Alexander
Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:14-15
Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
When Paul wrote this letter, Alexander was a common name. It would be akin to a Jones or Smith today. We don’t know precisely what he did to harm Paul. He opposed the message Paul preached and taught. Paul’s imprisonment might somehow be traced back to Alexander in some way.
The person of whom it is said, “They never said a bad word about anyone,” must not know many people. Paul was blunt and harsh in his assessment of Alexander the coppersmith. The way Paul dealt with him is instructive.
First, Paul is following his own advice. “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord,” was the verse Paul quoted in Romans. Now, he gets to put it into practice. He leaves dealing with Alexander in the Lord’s hands.
Second, Paul’s complaint about Alexander isn’t strictly about personal offenses. Yes, he does say that he had been harmed by him, but more importantly, he points out that the root of the conflict lies in Alexander’s opposition to the gospel message. I’m going to venture a guess that if it was merely a personal conflict over transient issues, Paul wouldn’t have mentioned him at all. The gospel was the issue and that is something Paul couldn’t let lie.
Third, Paul’s concern wasn’t merely about airing his grievances with Alexander. He was worried about Timothy and Mark. He suspected that they might become the next targets in Alexander’s troublemaking. There seems to be a suggestion that Alexander’s opposition wouldn’t be immediately obvious, that he was more devious than that. That is why Paul tells Timothy to beware of him. Paul brings Alexander up out of concern for Timothy, Mark, and other gospel ministers.
We can learn from Paul. If we are going to publicly criticize someone, it ought to be for serious gospel issues and not petty grievances. If we are going to warn others, let it be over genuine concern for their spiritual welfare. When someone unjustly harms us, have faith that the Lord will deal with them, and we need not take that into our own hands.
