2 Timothy 4

      14, 15. Alexander the coppersmith. An Alexander is named in Acts 19:33 Acts 19:1 Acts 19:33 and in 1 Tim. 1:20 as belonging to Ephesus. This may have been the same man. We cannot be sure whether the evil was done in Ephesus, or Rome. Did me much evil. By his opposition. The Lord reward him. The Christian, when wronged, is to turn over to the Lord the recompense for the wrong. 15. Of whom be thou ware. This seems to indicate that Alexander was at Ephesus still.

      16-18. At my first answer. This seems to point to a first hearing of the case, which had then been adjourned, perhaps to wait for witnesses. Then, as now, cases were often postponed, or there were second trials. No man stood with me. None of his brethren dared to appear in his support. It was the last year of the reign of Nero, and times were terrible. 17. The Lord stood with me. He had a better helper than man. He had an assurance that the Lord was with him. That by me. The Lord strengthened him, so that in his defense he could proclaim to the Gentiles boldly the principles of the gospel. For the manner in which he was wont to defend himself, see in Acts his famous speeches before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. Out of the mouth of the lion. Probably a proverbial expression indicating deliverance from great danger. Some have thought it meant that he was delivered from being thrown to the lions. 18. And the Lord shall deliver me. In the future as in the past. From every evil work. From evil doers.

      19-22. Salute Prisca and Aquila. These tried friends, whom he first met in Corinth, afterwards in Ephesus, who returned also to Rome, were now again in Ephesus. The house of Onesiphorus. See 2 Tim. 1:16 . Some have thought that this form implies that Onesiphorus was dead, but that does not follow necessarily. 20. Erastus abode at Corinth. Probably his old home ( Rom. 16:23 ). Trophimus. He was an Ephesian ( Acts 21:29 ). These personal details were better understood by Timothy than by us, but I suppose this statement is made to explain why Trophimus was not in Rome. This verse proves that this letter does not belong to the date of Paul's first imprisonment, since years have passed between Paul's last visit to Miletus and the first Roman imprisonment. 21. Come before winter. He could not come in the winter because navigation was suspended. Eubulus. Not before mentioned. It is probable that all these were Roman brethren. Prudens. He is thought to have been a Roman senator, from data secured outside the New Testament. Linus. A Linus appears as a bishop of Rome not many years later. Claudia. It has been argued that this lady was the daughter of a British king, and the wife of Prudens. See Conybeare and Howson.

      Shortly after this Epistle was written, within a few months at most, Paul had his second hearing, was sentenced to death by execution, was led out of the city at the Ostian Gate to a place called the Three Fountains, and there was beheaded. At least all early tradition, and the Fathers, among them Clement, one of his companions, support this view.