If your name appeared in the Bible, what would it reveal about you?

If your name appeared in the Bible, what would be the context?

If your name appeared in the Bible, what would it say about your faith and character?

The Bible contains an incredible number of individual names. There are literally hundreds of people listed in the genealogies of the Old Testament and in Matthew and Luke. For most of these individuals, we know little or nothing besides their names. In many cases, the only thing we know is that their names are hard to pronounce.

It’s tempting to skim through the genealogies because there’s little information about these individuals. Most appear as mere names, their significance lost to history. But every name represents a person, and one day we will know the story of each and every one.

Overall, the mention of many names in Acts and the Epistles in the New Testament adds authenticity to the Scriptures. There is a sense that “this rings true,” as seemingly obscure individuals are often mentioned in passing. This is particularly evident in the writings and travels of the Apostle Paul. There are some he mentions frequently, like Silas, Epaphroditus, and Timothy.

Others are mentioned only briefly. Still, we can learn a great deal from their examples. Three such names are given in 2 Timothy 1:15-18: Phygelus, Hermogenes, and Onesiphorus.

We don’t know much about these three, but their names appear in the Bible. Phygelus and Hermogenes are said to have deserted the Apostle Paul in his time of need. In a brief but telling statement, Paul says, “all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.” Ouch. That’s it. That’s all we know about those two, and their names have been immortalized in the Scriptures.

If your name appeared in the Bible, would you want it to be mentioned in the company of  Phygelus and Hermogenes? Besides being obscure and hard to pronounce, the mention of their names is anything but flattering. It would be shameful to be numbered among them, as they were probably guilty of cowardice. Paul was being gracious by not providing more details about them.

The third man listed is Onesiphorus. We know a little more about him. He is first mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:17 as Paul sends greetings to him and his household, along with Prisca and Aquila. It’s not certain, but the name Onesiphorus may mean something like, “profit bringer.” If so, then he certainly lived up to his name. 

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, unlike Phygelus and Hermogenes, who deserted him, Onesiphorus took a different path. He eagerly sought out Paul in Rome, and when he found him, he constantly refreshed him. Unlike the other two men who abandoned Paul, Onesiphorus was not ashamed to be associated with his friend, his teacher, his Apostle, who was imprisoned in chains in a damp, dark dungeon in Rome. 

Why was Onesiphorus not ashamed? Because he was not ashamed of the Gospel. He was not ashamed of the sufferings of Christ, whose sufferings were a foreshadowing of Paul’s suffering, and a foreshowing of our own. Paul was in chains for the cause of Christ, and Onesiphorus did not shy away from boldly identifying with his Savior.

If your name appeared in the Bible, what would it say about your faith character? None of us would want to be associated with Phygelus and Hermogenes. Their names appear in the Bible, and it is not in a positive context. Perhaps they were able to regain their courage and finish well, unashamed of Christ and His Gospel. In heaven, we will discover the answer.

But we would want to be associated with Onesiphorus. We know his reward in heaven. Paul wished for him that the Lord would mercifully reward him on the Day of rewards. We know he will, for his name appears in the Bible, and by his actions we see his faith and character. 

Our names do not appear in the Bible, but they do appear in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Faithful is He who calls you! Learn from the example of Onesiphorus.