Bible Encyclopedia: Tychicus

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

TYCHICUS

tik'-i-kus (Tuchikos, lit. "chance"): Mentioned 5 times in the New Testament (Acts 20:4 Ephesians 6:21 Colossians 4:7 2 Timothy 4:12 Titus 3:12); an Asiatic Christian, a friend and companion of the apostle Paul.

(1) In the first of these passages his name occurs as one of a company of the friends of Paul. The apostle, at the close of his 3rd missionary journey, was returning from Greece through Macedonia into Asia, with a view to go to Jerusalem. This journey proved to be the last which he made, before his apprehension and imprisonment. It was felt, both by himself and by his friends, that this journey was a specially important one. He was on his way to Jerusalem, "bound in the spirit" (Acts 20:22). But another cause which gave it particular importance was that he and his friends were carrying the money which had been collected for several years previous in the churches of the Gentiles, for the help of the poor members of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 24:17). No fewer than eight of his intimate friends companied him into Asia, and one of these was Tychicus Luke uses the word "Asian" (English Versions of the Bible "of Asia," Acts 20:4) to describe Tychicus. He was with Paul at Troas, and evidently journeyed with him, as one of "Paul's company" (Acts 21:8 the King James Version), all the way to Jerusalem.

(2) The 2nd and 3rd passages in which the name of Tychicus occurs (see above) give the information that he was with Paul in Rome during his first imprisonment. In Colossians Paul writes, "All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord: whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts" (4:7, 8). In almost identical words he writes in Ephesians, "But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts" (6:21, 22).

Paul had entrusted Tychicus with a very important mission. He was to deliver the Epistle to the Ephesians, that is, "the circular letter" (see LAODICEANS, EPISTLE TO THE) to the churches in proconsular Asia, to which it was sent, giving a copy of it to the church in Laodicea. He was then to proceed to Colosse, with the Epistle to the church there. In Colosse Tychicus would plead the cause of Onesimus, who accompanied him from Rome. "Under his shelter Onesimus would be safer than if he encountered Philemon alone" (Lightfoot, Commentary on Colossians, 314). In Laodicea and Colosse Tychicus would not only deliver the Epistles from Paul, but he would also, as the apostle had written to the churches in those places, Communicate to them all information about his "state," that is, how things were going with him in regard to his appeal to the emperor, and his hope of being soon set at liberty. Tychicus would make known to them all things.

(3) The passages in the Epistles to Titus and to Timothy show that Tychicus was again with Paul, after the appeal to the emperor had resulted in the apostle regaining his freedom. The passage in Titus evidently refers to the interval between Paul's first and second Roman imprisonments, and while he was again engaged in missionary journeys. The apostle writes to Titus, who was in Crete in charge of the churches there, that he intended to send either Artemas or Tychicus to him, so as to take the oversight of the work of the gospel in that island, that Titus might be free to come to be with the apostle at Nicopolis.

(4) The last passage where Tychicus is mentioned occurs in 2 Timothy, which was written in Rome not long before Paul's execution. To the very end Paul was busy as ever in the work of the gospel; and though it would have been a comfort to him to have his friends beside him, yet the interests of the kingdom of Christ are uppermost in his thoughts, and he sends these friends to help the progress of the work. To the last, Tychicus was serviceable as ever: "Tychicus I sent to Ephesus" (4:12). As Timothy was in charge of the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3), the coming of Tychicus would set him free, so as to enable him to set off at once to rejoin Paul at Rome, as the apostle desired him (2 Timothy 4:9, 21).

It should also be noted that at Ephesus Tychicus would be able to visit his old friend Trophimus, who was, at that very time, only a few miles away, at Miletus, sick (2 Timothy 4:20).

It is possible that Tychicus is the brother referred to in 2 Corinthians 8:22, 23 as one "whom we have many times proved earnest in many things.... (one of) the messengers of the churches.... the glory of Christ."

(5) The character and career of Tychicus are such as show him altogether affectionate, faithful and worthy of the confidence reposed in him by Paul, who, as already seen, sent him again and again on important work, which could be performed only by a man of ability and of high Christian worth and experience. Thus, all that is known regarding Tychicus fully bears out the description of his character given by the apostle himself, that he was a beloved brother, a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord.

John Rutherfurd

Greek

5190. Tuchikos -- "fortuitous," Tychicus, a Christian
... "fortuitous," Tychicus, a ... Word Origin from tuche (fortune, fate) Definition "fortuitous,"
Tychicus, a Christian NASB Word Usage Tychicus (5). Tychicus. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5190.htm - 6k

Library

The Epistle to the Colossians.
... He sent through Tychicus (Col.4:7) a letter to the church, which was also intended
for the Laodiceans (4:16); at the same time he sent through Onesimus a ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 94 the epistle to.htm

The Supremacy of Christ
... the First Impris+The Sending of the Epistles+"Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians
were evidently dispatched from Rome by the same messenger, Tychicus (Col.4:7 ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study ix the supremacy of.htm

The Epistle to the Ephesians
... Paul, and contains no personal greetings. The only person mentioned is Tychicus,
the bearer of the letter. It treats in a profound ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the epistle to the ephesians.htm

