Special Coronavirus Issue

Special Coronavirus Issue of “Friends of St. Paul”

With a tilt toward humor and wisdom from an expert

The humor – Be sure to “load all images,” and you will have before you the satirical wit of the keen observer of the church, William Hogarth. Details at the bottom.

The expert for this issue is Epaphras, church planter of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hieropolis.

The References:          Col. 1:7            You understood the grace of God from Epaphras.

                                    Col. 4:12          Epaphras struggles on behalf of you through prayer.

The story that emerges: 

In the years 52-55 when Paul was in Ephesus, one of the men he discipled was Epaphras. He came from Colossae and began the church there, as well as the churches in Laodicea and Hieropolis.  These cities were in the Lycus Valley, about 75 miles from Ephesus.

Paul opens his letter to the Colossians describing the spiritual condition of the Christians in Colossae. These were “love for all the saints,” “hope laid up in heaven,” and “knowing the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:4, 5, 6). But that was not what Epaphras found in his valley. He worked in a population that was largely pagans, motivated by greed, self-preservation, fear of death, and hostility to the Christian gospel.

Somehow Epaphras brought the Holy Spirit’s power in ways that overcame the staunchest resistance of the inhabitants of the Lycos Valley.

Maybe this man has some wisdom for us living under the shadow of the coronavirus.

The moment he joined me on the heavenly bench, I sensed his compassion towards what we are living with. (I did ask him if he had used hand sanitizer before sitting down. He just rolled his eyes. I get it. So we didn’t bot her with the six feet of social distancing.)

He asked about how things are going. I mentioned two things. First, we wash our hands while singing “Happy Birthday” twice, though I doubt if any get all the way through the second time. Second, I told him that my sisters and I were setting up a virtual dinner party for the six of us. This will be challenging since one of us has given up the grape for Lent and another is vegetarian. “Sounds weird,” was his comment. I asked how come he knew my sisters so well!

I went on to report that churches are relying on services online, and the prevailing message is to trust God in this crisis. But, I observed, there could be little resemblance to his three cities and their pagan environment. 

“Quite the contrary,” he said, and moved into some lessons that bridge the time and culture.

There is opportunity, he assured me, but it will only come with the effort to recast our imagination. Well, that phrase intrigued me and made me listen closely. He went on to point to three similarities: the house church, love for the saints, and showing hope. 

The “church” we read about in Colossae met in the home of Nympha (Col. 4:15). That made it no different from the virtual groups that meet today. This reduced size of congregations need be no impediment to fellowship and community. If you can have your virtual dinner party, then you can have virtual groups that meet for other reasons. Bible studies are obvious ones, and AA. But why not virtual groups of walkers, virtual meetings over coffee, follow up patio conversations, as well visits with elderly who are alone. None of these requires social distancing. Take it from there in your imagination. 

As for “the love in the hearts of Christians,” discard the silly “Happy Birthday” song; instead while you are washing, recite these three Beatitudes:

            “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

            Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

            Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” 

That’s not quite the 20 seconds, but they need a pause afterwards. That is when you reflect on the people who come to mind, the needs that they live with, and the ways that you can touch them. You will see friends long forgotten, lonely neighbors, sick people on prayer lists, and masses who come to us only by generalizations.  Examples of these would be the 900,000 Libyans forced to shelter in schools and temporary centers; the 20,000 refugees on Lesvos of Greece; the prison populations, and – well, back to your imagination. 

“The hope that is alive in Christians” goes much further than trusting that God is in charge. It frees us to acts of love that stand in contrast to feelings of abandonment, hearts that have shut down, motivations of self-preservation, fear of the future, anxiety in the present. Hope lets us visit and return, listen and pray, show sacrificial kindness, speak peace to despair, and explain “what is laid up for us in heaven.”

Epaphras reminded us of one more thing that Paul wrote about him – how he “agonized” in prayer over his people. If prayer dries up, our love will diminish and our hope disappear.

The opportunity is to put on the best show in town, highly valued now and remembered later. And at the center of the show is the one who is the source of hope and love, Jesus Christ. 

