| Barnes' Notes on the Bible The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit; - see Galatians 6:18; Romans 15:20. The subscription to this Epistle was not added by Paul himself, nor is there any evidence that it was by an inspired man, and it is of no authority. There is not the slightest evidence that Timothy was "ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians," or that he was a "bishop" there at all. There is no reason to believe that he was even a "pastor" there, in the technical sense; see the notes on 1 Timothy 1:3. Compare the remarks on the subscriptions to the Epistle to the Romans, 1 Corinthians, and especially Titus.
Clarke's Commentary on the BibleThe Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit - This is a prayer addressed to Christ by one of the most eminent of his apostles; another proof of the untruth of the assertion, that prayer is never offered to Christ in the New Testament. He prays that Christ may be with his spirit, enlightening, strengthening, and confirming it to the end. Grace be with you - These words show that the epistle was addressed to the whole Church, and that it is not to be considered of a private nature. Amen - Omitted by ACFG and some others. See the note on this word at the end of the preceding epistle (note). The principal subscriptions, both in the versions and MSS., are the following: - The Second Epistle to Timothy was written from Rome. - Syriac. To the man Timothy. - Aethiopic, Nothing in the Vulgate. End of the epistle; it was written from the city of Rome when Timothy had been constituted bishop over Ephesus; and when Paul had stood the second time in the presence of Nero Caesar, the Roman emperor. Praise to the Lord of glory, perpetual, perennial, and eternal! Amen, Amen, Amen. - Arabic. The Second Epistle to Timothy is ended, who was the first bishop of the Church of Ephesus. It was written from Rome when Paul had stood the second time before Nero, the Roman emperor. - Philoxenian Syriac. Written from Rome, and sent by Onesimus. - Coptic. The MSS. are also various: - The Second Epistle to Timothy is finished; that to Titus begins. The second to Timothy, written from Laodicea. - Codex Alexandrinus. The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy, ordained the first bishop of the Church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome when Paul was brought the second time before Nero Caesar. - Common Greek Text. continued...
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit,.... To counsel and advise in every difficult matter; to comfort under every distress; to supply with all grace in every time of need; and to strengthen and fit for every part and branch of duty. Grace be with you, Amen: which is the apostle's common salutation in all epistles. The Syriac version renders it, "grace be with thee"; but the Greek copies read in the plural, "with you"; which shows that the epistle was designed for the use of the whole church, as well as of Timothy. The subscription follows, which is not in many ancient copies, and is not to be depended on. The second epistle unto Timotheus; so far is right; this is certainly the second epistle to Timothy: ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians: this is omitted in the Syriac version; nor is it likely, much less certain, that he ever was bishop of Ephesus, or ordained as a bishop of any place, but was rather an evangelist, 2 Timothy 4:5, was written from Rome: this is evident from his being a prisoner when he wrote it, 2 Timothy 1:8. And yet in the Alexandrian copy it is said to be written from Laodicea: when Paul was brought before Nero the second time; but whether he was before Nero at all is a question, or only before a Roman governor or judge.
Vincent's Word StudiesThe Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit Omit Jesus Christ. The closing benediction only here in this form.
Geneva Study BibleThe Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.
People's New Testament 4:22 The second epistle unto Timotheus. Shortly after this Epistle was written, within a few months at most, Paul had his second hearing, was sentenced to death by execution, was led out of the city at the Ostian Gate to a place called the Three Fountains, and there was beheaded. At least all early tradition, and the Fathers, among them Clement, one of his companions, support this view.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary22. Grace be with you-plural in oldest manuscripts, "with YOU," that is, thee and the members of the Ephesian and neighboring churches.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary4:19-22 We need no more to make us happy, than to have the Lord Jesus Christ with our spirits; for in him all spiritual blessings are summed up. It is the best prayer we can offer for our friends, that the Lord Jesus Christ may be with their spirits, to sanctify and save them, and at last to receive them to himself. Many who believed as Paul, are now before the throne, giving glory to their Lord: may we be followers of them.
