Going AWOL in Galatia

In 1985, Coca-Cola changed its formula.  The public was furious over the new, sweeter taste.  The company quickly tried to re-brand the new product, calling it New Coke while bringing back Coke Classic.  But it wasn't long before New Coke disappeared into the pages of bad marketing history when people refused to buy it.  

For Coke to be anything different, it's NOT Coke.  And Paul tells the Galatians that for the Gospel to be anything different, it's NOT the Gospel.

Paul is just back in Antioch after his first missionary trip with Barnabas to the island of Cyprus and the region of Galatia in what we know today as Turkey.  He's greeted with the bad news about the Good News.  The people of Galatia have already abandoned the Gospel that Paul had just preached to them.  Hearing that, the apostle fires off the most blunt and stern letter that's ever left his pen.

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you" (v6).  There's a lot in this opening phrase.  Paul's absolutely flabbergasted by the news.  The Greek verb here is θαυμαζω/thaumazo.  It means to marvel with amazement at something, to be shocked, stunned, amazed or astonished.  The apostle is still picking his jaw up off the floor as he picks up his quill.

He describes that he's stunned that this happened "so quickly."  The Greek here is ταχεως/tacheos.  The term can mean something that occurs quickly but just as well something that happens easily.  Paul can't believe that the Galatians ditched the grace of Jesus so quickly and easily.  He made not one but two trips to this network of churches he planted in the area (Acts 13:13-14:23).  He's been gone just a few weeks and it's fallen apart.  How in the world could this happen "so quickly."

These Galatian believers are "deserting Him" (v6).  Let's go back to the original language once again.  The verb here is μετατιθεμι/metatithemi.  The ESV's rendering of "deserting" is right on target.  This was used to describe soldiers who abandon their military service and bolt from the battlefield.  They've gone AWOL in Galatia.  No "Onward, Christian Soldiers" here.  No, a court-martial may be more the order of the day for these deserters.  

Paul is brokenhearted, not that they've jumped ship on him, but that they've turned their backs on Jesus, "Him who called you in the grace of Christ" (v6).  The apostle didn't call them to salvation.  That was Jesus.  It's the same for everyone.  While God continually uses an endless parade of goofballs, weirdos and losers to share the Good News of Christ, it is actually God Himself who does the calling (2Th 2:13-15; Rom 8:30; 2Tim 1:9).

And Jesus' call is one that drips with grace.  We absolutely do not deserve it.  As a matter of fact, He's reaching out to His enemies and with an invitation to join His royal family.  That doesn't make a lick of sense.  And THAT'S why the Bible calls it grace.  Amazing grace.  Breathtaking grace.  Mind-blowing grace.  Instead of getting the punishment we deserve for our sin, He drenches us with the grace we don't deserve.  We must NEVER forget that.  We must preach that Gospel to ourselves EVERYDAY!

Paul tells the Galatians that they are "turning to a different gospel" (v6).  The Greek uses the adjective ‘ετερος/heteros.  It can mean other, another or different.  The term actually means something that is distinctly and completely different to that which it is being compared.  It designates something qualitatively different.  

The word can also mean strange or weird.  The apostle is NOT saying this gospel is really close to the true Gospel he preached.  No, what the Galatians have heard and are now following is counterfeit.  

The Apostle Paul can't believe it.  The folks in these Galatian churches have fallen for some strange distortion of the truth.  And now they've gone AWOL.  For a gospel to be anything different from the TRUE Gospel, it's not THE Gospel.

©2012

Jay Jennings

Ditched by Demas

“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (2Tim 4:10).

“No mas!”

It was the long awaited rematch between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard. Duran was the tough-as-nails welterweight champ with the infamous hands of stone. But that night in the Superdome, Sugar Ray took control of the fight and began to taunt Duran.

Then something happened that nobody saw coming. With just seconds to go in the eighth round, the champ turned his back on Leonard and waved his boxing glove at the referee. “No mas!” That’s Spanish for “no more.” Instead of punching back, Duran punked out.

