The Big O Is No Zero

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me—may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus” (2Tim 1:16-18).

There are just some people who stoke your fire. Folks who make you feel like you can’t lose. Friends who deepen your faith. Friends who fill your tank. Who’s that for you? Who’s name do you love seeing come up on your phone? Who do look forward to hanging out with because you just know they don’t want anything other than to lift you up? 

Paul had a buddy like that. His name was Onesiphorus. The Big O was such close friend that the apostle wrote some VERY kind words about him in the very last letter he wrote just before he died. “May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me—may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus” (v16-18). 

Did you catch Paul’s situation? In Rome. In chains. In desperate need of a pick-me-up. And look who shows up. The one and only Onesiphorus! It’s just another reminder that this little book of the Bible we call 2nd Timothy is really just a very personal letter. A letter from a real person (Paul) in a real place (a prison in Rome) with real problems (on Death Row) to another real person (Timothy). 

The apostle brings his protege up to speed on his desperate circumstances. He urgently pleads with Tim to hit the road and come see him (2Tim 4:9, 21). The dude formerly known as Saul knows he has a date with the executioner sometime very soon (2Tim 4:6-7). Just in case the young pastor doesn’t get there in time, Paul passes the baton of ministry to him in writing (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

Here in chapter one, he tells Tim that some guy with a very strange name has a very special place in his heart. Let’s face it, not too many parents are naming their son Onesiphorus these days. And that actually may not be his real name at all. Remember, Paul is serving hard time in Caesar’s SuperMax. He may be giving the Big O a nickname. Was this like a code name in case Roman authorities read or intercept the letter before it makes it to Timothy? 

That would make a lot of sense. In the previous verse, the apostle called out two knuckleheads named Phygelus and Hermogenes for going AWOL (2Tim 1:15). A little detective work into the original language reveals these are most likely handles cooked up to keep their real names out. They’ve earned the notorious nicknames of Li’l Fugitive and the Flash. 

So if Onesiphorus isn’t the guy’s real name, what does it mean? It describes someone who is profitable, and useful. He’s so beneficial, we could call him “Benny.” When he’s around, he always makes sure your life runs in the black, not in the red. Someone with that sort of rep would certainly be enthusiastic, friendly, likable, courageous, fiery, passionate, and have a deep faith. Yeah, the Big O is anything but a big zero. 

According to the tradition of the Orthodox church, Jesus handpicked the Big O as one of he 70-plus disciples to act His Gospel advance team (Lk 10:1-12). They returned telling all sorts of crazy stories of God’s supernatural work against Satan, sin, and death (Lk 10:17-24). He later becomes Saint Onesiphorus, serving as a church leader in what we know today as Turkey as well as Corinth over in Greece. He died as a martyr because of his faith in Jesus near the city of Ephesus. Seems his executioners tied him between two teams of horses headed in opposite directions. 

How much of that is it true? Not sure. But we DO know he was one on the short list of Paul’s faves. Here’s what we do know about the Big O from these verses. He had a well-known rep as a key servant/leader in the church the apostle planted in Ephesus. Most of his family are followers of Jesus. He repeatedly was a breath of fresh air for Paul. He certainly wasn’t embarrassed by his friendship with someone behind bars. Onesiphorus personally went the extra mile to find the apostle walking the Green Mile in Rome’s infamous Mamertine Prison. 

Paul prays not once but twice for God to bless the Big O and his family. “May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus…may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord” (v16, 18). The apostle trusts Jesus will be good on His own words from His most famous message. In the opening lines of the Sermon on the Mount, our Savior boldly proclaims, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Mt 5:7). If we want to get God’s mercy, we’ll give mercy to others. Generously. Lavishly. Extravagantly. Christ opens up His fire hydrant of blessing on those of us who aren’t stingy with our blessing. Onesiphorus didn’t hold back. The Big O was anything but a big zero.

The apostle gets down to the nitty gritty on why his buddy is a prime candidate for God’s goodness. First of all, “he often refreshed me” (v16). Paul uses a word here (Gr. anaspucho) which means to cheer up in person or encourage somebody who’s in deep trouble or a state of high anxiety. While I’ve never been there myself, I’m pretty sure having a capital punishment hanging over my head would mean I’m in deep trouble and a state of high anxiety! 

Anaspucho literally describes giving someone room to breathe. You help them catch their breath and provide a cool breeze. Take a look around. Who needs help? Who’s worn out, worn down, and worn to a frazzle. God wants to use you and me to revive them, restore them, and help them recover. And I need to remember that when my own tank is on “E,” those people who come to my rescue are actually sent by Jesus. The Lord is the ultimate source of refreshment for the weary and wiped out (Acts 3:20). 

