Thou knowest this, that all they who are in Asia, are turned away from me: of whom are Phigellus and Hermogenes.

“Then he describes his trials and temptations, not to depress his disciple, but to elevate him, that if he should ever fall into the same, he may not think it strange, when he looks back and remembers what things happened to his Teacher. What then says he? Since it was probable that Timothy might be apprehended, and be deserted, and be relieved by no friendly attention, or influence, or assistance, but be abandoned even by his friends and the faithful themselves, hear what he says, "This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me." It seems that there were then in Rome many persons from the regions of Asia. "But no one stood by me," he says, no one acknowledged me, all were alienated. And observe the philosophy of his soul. He only mentions their conduct, he does not curse them, but he praises him that showed kindness to him, and invokes a thousand blessings upon him, without any curse on them. "Of whom is Phygellus and Hermogenes."”

“Above he admonished Timothy to zealous preaching of Christ; here he leads him to this through an example. And first he sets down this; second he leads him to the following of himself, at the words "having the form"; third he shows the necessity of following, at the words "you know this." Likewise, first he sets down his own office; second he shows what he suffers for the execution of his office, at the words "for which cause"; third, the certainty of hope, at the words "for I know." Now he describes his office in three ways; for he calls himself a preacher, for the arousing to good morals. Below, IV, 2: "Preach the word, be urgent in season." Mark, last chapter: "Preach the Gospel to every creature." An apostle, for the ruling of the Church, because apostles are the prelates of the Church. Galatians II, 8: "He who worked in Peter unto the apostolate of the circumcision worked also in me among the Gentiles." And a teacher, instituted for teaching the holiness of faith and the knowledge of God. I Timothy II, 7: "a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." Joel II, chapter 23: "Sons of Sion, exult and rejoice in the Lord our God, who has given you a teacher of justice." But he says "in which I am placed." Here note three things. First, that he did not assume it to himself, but was placed by Him. Hebrews V, 4: "No one assumes to himself the honor, but he who is called by God, as Aaron was." Second, in the placing, order is designated. Third, firmness, because, being instituted according to the order of reason, he remained firmly. John XV, 16: "I have placed you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain." Judges V, v. 20: "the stars remaining in their order and their course." Then, when he says "for which cause," he shows what he suffers for the execution of his office, saying "these things" — adverse things — "I suffer," namely chains and weariness, and this for the faith of Christ. Below, II, 9: "I labor even unto chains." And he says "for this cause," because to suffer simply is not praiseworthy, but only for a just cause. Matthew V, 10: "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice." And therefore, "but I am not confounded," because it is not to the confusion of him who suffers for justice. I Peter IV, 15: "Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a railer, or a coveter of other men's goods; but if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed," etc. Acts V, 41: "The apostles went rejoicing," etc. Then, when he says "I know," the certainty of hope is set down, which makes him not be confounded; and this too comes from the greatness of God who promises. And therefore he says "in whom I have believed." And note that in one way, to believe is an act of faith; and the sense is "I know," etc., that is, I know that He who promised is truthful, and powerful to render eternal life, which He promised to the man existing faithful. But against this it follows that knowledge and faith would be the same, and the known and the believed would be the same, which is impossible, because it belongs to the nature of the known that it be seen, but to the nature of the believed that it not be. I respond: in faith there are two things, namely that which is believed, and He in whom it is believed. Of that which is believed, there cannot be knowledge, because thus it would lose the nature of the believed; but of Him in whom it is believed, there is knowledge, because it is known through most evident reason that God is truthful. And thus he says: "in whom I have believed." I John IV, 1: "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits if they are of God." Proverbs XIV, 15: "The innocent believes every word," etc. In another way, one is said to believe the faith of him to whom he commits his own thing, and this sense is truer; as if he were to say: because I have believed — that is, committed — myself, my labors and sufferings, to God, I know that He is powerful to keep my deposit, etc. And note, that "deposit" is said in two ways. In one way, that which I have deposited. And thus a man deposits with God his own salvation, when he commits himself wholly to God. I Peter V, v. 7: "Casting all your care upon Him, because He has care of you." Psalm LIV, 23: "Cast your care upon the Lord, and He will nourish you." Likewise he deposits his works, namely when he does not immediately receive his reward, but in time to