Bible in One Year Day 349 (Acts 28, Philippians 1-2, Proverbs 29:25-27)

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Day 349:  Holy Indifference 

Agape Bible Study Acts 28

Chapter 28: The End of the Journey

Acts 28:1-10 ~ Shipwrecked on Malta

The traditional site where Paul and his shipmates landed is called "St. Paul's Bay" on the island of Malta. The ancient name was Melita. The native peoples are not Greek, and in the Greek text St. Luke uses the words "the barbarians" [hoi barbaroi] for the natives of the island. Luke is a typical Greek in regarding anyone who cannot speak Greek or who does not practice Greek customs as culturally inferior. Yet, Luke is quick to admit that the people showed them unusually humane treatment.

Question: What does Paul's action in gathering firewood in verse 3 demonstrate about his character?
Answer: Paul did not expect people to serve or wait on him. He was willing to work with his hands in order to serve the needs of others. He demonstrates the true character a servant of Christ as expressed by Jesus in Luke 22:24-27.

Acts 28:11-16 ~ Arrival in Rome

This is their second Alexandrian ship (see 27:6). The Dioscuri figurehead on the ship was an image of the "Twin Brothers," Castor and Pollux, the mythological sons of Zeus and the patron protector of sailors. 

Acts 28:17-29 ~ St. Paul's Testimony to the Jews in Rome

Luke has given a series of three days or months in chapter 28 (28:7, 11 [months], 12, 15, 17).
As has always been Paul's practice, he goes to the Jews to first offer the Gospel message of salvation that had been promised to them by God from the time of Abraham. He is completely open with them concerning his arrest and current situation in Rome. The Jewish community in Rome has heard about the Christian movement, but they have had no letters from the Jews of Jerusalem about Paul and are therefore willing to come to his lodgings and listen to him.

Acts 28:30-31 ~ Conclusion

Acts ends with Paul's arrival in Rome as a captive without giving an account of what became of Paul there. Paul is now nearing the completion of his commissioning to preach the Gospel of salvation in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the "ends of the earth." Rome is the jumping off point to fulfill the last part of his mission. We know that while Paul was in prison he constantly received visitors and taught the Church of Rome during his incarceration; he continued to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone who came into contact with him (Acts 28:30). Paul described himself as an "ambassador in chains" in his letter to the Ephesians (Eph 6:20, also see Phil 1:7, 13). This is the reason he is given credit along with St. Peter for founding the Church in Rome. He also wrote a number of letters during either his imprisonment in Caesarea or during his first Roman captivity. Those letters that survived and are included in the New Testament canon are called his "Prison Epistles." They include letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. In 2 Timothy 4:16-17 he wrote about his first imprisonment and how he was rescued from "the lion's mouth," which Paul probably meant literally as well as figuratively since condemned prisoners were often fed to wild beasts in the Roman coliseum. 

It is possible from his last letters and the testimony of the early Church Fathers to reconstruct some of St. Paul's life between his two Roman imprisonments. The letters sent during his last Roman imprisonment to Sts. Timothy and Titus contains several references to places Paul visited that are not recorded in Acts. He apparently had a mission to Crete (Tit 1:5) and traveled to Nicopolis (Greece), and revisited Troas and Miletus in Asia Minor (2 Tim 4:13, 20; Tit 3:12). He wrote to the church in Rome before his final journey to Jerusalem (Letter to the Romans) that he intended on visiting the Roman province of Spain (Rom 15:24, 28). He may have made the journey after being released from his first imprisonment in Rome. Spain was heavily settled by Romans in the first century. Corduba (modern Cordoba) was the home of the philosopher Seneca and his brother Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia who Paul met in Acts 18:12 and several later emperors came from the province of Spain. Gades (modern Cadiz, Spain) was called in ancient literature "the ends of the earth" (Strabo, Geography 3.1.8). Paul may have been called to evangelize there by the Lord Jesus (Acts 23:11) because of Jesus' commissioning of the Apostles in disciples in Matthew 28:19 and Acts 1:8 that the Gospel was to be carried "to the ends of the earth," and the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah in 49:6: I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. Commissioned as God's apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47 and 22:21), Paul would have felt compelled to fulfill Jesus' command and the Isaiah prophecy. 

There is evidence in the writings of the Church Fathers that Paul did fulfill his mission to evangelize in Spain. St. Clement of Rome, the Church's fourth Vicar of Christ from St. Peter (reigned 90-100 AD; see the chart the Early Popes of the Catholic Church.htm) wrote that St. Paul reached "the limits of the West" (1 Clement 5:7) which was considered to be the Roman province of Spain. In addition to St. Clement's testimony, the Muratorian Fragment, a list of the books considered canonical by the Roman church written in the mid second century, mentions that the Book of Acts of Apostles does not include "Paul's journey when he set out from Rome for Spain." But Paul's desire to take the Gospel west may have also included Britain, referred to as "the extreme west." Tertullian wrote: The extremities of Spain, the various parts of Gaul, the regions of Britain, which have never been penetrated by the Roman Arms, have received the religion of Christ (Tertullian, Def. Fidei, 179). Sts. Jerome and John Chrysostom, 4^thcentury bishop of Constantinople, refer to Paul taking the Gospel to "the extreme West" and Theodore, Syrian bishop of the 5^th century, relates that Paul "preached Christ's Gospel to the Britons and others in the West" (McBirnie, The Search for the Twelve Apostles, page 228).

After St. Paul's release from his first imprisonment in Rome in 62 AD, three-fourths of Rome was destroyed by fire in 64 AD. The Emperor Nero had petitioned the Senate to give him a portion of the city inhabited by the poor to build a pleasure palace. Nero's petition was denied by the Roman Senate because of the number of people who lived in that section of the city who would have to be relocated. Nero was suspected of starting the fire when it began in the very section of the city he desired to possess; afterward he took control of the devastated area and began to build his Golden Palace. To shield himself from the accusations that he had started the fire, Nero accused the Christians of setting the city of Rome on fire, even though the section most devastated by the fire was largely populated by Christians. This was the beginning of organized Roman persecution of Christians who were rounded up and crucified, burned alive, eaten by lions, or forced to fight wild animals. From this time forward, Christianity is no longer a religion under the shelter of Judaism which is recognized as an "authorized" religion by the Roman state. It became a crime to be a Christian.

