Reward Him!

2 Timothy 4:14 KJV

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

Here is a fascinating if not (apparently) contradictory passage. The Apostle Paul actually prays for justice upon one of his oppressors.

The passage is one that is filled with emotion as Paul looks his execution in the face and reflects upon his ministry and his life. Indeed he had  fought a good fight and finished his course and kept the faith. He had every reason to rejoice and look forward to his meeting with Christ. But there had been hurdles and hardships along the way and Paul was not the least reticent to name names. As he freely praised those who had blessed him, he freely names those who had done him wrong. But in the case of Alexander he goes a step further. He warns Timothy of him and prays God have justice upon him.

This is interesting in contrast to Jesus and Stephen who both prayed for their executioners "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."  Here Paul as much prays that the Lord not have mercy but given full justice.

• So why the contradiction?
• What's different here?
• Does Paul lack the merciful spirit of the Lord?

My first observation is that Alexander is not Paul's executioner. I do not know but I do not doubt that Paul would have prayed for God's mercy upon those involved in his death. Alexander is a protagonist. He purposefully followed Paul from Ephesus to Rome, likely to stir up hatred for Paul. He has sought to injure not only the character of Paul but the cause of Christ and will likely do it again (thus the warning to Timothy).

The rest of my of my observations come from Gill who says Paul's prayer is "from a pure zeal for the glory of God.... Without mingling his own passions with it." Whenever we pray for justice rather than mercy let it be without the mingling of our own passions. If we cannot pray for justice seeking only the glory of God and none of revenge for ourselves, if we must be passionate, let us passionately pray for mercy.