Saturday, February 1, 2025

Unexpected Legacies: Tychicus, The Emissary

Matthew J. Elliott

Image rendition of Paul and Tychicus
One topic I am more well known for with the biblical fiction stories I have been writing lately is that I love using side characters to define my stories. When I wrote Finding Philemon in 2023, my protagonist was his slave, Onesimus. When I wrote The Cyprus Journal last year, the dual protagonists were John Mark and Barnabas. The antagonist in this story is Elymas, a character that is hardly even mentioned in scripture. Then, at Christmas, I released the first part of my newest series, The Ephesus Pages, which gives voices to more than just a few people from scripture. The reason I do this is because I am curious about well, almost everything. At least, when it comes to connecting the stories we read about in scripture to history. 

Tychicus is another relatively unknown figure in the Bible. Scripture only gives us five direct mentions of Tychicus to help us understand his encouraging story. While this is not much, it is enough to piece together a person who is worth learning about. His legacy may not be as easy to see as someone like Luke or Silas, but we can learn a lot about who he was. There is much more to his story than I honestly knew before I began reading about him. Learning about him in the stories in The World of Kedoshim and even for this article you are reading today has been enlightening. 

It is important to understand why I consider Tychicus an emissary because it reveals the character of a man whom biblical history overlooks. When we read about him in scripture today, we miss the deeper story. In early Christianity, emissaries were key figures in spreading the message of their faith. They traveled a lot and bore witness to the faith they believed in through their actions and words. It wasn’t always Paul and Peter preaching the gospel message. Someone had to continue the work people like them left behind and ensure that people understood what was being taught. An emissary did just that. They mattered and made a difference. Their dedication and perseverance in spreading the Gospel inspired others to join the movement.

The Ichthys symbol for communication with believers
Tychicus was an emissary, and a trusted companion to the Apostle Paul, who played a crucial role in furthering the mission of the Early Church. Paul entrusted him alone (Col. 4) with the responsibility of returning Onesimus to Philemon (Book of Philemon). When Paul needed certain “fellow workers” to come to him for whatever reason; Tychicus was sent to lead the ministry those individuals would have to leave behind to do so. Timothy and John Mark (2nd Tim 4) are good examples of this. After Paul wrote specific letters that needed to be delivered to the churches, he would send Tychicus to deliver them. Tychicus was even educated enough to serve as a scribe when others were not around to do so. 

The early Church knew Tychicus because of his missionary travels with Paul. However, his connections to other important leaders of this time gave him more of a role in history as well. 2 Corinthians may even tell us that the church asked Tychicus, and others, to deliver financial gifts to Jerusalem. Paul often called him a ‘beloved brother’ and ‘fellow servant’ in the Lord’s work. Tychicus not only gave Paul’s messages to the churches, he also shepherded them, answering their questions and concerns. He couldn’t have done that without a thorough understanding of Paul’s ministry and its goals.

AI Image of Ancient Scroll
The legacy I see in Tychicus was driven by dedication and adaptability. How many of us can honestly say we handle daily stuff easily or are as dedicated to our work as Tychicus was? His relentless devotion to his role in the Early Church is something worth taking another look at. Amid the constant struggles of their time, Tychicus and Paul endured a great deal of things that could have pulled them away from the mission they were called to. We do not see this in the same way today. There are distractions everywhere and we can get lost in them. I know this happens to me. 

Before modern communication, Tychicus faithfully and accurately spread his message despite significant challenges in each city. Connecting and informing diverse Christian groups demanded much dedication. It was never a simple task to complete, but Tychicus did it faithfully. There is something to that. So, that is why Tychicus gets a slot in the Unexpected Legacies I share with those of you who read these articles. What can we learn from his example? I say we can learn a lot, and not in that horrible guilt-filled way, but as a means of encouragement. What about you?


 ~ Biography ~


Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He has served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which has given him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is happily married to Traci, and they have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, Matthew's goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on AmazonGoodreadsFacebook, and His Website. He has written DevotionalsAn Episodic SeriesNovellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

The Ephesus Pages: A Journey Begins: (Part 1; Episodes 1-10) is available now for $1.99. Grab it while you can.


One Man. His Continued Journey. Working to Build the Early Church. 

Part One; A Journey Begins

John Mark carries the weight of his past on his shoulders, and there is one person he has never reconciled with. In an epic story surrounding the city of Ephesus, and the ministry of Paul during his three-year ministry there, life as we know it will change. Join John Mark as he embarks on a new journey seeking reconciliation. As he leaves all that he knows behind on the shores of Cyprus, John Mark will begin a new three-part journey that will test his faith, build him up, and reveal much about his past.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting today. It is encouraging to hear about how all of the early Christians persevered through adversity far greater than most of us experience. Nowadays the persecuted Christians and missionaries ministering to cultures far different from their "regular" life are also very inspiring and humbling when you hear their testimonies.

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  2. Learning about these things is always encouraging to me. There are a lot of answers we can find in scripture that we don't really think are there. Its really interesting doing all the research to figure out what we can regarding the early church.

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