According to Bishop Eusebius' Church History, St. Paul had already left Rome and was not martyred during this period of persecution. It was after he returned to Rome in c. 67 AD that he was imprisoned again. Paul writes about that second imprisonment in 2 Timothy 4:6-8. That summer both Sts. Paul and Peter were martyred: Tradition has it that after defending himself the Apostle was again sent on the ministry of preaching, and coming a second time to the same city suffered martyrdom under Nero (Church History, 2.22.2). Nero committed suicide in 68 AD and therefore 67 is accepted as the most likely date.

St. Paul's second letter to St. Timothy was written at the time of his second imprisonment in Rome. Since being a Christian is a criminal act, Paul realized that it was dangerous to be seen association with him and he feels abandoned (2 Tim 1:15ff; 4:10). In the letter Paul writes that only St. Luke is with him (2 Tim 4:11), and that members of the church still in Rome are in hiding because of the persecution (2 Tim 4:21). He hopes that Timothy may still come to see him and that he may bring John-Mark (2 Tim 4:11). He writes that he has suffered greatly from the cold and does not want to spend another winter in prison (2 Tim 4:13, 21). This time Paul is not under a relatively comfortable "house arrest"; even if he hasn't been tired and condemned since he is a hated Christian he is probably being kept in Rome's notorious Mamertine Prison.⁽²⁾ He knows that he is going to die but he is not afraid to die; he also mentions that his Lord is standing by him (2 Tim 4:17-18). He writes to Timothy that his martyrdom is near: For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. (2 Tim 4:6-8). Thanks to God's providence Paul's testimony of Christ and his apostolic legacy lives on in his surviving fourteen New Testament letters through which Paul continues to guide the faithful in every succeeding generation of the Church.

St. Peter was martyred by being crucified upside down by the Egyptian obelisk that now stands in front of St. Peter's Cathedral. St. Paul was beheaded outside the walls of the city on the Roman road called the Ostian way and was buried along the road (Eusebius, Church History, 3.1.2).⁽³⁾Later their bones were collected by Christians and were entombed. The church of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls was built over St. Paul's tomb. The account of Paul's martyrdom is in Eusebius' 4^th century history where he cites the earlier testimonies of Tertullian, a Roman lawyer who converted to Christianity to become priest and Christian apologist (160-225), and Caius, a priest of the church in Rome during the times of Pope Victor and Pope Zephyrinus (early 3^rd century): It is, therefore, recorded that Paul was beheaded in Rome itself, and that Peter likewise was crucified under Nero. This account of Peter and Paul is substantiated by the fact that their names are preserved in the cemeteries of that place even to the present day. It is confirmed likewise by Caius, a member of the Church who arose under Zephyrinus, bishop of Rome. [..] "But I can show the trophies of the apostles. For if you will go to the Vatican, or to the Ostian way, you will find the trophies of those who laid the foundations of this Church." And that they both suffered martyrdom at the same time is stated by Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, in his epistle to the Romans, in the following words: "You have thus by such an admonition bound together the planting of Peter and of Paul at Rome and Corinth. For both of them planted and likewise taught us in our Corinth. And they taught together in like manner in Italy, and suffered martyrdom at the same time."  Eusebius continues, I have quoted these things in order that the truth of the history might be still more confirmed (Eusebius, Church History, 2.25.5-8).

We do not know what became of St. Luke. Some early Church Fathers testify to his martyrdom at the same time as Paul. Other Fathers, however, claim that he survived the Roman persecution of Christians to preach the Gospel in Greece (others say Gaul) and that he died in Boeotia, Greece in year 84 AD.

Agape Bible Study Philippians 1 - 2  

Chapter 1: Paul's Greeting and Report on his Present Circumstances

Chapter 1 of his letter divides into four parts (1:1-30):

1. Paul's greeting and prayer of thanksgiving (1:1-11)
2. Paul's afflictions that promote Christ's Gospel (1:12-18)
3. Paul's afflictions serve to exalt the Lord (1:19-26)
4. Paul's exhortation to those suffering afflictions to persevere (1:27-30)

Paul's letter is in response to material support the Philippians sent him through their emissary Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25; 4:18).¹

Paul's Greeting and Blessing for the Church at Philippi

Philippians 1:1-2 ~ Paul's Greeting

In the majority of St. Paul's letters, his greeting follows a standard form with only slight variations. The three basic elements, also found in this letter, are:

1. Paul's name (along with any co-senders)
2. The name or identity of the addressee
3. The personal greeting and blessing in the name of the Lord.

In his greeting of grace and peace, Paul gives what Jewish-Christians would have recognized as an echo the ancient priestly blessing for God's holy people Israel in Numbers 6:24-26, May Yahweh bless you and keep you. May Yahweh let his face shine on you and be gracious to you [give you grace]. May Yahweh show you his face and bring you peace (NJB). If Paul does intend to echo the priestly blessing, then this is an ecclesial blessing. In that case, "grace" represents God's covenantal grace revealed in Jesus Christ and "peace" is the deep and abiding peace that comes from the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. It is a blessing that would have appealed to a mixed congregation of Christian Jews and Gentiles who are one Body in Christ.

Philippians 1:3-11 ~ Paul's Prayer of Thanksgiving

St. Paul's joy in this Christian community is the main theme of his letter. The very thought of them brings him joy because they have remained faithful to the Gospel from the day he founded their community (verses 4-5). He writes in verse 7 that they are "all partners with me in grace..." This partnership in defense of the Gospel continues through sufferings and victories, and for the first time, Paul mentions his imprisonment.

