A Practical and Polemical Commentary Upon 2 Timothy 3-4, Part 2 · Subpart 14
VERS. 16. At my first answer no man stood with me, (or no man assisted me) but all men forsook me, I pray God that it be not laid to their charge. V. 17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me (or assisted me) and strengthened me that by me the Preaching might be fully known, &c.
WE are now come to the Third Part of this Chapter wherein the Apostle complains of the timerousness of weak Christians; before he complained of Alexa…der and open enemies, now he complains of a desertion by faint-heartd friends. Where we have:
1. The carriage of weak Christianss toward Paul. viz. They desert him in his distress, and dare not own him before Nero's tribunal.
2. We have the Number of these Desertors, it is not two or three, but all men, all forsake him, not a man durst stick to him or stand by him, (.i.) very few if any.
3. Here is the Time when they forsake him, it was at his first answer before Nero.
4. Here is Pauls Carriage towards them, He prayes for them, that since they did not sin as Alexander did maliciously, but of infirmity, that he would not lay this sin to their charge.
At my first answer. Or, at my first Apology and defence of my self and the truth before Nero (or before some of his Officers which he had appointed) against the malicious accusations of the Jews.
This his first defence was not the first which he made when he was first Prisoner at Rome about nine years before; but he speaks of his first defence which he made before Nero when he was Prisoner the second time at Rome. This defence he made about nine months before his death, neer the end of Nero's raign when he wrot this second Epistle to Timothy.
No man stood by me, or was foreign. In prima meae defensione. It is not foreign responsio, but foreign; an answer with a defence whereby he defends his innocency. foreign, simul ad sum.present with me.
To assist or aid me, to comfort or counsel me.
But all men forsook me.
Even my dearest friends who might have helped me by their power and pleading left me in the brias as a forlorn man. Those that formerly came to visit him in Prison, now durst not shew their heads for fear of suffering with him, such was Nero's out-rage now in his last dayes against the Saints. Chrysostom makes this the ground of Nero's rage against Paul, viz. because he had confounded Simon Magus whom Nero highly prized, and had converted his Butler and some of his Concubines, whereat he being enraged, caused him to be beheaded; for fear of Nero his friends, out of weakness generally forsake him. Yet the Universal Particle would seem to admit of some restriction. All (.i.) all most all, very few excepted; for Luke did not leave him. V. 11. So the word All is taken in Scripture, Philip. 2.21. All men seek their own. (.i.) The most and greatest part are self-seekers.
I pray God it be not laid to their charge.
foreign, non iis imputetur scilicet in culpam (.i.) ignose…tur, remittatur. Meiosis.q. d. I pray God forgive them this great sin of forsaking me in my necessity, I wish it be not imputed to them for sin. Alexander that sinned maliciously him he names and curseth; but these weak Christians who failed for want of some measure of Spirit and courage retaining still a hidden love to the cause of Christ; their names he conceals, with prayer that God would not lay this sin to their charge.
Observations.
1. Christians must be able in some measure to Apologize for the truth. They must be ready not onelyonly foreign, to give a bare answer, but they must be ready foreign ▪ to make an Answer with a defence of the truth,foreign non simplicem responsionem deno…at, sed desensionem & consistit ea vel in verbis, vel in scriptis quibus respondetur adversariorum calumniis. Laurent. in Pet. 1 Pet. 3.15. Thus Iob oft Apologized for himself against the false accusations of his friends. So doth Peter, Acts 2.14. &c. and Steven, Act. 7. and Paul often, Acts 22.1. and 23.1. and 24.10. and 25.8. and 26.1. Philip. 1.7. Thus Iustin Martyr, Tertullian, Athenagoras, Lactantius and Minutius Felix apologize for the Christians against their slanderous enemies. And B. Iewel Apologizeth for the Reformers against the Papists. As wicked men are subtile to destroy the truth, so we should be wise as serpents to defend it.
2. Observation.
See more Paraeus in Rom. 16. Dub. 2. Baldwin in 2 Tim. 4.16. Brothman. CC. de Pontif. Rom. T. 2. Sect. 3. p. 814. &c.2. All men forsook me.] Peter was not then surely Bishop of Rome. Had he been there in such high authority he would have said somewhat doubtless for Paul. Paul lived in Rome two years in his hired house, Acts 28.30. And when he writes to the Romans he saluted many, yet not one word of Peter there. Rom. 16. It is not probable then that Peter was Bishop of Rome seven years as the Papists without any Scripture-grounds affirm. But on this see more before. V. 11.