The Same Hippolytus on the Seventy Apostles.
... [2035]. 52. Sosthenes, bishop of Colophonia. 53. Tychicus, bishop of Colophonia.
54. ... 60. Onesiphorus, bishop of Corone. 61. Tychicus, bishop of Chalcedon. 62. ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/the same hippolytus on the.htm

2 Timothy iv. 13-Sep
... Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. ... "And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. ...
/.../homily x 2 timothy iv.htm

2 Cor. I. 6, 7
... For having sent Tychicus to them, he gives this as the reason of his journey: whence
he saith, "But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily ii 2 cor i.htm

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians --The Epistle of ...
... St. Paul sent this letter, together with that to Philemon and the circular which
we call "Ephesians," by Tychicus from Rome, probably in AD60. ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xiv the epistle of.htm

Ephesians vi. 14-17
... "But that ye also [493] may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother
and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things.". ...
/.../homily xxiv ephesians vi 14-17.htm

Manuscript Testimony Shewn to be Overwhelmingly in Favour of These ...
... I demur to it,". (1) Because of its exceeding Improbability: for (a) when S. Paul
sent his Epistle to the Ephesians we know that Tychicus, the bearer of it ...
/.../chapter vii manuscript testimony shewn.htm

In Rome
... Timothy also ministered to his comfort. Tychicus, "a beloved brother, and a faithful
minister and fellow servant in the Lord," stood nobly by the apostle. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 43 in rome.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Tychicus

casual; by chance

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tychicus

(fateful) and Trophimus (nutritious), companions of St. Paul on some of his journeys, are mentioned as natives of Asia. (Acts 20:4; 21:29; 2 Timothy 4:20) (A.D. 54-64.) There is much probability in the conjecture that Tychicus and Trophimus were the two brethren who were associated with Titus. (2 Corinthians 8:16-24) in conducting the business of the collection for the poor Christians in Judea.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Tychicus

A disciple employed by the apostle Paul to carry his letters to several churches. He was of the province of Asia, and accompanied Paul in his journey from Corinth to Jerusalem, Acts 20:4. He carried the epistle to the Colossians, that to the Ephesians, and the first to Timothy. The apostle calls him the Lord, and his companion in the service of God, Ephesians 6:21,22 Colossians 4:7,8 2 Timothy 4:12, and had intentions of sending him into Crete, in the absence of Titus, Titus 3:12.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Chance, an Asiatic Christian, a "faithful minister in the Lord" (Ephesians 6:21, 22), who, with Trophimus, accompanied Paul on a part of his journey from Macedonia to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). He is alluded to also in Colossians 4:7, Titus 3:12, and 2 Timothy 4:12 as having been with Paul at Rome, whence he sent him to Ephesus, probably for the purpose of building up and encouraging the church there.

Thesaurus

Tychicus (5 Occurrences)
... encouraging the church there. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TYCHICUS.
tik'-i-kus (Tuchikos, lit. "chance"): Mentioned 5 times ...
/t/tychicus.htm - 14k

Tych'icus (5 Occurrences)
Tych'icus. Tychicus, Tych'icus. Type . Multi-Version Concordance
Tych'icus (5 Occurrences). Acts 20:4 And there were accompanying ...
/t/tych'icus.htm - 7k

Trophimus (3 Occurrences)
... 1. An Ephesian: In the first of the three passages in which Trophimus is mentioned,
he and Tychicus are called Asianoi, that is, natives of the Roman province ...
/t/trophimus.htm - 15k

Onesimus (2 Occurrences)
... done him. He was accompanied on his return by Tychicus, the bearer of the
Epistle to the Colossians (Philemon 1:16, 18). The story ...
/o/onesimus.htm - 12k

Ministrant (15 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 6:21 And that ye may know -- ye also -- the things concerning me -- what
I do, all things make known to you shall Tychicus, the beloved brother and ...
/m/ministrant.htm - 11k

Concerns (20 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 6:21 But in order that ye also may know what concerns me, how I am getting
on, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall ...
/c/concerns.htm - 12k

Minister (150 Occurrences)
... usually a subordinate officer or assistant employed in relation to the ministry
of the gospel, as to Paul and Apollos (1 Corinthians 3:5), Tychicus (Ephesians 6 ...
/m/minister.htm - 40k

Affairs (27 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 6:21 But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus,
the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you ...
/a/affairs.htm - 14k

Laodiceans (2 Occurrences)
... These two are sister epistles, and these along with the Epistle to Philemon were
written and sent off at the same time, Onesimus and Tychicus carrying the ...
/l/laodiceans.htm - 28k

Helper (58 Occurrences)
... Ephesians 6:21 But in order that you also may know how I am doing, Tychicus our
dearly-loved brother and faithful helper in the Lord's service will tell you ...
/h/helper.htm - 23k

Bible Concordance

Tychicus (5 Occurrences)

Acts 20:4 These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Ephesians 6:21 But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things;
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Colossians 4:7 All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Timothy 4:12 But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Titus 3:12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Tychicus

Tychicus with Paul in Nicopolis

Tychicus with Paul in Rome, With Postscripts to Ephesians and Colossians

Tychicus: Accompanies Paul from Greece to Asia

Tychicus: Sent to Colossae

Tychicus: Sent to Ephesus

Related Terms

Tych'icus (5 Occurrences)

Trophimus (3 Occurrences)

Onesimus (2 Occurrences)

Ministrant (15 Occurrences)