“When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:13).
The cloak mentioned above was a heavy, cape-like garment that enabled its wearer to stay warm in cold weather. It could also double as a blanket on a chilly evening. Given the harsh conditions that likely accompanied Paul’s incarceration, it’s easy to see why he would make this request. If Paul had been arrested in the city of Troas, then Carpus may have been holding this cloak in safekeeping.
Among Paul’s other personal effects were his books and parchments. As one author explains, “‘Books’ refers to papyrus scrolls, possibly OT books. ‘Parchments’ were vellum sheets made of treated animal hides, thus they were extremely expensive. They may have been copies of letters he had written or blank sheets for writing other letters. That Paul did not have these already in his possession leads to the possible conclusion that he was arrested in Troas and had no opportunity to retrieve them.” (1)
In addition to his pressing need for a cold-weather garment, Paul’s sense of urgency may have been motivated by the challenges associated with winter travel during that time. You see, ancient shipping lanes were generally closed between November and March each year due to the hazardous winter travel conditions. If Timothy delayed, he would not arrive until the following spring- and Paul might not survive that long.
Another source makes a rather ironic observation regarding this passage: “It is touching to note that Paul, who could have become a rich Pharisee, was willing instead to suffer the loss of all things for Christ (Philippians 3:8), ending up in a cold, filthy, damp Roman dungeon next to the Tiber River, needing a cloke just to keep warm in the coming winter (II Timothy 4:21).” (2)
So, let’s consider the situation presented to us over the past few verses of 2 Timothy chapter four and make an educated guess regarding Paul’s physical and emotional state…
- “…bring the cloak that I left with Carpus” (verse thirteen): “I’m cold.”
- “…(Bring) the books, especially the parchments” (verse thirteen): “I don’t have access to God’s Word or other reading materials.”
- “Only Luke is with me…” (verse eleven): “All my friends are gone except one.”
- “Be diligent to come to me quickly” (verse nine): “I miss you.”
If we can imagine the prospect of sitting in a cold, damp prison cell with nothing to do, then we can easily understand why Paul might want his books, parchments, and the emotional encouragement of Timothy’s presence.
(1) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Ti 4:13). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
(2) Institute for Creation Research, New Defender’s Study Bible Notes [2 Timothy 4:13] https://www.icr.org/bible/2Timothy/4/13/