The location of Paul's imprisonment when he wrote this letter, and therefore, the date of the letter, is uncertain. It is the traditional view that Paul wrote this letter during his first confinement in Rome between 61-63 AD (Acts 28:14-31) since he mentions converts among Caesar's "household." The first imprisonment in Rome fulfilled what the resurrected Christ told Paul when He said it was part of God divine plan for him to go to Rome to preach the Gospel: ...the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome (Acts 23:11). Since Paul is a Roman citizen, he is afforded a more comfortable confinement than non-Romans. He appears to be under "house-arrest" since he can receive visitors, some of whom are allowed to stay with him (Acts 28:30).⁴

Paul writes about his imprisonments and sufferings in his second letter to the Corinthians: ...I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked ... (2 Cor 11:23-25).

A list of some of Paul's imprisonments:

1. At Philippi (Acts 16:23-24)
2. Confined in Jerusalem before being sent to Caesarea Maritima (Acts 21:33; 22:24-29; 24:23, 31-35)
3. At Caesarea Maritima for two years (Acts 24:27)
4. In Rome for two years (Acts 28:30)

4 I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you ... 
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). Joy is a Christian virtue intimately connected to works of charity (love in action) and derived as a gift of a soul in the grip of divine grace (Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae, 2-2:23.4):

• Joy is a gift that comes from union with God and acknowledgment of His loving providence toward His creation. 
• The peace of God gives Christians the experience of joy in relationships and in all kinds of circumstances. 
• Joy is a work of grace God gives all Christians and which will come to completion on "the day of Jesus Christ" in His Second Advent (verse 6). 

Notice that St. Paul mentions the promised return of Christ twice, in verses 6 ("the day of Christ Jesus") and 11 ("the day of Christ"). It is a future event that should always be on the mind of every Christian.

6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
"The Day of Christ" refers to Christ's gloriousreturn or parousia in Greek. See 1:10; 2:16; 3:20-21; 1 Thess 4:16-17; 2 Thess 1:10; 1 Cor 1:18.Paul expresses confidence that the end of the lives of the Philippian Christians will correspond to the beginning of their rebirth in Christ in the Sacrament of Baptism. The graces of their baptism will lead them to the glory of eternal life. Paul is not suggesting that the Philippians can be absolutely assured of their eternal salvation just because they professed faith and submitted to baptism (the false doctrine of eternal security). God began the process of their salvation in the Sacrament of Baptism and will complete the process so long as they cooperate by striving for holiness in word and deed (Heb 12:14) and working toward their salvation (Phil 2:12). It is the same way Paul writes that he continues "being saved" and "to work out his salvation with fear and trembling" (1 Cor 1:18; Phil 2:12, also see 1 Cor 9:24-27, CCC 1996, 2008-10).

The Progress of the Gospel and Instructions for the Community

Philippians 1:12-18 ~ Paul's Sufferings and Successes Promote the Gospel

Paul's news concerning his imprisonment is that God has turned it into a good. His announcement recalls what he wrote to the Romans several years earlier: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).

The Praetorian Guard was an assembly of elite Roman troops. The Praetorian formed the personal bodyguard of the Emperor (Caesar's household). However, it was also a term that applied to the Roman guard that protected the Emperor's representative governors in the provinces and imperial cities (see footnote 4 and Phil 4:22). Word has spread to the elite guard that Paul is a prisoner but not a criminal. They have become acquainted with and are sympathetic to his cause. According to 4:22, some have even converted as a result of contact with Paul. Paul may be in chains, but Christ's Gospel of salvation continues to spread unhindered by Paul's circumstances, as he testifies in a letter to Timothy (2 Tim 2:9).

Philippians 1:19-26 ~ Paul's Afflictions Exalt the Lord

Paul considers that in his current situation that he is in danger of death (1:20-23), but he is not fearful. He professes his belief in eternal salvation, and therefore where some may fear death, he welcomes death as the gateway to eternal life in the company of His Savior.

Paul believes the commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the key to life and death (verse 21). He is torn, however, between his desire to be united to Christ and his duty to continue to preach the Gospel of salvation in saving souls for Christ and encouraging the faithful like his friends the Philippians (verses 22-24). In 1:25-26, Paul is hopeful that he may be acquitted of the charges against him, and in that case, he intends to visit his friends in Philippi (see 2:24).

Philippians 1:27-30 ~ Paul's Exhortation to Persevere in Steadfastness and Unity in Faith

Paul is hopeful and yet unsure if he can visit them again, but if not, it would comfort him to hear of their continuing unity and faith (verse 27).

Question: In his exhortation, what does Paul urge the Philippian Christians to do?
Answer: He urges them to conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ as they:

1. Persevere in standing firm in the unity of one spirit as the Body of Christ.
2. Have one mind in proclaiming the doctrinal truth of the Gospel.
3. Are not intimidated by opponents and detractors.

We are purified by our sufferings in dying to self and living for Christ as we become sharers in Christ's work of redemption (see Phil 3:10; 2 Cor 1:5; Col 1:24; 1 Pt 1:6-7). Christians enduring suffering also work to proclaim the Gospel as believers bearing witness to Christ through persecution and even martyrdom (1 Cor 4:9-13; 2 Cor 5:11). St. Paul viewed suffering for Christ as a privilege we should embrace and not simply endure (Rom 8:17).

Chapter 2: Paul's Appeal to the Philippians to Reflect the Mind of Christ in Unity and Humility

Philippians 2:1-4 ~ The Necessary Qualities for a Christian Community

The four "if" clauses do not suggest that Paul doesn't have confidence in the Philippian community:

1. If there is any encouragement in Christ
2. [if] any solace in love
3. [if] any participation in the Spirit
4. [if] any compassion and mercy

Paul has already praised them and gave thanks for the "good work" God began in them, and he acknowledged the joy their partnership in grace gave him (1:5-6). 

Question: Why then does Paul give them this warning?
Answer: Paul wants them to be aware that it is a good beginning, but they must strive to continue until the "day of Christ" when He returns in both glory and judgment.

Philippians 2:5-11 ~ Paul's Christ-Hymn of Jesus' Self-Emptying Love and Service
₅ Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, 
₆ Who, though he was in the form of God, 
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 
₇ Rather, he emptied himself, 
taking the form of a slave, 
coming in human likeness; 
and found human in appearance, 
₈ he humbled himself, 
becoming obedient to death, 
even death on a cross. 
₉ Because of this, God greatly exalted him 
and bestowed on him the name 
that is above every name, 
₁₀ that at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bend, 
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
₁₁ and every tongue confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father. 

