I recently read Abraham Malherbe’s essay, “The Virtus Feminarum in 1 Timothy 2:9-15” in Renewing Tradition and appreciated it.  He argues for a high degree of literary coherence in this passage and provides significant background for the passage in Greco-Roman philosophical writings.

Given my previous work on the coherence of the Pastorals I was particularly interested in his discussion of coherence.  Malherbe traces the train of thought briefly and concludes that “structurally, the text coheres” (50).  Then the bulk of the essay considers the various ethical ideas in this text arguing that the moral advice contained in it also coheres.  Malherbe also counters Roloff stating, “The two most extended Christological formulations in the Pastoral Epistles … are not mere appendages providing a theological sheen to rather prosaic moralizing” 52).

The bulk of the essay though is a discussion of sophrosyne and related terms in the context of Greco-Roman moral philosophy.  In this Malherbe interacts significantly with Helen North’s Sophrosyne: Self-Knowledge and Restraint in Greek Literature (Amazon.com), which Malherbe calls a “magisterial study” (53)- no small praise from one of the preeminent scholars on Greco-Roman backgrounds!.  The parallels Malherbe cites here are very helpful and will be important for anyone work on the Pastorals (as these terms occur often in these letters beyond the text in the essay title). 

Malherbe does not in this essay get to the question of how this impacts one’s reading of 1 Timothy 2:9-15.  This essay he says is spade work preliminary to exegesis, which he will do in his forthcoming commentary on the Pastorals in the Hermeneia series.

Our pastor has commenced working through Second Timothy (one of the reasons for my recent jaunt through Second Timothy) and today’s text was 2Ti 1.9-10 (he’d discussed the larger section, 2Ti 1.8-12, last week). But I really don’t see the rationale for splitting this out from the larger unit because it is all one sentence (in the Greek) with components building one upon the other to the crescendo of v. 12. Below is my translation of these verses:

And so do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner, but suffer together with me for the gospel according to the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, which has been granted to us in Christ Jesus from times eternal, and now has been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus, who indeed abolished death and brought to light life and immortality through the gospel into which I was appointed herald and apostle and teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that he is quite capable to guard my deposit until that day. (2Ti 1.8-12)

On my reading, Paul’s first bit about not being ashamed of the testimony or being ashamed of Paul is an attention-getter that is then immediately trumped. This isn’t about Timothy being ashamed, it is about Paul’s exhortation to Timothy to “suffer together” with him for the gospel. In the underlying Greek, the portion after this initial “but” corrects. Timothy is not to be ashamed of Paul’s suffering (or the gospel for that matter), he is instead to join with Paul in his suffering for the gospel.

From here, Paul gives further information on how Timothy can in his right mind sign up for such suffering: the power of God is what will enable him.

As if that’s not enough, Paul then describes what God has already done: he’s saved them (the start of v. 9). In addition to that, he has called them with a “holy calling”.

But what is the holy calling? Paul explains that too. The holy calling is not one given because they are worthy based on the merit of their own works, they are worthy because God has called them to it. God has his own purpose and his grace will enable him to meet that purpose to which he has called Timothy (and Paul).

But Paul isn’t done; he next has to get in some explanation of how this grace works to enable for the holy calling. The grace has been in place since the foundation of time, only recently revealed in Jesus Christ.

And again, Paul isn’t done.

Note how Paul doesn’t just refer to “Jesus Christ”, but to “our Savior Jesus Christ”. This as well is for a reason, it is so Paul can remind Timothy once again of what Christ did. He abolished death (by his grace saving from eternal death) and brought life. He is the life-bringer. And this was done “through the gospel” (remember that thing Paul initially exhorted Timothy to not be ashamed of?). (this is the end of v. 10)

Still, Paul has more.

This gospel, the accounting of how our Savior provided for our deliverance, is what Paul has been called to proclaim. He is a “herald” (a proclaimer), an apostle and a teacher of the gospel. He proclaims it, he advocates it, he practices it and he teaches it.

