2. Interest in the living founded on the past kindness of the dead. "For he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but, when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found me." This was after his first answer, apparently during his second imprisonment, when awaiting his second answer. Paul leaned very much on human sympathy. On one occasion he said, "The Lord that comforteth them that are cast down, comforted me by the coming of Titus." So the Lord refreshed him by those visits of Onesiphorus. This friend was true to his name; he was a real help bringer—bringer of comfort and strength to the great warrior whose battles were nearly over. He was a helper in presence of difficulties. He was not ashamed of his chain, i.e. braved all the dangers connected with his being regarded as the prisoner's friend. There was difficulty of access to him, such as there had not been during the first imprisonment, when he had his own hired house, and received all that came to him; but Onesiphorus sought him all the more diligently that he knew of his unbefriended condition, and overcame all official hindrances. In the strange working of providence, Onesiphorus came to his end before Paul, but his good deeds lived after him, and caused him to be remembered by Paul, and in that form which, had he been conscious of what was taking place on earth, would have been most pleasing to Onesiphorus. And this was not to be wondered at. Onesiphorus loved his home circle—this is an element in the case; but it did not absorb all his attention. He had a place in his heart for friends, and was ready to render them services. And this was acting more truly for the interests of his loved ones than if he had selfishly confined his attention to them. For when he was gone—taken away at a time when he was greatly needed by his children—there were those who were their well wishers for the father's sake. There was the missionary, by whom there had been so much benefit, invoking his blessing on them. The psalmist says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." And this can be explained without bringing in a special miracle. Indeed, the psalmist so explains it in the following verse: "He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed." That is to say, by his good deeds when he is alive, he raises up friends for his children when he is dead.
3. Interest in departed friends shown in pious wishes with respect to their future. "The Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the Lord in that day." The following is to be noted as the teaching of Luther: "We have no command from God to pray for the dead, and therefore no one can sin who does not pray for them. For in what God has neither commanded nor forbidden, no man can sin. Yet because God has not granted us to know the state of the soul, and we must be uncertain about it, thou dost not sin that thou prayest for the dead, but in such wise that thou leave it in doubt and say thus, 'If this soul be in that state that thou mayest yet help it, I pray thee to be gracious unto it.' Therefore if thou hast prayed once or thrice, thou shouldest believe that thou art heard, and pray no more, lest thou tempt God." Beyond that Paul does not go. He follows Onesiphorus into the next world, and, when he thinks of him coming to the settling for what his earthly life had been, he devoutly breathes the wish that he may be mercifully dealt with. Such an expression of feeling is not to be forbidden us as we think of departed friends going forward to judgment; it is to be found in inscriptions in the catacombs. But it has no connection with a belief in purgatory, and is very different from the formal inculcation of prayers for the dead.
4. Reference to Timothy as to services rendered by Onesiphorus at Ephesus. "And in how many things he ministered at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." This was additional to services rendered by Onesiphorus to the apostle at Rome. He had not mentioned it before, because it had been within the sphere of Timothy's own observation. But he brings it in now, as what was fitted to support the charge of constancy he is laying on Timothy.—R.F.
2 Timothy Intro
2 Timothy
2 Timothy 1 - 2-timothy-1 - worlddic.com