As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
Timothy's superintendence of the church at Ephesus was as temporary overseer, locum tenens, for the apostle. Thus the office at Ephesus and (Titus 1:5) Crete, in the absence of the presiding apostle, subsequently became a permanent institution on the removal, by death, of the apostles who heretofore superintended the churches. The first title of these overseers was "angels" (Revelation 1:20).
As I besought thee to abide. He meant to add, 'so I still beseech thee;' but does not complete the sentence until virtually, not formally, at 1 Timothy 1:18.
At Ephesus. Paul, in Acts 20:25, declared to the Ephesian elders, "I know that ye all shall see my face no more." If, then, as the arguments favour (see 'Introduction'), this letter was written subsequently to Paul's first imprisonment, the meaning of his prophecy was, not that he should never visit Ephesus again (which this verse implies be did), but that 'they all should see his face no more.' This verse is hardly compatible with Birks' theory, that Paul did not actually visit Ephesus, though in its immediate neighbourhood (cf. 1 Timothy 3:14; 1 Timothy 4:13).
I besought - a mild word, instead of authoritative command, to Timothy, as a fellow-helper.
Some - slightly contemptuous (Galatians 2:12; Jude 1:4) (Ellicott).
Teach no other doctrine - than what I have taught (Galatians 1:6-9). His prophetic bodings years before (Acts 20:29-30) were now being realized (cf. 1 Timothy 6:3).