When Your Buddy Bails

So what in the Wide World of Sports does a boxer bailing in a bout have to do with an apostle in prison? According to Paul, one of his closest friends threw in the towel in the final rounds.

“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (v10). Paul doesn’t go into specifics but his buddy has bailed. He’s been ditched by Demas.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock

This is probably a good time to zoom out to see the context of what’s going here. It’s sometime around 66-67 AD. The place is Rome’s Mamertine Prison, Caesar’s SuperMax. The Apostle Paul is writing what will be the last letter of his life. He’s behind bars on Death Row (2Tim 1:6, 12, 1; 2:9; 4:6-7).

With his final hours ticking down like the clock on “24,” Paul fires off a frantic note to Timothy, his spiritual son and “my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2). He writes with a pair of purposes. First, he’s officially making the handoff of ministry to the young preacher (2Tim 2:1-4:4). Second, he begs his protege for one last visit (2Tim 4:9; 21).

Which brings us to Demas’ desertion. There’s a pretty good chance that Paul needs Tim because someone who’s name starts with “D” and ends with “emas” dropped out. Or as as they say in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” he’s done “r-u-n-n-o-f-t!”

Who Is Demas?

Just who is this guy and why did he abandon the apostle in his darkest hour? Looking back on his other mentions in the New Testament, Demas seems to be exactly the kind of guy who would stick by your side when the chips are down.

Just five years ago during a previous time in the big house, he was right there with Paul. In a letter to Colossian believers from prison, the apostle wants them to know, “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas” (Col 4:14). During the same incarceration, he tells his friend Philemon that Ephaphras “sends his greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers” (Phm 23-24).

This Present World

So what changed? Why has one of the most dedicated members of Paul’s posse flown the coop? Why did Demas say “no mas”? (Okay, it probably wasn’t in Spanish but Greek.)

While the apostle doesn’t get into specifics of Demas going AWOL, he does say that he’s “in love with this present world” (v10). Paul’s buddy had a choice to make. Stay with Paul or hit the road. And it becomes crystal clear that whatever he means by the phrase “this present world,” it did not involve hanging out in a Roman dungeon.

In the prequel to this letter, Paul uses this very same phrase when writing to Timothy about the top one percent. “As for the rich in this present world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1Tim 6:17, emphasis added).

Chasing Fads

The ESV translates the Greek word αιων/aion as “world.” Just to be clear, Paul’s NOT talking about planet. This term describes an era, age or a specific time period. It can also mean the system of practices and standards associated with secular society apart from the requirements of God.

That being the case, you can literally translate that Demas “has loved the age that now is” (v10). The Message nails it by saying Paul’s partner is off “chasing fads” (v10 The Message). Instead of standing by the apostle’s side, he’s decided to chase what’s trendy, hip, and hot.

No, I’m not saying Demas dumped Paul to play Pokemon Go while putting his hair in a First Century man-bun. He simply got distracted by the current stuff of life. The right now  in Demas’ life totally overwhelmed the eternal.

Hmm, sound familiar? Plenty of folks think the Bible is a dusty, old collection of well-intended but horribly outdated fairy tales. Church might have been good for Memaw back in the day, but I need something more chic. Gimme something current. Gimme something hip. Gimme something hot.

The Urgent Versus the Important

Don’t pull a Demas and mistake what’s urgent for what’s important. The Gospel allows us to look at life through the wide angle lens of eternity. We see what has enduring value. Just a hint, that value isn’t found binging the latest hot show on Netflix.

If you’re scoring at home, we’re talking about relationships. A relationship with God. Relationships with people. Those are SO important that Jesus said they are the secret sauce of obedience to the entire entire Old Testament (Mt 22:37-40; Mk 12:29-31). So, yeah, loving others is kind of a big deal. Like a big, hairy eternal deal.

Let’s put all our cards on the table. You and I are whole lot more like Demas than we are Paul. We’re probably the folks Jesus was talking about when He compared spreading the Gospel in various soil conditions. “The cares of the world (Gr. αιων/aion) and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word” and the Good News never thrives (Mk 4:19).

IN the World or OF the World?

