Learn about Archippus Archippus is mentioned twice in the Bible, both times in letters from Paul. First, in the letter to Philemon, Archippus is one of the addressees and is called “a fellow soldier.” Then in Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae, he inserts a personal message to Archippus. Paul says, “See to it […]
Paul Affirms Tychicus as a Dear Friend, Faithful Minister, and Servant of God Tychicus is a character in the Bible who most people don’t know. His name occurs only five times, once in Acts and four times in Paul’s letters. The letter to the Colossian church is one example. Each time Tychicus’s name is mentioned, […]
Learn More about Aristarchus Another of Paul’s friends, mentioned in his letter to Philemon, is Aristarchus. We first hear of him in Acts. We learn that he is a Macedonian from Thessalonica who is traveling with Paul on one of his missionary journeys. Later, when Paul is sent to Rome as a prisoner, faithful Aristarchus […]
Learn More about Barsabbas Barsabbas is by no means a familiar character in the Bible. In fact, he is only mentioned twice—both times in the book of Acts. What makes him an intriguing fellow is his character and integrity. You see, Barsabbas, along with Matthias, were both considered to become Judas’s replacement, to become the […]
Learn More about Demas Whereas John-Mark had an early collapse and then made a comeback, Demas started strong but ended in failure. He began well. In Paul’s letter to Philemon, Demas is called a co-worker and in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Demas sends his greetings. Clearly he was involved with Paul’s ministry in a […]
Learn More about John Mark There is an interesting story that begins in Acts 13. From it we can learn about the life of John Mark. God tells the church to commission and send out Barnabas and Paul to other cities, telling the people they meet about Jesus. They do this, taking with them John […]
The letter to Philemon ends with a list of supporting players who send their greetings and implicitly endorse Paul’s missive of reconciliation. First up is Epaphras, who by being singled out, stands alone in noteworthy acclaim. Simply and succinctly, Paul notes that Epaphras is “my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.” The Bible only contains two […]
Discover How People in the New Testament React to God’s Good News Jesus Was Loved. He Was Hated. But He Was Never Ignored. Some people think Jesus was easy-going. Hardly. Everything he did and said sparked passionate reaction. He polarized people. Some adored Jesus to the point of dying for him. But those who feared […]
The Runaway Slave The focus of Paul’s letter to Philemon is Onesimus, the runaway slave. Ironically, Onesimus means “useful.” After Onesimus flees, he encounters Jesus through Paul. Paul mentors the escaped slave and the two begin working together. However, it is not right for him to remain with Paul—even though what they are doing is […]
The Bible tells the story of a rich young ruler who asks Jesus the question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” His use of the word inherit is interesting—and a bit confounding. His question implies that salvation is inherited. Is this a misconception of the man posing the question? Surely we cannot inherit […]