The Hogarth print I stashed away for myself to keep from other interested clergy in the family. That would be “PK,” preacher’s kid (1), brother-in-law (1), nephew (3), and first cousin (3). You got it—the family business. But I have the Hogarth.

Luke - Strength offstage

The references:          Col. 4:14          Luke the beloved physician

                                    2 Tim. 4:11      Only Luke is with me

                                    Phile 24           Luke, my fellow worker

The story that emerges:

Luke gave us over one-quarter of the New Testament literature—the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. His Gospel opens with the claim of objective reliability and careful investigation. This intent parallels the classic approaches of the historians Herodotus and Thucydides. (At least, that is what others say.)

In addition, we know he spent more time with Paul than any other friend or co-worker. For three passages in Acts the narrator is “we,” indicating that Luke was with him at that point of Paul’s life. These periods cover long sea travel and Paul’s prison terms.

Yet—this man receives only three references by Paul and none in Acts. Doesn’t he deserve more? Or not. Am I overlooking “strength that is offstage?” With these questions in mind, I will try uncover what lies within this man. 

I.              What we do notknow with certainty:

The first entry must be about where he was born and raised. At least with Paul we know who his tutor was, Gamaliel. Not so with Luke. Like Melchizedek—well, in some ways—he just appears.

Though he became a close companion of Paul, we are not told how they met. The first time we read of the two of them together is when he joins Paul, Timothy, and Silas for the short trip across the Aegean from Troas to European soil. Before that? Silence.

Lastly, about his death we know nothing. He disappears following his report of Paul at the end of Acts meeting with Jews in Rome. Even the place of his grave is unknown. That puts him in the company of Mozart whose burial site also remains a mystery. Or rather, let me say, Mozart finds himself in the company ofLuke.

II.             What is probable:

Scholars debate if he was Jew or Gentile. While there is no explicit mention either way, there is a listing of Paul’s co-workers who were Jewish in Colossians 4:10, 11. Following that is another list where Luke is named. This, along with the Gentile tilt of the Gospel, does indicate that he was a Gentile.

For his home, there are two possibilities. Antioch is one possible place. When Luke lists the leaders in the church there at the time of Paul’s first missionary journey, one of them is named Lucius. That could be another name for Luke. This would place him as a leader in Antioch.

The other possibility is Troas.  The first “we” passage occurs when Paul and friends were in Troas. That could mean that Troas was his hometown, that he heard Paul preach and became a follower of Jesus, and, free to leave his city, that he accompanied the three of them to Philippi.

III.           Legend

As might be expected of a leader of his prominence, legends arose about Luke. One of the most intriguing is Luke as the first iconographer. One of the sacred texts in the Orthodox Church links him to icons.  “The Paraklesisto the Theotokos” cites Luke as the painter of three icons of Mary, the Theotokos, “Mother of God.” From that Luke has become the patron of all iconographers. 

Legend also tells us that he preached in Dalmatia and Boeotia and also cites Thebes as the place of his death.

And for the great historian and intimate companion of Paul, nothing else.

I stood in front of the kiosk where appointments were made for heavenly interviews and said I would like to sit with St. Luke. He – or was it “She?” – rolled her eyes at that request. “Luke? Today? No, no. Take a number.”

By that I realized: a) Luke was in demand, and b) this profile might take a while. Stay tuned for the interview and more chapters.

“Right ,” I said, “how about Julius?” “Caesar? Not sure where to find him.” “No, Julius the Captain of the Augustinian Cohort.” “Oh, him. No one has asked for him yet. I’ll find him for you. Take a seat.”

For all that Luke represents, he makes no personal appearance in his two volumes and warrants only two references in Paul’s letters. How come? 

After all, most authors writing about a famous figure insert at least a bit here and there about the writer. Who would not? Who resists just a bit of self-name-dropping? Did not James Boswell, the biographer of the famous Samuel Johnson, also write a volume about himself? Or was Luke modest to a painful degree, shrinking from the spotlight? Like the eminent Jane Austen, burning all her correspondence with her sister. Or was there inverted pride, bringing attention to himself by intentionally staying in absentia? 

I thought if anyone could answer, it might be Julius. Why Julius? Because he was the leader of the ship that voyaged from Tyre to Rome with Paul and Luke. 