Matthew Henry's Whole Bible CommentaryVerses 16-22 Here, I. He gives Timothy an account of his own present circumstances. 1. He had lately been called to appear before the emperor, upon his appeal to Caesar; and then no man stood with him (v. 16), to plead his cause, to bear testimony for him, or so much as to keep him in countenance, but all men forsook him. This was strange, that so good a man as Paul should have nobody to own him, even at Rome, where there were many Christians, whose faith was spoken of throughout the world, Rom. 1:8. But men are but men. The Christians at Rome were forward to go and meet him (Acts 28); but when it came to the pinch, and they would be in danger of suffering with him, then they all forsook him. He prays that God would not lay it to their charge, intimating that it was a great fault, and God might justly be angry with them, but he prays God to forgive them. See what a distinction is put between sins of presumption and sins of infirmity. Alexander the coppersmith, who maliciously withstood Paul, he prays against: The Lord reward him according to his works; but respecting these Christians, who through weakness shrunk from Paul in time of trial, he says, The Lord lay it not to their charge. Observe, (1.) Paul had his trials in his friends' forsaking him in a time of danger as well as in the opposition made by enemies: all forsook him. (2.) It was their sin not to appear for the good apostle, especially at his first answer; but it was a sin of weakness, and therefore the more excusable. Yet, (3.) God might lay it to their charge, but Paul endeavours to prevent it by his earnest prayers: Let it not be laid to their charge. 2. Notwithstanding this God stood by him (v. 17), gave him extraordinary wisdom and courage, to enable him to speak so much the better himself. When he had nobody to keep him in countenance, God made his face to shine.-That by me the preaching might be fully known, that is, "God brought me out from that difficulty that I might preach the gospel, which is my business." Nay, it should seem, that he might preach the gospel at that time; for Paul knew how to preach at the bar as well as in the pulpit. And that all the Gentiles might hear; the emperor himself and the great men who would never have heard Paul preach if he had not been brought before them. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that is, of Nero (as some think) or some other judge. Some understand it only as a proverbial form of speech, to signify that he was in imminent danger. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work. See how Paul improved his experiences: "He that delivered doth deliver, and we trust he will yet deliver, will deliver me from every evil work, from any ill done to me by others. And shall preserve me to his heavenly kingdom." And for this he gives glory to God, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. Observe, (1.) If the Lord stand by us, he will strengthen us, in a time of difficulty and danger, and his presence will more than supply every one's absence. (2.) When the Lord preserves his servants from great and imminent danger, it is for eminent work and service. Paul was preserved that by him the preaching might be fully known, etc. (3.) Former deliverances should encourage future hopes. (4.) There is a heavenly kingdom, to which the Lord will preserve his faithful witnessing or suffering servants. (5.) We ought to give God the glory of all past, present, and future deliverances: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. II. He sends salutations to Aquila, and Priscilla, and the household of Onesiphorus, v. 19. He mentions his leaving Trophimus sick at Miletum (v. 20), by which it appears that though the apostles healed all manner of diseases miraculously, for the confirmation of their doctrine, yet they did not exert that power upon their own friends, lest it should have looked like a collusion. III. He hastens Timothy to come to him before winter (v. 21), because he longed to see him, and because in the winter the journey or voyage would be more dangerous. IV. He sends commendations to him from Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. One of the heathen writers at this time mentions one Pudens and his wife Claudia, and says the Claudia was a Briton, whence some have gathered that it was this Pudens, and that Claudia here was his wife, and that they were eminent Christians at Rome. V. He concludes with a prayer, that the Lord Jesus would be with his spirit. We need no more to make us happy than to have the Lord Jesus Christ with our spirits; for in him all spiritual blessings are summed up. And it is the best prayer we can put up for our friends, that the Lord Jesus Christ may be with their spirits, to sanctify and save them, and at last to receive them to himself; as Stephen the proto-martyr prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, Acts 7:59. "Lord Jesus, receive that spirit which thou hast been with while it was united to the body; do not now leave it in its separate state." Grace be with you. Amen. This was our apostle's token in every epistle; so he wrote. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen, 2 Th. 3:17, 18. And if grace be with us here to convert and change us, to make us holy, to keep us humble, and to enable us to persevere to the end, glory will crown us hereafter: for the Lord is a sun, and a shield; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from those that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee, Ps. 84:11, 12. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God our Saviour, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. | 
