2 Timothy 4:19-21

Greet Priscila and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.  Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.  Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.  

The ministry is always about people.  It is always amazing to see the number of people Paul knows and cares about. These partners in ministry are largely unknown but played a role in the advance of the Gospel and they are known by God.  The partnerships we forge in the Gospel are vital to the mission to which God has called us.

 

YOU GREET THEM FOR ME: Priscila and Aquila were a couple that left Corinth with Paul, stayed in Ephesus, helped correct Apollos before he went on to Corinth.  Apparently, they were still in Ephesus where Timothy was currently helping to establish the leadership of the church.  They were certainly an influential and important part of what God was doing there.  This is the second time Onesiphorus is mentioned in this book.  The other time he was praised for having sought out Paul and provided encouragement and refreshment to him in the prison in Rome.  Many others had abandoned him but not Onesiphorus.  He was also from Ephesus and had done much the same thing when Paul had been there.  Paul wants Timothy to greet these precious friends.  Erastus and Tophimus Paul had left in different places for ministry or health purposes and Paul was certain that Timothy would meet up with them on his journey to Rome.  These partners in ministry had been important to Paul and would be to Timothy.  Many ministers feel lonely because they are not intentional about forging deep and abiding relationships.

 

YOU COME GREET ME: Paul’s clear expectation is for Timothy to come to Rome as soon as possible.  He does not want to pass another winter alone and, likely, knows that his execution will occur before too long.  We don’t know if Timothy made it.  All we know is that Paul loved this young man deeply and passed the baton of ministry leadership on to him.  There are many people in ministry that become partners and blessings in our lives.  However, it is also important to have a few people with whom we are very open and close with whom we do life together.  These relationships must also be built with that purpose in mind.

 

THEY GREET YOU FROM ME: The final group of people are Roman believers that are currently with Paul and likely a vital part of the church there.  Timothy may or may not know all these people personally, but upon his arrival they will be key to him as they had been to Paul.  In ministry it is important to help people build these relationships in a way that helps all parties involved.  God is at work building a body on this earth called the Church.  We are all members of one another and should be in full cooperation with each other for the glory of God and the edification of that body.

 

APPLICATION: Build meaningful partnerships with people for the advancement of the Gospel.  Forge deep friendships with a few that will be lifelong friends no matter what our geography might be.  Trian and empower others to assume our places in ministry.  Share our relationships with one another in the body of Christ.

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