Tychicus (Col. 4:7-9)

This sermon was preached on 21/7/2011

In the Bible, there are many unsung heroes who are mentioned briefly in different places. Almost every prominent Bible character has several other persons mentioned as his companions in particular periods of his life. Paul had several such persons. Concerning some of them, such as Barnabas and Silas, a great deal is said in the Book of Acts. Others, such as Epaphroditus or Epaphrus, are only mentioned briefly. Epaphroditus, who brought a gift to Paul from the church in Philippi, is described by Paul as his ‘brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier’, one whom his church should ‘receive in the Lord with all joy, and honour’ (Phil. 2:25-30; 4:18). Epaphrus was a prisoner along with Paul at this time (Phil. 23); he had brought the gospel to Colosse, and although he was presently absent from the church there, Paul assures them that Epaphrus was ‘always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God’ (Col. 1:7).

Another example is Tychicus, whom Paul describes as a ‘beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord’. These three qualities reveal a delightful Christian, one whom very believer should endeavour to emulate. If a biography had been written about Tychicus, then these descriptions would have been accurate chapter titles.

Who was Tychicus?

He is first mentioned in Acts 20 as one of the Christians who accompanied Paul to Jerusalem with the collection that had been gathered from several churches to help the suffering believers in Jerusalem. We are not told where he came from in Asia although it is reasonable to assume that he was one of Paul’s converts. By this time, he had matured enough to become a trusted delegate to the church in Jerusalem.

The next mention of his name is with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment (Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7), which indicates that he had remained with Paul after his arrest in Jerusalem and had accompanied him on his journey to Rome. These references state that he had been chosen by Paul to take his letters to the churches in Ephesus and Colosse. Another duty that he would have fulfilled at this time would have been to inform Philemon, a member of the church in Colosse, about his slave Onesimus who was travelling with Tychicus (Col. 4:9). This means that three of the books of the New Testament (Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon) were originally delivered by this unsung hero of the Christian faith.

The third mention of Tychicus occurs in Titus 3:12, where Paul mentions that he is considering sending Tychicus to replace Titus so that he can meet up with Paul. The fourth mention is 2 Timothy 4:12, where Paul once again sends him to Ephesus in order to allow Timothy to join Paul in Rome when the apostle was in prison there for the second time. Tychicus had become such an advanced Christian that he could take the place of such leaders as Titus and Timothy.

Paul’s sacrificial spirit

Paul was facing a possible period of personal trouble because of his impending trial before Caesar. Yet although he was in a situation of individual need he was willing to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of Christ’s kingdom. He showed his willingness by sending this accomplished Christian to help the Christians in Asia Minor.

This is a reminder that mature believers are constantly being tested by God as to whom they will put first in their lives. Usually it does not narrow down to a selection between a right choice and a wrong alternative. Instead it is more often a preference between our personal comfort and the benefit of Christ’s kingdom. Such a demand is not easy to meet because the Bible tells us to be thankful for God’s blessings in providence. It also tells us to make suitable provision for one’s own needs and those of one’s family.

Why was Paul able to pass this test? Because he had learned that Christ was able to supply all his needs (Phil. 4:19). Jesus had supplied such a need several years previously when he gave Tychicus to Paul as a friend. But Jesus had done this on many occasions, not only with the provision of companions, but also in giving support and help in many other ways.

Because of this constant supply, Paul was prepared to share these blessings with other Christians. Focussing on God the permanent giver helped destroy the roots of selfishness in Paul’s heart. He realised that sacrifice was an opening for receiving further blessings from God.

Paul’s strategic selection

As Paul thought whom he should send as the bearer of these letters, he was drawn to Tychicus, and his choice was based on his spiritual qualities and his national background. The former is the more important, although the latter is not insignificant. Tychicus was from the province of Asia (one ancient text says that he was from Ephesus), and had been the representative of these churches when the collection was taken to the church in Jerusalem. Further, it is very likely that the church in Colosse had been planted from Ephesus during Paul’s long period of evangelism and church planting there. Tychicus’ testimony would be more acceptable to the individuals in Colosse than would that of a person from another part of the world.

