Paul, Gaius, and a sickly Aristarchus flee from Ephesus after a brief farewell to the likes of Priscilla, Aquila, Epaphras and some of the other young Ephesian leaders.
Acts 20:1-2; 2 Corinthians 1:8-10
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The waves roll, and the merchant ship slowly ebbs along the distant shoreline. The dampened deck creeks with each swell, as Gaius traces the random areas of wood rot on a single plank for as far as his eye can see.
“Good thing I have sandals.” He mutters to himself under his breath.
Paul stirs at Gaius’ comment. “What was that?”
“Oh.” Gaius replies. “Sorry for waking you.”
Paul chuckles. “Yeah… sleep. It was a nice idea, but I have a hard time sleeping on anything that moves.” He quickly scans the ship’s deck for a chair or any object that might offer relief for the pain in his lower back. He grunts and says, “And, it’s not as if this wood is offering the luxurious comfort of a soft bed, you know?”
“Mmmmmmm.” Gaius smiles at the idea, as he turns his head towards what he presumes to be a mother and a grandmother stressing over a fussy infant. The mother adjusts her offspring to give as much comfort as she can. “Now that would be nice right now, wouldn’t it?” He says. “A warm feather bed to stay in forever.”
Paul smiles at the idea. “Right now, that sounds pretty delightful.” He says as he leans over Gaius to check the quiet body laying next to them. “But, as much as I wouldn’t want to, I would have to give it up for that guy.”
Both look over at a sickly Aristarchus who curls up in a fetal position beside them. Paul empathetically shakes his head.
“He doesn’t catch a break, does he?” Gaius asks with a sympathetic laugh.
“No… I guess he doesn’t,” Paul replies. “If God uses struggle to refine a man, then…”
“Yeah.” Gaius finishes his sentence. “He’s got to be the most righteous guy we know.”
Adjusting his weight Paul grimaces, as the soreness from staying seated too long on an unforgiving wood plank creeps in. Feeling the pain shoot up his spine, Paul winces again. Followed up with another empathetic look over at a sick Aristarchus, Paul lets out: “Well, it will be good to get him back home to that much more comfortable bed you speak of.”
A swell sprays the deck and soaks a crew member only some thirty feet away.
Gaius and Paul jolt at the surprising mist that spirals around a few times before reaching them.
“Woah, that was… scary.” Gaius comments. He then looks over at the two women with their infant to see if they had been drenched.
Looking in the direction of the crew member who strips out of his wet clothing, Paul nods in agreement. “Yes, it’s a good thing it’s not cold out.”
“So…” Gaius begins, wanting to breach into a difficult conversation. “On the subject of scary… Want to know what else was scary?”
Paul smiles at Gaius’ inflection and replies. “No… Tell me!”
“What just happened in Ephesus! That was…” Gaius doesn’t finish his thought.
Paul nods and quietly affirms, “Yeah.”
The mist of another swell rolls over the top of the bow, as the two collect their thoughts.
Finally breaking the silence, Gaius says, “So, I’m guessing we’re not heading back there anytime soon.”
Paul remains quiet for a time. “Probably not. But, you never know.”
“Seriously?” Gaius asks, as the two watch Aristarchus reposition himself. “How could you possibly go back when there are people who want to kill you?”
Paul chuckles and responds. “You know where we’re headed, right?”
Gaius replies: “We’re headed back to Thessalonica. What does that have to…” He catches himself and lets out. “Ohhhh.”
Paul then turns to Gaius and looks at him sternly. “Yes, my friend. We are heading back to the very cities with the same people who threatened to kill me.” He laughs at the insanity of those words. “Why, in God’s name, would we even do this?
Gaius smiles. “Yes, that’s a great question. You should remind me.” He says snarkily.
Sighing, Paul continues. “Because… He has given us good people–solid people in each city that need us to shepherd them in the faith. Without us, they will drift and fall by the wayside.”
Gaius concedes. “Which is why you sent Timothy.”
“Yes… Which is why I sent Timothy.” Paul confirms. “Though the Corinthians didn’t think much of Timothy, those in Berea, Thessalonica and Philippi thought the world of him. He was fruitful in Macedonia. When Silas and I were chased out and nearly killed… more than once…” Paul pauses and laughs.
Gaius grins again and adds to Paul’s thought. “In each… Macedonian… city.”
“Yes… in each city.” Paul concurs. “Timothy? He dutifully stuck around and trained those who were truly open to learning more about Jesus. In most cases, these were simple, salt of the earth folks who earnestly wanted to know much more. Timothy has been their “go-to guy”. He is their shepherd, and he has been deeply loved by them.”
