2 Timothy 1:13-18
He Searched Until He Found Me
Read the passage
13Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching you have heard from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
14Guard the treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
15You know that everyone in the Province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
17Indeed, when he arrived in Rome, he searched diligently until he found me.
18May the Lord grant Onesiphorus His mercy on that day. You know very well how much he ministered to me in Ephesus.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Timothy is to hold to the sound teaching he heard from Paul, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Protecting the gospel includes both keeping its message true and teaching it in the spirit of the Lord it proclaims. The Holy Spirit who lives in believers helps Timothy guard this entrusted treasure.
Paul then names a painful contrast. People in the Province of Asia have deserted him, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. The letter does not give the circumstances of each departure. It does tell Timothy that faithfulness cannot depend on how many others remain beside him.
Onesiphorus acted differently. He often refreshed Paul and was unashamed of his chains. When he came to Rome, he searched diligently until he found him. His concern became effort: he sought out the prisoner rather than keeping a comfortable distance.
Paul asks the Lord to show mercy to Onesiphorus and his household, and recalls his service in Ephesus. These requests express gratitude and hope in God's care for his friend. Alongside the charge to guard the teaching, Paul gives Timothy a concrete example of faithful love toward a suffering servant of Christ.
Questions
1 How should Timothy hold the teaching he received?
AnswerHe should hold to its sound pattern with faith and love in Christ, relying on the Holy Spirit to guard the entrusted treasure.
2 Which two people does Paul name among those who deserted him?
AnswerHe names Phygelus and Hermogenes. Their departure contrasts with the faithful help Paul received from Onesiphorus while he was imprisoned.
3 What did Onesiphorus do when he arrived in Rome?
AnswerHe searched diligently until he found Paul. He was unashamed of Paul's chains and had often brought him refreshment and help.
4 What does Paul ask for Onesiphorus and his household?
AnswerHe asks the Lord to grant them mercy, remembering the help Onesiphorus gave both in Rome and earlier in Ephesus.
What This Means for Us
Someone who is isolated may need more than a general offer of help. Make the call, arrange the visit or find out how to reach them, as circumstances allow.
Guard the teaching you pass on with the same care. Read it accurately, speak it with love and ask the Holy Spirit to keep you faithful when association with Christ or His people is costly.
Prayer
Father, help us hold Your truth with faith and love. Thank You for friends who seek out the lonely. Make us faithful in practical care, and grant mercy to those who have refreshed us. Amen.