“Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.”
“and Demas greet you”
This is the Demas who two years later forsook Paul because he loved this present world (2 Tim. 4:10). Demas probably did not forsake Christ, but he did forsake the apostle Paul (cf. Philemon 24). Luke, however, remained with Paul in his hour of danger.
Paul gives no commendation of Demas in our verse. There may be a suggestion that even at this time, he was not sure of his stability.
Demas’ supreme passion was the world (2 Tim. 4:10). Diotrephes’ foremost passion was to gain pre-eminence for himself (3 Jn. 9). Demetrius’ supreme passion was the truth (3 Jn 12). These three men were characterized by their foremost passions. The difference lay in their commitment.
Principle:
Many make a grand entrance into and later fade from dynamic Christian living.
Application:
It is sad to see a person fail toward the end of their career. In this verse, we see contrasting examples of faithfulness and unfaithfulness. Luke, the faithful physician, remained with Paul during his difficulty – “Only Luke is with me” (2 Tim. 4:11). Others left Paul in his dire moment of danger. Demas unfaithfully preferred his skin to his conscience.
May God not allow us to finish our lives in an infamous fashion.
