2 Timothy 4:19-22: Salutations and Greetings
2022-03-26
The conclusion mentions many familiar names with some unfamiliar ones. We will look at these fellow Christians.
2 Timothy 4:19
The people mentioned in this verse were in Timothy’s proximity. Paul greets them here.
Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquila. Paul met this married couple in Corinth. They were expelled from Rome with all Jews by the emperor Claudius. Their secular profession was making tents, like Paul, which allowed them to work closely together (Acts 18:1-3). They went with Paul to Ephesus. After Paul moved on, they met Apollos, who only knew the baptism of John. The couple expanded on his knowledge, and he became a great preacher of Jesus Christ (Acts 18:24-28). From this, we infer that these two were able teachers of the Word.
When Paul wrote to the Romans, Priscilla and Aquila were in Rome (Romans 16:3). However, as we can see here, they were not in Rome at the time of the writing of 2 Timothy, as he asked Timothy to greet them wherever he was.
At some point, they were with Paul while writing 1 Corinthians. Priscilla and Aquila sent greetings to Corinth in the letter because they were in Corinth previously and would have known most people there (1 Corinthians 16:19).
The Household of Onesiphorus. Onesiphorus was mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:16-18, and we discussed him some there. Paul mentioned his household here. Some presuppose that he had either died or that he was not there, because it appeared he may have traveled a lot. However it may be, Timothy was to greet this family.
2 Timothy 4:20
The two men mentioned in this verse were perhaps people Timothy expected to be with Paul, but further explanation was needed.
Erastus. This name appears in Bible three times. It is unclear if these references refer to the same person. If we consider them the same person, he was the chamberlain presumably of the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). He also would have been a companion and minister of Paul in his travels according to Acts 19:22. It is conceivable that it is the same man, because he could have been saved as a public official in Ephesus, left his job and followed Paul for a while, then returned home for whatever reason.
Trophimus. He appears three times in the Bible. He was a fellow traveler with Paul according to Acts 20:4. There it says he was from Asia Minor. More specifically, we are told he was from Ephesus in Acts 21:29. He was erroneously presumed to have gone into the Temple with Paul, which caused the riot in Jerusalem and subsequent arrest of Paul. He continued to travel with Paul afterward, but apparently fell sick and could travel with him no longer. Even though the Lord had cured many through Paul throughout his lifetime, He did not this time.
2 Timothy 4:21
Paul’s request for Timothy to come before winter was possibly because he was arrested quickly, with no time to gather his possessions, therefore lacking proper clothing. He needed the cloak he spoke of in 2 Timothy 4:13. It could also be because traveling would be more difficult in winter.
In addition, Paul did not know how much time he had left. Speed was important if they were going to connect.
Four people are named here: “Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia.” Of the four names mentioned here, only Linus is mentioned outside of Scripture, assuming it is the same person. Irenaeus mentioned him as being a bishop of Rome:
The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. (Against Heresies, Book III, 3:3; https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/irenaeus-book3.html).
These Christians and others greeted Timothy. These also did not forsake Paul; they were local Romans and not former traveling companions. The four are likely named because Timothy probably knew them.
2 Timothy 4:22
This final verse entrusts Timothy to Christ and His grace. The phrase “Grace be with you” indicates that grace is with “you” in the plural, perhaps referring to Timothy, Prisca, Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
Without Christ and His grace being with us, how could we ever accomplish anything for Him?