Do Your Utmost: Chapter 14

Fourteen: Troas, still.

As it turned out, Alexander was already inside, kneeling beside a pile of supplies, which he was packing into crates. He looked up when they entered. “Did you find this Carpas person?”

Timothy shook his head, without saying a word. Let Mark answer, if he thought it necessary to explain further.

Instead, Mark just said, “We will keep searching this afternoon, after we have had some food to strengthen us.”

Alexander nodded, and turned his attention back to his task.

They had just finished eating and drinking when there was a soft tapping at the door. Glancing at Timothy in surprise, Mark went to open it. On the step stood two men. By their appearance and attire, Timothy doubted that they were fishermen or sailors; they looked like they had come down to the harbor from the more prosperous parts of the city. One of them was quite tall, with a big bushy beard covering most of his face, while the other was clean-shaven.

“May we come in?” The shorter of the two men asked.

Mark stood aside, and they stepped past him into the house, the taller one bending to get the top of his head under the doorframe.

“You are John Mark, the Evangelist, and you are Timothy, the companion of Paul, and the pastor of Ephesus?” The shorter man, evidently the spokesman, turned to each of them as he asked, and Mark and Timothy nodded in response. “We are Christians of Troas.”

“Why have you come here?” Timothy spoke for the first time, stepping forward, to confront the men.

“We come to greet you in the name of the church, and to welcome you to our city.” The man answered mildly.

“Oh, there is a church in Troas after all?” Mark’s face was bland and innocent as he asked the question, but Timothy thought he could detect a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

“Perhaps, if you will allow us to sit down while you continue your meal, we can explain matters.”

“Please do sit down. We have finished eating, but you are welcome to refresh yourselves with what we have to offer.” Timothy motioned to the wine, bread, and fruit that sat on the table.

“I am Philip, and this is a friend and elder in our church, Loukas. Shortly before you arrived we heard, as did the other brethren, of your coming, but also that you were deceivers, and not to be believed. This word came by letter from Ephesus, as well as Cyprus, by what we thought was a reliable hand. Since we were not sure, we tried to be careful, and watch how you conducted yourselves for a few days before making a decision. However, I saw your actions this morning—your conversation to each other, and then the worship you offered to the Lord—and convinced Loukas to come see that you are who you say you are.”

For the first time, his companion spoke up from behind his beard. “You have a letter from Paul?”

Timothy slid the parchment to him across the table, and he examined it, muttering to himself. Philip leaned sideways to get a closer view, and there were several minutes of silence while the two of them scanned the text.

Timothy was surprised to find these believers so suspicious. Outside the church there was always a great deal of opposition and skepticism, but he had never had his credentials doubted by the brethren. What circumstances would make them distrust the word of a fellow Christian?

Loukas was pointing to a passage at the end of Paul’s letter, and Philip was nodding his head in response to some murmured comment. At length, they looked up, and Philip passed the scroll back to Timothy, who tucked it into his belt.

“You must forgive our coolness. There have been instances here, where believers have been turned in by those we thought were friendly to our cause, so we have learned caution. The Romans usually ignore our meetings, but they are forced to respond when we are accused of refusing to worship their gods. When you two showed up, asking about Carpas, we were concerned for his family. It was not a question someone who was familiar with the church here would ask.”

He paused, as if expecting some remark, so Mark asked, “Why not?”

“The Romans arrested him three months ago, and he is awaiting his execution.” It was Loukas who answered, the rough words stunning Timothy and Mark.

After a moment of silence, Timothy asked, “Who told you we could not be trusted?”

“Yes, that is interesting.” Philip said. “It seems to have been this same Alexander the coppersmith whom Paul talks about in his epistle to you. Do you know who this man is?”

Timothy’s eyes flew to John Mark, then they both turned to the corner where Alexander had been a few minutes ago, fixing cord around their luggage. The cases were stacked against the wall, and the remaining rope was coiled into a neat bundle, lying on the floor next to the boxes, but the man himself was gone.