14 Final Word for the Colossians

While Paul had the expected closing remarks to conclude his letter to the Colossians, it also served as a recap for the letter, which recalls the words of Solomon, when he spoke of the end of a thing being better than the beginning:

Ecclesiastes 7:8a

1 Acknowledging the Messengers

Colossians 4:7-9

Because Paul was in a Roman prison when he authored this epistle, he relied upon fellow believers to act as messengers to both provide him with updates, as well as to forward his communications to various churches.

Paul, therefore mentioned two of these individuals in this portion of Colossians 4. The first was a man named Tychicus, whom he described in great detail.

• First, he described him as a “beloved brother” showing that not only was he a fellow believer, but someone who a developed a close friendship with Paul.
• Next, Paul mentioned that Tychicus was a faithful minister.

The word “minister” means “one who serves.” Literally speaking of a servant. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Tychicus taught in any churches, but the fact is that he was “carried” the Word in a literal sense, being a messenger.

Paul also commended Tychicus in the same manner, in his letter to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 6:21

In verse 9, Paul mentioned that an individual named Onesimus would accompany Tychicus to Colossae.

Paul said that Onesimus was a “faithful; and beloved brother”. Interestingly, Onesimus was a runaway slave, having fled the home of his master in Colossae, a man named Philemon. The Philemon to whom Paul wrote a little letter, which is now also part of New Testament Scripture.

Somehow Philemon made his way from Colossae to Rome, where he encountered Paul in that Roman prison.

We aren’t certain how he ended up in prison. Being a runaway slave, he would have been considered a fugitive from Roman law, so it’s possible there was a warrant for his arrest throughout the empire, and therefore he might have been arrested and then brought to the Roman prison. Whatever the means by which he ended in the same prison as Paul, there’s no doubt that it was the hand of God.

There are other issues which are open to conjecture concerning Onesimus being eventually freed from incarceration.

• Philemon probably didn’t pay to have his slave freed from prison and from slavery, since Paul wrote Philemon about that very issue.
• The second thing the Bible makes clear, is that Onesimus became a valued member of those believers ministering to (and thus alongside) Paul during his imprisonment.

Here in Colossians, Paul refers to Onesimus as “one of you” – thus stressing to the Colossians that Onesimus was a fellow believer.

Therefore, we see these two men, from different backgrounds and experiences, were both used mightily by the Lord, as they would have the privilege of being the couriers who would carry a letter which would become an important part of New Testament theology.

2 Acknowledging Others

Tychicus and Onesimus weren’t the only believers Paul acknowledged, showing how ministry always requires a collective, no matter what aspect of service the individuals are engaged in:

Colossians 4:10-15

The next individual Paul highlighted was a man named Aristarchus, who was from Thessalonica. He accompanied Paul on the apostle’s third missionary journey. Which means he was probably converted during Paul’s first mission trip in that city.

The Bible is silent as to why Aristarchus was also imprisoned, although most bible expositors conjecture that it was for preaching the Gospel. They do so, because of Paul’s statement in the epistle to Philemon, where Paul referred to Aristarchus as a “fellow laborer (in the Gospel)”:

Philemon 1:24

• Next, Paul mentioned Mark, (John Mark) who was the cousin of Barnabas. In later years, Mark would then become an assistant to the apostle Peter, and would then author what is known as the Gospel of Mark.
• In verse 11, he speaks of a man named Jesus, who was also called “Justus” which meant righteous.

Paul said that these three men where the only fellow Jews (those of the circumcision) who ministered alongside of him during his imprisonment.

As fellow Hebrews, who had come to faith in Christ, the had first-hand knowledge of what it would be like to endure persecution from Rome, and well, as those Israelites who rejected Christianity.

• In verses 12 and 13, Paul referred to Epaphras, who we saw at the beginning of the epistle, was as leader in the Colossian church. Therefore, Paul also described him as “one of you”.

Though Epaphras was not physically in Colossae at this time, Paul wanted to reassure the fellowship, that he was “laboring fervently in prayers”.

In the original Greek, he used the word <agōnizomenos> from which comes our word “agonize”, showing how Epaphras was engaged in intense prayer for them.

He was concerned about their spiritual growth, and vitality. That is seen from the word “perfect” in verse 13. It is the Greek word <teleioi> which means “to grow to a mature state”.

He then used the word “complete”, which brings the understanding of having “a full assurance”.

The Colossian church was facing great opposition, as well as the pressures to compromise their faith. It was important for them to stand firm in the full assurance of their faith, which the book of Revelation shows will be the attitude of the tribulation saints:

Revelation 12:11

Paul then went on to assert that Epaphras not only had great zeal for the spiritual condition of those in his hometown, but of other churches in the Lycus Valley, such as Laodicea and Hieropolis.

Paul concluded this segment of acknowledgments, by asking that those in Colossae greet the Laodicean church on his behalf, mentioning those who met in the home of a man named Nymphas, someone presumably he’d never met, but had probably heard about from Epaphras.

3 Final Words

In a similar manner, Paul’s final words weren’t simply for the Colossian church, but included those in Laodicea as well:

Colossians 4:16-18

Paul asked that this letter be also read by those in Laodicea. The practice of that day, was for Scripture and letters such as this from apostles, to be read aloud in the churches (home groups).

Therefore, letters to various churches, for example Colossae, or Rome, were to be copied and then shared with nearby churches. Therefore God’s Word was being disseminated throughout the Christian world, even before the full compilation of Scripture many years later.

Paul, then mentioned that his letter to the Laodiceans should be read by the Colossians. Now of course, there is no letter to the Laodiceans in the Bible. Bible scholars have debated the issue, and discussed various reasons, or even if there is another document which might have been that letter. However, the bottom line is that the Holy Spirit determined that the truths found in Colossians were indeed universal, and therefore for other churches as well. This speaks to the all-sufficiency of God’s Word.

Paul then asked that the Colossian believers would encourage Archippus in the calling upon his life.

In his letter to Philemon, Paul referred to Archippus as “our fellow soldier”. The Bible doesn’t say much about him, other than here and in Philemon. Some have suggested that Philemon and Archippus were related, others that he was pastor of the Laodicean church.

Regardless, Paul wanted to make certain that Archippus would fulfil his calling from the Lord, and that those believers around him would encourage him to that end.

Paul concluded by drawing attention to his signature, thus validating that he indeed was the author, and the used words which frequently marked his epistles, “Grace be with you. Amen.”