An older Paul writes this final letter to Timothy from a Roman prison. Paul knew that this letter might be his final contact with Timothy. His execution was most likely imminent. He implored Timothy to come quickly to his side. But in case he didn't make it, Paul writes these "last words" of encouragement to his proclaimed son in the faith.
Second Timothy is an intensely personal letter both in it's nature and in it's tone. He writes to strengthen Timothy's loyalty to Christ in the face of the suffering and persecution that would come.
Paul had been imprisoned at a time when Christians were being persecuted. Christians were being blamed for having started a tragic fire that decimated most of Rome in July of 64 AD. Called 'the great fire' it burned for six days and seven nights and destroyed famous buildings and sacred shrines as well as many homes. People were killed and injured. Left homeless and destitute.
Some believe that the emperor Nero himself started the fire so that he could build a new and nobler Rome. Some say he watched the fire from the Tower of Maecenas. Others that he played the fiddle or a lyre while Rome burned. (unfortunately the fiddle had not been created yet) Some historians believe that he was out of town when the fire started but that he had rushed back to Rome to lead the relief efforts even funding repairs with his own money and opening his own palaces for the displaced. Regardless of his role in the fire, Nero had a solution. Blame the Christians. And it was from this event that a great persecution of Christians sprang.
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