Paul continues, “For this reason …”. This is Paul’s justification of his suffering. Paul doesn’t hide his suffering, he embraces it. And he wants Timothy to embrace it too. Again, as when the section started, there is a contrastive “but”: “I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed …”. This as the same contrast as the beginning of the section, between suffering and being ashamed of the suffering. Paul offers himself as an example to Timothy: “I’m embracing the suffering, you should too.” (an aside: recall 2Ti 1.7, immediately previous to this whole section, where Paul reminds Timothy that “God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline”.)

Paul then gives reason for his embracing of the suffering he finds himself in: He knows that the one who saved him will bring him through it until “that day” (which is, in my opinion, an eschatological reference).

The whole section progresses, each clause or phrase expanding some portion of the previous one, making Paul’s case. And it ends up right where it started, advocating the embrace of suffering for the gospel over against being ashamed of the gospel.

From here, Paul will begin to contrast the gospel against the false teaching prevalent in Ephesus, holding up the standard of the gospel. But before then, Paul needs to make the reader aware that there is a choice between the hard way (holding to the gospel and undergoing the suffering which will come) and the easy way (letting go of the gospel and not challenging the false teachers). Paul makes Timothy aware of this choice, encouraging his embrace of the gospel and related suffering, before getting into the ramifications of it.

Also interesting (at least to me) is that throughout this section, Paul is exhorting Timothy to join together with him in this suffering for the gospel; he is not exhorting Timothy to take his place in this suffering. So many times Second Timothy is read as “Paul’s last will and testament” but, at least here, we see that Paul has no hint of wanting to let go of the reins. Timothy is joining together with Paul, he isn’t taking Paul’s place.

I’ve recently taken the time to work through the contents of papyri and uncials dated 5th century and before, from a few different sources. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of MSS witnessing the Pastoral Epistles.

Dates are from NA27 unless otherwise specified.

My sources include:

Comfort & Barrett, The Text of the Earliest Greek New Testament Manuscripts (Amazon.com). [Logos Version]

Tischendorf’s Novum Testamentum Graece,Editio Octavo Critica Maior, prolegomena volume [Logos Version]

NA27 Appendix I, Codices Graeci et Latini in hac editione adhibiti.

I’ve been slowly working through George Wieland’s The Significance of Salvation: A Study of Salvation Language in the Pastoral Epistles, published by Paternoster. It is excellent, and it is likewise an excellent example of how a monograph focused on a topic within a book (or books) of the New Testament can be extremely valuable.

Commentaries can be valuable too, but a focused monograph like Wieland’s can spend its time dealing with a particular subject (this one on the use of salvation language in the Pastorals) without the baggage of everything else a commentary has to handle.

This book lists at $33.99, but until May 27, 2009 you can get it for 50% off (so, $17 + S&H) at Eisenbrauns. If you have $20 in your book budget to spare, you should pick it up.

The Significance of Salvation
A Study of Salvation Language in the Pastoral Epistles
Paternoster Biblical Monographs-PBM
by George M. Wieland
Paternoster Press, 2006
xxii + 344 pages, English
Paper, 6 x 9
ISBN: 1842272578
List Price: $33.99
Your Price: $17.00 (Until May 27, 2009)
www.eisenbrauns.com/item/WIESIGNIF

If you’ve been following my series on Translating Second Timothy, you know that I’ve made it through the epistle. (In less than three months, not bad, huh?)

I’ve gathered all of the posts into one PDF file. Grab it if you’re interested. If you have further interest in the material (specifically in distributing it or publishing it in some way) please contact me for further information.

• SecondTimothyTranslationAndNotes.pdf (402.15 KB)

I’m very interested in any feedback you may have. Feel free to email me at rick at pastoral epistles dot com with any comments, encouragement, criticism or flat-out disagreement.

Today’s “Mondays with Mounce” on Zondervan’s Koinonia blog discusses that ever-confusing verse, 1Ti 2.15. Here’s Mounce’s summary:

The position I take in my commentary [Mounce wrote the WBC volume on the Pastorals (Amazon.com) — RB] is that Paul is talking about how women work out their salvation, in the same sense that Paul says all of us should work out our salvation (σωτηριαν κατεργαζεσθε) with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). The women were not to listen to what the opponents were teaching, looking for other avenues of how their Christian commitment should show itself, which probably included staying out of marriage (1 Tim 4:3) and hence childbirth. But they were to stay in their marriages and see their God-given privilege of bearing children as something to be enjoyed and treasured.

But whatever your specific interpretation, Paul’s consistent use of σωζω argues for some understanding of spiritual salvation in this passage, and not some other meaning more accurately conveyed by ῥυομαι.

[This is part of a running series on translating Second Timothy. See the introductory post for more information — RB]

Phrasing/Translation: 2Ti 4.19-22

¹⁹ Ἄσπασαι
¹⁹Greet
    Πρίσκαν
    Prisca
    καὶ Ἀκύλαν
    and Aquila
    καὶ τὸν Ὀνησιφόρου οἶκον.
    and the household of Onesiphorus.

²⁰ Ἔραστος ἔμεινεν
²⁰Erastus remained
    ἐν Κορίνθῳ,
    in Corinth,

Τρόφιμον δὲ ἀπέλιπον
and Trophimus I left
    ἐν Μιλήτῳ
    in Miletus
    ἀσθενοῦντα.
    as he was sick.

²¹ Σπούδασον
²¹Make every effort
    πρὸ χειμῶνος ἐλθεῖν.
    to come before winter.

Ἀσπάζεταί σε Εὔβουλος
Eubulus greets you,
    καὶ Πούδης
    as do Pudens
    καὶ Λίνος
    and Linus
    καὶ Κλαυδία
    and Claudia
    καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες.
    and all the brothers.

²² Ὁ κύριος
²²The Lord be
    μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματός σου.
    with your spirit.

ἡ χάρις
Grace be
    μεθʼ ὑμῶν.
    with you all.

Comments

Verse 19

Ἄσπασαι] The whole verse is a greeting, a fairly common phenomenon in Paul’s letters (e.g. Romans 16) and also generally amongst letters found in the papyri (see Francis Xavier J. Exler, A Study in Greek Epistolography: The Form of an Ancient Greek Letter (Amazon.com)). Paul is sending greetings to several parties in Ephesus, instructing Timothy to greet these people in his name.

Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν] Prisca (elsewhere Priscilla) and Aquila, a couple known to Paul as evidenced in other letters (Ro 16.3; 1Co 16.19) and Acts (Acts 18.2, 18, 26).

καὶ τὸν Ὀνησιφόρου οἶκον] Mentioned earlier in 2Ti 1.16.

Verse 20

Ἔραστος ἔμεινεν] “Erastus” is a topical frame; we have a switch from the greetings to Paul’s dispensing of information. This name is mentioned in the greeting section of Romans (Rom 16.23) and also in Acts (Acts 19.22).

ἐν Κορίνθῳ] prepositional phrase, modifying the verb “remained”; Paul is giving Timothy information as to Erastus’ whereabouts.

Τρόφιμον δὲ ἀπέλιπον] The δὲ is developmental; we see a progression of information regarding the location of another person. Trophimus is mentioned in Acts 20.4; 21.29. In Acts 21.29, Trophimus is described as “the Ephesian”; in Acts 20.4 he is associated with Timothy and Tychicus.

ἐν Μιλήτῳ] prepositional phrase, modifying ἀπέλιπον, again giving location.

ἀσθενοῦντα] participial clause, here providing circumstance of Paul’s leaving Trophimus. Modifying the main verb ἀπέλιπον.

Verse 21

Σπούδασον] imperative verb; Paul is shifting from information reporting to a final instruction.

πρὸ χειμῶνος ἐλθεῖν] prepositional phrase, modifying previous verb, giving the time frame in which Timothy is to attempt to come to Paul.

Ἀσπάζεταί σε Εὔβουλος] More greetings. Here, the greetings are sent from Paul to Timothy; these are likely people who also know Timothy or who know of him and/or his task in Ephesus. This whole portion of greetings is curious because earlier Paul had mentioned that only Luke was with him (2Ti 4.11). These could also be people that Paul is in contact with via letter.

