On the day after the conversion of St. Paul, the Church remembers Paul’s partners in ministry, Timothy, Titus and Silas.
Timothy is mentioned in Acts 16-20, and appears in 9 epistles either as joining in Paul's greetings or as a messenger.
Additionally, Timothy has two New Testament letters addressed to him, and Titus one. From these three letters (the Pastoral Epistles), we know that Paul had commissioned Timothy to oversee the Christian community in Ephesus and vicinity, and Titus to oversee that in Crete. Therefore, Timothy is the first bishop of Ephesus and Timothy is the first bishop of Crete.
Titus is mentioned as a companion of Paul in some of his epistles (2 Cor. 2:13; 7:6,13,14; 8:6,16,23; 12:18; Gal. 2:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:10).
Regarding Silas, James Kiefer tells us that he is remembered as Paul’s companion who was arrested with Paul at Philippi (Acts 16:19-40). They were beaten severely and confined in the inner prison, with their feet in stocks. There they sang hymns in the night, and an earthquake shook the prison, and released them. As a result, the jailer and his household became believers.
The first mention of Silas is earlier. Paul and Barnabas went on a missionary journey (Acts 13:1-5), taking with them John Mark, who (for unspecified reasons) parted from them and went home in the middle of the journey (A 13:13). Paul and Barnabas completed their mission and returned to Antioch. They had made many Gentile converts on their mission, and the question arose whether a Gentile could become a Christian without also becoming a Jew, being circumcised if male, and undertaking to observe the Law of Moses (A 15:1). The congregation at Antioch referred the question to the Apostles at Jerusalem, and Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to present their case. A council of apostles and elders at Jerusalem judged that, with a few specified exceptions, the Law of Moses was not to be imposed on Gentile Christians, and they sent two men from Jerusalem back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to convey their reply. The men were Judas Barsabbas (not otherwise mentioned) and Silas (Acts 15:22).
Eventually Paul and Barnabas undertook to visit again the congregations they had founded on their previous journey, and Barnabas wished to take John Mark with them, but Paul thought this unwise, and so they determined to travel separately, Barnabas taking Mark, and Paul taking Silas (Acts 15:36-40). And so Paul and Silas (joined in progress by Timothy and by Luke) went through part of what is now Turkey and then crossed over into Europe and preached at Philippi (where they made converts and were arrested as described above), and went on to Thessalonica and Berea, being the center of riots in each place (Acts 17:1-13), after which Paul went on to Athens and then to Corinth, and was soon joined there by Silas and Timothy (Acts 18:5).
Let us pray: Just and merciful God, in every generation you raise up prophets, teachers and witnesses to summon the world to honor and praise your holy Name: We thank you for sending Timothy, Titus and Silas, whose gifts built up your Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Grant that we too may be living stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
INSTRUCTED EUCHARIST, THIS SUNDAY. “What is an instructed Eucharist?” During the service, I will explain why we do what we do. It is a way for us to be able to better appreciate the rich liturgical tradition of the Church.
CONFIRMATION CLASS on Sundays starting at 10:50 a.m. If you want to be Confirmed when Bishop Harrison visits us on Sunday, 5 February, you will need to participate in the Confirmation class. Please come!
ART WALK AT ST. VINCENT’S HOUSE on 28 January 2012 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
SACRED PLACES TOUR: St. Augustine will be on the tour this year in February. It is a wonderful opportunity to share our faith history with others. Please plan to be a part of it. We will discuss it during the announcements this Sunday.
PLEASE REMEMBER everyone on our Prayer List, especially those who are chronically ill, the lonely, the depressed, the unemployed, the ill and those who have no one to pray for them.
Your servant in Christ,
Timothy is mentioned in Acts 16-20, and appears in 9 epistles either as joining in Paul's greetings or as a messenger.
Additionally, Timothy has two New Testament letters addressed to him, and Titus one. From these three letters (the Pastoral Epistles), we know that Paul had commissioned Timothy to oversee the Christian community in Ephesus and vicinity, and Titus to oversee that in Crete. Therefore, Timothy is the first bishop of Ephesus and Timothy is the first bishop of Crete.
Titus is mentioned as a companion of Paul in some of his epistles (2 Cor. 2:13; 7:6,13,14; 8:6,16,23; 12:18; Gal. 2:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:10).
Regarding Silas, James Kiefer tells us that he is remembered as Paul’s companion who was arrested with Paul at Philippi (Acts 16:19-40). They were beaten severely and confined in the inner prison, with their feet in stocks. There they sang hymns in the night, and an earthquake shook the prison, and released them. As a result, the jailer and his household became believers.
The first mention of Silas is earlier. Paul and Barnabas went on a missionary journey (Acts 13:1-5), taking with them John Mark, who (for unspecified reasons) parted from them and went home in the middle of the journey (A 13:13). Paul and Barnabas completed their mission and returned to Antioch. They had made many Gentile converts on their mission, and the question arose whether a Gentile could become a Christian without also becoming a Jew, being circumcised if male, and undertaking to observe the Law of Moses (A 15:1). The congregation at Antioch referred the question to the Apostles at Jerusalem, and Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to present their case. A council of apostles and elders at Jerusalem judged that, with a few specified exceptions, the Law of Moses was not to be imposed on Gentile Christians, and they sent two men from Jerusalem back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to convey their reply. The men were Judas Barsabbas (not otherwise mentioned) and Silas (Acts 15:22).
Eventually Paul and Barnabas undertook to visit again the congregations they had founded on their previous journey, and Barnabas wished to take John Mark with them, but Paul thought this unwise, and so they determined to travel separately, Barnabas taking Mark, and Paul taking Silas (Acts 15:36-40). And so Paul and Silas (joined in progress by Timothy and by Luke) went through part of what is now Turkey and then crossed over into Europe and preached at Philippi (where they made converts and were arrested as described above), and went on to Thessalonica and Berea, being the center of riots in each place (Acts 17:1-13), after which Paul went on to Athens and then to Corinth, and was soon joined there by Silas and Timothy (Acts 18:5).
Let us pray: Just and merciful God, in every generation you raise up prophets, teachers and witnesses to summon the world to honor and praise your holy Name: We thank you for sending Timothy, Titus and Silas, whose gifts built up your Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Grant that we too may be living stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
INSTRUCTED EUCHARIST, THIS SUNDAY. “What is an instructed Eucharist?” During the service, I will explain why we do what we do. It is a way for us to be able to better appreciate the rich liturgical tradition of the Church.
CONFIRMATION CLASS on Sundays starting at 10:50 a.m. If you want to be Confirmed when Bishop Harrison visits us on Sunday, 5 February, you will need to participate in the Confirmation class. Please come!
ART WALK AT ST. VINCENT’S HOUSE on 28 January 2012 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
SACRED PLACES TOUR: St. Augustine will be on the tour this year in February. It is a wonderful opportunity to share our faith history with others. Please plan to be a part of it. We will discuss it during the announcements this Sunday.
PLEASE REMEMBER everyone on our Prayer List, especially those who are chronically ill, the lonely, the depressed, the unemployed, the ill and those who have no one to pray for them.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Churhdc
Galveston, Texas 77550
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