SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/15/2025 7:51 AM
My Worship Time Focus: “Carpus, The Faithful Host”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 2 Timothy 4:13
Message of the verse: “When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.”
As I look at this verse it reminds me of something my first Pastor had asked, and I mean the first Pastor that I had after I became a believer. He asked the question about whether or not Paul actually got the cloak that is spoken about in this verse. Perhaps he knows now because he is with the Lord.
This verse speaks of some personal requests that Paul had for Timothy, and there were other but in this requests he wanted Timothy to bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus. Troas may have been the hometown of Carpus; he obviously lived there now. From the context it seems probable that Paul stayed with Carpus there and had entrusted him with the care of several valuable possessions. It is also possible that the church in Troas meet at Carpus’s house.
MacArthur explains “A cloak was a large, heavy wool garment that served as both coat and blanket in cold weather, which Paul would soon face (v. 21). In the economy of that day, especially for Christians under Roman persecution, such clothing was extremely expensive.”
Now we move onto Books and parchments, as they too were expensive. Unlike the cloak, they were invaluable to him for the sake of the ministry. MacArthur explains “Books probably refers to papyrus scrolls, possibly of Old Testament books. Parchments were vellum sheets, made of specially treated animal hides. They were extremely expensive and therefore used for only the most important of documents. These particular parchments may have contained copies of Paul’s own letters or may have been blank sheets on which he planned to write other letters. He had no plans to finish studying or to finish writing.”
“One wonders why Paul would not have taken such costly possessions with him wherever he went. It is hard to believe he would have he would have parted with them voluntarily, because the risk of never seeing them again was high. The trouble of taking them along when they were not needed would have paled in light of the trouble, physical and otherwise, of being without them when they were needed. For that reason, some scholars suggest that he was summarily arrested in Troas and had no opportunity, or was not allowed, to take these things with him.”
I have to say that I am finding this last section of Paul’s personal writings very interesting as they give insight to some of Paul’s friends, and some who had betrayed him. Especially because these last things that Paul was revealing that are a part of the New Testament, meaning that they come from the Holy Spirit of God.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Paul knew that his time on earth was about to expire as every person who has ever been born on planet earth has an expiration date. “16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them” (Psalm 139:16).
My Steps of Faith for Today: I trust the Lord to see me through the events of today as I am going to a friend’s funeral, someone who had a troubled past, but after many prayers for her salvation came to know Christ as her Savior and Lord.
8/15/2025 8:21 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment