Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me is an urgent plea for Timothy to make every effort to come soon, without delay. It was written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, shut in damp prison walls and suffering from infirmities, with no hope of release except by yielding up his life at the word or nod of wicked, Satanic Nero. This was his second time before Nero, where he would witness with his life to the faith he held, his work and life drawing to a close, unsure how long he would live.
Timothy was Paul's son in the gospel and faithful fellow worker, with whom he shared a deep bond. He was the first bishop of the church at Ephesus, with responsibility for that church. Paul longed to see him to give him his dying charge and last testimony from his lips, with important counsel and instruction about his responsibility for the church at Ephesus. This expressed loving concern for Timothy and for the church entrusted to his care.
Paul feared Timothy might arrive too late, knowing his life in prison might end at any moment. Timothy's journey from Asia Minor would take several months, and he might hesitate because of the dangers. So Paul asked him to come if possible before winter.
Paul was lonely and largely left alone, because some friends had deserted him and others were necessarily away. Only Luke remained with him, while Crescens had gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. He asked Timothy to bring Mark as profitable for ministry, and explained that Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus to fill Timothy's place, so the church's need need not keep Timothy from coming.
Fearing Timothy would not arrive soon enough, Paul repeated to a fellow laborer allowed to be his companion in bonds the words he would speak to Timothy, and that faithful attendant wrote them down. So the urgent call dictated just prior to Paul's death was written by Luke for profit and warning. The call was pressed the more because Demas had forsaken and deserted Paul through love of this present world and had departed to Thessalonica. Demas had been a Christian convert and member of the church received into full fellowship, once joined with Luke the beloved physician in greeting the church, but he chose the world before Christ and that choice caused his failure.
The verse means a faithful worker is left alone when a fellow laborer chooses the world before Christ. Demas is an example of tares growing with the wheat in the church and of lukewarm professors who are presented with the Word of God yet do not eat the Word of life, whose course is acted out over and over again whenever church members turn from Christ to the world. It warns that love of the world still causes many who claim to be Christians to fail and become like Demas. Unless believers see their weakness and remedy faults of character they will be drawn from safe paths into worldly projects and ambitious plans to the shipwreck of faith.
The verse belongs to Paul's record of his trials through men who turned from the faith. It encourages believers passing over the same ground when meeting similar trials from those who were once teachers with them but now deny the faith and work against the truth they once advocated, not to lose faith and confidence in God. It belongs also to Paul's presentation of the work of him who opens the Scriptures to others as a most solemn work requiring men of prayer. Ministerial work is not finished with giving an exposition of the Scriptures from the desk but continues in pastoral work to reprove and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, presenting the Word to show wherein there is deficiency and feeling the burden for defects of character without lording it over God's heritage. Dealing with human minds barred by prejudice and undisciplined hearts demands the mind of Christ Jesus and humble walking with God, recognizing every soul as the purchase of Christ's blood given for their trial and eternal life. The charge arrays ministers before God and Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead to preach the Word without partiality for merely the prophecies and argumentative portions, giving chief place to the lessons of Jesus Christ Himself, becoming acquainted with His doctrines, having His love and His Word abiding within, and increasing in efficiency, power in prayer, and knowledge while reflecting Christ and carrying practical godliness into daily life.
Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me is an urgent plea for Timothy to make every effort to come soon, without delay. It was written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, shut in damp prison walls and suffering from infirmities, with no hope of release except by yielding up his life at the word or nod of wicked, Satanic Nero. This was his second time before Nero, where he would witness with his life to the faith he held, his work and life drawing to a close, unsure how long he would live.
Timothy was Paul's son in the gospel and faithful fellow worker, with whom he shared a deep bond. He was the first bishop of the church at Ephesus, with responsibility for that church. Paul longed to see him to give him his dying charge and last testimony from his lips, with important counsel and instruction about his responsibility for the church at Ephesus. This expressed loving concern for Timothy and for the church entrusted to his care.
Paul feared Timothy might arrive too late, knowing his life in prison might end at any moment. Timothy's journey from Asia Minor would take several months, and he might hesitate because of the dangers. So Paul asked him to come if possible before winter.
Paul was lonely and largely left alone, because some friends had deserted him and others were necessarily away. Only Luke remained with him, while Crescens had gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. He asked Timothy to bring Mark as profitable for ministry, and explained that Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus to fill Timothy's place, so the church's need need not keep Timothy from coming.
Fearing Timothy would not arrive soon enough, Paul repeated to a fellow laborer allowed to be his companion in bonds the words he would speak to Timothy, and that faithful attendant wrote them down. So the urgent call dictated just prior to Paul's death was written by Luke for profit and warning. The call was pressed the more because Demas had forsaken and deserted Paul through love of this present world and had departed to Thessalonica. Demas had been a Christian convert and member of the church received into full fellowship, once joined with Luke the beloved physician in greeting the church, but he chose the world before Christ and that choice caused his failure.
The verse means a faithful worker is left alone when a fellow laborer chooses the world before Christ. Demas is an example of tares growing with the wheat in the church and of lukewarm professors who are presented with the Word of God yet do not eat the Word of life, whose course is acted out over and over again whenever church members turn from Christ to the world. It warns that love of the world still causes many who claim to be Christians to fail and become like Demas. Unless believers see their weakness and remedy faults of character they will be drawn from safe paths into worldly projects and ambitious plans to the shipwreck of faith.
The verse belongs to Paul's record of his trials through men who turned from the faith. It encourages believers passing over the same ground when meeting similar trials from those who were once teachers with them but now deny the faith and work against the truth they once advocated, not to lose faith and confidence in God. It belongs also to Paul's presentation of the work of him who opens the Scriptures to others as a most solemn work requiring men of prayer. Ministerial work is not finished with giving an exposition of the Scriptures from the desk but continues in pastoral work to reprove and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, presenting the Word to show wherein there is deficiency and feeling the burden for defects of character without lording it over God's heritage. Dealing with human minds barred by prejudice and undisciplined hearts demands the mind of Christ Jesus and humble walking with God, recognizing every soul as the purchase of Christ's blood given for their trial and eternal life. The charge arrays ministers before God and Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead to preach the Word without partiality for merely the prophecies and argumentative portions, giving chief place to the lessons of Jesus Christ Himself, becoming acquainted with His doctrines, having His love and His Word abiding within, and increasing in efficiency, power in prayer, and knowledge while reflecting Christ and carrying practical godliness into daily life.