implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with
me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers,
whose names are in the Book of Life” (Phil. 4:2-3).
True companion , I muttered to myself on the doorstep. This quarrel had lasted over a yearhow could Paul just ask me to fix it like this? And not in a private letter either. The entire church knew . . .
When the letter was read to the saints, both the women had been there. I hadn't been able to see Syntyche's face, but my wife had seen her shoulders stiffen at the words. And Euodia had left the assembly in tears. I rubbed my face miserably as a slave answered the door and ushered me in. As I waited in the atrium, I resumed my prayers. After a few moments, I was escorted directly back to the peristylium where I saw Syntyche reclining on a couch, part way down the left colonnade. I walked slowly until I stood before her.
She was a very great lady indeed. Her husband, dead for three years now, had been one of the most respected men in Philippi. She was an extraordinarily gifted woman and very intelligent. Together with Lydia, she was responsible for her husband's conversion and the successful establishment of the church here. I looked behind Syntyche and smiled to myself when I saw, just off the walkway, the empty chapelnow a small prayer room. What a commotion it had caused in Philippi when her husband had followed her into the Way, and had removed and burned all the lares , the household gods. Still, it was a profitable commotion; it had been the instrument of Euodia's conversion. Euodia was married to a gruff old centurion, settled here by the emperor after his service in the wars. He was still a pagan, although a number of the saints had hope for him. His last remaining excuse really was the breach between his wife and Syntyche.
Syntyche looked up and received me kindly. "How may I serve you, Marcus?" I took a deep breath and said, "I needed to speak with you about what happened last Lord's Day."
"The letter." She looked down.
"Yes."
"Paul doesn't know any of the details . . ." She trailed off miserably.
"Obviously Paul thought he didn't need to know any of the details."
She looked up with a very piercing and aristocratic look, and said, "And how has this become your business?"
"I am afraid I am the 'true companion' upon whom Paul placed the task of helping you."
"I see. I was wondering about that." She smiled briefly. "And what does 'true companion' mean?"
"It is a joke from our time together in Antioch. There was a quarrel in Paul's company that I was part of. Everyone was reconciled after two days, but I got a nickname for my troubles."
She sat silently for a moment. "And how do you intend to help?"
I breathed deeply, prayed like Nehemiah had prayed, and answered. "Clement asked Euodia to come here after I had a chance to speak with you. She will be here shortly. I have come to ask you to receive her, and restore your friendship."
Syntyche looked at him sharply. "Euodia is willing to come here ?"
"She has been willing for six months. The letter simply made it necessary to do so now."
Syntyche bowed her head in thought. After a few moments she looked up again. "She will be admitted. And I will listen to what you have to say to both of us." At that moment, as if summoned, a slave appeared behind Syntyche, bowed, and whispered something to her. Syntyche, her face slightly flushed, nodded, and the slave disappeared.
I was praying furiously. I did not know who had been more in the wrong, and Paul had not asked me to sort that out. The apostle had required reconciliation on quite a different footing than some determination of blamethis was not a trial before the elders, it was the restoration of a friendship. Pray for the words , I thought.
A few moments passed, and the slave reappeared, escorting a small woman with very pleasant features. She stopped a few feet away, and the women quietly greeted each other. Syntyche nodded at me. "We are listening."
I spoke carefully. "We have been taught that the secret things belong to the Lord, and that the things revealed belong to us. One of the secret things, closed to us, has been the contents of the Book of Life. We have been given no list of names. But now, in a letter from an apostle, we have at least three names that are in that Book. One belongs to Clement."
I paused. "The other two names belong to women who were friends once, and in
the Last Day will be friends again." And with that I turned and walked slowly
away .
