Before Winter (12)

Nine: The roads of Cyprus

The thirty-third year since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, on the sixth day of the fifth month.

We set out today, and have just arrived at the first town we will visit. I knew of one Christian family here, so we are staying with them for the night. After we break our fast, I plan to go speak to the people in the marketplace.

The thirty-third year since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, on the seventh day of the fifth month.

Back on the road, after preaching again this morning. Praise the Lord, some did respond to our message. I directed them to the believing family for fellowship and discipleship.

The thirty-third year since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, on the eighth day of the fifth month.

The response in this city has been good. Alexander wanted to push on this morning, but I am convinced the Lord would have me stay a few more days. There are many public places where I can preach, and the people are listening. 

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over Cyprus for you.”

Mark looked up from his journal and saw a dark-haired, Jewish man standing in the doorway. He looked familiar, but Mark could not place him, until Alexander rose from his stool with an exclamation. 

“Timothy! Your journey must have been faster than I expected.” 

Timothy turned to look at Alexander, and his eyes widened in surprise. “What are you doing here?” The surprise turned into a black scowl, and Timothy stepped toward John Mark. “You’re letting that heretic preach the gospel all over Cyprus?” 

At these abrupt words, Alexander stiffened, and opened his mouth to respond. Then, as if thinking better of it, he bowed his head, and swiftly left the room. Mark watched him leave, bewildered, then turned to Timothy.

“What was that about?” Mark demanded. “How could you treat Alexander like that? He is a brother in Christ!”

“You have no idea who he is.” Timothy was still seething at the thought of that trouble-maker acting so cheerful, addressing him as if they were friends. After leading honest converts astray into false doctrine, and even getting the Romans to throw believers into jail! 

“So, enlighten me.”

“He was preaching heresy in Ephesus, blasphemy against the name of Christ! The leaders of the church tried to reason with him, but when he would not listen, we counted him as an unbeliever, as Paul instructed.”

John Mark frowned. “I saw no sign of that here. His theology seemed orthodox. He must have realized his error, and wished to redeem himself.”

“Redeem himself!” Timothy snorted in derision. “He doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”

“How do you know that? It’s only if you’ve never experienced it that you can’t understand it, Timothy. Everyone needs redemption, and you can’t judge who deserves it and who doesn’t.”

“I know that I need redemption; I have done things contrary to God’s standards, for which Christ paid the price. But how does that change things? When someone has proved that he is untrustworthy, why give him another opportunity to hurt you?”

“Because God can always change him.”

“What if trusting him hurts other people?” Timothy thought of the raided houses in Ephesus, each one visited by Alexander as a friend, and then that trust used for destruction. 

“I’m not saying to be foolish, but everyone is inconsistent, trust is never fully earned. You have to take a risk and give it. God is in control, remember? The eternal soul of a human being is the most important thing in the world, and anything we can do to save one is worth the cost.” 

“And you have gained this deep insight because you once left the ministry as well, hurting Paul terribly.” 

“Timothy, I’m not saying it was good, but I have learned. And even now, if I betrayed you as well, if for some crazy reason I got so angry I killed you, God could and would still forgive me, if I truly repented.” 

“But if you do something that bad, can you repent?”

“How many Christians did Paul kill?”

Timothy sighed, and rubbed his forehead. “I have been trying to catch up with you for days, and as soon as I find you, we begin arguing.” Thinking of Paul in jail at Rome, Timothy’s throat constricted. “I am supposed to be convincing you to come to Rome.” 

“Rome?” Mark raised his eyebrows, abandoning the discussion for the time being. “What’s going on in Rome?”

Reaching into the fold of his cloak, Timothy pulled out the letter, and handed it to Mark.