I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
Summary: Why is Tychicus going to Ephesus? Paul has given him a mission. Knowing his mission helps us understand what was on Paul’s mind when he wrote his letter to Ephesus.
As a commanding general in God’s army of ambassadors for the Gospel, Paul uses those loyal to him for important work. Tychicus is on a mission.
Paul had sent Timothy on a mission to Ephesus, too. Timothy’s mission was very different than Tychicus’s. Timothy was sent to “stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies” (1 Timothy 1: 3-4).
Another time, Paul sent Titus on a different mission. Titus was left on the island of Crete by Paul. His mission was to “put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you” (Titus 1:5).
Paul wanted to be everywhere at once, but he couldn’t. That is God’s territory. So he did the next best thing. He sent trusted representatives to handle the tasks he couldn’t do himself. As noted earlier, Paul was in chains when he sent Tychicus on his mission. Being confined to one place turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
A blessing?
Yes.
Being imprisoned forced Paul to write down his revelations from Jesus (Galatians 1:12), and because of this, God made sure that his instructions for his church were recorded for all time.
So what was Tychicus’s mission?
Tychicus was to tell the Ephesians how Paul and his companions were, and to encourage them.
Why would they need to be encouraged?
In one of the strangest non-fiction twists in history, Paul went from being the enemy of all Christendom to being the guiding light for all Gentiles who believed. Instead of being feared, Paul was now looked to for comfort and guidance.
With Paul in prison, the Gentile churches were, no doubt, alarmed. What had happened to Paul could happen to them. The enemy (Ephesians 6:12) was on the prowl, and believers everywhere would have been concerned.
As we see in Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, he does not want them to be afraid. Instead, he wants them to be confident and courageous. Armed with every spiritual armor and weapon, Paul is equipping and training the Army of God for battle.
Tychicus’s mission is to testify to Paul’s well-being in the Lord. To reassure the Ephesians that God has not abandoned Paul, nor has he abandoned them.
Application: Be encouraged!
Food for Thought: If you lived in Ephesus at the time of Tychicus’s visit, what would you want to know about Paul?
Interesting question brother. What would I want to know about Paul? Besides which football team he routed for – perhaps I would want to know the larger story of his past. I would want to know more about his tutelage under Gamaliel and his family upbringing and how God used that to prepare him for service. This question can go almost anywhere.
Hmmm…
Instead of football, I think the most popular sport was Christians vs The Lions. I’m pretty sure Paul wasn’t cheering for the Lions! 🙂
I, also would like to know more about Paul’s upbringing and Hebrew background. One of the most fascinating things to me about the scriptures is the way that the Old Testament saints worshipped the long awaited Savior; yet, Saul was unable to see the Savior until He blinded him. That blinding was such an eye opener for Saul. I would love to know more about the Hebrew faith and why most “religious” Jews can’t see Him today.
JEC
The irony of someone not “seeing” until they are “blinded” is eye-opening. Unfortunately, all of us suffer from some kind of blindness.
11-21-2023, If you lived in Ephesus at the time of Tychicus’s visit, what would you want to know about Paul?
It is interesting to see, just as Jesus organized the 5,000 and the handling of the food for distribution prior to their being fed, Paul is now organizing the church to function effectively as the body of Christ in his absence. I would like to know what I could pray for, and I might ask what could physically do to help.
Thanks Ron!
Great questions!