I want to tell you about Paul. Paul was married to Eunice, her mother was Lois. He talks nice about them. He had a brother named Epaphroditus. Together Paul and Eunice had children. The Bible mentions 3. I think Timotheus is the long form of Timothy, so we have Timothy and Titus and Onesimus. Maybe more but that is all that I can find at this time.

TIMOTHY

1 Timothy 1:2  Unto Timothy, MY OWN SON, in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Timothy 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, SON TIMOTHY, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.

2 Timothy 1:2  To Timothy, MY DEARLY BELOVED SON: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Timothy 2:1  Thou therefore, MY SON, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:19  But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you

Philippians 2:21  But ye know the proof of him, that, AS A SON WITH THE FATHER, he hath served with me in the gospel. (This refers to the above verse)

TITUS

Titus 1:4  To Titus, MINE OWN SON after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

ONESIMUS

Philemon 10  I beseech thee for MY SON ONESIMUS, whom I have begotten in my bonds. Verse 12  Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, MINE OWN BOWELS.

Paul was in, in house arrest. Paul’s wife Eunice came to visit him. Paul was in bonds. Paul was very glad to see his wife, and showed it, and they had a little surprise, several years after the older ones had grown. Onesimus. Eunice went to see Paul because she wanted to; no one made her make that trip. I believe Paul and Eunice were very much in love.

My biological father was also my spiritual father. He was the one that led me in the salvation prayer when I was 5 years old. Because we are on the same mission, this makes him my brother in spirit. The same goes for Paul and his family.

Philemon 16:  Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, BOTH IN THE FLESH, AND IN THE LORD?

Paul was responsible for Onesimus’s bills. He said he wouldn’t even squabble over the amount.

Philemon 18:  If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 19   I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

 

WIFE & MOTHER-IN-LAW

2 Timothy 1:7  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

That sounds to me like he is proud of his wife and her mom.

BROTHER

Philippians 2:25  Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you EPAPHRODITUS, MY BROTHER, and companion in labour,

Some of Paul’s letters are addressed like this.

Romans 1:7  To all that be in Rome

1 Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is a Corinth

Galatians 1:2 unto the churches of Galatia

Ephesians 1:1 to the saints which are at Ephesus

Philippians 1:1 to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi

Colossians 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse:

Do you see? When Paul writes to a group of people, he addresses them that way. But when he writes to or speaks about a family member, he addresses them that way.

Sometimes a family member goes to that church. For example:

Thessalonians 1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:1  and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth,

THORN

2 Corinthians 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

The church teaches this thorn is his eyesight.  I don’t think it was his eyesight because. Saul was struck blind by a bright light from heaven.

Acts 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

Ananias prayed for Saul and he was healed!

Acts 9:18  And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

I believe this was a good and complete healing, to say that Paul’s thorn was his eyesight, diminishes his healing miracle.

FYI Saul and Paul is the same guy.

Acts 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost,

I think his thorn was either guilt for all the Christians he had tortured and killed when he was Saul or, his church. His church put him in prison several times. He was shipwrecked because of his government and arrested and put in jail. And finally killed by his government. The church had him arrested by his government.

 

LOVE,

Diane Ebaugh Sutton