Meaning of the Name 'Alexander'

[Silence]

I was reading in 2 Timothy the other day and when I got to 4:14, I decided to look up the name 'Alexander' in my Strong's concordance. I found it means "defender of man". Then I began to wonder, who or what would an 'alexander' be defending man from? Wild beasts? Evil? Satan? God? I was also interested in the fact that this verse mentions Alexander "the coppersmith" and when Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the Greek empire (that Alexander the Great led) was symbolized by brass or copper. Paul says that the Alexander he dealt with did him much harm. It seems that the Greek empire also did the Jewish nation much harm in a cultural and spiritual sense. I was just wondering if anyone else has had any thoughts or questions on this topic.

[shawn]

My 2 cents worth....

Of course, I believe these are historical places and people to which Paul addressed. There is a natural meaning as well as a spiritual one.....especially one for today. For example the "cloak" left at "Troas" with "Carpus".....yes, he must have left a cloak there with a guy named Carpus 2000 years ago ....but Paul knew this had much more meaning to his gospel for us in the Spirit today. The "cloak" refers to a mantle which you wear on the outside of your clothing and comes from the word "phaino" which means to "lighten, show, appear"....this is the spiritual wisdom contained in Paul's letters....his "cloak." It was left at "Troas" which means "penetrated"...which the wisdom of Paul finally is revealed....the plain meaning is "penetrated" and shows forth the spiritual. "Carpus" means "fruit"....we are to be fruitful with the revealed wisdom....and with the "books" and the "parchments" which I speculate are the rest of the Scriptures.

(2 Tim 4:13 KJV) The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

"Alexander"...the "defender of man".....defends man's wisdom of the Scriptures. He is a "coppersmith" and refers to all those Christian leaders who fabricate doctrines of men to imprison those they lead astray. Paul tells all those today (the "Timothys" of today who are "valuable to God" with the Truth) to beware of those who resist the revealed Truth....the Lord will reward those according to their "works".....the "coppersmith" works doctrines of men.

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

In the past, all men forsook Paul's letters by misunderstanding....and will be forgiven for it. We have all gone astray...we have all taken part in the great misunderstanding of Paul....for in his letters are an abundance of revelations of which we just now beginning to understand.

16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

But now with the revealed Truth....the "cloak" that is "penetrated" with "fruit"...we might fully know his spiritual meanings....for God stands with him and strengthened his letters for man to understand and bear fruit. His message is delivered out of the mouth of the lion....out of the messenger of Satan"s understanding of the literalness of Paul's letters.

17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

For Paul expects us to be fruitful with his work once it is revealed:

(Phil 4:17 KJV) Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

It is in the revealed word of Truth of the gospel for us today that we bear fruit...and we learn it through "Epaphras"..."devoted to Aphrodite" which are those who preach the revealed Truth to the church...those who are devoted to wisdom.

(Col 1:5 KJV) For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

For Paul knew that one day we would filled with the knowledge ("epignosis" = "full discernment") of His will in ALL WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING....apart from the earthly understanding of the Scriptures.

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;


Shawn

[Silence]

Shawn,
Thanks for your reply. Fabricating and works are two ways man tries to defend himself. After forgetting about this subject for a few days I realized that "copper" or "brass" is also a tie to the nachash of Genesis 3 (nechusha means brass or copper in Hebrew and is closely related tothe word nachash) The first coppersmith in the bible is Tubal-Cain. And although it isn't spelled out in the bible, the first "defender of man" in the bible was Nimrod. From what I have read, supposedly he got his start by hunting wild animals that were attacking men. He also made the Lord out to be the bad guy and 'hunted' men as recruits (and subjects) to protect them from Him. It is interesting how many negative things are tied to Alexander the coppersmith.
I have also heard that the 'cloak' that Paul spoke of can also mean a covering that is put around scrolls to protect them. Which also fits with the idea of Paul's writings being 'veiled'.

[gilgal]

I was reading in 2 Timothy the other day and when I got to 4:14, I decided to look up the name 'Alexander' in my Strong's concordance. I found it means "defender of man". Then I began to wonder, who or what would an 'alexander' be defending man from? Wild beasts? Evil? Satan? God? I was also interested in the fact that this verse mentions Alexander "the coppersmith" and when Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the Greek empire (that Alexander the Great led) was symbolized by brass or copper. Paul says that the Alexander he dealt with did him much harm. It seems that the Greek empire also did the Jewish nation much harm in a cultural and spiritual sense. I was just wondering if anyone else has had any thoughts or questions on this topic.
When I read Daniel 8 and 10 (I don't remember where) Alexander came to be the hero when the Persians were expanding their empire. So in that case his name would fit his calling, that he defended men.