So how do we live in “this present age” (v10) and not give in to it? How do we live IN the world and not be OF the world? Paul knew believers in Rome would face these very same challenges as we do. “Do not be conformed to this world (Gr. αιων/aion), but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).

In other words, don’t let the culture shape you from the outside. Let God’s Word shape you from the inside. The only real hope of not falling for the latest fads is allowing the Lord give you a brand new mind. A mind just like His that thinks like He thinks. Or as Paul tells the folks in Corinth, “We have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16).

Left in the Lurch

How deep was Demas’ fascination with “this present age” (v10). Well, the apostle says he “has deserted me” (v10). Paul uses a Greek verb (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) which paints a picture of abandoning someone in a desperate situation or leaving them in the lurch. It’s from a root word which means to leave destitute or distraught.

It should come as no shock that this is EXACTLY the same word used to translate Jesus’ heartbreaking cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) Me” (Mt 27:46). Our Savior experienced the ultimate abandonment so that we never have to. You can bet the apostle counts on that as he writes Tim.

On the Road to Thessalonica

The apostle does tell us that Demas has hit the road “and gone to Thessalonica” (v10).  In the First Century, it was the capital of Macedonia. Thessalonica was a commercial hub sitting smack dab along a major Roman highway with direct access to shipping on the Aegean Sea. If this wasn’t Demas’ hometown, it certainly was a happening town.

If the name of the place rings a bell, it should. Luke records that Paul had a rather short but eventful stay in Thessalonica. Planted a church there (Acts 17:1-4). Stirred up a real hornets nest there (Acts 17:5-9). Got chased out of there (Acts 17:10). And later, wrote a couple of letters to believers there.

Crescens to Galatia

Paul tells Timothy how of a couple of other members of his team that have moved on. “Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (v10). Sure seems like the apostle sees their departures more like assignments than abandonment.

So who’s this dude Crescens? This is the first, last, and only mention of his name in the entire Bible. There’s some speculation outside the NT that he might given his life for the Gospel while on mission in Galatia.

One thing is for certain, he must have been one of Paul’s go-to guys to make such an important trip to help disciples at his very first multisite church plant in the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:13-14:23).

While Crescens is a bit of mystery man, the third man Paul mentions is much more familiar. Titus was one of Paul’s closest friends next to Timothy and possibly Luke. He’s clearly well-known over in the Corinthian church as well (2Cor 2:13; 7:6, 13-14; 8:6, 16,23; 12:18; 13:14).

Titus to Dalmatia

Last time we checked in on Titus, he was on the island of Crete. Paul instructs him to wrap up the work already started in local churches which included finding spiritual leaders (Titus 1:5). At the end of his letter to Titus, Paul asked him to meet him in Nicopolis to spend the winter together (Titus 3:12). Did the apostle send him to Dalmatia from there?

No, Titus was NOT sharing the Gospel with spotted dogs riding on firetrucks. Dalmatia is in southern Europe just north of Greece. It’s in the modern day nation of Croatia in the Balkans. Paul’s life may be on the line but the message of Jesus is on the move.

Step into Demas’ Sandals
 
Which brings us back to Demas. It’s easy to see ourselves as the apostle in this story. How many times has someone we thought we could trust left us swinging in the breeze at exactly the wrong moment? If you’re like most of us, you’ve lost count. You think somebody’s got your back. But when you turn around at the moment of truth, all get are crickets.

Once again, things get kinda messy for you and me at this point. Let’s all take a moment to climb down off our high horse and step into Demas’ sandals. Yeah, you read that right. How many times have I turned tail and run when times got tough? How many times have YOU quietly exited stage left when someone thought you had their back? Gulp.

Trusting in the Trustworthy

There are a couple of important takeaways. First of all, Demas’ desertion certainly breaks Paul’s heart, but the man from Tarsus knows better than to place his hope in anyone but Jesus. As he told Tim a little earlier, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Tim 2:13).

It’s no surprise that Christ’s faithfulness is a mega-theme throughout Scripture. Just before heading home to Heaven, the Lord promised us, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).

