a fetter or manacle · noun — accusative singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
2 Timothy 4:19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
Philemon 1:20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
Acts 28:20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this…
Ephesians 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Philemon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Hebrews 10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better…
Nehemiah 5:19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
Nehemiah 13:14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 2 Timothy 1:15–end
Having (Ti2 1:13, Ti2 1:14) exhorted Timothy to hold fast,
I. He mentions the apostasy of many from the doctrine of Christ, Ti2 1:15. It seems, in the best and purest ages of the church, there were those that had embraced the Christian faith, and yet afterwards revolted from it, nay, there were many such. He does not say that they had turned away from the doctrine of Christ (though it should seem they had) but they had turned away from him, they had turned their backs upon him, and disowned him in the time of his distress. And should we wonder at it, when many turned their backs on a much better than Paul? I mean the Lord Jesus Christ, Joh 6:66.
II. He mentions the constancy of one that adhe…
The Lord give mercy--even as ONESIPHORUS had abounded in works of mercy.
the house of Onesiphorus--He himself was then absent from Ephesus, which accounts for the form of expression (Ti2 4:19). His household would hardly retain his name after the master was dead, as BENGEL supposes him to have been. Nowhere has Paul prayers for the dead, which is fatal to the theory, favored by ALFORD also, that he was dead. God blesses not only the righteous man himself, but all his household.
my chain--Paul in the second, as in his first imprisonment, was bound by a chain to the soldier who guarded him.
Adam Clarke on 2 Timothy 1:16
The Lord give mercy - Onesiphorus had acknowledged him, and continued to do so; he, and his house, or family, ministered to him in prison, and were not ashamed of their imprisoned pastor, nor of the cause for which he was in disgrace and suffering. As he showed mercy to the apostle, the apostle prays the Lord to show mercy to him.
John Gill on 2 Timothy 1:16
The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus,.... Who seems to have been one of Asia, and of Ephesus, and is an exception from the general apostasy, or from those that turned away from the apostle; and therefore he prays that the Lord would show mercy to his family; that he would give regenerating grace and mercy to such of them as were without it, or pardoning grace and mercy, or the great mercy of eternal life and salvation by Christ; and this doubtless was a prayer in faith, upon the promises of God, and upon instances and examples, in which God has remarkably shown mercy to the families of good men, who have faithfully served him, and abode in his interest in times of trouble; thus th…
The Church Fathers
Crocus also, worthy both of God and you, whom we have received as the manifestation of your love to us, hath in all things refreshed me, and "hath not been ashamed of my chain," as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will also refresh him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and Euplus, and Fronto, by means of whom I have, as to love, beheld all of you. May I always have joy of you, if indeed I be worthy of it.
May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus; for he often restored me, and was not ashamed of my chains. May the Lord grant mercy. Notice Paul's eagerness. He did not curse those who abandoned him, but only recounted what they did against him; but he prays much for the one who helped him, and not only for him alone, but also for his household. Therefore, they were virtuous, and so Onesiphorus educated them. of the household of Onesiphorus. O blessed Onesiphorus! who was deemed worthy to restore Paul, may a part of you be with us also. for he often restored me. Just like an athlete seized by the hardship of the struggle. And he was not ashamed of my chains. Leaving aside the dangers, he put forward the shame, persuading the student to be courageous. As if shame alone arises from the matter, and not danger approaching; although indeed danger was also present. For Nero raged against Paul as if one of his own household had instructed him.
"The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out diligently and found me." Observe how he everywhere speaks of the shame, and not of the danger, lest Timothy should be alarmed. And yet it was a thing that was full of peril. For he gave offense to Nero by making friends with one of his prisoners. But when he was in Rome, he says, he not only did not shun intercourse with me, but "sought me out very diligently, and found me." "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." Such ought the faithful to be. Neither fear, nor threats, nor disgrace, should deter them from assisting one another, standing by them and succoring them as in war. For they do not so much benefit those who are in danger, as themselves, by the service they render to them, making themselves partakers of the crowns due to them. For example, is any one of those who are devoted to God visited with affliction and distress, and maintaining the conflict with great fortitude; whilst thou art not yet brought to this conflict? It is in thy power if thou wilt, without entering into the course, to be a sharer of the crowns reserved for him, by standing by him, preparing his mind, and animating and exciting him. Hence it is that Paul elsewhere says, "Ye have done well that ye did communicate with my affliction. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity." (Phil. iv. 14, Phil. iv. 16.) And how could they that were far off share in the affliction of him that was not with them? How? He says, "ye sent once and again unto my necessities." Again he says, speaking of Epaphroditus, "Because he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, that he might supply your lack of service toward me." (Phil. ii. 30.) For as in the service of kings, not only those who fight the battle, but those who guard the baggage, share in the honor; and not merely so, but frequently even have an equal portion of the spoils, though they have not imbrued their hands in blood, nor stood in array, nor even seen the ranks of the enemy; so it is in these conflicts. For he who relieves the combatant, when wasted with hunger, who stands by him, encouraging him by words, and rendering him every service, he is not…
Dictionary and topics
Chain — (1.) A part of the insignia of office. A chain of gold was placed about Joseph’s neck (Gen. 41:42); and one was promised to Daniel (5:7). It is used as a symbol of sovereignty (Ezek. 16:11). The…
Onesiphorus — Bringing profit, an Ephesian Christian who showed great kindness to Paul at Rome. He served him in many things, and had oft refreshed him. Paul expresses a warm interest in him and his household (2…
Beneficence · .Onesiphorus — .Onesiphorus
Chains · Used to confine pri — Used to confine pri
Kindness · .Onesiphorus to Paul — .Onesiphorus to Paul
Love To Man · Exemplified: Onesiphorus — Exemplified: Onesiphorus
Missionaries, All Christians Should Be As · Exemplified: Onesiphorus — Exemplified: Onesiphorus
Onesiphorus · A Christian of Ephesus — A Christian of Ephesus
Prisons · Places used as: Prisoner’s own house, where he was kept bound to a soldier — Places used as: Prisoner’s own house, where he was kept bound to a soldier
Roman Empire, The · Allusions to judicial affairs of: Prisoners chained to soldiers for safety — Allusions to judicial affairs of: Prisoners chained to soldiers for safety
Rome · Visited by Onesiphorus — Visited by Onesiphorus
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
13. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
13. Formam habe sanorum sermonum, quos a me audisti in fide et caritate, in Christo Iesu.
14. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
14. Eregium depositum custodi per Spiritum Sanctum, qui inhabitat in nobis.
15. This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
15. Nosti hoc, quod aversati me fuerint omnes, qui sunt in Asia, quorum sunt Phygelus et Hermogenes.
16. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of…
Using the examples of others, both negative and positive, Paul continues urging Timothy to be faithful and to come to Rome without fear.
1:15 everyone . . . has deserted me: The desertion took place either in Rome or in the province of Asia when Paul was arrested. Paul might have seen this as another way his life followed the pattern of Christ’s (see Matt 26:31, 56). • Phygelus and Hermogenes are otherwise unknown. The context (2 Tim 1:11-14) might imply that they were church leaders who sided with Paul’s opponents.
