2 Timothy 4:21
21 Do thy diligence [spoudazo] to come [erchomai] before [pro] winter. [cheimon] Eubulus [Euboulos] greeteth [aspazomai] thee, [se] and [kai] Pudens, [Poudes] and [kai] Linus, [Linos] and [kai] Claudia, [Klaudia] and [kai] all [pas] the brethren. [adelphos] KJV-Interlinear
21 Make every effort to come before winter. Eubulus greets
you, also Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren. NASB
Paul
made one last request of Timothy to come before winter, indicating that this
was perhaps written in the late summer or early fall. This letter would have to get to Timothy
first and then he would have to make arrangements for his trip to Rome. Paul had earlier requested that he bring his
cloak.
Eubulus
(meaning prudent or good counselor), Pudens (feminine- meaning shamefaced, also
humble or embarrassed), and Linus (meaning flax; flax is a useful plant that yields
good production for many uses) are all Latin (or Greek) names, so we can
presume that they were not Jewish, and perhaps residents of Rome or of that region. Nothing further is known of them other than
from their names.
Nothing
is known of Claudia, or ‘all the brethren’ mentioned. However we do know that Paul was not alone,
and that even though others had left him for their own safety, there were
several who remained with him in Rome.
Paul
was near the end of his life. And as such, not too many things were going well
for him except for a handful of friends who remained with him until the last of
his life.
Despite
personal dangers for anyone who associated with Paul, these people remained
loyal to Paul.
We
know nothing of their lives after these years, beyond that mentioned in the
scriptures. But suffice to say, we can
know that they all lived their lives during a dangerous period of history, and
they remained loyal to Paul, therefore they most likely remained faithful to
doctrine.
Nothing
in life happens by accident. Often times
things come along that we did not expect, and take us in some different
direction. This direction can certainly
be dangerous or pressure filled, but God is always in control of the
circumstances.
Knowing
that, there must be a good reason for the direction that pursues us through
life. When life pushes us, rather than
us pushing life, then there are other powers working, and we should sit up and
take notice.
When
God is involved, because we have Him in our life, then we should not reject or
be bitter over our hardships, especially if they seem to be coming at us
despite our life’s efforts.
God
has a plan for your life. Gods plan is
the best thing for you. Better than
anything you could do for yourself, and certainly better than that which you
think you would prefer. Unless of course
you are smarter than God.
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