Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 2nd Letter Volume 55

Paul's Final Greetings to Brother Timothy

2 Timothy 4:19-20 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. KJV

Paul the Apostle had known that this letter to Brother Timothy was perhaps his last chance at communication with him, so he wanted to exhort, and encourage him to do all that he could to get to Rome soon, but despite his personal desires, Paul wanted to still instruct the younger Timothy and to inform him with as much of his wisdom as he could on the parchment pages of this final letter. Therefore, here in the home stretch, it is all common place that we find Paul informing Timothy of believers in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ that he should receive and welcome openly into his fellowship, for Paul knew that they were loyal and faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ and so he writes these words, "Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus." (2 Timothy 4:19) (KJV). Prisca or Priscilla was the wife of Aquila and Paul met them when he had left Athens and went to Corinth, for Aquila was also a tentmaker by trade just as the Apostle Paul was (Acts 18:1-3) and he spent about a year and a half there in Corinth (Acts 18:11) and Priscilla and Aquila remained there with him for that entire time until they all sailed into Syria (Acts 18:18), so Paul knew from experience with them that they were indeed trustworthy and faithful believers. Not anything is known about Brother Onesiphorus except this one thing Paul had to say about him to Timothy earlier in this very same letter with these words, "May the Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently and found me. May the Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day. And in what things he ministered to me at Ephesus, you know very well." (2 Timothy 1:16-18) (Modern King James Version).

Paul mentions two more of the brethren that he counted to be faithful and loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ as he writes with these words, "Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick." (2 Timothy 4:20) (KJV). Erastus was with Timothy and Paul when the riots broke out in Ephesus, so Paul sent both Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia (Acts 19:22). Trophimus was an Ephesian Gentile who was converted to Christ and then ministered with Paul on many of his missionary journeys and was the Gentile that the Jews supposed Paul had brought into the Jewish Temple, thereby (according to the then Mosaic Law) defiled the Temple of God as it is written and documented for us by Dr. Luke with these words, "And when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews who were from Asia, having seen him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, Men, Israelites, help! This is the man who teaches all everywhere against the people and the Law and this place. And even he brought Greeks into the temple and has polluted this holy place. (For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city before, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was moved, and the people ran together. And laying hands on Paul, they drew him outside of the temple. And immediately the doors were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, the news came to the chiliarch of the cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, they quit beating Paul. Then going near, the chiliarch laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains. And he demanded who he was and what he had done. And others cried something else in the crowd, and not being able to know the certainty on account of the uproar, he commanded him to be carried into the fortress. And when he came on the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers, because of the violence of the crowd. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him!" (Acts 21:27-36) (Modern King James Version).

Note: "The fact that the Apostle Paul (who had layed hands on people and they were raised from the dead (Acts 20:7-16)) left Trophimus 'sick' in Miletum is proof positive that Paul did not have the power to heal from sickness or disease within himself to be used at his will and desire, but it is proof positive that it was God the Holy Spirit doing the healing and raising from death through Paul as only God willed it to be done, for we can be sure that Paul wanted Trophimus healed and healthy enough to be with him at Rome, but that was not God's will for Brother Trophimus at that time." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say about Trophimus being left sick by Paul, "Even the apostles could not work miracles when they pleased; that power was but rarely given, and that for very special purposes. Trophimus was an Ephesian." Here is what John Wesley had to say about Trophimus being left sick by Paul, "Not having power (as neither had any of the Apostles) to work miracles when he pleased, but only when God pleased."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…