Colossians, Chapter 4
© Copyright 1997 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Colossians 4:1 Masters, give unto your
servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in
heaven.
This is addressed to those who have much
responsibility.
Be fair in the way you treat those in your
employment.
This opening verse has a companion in
Ephesians 6:9.
It tells "masters" not to threaten
others.
Christian employers are to reflect the
respect that has been shown to them.
“Give” means to hold near as we would
something important to us.
Christian brothers and sisters are to be
extremely important to us.
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and
watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Christians are to continue diligently in
prayer and watch with vigilance for Christ’s return.
Colossians 4:3 Withal praying also for us,
that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of
Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
We should strive to be consistent in our
prayers.
In addition to our needs, we ought to pray
that God will give us ample opportunity to carry the gospel of Christ.
At the time of this writing, Paul lived in a
rented house under protective custody—not in chains.
Many see him as living life chained to a
Roman soldier.
That opinion is born of ignorance.
The first thing we need to understand is that
our view of those difficult times and Paul's are not in sync.
Paul saw the seemingly adverse circumstances
as the things that happened to him for the furtherance of the gospel.
Due to false accusations, a small army
guarded Paul for His safety.
Acts 23:23---And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make
ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten,
and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night.
Since it was illegal to bind a Roman citizen,
it is highly unlikely that he was taken to
The Captain of the Roman Guard that saved
Paul's life in
Acts 22:29---Then straightway they departed from him which should
have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he
was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Such indiscretions were not taken lightly!
In
However, during that time he could talk to
whomever he wanted whenever he wanted.
Paul would have made a marvelous motivational
speaker.
Instead of using this situation as an excuse
for failure, it became an opportunity for success.
Did you notice that we are "to speak the
mystery of Christ"?
The mystery of Christ is a mystery to the
lost.
Some attempt to politicize the mystery of
Christ in order to gain superiority over other Christians.
They are the Nicolaitans that God hates
(Revelation 2:6,15).
Colossians 4:4 That I may make it
manifest, as I ought to speak.
With most of us it is not a matter of
speaking when we ought not.
It is a matter of not speaking when we
should.
We are to be prepared to speak "in
season, and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2).
Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them
that are without, redeeming the time.
“Without” refers to those outside of the
Church.
"Redeeming the time" speaks of
using the time remaining to us wisely, or rescuing our time from loss. Use your time wisely.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be alway
with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every
man.
Speech (Gr. logos-logoV) as used here needs some thought.
The Greek language has more than one word to
indicate speech.
It is the same Greek word used to describe
Christ Jesus in John, chapter 1.
Our logos should project the Logos!
Our words must be seasoned with godly salt.
Salt is a healing substance.
Salvation is a healing of the heart.
Aside from presenting Christ through word and
deed, Christians have no mission within society.
Colossians 4:7-8
7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a
faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your
estate, and comfort your hearts;
In some cases, Tychicus acted as Paul's
personal representative.
He was given the responsibility of delivering
this letter to the Church at Colosse.
He accompanied Onesimus back to Philemon.
Colossians 4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful
and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all
things which are done here.
Onesimus was also of great help to Paul's
ministry.
He was a runaway slave whose master was
Philemon.
Onesimus is one of only three mentioned by
Paul as being his sons in the Spirit (Philemon 10).
Colossians 4:10-11
10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to
Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive
him;)
Aristarchus went with Paul to
He was also with Paul in
Marcus is John Mark the one Paul rejected in
Acts 15.
According to my understanding of this
passage, he was Barnabas' nephew.
The Gospel according to Mark is said to be
the recollections of the Apostle Peter.
Colossians 4:11 And Jesus, which is called
Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the
Jesus called Justus was a fellow Jewish
Christian.
Colossians 4:12-13
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always
labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete
in all the will of God.
13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that
are in Laodicea, and them in
Epaphras may have been a founding father of
the Church at Colosse.
The name Epaphras is a shortened form of
Epaphroditus.
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved
physician, and Demas, greet you.
Luke was Paul's beloved friend, a medical
doctor, and the writer of both the Gospel according to Luke, and the Book of
Acts.
Demas is one who, in years to come would
desert Paul and the ministry (2 Timothy 4).
Colossians 4:15 Salute the brethren which
are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Nymphas is a Greek name that can be either
feminine or masculine.
It all depends on where the accent is placed
and is found is some manuscripts as masculine and some as feminine.
There seems to be some who think that Nymphas
was a member of the Church at Colosse.
Others think Nymphas was a member of the
Church at
The main thing to remember is that Nymphas
was a member of The Church.
Colossians 4:16 And when this epistle is
read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and
that ye likewise read the epistle from
The Church at Colosse was located about 11
miles from the Church at Leadicea.
It may have been accepted practice to trade
letters of such importance.
Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take
heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Archippus was a leader in the Church at
Colosse.
Just as many of us do, he occasionally needed
a reminder concerning his work within the Church.
At least one scholar thinks that Archippus
may have been the son of Philemon.
There is no historical evidence for that
conclusion.
Colossians 4:18 The salutation by the hand
of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
Paul wrote the last line himself.
He asked the Colossians to remember his
"bonds."
Paul's "bonds" were in Christ. We
should have the attitude.
As in other letters, Paul ends with a note of
grace.