The swells continue to hammer against the bow, shortly followed by waves of visible mist rising several feet above the deck.
Gaius sits quietly for a while and follows with a question. “You mentioned that Timothy wasn’t loved in Corinth.”
Paul nods.
“Why?” Gaius asks.
Paul grimaces. “Why indeed?” he wonders for a few moments before responding. He then looks down at Aristarchus who continues to curl up in a fetal ball. “Poor kid.” He says, shaking his head.
“My read on this?” Paul says. “Corinth… has some strong personalities.
“Okay.” Gaius replies.
“Let me put it this way.” Paul continues. “I was able to spend much more time in Corinth than in Macedonia, so the Corinthian people sat under my teaching. Moreover, with the masterful oration skills of Apollos and Zenas who arrived in Corinth after me and the fact that guys like Sosthenes, Stephanos and Crispus were all influential, well educated and well-spoken men, I suspect the Corinthians… Well, they got spoiled. They feasted off of the intellectuals and compelling orators who taught them. Furthermore, those other guys were former leaders in the synagogue and already had somewhat of a following. Poor Timothy… In the eyes of the Corinthians, he couldn’t hold a candle to those men…”
Paul considers his words and pauses. “It’s a shame, really. Timothy has been the model of faith in my eyes. The Corinthians? They have mistaken great teaching for exemplary faith. They have missed out on Timothy’s example of pure faith in their presence. They had God in front of them, but they didn’t see Him. They were too busy being enamored by the captivating speaking skills of many talented men and finding Timothy to be… Well… Less than impressive.
“Wow.” Gaius responds. “I didn’t realize…”
“Ha!” Paul interrupts. “I suspect that if I went back to Corinth and resume my teaching, that they would be disappointed and bored with me too.”
“C’mon.” Gaius objects.
“Seriously.” Paul responds. “Corinth has had some highly influential teachers, those with gilded tongues. I would be way to… what, elementary and plain spoken for them? They wouldn’t give me the time of day.” He pauses. “Honestly, Gaius, that’s why I sent Timothy back to Macedonia.” Paul continues. “That, and I knew he would be well received by those who love him there. The Corinthians… They had somebody really special in their midst, but… they didn’t know it.
“But they still have Apollos and the others.” Gaius replies. “They should be able to manage.”
“Not any more.” Paul says. “Apollos has moved on. I’ve tried to encourage him to return, but I suspect he and Zenas have felt called to be elsewhere.”
“Where did they go?” Gaius asks.
“Not totally sure.” Paul replies. “But, God is using them as apologists to the Jewish communities. Corinth needs someone steady, like Timothy. The problem is that if they get another Timothy, they’ll likely reject him too, which is why I’m deeply concerned for them.”
The semi-dry and nearly naked crew member reaches over the side of the deck to assess some kind of damage. Extending himself out and over the side beyond his comfort level, he retracts and finds another crew member to help him out. With the other crewmember holding his legs, the first crewman bends over once more to examine what might need repair.
“You’d better not let go of me!” A yell comes from below, as a swell batters against the bow only twenty feet in front of him.
Paul and Gaius watch the crewmembers for a moment before Paul goes on. “Timothy has been my right hand guy,” Paul says warmly. “There’s no way I could’ve continued on without him. I can’t wait to see him again.”
“Yeah, but…” Gaius asks. “Aren’t you worried about some of the other people seeing you again and plotting to kill you?”
Paul nods. “Yes. Yes, it is scary to go back to a city and worry about being spotted by the same people who tried to kill us. But, Gaius, don’t you get it?”
“What?” Gaius asks. “Don’t I get what?”
“Listen… Paul breathes out. “I’ve been called by Jesus to do this work. For twenty years now, I have been going into city after city and proclaiming Jesus as God’s chosen one, first to the Jews in the synagogues and then to the Gentiles, well… wherever I could speak with them. My calling… which is the very thing that motivated me to go Derbe which is where I found you. After all, Gaius, who intentionally goes to Derbe?”
Gaius feigns an indignant posture. “What!?! How dare you say that! I’ll have you know that in Derbe, we have titans of industry. World changers!” He laughs. “Hey, our tent making skills are unmatched!” He says then trails off. “It’s a… Well, people don’t stay long.”
