Greatly desiring to see thee
In his former epistle he had desired him to stay at Ephesus,
there being some work for him to do, which made it necessary he
should continue; but now having answered the apostle's purpose,
and he standing in need of him at Rome, being without any
assistant there, some having left him, and others were left by
him in other places, and others were sent by him elsewhere; and
it having been some time since he saw Timothy, he longed for a
sight of him:
being mindful of thy tears;
shed either at the afflictions and sufferings of the apostle, of
which Timothy, being his companion, was an eyewitness, and he
being of a truly Christian sympathizing spirit, wept with those
that wept; or at their parting from each other, as in ( Acts 20:37 Acts 20:38 )
that I may be filled with joy;
at the sight of him, and not at the remembrance of his tears; for
the last clause is to be read in a parenthesis, and these words
stand not connected with that, but with the preceding part of the
text. The apostle intimates, that a sight of his dearly beloved
son Timothy would fill him with joy amidst all his troubles and
afflictions he endured for the Gospel: this is an instance of
hearty, sincere, and strong affection.