καὶ Πούδης καὶ Λίνος καὶ Κλαυδία] As with Eubulus, this is the only mention of these names (Pudens, Linus, and Claudia) in the New Testament.

καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες] This is a catch-all, basically “and all the other believers here”.

Verse 22

Ὁ κύριος] Shift from greetings to a final benediction. This clause has an implied “to be” verb.

μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματός σου] prepositional phrase, modifies the implied verb. Note that this is singular, “the Lord be with your spirit”.

ἡ χάρις] Another topic shift, now to grace. Again, this clause has an implied “to be” verb.

μεθʼ ὑμῶν] prepositional phrase, modifies the implied verb. Here the pronoun is plural, “Grace be with you (plural)”.

[This is part of a running series on translating Second Timothy. See the introductory post for more information — RB]

Phrasing/Translation: 2Ti 4.16-18

    ¹⁶ Ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ μου ἀπολογίᾳ
    ¹⁶At my first defense
οὐδείς μοι παρεγένετο,
nobody came to my aid,
ἀλλὰ πάντες με ἐγκατέλιπον·
but all abandoned me.

μὴ αὐτοῖς λογισθείη·
May it not be counted against them.

¹⁷ ὁ δὲ κύριός μοι παρέστη καὶ ἐνεδυνάμωσέν με,
¹⁷But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me,
    ἵνα
    so that
        διʼ ἐμοῦ
        through me
    τὸ κήρυγμα πληροφορηθῇ
    the preaching might be fully presented
    καὶ ἀκούσωσιν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη,
    and all the nations might hear;

καὶ ἐρρύσθην
and I was rescued 
    ἐκ στόματος λέοντος.
    out of the lion’s mouth.

¹⁸ ῥύσεταί με ὁ κύριος
¹⁸The Lord will rescue me
    ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργου πονηροῦ
    from all evil works

καὶ σώσει
and will deliver me
    εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπουράνιον·
    into His heavenly kingdom.

ᾧ ἡ δόξα
To Him [be] the glory
    εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.
    forever and ever, amen.

Comments

Verse 16

Ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ μου ἀπολογίᾳ] fronted prepositional phrase acting as a frame, modifying the following verb παρεγένετο, providing information necessary to understand what follows. This sets the scene for the following comment about no one coming to Paul’s aid.

οὐδείς μοι παρεγένετο] This (plus the prepositional phrase) forms the counterpoint of a point-counterpoint structure hinged on ἀλλὰ (which follows). Note the positioning of οὐδείς (nobody), it has prominence in this clause. This is important because of the upcoming contrast (marked by ἀλλὰ) with πάντες (all, everyone) in the following clause.

ἀλλὰ πάντες με ἐγκατέλιπον] The point of the point-counterpoint structure. Recall in these structures the notion of correction or replacement is present. Here it is correction; the thought Paul wants you to leave with upon exiting this clause complex is that everyone abandoned him.

μὴ αὐτοῖς λογισθείη] Here the pronoun refers to the ones who abandoned Paul; he indicates that such abandonment should not be held against those whom he expected would come.

Verse 17

δὲ] This δὲ is developmental. Paul has just explained how nobody came to help him, everyone abandoned him. “But” here means there is more to the story, and Paul will now tell it. Even though nobody else was with him, the Lord was with him.

ὁ δὲ κύριός μοι παρέστη καὶ ἐνεδυνάμωσέν με] The subject of the clause is ὁ κύριός (the Lord); the Lord is the one who is with Paul. Note the duplication of the pronoun referring to Paul; the first pronoun with the first verb, the second pronoun the object of the second verb. Paul is making very plain that when everyone else abandoned him, the Lord stood with him and gave him the strength to make it through.

ἵνα] indicates a subordinate clause; this sheds light on the purpose for Paul’s deliverance from prison.

διʼ ἐμοῦ] prepositional phrase, fronted in the subordinate clause; this serves as a spatial frame (Runge) introducing the subordinate clause. The following actions are to be seen with Paul as responsible, because of the action of God. Paul sees these things as the reason (as God’s purpose) for his incarceration.

τὸ κήρυγμα πληροφορηθῇ] passive subjunctive verb; the preaching is what is presented “through Paul”.

