6:21
We now come to the final greetings. Tychicus has a few mentions in the New Testament. There is a very similar reference in Col 4:7, perhaps supporting the idea that Ephesians was written shortly after Colossians and was intended as a circular letter. There is a mention of a Tychicus in Acts 20:4. And also in 2 Tim 4:12 and Titus 3:12. We do have to be a little careful with names as it is possible that there are several people with the same name, but from the context it would seem reasonable to assume that they are all the same person. What we can be certain about is that the Tychicus mentioned here is a trustworthy servant of the Lord and is trusted by Paul. His immediate task was to give an accurate account of what has been happening to Paul. “Fake news” is nothing new! Paul wants his readers to have an accurate account.
6:22
“Fake news” or disinformation or gossip can cause all sorts of trouble, and this can (and does) happen in churches. So proper communication of accurate and truthful information is a vital part of maintaining unity within the church. Paul also wanted his readers to be encouraged. Paul knew that he was in the Lord’s will, and things were going according to God’s plan.
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