2 Timothy 1:15-18

Disappointments and Encouragements (2 Timothy 1:15-18 ).

An imprisoned man in those days had to rely on friends and relatives to visit him and supply his needs, and no doubt some faithful members of the church in Rome were performing this function for Paul. And it would presumably be from them that he learned that the Asian leaders, who had presumably come to Rome to meet the leaders of the Roman church, had returned home without seeing him when they learned that he was in prison. When this news reached Paul in his prison cell it must have been devastatingly disappointing. And then as so often happens in Christian service, God compensated him. One day into his cell strode Onesiphorus, another Asian leader, who apologised for not having arrived before and explained that he had been searching for him everywhere. It must have seemed to Paul like a visitant from Heaven. He was not totally deserted after all. Who can measure the joy that must have filled his soul at this unexpected visitor? And Onesiphorus probably never realised how much good his visit had done Paul (or that history would remember him for it).

We must not underestimate the cold bravery and courage of Onesiphorus. To search for a political prisoner in Rome in the suspicious atmosphere of that time was to court an attention that was undesirable, and to be put at risk of arrest and worse. To visit such a prisoner in his cell was even more dangerous. To do it constantly was to court disaster. But neither he nor Luke (2 Timothy 4:11) hesitated for a moment.

Analysis.

a This you know, that all who are in Asia turned away from me, of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes (2 Timothy 1:15).

b The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain (2 Timothy 1:16).

c But, when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me (2 Timothy 1:17).

b (The Lord grant to him to find mercy of the Lord in that day) (2 Timothy 1:18 a).

a And in how many things he ministered at Ephesus, you know very well (2 Timothy 1:18 b).

Note that in ‘a’ many turned away from him, while in the parallel one faithful friend ministered to him. In ‘b’ he calls for God’s compassion to be revealed towards the household of Onesiphorus, and in the parallel he asks that that mercy will especially be shown ‘in that Day’. Centrally in ‘c’ Paul describes how Onesiphorus sought him out in his prison and found him.