hotcoffee
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2 Timothy 4:9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
There are lots of people here and the easy English commentary tells us something about each.
Paul had just said that he was going to die. By this, he meant that his death would happen soon. But he could not know how long he would have to remain in prison before that event. In the short while that he had left, he really wanted to see Timothy. So, he urges Timothy to come as quickly as he can.
It seems that Paul was almost alone. Demas had been a friend whom Paul trusted. The first time Paul was in prison in Rome, Demas supported him well. When writing to Philemon Paul refers to Demas as one who worked with him (Philemon 24). But now Demas had gone from him.
Demas left because he loved this world. Paul did not say what the cause of this was. It must have been hard and perhaps dangerous to be a friend of Paul in Rome. Demas was not ready to share or risk the same kind of suffering that Paul had. Perhaps he wanted an easier life. Perhaps a desire for money caused him to leave Paul. Whatever the reason, he did leave Paul and went to Thessalonica.
Paul does not seem to complain that Crescens and Titus had gone away. We are not told the reason why these two men left Paul at Rome. It could be that Paul had sent them to continue the work of the gospel.
All the rest had gone and only Luke had stayed with Paul. Luke had travelled much with him. Luke had looked after Paul because Luke was a doctor. Paul refers to him as the much loved doctor (Colossians 4:14). Luke was also the writer of the Gospel of Luke and of the Acts.
Paul asks Timothy, when he comes, to bring Mark with him. Mark was probably not in Ephesus with Timothy. Paul is asking Timothy to bring Mark from wherever he was.
When the angel freed Peter from prison, he went to the house of Mary (Acts 12:12). This Mary was the mother of John who was called Mark. Barnabas and Paul took Mark to Antioch (Acts 12:25). On their first journey, Barnabas and Paul took Mark with them (Acts 13:5). For some reason he left them and returned home (Acts 13:13). Because of this, Paul refused to take him on the next journey (Acts 15:36-40). Mark, who at first failed, later proved his worth. While Paul was in prison the first time, Mark was a great help to him (Colossians 4:10). Since that early failure, Mark had served the Lord and Paul in the spread of the gospel. Now Paul is eager for Mark to come and help him again.
Tychicus had been with Paul on his last visit to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). Paul calls him a brother whom he loved. And he calls him a man who served the Lord. Paul had sent him with his letters to Ephesus and to the Colossians (Ephesians 6:22-23; Colossians 4:7-8).
Paul has now sent him with this letter to Timothy in Ephesus. Perhaps Paul sent Tychicus to replace Timothy while he came to Rome.
Perhaps Paul wanted Mark to come to replace Tychicus.
Later in the letter, Paul asks Timothy to try as hard as he can to come before winter (4:21). It could be quite cold at that time of year in a Roman prison. He had left his coat with a man called Carpus who was in the town of Troas. He would need that coat when the weather turned cold. When he comes, Timothy will have to go to Troas first in order to get the coat for Paul.
We do not know what the books and papers were. But they were very valuable to Paul. He was most eager for Timothy to bring his papers.
So even though Paul was in prison and apparently his death was imminent, he was still shuffling the people of the first churches.
