Paul means that the believers of Asia Minor — the region of western Turkey where he had founded many churches — turned away from him, and from the gospel of grace he had preached to them.
In Paul's terminology, 'Asia' was Asia Minor, the western half of modern Turkey, where Paul had established churches at Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. Les Feldick explains that all these congregations which Paul had founded in the gospel of grace and in the knowledge of the mysteries had now turned aside from him, with Phygellus and Hermogenes leading the opposition. Scripture does not specify the exact form the turning away took, but the defection was real and deeply painful to Paul.
2 Timothy 1:15 — This is the exact verse in question — Paul's statement that all those in Asia turned away from him, naming Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Second Timothy 1:15 records Paul's words to Timothy: 'This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.' The verse itself states the fact plainly — the believers of Asia had turned away from Paul — and names two individuals connected with that turning away. The immediate context shows Paul writing of his own suffering for the gospel and of his confidence in spite of it: 'For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day' (2 Timothy 1:12). The passage then moves directly to the charge about the 'good thing' committed to Timothy: 'That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us' (2 Timothy 1:14). Scripture does not in this verse explain exactly in what manner or for what precise reason the Asian believers turned away. The text simply reports the fact of the defection, which stands in contrast to the faithful stewardship Timothy is urged to exercise.
Les Feldick explains that when Paul says 'all they which are in Asia,' he is not speaking of the modern continent of Asia but of Asia Minor — in Paul's terminology, the western half of what we now know as Turkey. This was the region where Paul had established so many churches: Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia, all in what Scripture calls Asia or Asia Minor. Les then draws out the force of the statement: all of these congregations that Paul had founded in his gospel of grace and in the knowledge of the mysteries had now turned aside from him, with Phygellus and Hermogenes as the leaders of the defection. Les places this in the context of Paul's suffering — his chief opposition came from Jewish believers and those steeped in Judaism, but ultimately it was satanic power from every direction, because Satan did not want the gospel going to the Gentile world. Yet in spite of all his difficulties and sorrow, Paul was not ashamed, for he knew whom he had believed. Les's wider teaching on the region shows why such a turning away could happen: the churches of Asia Minor were besieged by Judaizers who insisted believers could not be saved unless they kept the Jewish Law, and many believers were falling for it, because works always appeals to the human intellect. While 2 Timothy 1:15 does not spell out the exact form of the Asian defection, this is the spiritual battle that raged in the very churches Paul had founded.
Les Feldick points out that in Paul's terminology Asia was not the entire continent of Asia as we know it today. It was the western half of Turkey as we know it — the region Scripture calls Asia or Asia Minor. This is where the apostle established many of his churches, including Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. When Paul says 'all they which are in Asia,' he is referring to these congregations of Asia Minor.
Les explains that the Asian believers had been turned away from Paul — and evidently from the gospel he preached. He says, 'All of these congregations that he had founded in his gospel of grace and in the knowledge of the mysteries had now turned aside.' The exact manner of their turning away is not spelled out in the text, but the fact of it is stated plainly, and Paul names Phygellus and Hermogenes as the leaders of those who turned against him. For Paul this was a deep personal heartache, since these were the churches he had planted and nurtured.
In the same passage Paul writes, 'For the which cause I also suffer these things' (2 Timothy 1:12). Les explains that Paul's chief opposition came from Jewish sources — believing Jews as well as those still steeped in Judaism — but it was even more than that: it was satanic power from every direction. Satan did not want the gospel going to the Gentile world, so Paul suffered on every side. Yet, as Les emphasizes, in spite of all his difficulties and sickness and sorrow, Paul never doubted the God he served. He said, 'I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.' The turning away of Asia was part of that larger spiritual opposition, yet it did not shake Paul's confidence.
Immediately before the words about Asia, Paul tells Timothy, 'That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us' (2 Timothy 1:14). Les comments on this verse in the same context of Paul's suffering and confidence, noting that the good thing was committed to Timothy to keep. The sorrowful example of the Asian believers' turning away stands in contrast to the faithful stewardship Timothy was commanded to exercise.
