2 Timothy 4:16-17 16At my first defense no one came forward for me, but all abandoned me; may it not be counted against them. 17But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fulfilled, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth.
Further insights into Paul’s situation are given in these verses. These are his final comments on his outlook and what his future could look like. There are many historical questions about the end of Paul’s life. If this letter was indeed his last, then his outlook was not good because his first defense did not go well. In Rome at that time, there was often a preliminary hearing to find out the points of the case. A person then remained in prison until the final hearing when a sentence would be given. It is possible that the defense to which Paul refers happened when he arrived in Rome, mentioned in Acts 28, and then he waited for up to two years for his trial before Nero. History tells us that Paul’s final trial before the emperor ended in his martyrdom.
Paul felt discouraged by his first encounter with the legal system in Rome because “everyone” deserted him. The no one of verse 16 could include those who abandoned Paul listed in verses 10. This may have been an overstatement since he had at least Luke with him (verse 11). But it is possible that Luke and any other believers had limited access and ability to give a testimony. Paul did not let the situation embitter him but asked in the form of a prayer (using a rare optative verb) that the desertion not be held against those who did not come to his defense. We see a very human side of Paul in verse 16 as he struggled to understand why people acted the way they did at a crucial moment in his life.
Verse 17 shifts to the positive as Paul reflects from a spiritual perspective. Nothing could stand in the way of his faith as he turned to the Lord who stood with him and strengthened him. When people abandon us in a crisis moment, we know the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. The reason Jesus stood with Paul was to help him get the message (kērygma) out to the Gentiles (literally, the “nations”). Jesus had given Paul this mission on the road to Damascus, and Paul had remained faithful to this message to the very end. When he stood before the Roman court and eventually before the emperor, he had the opportunity to give a testimony of God’s grace in Christ. His defense was likely similar to what is given in Acts 22 and 26. His first defense must have been effective to some degree because he claims to have been rescued forms the lion’s mouth. Lions were a feared animal used by rulers for sport and punishment. The Romans used animals like lions for sport and entertainment in the coliseum. The situation Paul faced was like when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den by king Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 6. In both cases, the heroes of faith were rescued.
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