For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.” 2 Timothy 4.10.
Still looking at our love for God, we find Paul’s statements here interesting. This sounds more like the lamentation of a man who felt let down and betrayed. Let us look at this verse carefully. Demas had at one time been one of Paul’s “fellow workers” in the ministry along with Mark, Luke, and others (Philemon 1.24). During Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, Demas was also in Rome (Colossians 4.14). Evidence also shows that Demas was with Paul during Paul’s second imprisonment in Rome, at least for a while. Then something happened. Demas forsook Paul, abandoned the ministry, and left town.
It is difficult to infer sufficient details on this matter because Paul was not complaining about this brother, nor was he reporting him to others. He only gave reasons why he needed Timothy to come over as soon as possible to assist him. However, we can take a look at what transpired between Paul and Delmas and learn a few lessons.
His Forsaking of Paul
The Apostle Paul wrote that Demas “forsook him.” (II Tim. 4:10). The Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest states: “The Greek word ‘forsaken’ (egkataleipo) means ‘to abandon, desert, leave in straits, leave helpless, leave in the lurch, let one down’” (1966:2: 164).
One noted preacher, MacAuthur (1995), suggests that Demas “may not have been a true believer at all”. But Demas had weathered the storms with Paul before this stage. We have no Scriptural record of what happened to Demas after he got to Thessalonica, whether he continued in ministry or not. Maybe he did not only forsake Paul but also forsook the Lord. If that were the case, the Lord would remain faithful to him still because He cannot deny Himself because the promise of eternal life is for eternity, and the Father and the Son held on to Demas (II Tim. 2:11–13; John 10:25–30).
Paul mentioned a couple of others who also had to be away to various places, but not on account of forsaking him. Only Delmas left by forsaking Paul.
Demas’ Love for this Present World
“Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever” (I John 2:15–17).
Paul does not tell us what aspect of the present world system Demas loved. He does not say if it is fame, fortune, or the gratification of the flesh. I believe the reason that the Apostle Paul does not tell us any details as to what Demas did “loving this present world” was two-fold. First, he did not want to embarrass his fellow labourer any further, saying that he forsook Paul was bad enough. Second, Demas’ life could be instructive to other believers and also serve as a warning to potential wayward believers. When a Bible teacher expounds on the life of Demas, broad applications could be made to his love for this present world system and not limit it to a single example or sin.
John uses a different Greek word for world. In the epistle to Timothy, Paul uses “aiona” (“eons of time” comes from this word), while John uses “kosmos.” “Kosmos” is the “world contemplated under aspects of space” while “aiona” is the “same contemplated under aspects of time”. This means Demas probably lived for time instead of eternity. Do you live for time or eternity? Do you live to gratify the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life?
His Departure to Thessalonica
“But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire. Proverbs 26.11; 2 Peter 2.22
Why Demas went to Thessalonica and what he did there is not revealed in the Scriptures. It is obvious that Paul was not pleased with the decision. There have been many insinuates on what Demas did with his later life after returning to Thessalonica, but we are only content with the record of the Scripture.
However, Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, in the first half of the 2nd century AD, wrote an epistle to the church at Philippi. He listed some of the martyrs of the early church: Ignatius, Zosimus, Rufus, Paul and other apostles, and said that all these had not “run in vain” because they did not “love this present world” (Polycarp to the Philippians 9:1, 2; LCL I: 295).
Polycarp hints at the fact that he is referring to Demas when he lists the martyrs and says they did not love this present world. The implication was that Demas did not want to be a martyr, so he abandoned Paul in Rome just before he was executed. If this is the case, the allurement that enticed Demas was the pride of life. He valued his earthly life more than receiving the crown of life (James 1:12; Rev. 2:10).
It is good to have a good life but having an easy life at the expense of our calling and commitment to the Gospel is dangerous