Tuesday, August 7, 2018 - Ephesians 6:22
Tychicus, the Beloved and Faithful Servant of
the Lord
Grace
Fellowship Church
Pastor/Teacher,
Jim Rickard
5. The
Encouragement, vs. 21-24.
Let us learn more about this man Tychicus. Entering into a study about the great worker and
soldier for God, Tychicus, Τυχικός. His name literally
means, “chance, fortunate, or fortuitous.” He is mentioned in the NT 5 times, Acts 20:4; Eph 6:21; Col 4:7; 2 Tim 4:12;
Titus 3:12.
He was from the province of Asia Minor, known as Turkey today, Acts 20:4, but we do not know for sure
which town or city. Some believe it was Ephesus because he was the courier of
the letter called Ephesians, and from 2
Tim 4:12, where Paul later sent him to Ephesus.
We do know that he was an Asiatic Christian, who became a close friend,
companion, and coworker of the apostle Paul. Tychicus accompanied Paul
into the Asiatic region at the end of the apostle’s third missionary journey, Acts 20:4.
See map
He was with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment, Eph 6:21; Col 4:7, from where the epistle
to the Colossians, the circular letter known as Ephesians, and the letter to
Philemon were written. Paul then sent Tychicus to deliver the letters and give
the churches further information about his situation in Rome. Since he
was from Asia, he was a logical choice for this task.
Tychicus was high in the confidence of Paul, but it is not known when he
was converted, or why he was in Rome. He traveled with the apostle after
Paul’s acquittal and he, or possibly Artemas, went to Crete as a relief for Titus, Titus 3:12. He later reappeared in Rome when Paul was
imprisoned there a second time, but the apostle sent Tychicus to Ephesus
shortly before his martyrdom, to relieve Timothy, 2 Tim
4:12.
Tychicus was associated with Paul for a period of 14+ years, at least 4
of which they were together. Tychicus was an example of the many faithful
servants of Christ in the early church. The apostle Paul had great confidence
in him. Tychicus was one of Paul’s outstanding fellow laborers, and a beloved
friend and brother in Christ, who was totally dependable.
“The Greeks speak of
him as one of the seventy disciples, and make him bishop of Colophon, in the
province of Asia,” (Barnes' Notes on the New Testament), which is located just north of
Ephesus.
The Catholic Encyclopedia notes, “Different
traditions make him out to be the Bishop of Colophon, Chalcedon or Neapolis in
Cyprus. Hippolytus of Rome lists Tychicus as one of the seventy disciples. His
feast is kept on 29 April.”
“This Trophimus and Tychicus,
we know from the book of the Acts, sailed away with him from Judea, and were
everywhere his companions, perhaps as being more zealous than the rest.” (Early Church Fathers
- – A Select Library of the Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian
Church.)
Tychicus was described by Paul as:
A beloved brother (AGAPETOS
ADELPHOS), Eph 6:21; Col 4:7.
A faithful minister/servant
(PISTOS DIAKONOS), Eph 6:21; Col 4:7.
A fellow servant (SUNDOULOS), Col 4:7.
These three positive commendations about him are stated.
a. Tychicus was a
“beloved brother.” He was a spiritual brother, both to Paul and the members of
the Colossian church. They and all the other believers loved him.
b. Tychicus was a
“faithful minister.” He served as Paul’s apostolic representative several times
and executed his responsibilities well. Paul could count on him without
question. Nothing negative about Tychicus is stated in Scripture.
c. He was a “fellow
servant.” Paul, Timothy, Tychicus, and others were joined together in loving
service to their heavenly master, the Lord Jesus Christ. As spiritual slaves,
they submitted their wills and ambitions to Him.
All three designations are also accompanied with the phrase,
“in the Lord,” Eph 6:21; in the
sphere of a wonderful relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. They loved the
Lord and served the Lord. Tychicus was not a slave or a natural brother to the
apostle in real life, but in his service and sacrifice for the Lord, he was a
fellow bond-servant of Christ, and spiritual brother in Christ. His service and
sacrifice are shown by the following.
Tychicus the missionary joined Paul at least during one leg of the apostle’s
third missionary journey, Acts 20:4.
