain of Demas’ Defection

After urging Timothy to come to Rome, Paul gives a reason why he wanted Timothy to come: “For Demas has abandoned me” (v. 10). He was feeling the pain of Demas’ defection.

It is possible that Demas was brought to faith in Jesus through Paul’s preaching the gospel in Thessalonica, as stated in Acts 17:1–9. Demas was a Gentile, and he became Paul’s assistant, as we read in Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24. Demas was with Paul when Paul was in prison the first time in Rome.

But now Demas had become an apostate, as Paul himself predicted would happen to some. He writes, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them” (2 Tim. 3:1–5). He also says, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3–4).

What happened to Demas? He began to love this world and its pleasures, not Jesus. Demas was not waiting for the epiphany of Jesus Christ. He was not looking forward to receiving from Christ a crown of righteousness. Demas loved this present world. So he began to hate Jesus and his apostles. He turned away from the gospel and the idea of suffering for the gospel. Demas would rather have a good life here, as the rich man of Luke 16 did before he went to hell.

Demas became double-minded. But Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:24). Jesus also said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21). A person whose treasure is in this world will talk about money and houses and cars, but not about Jesus Christ. What we speak demonstrates what we love.

But a double-minded Christian will, in due time, fall away to serve this world and its god, the devil, wholeheartedly. That is what happened to Judas. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver; then he went and killed himself.

This world is also called this evil age (Gal. 1:4). In John 17, Jesus did not pray for this world. He prayed for God’s people only, that they be protected from the evil one in this world. And John warns us, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15–17).

If we are children of God, we must follow the example of Moses: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:24–27).

Demas became a fake minister. His faith was not saving faith, for he was not born of God. Therefore, he did not persevere to the end. (PGM) He did not pay the cost of true discipleship, which is death itself. The apostasy of Demas gave Paul much pain just before his own execution.

Every true minister has experienced such pain when trusted people prove themselves to be fake Christians, the children of the devil. Jesus spoke of such false believers: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

In Romans 12, Paul tells us what our attitude should be toward the world. He writes, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). He also says, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim. 6:17).

The Bible is very clear about what will happen to fake ministers and fake Christians. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:21–23). In other words, he was saying, “Go to hell, you evildoers.” Fake ministers, who do not preach the gospel, are plenty, both in this country and around the world.

3. Thank God for Luke

In verse 11 Paul writes, “Only Luke is with me.” Luke was Paul’s fellow traveler. He traveled with him many times, especially from Caesarea all the way to Rome. He was always loyal. There are people like Luke who are authentic Christians. They are eternally chosen, effectually called, adopted children of God who will persevere to the end. Luke stuck with Paul to the end, even suffering with him.

Luke probably was a Gentile. He was a very educated man, a physician who took care of the needs of Paul. He was the author of Luke and Acts, his two-volume work. Paul calls him “our dear friend Luke, the doctor” (Col. 4:14) and “my fellow worker” (Philem. 24).

Paul says that Luke alone was with him in the dungeon, taking care of Paul’s physical and spiritual needs. A special blessing is reserved for such true brothers and sisters who minister untiringly in the church and for the church, expecting nothing but Christ’s approbation, “Thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.”

4. Thank God for John Mark

Then Paul instructed Timothy, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (v. 11). John Mark was a cousin of the rich Levite, Barnabas, who sold a piece of land he owned and gave the whole amount to the apostles for the support of the poor (Acts 4:36–37). Mark’s mother Mary also was very rich. She owned a big house in Jerusalem, to which Peter returned after his divine release from prison, as we read in Acts 12:12: “When this had dawned on [Peter], he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” Mary’s house was a church. It is possible this also was the house where Jesus ate his last supper with his disciples.

John Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas in their first missionary journey (Acts 13:5). But John Mark was a rich kid; he was not used to all the discomforts of missionary travel and hard work, so he left them to return to the comforts of home in Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). That is the reason Paul refused to take him on his second missionary journey, though Barnabas wanted to give him a change to prove himself (Acts 15:37–38).

Eventually, though, Paul praised Mark for his good work. In Colossians 4:10 he wrote, “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.).” Mark had proved himself to be reliable. Paul also called Mark “my fellow worker” (Philem. 24), and Peter called him “my son” in his first epistle: “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark” (1 Pet. 5:13).

Now Paul was instructing Timothy to pick up Mark from wherever he was and bring him with him to Paul in Rome. What is the reason Paul gives? “because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (v. 11). Timothy and Mark, through their ministry, would make Paul feel less lonely.

Some people, like Demas, may prove useless, while others prove valuable and useful and productive. It is important to give some people another opportunity to prove themselves useful. For example, Philemon’s runaway slave was named Onesimus, which means useful. At first, he was useless to his master. But he became a true believer through the ministry of Paul in Rome. He became useful to God, to his church, and to Philemon, as Paul himself certifies, “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me” (Philem. 10–11).

Are you useful to God and to his holy church? Are you useful to your ministers in their ministry? Or are you a leech, always taking? When we are born again, we will give.

5. Thank God for Meeting Our Physical Needs

Then Paul wrote, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments” (v. 13). Ministers do not live by bread alone, but they do need bread. God provides for our bodies and our souls. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and he gives us this bread through hard work six days a week. And he meets our spiritual needs through every word that comes out of the mouth of God. In the Scripture, God speaks to his people. He is our bread of life (John 6:35).

