Greetings and Final Blessing (2 Timothy 4:19–22)

2 Tim. 4:19. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

Aquila and Priscilla, who had returned to Rome (Rom. 16:3), are now found again in Ephesus. Probably they had gone to Rome for a time to conclude their affairs there, having resolved to live from now on in Asia Minor; the excesses of Nero may have hastened their departure from Rome. See concerning them in the Epistle to the Romans. Holy Chrysostom says of them: “These are the persons whom the Apostle often mentions, with whom he lived, who received Apollos. The present greeting was no small consolation to them, serving as a proof of his respect and love for them, and brought them great grace; for even a single greeting from such a holy and blessed man could fill with great grace the one who was counted worthy of that greeting.”

Concerning Onesiphorus see above (1:16–17). Holy Chrysostom says: “Onesiphorus was with him (the Apostle) in Rome, as he says (1:16). — By the present greeting he makes the members of his household more zealous for deeds like those of Onesiphorus.” Further information about him is written by St. Dimitry, that he was a bishop in Colophon and Cyrene and suffered even to the shedding of blood for the faith. The Martyrology bears witness of him that, after many stripes, he was torn apart by wild horses and commended his spirit into the hands of God. He is of the Seventy. His feast day is September 7.

2 Tim. 4:20. Erastus remained in Corinth; Trophimus, however, I left at Miletus sick.

On his last departure from Ephesus, holy Paul headed for Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3)—that is, northward from Ephesus; whereas Miletus lies to the south of Ephesus. But the needs of the Church could have made it necessary for holy Paul to visit Miletus, where ships also docked and departed. Having completed his business there, he boarded a ship and proceeded onward to Troas, Philippi, and Thessalonica. From Macedonia he went down to Achaia, visited Corinth—and from there was either arrested or went of his own accord to Rome. Such an itinerary is indicated by the evidence of Scripture. This makes it understandable how Erastus remained in Corinth and Trophimus, being ill, was left in Miletus.

The Erastus mentioned here is the one who was sent together with holy Timothy to Macedonia at the close of holy Paul’s three-year stay in Ephesus (Acts 19:22). There is also mention of Erastus as one of the city administrators in Corinth (Rom. 16:23). And he is mentioned here. Are these the same person, or different ones? They may be the same. The apparent difficulty is that one of them is a city official who could not leave his city and therefore could not have been with the Apostle for extended periods, as the other two instances would suggest. But this official is called οικονομος — steward, manager of the city’s finances; he may have been appointed to this position for one year by election, and after completing his term been free. But it will be objected: in the Epistle to the Romans he is named as an official still in office, whereas just before that it is mentioned that a certain Erastus was sent with holy Timothy from Ephesus to Macedonia. Clearly, the one is not the other. — It is supposed that from Corinth a delegation was sent to holy Paul in Ephesus to inform him of the disorders there. Among the members of the delegation may have been the official, having temporarily left the city and entrusted his duties to a colleague. On the completion of the delegation’s business, instead of returning with the other delegates, he accompanied Timothy, who was to proceed from Macedonia down to Achaia and Corinth. It remains to suppose that upon returning by this route to Corinth his term of office had ended—and he, being free, either joined the companions of holy Paul permanently, or was with him from time to time. He was with him also in the final period in Ephesus and accompanied him to Macedonia by the said route; he went down with him to Corinth and should have proceeded with him to Rome, but did not go, remaining instead in Corinth. He remained, perhaps, out of some necessity, with holy Paul’s consent, or perhaps without that consent and against the Apostle’s wish, as “remained” may suggest. In any case, in holy Timothy’s thinking, Erastus ought to have been in Rome with holy Paul. Since he was not there, and holy Timothy might have thought: but how does the Apostle say that no one is with him except Luke? Where is Erastus? Where is Trophimus? Having forgotten to mention them in the first enumeration of those who had left him, he mentions them now, to spare holy Timothy needless perplexity. Erastus is of the Seventy. His feast day is November 10. See also concerning him in the Epistle to the Romans.

Trophimus, an Ephesian, accompanied holy Paul from Ephesus through Troas to Macedonia and Achaia and back (Acts 20:4), and traveled with him as far as Jerusalem, where he was the occasion of the Jews’ revolt against holy Paul (Acts 21:29). He was a constant companion of holy Paul. On this occasion too, when holy Paul set out from Ephesus to Macedonia, he accompanied him, but fell ill in Miletus and was left there.

On this occasion holy Chrysostom draws a very instructive lesson about the ways of God’s beneficent providence in granting miraculous help. “Trophimus I left sick.” Why then did you not heal him, but left him so? But the Apostles could not do everything, or did not arrange everything by grace, lest anyone should think of them more than what he saw. The same, as we see, happened to the blessed and righteous men who came before them, for example Moses. He was slow of speech—why did God not heal his speech impediment? He often fell into grief and despondency and did not enter the promised land. God permitted many things in order to show the weakness of human nature. For if even with this the insensible Jews said: “Where is Moses, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt?” (Exod. 32:1)—what would they not have said had he led them into the promised land? If God had not permitted him to feel fear before Pharaoh, would they not have taken him for a god? This is precisely what the inhabitants of Lystra did to Paul and Barnabas, taking them for gods. But they “rent their garments and rushed into the crowd, crying out and saying: Men, why do you do these things? We also are men of like passions with you” (Acts 14:14–15). So too Peter, when he healed the man lame from birth and all marveled at what had happened, answered: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look upon us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” (Acts 3:12). Hear also what blessed Paul says: “there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, that I might not be exalted” (2 Cor. 12:7). But you will say that he said this out of humility. No, not so; the thorn was not given to him only so that he might be humble, nor did he say this only out of humility, but for other reasons as well. For see—God does not say to him in reply: “My grace is sufficient for you”—so that you may not be exalted—but what? “My power,” He says, “is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Thus two ends were achieved: it was made manifest as it occurred how these things came about, and everything was ascribed to God. Therefore in another place the Apostle says: “we have this treasure in earthen vessels”—that is, in bodies that are weak and subject to suffering. For what purpose? “That the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7). If their bodies had not been subject to suffering, everything would have been ascribed to them. And in another place we see how he grieves over illness, when he speaks of Epaphroditus: “for he was sick near to death; but God had mercy on him” (Phil. 2:27). And many things he did not know—to the benefit both of himself and of his disciples.

