9Make every effort to come to me soon; 10for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Turning to personal comments, Paul shares intimately with Timothy about the current state of affairs concerning some of his entourage. He desires Timothy to join him, more so now because of all those who are no longer with him. He needed the support of coworkers!
Many different men had joined in Paul’s travels and ministry, coming and going for various reasons. Presently, Paul was in prison (2 Tim. 1:8), so his movements were limited, being dependent on his associates for his personal needs and help. So he reaches out to Timothy to help.
He mentions Demas, who along with Luke had previously been with Paul when he wrote to the Colossians (4:1) and Philemon (Phil. 23–24). He was imprisoned both those times as well. This once faithful coworker had jettisoned his service for the Lord and his work of helping Paul, for his love for “this present world.” Possibly he was one of those who Paul said, “turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.” We may not know whether Demas had read what the apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). But he surely would have heard something similar from Paul, who wrote, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). What a contrast between Demas, who “loved this present world,” and those servants of the Lord who “have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 3:8).
Crescens is only mentioned here in the Bible, but contrary to Demas, there is no mention of any fault in his leaving Paul. Titus is next in Paul’s litany of those who are no longer physically with him. Titus was one of Paul’s longest-running coworkers. He had joined Paul sometime before the Jerusalem council and had accompanied Paul to present the case of accepting the Gentiles as equal participants in the early Christian movement. He was a Gentile convert to Christ and became an ardent co-worker of Paul’s, beginning no later than Paul’s second missionary tour. Paul seems to have a relatively close relationship to Titus (see 2 Cor. 2:13, 7:6, 7:13) and saw him as a trusted and faithful worker (2 Cor. 8:23, 12:18). But at this juncture in Paul’s life and ministry, Titus was not there with Paul, and it would seem Paul missed him sorely.
Lord, thank You for my coworkers whom You lead in and out of my life.
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