Title: Onesiphorus/2 Timothy 1:15~18
Contents In the text that the saints and I read today, a person of blessing who regarded the disgrace of the cross as a glory and gave his and his family's entire life to the Lord appears. He is Onesiphorus and his family who shine brightly in Paul's testamentary epistle. Foreseeing his death for the sake of the gospel made Paul think of the days he had walked through. Among them, one saint, Onesiphorus, who has settled deep in his heart, is introduced to Timothy.
Onesiphorus, the saint who occupied the heart of Paul, an old man of the gospel!
Onesyboro! he is...
1. The person who made the evangelist pleasant.
Verse 16 says, “He often refreshed me.” The word 'pleasant' in the text means 'to refresh', 'to invigorate', 'to invigorate'. It means a new spirit, a new mood, a new life, etc.
We do not know how Onesiphorus and his family rejoiced Paul in prison. Perhaps by prayer, by a visit of love, or by means of material things, it was pleasant. As such, Onesiphorus and his family were the ones who made the heart of Paul the evangelist happy because of the gospel, who was imprisoned waiting for death.
2. He is not ashamed of the shame of the cross.
Verse 16 says, “I was not ashamed to be bound in my chains.” The word "chain" here is used only for prisoners in prison. This is an expression of the situation in which Paul was imprisoned because of the gospel in one word.
Whether in the past or today, it is considered shameful to find the main prisoner in chains. Moreover, it was not easy to find Paul, who was misunderstood as a prisoner of sorts in the prison of Rome, the capital of the world at the time, as a criminal of atrocities equivalent to death as a political prisoner and was chained to the prison.
But Onesiphorus was not ashamed of this. Rather, they were proud, glorified, and delighted with it. This is the man who regarded the disgrace of the cross as the honor of the holy saints who glorified it! It was Onesiphorus.
3. He is a diligent person.
Verse 17 says, “While I was in Rome, they sought me diligently and found me.”
He was not ashamed of the shame of the cross, but rather regarded it as a glory, and dedicated himself in this way. It was Onesiphorus who gave his life to the Lord and devoted himself to the Lord.
4. It was a volunteer.
Verse 18 says, “And you know well how much he served me in Ephesus.”
Onesiphorus was a man who joyfully devoted himself to the gospel ministry of the Lord from the time Paul preached the gospel in Ephesus before coming to Rome. And he was a good servant to Paul and Timothy, who preached the gospel there. That is why Timothy said he knew how well he served Paul in Ephesus. As a result of serving for the evangelist like this in his usual times, he is a man who has the honor of living with the Lord even in the day of trouble.
Dear saints,
The man who occupied the heart of Paul the preacher of the gospel, his name Onesiphorus!
He is... the one who delighted the evangelist. He was not ashamed of the disgrace of the cross. He is a diligent seeker. was a volunteer. I pray in the name of the Lord that you too will become blessed saints who occupy the heart of the Lord through this life. Hallelujah†