Tychicus (5190) (Tuchikos from tugchano [5177] = meet by chance, fortuitous, chance,  fortunate) was Paul’s disciple whose name means "Chance", a name we occasionally encounter even today.

Paul described Tychicus as...

"As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant (diakonos - see discussion of diakonia in discussion of Mark above) and fellow bond-servant (sundoulos = sun  + doulos) in the Lord, will bring you information. 8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts" (see notes on Colossians 4:7-8)

Brother (80) (adelphos from a = denoting unity + delphús = womb) is literally one born from same womb. Literally it is a male having the same father and mother. Adelphos describes a close association of a group of persons having well-defined membership. In the NT it often refers to fellow believers in Christ united by the bond of affection. It can also refer to a fellow countryman or a fellow Jew. In the present context it refers to a fellow believer.

The term "brother" brings to mind the idea of a family and in most families brothers are very close because share a lot in common, including kinship or blood ties. There is something about being a brother. There is something about being in a family. Paul of course is referring to a spiritual brother.

Beloved is a term of endearment and is someone that you love, and someone you are deeply devoted to. Paul did not call everybody "beloved." Beloved means the other person has struck a "chord" in your heart. There is a bond of love, a bond of faith that drew Tychicus and Paul together. Paul would not call somebody who did not love him "beloved". He would not call somebody he did not trust or someone he did not share things in common with "beloved". But when you find somebody who loves you that way and you can love them that way, the two of you to each other are beloved and that's the way Paul felt about Tychicus. There are people out front, but how we need the people who are coming alongside, the people we can call beloved brothers, people who love the work just like we love it, but are gifted differently, people who are willing to do the work and never take any kind of applause for it, people who are willing to go behind the scenes so God's work might be done through the body called the church and nobody ever knows what they do. When we get to heaven one day and the rewards are passed out, Tychicus is going to be blessed every bit as much as Paul is, because his heart was the same. His heart was to devote himself to God and to devote himself to God’s work. Therefore, the two of them could be matched together.

Paul also refers to Tychicus as a "fellow bond-servant", a sundoulos, where "sun" means together with, and "doulos" means a slave. Anytime you see the word "slave" in connection with a Christian it is always a bond-servant or "love slave", one who has chosen to be a slave to the will and the ways and the Word of the Lord Jesus Himself. Paul says that Tychicus is a bond-servant with me. In other words, Paul is saying that he and Tychicus come out of the same heart. This is the bottom line. Do you want to see where Paul’s heart is?

Look in Acts 20:24:

"‘But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, [here is a bond-servant] in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received [not achieved] from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." Paul is saying, "I want everything about me to bring testimony to the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ, both living in me and motivating me to do what I do. I want my life to count for Christ." He says, "Tychicus is a fellow bond-servant. He has the same attitude I have. We share the same heart."

"But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may console and cheer and encourage and strengthen your hearts." (Eph 6:21-22)

Tychicus was one of Paul’s disciples and was first mentioned as a companion of the apostle during a portion of Paul’s return journey from the third missionary tour (Acts 20:4) where Paul identifies him (with Trophimus) as a native of Asia. Tychicus was with Paul when the apostle wrote the prison epistles from Rome (during his first imprisonment), and he was with him for a time when he wrote in a later imprisonment to Timothy (See note 2 Timothy 4:12).

In Paul's letter to Titus, the apostle clearly expresses his confidence in the ability of Tychicus to take over for Titus in Crete which would allow the latter to come spend time with Paul:

"When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there." (Titus 3:12)

Faithful (4103) (pistos) (Click word study of pistos) means trustworthy, dependable, reliable. Tychicus was faithful in duty to himself and to others. He was a man of true fidelity, which is a word we don't here much in our society any more but which is defined as "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty and implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty." Fidelity is the degree to which an electronic device (CD, radio, television) accurately reproduces its effect (as sound or picture). Think about that for a moment!