come. And thus, he who does good deposits it with God. And this until that day, when He will judge the hidden things of men, to whom God will then render the reward of their labors. Wisdom X, 17 and Isaiah III, v. 10: "Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat the fruit of his inventions." Or "deposit," that is, the office which has been placed in my keeping, namely the office of the Gospel. Acts IX, 15: "This man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name," etc. Also, God is powerful to keep His apostle even unto his death. Then, when he says "having the form," he leads to the following of himself, and there is a double reading. One says "have," the other "having." If it says "having," then first he sets down his fitness, which he sets before Timothy as an example of the apostle to be imitated; second he exhorts to imitation, at the words "the good deposit." Now the Apostle had good fitness according to two things, namely according to learning as to knowledge; and therefore he says "of sound words." Likewise according to virtue; hence he says "in faith and love." He says therefore: you cannot excuse yourself, if you do not bear yourself patiently even unto chains as I do, because you have the form of sound words, namely which contain no corruption of falsehood. Titus II, 1: "Speak the things that befit sound doctrine." And doctrine is called sound, not corrupted, effectively, because it makes us sound. And he adds "which you have heard from me," as if he were to say: you have not been deceived, because I have handed on to you what I heard from Christ. I Corinthians XI, 23: "For I have received from the Lord that which also I delivered unto you." Luke X, v. 16: "He who hears you, hears me." And this "in faith and love," because if someone knew all the sound words and did not believe, he would not be fit, nor even if he did not love, because he would easily fall away from the doctrine, either through adversity or through prosperity. Hebrews XI, 6: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." I John III, 14: "He who does not love, remains in death." And this "in Christ Jesus," because true faith is of those things which Christ taught, and true love is in Christ, because He gave the Holy Spirit, through whom we love God. Having these things therefore, "guard the good deposit," namely which I have given you, that is, the office of preaching, so that you never depart from the truth, nor on account of fear ever abandon the office of preaching at any time. Proverbs IV, 23: "Keep your heart with all watchfulness," etc. I Timothy VI, v. 20: "O Timothy, guard the deposit." And guard this by a good help, namely through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. I Corinthians, chapter III, 16: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" According to the other reading, he admonishes to two things. First, to sound doctrine; second, to perseverance in it. Then, when he says "you know this," he shows the necessity of the admonition from the falling-away and the progress of others. For when someone sees some of his companions progressing and some falling away, he strives to follow the good. And therefore first he calls to mind those who fall away; second, those who progress, at the words "may He grant mercy." He shows therefore what he should beware of, otherwise there is danger. I Corinthians X, 12: "He who thinks himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall." And therefore he says: "turned away," etc. The Gloss: these men were full of deceit, for they had been with the apostle feignedly, namely that they might learn, whence they might make calumny against the apostle. These, then, who are turned away from me, are now in Asia, among whom especially are these two, who were converted through James. Then, when he says "may He grant mercy," he shows the progress of others, and especially of a certain Onesiphorus, calling to mind first the good things which he conferred on him at Rome, second those in Asia. Likewise, first he wishes him the mercy of God; second he shows the merit of the mercy; third, the time of the mercy. The first, when he says "may He grant mercy." Rightly does he wish him mercy, because the present life is misery. Job XIV, 1: "Man born of woman, living a short time, is filled with many miseries." He says "may He grant to the house of Onesiphorus," not only to the person, but to the family, because on account of the goodness of one, grace is derived to the whole family. Matthew X, 13: "And if that house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it." Now the merit of the mercy is the mercy which they had toward the apostle. Hence he says "because he has often refreshed me," namely by affording rest. Matthew V, 7: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Ecclesiasticus XVIII, 16: "Shall not the dew cool the heat?" Philemon v. 7: "The hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother." "And my chain." Below, II, 9: "I labor even unto chains, as an evildoer." He was not ashamed, but when he had come to Rome, he sought me out solicitously as a friend. Ecclesiasticus VI, 7: "If you would possess a friend, possess him in trial." Proverbs XVII, 17: "He who is a friend loves at all times." Now he wishes the mercy of the age to come, when he says "in that day," namely in which the Lord will judge all, when mercy is necessary — and not only at Rome, but also at Ephesus. And therefore he is worthy of the divine mercy.”

“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia,.... Either those that followed the apostle from Asia to Rome; or who came from thence thither, upon business, and were upon the spot when the apostle was in his greatest troubles, and yet all forsook him and no man stood by him; or else the churches and ministers in Asia, that is, a great number of them; for it cannot be said of every minister and church, and of all the members of churches there, what follows, be turned away from me; were ashamed of him, because of his chain, and despised him under his afflictions, and had him in abhorrence and contempt, and revolted from his doctrine; though the defection was very general, and the apostle appeals to Timothy for the truth of it, as a fact well known to him: "this thou knowest"; Timothy being at Ephesus, which was in Asia; and since there was so great an apostasy in the country where he was, the above exhortations were very seasonable, to hold fast the form of sound words, and keep the good thing committed to him; seeing so many were falling off from the truth of the Gospel: of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes: who very likely were ministers of the word, and who had shone for a while, but were now stars fallen from heaven, had erred from the faith, and were become apostates, and proved men of corrupt minds, and deceivers of the people; and it may be that these were more open and infamous than some others, or might be more known to Timothy, and therefore are particularly mentioned. They are both of them said to have been of the seventy disciples; See Gill on Luk 10:1 and afterwards followers of Simon Magus. The name of the first of these signifies a "fugitive", and such was he from the cause of Christ. Pliny (c) makes mention of a town in Asia, called Phygella, from the fugitives which built it; and the latter signifies born of Mercury; there was one of the name in Tertullian's time, against whom he wrote. (c) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 29.”

“All they which are in Asia - It seems as if the apostle must refer to the Asiatic Christians which were then at Rome, or had been lately there. Finding the apostle in disgrace, and thinking it dangerous to own him or his cause, they neither visited him, or confessed Christianity. He cannot be speaking of any general defection of the Asiatic Churches, but of those Asiatics who had professed a particular friendship for him. Phygellus and Hermogenes - These were two of the persons of whom he complains; but who they were, or what office they held, or whether they were any thing but private Christians who had for a time ministered to St. Paul in prison, and, when they found the state determined to destroy him, ceased to acknowledge him, we cannot tell.”

“All they who are in Asia, are turned away from me. That is, all who are of Asia, or all the Asiatics now at Rome, where I am prisoner, have withdrawn themselves from me, now when I am in danger; but he excepts Onesiphorus, who sought him out, assisted and relieved him in his wants. (Witham) — Phigellus, &c. These two, whom St. Paul says were the chief of those in Asia Minor, who had departed from the faith, had become his followers by deceit, in order to become acquainted with the mysteries of religion, taught by him, intending to make use of them, as affording them matter for calumniating him. (Denis the Carthusian)”

“all they which are in Asia--Proconsular Asia; "all who are there now, when they were in Rome (not 'be' or 'are,' but) turned from me" then; were "ashamed of my chain," in contrast to ONESIPHORUS; did not stand with me but forsook me (Ti2 4:16). It is possible that the occasion of their turning from him was at his apprehension in Nicopolis, whither they had escorted him on his way to Rome, but from which they turned back to Asia. A hint to Timothy, now in Asia, not to be like them, but to imitate rather ONESIPHORUS, and to come to him (Ti2 4:21). Phygellus and Hermogenes--specified perhaps, as being persons from whom such pusillanimous conduct could least be expected; or, as being well known to Timothy, and spoken of before in conversations between him and Paul, when the latter was in Asia Minor.”