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2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I want to give you a look at the easy English commentary once again. I think it explains these verses better than I could.
Paul warns Timothy that Alexander is a dangerous man. As he has troubled Paul, he could well attack Timothy. He opposed the Christian teachers as they taught the truth. He was an enemy of the gospel of Christ. He may also have spoken in the courts against Paul.
When Paul first had to go in front of the judge he was alone. He had expected some of his friends to be there. They could have helped him to answer those who accused him. They could have encouraged him. This was the custom in those days. But none of them came and stood with him. They all left him to answer for himself. It may be that they were afraid to stand with him.
Paul did not blame them although they had failed him. They had done wrong but Paul forgave them. He did not want the Lord to hold it against them.
All his friends had left him and failed to help him. But he did not lack the help that he needed. That was because the Lord was there. The Lord gave him the strength to answer those who accused him. The result of this was that Paul was able to speak about the gospel. So, all who were in the court heard the good news about Jesus Christ.
He was able to preach the message in full. His task was to preach the gospel. He felt that now he had preached it in Rome he had completed that task. He had finished all that the Lord had given him to do.
This first time in court went well for Paul. The judge did not at that time order his death. But now he expected that they would kill him.
The Lord saved him from the mouth of the lion. Since Paul was a Roman citizen, by law they could not throw him to the lions. He may have used the word lion to refer to the *emperor whose name was Nero. Tradition has it that some time later Emperor Nero ordered the death of Paul. But more likely, he used the phrase ‘mouth of the lion’ to mean extreme danger.
Paul is confident that the Lord will save him from everything evil. He is not here thinking about being set free from prison. He does not expect to be free again. He is sure that the next time he comes before the judge it will not go well. He believes that the judge will decide that he should die. Paul means that the Lord will save him when he dies. The Lord will rescue him from death and raise him to a new life.
When he dies, Paul believes that the Lord will take him into the kingdom of heaven. The Lord is the king there. Nothing that is evil can get into that place. It is where the Christ will live with his people. And there shall be no end to that life.
As he thinks of what Christ has done, Paul praises him. He appreciates the goodness of the Lord, which shines like a bright light. All glory belongs to Christ for who he is. And for what he has done. His glory will never end.
When Paul first had to go in front of the judge he was alone. He had expected some of his friends to be there. They could have helped him to answer those who accused him. They could have encouraged him. This was the custom in those days. But none of them came and stood with him. They all left him to answer for himself. It may be that they were afraid to stand with him.
Paul did not blame them although they had failed him. They had done wrong but Paul forgave them. He did not want the Lord to hold it against them.
All his friends had left him and failed to help him. But he did not lack the help that he needed. That was because the Lord was there. The Lord gave him the strength to answer those who accused him. The result of this was that Paul was able to speak about the gospel. So, all who were in the court heard the good news about Jesus Christ.
He was able to preach the message in full. His task was to preach the gospel. He felt that now he had preached it in Rome he had completed that task. He had finished all that the Lord had given him to do.
This first time in court went well for Paul. The judge did not at that time order his death. But now he expected that they would kill him.
The Lord saved him from the mouth of the lion. Since Paul was a Roman citizen, by law they could not throw him to the lions. He may have used the word lion to refer to the *emperor whose name was Nero. Tradition has it that some time later Emperor Nero ordered the death of Paul. But more likely, he used the phrase ‘mouth of the lion’ to mean extreme danger.
Paul is confident that the Lord will save him from everything evil. He is not here thinking about being set free from prison. He does not expect to be free again. He is sure that the next time he comes before the judge it will not go well. He believes that the judge will decide that he should die. Paul means that the Lord will save him when he dies. The Lord will rescue him from death and raise him to a new life.
When he dies, Paul believes that the Lord will take him into the kingdom of heaven. The Lord is the king there. Nothing that is evil can get into that place. It is where the Christ will live with his people. And there shall be no end to that life.
As he thinks of what Christ has done, Paul praises him. He appreciates the goodness of the Lord, which shines like a bright light. All glory belongs to Christ for who he is. And for what he has done. His glory will never end.
