Paul wanted to pick up a collection from the Corinthian church for the Christians in Jerusalem who’d been affected by a famine. He needed trustworthy people to handle the funds. Paul chose Titus to oversee the collection, but he also sent others. Paul describes one member of the three: “With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel” (2 Corinthians 8:18).
Sometimes I hear an introduction that begins by saying that the person being introduced needs no introduction, usually followed by a long introduction. Evidently, the second person on Paul’s team needed no introduction other than to say that he was famous. Paul assumed that the Corinthians would know whom he meant. I guess it would have been obvious when this person showed up with the Titus and the letter.
Was it Luke? Barnabas? Silas, Timothy, Aristarchus, Apollos, or someone else? Whoever it was, he had been appointed by the churches, sent by Paul, and known as for his skill in preaching the gospel. People everywhere appreciated his grasp of the gospel and his ability to communicate it.
Scholars have debated why Paul omitted his name. We can’t be sure, but I’m glad that we don’t know who it is. I love the irony: we don’t know the name of the person who was famous. The names of the best-known among us will disappear into history.
I praise God for those who are famous for preaching the gospel. They’ve existed in every almost generation from Chrysostom to Augustine, Wycliffe to Edwards, Spurgeon to Stott. Even before our Internet age, some preachers enjoy fame for preaching the gospel. If you’re going to be known for something, being known as a skilled preacher is good.
Some people criticize what they call celebrity preachers. I don’t. I praise God for them when they’re faithful. Fame comes with dangers, but we should praise God for those who are renowned for their fidelity to the gospel, and their ability to communicate it clearly.
But fame has its downsides. Those of us who aren’t famous us should be just as grateful for our obscurity. A friend gained prominence at a young age through his writings. He hated it, and withdrew from public view. “I’m not mature enough to handle that level of influence,” he told me. “I’m a local church pastor. I want to be faithful to that calling without the pressures of fame and influence that are too big for me.”
Psalm 131 points us to what we really need. “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul…” Staying faithful to the responsibilities God has given us, along with joy in our relationship with him, should be enough for all of us.
I praise God for those who are famous for preaching the gospel. When I feel envious of them, I remind myself that I don’t need to be. It’s enough to know God and stay faithful. After all, the names of even the most famous among us will recede into history. Our fame is overrated, but the fame of Jesus never gets old.