Tychicus, the ambassador / messenger:
a. Was sent to Ephesus by Paul
during the apostle’s first Roman imprisonment, carrying with him the NT
Ephesian epistle, Eph 6:21.
b. Was sent to Colosse by Paul
during the apostle’s first Roman imprisonment, carrying with him the NT
Colossian epistle, Col 4:7.
c. Was sent by Paul to help Titus
in Crete between the apostle’s first and second Roman imprisonments, Titus 3:12.
d. Was sent back to Ephesus by
Paul during the apostle’s final Roman imprisonment, 2 Tim 4:12.
Tychicus, the minister:
a. He ministered to Paul during
the first Roman imprisonment, Eph 6:21;
Col 4:7.
b. He ministered to Paul during
the second and final Roman imprisonments, 2
Tim 4:12.
His Purpose
Paul “sent” Tychicus for two reasons:
a. Tychicus was to
inform the church about the circumstances surrounding the apostle’s
imprisonment, “all my affairs,” Col
4:7-8 (NASB). This same phrase is used elsewhere of his predicament and is
translated in several ways: “laid his
case,” Acts 25:14; “my
circumstances,” Eph 6:21; Phil 1:12.
In its concerns, the church had sent Epaphras to Rome to get firsthand
information, but he was imprisoned also, Philemon
23. Tychicus thus made known how God had used the imprisonment to advance
the gospel message, Phil 1:12.
b. Tychicus was to
“encourage / comfort their hearts.” The churches in Asia Minor were undoubtedly
anxious about the imprisonments of Paul and Epaphras, the confusion and
dissension, which the Judaizers produced, and the future vitality of the
church. This encouragement and comfort came from concerned, involved friends,
and from a thorough knowledge of the facts as shared with them by Tychicus.
He was sent with the letters to correct the evils which had arisen
especially at Colosse, and to warn them against the wicked doctrines which were
being promulgated amongst them. Onesimus the runaway slave, also carried the
beautiful little Epistle addressed to his master Philemon. And at the same
time, when Tychicus and Onesimus left Rome, Paul handed to Tychicus the Epistle
to the Ephesians. Never before and never after were such weighty and blessed
documents entrusted to human messengers.
As such, Tychicus was a “faithful minister,” PISTOS DIAKONOS, a termed
used in the ministry of the gospel for Paul and Apollos, 1 Cor 3:5, Epaphras, Col 1:7,
Timothy, 1 Thes 3:2, and also for
Jesus Christ, Rom 15:8, as it is for
Tychicus, Eph 6:21.
Appearance in the Bible: As noted above, Tychicus is mentioned in the NT 5
times, Acts 20:4; Eph 6:21; Col 4:7; 2
Tim 4:12; Titus 3:12.
1. In the first of these passages, Acts
20:4, his name occurs as one of a company of the friends of Paul. Acts 20:4 states that Tychicus was from
the Roman province of Asia. The Western text indicates that he was an Ephesian.
Here, Tychicus is designated a native of the province of Asia who was
with Paul in Greece and accompanied him overland to Troas at the end of the
third missionary journey.
Paul, at the close of his 3rd missionary journey, was
returning from Greece through Macedonia into Asia, with a view to go to
Jerusalem. He was on his way to
Jerusalem, “bound in the spirit,” Acts
20:22. Many scholars believe at least some of these men took the
journey to represent the churches who gave money as an offering for the poor
among the Jerusalem Christians, 1 Cor
16:3; cf. Acts 19:29; 27:2; Col 4:10; Eph 6:21, 22; 2 Tim 4:20. They were carrying the money which
had been collected for several years previous in the churches of the Gentiles,
for the help of the poor members of the church in Jerusalem, Acts 24:17. They were to see
what was done with the money and report to their home churches.
In support of this, there is much probability in the conjecture that
Tychicus was one of the two “brethren,” (Trophimus being the other), who were
associated with Titus, 2 Cor 8:16-24,
in conducting the business of the collection for the poor Christians in Judea.
The Early Church was very careful to keep good financial
accounts and just as careful to make them known to the members of the
congregation. There is no place where honesty, integrity, and openness are more
important than in the distribution of funds given by God's people for the
service of the Lord and His people.
Others, such as Unger do not think Tychicus went all the way to
Jerusalem, “He is there expressly called
(with Trophimus) a native of Asia Minor; but while Trophimus went with Paul to
Jerusalem, Acts 21:29, Tychicus was
left behind in Asia, probably at Miletus, Acts
20:15, 38.” (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary.)
In addition the Illustated Bible notes, “Who, with Trophimus, accompanied Paul on a part of his journey from
Macedonia to Jerusalem, Acts 20:4.” (Illustrated
Bible Dictionary: And Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography,
Doctrine, and Literature.)
