The Tragic Desertion of Demas

While in his last days in a Roman prison before trial and death, Paul writes his second letter to his spiritual son Timothy in the lowest mood and spirit Paul had ever been.

In 2 Timothy 4 v 9 and 10 Paul writes:

"(9) Do your best to come to me quickly, (10) for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia."

Paul only makes mention of Demas on three occasions in his writings,

First sending greetings to Philmon, in Philmon 1 v 24 "......And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers."

Second in Colosians 4 v 14 also sending Demas's greetings to the church there.

In this third instance, Demas moves in the eyes of Paul from being a "fellow worker" and right hand man to a lover of the world who has deserted him. The lure of the world became so irresistible to Demas that he deserted Paul and the ministry at a time when Paul needed him the most. This brings to picture the teachings of Jesus Christ when he said no one man can love two masters at the same time. He will love the other and hate the other.

If you have ever been deserted by someone you always considered faithful and a comrade to a cause you will understand very well how Paul was let down by Demas. Paul fails to comprehend how his long-time colleague and confidante who has been with him in fighting the world has suddenly fallen in love with the very world they have been fighting. To this Paul appears to be seeing an end to his cause without his right hand man Demas.

MDC deputy director of planning, strategy and implementation, Joshua Mhambi cites the above verse in his Facebook update of today as his comment on the departure from the party of policy guru and long-time friend Qhubani Moyo who resigned from the party recently. This update has left a hell lot people confused and failing to understand what he could be talking about.

"In one of my contributions to a debate about Q Moyo's (Former Policy "Guru") in my party resignation I made reference to a I Timothy 4:10. The reference was wrong. Knowing how lazy we are in opening, later on (let alone) reading the Bible, I will quote it from several versions of the Bible. II Timothy 4:10 "For Demas has deserted me, 1. because he loves things of the world, 2. in love with the present world, 3. having loved the world 4. since he loves the present age, 5. loving, as he does, the present age - and has gone to Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia." Let the scripture speak for itself." Wrote Mhambi quoting from five versions of the Bible on Demas' desertion of Paul.

What conclusions can be drawn from this sentiment since the scriptures speak so varied to different people?

Is Mhambi suggesting that his old time friend from their days at ZAPU 2000, ZAPU, Imbovane yamahlabezulu to the MDC and other groups they worked in together so much to fight against ZANU PF has fallen in love with the same ZANU PF? Former fellow worker Demas now relegated to lover of the world?

Is Mhambi also like Paul hinting that the betrayal he has suffered in the hands of his once right hand man is also the end of his part in the movement? Paul in the verses above this one sends a clear message to Timothy that he has run his race and knows he is coming to the end of it. Could Mhambi also be hinting that he is also approaching the end of his race in opposition politics? Well off course his end is surely not following his Demas to love the world but exciting with dignity with having run a good race, one can only be left to hope so.

Paul had his Demas, Jesus his Judas, who both deserted them at the thick of things for the love of the world. Is Qhubani Moyo's great desertion of Joshua Mhambi (for the love of presumably Jonathan Moyo and maybe ZANU PF) equitable to the great desertion of Paul by Demas and Jesus by Judas? Has Qhubani Moyo sold out on their long time agenda with Mhambi? Will Mhambi be able to stand with out his right hand man?

Let the scriptures speak and time will tell.