A Practical and Polemical Commentary Upon 2 Timothy 3-4, Part 2 · Subpart 9 – Subpart 10
VERS. 11. OnelyOnly Luke is with me.
HE onelyonly of all my ordinary Associates continues with me. Many unworthily deserted him, others were dispersed abroad by him, so that he wanted assistance to carry on the work of Christ. This Luke was the Evangelist who wrote the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, he was a Physitian (Colos. 4.14.) an excellent Graecian, Pauls choice and sole Companion at this time, no persecutions nor troubles could separate them. He was Pauls Register, (as appears by his recording Pauls course of life in the Acts) his counsellor and his comforter, whose praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches, 2 Cor. 7.18. He lead a single life, was 84 years old when he died, and was buried at Constantinople, saith St. Ierom. Now if Luke onelyonly were with Paul at Rome where then was Peter? And why is there no mention made of him? A Lapide and others fly to the Tradition for want of Scripture and tell us that Peter was Prisoner with Paul nine Months, and bo…h martyred in one day. This is said, but not proved; and his evasion is as vain, when he saith Luke onelyonly is with me, viz. at freedom to help me in my affairs. We may not thus distinguish where the Scripture doth not distinguish. It is sad to see what silly evasions learned men will invent to please a party. It appears by this Text that Simon Peter was not yet at Rome, An Prtrus fuerit Romae sub judice lis est; Simonem Romae nemo fuisse negat.and whether ever he was there is doubtful, but that Simon Magus was and is still there is past questioning. Besides Paul sending Salutations to many men and women at Rome yet never mentions Peter, and receiving many from thence yet not a word of him.
3. The Ignorance which Paul found at Rome when he came thither cannot stand with Peters being so long Bishop there, Acts 28.22.
4. To be an Apostle and a Bishop in their See are not coincident, because to be an Apostle is to be unlimited as to people and place; but a Bishop is limited to both.
Take Mark and bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the Ministery.
Now he tells Timothy, 1. Whom. 2. What he must bring with him.
1. He must bring Mark, not Mark the Evangelist, but Iohn Mark of whom we read Acts 12.12. and 15.37. and Colos. 4.10. He was Nephew to Barnabas. Mark was his Sir-name and I…hn was his Christen-name.
2. Here is the Reason why he sends for him, not for rest or recreation but to assist him in the Ministery that he might instruct the Churches; and that he might be helpful to the Apostle in writing and other offices of love. But the former sense seems most genuine, for the Apostles care was more for the Churches then for himself.
OBSERVATIONS.
Observation 1.
1. A faithful friend will not forsake us in our deepest distress. A faithful friend (and such a one was Luke) loves at all times, Prov. 17.17.Hence it is that Christ sent not his Messengers single but by pairs, and that for eight Reasons. V. Adams on 2 Pet. 3.15. p. 1441. Though Paul be a Prisoner and ready to be martyred yet Luke keeps with him still, though all forsake him yet he will stick to him, OnelyOnly Luke is with me. It was an high commendation of Aquila and Priscilla that to save Pauls life (when he was in danger by tumults, Acts 18.12. and 19.24.) they ventured their own, Rom. 16.3, 4. As Christ laid down his life for us so must we be ready (when occasion requires) to lay down our lives for our Brethren, 1 Iohn 3.16. Ollae amicitia. Proverb.Pot-friendship will vanish, especially in adversity. Iob (6.15.) complains of his friends that they had deceived him like a brook, they were not like a river which is fed by a sping and hath a perennity of flowing; but like a brook which runs in moist times when there is least need of it, but in a drought it fails. Like Swallows which flie about us in Summer, but in Winter they leave us and hide themselves in hollow trees or the like. Such vermine abound which run to full barnes, but out-run them when empty. Most worship the rising, few the setting Sun.
Bring Mark with thee. 2. Observation.
2. Good men are easily reconciled to good men. There was formerly a sharp contention between Paul and Barnabas about this Mark who for Observ. Such as are fearful and faint-hearted at first, may after become Valiant and Couragious for the truth, as Nicodemus, Ioseph of Arimathea, &c.fear forsook Paul and left him in Pamphilia, (Acts 13.13. and 15.37, 38.39.) which made Paul that he would not suffer him to visit the Brethren. The Apostle shewes himself strange unto him the better to humble him who had put his hand to Gods Plow and was now looking back; yet since this Mark fell through weakness and now repented labouring faithfully in the Preaching of the Gospel, the Apostle taking notice of this his industry and usefulness sends for him, reckons him amongst his Coadjutors, receives him into favour and commends him to the Colossians 4.10. Philemon 24. The Godly are men of wisdom and so have cool Spirits, as the Original renders it, Prov. 17.27. Their discretion teacheth them to moderate their anger, and they count it their glory to pass by an offence, Prov. 19.11. Anger in the Godly is like fire amongst thorns, it is soon extinct, but anger in the wicked is like fire in iron it abides long. Iacob was angry with Laban, but ere the Chapter ends it was gone, Gen. 31.36. David was offended with Nabal but a wise Abigail easily appeaseth him. It is ill in any to be hard to be reconciled, as God forgets and forgives the wrongs we have done to him, so must we the trespasses of our repentant Brethren, Colos. 3.13. To up-braid a man with his sins after he hath repented of them is to be like the Devils in Hell,See more Attersol on Philemon 14 P 478. to 484. Byfield on Colos. 4.10. not the Angels in Heaven.
