sign in sign up
<<
Home , Trophimus

Wenstrom Ministries Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom Tuesday November 10, 2015 www.wenstrom.org

Second Timothy: Second Timothy 4:20-Paul Provides Timothy Information Regarding the Whereabouts of Erastus and Trophimus

Lesson # 111

2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. (NASB95)

Second Timothy 4:20 Erastus remained at Corinth. However, I left Trophimus ill at Miletus. (My translation)

The apostle Paul provides Timothy some useful information regarding the whereabouts of Erastus and Trophimus.

Both of whom would be useful and helpful to Timothy after Paul’s death.

Erastus was a traveling companion and Paul’s statement to Timothy that he left this man at Corinth implies that he had been traveling with Paul and that after reaching Corinth Erastus stayed while Paul went on.

The mention of Erastus here in Second Timothy 4:20 makes clear that this Christian was known to both Paul and Timothy.

The Erastus mentioned by Paul in Second Timothy 4:20 is also more than likely the same individual mentioned in :22 since in both passages the Erastus mentioned served as a traveling companion for Paul.

The Erastus mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:23 is identified by Paul as the treasurer of the city of Corinth.

However, it is unlikely that this man is the same individual mentioned in Second Timothy 4:20 and Acts 19:22 since it would be unlikely for the treasurer of the city of a large city like Corinth to have the time to serve as a traveling companion on his missionary journeys.

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

Being the treasurer of a major city like Corinth implied residence in one locality.

Corinth was an influential Graeco-Roman city in the Peloponnesus where Paul spent 18 months on his second missionary journey.

Corinth was about 48 miles west of Athens and the church in this city was the recipient of two canonical Pauline works, namely First and Second Corinthians.

It was founded by Dorian in the tenth century B.C. and had established colonies at Corfu and Syracuse (Sicily) by the eighth century B.C. Corinth was destroyed by the Romans in 146 B.C.

It was rebuilt about a century afterwards and was populated by a colony of freedmen from and then in 44 B.C. Julius Caesar undertook to refound the city naming it Colonia Laus Julia Corinthiensis.

Thus, it was a fairly new city in the days of Paul and it was the third-largest city of the Roman Empire.

Under the Romans, Corinth became the seat of government for Southern or Achaia (:12-16).

During this time the city was well-known for its wealth as well as for the immoral and vicious habits of its people.

It had a large population which was composed of Romans, Greeks as well as .

Paul also informs Timothy in Second Timothy 4:20 that he left Trophimus ill in the city of Miletus.

In :4, Trophimus is mentioned along with as joining Paul and others for the apostle’s final visit to .

Asian Jews mistakenly accused Paul of taking Trophimus who was a into the Temple’s court of Israel (:29) which prompted a mob disturbance among the Jews that led to Paul being arrested by the Roman authorities.

These passages reveal that Trophimus was an Ephesian Christian and was no doubt one of the delegates of the Asian churches with the collection for the poor Jewish saints (Acts 20:1-5; cf. 1 Cor. 16:1-4).

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

Now, here in Second Timothy 4:20, Paul informs Timothy that he left Trophimus at Miletus.

This man could very well likely be the same individual mentioned in Acts 20:4 and 21:29 since in all three passages this individual is a traveling companion of the apostle Paul.

However we cannot be dogmatic since there is not an overwhelming amount of evidence for this.

But that being said, Paul informs Timothy that he left Trophimus sick at Miletus which was only 36 miles from .

Miletus was a seaport town and the ancient capital of Ionia which was approximately 36 miles south of Ephesus.

This city is near the mouth of the Meander River on the southwest coast of Turkey.

It was the place where Paul addressed the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:15-35).

Today the site is some 10 miles from the coast whereas in Paul’s day it was located by the sea.

In ancient times, Miletus was an important port with four harbors but today, these harbors have long since been silted up.

It was already in existence for more than a thousand years when in the sixth century B.C. it became the center of Greek art and philosophy.

The people of Miletus had established trading colonies as far away as the Black Sea and Egypt.

It was destroyed by the Persians in 494 B.C.

However it was freed by the Great in 334 B.C. and was soon rebuilt and continued to be an important commercial center throughout the Roman period.

This city flourished during the Hellenistic and Roman periods (324 B.C.-325 A.D.).

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

Erastus, Corinth, Trophimus and Miletus are all mentioned in the book of Acts but it is unlikely that the information provided by Paul for Timothy in Second Timothy 4:20 regarding these Christian men occurred during the same time period of the book of Acts since too much time had passed.

This is indicated by several factors.

First, if Trophimus became sick during the events of Acts 20, the last time Paul is reported to have visited Miletus, then Paul is telling Timothy about an event that took place three years earlier!

Also, Timothy did not know about Trophimus’ illness and yet Miletus was only thirty-six miles south of Ephesus.

We can only speculate about certain historical scenarios which could account for Paul’s journeys after in this area of the world with his close friends.

The cities of Ephesus (verses 12, 19), Miletus (verse 20) and Troas (verse 13) were all close to each other geographically.

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

They were all on the main travel route on the eastern coast of Asia Minor.

Thus Timothy’s work in Ephesus in communicating the and serving as Paul’s delegate to the church in this region could very well have been the reason for Paul’s desire to visit Ephesus again (cf. 1 Tim. 3:14).

Trophimus was an Ephesian.

We can’t be dogmatic but it is quite within the realm of possibility that Paul was traveling to Ephesus and was arrested more than likely at Troas.

Trophimus became ill either before or after Paul’s arrest.

Thus, he stayed behind at Miletus.

Erastus accompanied the arrested Paul to Corinth and remained there when Paul was taken to Rome.

Too much time had elapsed between Trophimus’ illness and the writing of Second Timothy.

Timothy and Trophimus were perhaps friends and close associates.

Thus Paul informs Timothy of the whereabouts of Trophimus since the former was in obvious need of some support.

Miletus again was close geographically to Ephesus.

However, Second Timothy 4:20 indicates that Timothy did not know about the situation with Trophimus being ill.

This would all indicate that the illness and Paul’s arrest took place very close to each other.

Paul was taken to Rome as quickly as possible since he was a leader of the Christian movement among the .

He was given a preliminary hearing and then wrote Second Timothy to request that Timothy come see him before winter and to inform him about the location of his two friends.

2015 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5