Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia & Us.

This week, we’re been exploring the final scene of Paul’s second letter to Timothy. In chapter 4, verse 21, we get to a few folks that send their greetings through Paul:

“Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.” (4:21b)

Believe it or not, these Extras are the primarily focus that I’ve been leading up to all week. And we consider these folks as Extras because other than this verse, they do not appear anywhere else in Scripture.

These Extras seem to be merely in the background of the Gospel story.

Perhaps, these folks represent us? Living life in the church, no one writing down who we are, where we’ve been and what we’ve done.

But Here’s the Catch:

Someone did write down who these Extras were.

We have information on who they are, where they’ve been and what they’ve done. These 4 people actually had a massive impact for the Gospel. Let’s start with Pudens.

***Historical information gathered from the Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary and Wikipedia (Martial, Tacitus, Clement).

Pudens & Martialis

Around the same time as Paul pens his letter to Timothy, a famous Roman poet by the name of Martialis (Martial in English) wrote about a friend of his named Aulus Pudens in his Epigrams 4.13 and 11.54.

In these Epigrams, we find out that Pudens is a Roman Centurion from Umbria (today, considered central Italy). Martialis also writes about his friend Pudens’ upcoming marriage to a woman named Claudia.

Martialis refers to her as Claudia Peregrina, meaning “the Foreigner” and therefore, not a Roman. (Perhaps a love story taking shape? But wait, there’s more!)

Claudia & Tacitus

A few years prior to Paul’s letter to Timothy, a Roman by the name of Tacitus, was tasked by the Emperor to record what was taking place in the Northern provinces of the Empire.

First, in Tacitus’ writings On Agriculture, we find out a bit more information about Claudia The Foreigner. Claudia’s father was Cogidunus, the King of Southeast Britain.

To show his support for the Roman Emperor after being conqueror, he sends his daughter Claudia to study in Rome.

“The Annals” by Tacitus

Second, in Tacitus’ writings titled, “The Annals” we find out that when Claudia is sent to Rome, she placed in the care of Pamponia. Who’s Pamponia? She is the wife of Aulus Plautius, the “Conqueror of Britannia” (Britain).

This would make sense, considering Claudia’s father, the Southeast British King, would have had to surrender to Plautius, Conqueror of Britain. But there’s a twist.

Tacitus records that Claudia’s housemother, Pamponia was later accused of following foreign beliefs (at that time, often referring to Christianity). Scholars argue that Pamponia was the instrument God used to bring Claudia to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

So the plot thickens! But wait, there’s more!

Linus

Let’s leave our happy couple (Pudens and Claudia), for a moment and talk about Linus. The early church scribe, Clement of Rome, writes about Linus becoming a bishop (used as a Pastor or Elder) in the early church.

This would explain why Linus was placed between Pudens and Claudia, a cultural way to state that the couple was courting or plans were in place for them to be married in the near future. Linus could have very likely performed the wedding ceremony at some point.

But just in case these lines of connection still seem difficult to follow, Clement of Rome gives us another great piece of information.

Eubulus

As well as writing about Linus, Clement also mentions Eubulus. He describes him as an evangelist traveling with a guy named Aristobulus, who took the most western missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire.

This of course, would have included the Northwest province of Britannia (or Southeast Britain).

Because of Clement’s writings and other archeological findings, Biblical scholars actually refer to Eubulus and Aristobulus as “The First Evangelists to Britain“.

But Who’s Aristobulus?

Paul obviously knew him, sending a greeting to his household in Romans 16:10: “Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.“

So through a different writer, we find our way to back to Southeast Britain? (We know a king there don’t we?) What a coincidence? Or is it?

Questions:

• Did the Evangelist Eubulus meet Claudia through Pomponia, who happened to be a member of the local Roman church?
• Did the Centurion Pudens meet Claudia through Plautius, Conqueror of Britain, husband to Pomponia and acquaintance of Claudia’s British father?
• Did Pastor Linus meet Claudia through Pamponia, who happened to be a member of the local Roman Church?
• Did Claudia meet all these folks, and meet Jesus, through the care and faithful words of a housemother named Pamponia?

And most importantly, were these the first connections to give access for Eubulus and Aristobulus, to become the First Evangelists to Britain?

Quite an intriguing story for our cast of Extras?

CAN I GET YOUR FEEDBACK?

Look at the 4 Extras mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:21. Who are they? How do they change how you read Paul’s greetings?