3. Observation.
3. It is a great mercy to have good Parents. This Mark whom Paul commends was the son of good Parents, which were well acquainted with the Apostles whom they received into their house, by which means Mark was converted to the faith and chosen for a fellow-helper to them, and travailed with them; their house was as an Inne to lodge the Saints, and as a Church for the people of God to pray there, Acts 12.12. and they were no loosers by it, for God blest them with a son that proved a zealous Preacher of the Gospel. It is true a wicked man may have a good child, wicked Ahaz may have a good Hezekiah; and Idolatrous Amon, a pious Iosiah, but he hath no promise for it: the promise runs to the godly and their seed; and therefore usually (though not alwayes) good men have good children, a godly Abraham hath a godly Isaac, a gracious Hannah hath a gracious Samuel, a pious Zachary and Elizabeth have a gracious Iohn. And wicked men usually have children like themselves. God punisheth the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to many generations.Malus corvus malum ovum; niger corvus niger pullus. Prov. Most men labour to make their children great men rather then good men, and learned rather then religious; whereas we should strive rather to have them gracious that so they may improve their Riches and their Parts to right ends, else their children will complain at them as St. Cum intereà non satageret idem pater qualis crescerem tibi, aut quam castus essem; dummodo essem disertus vel potiùs desertus à cultura tua Deus. Aug. Confes. l. 2▪ c. 3.Austin did sometimes of his father that he was at great cost to make him a Schollar, but never cared to have him gracious.
4. Observation.
4. Superiors in gifts and grace may sometimes have need of the help of Inferiors. A Paul may send for a Mark to help him. An Aquila and Priscilla poor tent-makers may sotimes instruct an eloquent Apollos, Acts 18.26. One man is no man, God dispenseth his gifts severally and hath ordained the strong to help the weak, and the See Childs Portion, Preface.weak (according to their measure and in their places) to assist the strong. Some are Eyes in the Church, some are hands, some Feet, some little Toes in the feet, yet all useful in their place and serve for ornament to the body. The weakest may be helpful to the strongest by their Prayers especially; which made Paul that man of men and great Apostle so earnestly to beg for the Prayers of the Brethren, not onelyonly for some strong and eminent ones, but of the Brethren indefinitly, even the weakest widow and poorest Saint that can help us no other way yet may help us by their Prayers; and therefore no starved beggar could beg more importunately for an Almes, then the Apostle doth for a Collection of Prayers, Rom. 15.30. Now I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Iesus Christ his sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your Prayers unto God for me. Let no man then despise the day of small things.
VERS. 12. Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
THE Apostle here by prolepsis prevents an Objection which Timothy might make. But who (who might he say) shall supply my place in my absence? why Tychicus (saith the Apostle) have I sent to Ephesus. Tychicus is a Greek name and signifieth Fortunate or Happy,Bonum nomen, bonum omen. and as his name is, so was he. Paul gives him many high Encomiums. He calls him a faithful Minister of Christ, Epes. 6.21. Colos. 4.7. His Companion, Acts 20.4. His dear Brother, Ephes. 6.21, 22. Whom he sent to the Colossians (4.8.) To Titus (3.12.) and now from Rome to Ephesus.
Observation. 1.
1. Good men are careful that the Church be not left destitute of Pastors; If Timothy come from Epesus to Rome, Paul will send Tychicus to his place. Good men know the Subtilty of Satan and the activity of his Instruments to destroy the Church especially in the absence of their faithful and vigilant Pastors.See more Taylor on Tit. 3.12. p. 726. If Moses be absent but fourty dayes in the Mount the Israelites will presently fall to Idolatry, Exod. 32.1. If these Shepherds be wanting the Sheep will straggle, and the Wolves will soon devour them. Non datur vacuum, there is no vacuity nor emptiness in a Spiritual as well as in a Philosophical sense.Deficiente lumine oriuntur tenebrae. Arist. Where good Ministers are wanting, there by sad experience we find that Anabastick-Quaking-Libertines-and-other-instruments-of-the-Devil are presently at hand. When it is night then look for the beasts of the Forrest to come forth, but when the sun of the Gospel ariseth then they fly to their Dens, Psal. 104.20, 22.
Sad then is the condition of these Ministers that leave their Churches at six and sevens, so they can have the fleece they care not what becomes of the flock, nor who comes there. Let such read, Ezeks 34.2. to 11. and if they be not past feeling it will awaken them.