3. Observation.
3. Gods dearest Servants must expect many times to be left alone. They are oft hopeless and helpless in respect of worldly help and creature-supplies. It is no strange thing to see a good man forsaken of all his friends.V. Bohomus Meditat. 14. Iob complains of some such dealing from his friends, Iob 6.15, 16, 17. and 12. 4. and 19.2, 3. And so doth the Church, Lam. 1.2, 19, 21. David oft complains that his acquaintance stood aloof when he was in trouble, Psal. 31.11. When Christ was apprehended all the disciples fled and forsook him. Good men are men still, and so are subject to Passions, fear and faint-heartedness, and have not the same courage at all times, even in their own trials much less in others, as we see in Elijah that now tells Ahab to his face of his abominations, yet anon flyes from Iesabel and is in a Pet. So David one while he will not fear though ten thousand compass him about; yet another while he cryes, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul. This is a very hard lesson (for man is a sociable creature) to be content to go alone in duty, and though all men forsake Christ yet not to forsake him then, this is Heroick and noble indeed. Thus did Elijah, Athanasius and Luther when they had all the world against them. God hath so ordained it in his wisdom to wean us from the world and to make us see the Vanity of creature-comforts, that we may not confide in them, but may say with repen…ing Ephraim, Ashur shall not save us, for with thee the fatherless find mercy, Hos. 14.3. and with David, Help Lord, for vain is the help of man, Psal. 60.11. By this means he drives us out of the creature to himself; hence Iob complains that God himself had yet his brethren far from him, Iob 19.13, 14. The like complaint makes Heman, Psal. 88.8. Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me,Tempora si fuerint nubila, solus eris. Ovid. Thou hast made me an abomination to them. Prosperous rich men have many friends, but the poor and distressed is scarcely owned by his own Parents, Iohn 19.21, 22. The blind mans Parents were afraid to own their son for fear lest the Jewes should do them a mischief.See more before on V. 10. Obs. 1. Be not then offended when 'tis thus with you Christ was so served and the disciple is not above his Master, we must be made comformable to him if we will raign with him. Trust not in Humane helps, they are mutable and will fail you. V. Bohemus Medit. p. 40.Micah 7.5. Trust not in a friend. But trust in God and make him your friend, he is an Almighty everlasting friend. Be your condition what it will (whilst you walk in wayes of obedience) he will never leave you nor forsake you, Heb. 13.5. As you may see in the next Verse. As Elkanah said to Hannah, Habent omnia, quia habent habentem omnia. Aug.Am not I better to thee then ten sons? So the Lord is better to us then ten thousand friends, he is the fountain, get him and you get all, even when you have lost all, yet you have it still in the living God. When those Cisterns are broken, yet this Spring abides, and when thy friends are dead, yet this friend lives for ever, Psal. 18.46.
I pray God it be not laid to their charge. 4. Observation.
4. We must pitty and Pray for such as offend through weakness. Demas and Alexander sinned wilfully and therefore the Apostle brands the one, and curseth the other. But these that sinned through fear and infirmity he conceals their names, and prayes for them; so did Christ and Steven they praid for such as persecuted them Ignorantly, and were heard. It is a great part of a Ministers wisdom to distinguish between sinners, and to observe who sin through infirmity and with the Spirit of Meekness to restore such, Luke 22.32. Gal. 6.1. Rom. 15.1. Iames 3.1, 2. And who sin obstinately, and to be sharper with them. A hard knot must have a hard wedge; and tough humours sharper Physick. It is Iude his advise, Iude 22, 23. Of some have compassion making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.
5. Observation.
5. Sins of Omission may destroy us as well as sins of Commission. These weak brethren did not hurt Paul, yet because they did not help him they were liable to guilt,Turpissimè fecit Ecclesia Romana quae Apostolum suum sic deseruit, Mirum itaque non est si hoc Paulo dolu…t pl…rimum, sique oravit ne illis imputetur. Pet. Martyr. for in defer…ing him they did in a manner desert the truth which he maintained, therefore the Apostle praies that this sin may not be laid to their charge. So Moroz is cursed not for hindring, but for not helping the people of God against the mighty, Iudg. 5.23. Dives is sent to Hell not for robbing but for not relieving Lazarus in his misery.Occidisti si non pavisti. August. See what a large bill of Inditement is put up against sins of omission, Matth. 25.42, 43. And if their condition be so sad that onelyonly through fear forsake Gods people,See the danger of sins of Omission, Gataker …erm▪ on Amos 6.6. pag. 51. 2 Part. folio. and Scudder Daily Walking. c. 16. Sect. 3. p. 551. how sad is their condition that oppose them, and imprison and persecute them.
2. See here the tenderness of God to his people, he knows that two are better then one, and that a solitary man which is alone is left to a Temptation, and therefore he hath provided the counsel and company of friends to refresh us in our straits, and by their words spoken in season to incourage us in the paths of Piety against those discouragements which will meet us in that way.
6. Observation.
6. It would be sad with us if God should lay but one sin to our charge. The Apostle prayes that God would not impute this one sin (which yet the world accounts no sin) to them. God charged Cain with this Murder, and Iudas with his Treason, and it sunk them, they were not able to bear it, indeed a wounded spirit who can bear? no man by his own strength, Prov. 18.14. A man may sooner bear the weight of the whole world on his back,See the Burden of sin. …udworth on Gal. 6.5. pag. 375. then the weight of one sin; for that is but the weight of creatures, but this of an infinite Creator; and if one sin be a burden unsupportable, oh! how sad would it be with us if God should charge all our sins upon us? If sins of Infirmity lye so heavy, what are enormities? If sins of weakness be thus grievous what are sins of wilfulness? Great then is the folly and madness of those that make a mock at sins that make it their Recreation and pastime to do wickedly, Prov. 10. 23. That make it their meat and drink, Prov. 4.27. They eat the bread of Wickedness and drink the wine of Violence that make it their cloathing, Psal. 73.6. Pride compasseth them like a chain, and Violence covers them as a garment. Can the hands of these men be strong, or their hearts endure when God shall visit their sin ppon them, Ezek. 22.14. This will certainly be bitterness in the latter end.