₅ Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus... 
Verse 5 completes the exhortation that began in 1:27 and is a bridge to the Christ-hymn in the next six verses. The "same attitude" as Christ refers to the attitude described in the last four verses. 

Verses 6-11 are believed to be an early Christian hymn in which St. Paul gives a profound exposition of the true nature of Jesus Christ. The passage contains some of the most profound Christological verses in the New Testament. Christology is the branch of Christian theology relating to the person, nature, and role of Christ in salvation history. Paul's other great Christ-hymn is found in Colossians 1:15, 15-20 and expresses many of the same concepts.

Paul begins his Christ-hymn by describing God the Son as one, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Since God is Spirit, the "form" of God is the visible manifestation of His holiness and power through His mighty works that the Old Testament calls God's "glory." The Fathers of the Church interpreted verse 6 in two different ways:

1. It is a reference to God the Son who chose to become incarnate (enfleshed) as a man.
2. It is a reference to Jesus in His human existence who refused to yield to Adam and Eve's temptation to be god-like when He was tempted by Satan (see Gen 3:6).

That Jesus did not regard equality with God something to be grasped supports the traditional view that Paul is referring to Christ's incarnation. Becoming human, the Son of God concealed the glory of His divinity, majesty, and privileges that belong to Him as fully divine. Paul also refers to Jesus' humanity as being the Messiah "in the flesh" in Romans 9:5 and in Titus 2:13 refers to Jesus' divinity calling Him "our great God and our savior Jesus Christ." Also see where Peter quotes Jesus' claim to divinity in Acts 2:34 where Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1 in Luke 20:41-44 and Revelation 5:13 where the host of heaven worship Christ, the slain Lamb standing before the throne of God (Rev 5:6).

Philippians 2:12-18 ~ Obedience and Service in the World

12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 

Having presented his Christ-hymn, Paul applies it as a model of Christian living for the Philippian community and himself. He teaches that "working out" our salvation is a gift of God and a communal task. It involves personal sacrifice and is not to be taken lightly.

In verse 12, Paul warns that a confession of belief followed by baptism is only the beginning of one's faith journey to Heaven. The Christian must make the continuing effort to demonstrate the Gospel in their words and deeds and strive to pursue a heavenly reward. The term "fear and trembling" is an Old Testament expression indicating the seriousness of committing oneself to God's service (see Ex 15:16; Judt 2:28; Ps 2:11; Is 19:16). Our initial salvation has nothing to do with our works and is a gift of God's grace (Eph 2:8-9). However, our final salvation depends on:

1. a lifetime of keeping the faith (2 Tim 4:7-8)
2. following the commandments (Mt 19:17; Jn 14:15)
3. persevering in good works (Mt 25:31-46; Rom 8:13)
4. striving for a life of holiness (Mt 5:8-9; Heb 12:14)
5. maintaining a relationship with Christ through prayer (Eph 6:18; 1 Thes 5:17)
6. resisting the forces of evil (Mt 6:13; Rom 13:12; Eph 6:11-12)
7. resisting the selfish and destructive demands of the flesh (Rom 8:13; 13:14; 1 Cor 9:24-25)

13 For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.
Paul does not want anyone to misunderstand; he is not saying salvation is something people can acquire on their own. It is God working to bring the Philippians to salvation. God moves them spiritually from within to do what is good, and He gives them the desire and energy to complete what He desires. In the next five verses, Paul uses several Old Testament allusions to bring home the points he wants to make.

14 Do everything without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, 16 as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

The Travel Plans of St. Paul and His Associates

Philippians 2:19-24 ~ St. Paul and Timothy

Paul intends to send Timothy to the Philippians to deliver his letter and to offer them Paul's continued instruction and encouragement. Timothy is well-known to the community, and they "know his worth" since he is a spiritual son of Paul (see 1 Cor 4:17), and he was a member of the missionary team that founded the church with Paul (Acts 16). 

Philippians 2:25-30 ~ St. Paul and Epaphroditus 

Epaphroditus is a member of the community and the messenger who delivered their letter and financial aid Paul in his imprisonment. Paul writes that Epaphroditus' stay was prolonged because he had fallen seriously ill but has since recovered. Paul asks the community to welcome him back with joy and esteem because he risked his life in his "work of Christ" to deliver their letter and material support. Their brother Philippian Christian is a living example of the kind of dedication and self-sacrifice in service to Christ that Paul has been writing about in this part of his letter.

Bible in One Year Day 348 (Acts 27, Ephesians 4 - 6, Proverbs 29:22-24)

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Day 348:  Rules For New Life

Agape Bible Study Acts 27 

Acts 27:1-5 ~ Paul and his Companions Begin the Journey to Rome

This section begins St. Luke's stirring and detailed eyewitness account of St. Paul's adventures on his journey to Rome. Luke's purpose is to show Paul's gentle nature in times of difficulty that endeared him to his captors and his prophetic gift that helped to save the lives of everyone on board the ship. The centurion Julius was a member of the Cohort Augusta (verse 1). The presence of Cohort Augusta in Syria during the first century AD is attested in numerous inscriptions, but it is also possible that the Cohort "Augustus" [Sebaste] refers to the cohort which was under King Herod Agrippa's command. Josephus mentions cohorts called sebastenoi whose name was derived from the city of Sebaste in Samaria (Antiquities of the Jews, 19.9.2 [365-366]; Jewish War, 2.3.4 [52]). 

Question: How would you characterize most of the Romans Paul has met up to this point?
Answer: With the possible exception of Gallio and Felix, most of the Romans Paul has met have been honorable men. 

Acts 27:2 ~ We went on board a ship from Adramyttium bound for ports in the province of Asia and set sail. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
Adramyttium is modern day Edremit, a port on the northwest coast of Turkey opposite the island of Lesbos. In Roman times it was considered to be in the Roman province of Asia. 