Enter Julius, a man of such position and clout that all cowered in his presence. He, Julius, was the leader of the Augustinian Cohort, and this man was to take the ship of criminals to Rome. In his order of military life, these men feared no one and brought dread to all. Except in this story: Not this Julius and not this criminal Paul. To Paul Julius was nearly deferential. He was kind, attentive, and protective (Acts 27:3; 27:31; 27:43).

While I was interested in his reaction to Paul, I was especially curious about Paul’s companion. Was this man merely a footman to Paul? An obsequious attendant? Or were their interchanges competitive, Luke not about to yield ground? Was there a never-ending contest as to who was dominant?

To which Julius gave these observations. “There was no self-effacing modesty in that man. He did not shrink from asserting his views and opinions. And no sign of false humility either. He did not belittle himself and then show a bit of strut. Nor in any way did he try to outshine his well-known criminal friend, nor did he stay three steps behind.

As to the positive, I say he was secure in the comfort of who he was. He was friend to the man on whom all attention centered, and he was pleased to be that. He listened with respect, both as a friend and as student. Friend, support, confidant, and listener. There was a well of confidence in him that removed all need to put himself forth, just as there was no uneasiness with stepping forward. His humility abounded in strength, and his courage rested on honor. Truly, a man of gratitude, wisdom, and faith in that man Jesus whom they both loved and worshipped.” 

Epiphraditus - Signs of a good church

 

The references:          Philippians 2:25          I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 

                                    Philippiians 4:25        I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 

 

The story that emerges:

It was Samuel Johnson who wrote, “Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.” Paul could have written, “When a man knows he is in prison, it concentrates his mind wonderfully on things of real value.” Paul tells us of those values in his correspondence with the Philippian church

For Paul it all revolved around the companionship with Epaphroditus and the sweet encouragement that brought him. 

Epaphroditus was from the church in Philippi. Clearly, Paul had made a strong impression upon Epaphroditus when Paul was there. When he learned that Paul was in jail in Rome, he went to be with his mentor. For Paul, this gesture and their time together was the most precious, most highly valued beam of light to penetrate the walls of his cell.

Here are some of the words Paul used in reference to Epaphroditus. “He is my brother,my coworker, my fellow soldier.” The triad of those words present a close friend, one who shares the call of their Lord, one not embarrassed by Paul’s witness, and one who has not shrunk from joining Paul in the trenches.

He moves to expressions of feelings, mentioning his longing for him, of the distress of his absence, the sorrow upon sorrow if Epaphroditus had died, and of rejoicing at the Philippians seeing him again. Those are terms of endearment, of a companion who shares the deepest love that Paul knows. No high-tech words, no task-oriented references, no dry terms just so he can move to more important things. Paul felt deeply for his friend and could only talk of him with terms of intimacy, of heart language, and the bonds of affection. 

As Paul looked ahead at Epaphroditus’ return to Philippi, the context he envisioned was not that of new blood for ministry or additional help for programs. Instead he writes of the joy and honor that the people back in Philippi will have when their friend returns. They had heard that he had been near death. So now they will rejoice over him as a dearly loved brother who has returned home.

The letter closes with another reference to Epaphroditus and the gift he brought from this church that loved Paul so. But again, the value is not in the listing of the items that would make Paul’s life easier. To Paul, the gift is more of a “fragrant offering” of their affection for him. That meant more to him than the contents. Along with all that he unwrapped, he received “an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to him and to God.” 

The values Paul the prisoner held to be so wonderful? Not the tangibles, not the statistics of ministry and growth, not the reports of attendance and programs. No, rather the intangibles of hearing news of the brothers and sisters, of how they continue in partnership with Paul, how “they share in his troubles,” and how they are pursuing “the fruits of righteousness that come from their faith in Jesus Christ.” 

That is what lifts Paul’s heart about the relationship with the Philippians, or the Colossians, or the Thessalonians. News. Affirmation of abounding in knowledge and grace, defending the gospel, sharing in God’s grace with him. For him the delights of his appetite, this was feasting. He did more than survive on this companionship; the time with Epaphroditus fed him and deeply satisfied his longing.

