Overview:
2 Timothy 4:9–15
It is intriguing what passes through the minds of those who reach the end of life’s trail. Events of yesteryear return to their memory as time momentarily stands still, and they get caught up in the reverie of scenes that occurred long ago. In such mental journeys, words spoken are remembered and rehearsed as if they were uttered yesterday. In addition, there are people who step out of the past, whose faces are mentally visualized and whose deeds are clearly recalled, often in detail.
During our busy years, we seldom pause long enough to reflect. However, as the lingering hours of twilight slow our pace, many people and places pass in review. So it was with the aging apostle Paul as his death drew nearer. In these seven verses, Paul recalls those who stood alongside him as loyal friends in his previous years as well as those who broke his heart and/or caused him harm. These names form a circle of honor and dishonor.