Question: Who is Aristarchus? See Acts 19:29; 20:4-5; Col 4:10 and Philem 24.
Answer: Aristarchus is a native of Thessalonica in Macedonia who, after his conversion, joined Paul's third missionary team (Acts 20:4-5). He was attacked in the silversmiths riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:29). He is evidently devoted to Paul and continued to stay with him in Rome. Paul speaks of him being a "fellow prisoner" (Col 4:10; Philem 24).

Acts 27:6-8 ~ Difficulties of the Voyage

It is likely that ship from Alexandria, Egypt was a very large cargo ship carrying grain to Rome. Egypt was the "bread-basket" of the ancient world and the Romans depended on the grain from the Roman province of Egypt to feed her armies and to supply the free grain ration of 880 lbs. per month to every male citizen of Rome over the age of ten (Nigel Rodgers, Roman Empire, page 488 ). Food shortages in the city of Rome meant riots that could endanger to rule of an emperor. 

Almost immediately, the weather became an enemy of the voyage. Notice Luke's detailed account of the route and the cities that they made port or sailed passed.

• Cnidus: a city near Cape Krio in southwestern Turkey where they made port. 
• Salmone: modern Cape Sidero at Ermoupolis (ancient Itanos) on the northeast extremity of Crete. It was the site of the temple of Athena Salmonia that was famous in ancient times. 
• Fair Havens: a bay on the south-central coast of Crete where they made port. It is still known by the same name in Greek. 
• Lasea: a city on the south coast of Crete. 

The danger of proceeding by sea increased beyond the point of Lasea especially in the fall and winter. The coast turns sharply north, bringing open sea winds to bear full force against any ship and heightening the danger. For the most part all shipping ceased in the winter months, and because of its exposure Fair Havens was not a good port to wait out the winter storms.

Acts 27:9-15 ~ Paul's Prophecy and his Prophecy Fulfilled in the Great Storm
9

Verse 9 established the time of the year as late fall or early winter. Luke's reference to the "time of the fast" refers to the Jewish Feast of Atonement (Yom Kippur) that occurred in the fall on the 10^th of Tishri in late September/early October (Lev 16). Ships did not usually sail on the Mediterranean during the months from November to March because of the severe weather conditions; however, the Roman historian Suetonius mentions that the Roman government guaranteed insurance coverage for the loss of ships and offered large bonuses to ship owners who delivered grain during these dangerous months (Life of Claudius, 18.1). This may be the reason the ship's owner was prepared to make the journey at this hazardous time of the year.

St. Paul warns the centurion and the ship owner that it is too dangerous to continue the journey and they should turn back to a safe harbor. This is not a prophetic warning but is instead a practical warning. A prophetic message will come later that promises salvation for all aboard (Acts 27:22-23). They are at the port of Fair Havens in Crete. Weighing anchor against Paul's advice, the ship made a run for the safer harbor of Phoenix. It was a better port to winter over since it faced to the west and most of the fall and winter storms came from the northeast. The plan failed, however, as the ship was driven off course by a sudden northeast wind. They could not control the ship and were driven by the wind. 

Acts 27:16-26 ~ Paul's Promise of Salvation 

Cauda is probably the modern Gavdos, a small island southwest of Crete. They were able to drift under the shelter offered by the island but did not make land. The carried out emergency measures to prepare the ship for reemerging into the full force of the storm. They hoisted the dingy that was in the water aboard and secured it to the ship. It was common for a dingy to be towed behind a ship but that was not practical in a big storm. They then used cables to wrap or undergird the ship to help it hold together as additional support for the planks of the ship in the pounding of the waves.

The shoal of Syrtis refers to a zone of shallow water and quicksand off the coast of Cyrenaica (the Gulf of Sidra). Their situation is so critical that they begin to lighten the ship by throwing what wasn't essential overboard including some of the cargo. On the third day driven by the storm, they even threw some of the ship's gear overboard. They were progressively lightening the ship.

St. Paul reminds them that he had warned them not to sail out from Crete (verse 10), but he urges them to keep up their courage with the promise that no lives will be lost; the only loss will be the ship.

Acts 27:27-44 ~ The Shipwreck

Luke determines that it is the fourteenth night since the storm began and they are adrift in the section of the Mediterranean that was called the Gulf of Adria, which we now call the southern end of the Adriatic Sea. They are between the islands of Crete and Malta, with Sicily and the foot of the Italian Peninsula to the northwest. The sailors suspect that they are approaching land and begin to throw a line weighted with a lead weight overboard in order to measure the depth of the water. 

The situation is made more dangerous by the fact that the depth of the water is rapidly decreasing and it is night; they cannot see the land they are approaching. Paul's prophecy promised a miracle in which the whole of the company is destined for salvation; therefore they must all stay together. The officer and his soldiers have already had proof of Paul's wisdom and believe in his prophetic gift, and so they eliminate the temptation by setting the dingy adrift.

Symbolically this is also God's plan for humanity. It is God's desire that all come to salvation in Christ Jesus and that none be cast "adrift." But God also respects mankind's free-will choice to accept or reject His divine gift of grace.

In each case the words are used as a solemn oath of protection that calls upon God's divine intervention in fulfilling the oath to protect.

It is the "fourteenth day" that began the night before as the Jews count the days from sunset to sunset (see verses 27 and 33). It was night as they were pushed toward the shore by the storm (verse 29), now day is about to arrive (verse 33) and finally day arrives (verse 39). In verses 33-34 St. Paul urges his companions on the ship to eat something and again promises their deliverance.

In the midst of the storm, Paul gives thanks to God in front of all of them. Paul's words and actions recall the language and actions of the Eucharist, but he is not offering the ship's company the Eucharistic bread. That gift is limited only to members of the New Covenant in Christ (Lk 22:20) just as the sacred meal of the Passover was limited to members of the covenant community (Ex 12:43-45). Paul's action in giving a blessing reflects the how all Jewish meals began with the saying of a blessing (1 Tim 4:4); but the sequence does repeat the same actions of the Eucharist (Lk 22:19-20). Paul, standing before them is presenting an example of what is possible for them if they come to belief, just as their salvation from the storm prefigures what is possible for each of them if they want to receive the gift of God's salvation to be delivered from the storms of life. That there are 267 people aboard the ship is not an unreasonably large number for a ship in this period. Alexandrian grain ships and Roman ships meant to transport soldiers and their supplies could be very large. Paul's sea adventure happened in the fall/winter of 60 AD.

