In the Apostle Paul’s final letter, he writes a fascinating
statement: The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest,
bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments (2 Tim.
4:13). As he sat in his prison cell, he asked Timothy to bring him three items.
The first was his cloak. While some view the Greek word phelonēs
as a “book bag,” that seems extremely unlikely since he mentions books
later. The evidence (e.g., “winter” is mentioned in v. 21) would indicate that
this was an outer garment, a knee-length circular cape, probably made of tough
Cilician goat hair with an opening for the head in the center, which would have
provided at least some comfort in Paul’s cold, damp Roman cell.
But even more importantly, Paul wanted his books and parchments.
The word books, of course, is the common Greek biblion, which
refers literally to papyrus rolls and could refer here to several things:
portions of the Old Testament, the Gospels, classic writings, books by other
Christians, or Paul’s own writings. As many commentators agree, it is simply
impossible to know exactly what Paul refers to.
The same is true of parchments, which is the Greek membrana
(English “membrane”). Unlike biblion, however, this word is not at all
common, occurring only here in the New Testament. It means membrane, skin, or
parchment. Our English word parchment, in fact, comes from the Latin pergamena,
which literally means “from Pergamum” (cf. Rev. 2:12), the ancient city where
the process of using animal skins for writing material was invented. But again,
like biblion, we cannot be sure what Paul is referring to. Because of
the modifier especially, some think he means Old Testament scrolls.
Other conjectures include: a copy of the Septuagint, legal documents (such as
proof of Roman citizenship), notebooks for Scripture study, letters from other
churches, or Paul’s own letters, notes, journals, and/or blank sheets for
writing.
While we might be tempted to frustration at our ignorance of
Paul’s exact reference, in the final analysis that is really not the point
here. The point is, we submit, that whatever these documents consisted
of they were crucial to Paul. Despite the hardships of ministry, the discomfort
of his cell, not to mention impending death, study was nonetheless the
priority of this aged saint and servant. While he didn’t have a sermon to
prepare or a lesson to outline, he didn’t sit and do nothing; his desire was
continued reading and studying.
The rebuke to many Christian leaders here is both
obvious and pointed. Much preaching and writing today is as shallow as a puddle
because reading and study are not the priority. But this also “gives to all
believers a recommendation of constant reading, that they may profit by
it” (John Calvin, emphasis added). As Paul writes elsewhere, neither he nor
anyone else has attained the final goal but should be constantly wanting to
know more of Christ and “press[ing] toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:10–14).
Using the term Tas Membranas (“The Parchments”) in a
general sense, then, the purpose of this blog is to offer recommendations for
good reading. While there are other ministries that do the necessary job of
reviewing both good titles for recommendation and bad ones for
warning (e.g., Southern View Chapel [http://www.svchapel.org/resources]
and Discerning Reader [http://www.discerningreader.com/]),
our desire here is to point God’s people solely to what will promote growth and
depth.
J. N. Darby was once asked if this verse was not of just
temporary value and if anything would have really been lost if Paul had never
written it. He promptly replied: “I would certainly have lost something; for
this is the verse that saved me from selling my library. Every word, depend
upon it, is from the Spirit, and is for eternal service.”
Let us all desire Tas Membranas as much as Paul did
and never take for granted the blessing of good books.
[NOTE:
Our first review will be posted in about a week.]
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