Tychicus — A Faithful Brother

Kevin Quartell

‘Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-bondman in the Lord, will make known to you all that concerns me; … that he might know your state, and that he might encourage your hearts’ (Col. 4:7).

We sometimes sing ‘faithful amidst unfaithfulness’, thinking of our blessed Lord in His life here.[1] Tychicus was a dear brother who in this way followed in the footsteps of His beloved Master. He is one of seven brothers who are called ‘faithful’ in the New Testament. 

In the verse above he is said to be a ‘beloved brother’. We know that we are all loved by the Lord equally. Perhaps he is called beloved because he really reflected the love of Christ to those around him. May we do likewise!

Paul also calls him a ‘fellow-bondman’. We take it that Tychicus knew what it was like to suffer for the testimony of the Lord, along with the apostle — as Timothy was to take his share in suffering as a ‘good soldier of Jesus Christ’ (2 Tim. 2:3).

We also read that Tychicus was a faithful minister or servant. We do not read that he had great gifts in teaching the Bible or in gospel preaching, but in whatever his service was for the Lord he was faithful. This is what we need today! Brothers and sisters who are faithful in their work for the Lord, whether that work is public or behind the scenes. 

We see in both Ephesians 6 and Colossians 4 that Paul could trust him to carry the news of how he and his co-workers were doing to the saints, and also bring back news of how they were doing. A simple but needed work. 

Notice too that Paul says he was sending him to encourage their hearts. There is so much discouragement today. How much we need the ministry of encouragement! May we be faithful in our day, as Tychicus was in his day, that in whatever gift or service we have from the ascended Christ (Eph. 4:8), we might be faithful to use it for His glory and the blessing and encouragement of His saints until He comes!

‘When I shall send Artemas to thee, or Tychicus’ (Titus 3:12).

‘But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus’ (2 Tim. 4:12).

In Titus, we find another mention of Tychicus. The apostle writes that he was considering sending one of two brothers to Crete to relieve Titus so that he could come and visit the apostle. We learn from this letter that Crete was not an easy place to serve the Lord (see 1:12–13). But Tychicus was a brother who the Apostle Paul thought could serve the Lord there because he was faithful. Paul knew that Tychicus would not give up and walk away. Could the Lord Jesus trust us to serve Him even in a difficult place?

The last mention of Tychicus in the New Testament is in 2 Timothy. When he wrote this epistle, the apostle was sitting in prison, soon to lose his life. In chapter 1, we read that all in Asia (the province that Tychicus was from: see Acts 20:4) had forsaken him. They had not forsaken Christianity, but they had departed from the apostle’s teaching and example of living according to the heavenly calling of the church (see Phil. 4:9). Now in chapter 4, we read further details about Paul’s co-workers. Demas, a former labourer with Paul, had forsaken him, for he loved this present world (v. 10). Crescens and Titus had both gone to their own spheres of service (v. 10). Only Luke was with him in those closing days of his life. Then he says: ‘Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus’. Here we find that Tychicus was still faithful to the end of the apostle’s life. One of the meanings of faithful is ‘someone who can be relied upon’. We see here that Paul could rely upon Tychicus even after all who were in Asia had turned away from the beloved apostle. He was faithful to the end, even in the difficult times. 

What about you and me? Will we be faithful to the end, in spite of difficulties? Will we be those upon whom the Lord Jesus and our brethren can depend in these last days before He comes? May it be so for His glory!

[1] J G Deck, ‘O Lord, when we the path retrace’, Spiritual Songs hymn 230.

From: Truth and Testimony, 2022