What three maneuvers do they make to give themselves the best chance of making it to the shore?

1. They release the anchors on both sides of the stern.
2. They freed the rudder from the cables that they had used to secure it in verse 17 so they can steer the ship in the direction of the shore.
3. They raised the sail to enable them to catch the wind and head toward the beach.

Agape Bible Study Ephesians 4 - 6 

CHAPTER 4
The World Mission of the Church Continued

Ephesians 4:1-6 ~ Unity in the Body that is the Church

St. Paul urges the Jewish and Gentile Christians reading his letter to persevere in unity "united in the Spirit as One Body in Christ despite tensions that threaten to disrupt their unity. The virtues that Paul lists in verses 2-3 are all different aspect of charity (love in action) which "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col 3:14) and is the mark of the true disciple of Jesus Christ (Jn 13:35). The "bond of peace" (verse 3) that unites Christians is the peace which Jesus brings, or rather, it is Jesus Christ Himself (Eph 2:14).

These verses express one of Paul's most profound statements, summarizing our Christian faith in only a very few words, the focus of which is the theological basis of our unity "the Most Holy Trinity. It is the Trinity who is at work in the Church and who keeps it together in the "seven unities" of the Church "one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. Verses 5-6 may be a quote from an acclamation from an early Christian baptismal liturgy:

The Seven Unities of the Church:

1. "One Body": The unified Body of Christ, the universal Church founded by Jesus, under the authority He gave St. Peter, the Apostles, and their successors.
2. "One Spirit": There is only one Holy Spirit who brings about and maintains the unity of Christ's mystical body; and there is only one such body, the Church, in which we were divinely called to be a part.
3. "One hope": Jesus Christ is the only hope of our salvation, as St. Peter declared, "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12).
4. "One Lord": This is a profession of our belief in God the Son who, as our Lord and Savior, has sovereignty over His kingdom of the Church of which He is the head of its mystical body.
5. "One faith": There is only one faith that Jesus taught and which His Apostles and their successors, as shepherds of His Church, have expressed in clear statements of doctrine and dogma. Pope Pius XII wrote: "There can be only one faith; and so, if a person refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so the Lord commands, as a heathen and a publican (cf. Mt 18:17)" (Mystici Corporis, 10).
6. "One baptism": There can only be one spiritual rebirth into the family of God through the Sacrament of Baptism to become a member of the Body of Christ. It is not an "initiation" "it is a life transformation. It is a Baptism by which, after making a profession of faith, one joins the other members of the Church as their equals. Since there is only "one Lord, one faith, one baptism", "there is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth in Christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one salvation, one hope and undivided charity (Vatican II, Lumen gentium, 32). 
7. "One God and Father of all, who is over all through all and in all": This statement affirms God's sovereignty and dominion over all of creation and the unity of mankind with God, the Creator of us all.

We, like the community in Ephesus, celebrate our unity when we celebrate the Eucharist. We come together as One Body to receive Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in our sacred meal made present by the power of the Holy Spirit on Catholic altars across the world. In our miracle feeding, there is always enough, and everyone leaves nourished spiritually by the very life of Christ, which He shares with all who come to His altar-table. 

When Jesus communicated His glory to us, He joined us to God the Father by giving us a share in the supernatural life of the Godhead. This divine life is the source of the holiness of Christians united in the seven unites of Christ's Body, the Church. 

Ephesians 4:7-16 ~ The Diversity of Spiritual Gifts

In verses 7-16 St. Paul focuses on the different graces associated with ecclesial offices (see verse 11 and CCC 913). Every Baptized and Confirmed Christian receives spiritual gifts (also called charisms) to be put to use for the good of the Church. St. Peter wrote about these gifts of grace in 1 Peter 4:10-11, As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God, whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (also see what St. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 12:4-11).

Ephesians 4:17-24 ~ New Life in Christ

St. Paul contrasts the Christian's "new life in Christ" with the former sinful lives of the pagan Gentiles that was far from the holiness of Christ and without a relationship with God. It is the "old self" (verse 22) that must be put away and the "new self" (verse 24) that must take hold to make the Christian a new creation in the image and likeness of God. Christians "put on" the new self (verse 24) in the Sacrament of Baptism, when they die to their sinful old selves to be reborn as a new creation in Christ Jesus, as Paul wrote in Galatians 3:27 ~ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

CHAPTERS 4:25-6:20
The Daily Conduct of Christians and the Unity of the Church

In 4:24 St. Paul urges the readers of his letter to ... put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Next, in an exhortation on the right kind of daily conduct for the baptized Christian who is a "new creation" in Christ Jesus, St. Paul stresses that the right conduct of the individual member contributes to the unity of the Church as a whole. Paul's exhortation can be divided into seven parts:

1. The rules for living a new life of love in imitation of Christ (4:25-5:5).
2. The duty to live in the light of Christ as baptized Christians (5:6-20).
3. Advice to wives and husbands on the unity of a Christian marriage (5:21-32).
4. Advice to children and parents (6:1-4).
5. Advice to slaves and their masers (6:5-9).
6. Advice on how to conduct the battle against evil (6:10-17).
7. The need for constant prayer (6:18-20).

Ephesians 4:25-32 ~ Rules for the New Life as Imitators of Christ

In verses 25 and 29 St. Paul asks his readers to lead a morally exemplary life in response to God's gift of grace. He points out that the words one speaks are important, especially when one is angry. Speech that is not righteous threatens the unity of the Church (Mt 12:36-37; Eph 4:29). 

Christians have the obligation to speak the truth because they are indwelled by the Spirit of truth. Paul may be thinking of the words of God spoken to the prophet Zechariah: These then are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another; let there be honesty and peace in the judgments at your gates, and let none of you plot evil against another in his heart, nor love a false oath. For all these things I hate, says the LORD (Zech 8:16-17).

