God’s Word for You

2 Timothy 4:14-16 law and gospel

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Friday, July 17, 2026

14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will pay him back for what he has done. 15 You should be on your guard against him, too, because he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first hearing, no one stood by me. Everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.

There are three, four or five Alexanders in the Bible. One was the son of Simon of Cyrene, who had carried the cross of Christ out of Jerusalem (Mark 15:21). Another was a member of the family of Caiaphas the high priest (Acts 4:6). Another Alexander was present at the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:33). Then there was an Alexander whom Paul had handed over to Satan, “to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:20). Whether this Alexander and the blaspheming Alexander were the same man cannot be said for certain, but I think it is likely that this was the case. This brings us to the matter of what is meant here by the Greek word chalkeus (χαλκεύς), which originally meant “coppersmith” or “brass-worker,” but was later generalized to mean any smith or metalworker. I think that the Ephesian Alexander, the Blasphemer, and the Smith (or metalworker) were all the same man and opponent of Paul’s gospel. Or might have been.

The damage by this man was opposition given to “our message,” by which Paul means the preaching of the Gospel; Christ crucified. Perhaps this man was a persuasive speaker, and for whatever reason he was dead set against the preaching of Christ. If this Alexander was from Ephesus (the man from Acts 19:33), then he had gone to Rome to oppose Paul openly in Caesar’s court, and was now returning again to Ephesus, and therefore Timothy should be careful of him. If this was the case, then Paul may have given a more detailed warning and encouragement to Tychicus, who had now been set to Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:12).

Paul hands this man over to the Lord in another way, “to pay him back for what he has done.” Paul expresses this not as a wish but as a future certainty. Yet he leaves it entirely in the Lord’s hands, “for God will bring every evil deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14), and “Evil men will be cut off” (Psalm 37:9).

Now, there’s a sensible and reasonable question to be asked here, and that’s this: Is Paul’s handling of this Alexander, a case of excommunication?

Excommunication is the final act of love in this lifetime of a Christian who has fallen into a sin and who won’t repent. Excommunication removes the person from the benefits of the Lord’s Supper and the public absolution. This is meant to drive home the full power of the Law of God, and he is declared to be an unbeliever, Our hope is that the person will be led to repent and to return to the church, be forgiven, and be welcomed back into the family of God. Luther said, “Pastors should rebuke the lapsed sharply, but when they see them sorrowing, they should begin to cheer them up, to comfort them, and to make light of their sins as much as they can. Yet they should do all this in mercy, which they should set in opposition to the sins, so that the lapsed are not overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” (Commentary on Galaltians 6:1, LW 27:110).

So, if this Alexander was once a member of the church, then we could see Paul’s words that an Alexander was “handed over to Satan” (1 Timothy 1:20) could be a way of describing this practice. But since we don’t know whether this was truly the same person, we must be careful how we speak about this passage and about this Alexander. He had been a false teacher who was never a member of the church of God, but who was always an opponent of Christ. Paul’s judgment that God would pay this man back is a proclamation of the law. But there is also a proclamation of the gospel here as well.

Still thinking of his earlier trial or preliminary hearing, Paul remembers that no one stood with him. “Everyone deserted me.” That is, nobody spoke up in Paul’s defense. But this is also what happened when Jesus was put on trial before the Sanhedrin. So why would it surprise one of Christ’s apostles to be treated the same way? Fear of punishment and death is a powerful motive for inaction. But Paul prays on behalf of anyone who might have stood but who did not: “May it not be held against them.” Jesus prayed for forgiveness for those who put him on the cross (Luke 23:34). Stephen also prayed for the people who were in the act of stoning him to death (Acts 7:60). So Paul also prays for those who failed to help: “May it not be held against them.” He uses a softened form of a future mood in Greek, the voluntive or desiderative optative. Do not fret if this Greek analysis means little or nothing to you. It’s a way of praying, “May this happen,” without commanding God what he must do. It is a humble thing, a caring thing, a pastoral or even a parental thing to say. This is the gospel.

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

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