The Companion Who Loved This Present World
The inspired Word of God reserves a special, sorrowful place for those who, having put their hand to the plough, ultimately turn back. Demas is the definitive biblical example of this spiritual declension. His name appears only three times in the New Testament, tracing a brief, disastrous trajectory from a faithful companion of the Apostle Paul to a man whose love for the world proved greater than his love for Christ.
I. The Trusted Co-Labourer
Demas first appears in two of Paul’s Epistles written during his first Roman imprisonment (circa A.D. 60–62). At this point, he is counted among the highest echelon of Paul’s co-workers—a trusted figure who assisted the Apostle in the propagation of the Gospel.
- In Philemon: Demas is listed alongside Paul’s dearest ministry partners:”There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.” (Philemon 1:23-24, KJV)
- In Colossians: He is again listed with the prominent figures of the ministry:”Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.” (Colossians 4:14, KJV)
During this period, Demas was a man of good repute, actively engaged in the mission of the Gospel, willing to suffer the stigma of association with a chained Apostle. He stood, apparently, on the right side of the truth.
II. The Tragic Departure
The definitive and most heartbreaking mention of Demas occurs years later, toward the very end of Paul’s life, when the Apostle was facing a far more severe second imprisonment, likely knowing his execution was imminent. It is in this final letter, written from the depths of a Roman prison, that Paul delivers the concise, devastating verdict on his former companion:
“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.” (II Timothy 4:10, KJV)
The contrast is stark: Paul was abandoned by one who once stood with him. The reason for the departure is not an external persecution, a physical threat, or a theological dispute, but a fatal internal failure: he “loved this present world” ($agapēsas$ $ton$ $nyn$ $aiōna$).
This phrase is a powerful theological condemnation. The “present world” (nyn aiōna) refers not just to the physical earth, but to the entire spiritual, cultural, and material system of this age, which is set in opposition to Christ. Demas chose comfort, safety, material gain, or the acceptance of society over the fellowship of suffering with Christ and the certain hope of His return.
III. The Enduring Caution
Demas remains an eternal caution for all believers who aspire to the Lord’s Return. His story proves that great access to truth and deep fellowship with apostles are no guarantee of perseverance. The danger is not always open heresy or persecution, but the subtle, creeping affection for the transient world—the love of material security, ease, and temporal pleasure—which ultimately chokes the seed of the Gospel.
He stands as the negative example of the warning delivered by the Apostle John:
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (I John 2:15, KJV)
Demas chose Thessalonica—a prominent city of commerce and worldly opportunity—over Rome and the path of the cross. His example is the stark warning: the greatest threat to a faithful finish is the desire to cling to the temporary comforts of the age that is passing away.