Not all anger is sinful or harmful. Righteous anger is permissible within limits and is even an appropriate response to acts that are committed against justice "for example anger at the abuse of children, the murder of unborn babies, or racial discrimination. Yet, Paul warns that one's anger must not become an excuse for sin and an opening for the devil's influence.

Unrighteous anger is one of the seven capital sin: "Vices can be classified according to the virtues they oppose, or also be linked to the capital sins which Christian experience has distinguished, following St. John Cassian and St. Gregory the Great. They are called "capital" because they engender other sins, other vices. They are pride, avarice, envy, wrath (anger), lust, gluttony, and sloth or acedia" (CCC 1866). Capital sins can also lead us to participate in the sins of others.

The Seven Capital Sins	The Ways We Participate in Sin
Pride Avarice Envy Wrath Lust Gluttony Sloth CCC 1866-67	By participation By ordering By advising By praising By provocation By approving By silence in not disclosing or hindering sin By protecting evil-doers By defense of the sin CCC 1868

Ephesians 5:1-5 ~ Living as Imitators of God

St. Paul challenges his readers to love each other as God loves us and to forgive as God has forgiven us. We become imitators of God (5:1) in forgiving and in loving as Christ loved us in giving up His life on the altar of the Cross so that those who belong to Him might live eternally in His presence. It is a sacrifice of love that He also asks of us when, in the Eucharistic procession, we come forward to offer up our lives as a sacrifice to Him and to receive His life, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. 

The "fragrant aroma" in verse 5:2 recalls how the Old Testament represents sacrifices in the liturgy of worship as "food" or a "pleasing aroma" for Yahweh (Gen 8:21; Ex 29:18; Lev 1:9; Num 28:2). However, it was understood by the faithful of the old covenants that an omnificent God was not in need of earthly nourishment or the pleasing smell of sacrifices (Ps 50:12-14; Sir 35:6-7/5-9). It was the "spiritual food" of the self-surrender of the individual and the covenant people as a whole that pleased God.

Ephesians 5:6-20 ~ The Christian Duty to Live in the Light of Christ

Paul is well aware that the abuse of the gift of human sexuality is a problem in society in his time just as it is today. It was one of the first blessings (Gen 1:27-28) and one of the blessings most abused, especially sex outside of marriage that people try to deny is a sin or excuse. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses this sin against the purity of the temple of the Christian body and refutes the empty argument that some use to claim that sexual conduct is only a natural activity of the body similar to the need to eat and sleep (see 1 Cor 3:16-20). Paul also warns about the consequences of sexual immorality and not to be deceived by the morals of society that excuse sins that can cost one's eternal salvation in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Galatians 5:19-20 (also see the same teaching in Mk 7:21-23; Rev 21:8; 22:15).

Question: How are many deceived today with "empty arguments" that excuse sins like abortion and the homosexual lifestyle? What is the ultimate penalty for embracing practices that are contrary to the moral teachings of God according the Scriptures and His Church?
Answer:  The "empty arguments" include the false ideology that a woman should have complete control over her body to include the murder of an unborn infant, the acceptance of the homosexual or transgender lifestyle is a civil rights issue, and the "empty argument" that these moral prohibitions were for another age and are not relevant today. These are moral issues that have been condemned in both the Old and New Testaments. God has never been moved by the consensus of what is right or wrong according to human society. Persons who embrace these false arguments are in rebellion against God and do so at the risk of their immortal souls.

15 Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, 16 making the most of the opportunity [kairos], because the days are evil. 17 Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. 

Ephesians 5:21-32 ~ Advise to Wives and Husbands

In his advice to wives and husbands, St. Paul begins by urging them to be imitators of Christ (5:1) and to offer each other a mutual submission in their responsibility to each other in the unity of their marriage. This sentence is the key to understanding the entire section. In verses 23-24 Paul writes 23 For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head [kephale] of the Church, he himself the savior of the body. 24 As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. 

The Greek term kephale (head) is found 75 times in the New Testament. In the Bible the word is used in the New Testament and in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to refer to the physical head of a man, an animal, or a statue (Mt 5:36; Gen 3:15; Dan 2:32). It also can be a synonym for "ruler" as in the case of King David who is called "the head over nations" (Ps 18:44) and Jesus Christ who Paul calls the "head over all things to the Church" (Eph 1:22). The word can also mean what is the "source" or "origin," as in the "head of a river" or the male progenitor of a family. Paul is using this term to encourage husbands to be heads or leaders within their families just as Christ is head over the Church (also see Eph 5:23 and 1 Cor 11:3). Notice that St. Paul uses imagery from the Creation narrative of Genesis where the first man, Adam, was both the "head" and "source" of his wife, Eve, born from his side (Gen 2:21-23). In the same way, Jesus Christ is the "head" and the "source" of the Body of Christ that is His Bride, the Church.

Wives are encouraged to cooperate with their husbands in their leadership roles in the family, but Paul places more responsibilities upon the husbands in what is a mutual submission in their relationship with their wives.
Question: In what three ways are husbands to serve their wives? What verse does Paul quote in verse 31 from the Old Testament creation story of the marriage of Adam and Eve that Jesus also quotes in Matthew 19:5?
Answer: 

1. Husbands must love their wives with the same self-sacrificial love with which Christ loves the Church (verses 25-27).
2. Husbands must love their wives as their own bodies as Christ loves His Body the Church (verses 28-30).
3. Husbands must give their first loyalty to their wives and view their union as "one flesh." Paul is quoting from Genesis 2:24 (verse 31).

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, 27 that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Paul compares the purification of an Israelite bride in her bridal bath before her wedding day with the Sacrament of Baptism. Through the waters of Christian Baptism, Christ sanctifies the Body of Christ that is His Church, purifying His Bride of sin to make her holy and without blemish or defect as she offers herself to Christ, the divine Bridegroom.

