Erastus remained at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletus sick.
All Commentaries on 2 Timothy 4:20 Go To 2 Timothy 4
John Chrysostom
AD 407
This Trophimus and Tychicus, we know from the book of the Acts, sailed away with him from Judea, and were everywhere his companions, perhaps as being more zealous than the rest.
Trophimus I have left at Miletum sick. Why then did you not heal him, instead of leaving him? The Apostles could not do everything, or they did not dispense miraculous gifts upon all occasions, lest more should be ascribed to them than was right. The same thing is observable of those blessed and righteous men, who were before them, as in the case of Moses, whose voice was weak. Why was not this defect removed? Nay, he was often afflicted with grief and dejection, and he was not admitted into the Land of Promise.
For many things were permitted by God, that the weakness of human nature might be manifested. And if with these defects the insensible Jews could ask, Where is Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt Exodus 32:1? How would they not have been affected towards him if he had brought them also into the Land of Promise? If he had not been suffered to be overpowered by the fear of Pharaoh, would they not have thought him a God? We see that the people of Lystra were thus affected in the case of Paul and Barnabas, thinking them to be Gods, when they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out and saying, Sirs, why do you do these things? We also are men of like passions with you. Acts 14:14-15 Peter, again, when he had healed the man lame from his birth, when all were amazed at the miracle, answered and said, You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you sook so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? Acts 3:12 Hear also the blessed Paul, saying, There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, lest I should be exalted above measure. 2 Corinthians 12:7 But this, you say, was an expression of humility. Far from it. The thorn was not sent him that he might be humble, nor does he say this only out of humility. There are other causes besides to be assigned for it. Observe therefore how God, accounting for it, says, My grace is sufficient for you; not that you may not be exalted above measure, but what? For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Two ends therefore were answered at once: what was doing was made clearly manifest, and the whole was ascribed to God. For this cause he has said elsewhere, We carry this treasure in earthen vessels 2 Corinthians 4:7; that is, in bodies weak and liable to suffering. Why? That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. If our bodies were not subject to infirmity, all would be ascribed to them. And elsewhere we see him grieving at the infirmity of Epaphroditus, concerning whom he writes, He was sick near unto death, but God had mercy on him. Philippians 2:27 And many other instances there are of his ignorance of events, which was profitable both for him and his disciples.
Trophimus I have left at Miletum sick. Miletus was near Ephesus. Did this happen then when he sailed to Judea, or upon some other occasion? For after he had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came thence again into these parts, we know not. We see him however deserted by all. For Demas, he says, has forsaken me. Crescens is departed into Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Erastus abode at Corinth. Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
