Onesiphorus
Encyclopedia
Onesiphorus was a Christian
referred to in the New Testament
letter of Second Timothy ( and ). According to the letter, sent by St. Paul
, Onesiphorus sought out Paul who was imprisoned at the time in Rome
. The persecution of Christians during Nero
’s reign made Rome a dangerous city for Christians. Paul praises Onesiphorus for his hospitality, kindness, and courage. Onesiphorus is contrasted with the other Christians in Asia who have deserted Paul at this time. Paul sends greeting to the man’s household in Ephesus and makes reference to the help he showed Paul earlier in Ephesus
. Timothy, who led the Ephesian church is apparently familiar with these acts. Paul's praise of Onesiphorus is significant because it was written shortly before Paul's death as a final encouragement to Timothy.
Because Paul speaks of Onesiphorus only in the past tense, wishes present blessings upon his house (family), and mercy for him "in that day", some scholars believe that Onesiphorus had at this point died. Towards the end of the same letter, in , Paul sends greetings to "Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus", again apparently distinguishing the situation of Onesiphorus from that of the still living Prisca and Aquila. The Roman Catholic Church has used this as partial justification for prayer for the dead, but this interpretation is rejected by Protestant scholars.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
referred to in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
letter of Second Timothy ( and ). According to the letter, sent by St. Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
, Onesiphorus sought out Paul who was imprisoned at the time in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The persecution of Christians during Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
’s reign made Rome a dangerous city for Christians. Paul praises Onesiphorus for his hospitality, kindness, and courage. Onesiphorus is contrasted with the other Christians in Asia who have deserted Paul at this time. Paul sends greeting to the man’s household in Ephesus and makes reference to the help he showed Paul earlier in Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
. Timothy, who led the Ephesian church is apparently familiar with these acts. Paul's praise of Onesiphorus is significant because it was written shortly before Paul's death as a final encouragement to Timothy.
Because Paul speaks of Onesiphorus only in the past tense, wishes present blessings upon his house (family), and mercy for him "in that day", some scholars believe that Onesiphorus had at this point died. Towards the end of the same letter, in , Paul sends greetings to "Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus", again apparently distinguishing the situation of Onesiphorus from that of the still living Prisca and Aquila. The Roman Catholic Church has used this as partial justification for prayer for the dead, but this interpretation is rejected by Protestant scholars.