Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. — Most probably, the same Alexander, mentioned in the First Epistle (1 Timothy 1:20) “as delivered to Satan,” and not improbably identical with the Alexander “the Jew” put forward by the Jews in the Ephesian tumult. (Acts 19:33-34).
It has been suggested that this Alexander, an influential Ephesian Jew, had done much injury to the cause of the Christians generally, and to St. Paul personally, with the imperial authorities at Rome.
The Lord reward him according to his works. — The older authorities read, “shall reward him...” The works referred to were the bitter injuries he had done to the cause of Christ, rather than to the Apostle himself.