“Yes, yes. I mean no offense.” Paul laughs in agreement. “But Barnabas and I turned right around to go back to Lystra–which incidentally had people who nearly stoned me to death–after meeting you and some of the others in your town. Gaius, we went to Derbe and every other town because we felt God tug us to go to those places. In each case, our faithfulness to God’s leading has resulted in opportunities that would have never been seen if we didn’t act. That’s my life as a called bondservant of Christ.”
Shifting his position, Paul grunts as he aims to stand. He then stretches and lets out a deep breath. “Don’t get old, my friend.” He quips. “It just gets more painful.”
With more stretching, Paul then looks out at the island off to the left. “Lesbos… I think it’s Lesbos anyway.” He says. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be pulling into Moria before long. I can use a walk…”
“And food.” Gaius retorts. “I can use some food!”
“Definitely.” Paul replies. “Let me just say this one final thing: Since the time when the risen Jesus literally confronted me, struck me blind, and led me into Damascus, my life has simply been a drink offering spilled out at the foot of the cross. God’s Christ has obediently offered his own life to the dictates of the Father. Gaius, who am I to do anything different? If I’m prompted to go back into danger, then I go. Mind you, I’ll be smart, but I will still go.”
…
We’re going to stop here for today.
Aboard a mid-sized Roman merchant ship, Paul, Gaius, and a sickly Aristarchus flee from Ephesus after a brief farewell to the young Ephesian leaders. After three productive years in ministry, Luke transitions us away from Paul’s time in Ephesus and towards his brief visits back to Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea as well as his three month excursion back to Corinth.
Outside of a brief mention in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, we’re not totally sure what happened to Paul above and beyond the riot that took place in Ephesus. While causing a riot is, in and of itself, enough to warrant personal hardship, Luke indicates, in Acts 19:29-31, that Gaius and Aristarchus were the ones subject to the assault and not Paul. Yes, Paul wanted to protect them and address the crowd, but fellow believers prohibited him from going into the theater. To settle the hot-tempered crowd at that moment, what followed was a speech and dismissal by the mayor. What happened after that? Well, we’re not totally sure. Luke’s narrative immediately takes us to chapter 20 where Paul gathers the Ephesian believers around him, says goodbye and makes his way to Macedonia.
Yet in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, Paul writes about a personal hardship he experienced here in Ephesus that nearly brought him to death’s door.
We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.
– 2 Corinthians 1:8-10
He had been at death’s door before, in Antioch Pisidia, Lystra, Philippi, and Thessalonica where he had been jailed, flogged, stoned and run out of town by a lynch mob. Was his life threatened here in Ephesus as it was in these other cities? Probably. What we know is this passage in 2 Corinthians as well as a quick assembly of the believers in Ephesus to send him away to Macedonia would seem to indicate that it was not only Gaius and Aristarchus’ lives that were on the line. No doubt, Paul was well aware of the storm brewing in Ephesus.
As we wrap things up for today, I do want to briefly comment on how relatable the issue among the Corinthians was to our present day understanding of church. The church in Corinth had some heavy hitters, exceptional speakers and personalities. They were so dynamic that Paul expressed that Corinth lacked nothing when it came to the giftedness of its body.
I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
– 1 Corinthians 1:4-7
And yet, despite the church’s high capacity, Corinth didn’t seem to value the simplicity of faith towards Christ’s leadership that a guy like Timothy brought to the table. Yes, Timothy was not necessarily a strong personality, but he was a guy who exemplified faith and alignment in its purest forms. He was a guy who oozed Jesus, and yet was not enough to impress the Corinthians.
Hmmmmm. We like rockstar presenters. We love those wonderful communicators who are able to eloquently speak God’s truth into our lives. I say “we” because I include myself in this never ending thirst to listen to great speakers. The American church at large has drifted away from the small to mid-sized church to the much larger megachurch over the past 40 years, primarily in search of better teaching and programming. In this way, perhaps we do resemble the Corinth church.
In doing so, however, I wonder if we might be missing something here. Could it be that we’re missing out on those important God moments simply due to the fact that we don’t pay much attention to the faithful representatives who model God for us in everyday life? Could it be that we mistake great speaking for great faith? Ideally, we would have both, but not every pastoral leader that God has impacted has both. Wouldn’t we do well to pattern our lives after those who have been shaped by God? Curiously, these people are around, and they are available. Maybe it’s time to seek these “Timothys” out and discover what God has in store for us. It’s just a thought.
May God give you a Timothy. May God place a model of faithfulness and godliness in your life. Moreover, may you seek that Timothy out. With that, let’s move forward together.