A Plea for Parchments

Sunday, October 13, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.”

2 Timothy 4:9–13

In 1933 the recently inaugurated president Franklin Roosevelt paid a visit to the home of former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. The aged justice was celebrating his ninety-second birthday when he welcomed the president. As they talked Homes remarked that he was reading through Plato again to which FDR famously responded, “Why are you reading Plato?” Of course the unspoken part of the question was “at your age” but Roosevelt was too polite to say that. Holmes replied that he was reading Plato because it improved his mind.

In the final years of his life, imprisoned in a cell in Rome and awaiting his execution, Paul wrote to Timothy and asked him to bring the books and particularly the parchments which he had left behind on his journeys. Even in captivity and facing death, Paul wanted to keep studying and learning the Word of God and hiding it in his heart. This is something we never outgrow, no matter how old we are.

No matter how many years we have been saved, how much we have learned about the Bible, or how much we have grown spiritually, we must have a continuing input of truth from God. And while faithful church attendance is important, it is not enough. Each Christian should be striving to learn and grow and become more like Jesus. If we want to finish our race well, we must not neglect the Word of God.

Today's Growth Principle: 

Recognize your need for the Bible in your heart and mind on a daily basis