Colossians 4:7-18
Scripture Colossians
4:7-18
7 Tychicus will tell you
all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and
fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I
have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and
that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and
with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They
will tell you of everything that has taken place here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow
prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have
received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the
only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and
they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras,
who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on
your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all
the will of God. 13 For
I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea
and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke
the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea,
and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And
when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of
the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to
Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the
Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this
greeting with my own hand. Remember my
chains. Grace be with you. [1]
Devotion
The end of Colossians consists of a
list of 9 names and a final handwritten farewell from Paul himself. “The list may be divided into three categories:
those who journeyed to the church from Paul (4:6–9), those who sent greetings
to the church (4:10–14), and those to whom Paul sent greetings through church
members at Colossae (4:15–17)”.[2]
In the first century
letters were often carried by personal messengers. All of Paul’s letters were
sent this way. There was a mail system, but personal couriers made the letters
more meaningful. So Tychicus was the chosen courier for this message to the Colossians
and to the church at Ephesus. “Paul described him with three attributes of
ministry: a loved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant.”[3] He was given the task of
delivering the letter and filling the churches with an update on Paul’s
situation in his imprisonment. Things he would rather not write about. Tychicus
had a traveling companion Onesimus. Onesimus was a run-away slave. Onesimus had
belonged to Philemon and he bore a letter to Philemon urging him to accept Onesimus
back as a new Christian.
This became a test
case for the instructions Paul issued regarding slaves and masters (3:22–4:1)
and of whether Christianity could triumph over social and economic
distinctions. The response Paul desired also included forgiveness of Onesimus’s
personal sin against Philemon. Paul expected Philemon to respond positively; apparently,
he did. The return of Onesimus to Philemon was the specific situation which
prompted Paul’s writing. The false teachers made significant inroads, and Paul
needed to address them. The specific time to write, however, was largely
influenced by this moral and ethical necessity. It may be that Paul sent
Tychicus with Onesimus because of the uncertainty of how Philemon and the
church would respond.[4]
Paul continued by
sending greetings from 5 men who were with him in Rome assisting him in his
ministry. Aristarchus a traveling companion to Paul. John Mark author of the
Gospel of Mark. Jesus who was called Justus who was not as well known. Epaphras
the man who first started the church in Colossae who had recently brought news
as to how the church was doing. Luke the author of the Gospel that bears his
name and Acts. Demas who left Paul during his imprisonment (2 Tim 4:10).
Finally, Paul sent
greetings to churches and persons not in Colossae. The church at Laodicea a
neighboring city to Colossae. Nympha not much is known about her. There was a
church that met in her house. Finally, Archippus who was little known in
scripture. Paul describes him as a fellow soldier in Philemon 2. He was
apparently called to Christian service, but we have no details in scripture.
The end of the letter is Paul writing with his own hand. Paul’s
letters were all dictated as far as we can tell. Paul asks the church to pray
for him in his imprisonment. And prays for God’s grace to be with them.
[2]
Richard R. Melick, Philippians,
Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 326.
[3]
Richard R. Melick, Philippians,
Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 327.
[4]
Richard R. Melick, Philippians,
Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 327–328.
Comments
Post a Comment