Philippians 2:21

21. All seek their own Their own things, instead of Christ’s. Who are embraced in this severe censure does not clearly appear. Of the six besides Timothy who were with the apostle a few months previously, (Colossians 4:10-14,) it is fair to believe that they all, as was certainly true of some, were now absent from Rome. Even the love of Demas for “this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10) may have been of a later date. But of all those with him who were at all adapted to a mission of this nature, only one had no selfish interest to plead. Timothy alone sprang eagerly to the front. Verily, if this is a fair picture of the average ministry of the first century, the average ministry of the evangelical Church of to-day is at least its full equal in devotedness, zeal, and entireness of consecration. But the apostle’s standard is the true ideal.