The food that is served for Paul’s feast is known by the vitality of spiritual hunger, by the signs of true fellowship, by loving other congregations, by the sending out of key and prominent leaders, by the challenges the church faces, and by dealing with opponents with love and patience.

Above all the one and most pure value--rejoicing in God. Doesn’t Paul say that twice in the last chapter?

 

 

When we found our bench, I was tempted to ask Epaphroditus if he did not have a nickname. I mean, “Epaphraditus”? Surely…. As for myself, I got lucky. Who wouldn’t trade “Tad” for “Ernest”? But I thought that maybe, just maybe, “Epaphroditus” meant a lot to them then. Chalk that up to cultural sensitivity. :-)

I did ask about “risking his neck” for the gospel. No details come from Paul. Epaphroditus did not add any. In fact, best left that way. Otherwise we in the safe zones of the world would make a hero of him for what he would consider --- no big deal. 

We did reflect on what Paul would want for a church’s feast. We agreed that this seems to be learned behavior.  Unless we learn otherwise, what might we expect to hear? “How was your Christmas service?” “Did you meet your goal of the campaign?” “Tell me about your program for after Easter.”  “Is your average attendance going up?”  

What we hear from Paul in prison does want evaluation by corporate measures. Consider the church today. The Christians in Idlid Province of Syria have no building but depend upon the church’s prayers for food and safety. The refugee Christians in Moria Camp on Lesvos Island, Greece, have no church “service” but hunker down around radio programs. The Christians in Kathmandu are under suspicion but are intent on helping fellow believers to find sanctuary in Canada. 

For us in the safe zones, they are on the front lines where the battles are engaged. From them we learn the values to absorb that they and Paul embody.

 

 

 

 

 

Lydia, Europe, and today

The Reference:Acts 16:13, 14On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. 

The story that emerges:

Paul was not the first history maker to embark from the port of Troas. About a millennium before, Odysseus sailed out from Troy to return to Ithaca, Greece, after the Trojan Wars. A decade later Aeneas, a survivor of Troy, sailed out from the same port intending to establish Rome. Both of them met with the ire of the gods, sending them foul weather and disasters at every turn. Their trips took over ten years, with many lives lost on the way.

Then, about the year of our Lord 50, Paul embarked with three friends to cross the Aegean Sea under orders of God the Holy Spirit. His trip took two days and resulted in the evangelization of all of Europe.

The story began with prayer and continued with the Holy Spirit’s careful direction. Paul showed his alertness to the Holy Spirit in listening and heeding. He listened as the Holy Spirit would not allow him to preach in southern Phrygia, the vicinity of Thyatira. Likewise, the Holy Spirit forbade him from moving up along the coast of the Black Sea. Then, when Paul heard “the Macedonian Call,” to cross from Turkey to Europe, he heeded the call.  

These lands were pagan territories with no known precursor of the gospel. He had no contact across the sea and no knowledge of what to expect. What he did know was the certainty of God’s call and His presence wherever he ministered. And so they crossed, arriving at the coastal city of Neapolis, then moving to the more strategic city of Philippi. 

By prayer and the Holy Spirit, he soon found a place of prayer for some of the women of Philippi. He spoke to them of the mercy of the God of heaven, and of the cross and resurrection of His Son. One of the women, Lydia, responded. Actually, Luke spells out the impact of Paul’s preaching that it was not by his persuasion but by the Holy Spirit. “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message” (Acts 16:14).

Thus, Lydia became the first convert to Jesus Christ in Europe. She made no secret of her faith. As a woman of means, a seller of purple cloth, she had a house large enough for the visitors. Luke describes how she immediately offered hospitality. That was no slight gesture, for these men were strangers, from another country, and publicly espoused a religion that bore no resemblance to the weird behavior of the Greek gods.

Furthermore, to the amazement of some of her friends, no doubt, she received baptism--she and her household. (Though that may make some brothers and sisters nervous, it does look like some infants might well have been part of the baptismal party!) Her public and total identification with the faith of Jesus Christ not only gave Paul’s party comfort, but also brought others to the faith she embraced.

There is one more chapter to the interweaving of prayer and the Holy Spirit with Lydia. This chapter, I confess, is based on presumption, on the likeliness of this happening. 

