apostle made through the Lesser Asia, after he was released from his first confinement at Rome.

Ver. 14.-1. Alexander the coppersmith, This seems to be the person mentioned in the history of the riot at Ephesus, Acts xix. 33. and whom the enraged multitude would not hear, when they knew he was a Jew.-Probably he was one of the Judaizing teachers, who violently opposed the true doctrine of the gospel, and was by that time become the apostle's enemy. The unbelieving Jews at Ephesus knowing this, pushed him forward into the theatre to harangue the people, in expectation that he would vindicate them from having any connexion with the Christian teachers.—Alexander is mentioned likewise 1 Tim. i. 20.

2. Hath done me (literally, hath shewed me, see Psal. iv. 6.) many evil things. Benson is of opinion, that these evil things were done to the apostle by Alexander in Ephesus. But, on that supposition, there was no occasion to inform Timothy of them, who was a witness to all the ill offices which Alexander had done to the apostle in Ephesus. I therefore think these ill offices were done to him recently, and in Rome. See the preface to this Epistle, Sect. 3. paragr. 3.

3. The Lord reward him according to his works. The Alexandrian, and six other MSS. the Syriac, and the Vulgate versions, and some of the fathers, read here (awidwos,) The Lord will reward. Perhaps, the ancient transcribers and translators thought it more agreeable to the apostle's character, to foretell, than to wish evil to this wicked teacher. See Mill, and Whitby. But why might not St. Paul, who had the gift of discerning spirits, and by that gift knew the malice which was in Alexander's heart, wish that such a malicious false teacher might be punished, if he did not repent? This limitation is implied in the words, according to his works. Nay it is implied in the very nature of the wish; at least in the mouth of a virtuous person. A wish of the same kind, Nehemiah expressed with respect to Sanballat and Tobiah. Nehem. iv. 5. Cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out, for they have provoked thee to anger.

15 Of whom be thou

15 Ὃν και συ φυλάσσου

ware also; for he hath λιαν γαρ ανθεςηκε τοις ἡμε

greatly words.

withstood

our

16 At my first answer no man stood with me,

but all men forsook me: I

fray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

17, Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me ; that by

me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

τεροις λόγοις.

16 Εν τη πρώτη μου απολογια ουδεις μοι συμπαρεγενετο, αλλα παντες με εγκ κατελιπον (μη αυτοις λογισθείῃ)

17 Ὁ δε Κύριος μοι παρε ςη, και ενεδυνάμωσε με, ἵνα δι' εμου το κηρυγμα πληροφορήθη, και ακουση παντα τα εθνη και ερρύσθην εκ 5οματος λεοντος.

Ver. 15.-1. Of whom be thou also aware. This being written after the apostle had made his first answer, at which Alexander had greatly opposed or contradicted his words, he judged it necessary to inform Timothy of that wicked teacher's malice. And as he suspected that Alexander would soon return to Ephesus, he cautioned Timothy to be on his guard against him.

Ver. 16.-1. At my first answer. The apostle's first answer was that which he made some time after he was imprisoned. He called it his first answer, not because he had made, but because he expected to make, a a second answer.

2. But all forsook me. When the apostle made his first answer, Demas and the rest had not left the city; otherwise he could not have complained of them, as he does in this verse, for not attending on him at his trial. The cruelty which Nero, or his Prefect Helius Cæsarianus (see ver. 17. note 3.) was now exercising against the Christians, so terrified the apostle's fellowlabourers, that though they were in Rome, when he made this answer, none of them appeared with him in the court.

3. May it not be laid to their charge. This prayer shews the excellence of the apostle's disposition. He was sensible of the danger to which his assistants would have exposed themselves, by appearing with him at his trial; he knew likewise the infirmity of human nature. And therefore he made great allowances for their yielding in such circumstances, and prayed that they might be forgiven, as Christ prayed his Father to forgive those who crucified him.

Ver. 17.—1. The preaching might be fully declared. The word πληροφορηθής literally signifies, might be carried with a full sail; (1 Thess. i. 5. note 3.)

15 Of that wicked person be thou also aware, wherever thou happenest to meet with him, for he hath greatly contradicted the things which I advanced in my first answer.

16 At my first answer, my fellowlabourers were so terrified, that no one of them appeared with me in the court, but all forsook me. I pray God not to lay it to their charge !

17 However though men forsook me when brought to my trial, the Lord Jesus according to his promise, Luke xxi. 15. stood by me and strengthened me, that on such an occasion, and before such personages, through me the preaching concerning Christ might be fully declared, and that all the Gentiles might hear that it was so declared; and I escaped with such difficulty, that I cannot describe it better than by saying I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

that is fully and boldly declared. Accordingly Chrysostom and Theophylact have paraphrased this word by #angow; for the meaning of which see Rom. xv. 19. note 4. In this passage the apostle told Timothy, that, contrary to the expectation of his enemies, lie had declared in the hearing of Nero, or his Prefect, the supreme dominion of Christ, his right to all the Gentiles as his subjects, his power in their salvation, together with the nature and method of that salvation; and that he had done so, that all the Gentiles in the provinces might hear of his courage in maintaining their privileges.