Tychicus’ spiritual qualities were very clear. We see some of them in the threefold description of a brother, a minister and a servant; we see two others in Paul’s expectation that Tychicus would both describe things as they were in Rome and encourage the hearts of his listeners. Tychicus knew how to speak as a Christian leader; his choice of words in describing Paul’s circumstances would also comfort his listeners. Paul himself had experienced these features of Tychicus’ character during the difficult periods he had experienced in recent years.

There are two lessons worth noting in this regard. First, we should make it our aim to encourage other believers. This is a Godlike characteristic: ‘May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another’ (Rom. 15:5). ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Jesus comforted his distressed disciples in the Upper Room by promising to them that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit, whom he describes as the Comforter. Writing to the Thessalonians, Paul reminded them of the importance of mutual encouragement: ‘Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing’ (1 Thess. 5:11); ‘And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all’ (1 Thess. 5:14).

Second, we should choose as close friends those who will give us spiritual encouragement. This was the striking feature of Barnabas, Paul’s companion on his first missionary journey (Acts 4:36). Although that partnership failed because of their disagreement over John Mark, Paul was blessed by receiving another Barnabas, the man called Tychicus. Under God, he would have been a source of comfort for Paul during these difficult days.

Paul had a third reason for sending Tychicus, which was the need for a credible person to vouch for the change in Onesimus, the runaway slave whom Paul was sending back to Philemon. Tychicus would have been an encouragement to Onesimus as they made the long journey from Rome. The miles of that journey would have been happy ones for both travellers as they thought of the blessings of the Christian faith described by Paul in the letters they were carrying.

Paul’s striking character sketch

Paul gives three descriptive details of his friend Tychicus: a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant, with each of these relationships being ‘in the Lord’. These are a wonderful combination of graces, and their wonder is enhanced when we recall that the relationship of Paul and Tychicus illustrates what Jesus had done in bringing Jews and Gentiles together (Eph. 2:11-17). In their pre-Christian days Paul and Tychicus would have had nothing to do with one another. Now their lives were entwined.

The first detail is that Tychicus is Paul’s beloved brother. Obviously, this reminds us that Christians belong to the same family, that they are the children of God. Adoption into God’s family is the height of spiritual blessing. The basic outlook of a family is love and that is true of God’s family. Love is expressed towards God and is also expressed towards one another.

What are some of the benefits of loving one another as Christians? First, it gives a sense of assurance that we are saved: ‘We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers’ (1 John 3:14), with the context making clear that John has sacrificial love in mind.

Second, it gives protection from falling into sin: ‘Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling’ (1 John 2:10). The context makes it clear that failure to love fellow Christians results in spiritual blindness, that loveless believers cannot see dangers lying in their path. Such Christians are easy prey for the evil one.

Thirdly, it makes our evangelism credible: ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (John 13:34-35).

Tychicus was dear to Paul because he saw true love displayed by his friend. Connected to this delight that Paul experienced was his awareness that Tychicus was dependable, revealing his trustworthiness as he functioned as Paul’s faithful minister. In Colossians 4:7 Paul uses two words that can be translated as ‘servant’: one is the term translated ‘deacon’ (also used in Ephesians 6:21) and the other term means ‘slave’.

By diakonos (minister), Paul probably refers to the personal role that Tychicus performed on the apostle’s behalf as his delegate or representative – he had proved himself faithful over the years that Paul had known him. By sundoulos, Paul describes both of them as slaves of a common Master. Each of them had individual roles to perform as slaves of Christ, and Paul affirms that Tychicus did his role well.

In this third description, that of slave, we have the key to Christian service. Tychicus served Paul, but Paul was not his master. He served Paul because Jesus wanted him to do so. Because he loved Christ and desired to serve him, he also lovingly served Paul. Love to his Master led him to be faithful to his other servants.

As we come to the close of this study, it may be useful to ask ourselves two questions. The first question is, ‘What do we say about other Christians?’ Do we highlight their positive contributions or their failures? Connected to that first question is a second one, which is perhaps more searching: ‘What would another Christian say about us based on the way we interact with them?’