It unfolds like this. Luke mentioned that Lydia was originally from Thyatira. That was one of the cities that the Holy Spirit did not permit Paul to preach on his way to Troas. But in the Revelation to John we read that one of the seven churches was, in fact, at Thyatira. My assumption is that Lydia at some point returned to her home city as a witness to her Lord. She would have assisted those who had gone there to plant a church. The woman Lydia was chosen by God not just as first convert in Europe but to be for us an example of a faith that shines in darkness. 

When Lydia and I sat down in heaven, I wanted her to open up about that last point, the possibility of her return to Thyatira. Instead she moved to our story today. What she said caught me totally off guard. I was simply dumbfounded.  She told how God is repeating her circumstances in the same places and for the same results.

Consider the extraordinary parallels. The basics of her story are few: Troas was very close to the shores of Greece. Paul left Turkey for the short trip to the nearby city of Philippi. There, a Turkish woman living in Philippi became Europe’s first Christian. In my scenario, Lydia returned to Turkey as an evangelist to her former people.

Today these circumstances look like this: A few miles south from Troas are the shores of Ayvalik, Turkey. The Greek island of Lesvos is a mere four miles away from this. The coast of Lesvos has been the destination of thousands of refugees leaving from Turkey. They traverse the waters in a matter of hours. These hordes have arrived from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and other countries, places that have been tearing apart their lives by warfare, violence, and starvation. 

They are leaving countries where the gospel of Jesus Christ has been muted or outlawed. But in their new homes of Greece, Germany, Great Britain, and other European countries, the Christian message is freed to be told. 

From Lesvos to Holland there are numerous sites of Christians receiving these people. The refugees arrive traumatized, scared, and needy. These Christians offer them the resources most immediately needed—hospitality, papers, places to sleep, food, diapers, and most other necessities. And importantly they offer listening, love, prayer, and understanding. Often God wraps His love and gospel in with all the other expressions of His love. These new believers are taught, disciplined and grounded in the faith.

One such place gives us a website. The place is named “Bridges.” Their richest resource, according to their visitors, is listening and prayer. From those come lives changed and people finding Jesus Christ’s love.  https://www.facebook.com/Syrian-Bridges-512151758924500/

There is one further similarity to Lydia’s story, an amazing way God is working.  Many of the Muslim followers of Jesus are trained to return to their homes—yes, to the very places of danger, death, and destruction—to be the evangelists for friends and families to join them as followers of Jesus. So strong is their love for their Savior that they will risk their lives to return, like Lydia’s example, and shine in the darkness. 

Lydia I found to be a forceful person. No surprise there. She raised the role of the church today, its witness in the midst of those seeking a hope and a future. For the Christians working their, they listen daily for the direction of the Holy Spirit. For us away from there, ours is the privilege for the other part that Paul took with him leaving Troas. And that is prayer.

Paul's take on Abraham

We are checking back with Tertius, the scribe to whom Paul dictated the Epistle to the Romans. The two of them had just finished the intense and closely reasoned third chapter of the letter. Paul had been musing aloud about the next chapter when Tertius pushed his chair back and asked for a break.
 
