Trophimus

Info

• #coworker
• Home:: Ephesus
• Other Locales:: Jerusalem, Miletus
• References:: Acts 20#20:4, Acts 21#21:29, 2 Timothy 4#4:20

Notes

• A Gentile from Ephesus whose presence in Jerusalem triggered Paul's arrest
• Left sick at Miletus during Paul's later travels

Summary

Trophimus was an Ephesian Gentile believer whose presence in Jerusalem triggered the events leading to Paul's arrest and journey to Rome.

Trophimus first appears in the list of delegates accompanying Paul on the return journey from Greece to Jerusalem with the collection for the saints (Acts 20#20:4). He represented the province of Asia alongside Tychicus, serving as evidence that the Gentile churches were contributing to the relief of the Jewish mother church.

The crisis came in Jerusalem. Some Jews from the province of Asia recognized Trophimus. They had "previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him" (Acts 21#21:29) and assumed Paul had brought him into the temple's inner courts, which were restricted to Jews under penalty of death. The accusation was false, but it ignited a riot. The crowd seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and beat him. Roman soldiers intervened, arresting Paul and beginning the custody process that brought him to Rome (Acts 21#21:30-36). Trophimus's presence in Jerusalem as a visible Gentile companion of Paul triggered the cascade of events that dominated the final quarter of Acts.

The final mention of Trophimus comes in 2 Timothy 4#4:20, where Paul writes: "Trophimus I left ill at Miletus." It places Trophimus active in Paul's entourage late in his ministry. The detail that Paul "left" him due to illness rather than healing him has been cited as evidence that apostolic healing gifts were not exercised at will. Miletus was near Ephesus, so Trophimus may have been heading home when illness overtook him.

References

• murphy-oconnorStPaulEphesus2008 - Reconstructs Paul's time in Ephesus, where Trophimus was based before traveling with Paul to Jerusalem.
• polhillActs1992 - Commentary on Acts covering Trophimus's role in triggering Paul's arrest at the temple in Acts 21.
• kentPastoralEpistlesStudies2001 - Commentary on 2 Timothy where Paul reports leaving Trophimus ill at Miletus.
• wrightChallengeActsRediscovering2024 - Wright's study of Acts as theological history, covering Trophimus's role in Acts 20:4 and 21:29.
• paoActsIsaianicNew2002 - Pao's study of Acts through the lens of Isaiah's new exodus, providing theological context for Trophimus's narrative in Acts 20:4 and 21:29.
• addisonActsMovementGod2023 - Addison examines the Acts narrative as a movement model, including Trophimus's contribution in Acts 20:4 and 21:29.
• Who was Trophimus in the Bible? - GotQuestions.org
• Trophimus - Wikipedia