Ephesians 6:22

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) Whom I have sent unto you.—This verse corresponds word for word with Colossians 4:8, being a quasi-official statement of Tychicus’ commission. The words “that he might comfort (or, encourage) your hearts,” although they might apply generally to all messengers from an Apostle, may probably be best explained by reference to the tone of the Epistle to the Philippians—in which St. Paul shows so much affectionate anxiety lest his converts should be disheartened by his continued imprisonment—and to the exhortation in this Epistle not “to faint at his tribulations for them” (Ephesians 3:13).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:19-24 The gospel was a mystery till made known by Divine revelation; and it is the work of Christ's ministers to declare it. The best and most eminent ministers need the prayers of believers. Those particularly should be prayed for, who are exposed to great hardships and perils in their work. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith. By peace, understand all manner of peace; peace with God, peace of conscience, peace among themselves. And the grace of the Spirit, producing faith and love, and every grace. These he desires for those in whom they were already begun. And all grace and blessings come to the saints from God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace, that is, the favour of God; and all good, spiritual and temporal, which is from it, is and shall be with all those who thus love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and with them only.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whom I have sent unto you - The churches where Paul had preached, would feel a great interest in his welfare. He was a prisoner at Rome, and it was doubtful what the result would be. In this situation, he felt it proper to despatch a special messenger to give information about his condition; to state what was doing in Rome; to ask the prayers of the churches; and to administer consolation to them in their various trials. The same sentiment in regard to the embassy of Tychicus, is expressed in the Epistle to the Colossians, Colossians 4:7-8. No small part of the consolation which he would impart to them would be found in these invaluable letters which he bore to them from the apostle.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. for the same purpose—Greek, "for this very purpose." Col 4:8 is almost word for word the same as this verse.

our affairs—Greek, "the things concerning us," namely, concerning myself. "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas" (Col 4:10).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

That ye might not faint at my tribulations, Ephesians 3:13. It might be a comfort to them to hear that Paul was well used, (setting aside his bonds), and had liberty to preach to those that came to him.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose,.... Which shows the great concern the apostle had for the churches, being willing to inform them of everything that might be for their use and service:

that ye might know our affairs; temporal and spiritual, and not only the apostle's affairs, but the affairs of those that were with him, who were concerned in the same common cause:

and that he might comfort your hearts; both by such a relation, and by the ministry of the Gospel to them: believers in Christ are sometimes disconsolate, by reason of indwelling sin, Satan's temptations, the hidings of God's face, afflictions and persecutions, their own sufferings, and those of others; and it is the business of the ministers of Christ to comfort them; their commission is to speak comfortably to them; and they are qualified for it, by inward comforts in their own souls; the Gospel they preach, and the message they bring, is of a comfortable nature; the Spirit of God acts by them, and with them as a comforter; and sad indeed is the state of Zion, or the church of Christ, when it has no comforters.

Geneva Study Bible

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Ephesians 6:22. Ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς] namely, that he should travel from Colossae to you, Colossians 4:7-9. See Introd. § 2.

εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο] in this very design. See on Ephesians 6:18, and Bornemann, ad Xen. Mem. iii. 12. 2; Pflugk, ad Eur. Androm. 41.

ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν] must on account of εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο necessarily convey the same thing as was said by ἵνα εἰδῆτε τὰ κατʼ ἐμέ, τί πράσσω, Ephesians 6:21; hence the conjecture of Rückert, ἵνα γνῷ τε τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, is entirely baseless; and at Colossians 4:8 also we have, in accordance with preponderant evidence, to read ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν.

By ἡμῶν Paul means himself and those that are with him (see Colossians 4:10 ff.; Philemon 1:10 f., 23 ff.), concerning whom information was likewise reserved for the report of Tychicus.