Tertius:           Paul, my friend, may I be so bold as to comment on what you are planning for this next chapter?
Paul:               Of course. You know I welcome your thoughts.
Tertius:            It’s about your introducing Abraham. Seems to me Moses belongs in this next chapter instead. Here is why. You have announced the  news that justification before God comes not by keeping the law but by faith. The covenant goodness of God shines brightly. And that makes a place for Moses. After all, he is the one who gave us the law.
Paul:                But that is not the message I want to convey. Yes, all you say is true, but that is just the foundation for the greater truth, the greater mercy of God whose blazing brilliance radiates on all the peoples of the world.
Tertius:            Then, I don’t get it. What could be added to justification by faith? In fact, if any condition added, that brings a denial of grace alone. What am I missing?
Paul:                Nothing—that is, nothing as far as you go. Nothing should be changed. Justification by faith opens the door to the kingdom of God, but it also   tells us about those outside.  If we only teach the door of personal justification, we miss those who immediately become qualified to come through.  And for that I need to bring in Abraham.
Tertius:            You need to spell this out.
Paul:                If the required qualification is keeping the law, that would only be the Jews. But by bringing the terms of justification “apart from the law,” that means that those who do not have the law also are invited. And who does that mean? Everybody. No one is omitted from the invitation to come through the door into God’s kingdom. God’s invitation is a universal invitation. That would be obscured if Moses is held up as the prime illustration. And that’s where Abraham fits.
Tertius:            I guess you are going to spell that out.
Paul:                I will, and you will be writing this on paper.               
                         God wanted a man who would be the forebear of the faithful, basically the quintessential person of faith. This person had to come to God by trust and faith. His trust would be severely tested and his faith would be the basis of all future people of faith. That is what we have in Abraham.
                         We know how his trust was tested. “Take your son, your only son, your son Isaac whom you love” (Genesis 22:2). Would Abraham be willing to sacrifice Isaac? Yes, he was willing. Abraham believed that God would bring life out of death. Not sure how, but that was made clear by his willingness. What saves this from brutal savagery on the part of God is that He did not let Abraham go through with it, and this was the single such request that God made. 
                        Abraham’s faith became the model faith, the conditions of which were to be universally true for saving faith. To that end, Paul made it clear that when Abraham trusted God for the life of Isaac, this was before his circumcision, not after. No agument could be made that God’s favor came by keeping the law of circumcision. That God made Abraham “the father of many nations." He is the father of all who believe that God who gives life to the dead through repentance and faith.
Tertius:            So when you move from justification to Abraham, you are making the case for a universal view rather than an individual approach to grace. Do I get that right?
Paul:                You do. And to be specific, the implications for the church ought to be clear. But no clearer than what our Lord Himself said. The church is “to go and make disciples of all nations.” He might as well have said, “Go and tell people in each and every ethnic group that the door to the kingdom is open for all—for all—who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.”
                        If I may speak personally—which I do in the letter to Ephesus—God has given me the specific and unique calling to make plain the unsearchable riches of this grace; and to persuade both Jews and non-Jews that this grace is actually intended for both. (Ephesians 3:7,8) And may I add, this persuasion has not been easy.
Tertius:            Those sound like marching orders for the church. What would be signs that the church misses this Commission? 
Paul:                Two signs. The first sign would be confining grace just to the individual. The second would be pointing the kingdom's door only to those near and like us. This would continue the neglect of those millions who have not yet heard the news. They too would like that privilege. And God wants them to find that door.
 
 
Tertius was waiting for me on the bench and wanted to pick up on Epiphany and Lent.  “If I remember right, you all that do seasons of the church year are about to enter Lent. That makes this last Sunday of Epiphany the Sunday, right? A Sunday that many call, ‘Mission Sunday, right’” He went on, “And what are you going to do about this on Sunday?”
Tad:                Well, as a matter of fact I will be concentrating on this very message where I will be. The whole service will revolve around the nations. 
Tertius:           Pretty good. What church is this?
Tad:                It’s a small one, and the people are small, you might say. Ages below 15. All of them.
Tertius:           I’m curious. What is this church called and where is it?
Tad:                We are probably the only church without announcements and with no offering. The church is called “Tadpole’s Tabernacle” and will be at the home of our grandchildren, whose parents will be away for the weekend.       

Check out this website for nations that do not know how to find the door:
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/

Apollos and the truth that sets us free

The references:    Acts 18:24       Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures
I Cor. 3: 6        I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

The story that emerges:
This man was named for Apollos, the son of Zeus. Growing up, someone from the Christian community in Alexandria drew him into the orbit of Jesus, the Son of God. His education came in one of the most sophisticated cities in the world. Its library was one of the world’s largest, though reduced in size by his time.  

Friends of Apollos described him as “eloquent,” “fervent in spirit,” “well versed in the Scriptures.” It is no surprise that Apollos became a central figure in the early years of the church. We will see how that developed, but not before we see how his teaching needed attention.