In verse 31, Paul emphasizes that marriage is a God ordained institution, quoting from God's words to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:24. He writes that Christian marriage takes on a symbolic meaning in imitation of Christ the Bridegroom's love for His Bride the Church. Wives should lovingly serve their husbands in the same way the Church serves Christ (verses 22 and 24). And at the same time, husbands should honor and care for their wives with the same devotion of Christ in caring for His Church (verses 25-30). Paul is making the point that the Sacrament of Marriage is a path to holiness, and if couples live this way in their marriage relationship one will not dominate or abuse the other.

32 This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. 33 In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.
The great mystery is Christ's unique relationship to the Church as Bridegroom to Bride.⁽¹⁾ It is a mystery that we can come to grasp somewhat in the ideal loving and unselfish union between husband and wife and that is why Paul is using marital love as a metaphor for the love between Jesus and His Church. He urges Christians to demonstrate a strong and unselfish mutual love, especially in their martial relationship. In making the comparison between marriage between a woman and a man and Christ and the Church, Paul makes these two concepts compliment and illuminate each other. Christ is the husband of the Church because He is her head and because He loves His Bride the Church like a man loves his wife. Paul is using symbolism Jewish-Christians would have readily understood. The imagery of the covenant people as the Bride of Yahweh is a reoccurring symbol image of the Old Testament prophets; see the chart: Symbolic Images of the Old Testament Prophets. It is a mystery, however, that will not be fully revealed until Christ returns in glory, and the Church celebrates the "wedding day of the Lamb and His Bride" (see St. John's vision in Rev 19:6-10). 

Ephesians 6:1-4 ~ Advice to Children and Parents

In his advice to children, Paul writes that children are under God's command to respect and obey their parents. He quotes from the fourth of the Ten Commandments that is the first of the seven commandments concerning love of neighbor (Paul is quoting Dt 5:16 but the command is also found in Ex 20:12; also see CCC 2214-18). Paul observed that rebellion against parental authority was common among in pagan families in Romans 1:30. However, under Mosaic Law rebellion against parental authority was a capital offense (Ex 21:17; Dt 21:18-21).

Ephesians 6:5-9 ~ Advice to Slaves and Masters

Paul is not defending the institution of slavery. Slavery was a fact of life that was accepted in the ancient world. In dealing with what could sometimes be a very unpleasant reality, Paul stresses the equal dignity of both slaves and their masters before God, while at the same time trying to improve the relationship between slave and master.

Ephesians 6:10-17 ~ Continuing the Battle Against Evil

St. Paul turns his attention to the Christians' daily battle against evil in the world; it is an attack that is led by man's perennial adversary "Satan. He urges all Christians to arm themselves with the graces given by God to protect the faithful in times of temptation. Our weapons are both offensive and defensive.

Paul assures us, if we are prepared to face the enemy in the company of Christ, God will fight for us and will give us ultimate victory over Satan and evil in the world. St. Jerome wrote: "To put on the armor of God is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Called truth and righteousness, our Savior is our belt and our breastplate. Called the living Word of God, he is the sword who is sharp on both sides" (St. Jerome, Commentary on Ephesians, 3.6).

Ephesians 6:18-20 ~ The Commitment to Constant Prayer
18 With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones 19 and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.

However, victory cannot be ours unless we devote ourselves to prayer. Our persistence in prayer must match the persistence of evil (Lk 18:1; 1 Thes 5:17). It is a battle we must fight until Christ's return and all the enemies of Christ will be defeated on the Day of the Lord's Judgment; as St. Peter wrote: For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but condemned them to the chains of Tartarus and handed them over to be kept for judgment ... the Lord knows how to rescue the devout from trial and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who follow the flesh with its depraved desire and show contempt for lordship (2 Pt 2:4, 9).⁽²⁾

St. Paul requests their prayers for the holy ones in the Church and for him. He asks them to pray that he will continue to have the courage to defend the Gospel and God's divine plan for mankind's salvation despite his sufferings.

The Conclusion to Saint Paul's Letter

Ephesians 6:21-24 ~ Tychicus' Mission and Paul's Salutation

Tychicus (Greek = Tychikos) is the bearer of Paul's letter and is a member Paul's ministry team. He traveled with Paul on his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4) and was sent with a letter from Paul to the Christian community at Colossus (Col 4:7-9). In this letter and in the letter to the Colossians, Paul affectionately describes Tychicus as a "beloved brother" and a "trustworthy minister." He is a Gentile convert from Asia Minor who, along with Trophimus, accompanied Paul on his missionary journey from Macedonia to Jerusalem. He was also probably with Paul during Paul's first and second Roman imprisonment. Paul chose him to take this letter to Ephesus and probably to other churches in Asia Minor, and also to carry another letter to the Colossians. Tychicus is mentioned five times in the New Testament "in Acts of Apostles and in Paul's letters to the Colossians, to Titus, and to Timothy:

• Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from Beroea, accompanied him, as did Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia who went on ahead and waited for us at Troas (Acts 20:4).
• Tychicus, my beloved brother, trustworthy minister, and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news of me (Col 4:7).
• When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, try to join me at Nicopolis, where I have decided to spend the winter (Tit 3:12).
• I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus (2 Tim 4:12).

Tychicus has a three-fold mission:

1. to deliver the letter
2. to give a personal account of Paul's condition and his ministry
3. to encourage the community to continue to be steadfast in faith during what were troubled times

Since Tychicus is mentioned in Acts 20:4 as one of the "Asians" (Greek = Asianoi) who had accompanied Paul in his ministry, it is possible he was known by the communities that he visited. Since Paul told Timothy he had sent Tychicus to Ephesus (2 Tim 4:12), where it is believed Timothy was then the pastor, some scholars have suggested Tychicus was sent to assist Timothy in his ministry and perhaps for Tychicus' safety since the letter is believed to have been written shortly before Paul's martyrdom in Rome.

23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in immortality.
St. Paul closes the letter with a blessing for the "brothers" "the Greek word means both men and women in the communities of the faithful "from God the Father and the Son. Finally, he prays that the gift of God's grace and the love of the Resurrected Christ will be with them in their journey to their eternal salvation.