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Tychicus: The Overlooked Friend

Tychicus is mentioned five times in the New Testament. 

  1. Acts 20:4

    These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea, Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.

  2. Ephesians 6:21

    But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things.

  3. Colossians 4:7

    All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.

  4. 2 Timothy 4:12

    But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

  5. Titus 3:12

    When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there.

    The Acts text tells how Tychicus became part of Paul's retinue. The Colossians and Ephesians verses state that Tychicus will give the recipients more information about Paul's status in prison; Tychicus will be bearing the letter. The last two references show Paul's dependence on him. 

    I find it interesting that Paul does not put his real status in prison in a document and trust Tychicus to do so. Tychicus would also probably help interpret anything that was unclear to them. I am a text person; I like texts, I read texts, I create texts. They can continue, be copied, last a long time. But . . . Paul did not depend on a text to do all his work. He depended on a human. This revelation spoke to me; my desire to create and live in texts has limited value with most of my relationships. People come first. If I do not have a trusting relationship with people, what I do in textual form is weakened. 


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