He first appears in Ephesus, arriving just after Paul’s departure from there for Antioch. Apollos, with his fervent and eloquent nature, began teaching the disciples in Ephesus. Aquila and Priscilla were there, disciples of Paul who were also tentmakers. These two people heard Apollos and were troubled by his teaching. It turns out that, only knowing the Old Testament, Apollos knew nothing of the baptism of Jesus and was cloudy on the Holy Spirit. Aquila and Priscilla stepped in to assist this gifted leader. Together the three of them spent many an hour in the tentmaker workshop, correcting and expanding the theology of Apollos.

Suppose, however, that Aquila and Priscilla neve raised any issue. Suppose they thought not to embarrass the Alexandrian. He was nice and well intentioned. Why make him feel bad? No one in the church seemed to mind. And besides, he had the equivalent of a doctorate in theology from a prestigious institution. And he was so eloquent!

Suppose Aquila and Priscilla chose to be quiet. Then the church would have teaching that was lame and limp. But nearby, the worshippers of Diana had vigorous worship in the amphitheater. They would snicker and scorn the small group of the church and their lackadaisical common life.  Like Jesus predicted, “Salt that has lost its saltiness is thrown out and then it is trampled upon.”

But Priscilla and Aquilla did not stay quiet. And so they set the example for us. They took Apollos aside and tutored him, refining what he already knew and showing him things he had not known. Into many churches today has crept darkness, teaching that should trouble Aquilas and Priscillas. If truth makes us free, false teaching saps life and leaves darkness.

A Trojan Horse has been let through the gates and entered inside the church. The hidden conquerors are those who stand for the most plausible virtue in our culture—the right of self-expression. That is sacrosanct territory, for it places supreme value on my story, my subjective response to the Christian story. That is my faith, and no one may touch, critique, scrutinize, or evaluate. It is my story. Don’t bother me with facts. To raise objection, we are told, is arrogant, fundamentalist, and judgmental, when in fact it is dogmatically anti-intellectual. When the errors come in trendy and glamorous wrappings, discernment is not easy.

In these conditions heresy is eliminated. This sanctity of subjective experience permits a wedge between a personal faith and the historic events that undergird gospel truth. As long as we indulge in the farce that my personal faith does not need to be grounded in the history of that the Bible tells, then we have lost any standard for truth.

The church always stands prepared to recognize and defeat false teaching. Paul anticipated the fight for truth and had the sternest rebuke for false teachers. “If anyone teach a gospel contrary to what you have received, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:9). In the ordination vows which I took, I was asked if I would be ready to banish and drive from the church all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God’s Word. In the last century Dietrich Bonhoeffer addressed this: “We have lost the concept of heresy today because there is no longer a teaching authority. This is a tremendous catastrophe, for there can no longer be said, this is true and this is false.” 

And so it continues.

Aquilla and Priscilla referred Apollos to the Scriptures and the events around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All very trustworthy. If they were to speak today, to what authority would they point us? That is a good question, since the temptation for personal preference or just plain weird sources presents itself.

Since they are not around, I will give my list: The Scriptures, Old and New Testament, interpreted within themselves as far as is able; the Nicene Creed, a statement agreed upon by the ecumenical church fathers; and our Anglican condensation of the Westminster Catechism, being the 39 Articles. These contain the revelation of God, the tested filters of what the Bible contains, and a classic formulary laying out the principles of our faith.


I did have one question of Apollos when we sat down on my divine bench. Indirectly, a question about his sense of pride. After all this was a man with a sophisticated and erudite education from the prominent center of learning. And he was to be tutored by tentmakers? His response showed how genuinely he was a student of the Scriptures and well instructed in the ways of the Lord. He simply quoted these verses: “The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Ps. 19:7). “Wisdom and power belong to God” (Daniel 2:20). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). That wisdom with a healthy dose of humility created his open mind.

I wanted to ask about him and Paul and the competition that seemed to crop up between the two men in Corinth. He held up his hand and said that is for another time. Right. Later this week. 

Onesiphorus -- True friend of Paul

Onesiphorus--True Friend of Paul

2 Timothy 1:16-18      May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.
 
2 Timothy 4:19           Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus.
 
What you need is a friend like Onesiphorus, especially if you are dumped in a dungeon like Paul was. 
 