The Big O didn’t just swoop in to perk up Paul once, maybe twice. The apostle makes it clear that he did it frequently. Not just random refreshment. Regularly. Repeatedly. This was no one-and-done deal. Onesiphorus made helping his friend a habit. 

Paul’s situation wasn’t an embarrassment to Onesiphorus. He certainly “was not ashamed of my chains” (v16). Unlike Phygelus and Hermogenes who left the apostle swinging in the breeze (2Tim 1:15). Following Jesus gets messy because God’s people are messy. Following Jesus gets messy because He’s always going into the mess. Our mess. He’s certainly not rattled by it. We shouldn’t be either. Onesiphorus leans in when Paul is locked up. Earlier, the apostle encourages Tim to “not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner” (2Tim 1:8). Paul is certainly “not ashamed, for I know Whom I have believed” (2Tim 1:12). 

Are there fellow followers of Jesus who embarrass you? Maybe just a little? You know the people I’m talking about, don’t you? You cringe when you think they’re just a little too bold about their Savior. They have a high JPM. Not familiar with the term? That’s “Jesus per Minute.” Maybe they’re continually giving credit to Christ for all of His blessings. Maybe they’re always prepping for a mission trip to help others in the Lord’s name and asking you to go. Maybe you think they’re just a little too quick to pull the trigger on telling others about their love for Jesus. Maybe they’ve taken a controversial stand on an issue because of what they believe.

Instead of pretending you don’t know them, take a page out of the Onesiphorus playbook. Go to them. Refresh them. Stand with them. Encourage them. Pray for them. Follow the Big O’s example. Don’t freak out. Cowboy up. And just where do you think he got this crazy idea? From Jesus Himself. He didn’t let the dubious reputation of those He came to save stand in His way. Remember how the religious snobs lost their ever lovin’ minds anytime the radical Rabbi/Carpenter hung out with the wrong crowd. Christ is willing to have His name associated with some sketchy folks. Like me. Like you. Let’s show mercy because Jesus has shown us mercy.

Onesiphorus didn’t just have warm fuzzy feelings for Paul from the comfort of his Ephesian couch. When he got the news that his friend was in behind the eight ball, it was time for a road trip. If you’re curious, a check of the map tells us the journey from Ephesus to Rome is jaunt of 1,300 miles. “When he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me” (v17). 

This was no casual search for the apostle. Paul describes Onesiphorus as scouring the city “earnestly.” The writer uses a very descriptive word (Gr. spoudaioteron) which means urgently, zealously, diligently, actively, and with great intensity. He totally devoted himself to the search for his friend. Think of those classic scenes from “Star Trek” when Captain Kirk begs Mr. Scott for more speed from the Starship Enterprise. Scotty always responds, “I’m giving you everything she’s got, Captain!” You can almost see the Big O spending every waking hour asking anyone and everyone if they know Paul’s location.

Again, Onesiphorus is simply doing for Paul what Jesus did for us. He left heaven on the greatest search and rescue mission the universe has ever seen. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10). Our Savior rolled up His sleeves to dive into the mess we’ve made and pull us to eternal safety. In case you were wondering, there’s no way we can save ourselves. We desperately need outside intervention. Divine intervention.

When we trashed God’s perfect creation, Christ didn’t throw up His hands. He got involved. Jesus is the model Missionary. He searched for us earnestly and found us. When Li’l Fugitive and the Flash turned tail and ran when Paul was arrested (2Tim , the Big O did just the opposite. He went looking for the apostle. Just like the Lord did for you and me. 

Some folks wonder if the Big O is still alive when Paul writes to Timothy. They believe that’s why the apostle asks for Jesus to bless “the household of Onesiphorus” (v16). Near the end of the letter, the apostle uses that very same phrase when telling Tim to say “hey” to “the household of Onesiphorus” (2Tim 4:19). He’s apparently not in Rome with him since Paul goes out of his way to say “Luke alone is with me” (2Tim 4:11). While we can’t be 100% sure of Onesiphorus’ status, Paul certainly asks Christ for an extra heapin’ helpin’ of mercy when the Lord makes His final return trip (v18).

So who’s the one God puts in your life to pick you up when you’re down? Who’s the person who revs your engine when it’s running rough? Who goes out of their way to come looking for you when you’re not around (maybe even running away!)? Who’s your Onesiphorus? Now turn it around. Who can you encourage? Who can you refresh? Who do you need to go search and rescue? Who needs YOU to be their Onesiphorus? Don’t forget. The Big O was anything but a big zero.