Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

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Second Timothy IV. 22. 249
wardly to separate ver. 20 from its proper connexion, and the two
latter united only by a psychological thread.
Next follow salutations to Timothy from persons otlierwise unknown.
That they do not occur in the letters written during his
first imprisonment is naturally explained by the supposition of a
second. The Latin names point to Rome. The name Linus has
not failed to give scope to the critical sagacity of Dr. Baur. It is
but reasonable that Linus, the subsequent bishop of Rome, should
not be forgotten on this occasion, as his rival Clement had been
named in Phil, by the apostle himself, and yet Linus belongs properly
to the school of Paul, Clement to that of Peter ! What consequences
flow from this discovery ! The relation of dependence on
the Epistle to the Philippians becomes palpable ; we are transported
into the midst of the second century, and see there the rivalry of
the Pauline and Petrine sects brought to a happy adjustment: and
all this accrues to us from the simple naming of Linus as of one
who sends salutations in company with three others who likewise
send them. These forgers spun their threads finely; but not too
finely for our critics. Although the entire remaining epistle contains
nothing which points to this relation of parties—a single name
suffices it to bring to light the hidden and profound secret
Ver. 22.—The blessing at the close reads with Tischendorf,
6 Kvpiog without 'Irjaovg Xpcarog (comp. his critical remarks) : we have
commonly r/
x^P^? ^^^ xvpLov : an imitator of the apostle would
probably have written thus. " With thy spirit," as Gal. vi. 18;
Phil. iv. 23; Philem. 25. This clause is also peculiar in subjoining
a second blessing which applies not merely to Timothy, but to his
associates : i) %apf? 1"^^' ^i"'^^- We are not thence to assume a common
destination to the church (in fact the epistle makes absolutely
no mention of a church); comp, at Tit. iii. 15. The natural and
immediate application of the words is to those saluted at ver. 19.
"Eppoyoo iv eip7]vxi and dfj,i]v are a mere addition.
The subscription to the epistle indicates it as written from a
second Roman imprisonment.