Either way, we see Tychicus as one of several outstanding men and
servants of the Lord in service to Paul and the Church in its infancy.
2. The 2nd, as well as the 3rd passage in which the
name of Tychicus occurs is found in Eph
6:21; Col 4:7, that give the information he was with Paul in Rome during
his first imprisonment.
In both Eph 6:21-22 and Col 4:7-8, Paul calls Tychicus a
“beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord.” Paul had entrusted Tychicus
with a very important mission. He was to deliver the Epistle to the Ephesians,
that is, “the circular letter,” to the churches in proconsular Asia, to which
it was sent, giving a copy of it to the church in Laodicea, Cf. Col 4:16.
Col 4:16, “When this
letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans;
and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.”
He was then to proceed to Colosse with the Epistle to the church there.
In Colosse, Tychicus would plead the cause of Onesimus, who accompanied him
from Rome. “Under his shelter Onesimus
would be safer than if he encountered Philemon alone,” (Lightfoot, Commentary on Colossians, 314).
In Laodicea and Colosse, Tychicus would not only deliver the Epistles
from Paul, but he would also, as the apostle had written to the churches in
those places, communicate to them all information about his “state or affairs,”
that is, how things were going with him in regard to his imprisonment and
appeal to the emperor, and his hope of being soon set free. Tychicus would make
known to them all things.
In these events of Tychicus, we see him as the great emissary and
comforter that God had designed him to be.
3. While in Colossians, unable
to go to Colosse because of his imprisonment, Paul penned this epistle and sent
it to the church through Tychicus and Onesimus, Col 4:7-9. For some unknown reason, Epaphras was imprisoned along
with Paul by the Roman government, Philemon
23. Since Epaphras could not return to Colosse at this time to correct the
situation with the apostolic authority of the epistle, the task was assigned to
Tychicus. However, Paul assured the church members that Epaphras was laboring, “earnestly for you in his prayers, that you
may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God,” Col 4:12.
Thus, within eight years of the establishment of the church, Paul had to write
to this young, immature, threatened church to warn it against the errors of the
heresy, (the Judiazers), Col 2:8, 16, 20.
Onesimus was himself from Colosse, Col 4:9. He was a slave who had run away from Asia and found his
way to Rome. There, through some circumstances unknown to us, he met Paul and
was won to Christ. Thus, Paul had become his spiritual father, Philemon 10. Onesimus was willing to
return to his former master, and Paul sent him along with Tychicus, sending
also the letter of explanation to Philemon, urging him to receive his former
slave as “a beloved brother,” Philemon
16. That this intimate term is used of Onesimus suggests that the slave is
to receive the same warm greeting from the Colossian church which it would
extend to any visiting Christian.
These two servants of Christ, will not only deliver Paul’s
letters to the church in Colossae and to Philemon; they will supplement the
correspondence by word of mouth and inform Paul’s friends “about the whole situation here,” Col 4:9.
As we see from this lengthy closing salutation and others
scriptures, Paul definitely had learned the important lesson of reproducing
himself through other people. And Tychicus proved himself to be such a faithful
associate of Paul that Paul was able to send him all the way from Rome to visit
the Colossians, more than 1,000 miles, and deliver not only this important
letter, but to give additional personal accounts as well.
In both Ephesians and Colossians, the author indicates that he is sending
Tychicus to the Christians to whom he is writing, in order to encourage them.
4. Next, from a timeline perspective, we see Tychicus in the Epistle to
Titus, Titus 3:12. Along with 2 Tim 4:12, it shows us that Tychicus
was again with Paul after the appeal to the emperor had resulted in the apostle
regaining his freedom. The passage in Titus evidently refers to the interval
between Paul’s first and second Roman imprisonments, and while he was again
engaged in missionary journeys. The apostle writes to Titus, who was in Crete
in charge of the churches there, that he intended to send either Artemas or
Tychicus to him, so as to take the oversight of the work of the gospel in that
island, so that Titus might be free to come to be with Paul at Nicopolis. The
Nicopolis Paul referred to here is probably the one on the western shore of
Greece in the Roman province of Dalmatia.
Because Paul wrote he had “decided” to winter there. By his use of
“there” instead of “here” Paul showed he was not yet in Nicopolis when he wrote
this epistle. Further, he was still free to travel. This places the time of
writing between Paul's first and second imprisonments in Rome, and while he was
again engaged in missionary journeys.