2. And all the Gentiles might hear. The apostle justly supposed, that what was said and done at the emperor's tribunal in Rome, where there was such a confluence of strangers from all quarters, would quickly fly abroad on the wings of fame, and be heard by all the Gentile converts every where.

3. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion. By the Lion, some think Nero is meant, or rather his Prefect Helius Cæsarianus, to whom Nero committed the government of the city in his absence, with power to put whomsoever he pleased to death. See Pearson. Annal. Paulin. An. Chr. 57. Others understand the expression proverbially, as denoting an escape from the greatest danger; in which sense it is used, Psal. xxii. 21. This inter. pretation they adopt, because they think the apostle would not give so disrespectful an appellation, either to Nero, or to his Prefect.

Ver. 18.1. Το whom be glory for ever and ever. This doxology address. ed to the Lord Jesus, is in other passages addressed to God the Father, Rom. xvi. 27. 1 Tim. i. 17. By introducing it here, the apostle declared the greatness of his trust in the goodness and power of the Lord Jesus, and his sincere gratitude to him for having honoured him to be his apostle, and for promising him a place in his heavenly kingdom.

Ver. 19.—1. Salute Prisca. This is a contraction of the name Priscilla, unless, as Estius supposes, Priscilla be the diminute of Prisca.This woman, with her husband Aquila, now resided in Ephesus. See Rom. xvi. 3. note.

2. And the family of Onesiphorus. Because the apostle does not salute Onesiphorus himself, the papists argue, that at the time this epistle was written, he was dead; and from the apostle's praying for him, chap. i. 18. they infer the lawfulness of praying for the dead. But Onesiphorus at this time was with the apostle in Rome, 2 Tim. i. 16, 17. Or, if he was gone from Rome, he might not be in Ephesus.

Ver. 20.-1. Erastus abode at Corinth. This is supposed to be the chamberlain of Corinth, mentioned, Rom. xvi. 23. He is likewise mentioned, Acts xix. 22. as one who ministered to Paul.

2. Trophimus I left at Miletus sick. Trophimus being an Ephesian, Acts xxi. 29. if he had been left at Miletus near Ephesus, Timothy could not have been ignorant of it. We may therefore believe he was left at Miletus in Crete, a city mentioned by Homer, Iliad. B. lin. 649. ́and by Strabo a

18 And the Lord will, deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve ME to his heavenly kingdom. To whom BE glory for ever and ever.1 Amen.

19 Salute Prisca1 and Aquila, and the family, of Onesiphorus. 2

20 Erastus1 abode at Corinth: But Trophimus I left at Miletus 2 sick.

21 Make haste to come before winter. Eubulus 1 saluteth thee and Pudens, and Linus2 and Claudia,3 and all the brethren.

19 In my name wish health to Prisca, and her husband Aquila, and to the family of Onesiphorus.

20 Erastus who accompanied me in my way to Crete, abode in Corinth. But Trophimus I left at Miletus sick, when I departed from Crete.

21 Make haste to come to me before winter, sailing being then dangerous. Eubulus wisheth thee health. So do Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren with whom I have any intercourse.

native of Crete; and by Pliny, Nat. Hist. Lib. iv. 12. Oppida ejus insignia Miletos, &c.

Ver. 21.-1. Eubulus saluteth thee, and Pudens. Though none of the Roman brethren appeared with the apostle at his first answer, they did not, like his fellow-labourers, flee from the city, nor desert him altogether; but visited him in his prison, and desired him to send their salutation to Timothy.

2. And Linus. This person is said by the ancients, to have been the first bishop of Rome after the apostles Paul and Peter. See Pref. to 1 Tim. Sect. 5. No. 4. But Theodoret speaks of this only as a tradition, Oper. Tom. iii. p. 506. They say this is the Linus who succeeded the great Peter. 3. And Claudia. Martial, Lib. xiv. Epigr. 13. mentions a Pudens and a Claudia, who by some are thought to be the persons of whom the apostle speaks in this epistle. But they are represented as young, when Martial wrote, so could not be mentioned by the apostle. It is said of Claudia, that she was a British lady whom St. Paul converted, and that she first carried the gospel into Britain. But of this there is no evidence.-According to tradition, the apostle Peter was now in Rome and suffered martyrdom at the same time with St. Paul. But seeing Paul says, ver. 11. Only Luke is with me; and ver. 16. at my first answer no one appeared with me; also, seeing Peter's salutation was not sent to Timothy, his being in Rome at the time this letter was written, may justly be doubted. If he suffered martyrdom