Verse 18
The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lord will deliver me ... Paul did not mean that the Lord would deliver his body, but deliver HIM. As Stibbs expressed it: "The deliverance Paul expected was from all evil, not from death, but through it."[26] Paul was here claiming the blessed promise of the Lord to the apostles that "They shall cause you to be put to death, and ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. And not a hair of your head shall perish" (Luke 21:16-18). Paul knew that his body would be beheaded, and yet he triumphantly declared, "The Lord will deliver me."
His heavenly kingdom ... See more on the kingdom under 2 Timothy 4:1. Note too, "that the Father's kingdom is also the Son's in Pauline doctrine."[27]
Unto whom be the glory ... "This doxology is unmistakably addressed to Christ,"[28] thus ascribing deity to our Lord.
[26] A. M. Stibbs, New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1183.
[27] Newport J. D. White, op. cit., p. 183.
[28] Ibid.
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