A Dying Mans Wishes
Come To Me Soon
Demas deserted Paul
Paul sent other friends out to continue the mission of Christ
Paul requested that Mark come with TImothy
We do not know where Mark was at this time, but it seems evident that he lived somewhere on the route Timothy would take from Ephesus to Rome. He probably would have traveled by land to Troas (see v. 13) and from there taken a ship to Macedonia. After crossing Macedonia, he may have taken another ship to Brundisium on Italy’s east coast and continued on to Rome.
Mark, who sometimes was called John, was a native of Jerusalem, and one of the first congregations of new believers met in his house (Acts 12:12). Because of his promise as a Christian leader, he was chosen to go with Paul and Barnabas as they set out with other companions on the first missionary journey. But when they “came to Perga in Pamphylia, … John [Mark] left them and returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13). Whatever Mark’s specific reason for leaving, Paul did not think it was adequate or excusable. Some years later, Paul and Barnabas set out again from Antioch to “return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance, “but Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus” (Acts 15:36–39). Paul had no stomach for men who were lazy, cowardly, or uncommitted. He especially did not want fellow workers who would not carry their share of the load and who bailed out when things became too uncomfortable or demanding.
We do not know if Mark changed before or during his ministry with Barnabas, his older cousin (Col 4:10). From all New Testament accounts, Barnabas fully lived up to his name, which means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36) and probably was a descriptive and loving appellation given to him by the church. Whenever and however the change in Mark occurred, Barnabas must have been involved. By the time of Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome—perhaps twenty years after the two had parted company—this young man had proved himself not only to Barnabas but also to Paul. During that incarceration, the apostle asked the church at Colossae to welcome the now-faithful Mark if he visited them (Col. 4:10) and counted him among his devoted “fellow workers” (Philem. 24).
Mark also spent time with Peter (1 Peter 5:13), from whom he may have received insight into the revelation he records in his gospel. In many ways and to many people, he had become a faithful and valued leader in the early church, and Paul asked Timothy to bring him [Mark] with you, for he is useful to me for service.
It is a great disappointment to see gifted servants of the Lord become disinterested in His work and shirk the demands and hardships of ministry. But it is a great satisfaction to see such a person turn from his fears and selfish pursuits and wholeheartedly return to the work of the kingdom.
Bring The Cloak, Books, And Parchments
The Cloak
The Books
The Parchments
Parchments were vellum sheets, made of specially treated animal hides. They were extremely expensive and therefore used for only the most important of documents. These particular parchments may have contained copies of Paul’s own letters or may have been blank sheets on which he planned to write other letters. He had no plans to finish studying or to finish writing.