Are you familiar with the name Tychicus?
Can you even pronounce it?
TICK-e-cuss. 🙂
I’m curious today because (after a two-year COVID delay) my Bible study picks up the Book of Ephesians.
Brought to the world by Tychicus.
Thanks, Paul, for sending him along.
Basic facts about Tychicus
His name means “Fortune,” and the Apostle Paul certainly felt fortunate to know Tychicus.
He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.”
Colossians 4:7 ESV
Tychicus is listed as being from “Asia” the area now known as Turkey (or, in the past, “Asia Minor.”)
Church tradition suggests he came from Ephesus, which may have been why Paul sent him to the city with his letter to the Ephesians.
As such, Tychicus may have been one of Paul’s students during the more than two years the apostle spent preaching and teaching in Ephesus.
It’s where they probably met. Paul later refers to him as a “beloved brother.”
Some have compared Tychicus to Barnabas, another encourager for the very busy apostle.
All five references made to Tychicus in the New Testament involve him traveling either with Paul, to Paul, or from Paul.
You had to be brave to face the Mediterranean Sea in a first-century sailing ship.
By providing service to the Apostle Paul and accompanying him to Jerusalem–or at least that was the plan–he would have been a man of high integrity.
He carried messages, encouraged Paul, and served his friend well.
Paul’s Four T-friends
The Apostle Paul had four close associates whose names began with T.
Timothy, Titus, Trophimus, and Tychicus.
The four men traveled with Paul through his missionary trips, and at least two accompanied him to Rome.
Who knew the Mediterranean was such a busy place for travel in the first century–particularly between Asia and Rome?
Tychicus actually may have traveled twice between Rome and Ephesus.
Specific Travels
First appearing in Acts 20:4, Tychicus joined several others (see the painting above) to meet Paul in Troas.
They journeyed together to Jerusalem bringing a financial gift to the needy church.
About the time of Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, the apostle befriended a runaway slave named Onesimus, whose story is told in the book of Philemon.
Paul’s letter to Philemon explained the slave needed to be returned but encouraged his owner to treat Onesimus as a brother in Christ.
Paul sent him from Rome via Colosse with Tychicus.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul explained to his friend there,
Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you.
They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.”
Colossians 4: 7-9 ESV
Paul expected Onesimus to remain with his master. Tychicus, however, planned to report back to Paul in Rome.
It’s probable this trip included both the letters to the Colossians and to the Ephesians.
(Church history suggests Onesimus later became the bishop of Ephesus)
Tychicus–the Later Years
Titus 3 includes the final Biblical reference to Titus: “When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.”
Nicopolis is on Greece’s western shore.
It’s not clear what became of Tychicus after that–or if he even spent the winter in Nicopolis. Some scholars believe Paul sent him with the letter, and Tychicus returned to Ephesus to serve the church.
Legend has it he ultimately became a Bishop in one of several places: Paphos, Chalcedon, or Colophon.
Church tradition believes he was martyred for the faith in Colophon–24 miles from Ephesus.
The Catholic Church calls him St. Tychicus. His feast day on the Catholic Calendar is April 29.
Well done, good and faithful man of God.
Tweetables
Who was Tychicus? And how do you say that? Click to Tweet
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?