Archippus Archives - A Bible A Day

Archippus is mentioned twice in the Bible, both times in letters from Paul. First, in the letter to Philemon, Archippus is one of the addressees and is called “a fellow soldier.”

Then in Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae, he inserts a personal message to Archippus. Paul says, “See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.”

Over the years, I have talked to scores of people who enthusiastically share what God has called them to or told them to accomplish. Sadly, when I run into them later, I learn that they haven’t followed through.

I find that something distracted them, that they decided their own ideas superseded God’s, or some such other excuse.

When God calls us to a task, we need to complete it.

[Philemon 1:2 and Colossians 4:17]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

In the second verse of the letter to Philemon, Paul mentions two obscure people, Apphia and Archippus. Some people speculate that because they are listed together they are marriage partners or ministry partners. While we don’t know for sure, what is clear is that Apphia is listed first.

It would have been counter-cultural in that day to list a female before a male (or perhaps to even list her at all). But God, through Paul, uses this as a means to elevate the status of women, affirming their role in his church.

This is not to make women superior to men, but to bring them to a point of parity.

What is interesting about Apphia is that this is the only mention of her in the Bible, so we have no idea what she did that was so worthy to garner such a prominent place in this letter.

It would be safe to assume that she was worthy of this, be it through her character, her faith, her service, or some other noteworthy trait.

Like Apphia, who we are and the things we do may be largely unknown, but God does know — and that’s what counts.

[Philemon 1:2]