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Bible Stumpers
Laborers with Paul You've Never Heard OfPaul's ministry depended on people you've probably never heard of. Beyond familiar coworkers like Barnabas and Silas, the pages of the New Testament introduce us to couriers, scribes, lawyers, former slaves, and other faithful laborers who quietly helped advance the gospel. Though mentioned only briefly, their stories reveal remarkable examples of courage, sacrifice, redemption, and faith. Test your Bible knowledge and see how many of these lesser-known laborers with Paul you can identify. 1. Which otherwise unmentioned believer acted as Paul's scribe (amanuensis) for the letter to the Romans and paused the dictation to insert his own personal greeting to the readers? Answer: Tertius. Reference: Romans 16:22 Insight: While Paul dictated his profound theological masterpiece, Tertius did the physical labor of writing it down on papyrus. He then added his own greeting: "I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord." 2. Which unnamed woman did Paul warmly commend in his greetings to Rome, stating that she had been "a mother to me also"? Answer: The mother of Rufus. Reference: Romans 16:13 Insight: Many scholars connect this Rufus with the son of Simon of Cyrene mentioned in Mark 15:21, though Scripture does not explicitly identify them as the same person. If the connection is correct, Simon's family became pillars of the early Roman church, and his wife personally cared for Paul like a son. 3. Which coworker of Paul shared the exact same Hebrew name as the Lord Jesus and was noted as one of the very few Jewish believers who stayed loyal and brought comfort to Paul in Rome? Answer: Jesus, who was called Justus. Reference: Colossians 4:11 Insight: "Jesus" (Yeshua) was a common Jewish name at the time. To avoid confusion, he apparently went by his Roman surname, Justus. Paul specifically notes that he was "of the circumcision," meaning he was a Jewish believer. 4. Which coworker of Paul is explicitly identified as a lawyer and is mentioned alongside Apollos as someone Titus was instructed to help on his journey? Answer: Zenas. Reference: Titus 3:13 Insight: This is the only mention of Zenas in the New Testament. His title, "the lawyer," may indicate expertise in either Jewish or Roman law, making him a unique asset to the early church. 5. Which woman did Paul entrust with delivering his monumental letter to the Romans and commend as a servant of the church at Cenchreae, instructing the believers to assist her in whatever she needed? Answer: Phoebe. Reference: Romans 16:1-2 Insight: Paul calls Phoebe a diakonos ("servant" or "minister") of the church at Cenchreae and instructs the Roman believers to assist her in whatever she needs. Many scholars believe she personally delivered Romans and may have read the letter aloud and answered initial questions about it. 6. Which Ephesian Gentile companion of Paul had to be left behind at the port city of Miletus because he was too ill to continue traveling? Answer: Trophimus. Reference: 2 Timothy 4:20 Insight: Trophimus had unintentionally sparked Paul's arrest years earlier when a Jerusalem mob falsely accused the apostle of bringing him, a Gentile, beyond the temple's barrier reserved for Jews (Acts 21:29). Miletus lay only about 30 miles (50 km) south of Trophimus's hometown of Ephesus, making it a fitting place to leave an ailing friend among familiar believers who could care for him. The verse also provides a sobering reminder that even in the apostolic age, miraculous healing was not exercised at will. Although Paul had witnessed and participated in extraordinary miracles, he left Trophimus sick rather than healing him, reminding us that even faithful believers, including close companions of the apostles, still experienced ordinary illness and suffering. 7. Which bold believer refreshed Paul during his final Roman imprisonment, actively searching the city until he found him and remaining completely unashamed of Paul's chains? Answer: Onesiphorus. Reference: 2 Timothy 1:16-18 Insight: While others in Asia deserted Paul out of fear, Onesiphorus courageously sought him out and ministered to him. Some scholars think Onesiphorus had already died because Paul greets his household rather than him personally, though Scripture never states this directly. 8. Which Jewish believer, described by Paul as both "my kinsman" and "my fellow prisoner," had come to faith before Paul's conversion and was said to be "of note among the apostles"? Answer: Andronicus. Reference: Romans 16:7 Insight: Andronicus is mentioned alongside Junia, likely his wife. Paul's statement that they were "in Christ before me" means they became believers before his Damascus Road conversion. Because of this, they may have been eyewitnesses to the earliest days of the church in Jerusalem and perhaps even the events surrounding Pentecost. 9. Which runaway slave became a believer under Paul's prison ministry, prompting Paul to write an entire letter to his master using a clever wordplay on the slave's name, which meant "Profitable"? Answer: Onesimus. Reference: Philemon 10-13 Insight: The name Onesimus literally means "useful" or "profitable," a fitting name for a slave in the ancient world. Paul masterfully plays on this meaning, telling Philemon that Onesimus was once "useless" to him but has now become "useful" both to Philemon and to Paul (Philemon 11). In Christ, the runaway slave had become far more than property or a servant. He had become "a beloved brother" (Philemon 16), illustrating the transforming power of the gospel to redefine a person's identity and relationships. 10. Which longtime ministry companion of Paul serves as a sobering warning after he ultimately abandoned Paul because he "loved this present world"? Answer: Demas. Reference: 2 Timothy 4:10 Insight: In earlier letters, Demas is listed alongside Luke as one of Paul's faithful coworkers (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24). His departure serves as a sobering reminder that even longtime coworkers in ministry are not immune to the pull of this present world. Bonus: Which companion remained as Paul's only fellow worker during his final imprisonment, prompting the apostle to write, "Only ______ is with me"? Answer: Luke. Reference: Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11 Insight: Earlier, Paul had affectionately called Luke "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). By the time he wrote his final letter, he could say, "Only Luke is with me." Luke's medical training and faithful companionship may have been a great comfort to Paul as he endured the hardships of imprisonment and approached the end of his earthly ministry. These brief mentions remind us that God often advances His kingdom through faithful people whose names are easily overlooked, but whose obedience leaves an eternal legacy. |