παρακαλέσῃ] might comfort. For Tychicus had to tell of sufferings and afflictions which Paul must needs endure (comp. Ephesians 6:20), and on account of them the readers were called μὴ ἐκκακεῖν, Ephesians 3:13. Amplifications of the notion (Rückert: “to elevate by address to them of every kind;” Baumgarten-Crusius: to strengthen; comp. Estius, who proposes exhortetur) are arbitrary.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Ephesians 6:22. ὂν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο: whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose. ἔπεμψα, in idiomatic English = “I have written,” but literally = “I did write”. If it were certain that the Epistle to the Colossians preceded that to the Ephesians, that the special mission on which Tychicus was sent with Onesimus to Colossæ took place before Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians, and that he found some opportunity of forwarding the latter Epistle also in the course of Tychicus’s journey, the ἔπεμψα would have its usual aorist sense, referring to a past act. Failing this, it must be taken as an instance of the epistolary aor., the mission being coincident with the writing of the letter, but contemplated from the view-point of the recipients of the letter, to whom it was a thing of the past. The epistolary aor. certainly occurs in Latin, in the use of scripsi, etc. (cf. Madvig, Gr., § 345). How far its use extends in the NT is still a moot question, some finding many cases, e.g., ἔγραψα in Galatians 6:11; Philemon 1:19; Philemon 1:21; 1 Peter 5:12; 1 John 2:14; 1 John 2:21; 1 John 2:26; 1 John 5:13; ἐπέστειλα, Hebrews 13:22; ἔπεμψα, συνέπεμψα in 2 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 8:22; Ephesians 6:22; Colossians 4:8; Php 2:28; Philemon 1:11, etc.; while others (e.g., Blass) restrict it to ἔπεμψα in Acts 23:30; Php 2:28; Colossians 4:8; Philemon 1:11, etc. (cf. Win.-Moult., p. 347; Blass, Gram. of N. T. Greek, p. 194; Lightf. on Galatians 4:11; Colossians 4:8; Ell. on Galatians 4:11.—ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν: that ye may know our state. τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν will naturally have the same sense as the τὰ κατʼ ʼμέ, the ἡμῶν including Paul’s companions with himself. It is well rendered “our state” by the RV; “our affairs” by the AV. The information regarding Paul and his friends would not be confined to the letter, but would be given no doubt also by Tychicus by word of mouth.—καὶ παρακαλέσῃ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν: and that he may comfort your hearts. παρακαλεῖν means most frequently either to exhort or (in later Greek as well as in the NT) to beseech. Rarely in non-biblical Greek has it the sense of comforting or encouraging; but in the LXX it represents בִחַם, and in the NT it has these senses, and also once that of instructing (Titus 1:9). Here it means to comfort, or to encourage; probably the former, with respect both to Paul’s troubles already mentioned (Ephesians 3:13 above) and their own.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. I have sent] Lit., “I did send.” The aorist is “epistolary”; it speaks from the time of the arrival, not the sending, of the messenger. Cp. 2 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 8:22; Php 2:28; Colossians 4:8 (where see Lightfoot’s note); Philemon 1:12, &c.

our affairs] The circumstances of St Paul and his fellow Christians at Rome. There are passages (see esp. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2) where he obviously uses “we” in the sense of “I”; but this is not likely here, in view of the “how I do,” just before (Ephesians 6:22).

comfort] The word is rendered “beseech,” Ephesians 4:1, above, where see note. By derivation and usage it has more in it of exhortation than consolation; though the two ideas run often into one another. “Comfort” by derivation (confortatio) means rightly, “strengthening.” If this is borne in mind, the A.V. gives a true interpretation.

your hearts] See, for collocation of the words “heart” and “comfort,” Colossians 2:2; Colossians 4:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:17.

Bengel's Gnomen

Ephesians 6:22. Πρὸς ὑμᾶς, to you) afar off.—παρακαλέσῃ, might comfort) lest ye should take offence at my bonds.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - Whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts. This serves to explain the absence of personal remembrances, allusions, and messages in the Epistle. Tychicus, who had his full confidence, would tell them all by word of mouth. The concluding words show that it was not to gratify any mere personal feeling that Paul directed Tychicus to make this communication; but knowing how much they felt for him, he believed it would be a comfort to hear how he fared. To pagans the idea of captivity was always dolorous and dreadful; it was well for them to learn how Christians could glory in tribulations (Romans 5:3). Tychicus, the beloved brother, was evidently well fitted to apply to the Ephesians this comforting view of his state. Ephesians 6:22