2 Timothy 4:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord delivered me, he says, and He will deliver. But if He will deliver him again, how does he say, “I am already being offered”? Look closely at his words. He says, He delivered me “from the mouth” of the lion. Then he says, “He will deliver,” no longer from the lion’s mouth, but from what? “From every evil work.” Then He delivered me from dangers. Now, when enough has already been done for the Gospel, He will again deliver me from every sin. That is, He will not permit me to depart this life condemned. Truly, to struggle with sin to the point of blood and not fall means to be delivered from another lion, the devil. His final deliverance is greater than the first, when he was about to be handed over to death. “And preserve me for His heavenly Kingdom.

“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work.” Before this He delivered me from bodily death. But since I have already preached enough, I now hope He will deliver me no longer from bodily death, since I am already being offered, but from every sin. That is, He will not permit me to grow weak before death, but will grant me to resist sin to the point of blood. This is what it means to be delivered from the spiritual lion. Thus this final deliverance, when he was about to be handed over to death, is greater than the first, when he escaped death. “And preserve me for His heavenly Kingdom.” That is, He will deliver me from every sin and preserve me there. For to be saved for the Kingdom of Heaven means to die for it here.

But when he, the Apostle, had answered why he had been delivered by the Jews into the hands of the provincial governor, and why he had demanded Caesar’s judgment, then, he says, “the Lord delivered me from every evil work.” Thus I was saved from all that had been written against me by the accusation of the Jews. “And He will bring me into His Kingdom which is in heaven,” because I stood before the kings of the earth and preached Him.

The Apostle did not say, “A second time He will deliver me from the lion.” Rather, he says, “from every evil work,” for he knew that he would certainly receive the end of his life.

“The Lord will deliver me from every evil work.” He will deliver me from every sin that wars against us until the very moment of our death.

“And will save me unto His heavenly Kingdom.” He will preserve us for heavenly delight and keep us for the glory and blessedness above.

“To Him be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.” To Him, that is, to Christ, belongs eternal and unceasing glory.

“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work.” Formerly the Lord saved him from outward danger. Now He will also deliver him from every sin, so that he may appear justified in the Heavenly Kingdom.

The Apostle Paul informs Timothy that his own end is near and asks him to come to him quickly. He says that all except Luke have abandoned him. He gives Timothy certain instructions for the journey. He recounts the help of God shown to him after his first defense in court. He charges him to greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus, and he sends greetings from certain Roman brethren.

Hope for eternal salvation is, of course, higher than temporal deliverance. Therefore, after speaking of temporal deliverance from death, the Apostle turns his gaze to eternal salvation. Since eternal salvation is conditioned by freedom from sin, the Apostle expresses hope for this as well, and therefore sends up glory to God the Savior. According to Saint John Chrysostom’s explanation, the Apostle speaks as if saying, “Then God delivered me from dangers. Hereafter He will deliver me from every sin, that is, He will not permit me to depart this life worthy of condemnation. Truly, to struggle with sin to the point of blood and not fall means to be delivered from another lion, the devil (1 Pet 5:8). The final deliverance is greater than the first.

In the following reports about himself and his work, the Apostle appears to us as one who has in no way lost courage, even in view of his approaching death. For example, he remembers the cloak left in Troas and some books that he needed. Speaking of his first appearance at trial or interrogation, he notes that no acquaintances or friends were seen around him. According to Roman custom, such people supported the accused with their voices. But the Lord helped him instead. He had promised to give His apostles the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they might stand firm at trial (Mt 10:19-20). Thus the preaching of the Gospel was fulfilled. Proclaimed in the world city, before representatives of world authority, it reached, so to speak, its culminating point.

“And He will deliver.” “The Apostle did not say, ‘A second time He will deliver me from the lion,’ but says, ‘from every evil work,’ for he knew that he would certainly receive the end of life” (blessed Theodoret). “The Lord delivered me, he says, and He will deliver. But if He will deliver him again, how does he say, ‘I am already being offered’? Look closely at his words. He says, ‘I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.’ Then he says, ‘He will deliver,’ no longer from the lion’s mouth, but from what? ‘From every evil work.’ Then He delivered me from dangers. Hereafter He will deliver me from every sin, that is, He will not permit me to depart this life worthy of condemnation” (Saint Chrysostom). “Before this He snatched me from the jaws of bodily death.

By these words Paul clearly establishes that, the first time, he was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Apostle seems to call Nero this because of his cruelty. This happened so that his preaching might be fully completed. For afterward he does not add anything like, “He delivered me from the lion’s mouth.” He saw in the Spirit that his end was near. Therefore, after the words, “I was delivered from the lion’s jaws,” he adds, “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly Kingdom,” indicating his approaching martyrdom. He foretells it still more clearly in the same epistle, saying, “I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.”