Artemas
Artemas
Info
- #coworker
- Home:: Unknown
- Other Locales:: Crete (planned destination)
- References:: Titus 3#3:12
Notes
Summary
Artemas is mentioned once in Titus 3#3:12, where Paul writes: "When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there."
Paul planned to send a replacement to Crete so that Titus could leave his post and join Paul at Nicopolis (a city on the western coast of Greece). That Artemas is named as an alternative to Tychicus, one of Paul's most trusted and capable envoys, indicates he was capable of independent pastoral oversight over the Cretan churches. The Cretan churches were newly established and facing internal challenges that Titus had been working to resolve (Titus 1#1:5).
His name, Artemas, is a shortened form of Artemidorus ("gift of Artemis"), a common Greek name. Scripture provides no other information about him, but early church tradition (recorded in the Apostolic Constitutions) names him as bishop of Lystra.