Les describes how news came back to Paul that the churches he had established there in Asia Minor were being besieged by Judaizers — teachers who insisted believers could not be saved unless they kept the Jewish Law, including circumcision. The believers were falling for it, because, as Les puts it, 'works always appeals to the human intellect.' When Paul got word that the Galatian believers were turning back under legalism, he wrote to them urgently despite his poor eyesight. This is the picture Les gives of the spiritual battle in the very region Paul says had turned away from him.
Paul's Suffering and Unshaken Confidence
Les shows the context of Paul's suffering: his chief opposition came from the Jew — believing Jews as well as those steeped in Judaism — plus satanic power from every direction, because Satan did not want the gospel going to the Gentile world. Yet despite it all, Paul was not ashamed, for he knew whom he had believed.
The Defection in Asia Explained
Les directly explains 2 Timothy 1:15: 'Asia' is the western half of Turkey — Asia Minor — where Paul planted churches like Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. He teaches that all these congregations founded in the gospel of grace had turned aside from Paul, with Phygellus and Hermogenes as the leaders of the opposition.
Why Paul Said "We Are Not Ignorant of Satan's Devices" — 2 Corinthians 2:11
Paul has been ministering in western Turkey, which was then Asia Minor, and he had now gone up to Choas from the area of Derbe and Lystra, and then he had intended to go back to northern Turkey through the area around the Black Sea, and then hence to Asia. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia.
Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's
That if these Jewish believers at Jerusalem would have succeeded in putting Paul down and stopping his ministry among the Gentiles, which is what they really wanted to do, what would have happened to our chances for salvation? We wouldn't have any. And that's exactly what he's saying. He withstood all this pressure that the Gentiles might continue to receive this Gospel of grace.
The Wages of Sin vs. the Gift of God — Romans 6:23 Explained
For they themselves, in other words, the people up there in northern Greece and southern Greece, that's Macedonia and Achaia, for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how—here it comes—and how you turned to God from what? See that? Now Thessalonica was up there in northern Greece, not too far from Philippi, and every place that Paul gained converts, this would…
The Judaizer Pressure on Asia Minor
Les describes the Judaizer siege on the churches Paul established in Asia Minor: believers were told they had to keep the Jewish Law and be circumcised, and they were falling for it because works appeals to the human intellect — the spiritual battle raging in the very region Paul says turned away from him.
Do Everything for the Glory of God — 1 Corinthians 10:31 Explained
And immediately then began his ministry amongst the Gentiles. And so his ministry just continued, and it went west across Asia Minor, which is present day Turkey, and then over the Aegean Sea into Greece where of course Corinth is. And so he says, I delivered unto you that which also I received. And here�s what he received. How that Christ died for our sins.
What Does It Mean to Be "All Things to All Men"? — 1 Corinthians 9
Now let's pick up in verse 19 for the few moments we have left, and remembering in our timeline, we're back here still in the period of the Acts, and Paul is writing these various letters to all the churches there in Asia Minor and Greece, and we are still using them now then of course to complete the Body of Christ, to bring Gentiles as well as some Jews out of their lostness and into a knowledge…
2 Timothy 1:15: This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
The verse that directly records the Asian believers' turning away from Paul.
2 Timothy 1:12: For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Paul's declaration of confidence in God even while suffering — the immediate context of his mention of Asia's defection.
2 Timothy 1:14: That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
Paul's charge to Timothy to faithfully keep the gospel deposit — the faithful contrast to the Asian believers who turned away.
In Paul's day, Asia referred to Asia Minor — the western half of what we now know as Turkey. Les Feldick notes that this was the region where Paul established churches such as Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. It is not the modern continent of Asia.
Phygellus and Hermogenes are named in 2 Timothy 1:15 as the ones 'of whom' the Asian defectors were. Les Feldick identifies them as the leaders of those who turned away from Paul. Scripture gives no further information about them in this passage.
The Bible records the fact of their turning away but does not specify the exact form it took. Les's teaching on the region shows the churches of Asia Minor were under heavy pressure from Judaizers who insisted believers keep the Jewish Law to be saved, and many believers were falling for that teaching because works appeals to the human intellect.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Suffering and Glory