Nothing is known of Artemas, but together with Tychicus they were
certainly qualified to lead churches in the proper teaching of the gospel and
mystery doctrines for the Church Age. Here, we see Tychicus as a highly
qualified Pastor-Teacher.
5. The last passage where Tychicus is mentioned occurs in 2 Timothy, which was written in Rome
not long before Paul’s execution during his 2nd imprisonment. To the
very end Paul was busy as ever in the work of the gospel; and though it would
have been a comfort to him to have his friends beside him, yet the interests of
the kingdom of Christ are uppermost in his thoughts, and he sends these friends
to help the progress of the work.
To the last, Tychicus was serviceable as ever: “Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus,” 2 Tim 4:12. As Timothy was in charge of the church in Ephesus at
this time, 1 Tim 1:3, the coming of
Tychicus would set him free, so as to enable him to rejoin Paul in Rome, as the
apostle desired him, 2 Tim 4:9, 21.
It should also be noted that at Ephesus, Tychicus would be able to visit
his old friend Trophimus, who was, at that very time, only a few miles away, at
Miletus, sick, 2 Tim 4:20.
6. It is possible that Tychicus is the brother referred to in 2 Cor 8:22, (read vs. 16-23), as one “whom we have often tested and found diligent in
many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you
… (one of) the messengers of the churches … a glory of Christ.” in conducting
the business of the collection for the poor Christians in Judea.
7. Although he is not mentioned again in Acts, it is
possible that he was one of the party designated by “we,” Acts 20:7–21:18, who accompanied Paul all the way to Jerusalem when
Paul took the collection from the Gentile churches to the needy brethren in
Jerusalem, cf. 1 Cor 16:1; Acts 24:17.
Conclusion:
The character and career of Tychicus are such that show him as being affectionate,
faithful, and worthy of the confidence given to him by Paul, who, as already
seen, sent him again and again on important work, which could be performed only
by a man of ability and of high Christian worth and experience. Thus, all that
is known regarding Tychicus fully bears out the description of his character
given by the apostle himself, that he was a beloved brother, a faithful
minister and fellow-servant in the Lord.
The main message we find in Tychicus is that we are not fighting the
battle alone. There are other believers who stand with us in the fight, and we
ought to be careful to encourage one another. Paul encouraged the Ephesians;
Tychicus was an encouragement to Paul, Acts
20:4; and Paul was going to send Tychicus to the Ephesus region to be an
encouragement to them.
Tradition holds that he died a martyr.
The Impact of a Faithful Servant:
By all accounts, Edward Kimball was really a normal man. He worked a
normal job, attended a normal church, and even faithfully taught a normal Bible
study class. One day a young man named Dwight visited his class. It was clear
Dwight didn’t know the Bible. One Saturday, as Ed was preparing his Sunday
school lesson, the Lord put a burden on his heart to visit the shoe store where
Dwight worked and share the gospel with that young man. That day a Boston shoe
clerk surrendered his life to Jesus. The clerk, Dwight L. Moody, eventually
became an evangelist.
In England in 1879, DL Moody awakened an evangelistic zeal in the heart
of Fredrick B. Meyer, pastor of a small church. F. B. Meyer, preaching to an
American college campus, brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman.
Chapman, engaged in YMCA work, employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday,
to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, N.C. A group
of local men were so enthusiastic afterward that they planned another
evangelistic campaign, bringing Mordecai Hamm to town to preach.
During Hamm’s revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel
and yielded his life to Christ. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW!
Oh how important are the Edward Kimballs of this world, the important,
significant, vital, and trustworthy men and women. Without the Edward
Kimballs…without you!, so many would not hear the wonderful Words of God!
Now, we often hear about the Dwight L. Moody’s, the Billy Sunday’s, the
Billy Grahams… but how about the Edward Kimballs? Well they faithfully plug
away behind the scenes and out of the spotlight. While focus is placed on the
great evangelist or mega church leader, the faithful servant behind the scenes
should know that he or she is the fuel and fire of the church. By the many who
are faithful, those that can be counted on, and those that fight the good fight
behind the scenes, they are the fuel that fills the church, the unsung
volunteers… diaper changers, prayer warriors, chair stackers, phone callers,
sign keeper, etc.… the workers… the
soldiers… the privates! They are the ones that keep the church going.
