COME BEFORE WINTER

The apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome at least twice. The book of Acts finishes off with Paul having been arrested and placed under guard but living in his own lodging place in Rome. His granted freedom allowed him to receive guests to whom he ministered the gospel (see Acts 28:16-30). This first imprisonment lasted about two years and then Paul was released.

Paul was rearrested and this time his imprisonment in Rome was not remotely as nice as it had been the first time. The second prison was not a home but an underground dungeon—dark and dank. I think we could better envision his prison cell as a hole in the ground with a grate in the ceiling for light and air. Whatever was going on in the streets above would find its way into Paul’s dungeon—all the dirt and filth—and if it was raining, water would flood in. To call it a prison cell is rather generous; it was probably more like a sewer.

Paul’s last letter before his death was written to Timothy, his son in the gospel. Paul had poured himself into Timothy and he saw in him the potential to be one of the key leaders of the whole New Testament Church that was growing exponentially. Today we use the word “viral” when something takes off on the Internet. Well, the explosive growth of the Church under Paul’s apostleship was nothing short of “viral”—it was exploding. I believe Paul knew that in the days ahead, the Church would require leadership that would hold it steady and on course.

Knowing that his days were numbered, Paul reached out to Timothy and said, “Do your best to come to me soon” (2 Timothy 4:9). At first glance it seemed that Paul was lonely and, also, he needed Timothy to make a supply run, because he asked him to bring his cloak, his books and his parchments (Scriptures).

Paul was not alone even though Demas did desert him. It is my opinion that Paul sent off Crescens and Titus because his personal needs would never be more important to him than the needs of the churches in Galatia and Dalmatia (4:10). Dr. Luke was with Paul, so he had companionship.

Paul makes an interesting request of Timothy when he asks him to bring Mark with him when he comes “for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). This is the same Mark who caused the breakup of the apostolic dream team, Paul and Barnabas. Mark, Barnabas’ cousin, had bailed out of the first missionary journey Paul undertook. He had abruptly left Paul and Barnabas and returned to Jerusalem, where it appears that some of the church leaders ministered to him and got him back on track.

At some time later, when Paul and Barnabas were getting ready to start on their next missionary journey, Barnabas wanted to include Mark on the traveling team and Paul said no (see Acts 15:36-40). The dispute over Mark caused a break to occur between these two friends.

 

Now it is years later and Paul asks Timothy to bring Mark with him when he comes to Rome. Why? I don’t think the answer is complicated. I believe Paul saw a young man whose faith had been tried, who had learned from his mistakes, and had grown in the things of God. The apostle saw him to be one of the gifts God would use to help shape the emerging New Testament Church—and He did.

Most scholars say that Mark’s gospel was the first written. It certainly has the feel of being written by a young man—with a brisk pace and action-packed narrative—just the way young people like it.

I think too much is made of Paul’s final appeal to Timothy to “do your best to come before winter.” Some writers rush to imply that Paul’s request for his cloak was because it would be cold in the dungeon—that he needed it for warmth. Others speak of the encouragement that it would be for Paul to have his young friends with him—he needed the warmth of additional human contact. I don’t deny the reality of both of those reasons but I think there is one overriding motivation.

Paul knows that death is right around the corner for him—that he is in the last season of his life.  Just as winter is the final season of the cycle of annual seasons, Paul is about to complete the cycle of his life. Paul had insights that he wanted to impart to those who would know what to do with them. He would have three powerful younger men with him in his final days—Luke, Timothy and Mark—all of whom would go on and be greatly used to benefit the Church right up to 2015.

I don’t think Paul’s final days, his winter days, were spent huddling in his dungeon clutching his cloak, trying to stay warm. I can see Paul huddling with “the three” and pouring into them his understanding of grace, his understanding of the gifts and operation of the Holy Spirit, his understanding of the Church and Church order, his understanding of the end times. Like an apostle/mentor, Paul was being warmed by the knowledge that he was making a deposit into these young men for then and for the future.

To all my friends who are on the mature side of life, who are you mentoring? Who are you pouring into before the final days of winter come?