The author of Hebrews repeats God’s pledge to Joshua, “I will never leave you nor forsake (Gr. εγκαταλειπω/egkataleipo) you” (Heb 13:5; Josh 1:5). Hey! Look! There’s that same word Paul used to describe Demas’ desertion…except this time it has a “NOT” with it!! Our Savior will never leave you hanging. Ever.

Restoring Runaways

The other big takeaway is not making the mistake of throwing Demas under the chariot. We don’t know what happened. Even if he did punk out on Paul, we don’t know if he repented and served his Savior faithfully in the future.

Think that’s not possible? In the very next verse the apostle tells Tim to bring Mark when he comes. You remember Mark. He’s the young buck who bailed on Paul and Barnabas on their first tour (Acts 13:13). Years later, Paul wants him by his side in his final days. God loves reconciling relationships and restoring runaways. It’s one of His specialties.

When Demas said, “No mas!”

Let’s not be so quick to trash Demas. First and foremost because we’ve all been a Demas to someone’s Paul. Repent and apologize to those we’ve abandoned.

At the same time, let’s do all we can to avoid Demas’ mistake. God apparently used the guy in a powerful way before this incident in Rome. Sadly that all gets overshadowed by the day he hit the road for Thessalonica. The dreadful day Demas pulled a Duran and said, “No mas!”

Li'l Fugitive and the Flash Go AWOL

“You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2Tim 1:15).

Think it would be pretty cool to have your name in the Bible? Imagine one of the authors of Scripture dropping your name and people reading it for the next few thousand years. A mention, any mention, even in one of those long tedious lists of some family tree filled with names you can’t pronounce. 

But imagine your name making its way onto the pages of God’s Word as the bad example. You get timeless ink for all the wrong reasons. So maybe a regrettable tattoo isn’t the worst thing. That’s exactly what happens to a couple of Paul’s former friends as he writes to Timothy. “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (v15). Apparently when the going got tough for the apostle, the folks he thought had his back got going in the opposite direction. Namely a couple of guys known as Li’l Fugitive and the Flash. 

We’ll get back to those guys in a moment. Allow me to bring you up to speed on Paul’s deal. He’s writing to his protege, a young pastor named Tim. The apostle is in Rome doing hard time in Caesar’s SuperMax, otherwise known as the Mamertine Prison. He’s on Death Row (2Tim 4:6-7). He desperately needs a visit from his spiritual son (2Tim 1:2; 4:9, 21). Most of the letter is loaded with urgent last minute instructions and encouragement. With the clock ticking down, the apostle passes the baton of ministry.

Paul is sure Tim’s got the scoop on what went down when the Romans arrested him. “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me” (v15). Tim knows. Shoot, seems like everybody knew. It was in all the papers. The news of the apostle’s apprehension apparently went viral. But that’s not all. Believers in the region immediately turned their backs on the very one who brought them the Gospel in the first place. The followers of Jesus suddenly unfollowed Paul.

Is the apostle saying every person on the Asian continent ditched him? Most of us know Asia as the largest continent on the planet from our days in World Civ with four times more people than any other. That’s NOT the Asia he’s talking about. You see, back in the first century, Asia was the name of a Roman province in the western part of what we know today as Turkey. Asia was about the size of Nebraska. It included some familiar city names such as Ephesus and Colossae, places with churches to which Paul wrote. It’s also the zip code for the seven churches in Revelation that Jesus dictated letters to John about. That’s the Asia Paul’s talking about.

Nonetheless, “all who are in Asia turned away from” (v15) Paul. I would love to say “all” doesn’t really mean that. But a closer look at the original language leaves no wiggle room. “All” means all and that’s all that “all” means. Apparently one hundred percent of the believers bailed on the apostle. When he tells Tim how they “turned away,” the apostle uses a verb (Gr. apostrepho) which means to reject, refuse, or desert. It carries the idea of abandoning the right thing to do for some serious wrongdoing. This is a compound word meaning to separate (apo-) by turning (-strepho). Instead of having his back, they turned their backs and walked away. They left Paul twisting in the wind.

