Timothy is now enjoined to bring the cloak which the Apostle had left with his host,

Carpus, at Troas. This was an outer garment of heavy material that would help to ease

the rigours of climate in a Roman dungeon. Paul did not attempt to pose as a martyr.

There was no virtue in feeling cold needlessly, though we know from his list of sufferings

for Christ, detailed in II Cor. 11:, that many times he must have experienced this.

We know nothing of the books and the parchments. These were evidently documents

that the Apostle valued and possibly some contained parts of Scriptures. These personal

requests bear strong marks of authenticity. A fabricator would be very unlikely to write

in this way. Paul then warns Timothy against Alexander the coppersmith who had

bitterly opposed him and his ministry. We cannot identify him for certain with the

Alexander of Acts 19: 33, 34 or the one mentioned in I Tim. 1: 20, as Alexander was a

common name, but it is possible that he is the same person as was mentioned in I

Timothy, otherwise Paul would have differentiated them clearly. In verse 14 the verb

`requite' is in the future tense, `the Lord will requite him for his deeds'. There is no wish

for revenge on Paul's part as suggested in the A.V.

The Apostle now comes to the incidents pertaining to his trial before Nero:

It would appear that this is a reference to the preliminary investigation preceding the

formal trial. So dangerous had it become to be publicly associated with such a prominent

Christian leader as the Apostle Paul that no one was brave enough to come into the open

as his friend and plead his cause. All in Asia had turned from him (1: 15) and Paul stood

deserted and alone. Like his Saviour (for all forsook Him and fled) Who prayed for those

who crucified Him, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do", so

this great man of God, left by all, as Christ was in His hour of need, could pray and say,

"may it not be laid to their charge".

But Paul, severely tested though he was, could never cry, like the Lord Jesus, "My

God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Rather, he gladly recorded that the Lord stood by

him and strengthened him to go through to the end victoriously, so that the sacred deposit

of truth committed to him `might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear'

(verse 17). This was evidently the last opportunity Paul had for public testimony to the

truth entrusted to him primarily for the Gentiles, for he was the Apostle of the Gentiles,

the channel through which the Lord made known the Gospel of His grace to all nations

(Rom. 1: 5) and through whom all who were to constitute the Body of Christ would be

enlightened as to the Mystery (Eph. 3: 1, 9 R.V.).

There has been much speculation as to what the Apostle meant by being rescued from

the lion's mouth (verse 17). Some have thought this is a reference to Nero, or possibly

Satan, the roaring lion (I Pet. 5: 8). It is most unlikely to refer to being thrown to the

lions in the amphitheatre, for this was not allowable for a Roman citizen. It evidently