John Calvin Commentary 2 Timothy 4:10

"for Demas forsook me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia." — 2 Timothy 4:10 (ASV)

Having embraced this world. It was truly base in such a man to prefer the love of this world to Christ. And yet we must not suppose that he altogether denied Christ or gave himself up either to ungodliness or to the allurements of the world; he merely preferred his private convenience, or his safety, to the life of Paul.

He could not have assisted Paul without many troubles and hardships, attended by imminent risk of his life. He was exposed to many reproaches, and must have submitted to many insults, and been forced to neglect his own affairs. Therefore, being overcome by his dislike of the cross, he resolved to look after his own interests.

Nor can it be doubted that he enjoyed a favorable influence from the world. That he was one of the leading men may be conjectured because Paul mentions him among a very few at (Colossians 4:14), and likewise in the Epistle to Philemon (Philemon 1:24), where he is also ranked among Paul’s assistants. Therefore, we need not wonder if Paul censures him so sharply on this occasion for having cared more about himself than about Christ.

Others, whom he afterwards mentions, had not gone away from him except for good reasons and with his own consent. From this it is evident that he did not seek his own advantage in such a way as to deprive churches of their pastors, but only to obtain some relief from them. Undoubtedly, he was always careful to invite to come to him, or to keep with him, those whose absence would not be harmful to other churches.

For this reason, he had sent Titus to Dalmatia, and some to one place and some to another, when he invited Timothy to come to him. Not only so, but so that the church at Ephesus might not be left destitute or forlorn during Timothy’s absence, he sends Tychicus there, and mentions this circumstance to Timothy, so that he may know that that church will not be lacking someone to fill his place during his absence.

Bring the cloak which I left at Troas. As to the meaning of the word φελόνη, commentators do not agree. Some think that it is a chest or box for containing books, and others that it is a garment used by travelers, suitable for protection against cold and rain.

Whichever interpretation is adopted, why would Paul give orders to have either a garment or a chest brought to him from such a distant place, as if there were no workmen, or as if there were not an abundance of both cloth and timber? If it is said that it was a chest filled with books, manuscripts, or epistles, the difficulty is solved, for such materials could not have been obtained at any price. But, because many will not accept this conjecture, I willingly translate it by the word cloak. Nor is there any absurdity in saying that Paul desired to have it brought from such a great distance, because that garment, through long use, would be more comfortable for him, and he wished to avoid expense.

Yet (to tell the truth) I prefer the former interpretation, especially because Paul immediately afterwards mentions books and parchments. It is evident from this that the Apostle had not stopped reading, even though he was already preparing for death.

Where are those who think that they have made such great progress that they do not need any more exercise? Which of them will dare to compare himself with Paul? Furthermore, this expression refutes the madness of those men who—despising books and condemning all reading—boast of nothing but their own ἐνθουσιασμοὺς (divine inspirations). But let us understand that this passage gives all believers a recommendation for constant reading, so that they may profit from it.

Here someone will ask, “What does Paul mean by asking for a robe or cloak, if he perceived that his death was near?” This difficulty also leads me to interpret the word as denoting a chest, though there might have been some use of the “cloak” which is unknown today. Therefore, I do not trouble myself much about these matters.