Paul was suffering from dampness of the Roman dungeon. There was no heating there. He needed his cloak which he had left with brother Carpus in Troas. Carpus probably owned the house where Paul celebrated the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20). It was the same house where Eutychus fell from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul prayed for him, and Eutychus was raised to life.

While Paul was visiting Carpus in Troas after his release from his first Roman imprisonment, he was rearrested, it appears, taken to Rome, and thrown into a dungeon there. It is possible that Paul’s enemy, Alexander the metalworker, who was also probably from Troas, had leveled new charges against Paul, resulting in his rearrest. As a result, Paul entrusted to Carpus his cloak, scrolls, and parchments. So Timothy was to stop in Troas to pick up these items from the house of Carpus and bring them to Paul in Rome. Paul gives Timothy a detailed list of the items he wanted him to bring.

1. His cloak. His cloak was like a poncho, a large sleeveless outer garment made out of a single circular piece of heavy material with a hole in the center for the head to go through. It was designed to keep a person warm and protect him from the elements. Paul needed this for the comfort of his body.
2. His scrolls. Paul had left scrolls of various writings and important documents, probably including the certificate to prove that he was born a Roman citizen. These were probably made of papyrus.
3. His parchments. These were leather, made of the skins of sheep and goats. Most probably contained a number of Old Testament books in the Septuagint translation as well as New Testament books. Paul needed spiritual stimulation. It is never too late to read good books, especially the Bible, even in a dungeon.

Paul needed spiritual friends, warm clothing, and books, especially the Scriptures. He had earlier written to Timothy, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching” (1 Tim. 4:13). That is why we read the Bible publicly. And as we listen and believe, grace will come to us.

Timothy was to go from Ephesus to Rome via Troas. He was to bring Mark and these items for the benefit of the old apostle, who was about to be beheaded for his faith in Jesus. Paul needed sweet fellowship and certain basic comforts.

We find a similar request from William Tyndale, who translated the first New Testament printed in English. The letter was addressed to the Marquis of Bergen, governor of the Vilvorde Castle near Brussels in Belgium, where Tyndale was imprisoned for his faith. Tyndale’s letter was written in 1535; he was burned to death by his enemies for his faith in 1536. His words are reminiscent of the words of Paul:

I entreat your lordship, and that by the Lord Jesus, that if I must remain here for the winter you would beg the Commissary to be so kind as to send me, from the things of mine which he has, a warmer cap; I feel the cold painfully in my head. Also a warmer cloak, for the cloak I have is very thin. He has a woollen shirt of mine, if he will send it. But most of all, my Hebrew Bible, Grammar and Vocabulary, that I may spend my time in that pursuit.”¹

 

6. Paul Had Enemies Too

Paul then warned Timothy about his enemies: “Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message” (vv. 14–15). Not only did Demas abandon Paul and go to Thessalonica, probably his birthplace, to make money and live a soft, comfortable life, but Alexander the metalworker, Paul’s arch-enemy, worked against Paul.

Jesus predicted that we will have enemies:

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: “No servant is greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. . . . All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. (John 15:18–16:4)

The time is coming and now is. God’s people are persecuted in this country; they are being persecuted all over the world. Formerly “Christian” countries are, in effect, pagan. Additionally, many pastors do not preach the Bible, though it alone is the only book that tells the truth. Paul says, “Let God be true, and all men liars” (Rom. 3:4). By nature, we are all liars; we tell truth because God regenerated us. He gave us new life and a new mind and a new will and new affections.

Jesus also said, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” Who said this? Jesus Christ said it about the church. Then he concludes, “but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt. 24:9–13).

It is possible that this Alexander was responsible for Paul’s rearrest and martyrdom because he strongly opposed Paul’s gospel. It is also possible that Alexander gave his testimony of lies for the prosecution in the Roman court. It seems also that no believers came to testify for Paul’s defense out of fear of their own arrest.

Paul was warning Timothy about Alexander. Not only are there Demases, who abandon God’s people, but there are also Judases who celebrate holy communion with us, only to go out to betray God’s people. Alexander was a son of perdition, an agent of the devil.

But the Lord who comes to give us the crown of righteousness is also coming to judge the wicked according to their evil deeds. Paul was confident God would mete out his retributive justice on Alexander. So he told Timothy, “The Lord will repay him for what he has done” (v. 14). Elsewhere he wrote, “God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done.’ . . . This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares” (Rom. 2:6, 16). Christ himself will destroy those who speak evil of his people.

We do not know whether Paul was able to see his son in the faith again. It is possible that Timothy, being a friend of Paul, was also arrested and put in prison. The Hebrews writer alludes to this, writing, “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you” (Heb. 13:23).

Like Paul, we have our enemies. But, thank God, we also have our friends, especially Jesus Christ. And God will judge those who oppose us in due time. The Lord himself declares, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them” (Deut. 32:35).

If God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing in all creation is able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul writes, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:35–39). May God help us to hear, understand, believe, and do his will, so that we may receive grace to live for his glory and die for his glory, in his time and his will.

¹Bishop Handley Moule, cited by John R. W. Stott, The Message of Second Timothy, The Bible Speaks Today series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1973), 121.