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The simple ministry of this believer was like a refreshing breeze to the Apostle,
undergoing the rigours of his Roman imprisonment and would not be forgotten by the
Lord `in that day', that is the day of His assessment of Christian witness and service.
Onesiphorus was not ashamed of the witness for which Paul stood and this gives us the
third occurrence of the word `to be ashamed' in this epistle.
Because Paul refers to the house of Onesiphorus some have argued that he must have
been dead when the Apostle wrote. But he could just as easily have been away from
home and in any case we should realize that the head and his household are inseparable.
The Roman church has tried to make capital out of the prayer here offered by asserting
that this was an example of prayers for the dead.
One thing is certain, that such a practice finds no foundation whatsoever in any part of
the Scriptures, and a person must be hard pressed to try to extract this meaning from
these verses.
The Apostle's son in the faith knew very well of his friend's loyal service at Ephesus,
for Timothy was the overseer there, and this again would be an encouragement for him to
emulate the faithfulness and courage of Onesiphorus.
We live in similar days of testing and difficulty. The need is great for us to avail
ourselves of the Lord's strength so that we can say in Paul's words:
"I can do all things through Christ Who makes me strong" (Phil. 4: 13).
No.4.
2: 1 - 9.
pp. 81 - 87
The second chapter commences with the word `therefore' which links it with what has
gone before:
"Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2: 1,
R.V.).
The encouragements and warnings of the first chapter must be constantly borne in
mind by Timothy and the one thing needful to face up to these adequately was to be
strong. The only strength however that would be all-sufficient was found alone in
Christ Jesus and for Timothy to trust any other was to court disaster. This is a practical
word for us all. We are brought back once more to the grace of God, and it is a profound
mistake to limit such grace to initial salvation; "Unto every one of us is grace given
according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (Eph. 4: 7). Divine grace not only saves,
but it equips and strengthens us for Christian service, however exacting this may be. The
word translated `be strong' is used eight times in connection with the Apostle Paul. This
is the number of resurrection and it is no less than resurrection power that is at our