Paul often traveled with an entourage of young men he mentored along the way. He embodied what he conveyed to others, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Ti 2:2). Tychicus was one of those young men. He was first mentioned on Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 20:4) as one of the band of seven who accompanied Paul from Greece up into Macedonia. From there they went ahead to Troas while Paul took a side trip to visit the believers in Philippi. It was at Troas where Acts records they held the Lord’s Supper, followed by a lengthy sermon by Paul. Then they travelled to Miletus where they met with the Ephesian elders and Paul gave his farewell speech and final instructions to those shepherds of the local church in Ephesus.

So Tychicus was one of Paul’s young charges with a ringside seat to fairly significant happenings. The apostle had high confidence in him, calling him a “beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord.” Certainly he fulfilled the qualifications of 2 Timothy 2:2 above. And his faithfulness was demonstrated by being a fellow-prisoner of Paul in the faith (that is how we understand “fellow bond-servant”). It is an indication of the high respect that Paul had for the Colossians that he would send such a man to them. His task was simply to give them an update on the activities and circumstances of Paul.

However, Tychicus also was charged to “encourage your hearts.” The Greek word employed here for “encourage” is related to the word used for the Holy Spirit, the paraclete, which can be variously translated as encourager, counselor, comforter or advocator (John 14:16). Tychicus would be the glove on the spiritual hand of the Holy Spirit in ministering to the Colossians. God uses His people to minister His grace, to be His hands, His feet, His encouraging arm around the shoulder. God’s work in our lives is fleshed out by the members of His body serving one another according to their spiritual gifting. Oh, that more Christians would see this great truth, that we each have the opportunity to bring the Spirit of encouragement to one another, so that we all experience God’s work in our lives and through us, in others’ lives.