According to tradition, Trophimus was beheaded in Rome under Nero, together with Aristarchus and Pudens. He is of the Seventy. His feast day is April 15.

2 Tim. 4:21. Make haste to come before winter. Eubulus greets you, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

Having mentioned those whom he had earlier forgotten to note were not with him, holy Paul also adds one detail to his invitation of holy Timothy—namely, to take care to come before winter. Winter could slow the journey and could even detain him somewhere until spring. And yet there was extreme urgency that he come to Rome as soon as possible. Hence the urging. — “How he urges him! But nowhere does he say anything sorrowful; he does not say: come before my death—so as not to grieve him—but: before winter, so that you may not encounter any obstacles” (holy Chrysostom).

Having added this, the Apostle continues with the greetings or salutations to Timothy from various persons. “Eubulus greets you”—and the rest. All the persons whose greetings are sent bear Roman names and were therefore believers from among the Romans. They may have become acquainted with holy Timothy during holy Paul’s first imprisonment, when holy Timothy was also with him. The absence of greetings from Jewish believers suggests that none of them were present: some had been martyred, others had fled.

Of “Eubulus” no tradition has been preserved. It is sufficient for his glory that holy Paul makes mention of him.

“Pudens”—one of the senators, who received the holy Apostles Peter and Paul in his home. His house was converted into a church, called the Pastoral. According to the Roman Martyrology, he was the father of the holy martyrs Praxedes and Pudentiana; and Claudia, according to the Bollandists, was his wife. He was beheaded together with Trophimus and Aristarchus. He is of the Seventy Apostles. His feast day is April 15.

“Linus”—the first bishop of Rome after the holy Apostles, as holy Irenaeus and Eusebius attest. He is of the Seventy. His feast day is November 5.

“Claudia.” “See how earnest and fervent in faith the women also were! Such is Priscilla, such also is this Claudia, who had already crucified themselves (in will) and were ready for (martyric) struggles. The female sex is no hindrance to showing courage. Truly, it is the work of God’s grace that persons of this sex can die a thousand deaths (for Christ), if they so choose—many of them have indeed become martyresses—can advance in chastity, and even more than men, can possess modesty, integrity, and holiness (purity), without which ‘no man shall see the Lord’ (Heb. 12:14), and contempt for riches, and all the rest in general” (holy Chrysostom).

“And all the brethren.” “The last he does not name by name. See how much more fervent they were” (holy Chrysostom). “The most diligent he listed by name, the others he designated by the common name” (blessed Theodoret).

o) The blessing (2 Tim. 4:22)

2 Tim. 4:22. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. “There is nothing better than such a benediction. Do not grieve, he says, that I am far from you; the Lord is with you. And he did not say: with you, but: ‘with your spirit’” (holy Chrysostom). All our commentators see in these words a reference to the grace of the Holy Spirit—clearly because our spirit cannot become worthy of communion with the Lord unless it is restored to its proper dignity by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Holy Chrysostom says: “Otherwise God cannot be with us if there is no spiritual grace in us; for if it departs from us, how shall He be with us?” — To this Oecumenius adds: “The Apostle says this as if to say: ‘Together with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which you now have, may the Lord Jesus Christ also be with you.’” Thus a twofold help is wished for: “from the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from the Lord God who cooperates with it” (holy Chrysostom).

“Grace be with you.” All our commentators read: “with us.” And this seems the better reading. “With us”—that is, both with me and with you, or “with us”—with me, with the Romans, with the Ephesians, and with all Christians. “He included himself in the sharing of grace” (blessed Theodoret). “Finally, he also asks (grace) for himself, that is, that we may always be well-pleasing to God, that we may have grace with its gifts; for if it be present with us, there will be nothing grievous. Just as one who sees the king and enjoys his favor feels no grief, so we also, even if we are deprived of friends, even if we are struck by some other calamity, will feel no grief, if grace is near us and protects us. How then can one draw grace to oneself? By doing what is pleasing to God, by obeying Him in all things. In great houses, do we not see that those servants enjoy the goodwill of their masters who with all their soul and with all their zeal attend not to their own needs but to those of their masters, who not only at their masters’ bidding but of their own initiative and zeal perform everything well? And is this not especially so when they are constantly before the eyes of their masters, when they occupy themselves in the house, do not trouble themselves about their own affairs and do not seek their own advantage, but regard their master’s as their own? And if in worldly affairs one who despises his own and cares for his master’s does not lose his own but rather receives more; how much more so in spiritual things. Despise what is yours, and you will receive what is God’s; He Himself desires this. Despise the earth, and you will receive the Heavenly Kingdom; dwell there, not here” (holy Chrysostom).

“May God grant us also to attain such grace, through the prayers of both him who wrote and him who received this Epistle—and may we behold them in their eternal dwellings not from afar, as the rich man beheld Lazarus, but dwelling with them and living under their guidance, by the grace and loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom together with the Father and the Holy Spirit belong glory and majesty now and always and for ever and ever. Amen” (blessed Theodoret).