καὶ ἀκούσωσιν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη] Here καὶ joins the two subjunctive verbs; this verb is active; all the nations hear “through Paul”.

καὶ ἐρρύσθην] The καὶ connects back to the clause that begins v. 17. The effect of the Lord’s standing with and strengthening Paul is Paul’s rescue.

ἐκ στόματος λέοντος] prepositional phrase modifying ἐρρύσθην.

Verse 18

ῥύσεταί με ὁ κύριος] Verse 17 (and the “rescue” mentioned there) was in reference to a specific instance; here Paul is speaking more generally of being rescued. Note the subject (ὁ κύριος, “the Lord”) and the object (με, pronoun referring to Paul)

ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργου πονηροῦ] prepositional phrase, modifying ῥύσεταί. Here is how we know this is more general than the above.

καὶ σώσει] Here καὶ connects σώσει and ῥύσεταί; thus we can assume the same subject and object from ῥύσεταί.

εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπουράνιον] prepositional phrase, modifying σώσει. Note the function of the two semantically similar verbs and the motion implied by the modifying prepositional phrases. Paul will be “rescued from” his current situation, “all evil works”, the sin he wrestles with and lives within here; and he will be “delivered to” his next situation, “his kingdom in heaven”. The language helps us visualize Paul’s situation of life, and the promise of moving from this world into the kingdom, of which he is truly a citizen.

ᾧ ἡ δόξα] relative clause. The pronoun resolves to the referent of “his” in v. 18, which is “the Lord”, the one who rescues Paul and delivers him into his kingdom.

εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν] prepositional phrase, here establishing a time component, modifying the implied “to be” verb in the relative clause.

[This is part of a running series on translating Second Timothy. See the introductory post for more information — RB]

Phrasing/Translation: 2Ti 4.14-15

¹⁴ Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ χαλκεὺς πολλά μοι κακὰ ἐνεδείξατο·
¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith inflicted a great deal of harm to me.

ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος
The Lord will repay him
    κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·
    in accordance with his deeds.
    ¹⁵ ὃν καὶ σὺ φυλάσσου,
    ¹⁵You also must guard against him,
        λίαν γὰρ ἀντέστη τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις.
        for he is quite opposed to our message.

Comments

Verse 14

Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ χαλκεὺς] apposition; “the coppersmith” is a descriptor of “Alexander”. Perhaps there was more than one “Alexander” and the apposition was needed to disambiguate. This is a topical frame; Paul is changing the subject again.

πολλά μοι κακὰ ἐνεδείξατο] There is a direct object, “a great deal of harm” and an indirect object “to me”. These complete the verb; “he inflicted a great deal of harm to me”.

ἀποδώσει αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος] The pronoun refers to Alexander the coppersmith.

κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ] prepositional phrase, modifying the verb in the previous segment. Again, the pronoun refers to Alexander.

Verse 15

ὃν καὶ σὺ φυλάσσου] relative clause. The first pronoun refers to Alexander; the second pronoun refers to Timothy. Note the shifting of the word order in order to make sense in English, while the phrase “whom also you must guard [against]” makes some sense, in the larger translation it is clunky. Note the adverbial καὶ; it does not function to join clauses but serves an additive function within the relative clause.

λίαν γὰρ ἀντέστη τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις] Here γὰρ connects this dependent clause marking its explanatory value; Paul gives Timothy reason why Alexander is dangerous because he is opposed to the true doctrine taught by Paul and Timothy. Interesting here is the characterization of the true teaching as “our message” instead of simply true doctrine or proper teaching.

[This is part of a running series on translating Second Timothy. See the introductory post for more information — RB]

Phrasing/Translation: 2Ti 4.9-13

⁹ Σπούδασον
⁹Make every effort
    ἐλθεῖν
    to come
        πρός με ταχέως·
        to me quickly.

¹⁰ Δημᾶς γάρ με ἐγκατέλιπεν
¹⁰For Demas deserted me,
    ἀγαπήσας τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα
    having loved the present age,

καὶ ἐπορεύθη
and journeyed
    εἰς Θεσσαλονίκην,
    into Thessalonica,

Κρήσκης
Crescens
    εἰς Γαλατίαν,
    into Galatia,

Τίτος
and Titus
    εἰς Δαλματίαν·
    into Dalmatia.