That was a time when Paul only needed one thing – a friend. He was deserted and feeling lonely. He yearned for the companionship of Timothy. “Do your best to come quickly” (4:9).  Other friends had abandoned him or the faith. The people in the province of Asia had deserted him, along with two close companions, Phygelus and Hermogenes. To make matters worse, Demas had turned against him, and Alexander, the coppersmith had done him great harm.
 
Not his friend Onesiphorus.  Paul expressed sweet affection for him, and for two reasons. First, Onesiphorus refreshed Paul, and second, he searched until he found Paul was in an obscure jail in Rome. Each of these deserves a close look. 
 
This was a friend who “refreshed” Paul. He used that word twice about what this friend meant to him. The words that make up the verb mean "to give breathing room, or to cheer up and encourage." Apparently while Paul was in Ephesus, Onesiphorus gave Paul some breathing room and brought encouragement. In the accounts of Paul in Ephesus, neither Luke nor Paul refer to these efforts, but years later Paul remembered all that Onesiphorus meant, with honorable mention. 
 
It is not hard to envision what memories Paul recalled. After all, he was the pastor of a young and vital congregation. Most were new believers who had lots of questions of the faith and issues about following a new Master. The leader was discipling mature believers and nurturing new ones.  They kept him up late and met him early. This was a pastor who is stretched. But most of the internal stress was pushed down or to the side to make room for his ministry. 
 
In the midst of this, Onesiphorus refreshed his friend. He did not badger, made no demands, but looked after his friend, quietly seeing to his needs and pleasures. He covered when Paul was taking a walk, understood the stress on his friend, gently asked how he was doing, and listened as Paul unloaded his feelings and concerns. And Onesiphorus seems to be the only one fulfilling that role. For him the friendship of Onesiphorus was measured as gold. 
 
The other thing Paul mentions is how Onesiphorus sought him out in his final imprisonment in Rome. 
 
Constance and I have visited the cell where Paul lived his last days. She being an artist, we covered the territory where the Caravagios are hung, where Michelangelo has his genius on display. Then one day we peeled off the trail of great art to find Paul’s tomb. Our search took us to the end of one of Rome’s subway lines and then a long zigzag walk to the site of the church. What we found was no surprise. Paul may have had greater theological influence than Peter, but when it comes to glamorous tombs, no contest.  Peter’s wins the prize hands down. After all, how do you outdo the Vatican!  
 
We understood how Onesiphorus had to “search hard” to locate his friend. He had no train, no map, no friendly Romans to ask along the way. He pursued the trail to Paul which, in those days, must have taken him well beyond the walls of Rome to deserted outskirts. There he found the cell where Paul awaited his execution, chained to a guard and alone with Luke.
 
Paul noted that Onesiphorus did not despise his chains – as one might keep distance from a highly publicized and scandalized person. Paul knew that he was a known leader among the segment of society blamed for the recent fire.  The quest for locating Paul was one of danger, and not just from thieves or thugs. 
 
What a meeting that must have been! There they threw their arms around each other, wept and held tight, looking in each other’s eyes with true happiness. Onesiphorus refreshed his friend. They expressed their mutual love and concern, their grief about Paul’s fate, but most assuredly, gave praise to the God whom they served and who had prepared “a crown of righteousness which the Lord would reward him on that day” (4:8).  
 
And so we leave the scene. The gathered angels had hushed admiration as they rejoiced in the fellowship of that trio of servants, Paul, Luke, and Onesiphorus. The refreshment and encouragement held the assurance that all that lead to arrest and jailing was worth it, that hope beyond the terminal sword was real, that their bond of love would never break, that the dungeon would be replaced with a heavenly feast, and that nothing would separate them from the Savior whom they served.
 
 
When we sat down on the bench, Onesiphorus brought up Christians in prison. He told me that, just in North Korea, there are 70,000 Christians jailed for their faith. He confirmed that what they lived on was prayer, prayer that fed their hope, that nurtured the promise of Christ to be with them, that drew the Father’s love to them. Prayer is their assurance that Christians have not forgotten them. On his suggestion I located two ways to see these brothers and sisters and to find ways to refresh them—by prayer:
 
A prayer calendar with specific and current information: 
https://www.persecution.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-02_ICC-Prayer-Calendar.pdf
An Anglican lobby for the persecuted church: Anglican Persecuted Church Network