Why did the apostle now call himself a teacher of the Gentiles? To impress upon Timothy that he must proclaim the word of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and not lose heart, but imitate him, who was bound for the sake of the evangelical teaching.
2 Tim. 1:12. For this cause I also suffer these things.
I suffer for preaching to the Gentiles. I suffer not as an evildoer. At the same time he makes his speech more credible: if, he says, I did not believe that death has been destroyed, I would not suffer so.
2 Tim. 1:12. But I am not ashamed.
Do you see how he himself shows by his deeds that which he urges upon Timothy, that is, not to be ashamed of sufferings.
2 Tim. 1:12. For I know in Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep my deposit unto that day.
What boldness! What unwavering confidence! I know, he says, and am firmly convinced. By "deposit" the apostle means either the faith and the preaching: Christ Himself, who entrusted this to me, will preserve it, and I endure all things so that this treasure of mine may not be plundered; or by "deposit" he means the believers, whom Christ entrusted to him, or whom he himself committed to the Lord, as he says in another place: "I commend you, brethren, to God" (Acts 20:32). As if the apostle were saying: I am not ashamed, hoping that I will bring many to God, whom He will also preserve, so as to glorify them for my sake. Or by "deposit" he means the reward: everyone who does something good deposits it with God for safekeeping, so as to be crowned for it in due time.
2 Tim. 1:13. Hold fast the pattern of sound teaching.
As a painter, I have written and drawn for you an icon and prototype, so that, looking at it, you too would paint from it the same outline of my words. Keep this prototype within yourself, and when it is necessary to paint something, take from it and paint: for everything is combined in it.
2 Tim. 1:13. Which you heard from me.
Not only through epistles, but also orally. Therefore let us not think that we have insufficient epistles, as not all-encompassing, since the apostle conveyed much without writing.
2 Tim. 1:13. With faith and love in Christ Jesus.
That is, my words contain teaching both about faith and love, that is, both about dogmas and the proper life: whether you need to dogmatize about what is fitting, or to speak, or to act, from there you should borrow everything.
2 Tim. 1:14. Guard the good deposit by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Keep what I have commanded you regarding faith and life, or the gift which you received, as he also said above. But how will you keep it? Not by human strength, but by the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in us through baptism. If we preserve Him and do not drive Him away by evil deeds, He too will preserve for us all that we have from God. Therefore, strive to preserve the Spirit, and He will preserve for you what has been entrusted. "Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain" (Ps. 126:1).
2 Tim. 1:15. You know that all those in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
The Apostle points to the temptations, not in order to strike the disciple, but to more fully persuade him — so that, in the event that he himself should undergo similar temptations, he would not think that he was experiencing anything extraordinary, but would bear them calmly. After the Apostle was taken into custody by Nero, all the Asians abandoned him, that is, the people from the Asian provinces who were living in Rome.
2 Tim. 1:16. May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus.
Look at the love of wisdom of the apostle. He did not reproach those who abandoned him, but simply pointed out what had happened. For the one who cared for him, he prays, and not only for him, but also for his entire household: so virtuous were they, so had Onesiphorus raised them.
2 Tim. 1:16. Because he refreshed me many times.
Like some combatant exhausted from the heat, he granted me refreshment not once, but many times. So must we also act, always and in everything helping those who are engaged in some good work: in this way we shall be partakers with them in the rewards. Do not speak to me of Paul. Paul, even if he had no helper at all, would have remained unshakable. But perhaps someone else will not endure if he does not have a defender. Therefore, if someone is found who helps him and cares for him, it is obvious that he shares in the victory; and if in the victory, then in the crowns. In wars of old, those who guarded the weapons shared the spoils equally with the soldiers.
2 Tim. 1:16. And was not ashamed of my chains.
Everywhere he speaks of shame, and not of danger, encouraging Timothy that there is supposedly no danger, but only shame alone. However, in reality there was also danger. Nero was angered against Paul because he had converted someone from his household.
2 Tim. 1:17. But, having been in Rome, with great diligence he sought me out and found me.
Not only did he not avoid my misfortune, but he even sought me out and found me: such is courage! such is faith.