¹¹ Λουκᾶς ἐστιν μόνος
¹¹Luke alone is
    μετʼ ἐμοῦ.
    with me.

    Μᾶρκον ἀναλαβὼν
    Take along Mark
ἄγε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ,
and bring him with you,

ἔστιν γάρ μοι εὔχρηστος
for he is useful to me
    εἰς διακονίαν.
    in ministry.

¹² Τύχικον δὲ ἀπέστειλα
¹²But I have dispatched Tychicus
    εἰς Ἔφεσον.
    to Ephesus.

¹³ τὸν φαιλόνην
¹³The cloak
    ὃν ἀπέλιπον
    which I left
        ἐν Τρῳάδι
        in Troas
        παρὰ Κάρπῳ
        with Carpus
    ἐρχόμενος
    upon your coming
φέρε,
bring [it],
    καὶ τὰ βιβλία
    and the books,
    μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας.
    especially the parchments.

Comments

Verse 9

Σπούδασον] second person imperative, the focus has implicitly shifted back to Timothy.

ἐλθεῖν] infinitive

πρός με] prepositional phrase, completes the infinitive. The pronoun με implicitly resolves to Paul, the writer of the letter.

ταχέως] adverb, also modifies the infinitive.

Verse 10

Δημᾶς γάρ με ἐγκατέλιπεν] Again, με resolves to the writer. Here he is informing Timothy of the recent goings-on with Demas (on Demas, see also Col 4.14; Phm 24). Demas is the subject of the verb; it also serves as a topical frame (Runge). The connective γαρ indicates that this is offering some sort of explanation or reasoning for the previous clause; here Paul is explaining why he wants Timothy to make an effort to get to him in due time.

ἀγαπήσας τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα] participial clause, modifying verb of main clause, thus providing information as to why Demas left Paul.

καὶ ἐπορεύθη] The conjunction και connects with the previous clause, thus the subject (Demas) can be assumed. Paul is giving more information about Demas, he left Paul and went somewhere else.

εἰς Θεσσαλονίκην] prepositional phrase, modifying ἐπορεύθη, giving Demas’ destination.

Κρήσκης εἰς Γαλατίαν] The implied verb here is ἐπορεύθη; this is just giving information as to Crescens’ location; it is not linking Crescens with Demas.

Τίτος εἰς Δαλματίαν] Again, just giving information as to Titus’ location. Paul’s point is that those who were with him are (largely) no longer with him; they’re off doing other things.

Verse 11

Λουκᾶς ἐστιν μόνος μετʼ ἐμοῦ] “Luke” is another topic shift; Paul moves from talking about those who have left him to talking about those who have stayed. Luke is the only one who has stayed.

Μᾶρκον ἀναλαβὼν] fronted participial clause, here shifting the topic to Mark and backgrounding the information. This is information essential to process the whole clause. The shift now goes to instructions for Timothy; to carry these out Timothy needs to know Paul’s desire for Mark.

ἄγε] second person imperative verb.

μετὰ σεαυτοῦ] prepositional phrase. The whole clause could be, following Greek word order, “Taking along Mark, bring [him] with you”.

ἔστιν γάρ μοι εὔχρηστος] Here we have the γαρ clause offering explanation of Paul’s need for Mark to come along; Mark is useful.

εἰς διακονίαν] prepositional phrase, modifying the verb ἔστιν.

Verse 12

Τύχικον δὲ ἀπέστειλα] The connective δὲ is developmental; we’re moving on from Paul’s need for Mark and into what’s going on with Tychicus (see also Ac 20.4; Eph 6.21; Col 4.7 and Titus 3.12 for more on Tychicus). Note here that “Tychicus” is a topical frame, it is needed to process the balance of the clause — about Tychicus’ being sent.

εἰς Ἔφεσον] prepositional phrase. Tychicus is coming to Ephesus (where Timothy is currently located).

