For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Crescens into Galatia, Titus These two did not abandon the faith, but only left St. Paul to preach the gospel, with his consent. Crescens went from Rome into Galatia, or into Gaul, as it is found written in the Greek. Theodoret, Eusebius, St. Epiphanius say that Galatia, in the Greek, is often put for Gaul, in profane authors. On this account it is said by some, that Crescens preached in Gaul. Adon makes him founder of the Church of Vienne, in Dauphinè; an opinion still prevalent in that city. The feast of St. Crescens is kept by the Latin Church, on the 27th of June. (Calmet)
As to Titus, it cannot be doubted but he went into Dalmatia for the purpose of the ministry, and by the order of St. Paul. Thence it seems most probable that he went into Crete, where he governed the Church as bishop, and there died. (Theodoret; St. Chrysostom; Theophylactus; Estius)
For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world. He does not say, That I may see you before I depart this life, which would have grieved him, but because I am alone, he says, and have no one to help or support me.
For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed to Thessalonica; that is, having loved his own ease and security from danger, he has chosen rather to live luxuriously at home, than to suffer hardships with me, and share my present danger. He has blamed him alone, not for the sake of blaming him, but to confirm us, that we may not be effeminate in declining toils and dangers, for this is, having loved this present world. At the same time he wishes to draw his disciple to him.
Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
These he does not censure. For Titus was one of the most admirable men, so that to him he entrusted the affairs of the island, no small island, I mean, but that great one of Crete.
Demas, having loved his own ease and security away from danger, has chosen rather to live luxuriously at home, rather than suffer hardships with Paul and share his present dangers. Paul has indeed blamed him, but only in order to confirm us, that we may not sink to selfindulgent weakness in declining toils and dangers, for this would amount to “having loved this present world.”
Now I exhort all of you to be obedient to the word of righteousness and to exercise all patient endurance, such as you have seen with your very eyes, not only in the blessed Ignatius and Zosimus and Rufus but also in others who were of your membership, and in Paul himself and the rest of the apostles; being persuaded that all these “did not run in vain” but in faith and righteousness, and that they are now in their deserved place with the Lord, in whose suffering they also shared. For they “loved not this present world” but him who died on our behalf and was raised by God for our sakes.
