For most Christians of the first century, Christian life then was as it is today. Many early Christians did not perform miracles. They did not possess extraordinary spiritual gifts. Nor did they have the supernatural ability to heal. These ordinary men and women had to learn that following Christ did not mean deliverance from all their problems. Instead, they, as we do today, had to endure distresses and disabilities and persevere by faith.

While Jesus was still on earth, He told His disciples, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29). In the pages of the New Testament, we meet a man named Trophimus who learned to up that yoke and follow the Master, even in the midst of sickness, persecution, and suffering. We first meet Trophimus in Acts 20:4. Paul was on his third missionary journey, having just spent three years in Ephesus. Those three years were manifest with abundant spiritual power from God. 

Recorded in the opening three verses of Acts 20, Paul traveled a loop into Macedonia and Greece to visit the churches there and take up a collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem. The loop tour lasted three months. Paul and his companions traveled through Macedonia and Greece, preaching, teaching, confirming, ordaining, and otherwise encouraging the churches of Europe. They also collected an offering given by these European churches for their suffering brethren in Jerusalem.

Finally the tour was over; the churches were established. Spiritually, all was well in Macedonia. Paul was ready to return to Jerusalem. In Acts 20:4 a list is given of Paul’s traveling companions: “And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.” We know very little about this man mentioned last in the list. According to this verse in the Book of Acts, Trophimus was from Asia, and later in Acts we learn that he was specifically from Ephesus. 

This record of his Ephesian background allows us to piece together a little bit of the life of Trophimus. He was a Greek living in one of the most immoral cities the world has ever known, the city of the goddess Diana. The name Trophimus is a Greek name meaning “the nurtured one.” Another possible rendering might be “one who has been nurtured by the gods.” 

Trophimus was likely a pagan, probably a worshipper of the goddess Diana and a partaker of all the wickedness in the pagan city Ephesus. But onto this scene had entered the Apostle Paul, bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Individuals such as Paul, Timothy, Titus, Aquila and Priscilla, and Apollos all labored in Ephesus to bring the Gospel to the very heart of paganism. Sometime during those three years of Paul’s ministry, Trophimus the pagan became Trophimus the Christian. Without any previous Scriptural knowledge, he had turned from idols to serve the living God.

Trophimus, along with other Gentile Christians, was selected by Paul to accompany him on his visit to Jerusalem. Why did Paul bring Trophimus and the other new believers along with him? No, it was not merely to carry the offering! Paul could have accomplished that task with only one assistant. Actually, Trophimus and the other new believers from the Gentile churches were living, breathing, walking exhibits of the power of the Gospel to change a pagan heart! 

At this time, throughout the feast days in Jerusalem, Paul was diligent not to create an offense among the Jews. However, in spite of his careful observance of Jewish law and customs, he was seized by hostile Jews. Why? According to Acts 21:29, “(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)” 

Notice that these hostile Jews were looking for a charge with which to accuse Paul. They had seen him with Trophimus, an Ephesian Gentile. Then they saw Paul in the Temple, and apparently they had assumed that Paul had brought Trophimus into the Temple sanctuary. It was a capital offense for a Gentile to enter beyond the Court of the Gentiles and into the sanctuary itself. As a result of the accusation against Paul, “all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut” (Acts 21:30). 

Notice here the real object of the Jews’ anger. If they really had been concerned about keeping the Temple holy, they would have seized Trophimus. Their motive was not to ensure the holiness of the Temple but rather to see Paul dead! “And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul” (Acts 21:31–32).

Only these Roman soldiers prevented Paul from being slain on the spot. Consider Trophimus during these agonizing hours of Paul’s arrest and imprisonment. He could do nothing but watch and pray as his mentor and beloved leader was arrested, condemned, and almost killed. Trophimus had the burden of knowing that he was the cause, albeit a wrong accusation, for Paul’s arrest. 

As our omnipotent God ordered the events, Paul was spared from death. Trophimus was also spared. Soon Paul was under the protection of the Roman guard and taken to Caesarea, and from there, he then was transported by ship to Rome to stand trial. 

Supposedly, Trophimus was not injured in the fracas in Jerusalem, and he was able to quietly leave the city. Rather than follow Trophimus further, Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, instead followed and recorded the journey of Paul to Rome. But life was not yet over for the Gentile new believer. However, what happened to Trophimus after the turbulent time at Jerusalem is not in the Biblical record.

We do read about Trophimus one more time in the Bible. The reference to him was made approximately ten years after Paul’s initial arrest, and at the very end of the apostle’s life. While Paul was imprisoned in Nero’s dungeons and awaiting execution, he wrote an epistle to Timothy. Paul wrote, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7). In his closing of the letter, Paul mentioned his Ephesian companion: “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick” (II Timothy 4:20).

This comment seems to indicate that Paul and Trophimus were reunited after Paul’s period of house arrest and trial in Rome. It appears that after his first trial, Paul was acquitted and had a brief time during which he was free to travel. During that time, Paul worked with Titus on the island of Crete. But the reference in the letter to Timothy indicates that during these years between his two imprisonments, Paul also worked with Trophimus. Miletus was a port city on the Aegean Coast near the city of Ephesus, the hometown of Trophimus. 

While at Miletus, Trophimus became ill. Paul, probably departing by sea, was forced to leave his co-worker behind. Notable in the brief record of Trophimus and the emphasis in closing this biographical sketch of his life is this fact: God does not always heal His servants. 

Consider the case of Trophimus. He had been traveling with Paul. He had been doing God’s work in spreading the Gospel. Yet, he was taken ill. Furthermore, he was not healed. 

At the city of Iconium on the first missionary journey, Paul had performed miracles. At the city of Lystra, he had healed an impotent man. After his shipwreck on the island of Malta, Paul had laid his hands on the father of Publius, and the man was healed. The Biblical account of the shipwreck on the island of Malta includes the observance that “others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed” (Acts 28:9).

Clearly, Paul had the power to heal diseases. But he did not heal his traveling companion Trophimus! That healing power was not at the command even of Paul. He could not heal on demand. The power to supernaturally heal was a special gift given for special instances. In fact, in every recorded case of healing delivered through Paul, it was performed for unbelievers. It is significant that not once was a Christian healed by Paul. 

Similarly, our Lord Jesus did not use His miraculous power to ease His own troubles. He did not make bread to eat. He sent His disciples to go buy bread in the city. He did not fly from Jericho to Jerusalem. No. Our Master walked there. So it was with Paul. 

Thus, the apostle did not heal himself of his thorn in the flesh, nor did he heal his servants. This purpose was not in his power to do. So in his letter, Paul wrote to Timothy that “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.”

Perhaps this little statement is in Scripture to teach us this lesson from the life of Trophimus. We cannot expect our problems to cease when we become a Christian. Whether healthy or sick, God is still and always good. We can assuredly take upon ourselves Christ’s yoke and wholly trust that He will give us the strength to carry whatever burden He gives us to bear.