Verse 13

τὸν φαιλόνην] Another fronted object that serves as a topical frame. Paul is (again) changing the subject. Now he’s interested in a particular cloak.

ὃν ἀπέλιπον] beginnings of a relative clause. This specifies which cloak Paul is concerned with. This as well is part of the topical frame.

ἐν Τρῳάδι] prepositional phrase, modifying ἀπέλιπον.

παρὰ Κάρπῳ] prepositional phrase, modifying ἀπέλιπον.

ἐρχόμενος] participial clause. All of the previous items were fronted before the main verb (which follows this participle). First the information about the cloak was needed, then information about the particular cloak was needed, now Paul can inform Timothy to, upon his coming, bring the cloak.

φέρε] second person imperative, primary verb of the whole clause. With the cloak sufficiently described, Paul can instruct Timothy to bring it upon his coming.

καὶ τὰ βιβλία] The καὶ connects this with τὸν φαιλόνην above; implicit is the same verb. Timothy is to also bring the books along with the cloak.

μάλιστα τὰς μεμβράνας] adverbial clause. “especially the parchments”. This small phrase has produced no end of discussion in commentaries and other literature, particularly having to do with μάλιστα. The basic question has to do with whether or not this is appositional (“books” and “parchments”), or whether “parchments” are a class or subset of the “books”. In 1979, T.C. Skeat published an article (“Especially the Parchments: A Note on 2 Timothy IV.13”, Journal of Theological Studies, NS, Vol. 30, 1979, pp. 173-177) where, using examples from some papyri, he posited that this could mean something like “bring the books, that is, the parchments” where μάλιστα plays a clarifying role, sorting out a smaller group from a larger, more general group. Many commentaries (starting with Knight, I believe) take this route here (and elsewhere where the use of μάλιστα is more theologically sensitive). In 2002, however, Vern Poythress published a response to Skeat’s article (“The Meaning of μάλιστα in 2 Timothy and Related Verses”, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol. 35 pt. 2 October 2002, pp. 523-532) basically taking a fairly conservative (in the literal sense) approach that Skeat’s suggestion wasn’t necessary, that his examples were explainable using the standard lexical knowledge, and that adding another sense to a lexical entry wasn’t justified in this case. I think Skeat’s suggestion has some merit, but I also think it needs to be carefully applied, particularly in situations rife with theological implications (e.g. 1Ti 4.10’s “especially the believers”).

The Gospel Coalition’s recent national conference had the theme “Entrusted with the Gospel” and was focused on Second Timothy. Each plenary session focused on a different portion of the epistle.

Ligon Duncan’s session on 2Ti 4.6-22 was titled “Finishing Well”. Audio and video is available.

The Gospel Coalition’s recent national conference had the theme “Entrusted with the Gospel” and was focused on Second Timothy. Each plenary session focused on a different portion of the epistle.

Bryan Chapell’s session on 2Ti 3.10-4.5 was titled “Preach the Word!”. Audio and video is available.

The Gospel Coalition’s recent national conference had the theme “Entrusted with the Gospel” and was focused on Second Timothy. Each plenary session focused on a different portion of the epistle.

K. Edward Copeland’s session on 2Ti 3.1-9 was titled “Shadowlands: Pitfalls and Parodies of Gospel-Centered Ministry”.

The Gospel Coalition’s recent national conference had the theme “Entrusted with the Gospel” and was focused on Second Timothy. Each plenary session focused on a different portion of the epistle.

Mark Driscoll’s session on 2Ti 2.14-26 was titled “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth”. Audio and Video is available.

The Gospel Coalition’s recent national conference had the theme “Entrusted with the Gospel” and was focused on Second Timothy. Each plenary session focused on a different portion of the epistle.

Phil Ryken’s session was on 2Ti 1.13-2.13 and was titled “The Pattern of Sound Words”. Audio and video are available.

The Gospel Coalition’s recent national conference had the theme “Entrusted with the Gospel” and was focused on Second Timothy. Each plenary session focused on a different portion of the epistle.

John Piper’s session was on 2Ti 1.1-12, titled “Feed the Flame of God’s Gift: Unashamed Courage in the Gospel”.