You must stand trial before Caesar.'. Crescens, who is otherwise unknown, is ministering in Galatia, and Titus, whom we are well acquainted with from our study of the letter to Titus, is serving the kingdom of God in Dalmatia (2 Tim. It is right at this point that all three concerns that I mentioned converge in my mind. I told him it says, Are you ready? He smiled and said, Thats the question, isnt it? Later he mentioned that there had been a homicide in Oak Park early last week. 1 Acts 28:30,31. No. I think Paul wants Timothy to see this because he says it so many times. of What is your life? I dug up some additional information on the various emperors that came after Nero. his own liking. Significance of Paul's conversation with the Tribune in Acts 22:26-28. 10:22). Whats with the coat? Imagine how Timothy was affected by Pauls visit. In his 20s, he got involved with a girl from whom Delilah could have taken lessons. 2023 Insight for Living Ministries. He speaks to us today. We were in a hurry, on our way to or from Dallas, it was late in the day, but I thought to myself, I should stop and see him or at least stop and call. Marlene even said, We can stop if you want to. But I did neither, and we drove on, and he died a few days later. So he stood before caesar. But I will place the events of Pauls fourthmissionary journey in the sequence I find most plausible. There are enough biblical and historical hints floating around to allow us to reconstruct some of what happened next. Acts 20:2; Rom. We mean to say a word of encouragement, but we never get around to it. He defeated our worst enemy, death, and gave us the good news of eternal life. All too often we end up with the ifs and buts of life. Let me close with a quote from William Tyndale. After his parents divorced when he was 15, he began to drink heavily and soon his drinking was out of control. Has China expressed the desire to claim Outer Manchuria recently? He seized the throne following Nero's suicide. 5 Things You Should Know about the ESV Bible Translation. neglect, darkness, and stench gave it a hideous and More marriages die because of slow neglect than from deliberate desertion. Thats the message. Do you think Im joking? Theyre not superfluous. We have great dreams and high ideals, but time and neglect and the trivia of life sap our strength and divert us until the day comes when our resolve is gone, our marriage has grown cold, our children have left home, our spiritual life has grown dull. The information the apostle provides in todays passage is a fascinating glimpse into the end of the apostles life. By all means, plead with your Timothy to come before winter. Do your best to come before winter. rev2023.3.1.43269. It's believed that Paul wrote the letter to the early Christian church in Rome at the same time Nero was in rule. He was in love with the world, and it will happen to you. Maybe it was a business offer: Youre really gifted. And think of the crippled man that Paul healed. Pauls affection for Timothy was unquestionable. @Nigel J Based on your comment I have done some research in order to establish a timeline of events leading up to Pauls first imprisonment in Rome, and the events from his release till his death. 23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve. He says, Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me (2 Timothy 4:10). Here is a man who decided to come before winter. He heard the call and he ran to the cross. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. Come now. Come quickly, my friend. Paul remained imprisoned in Caesarea under Felix, and it is only after Felix was replaced by Festus that Paul was sent to Rome (see Acts 24:27). Remember that Timothy is probably in Ephesus, hundreds of miles Timothys mother But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God You will suffer for doing it, but God will give you the help you need. Shakespeare said There is a tide in the affairs of men which, when taken at flood, leads to fortune Sometimes we must respond now, we must answer now, we must act now, we must not wait or delay or put things off. Nevertheless, Jesus is the only totally reliable friend for sinners. He didnt pilfer it. The presence of Pauls nephew in Jerusalem after Pauls conversion ( Acts 23:16) suggests that Paul and his family had resided there for some time. He says, Come unto me. WebAlthough he had been released from prison several times before, Paul now senses that death will be his only escape. Some have contended that probably he didnt. He longed for those imperfect friendships. Evidently Demas had been a faithful partner because even in It could not be an emperor later than Nero. I wont be alive much longer. Timothy had been trained from infancy to love the holy writings of the Hebrew Scriptures. 4:68), but he also knows it could be several more months before his martyrdom. Although he had been released from prison several times before, Paul now senses that death will be his only escape. PTIJ Should we be afraid of Artificial Intelligence? The Lord delivered him from the mouth of the lion, and will continue to deliver him so that he has complete confidence that he will one day enter the heavenly kingdom. Thats true. This provides a relatively certain point from which Pauls chronology can be aligned with the Julian calendar, based upon which we can conclude that Paul arrived in Rome in approximately AD 60, during the tenure of Nero. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. For additional information and resources visit us at www.insight.org. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The good deposit is the message of salvation, and it is preserved with the help of Gods Spirit. Pauls travels between the beginning of Acts 18 and his arrival in Rome occupy far too much time to get him to Rome before the death of Claudius in 54, meaning Nero was the emperor when Paul went to Rome. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. He can still be your best friend, he can. Salem Media Group. He just wanted to go home. Timothy should not view his work as optional, and even if officials threaten to kill him, he needs to remember that life is guaranteed in Christ, not in the Empire. But the Bible always says todaynot tomorrow. 2 Timothy 4:16, which may be the saddest sentence in the letter: At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. Im going to come back to that, but youve got to feel the force of that. (Acts 18:2), Dio Cassius tells us of this event and also indicates that it wasnt thoroughly enforced (i.e. Augustus, like Caesar, was a title given to a number of Roman emperors. During his time in prison, Paul was visited by Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:1617), abandoned by many Christians as he faced trial (2 Timothy 4:16), deserted by Demas (2 Timothy 4:10), but still somehow found a way to write a second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy). governors Felix and Festus (Acts 2426). Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. And so we who lead must say to the next generation, We wont be here forever so you must prepare to lead.. He is also mentioned in 1 and 2 Thessalonians and 2 Corinthians. nights, flaring sporadically for an additional three days. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. Yes, Im sure we would. And if he waited that long, Paul would very likely already be dead. After he wrote these last few verses, the curtain closes on his life. He chose the zealous young disciple Timothy. It was a time of unrest for many reasons. In A.D. 64 Nero had allegedly burned sections of Rome and blamed the Christians. In 66 the Jewish wars began. Paul probably wrote his first letter to Timothy between 63 and 65. This second letter to Timothy was probably written in 66 or 67. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." Paul is simply encouraging Timothy to hold firm, as they both know what will come as he sets off to live a godly life in Christ Jesus (3:12). People will leave you because of a love for the world. And when your youngest child leaves for college, you begin to think about the changing seasons of life. He converted untold people to the Christian faith. Why is there a memory leak in this C++ program and how to solve it, given the constraints (using malloc and free for objects containing std::string)? Derrick's writing has appeared on influential Web sites, and he is a contributing writer for The Christian Post. But most of all, I beg and beseech your clemency to be urgent with the commissary that he will kindly permit me to have the Hebrew Bible, the Hebrew grammar, and a Hebrew dictionary, that I may pass the time in that study. Timothy means "honoring God.". First, we are becoming a more diverse congregation, with more people from a wider variety of backgrounds than ever before. carried out in AD 68.3. He prayed that you would come; he never gave up hope of seeing you again. He noticed the pin I was wearing and asked what it said. Sooner or later, we will all die, and the day may come sooner than we think. We too must recognize the need for Christian fellowship in our lives and surround ourselves with Christian brothers and sisters who will encourage us and pray for us. Dont wait. Hes the only flawless friend, and therefore the only all-satisfying friend, and therefore the only friend who can make other friendships eternal. Then he added, But was he ready? Good question. At one point last week, as we were in orientation together, and before we left to come back, I looked at him and saw the excitement on his face, and this thought hit me with enormous gravity, The future belongs to the young. In a sense Ive always known that to be true, but last week I saw the future clearlyand I realized in a new way, that the future always belongs to the young. Timothy was a young man who began traveling with Paul and Silas when they visited Lystra during the second missionary journey ( Acts 16:1 ). The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. Zavada, Jack. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Discipleship, Spiritual Growth, and Christian Living, Is there someone for whom I frequently thank God? (38:16). Here is a brief extract from an article that suggests Paul might not have appeared before Caesar after he was imprisoned in Rome. The centerpiece, though, is 2 Timothy 4:1718. Thats just not the way the text reads. Paul handled a lot of money in his day, and he kept very little for himself. I have said since last September that when you turn 50, you become a philosopher of sorts. 1:3), or a bad conscience, believing that they have done wrong (Heb. Edit: When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome from Corinth (Greece) during his third missionary journey (cf. He wants Timothy there. Dont put it off. The Bible says, Behold, now is the day of salvation. The sweetest word and the most solemn word of salvation is the little word today. Jesus said to Zaccheus, Come down out of that sycamore tree. 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