Does the apostle mean these folks also ditched their faith in Jesus? I guess there’s the chance that some did but that doesn’t seem to be what’s going on here. I strongly suspect these folks simply bailed on Paul at his arrest. Like cockroaches running when the light comes on, they bugged out when Roman authorities busted the man from Tarsus. According to Robertson, we don’t know if believers in the Roman province of Asia refused to help Paul when he was arrested or if they possibly ditched him at his trial. One way or the other, all he heard at this critical time was crickets. Paul? Who’s Paul? I don’t anybody named Paul.

At this point, this is where we logically talk about how we should always stand strong with our brothers and sisters in the faith. You DO know that’s the right thing to do, don’t you? But here’s the deal. Too many times the followers of Jesus pull the ripcord on any relationship that gets messy. As many have said, the church has a bad habit of shooting their wounded. Maybe it’s happened to you. If so, I’m VERY sorry. Maybe you had your finger on the trigger. If so, apologize and repent. Remember, every believer is jacked up. That’s why we trusted in Jesus to begin with. 

Let’s be blunt. People are going to bail on you. Fellow followers of Jesus are are going to bounce just when you need them the most. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, you can bet the farm it’s going to happen. Sometime. Somewhere. When the chips are down and you need a friend, there’s going to come a time when all you will see are tumbleweeds. 

Just ask Jesus what it’s like. His crew ran like scared rabbits when He was arrested. The leader of His team acted like he didn’t know Him, not once but THREE times (Ps 88:8, 18; Mt 26:56; Mk 14:50). And once our Savior took on the entire load of the world’s sin (and if you’re scoring at home, that includes yours and mine!), even His Heavenly Dad left Him all alone (Ps 22:1; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34). 

Because He experienced absolute and total abandonment, we never have to face it ourselves. Our closest friends may punk out, but Jesus promises, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). He pledges His never-ending faithfulness and will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Dt  31:6, 8; Josh 1:8; Heb 13:5). Later in this letter to Timothy, Paul says Christ is faithful even when we aren’t (2Tim 2:13). You see, the God who is with us is ALWAYS with us. Even when the world gets the heck outta Dodge.

The apostle then drops the names of two guys who left him hanging, “Phygelus and Hermogenes” (v15). Imagine Paul specifically listing you as someone who left him in the lurch. Being named as a bad guy in the Bible is the ultimate black mark on your permanent record. But maybe, just maybe, the man from Tarsus didn’t name names. Maybe Phygelus and Hermogenes aren’t their real names at all. Could he be writing in code? Could he be calling them by their infamous new nicknames? 

The name Phygelus comes from the Greek verb phuego, which describes a hasty retreat from military aggression. We’re not talking about a casual stroll here. This is a sprint at high speed. It’s where we get our word “fugitive.” One researcher sees the name as a joke or putdown. It literally means the little fugitive or avoider. My guess is he was a real person but Paul spared him the embarrassment of using his real name. Instead he’s forever known as Li’l Fugitive.

His partner in crime is Hermogenes. His name is closely related to the Greek god Hermes. You may know him by his Roman name Mercury. This mythical deity was not just super quick but also slick trickster. Think of The Flash’s evil twin. Hermogenes’ name means “born from Hermes.” Whether this is a nickname or putdown he has earned, you can be sure Paul’s former friend turned his back with super speed. Now you see him. Now you don’t. 

This is the only time either of these dudes gets a mention in the Bible. Giving the Heisman to the man God used to spread the Gospel to the non-Jewish world and write most of the New Testament not exactly the rep you would want for the next 2,000-plus years. Apparently Paul cooked up a couple of aliases to save them some shame. The same can’t be said of Demas. Later in this letter, the apostle writes, “For Demas, in love with present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” (2Tim 4:10). This is the very same guy who’s with Paul during his first time in custody (Col 4:14; Phm 24). 

I feel like I’ve seen this meme. 

Demas is a friend of Paul. 

Demas sees Paul arrested. 

Demas ditches Paul. 

Demas goes to Thessalonica.

Don’t be like Demas.

No, don’t be like Demas. Don’t be like Li’l Fugitive and the Flash and go AWOL.