Daily Devotional Wednesday 24th May 2023
by William Moody
Colossians 4
4:1 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Further Instructions
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 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 brothers3 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.
Footnotes
[1] 4:1
For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12
[2] 4:7For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface
[3] 4:15Or brothers and sisters (ESV)
The close of the letter is not just a list of names and greetings but a testimony of the reality that Paul has been teaching being worked out.
Tychicus (v7) is mentioned in Acts 20 v4 as accompanying Paul on his final visit to Jerusalem, in Ephesians 6 v21 for bringing that letter to Ephesus and in Titus 3 v12 for coming to Titus on Paul’s behalf. Paul describes him as “a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.” They were united through Christ in the Gospel and in Gospel work.
Onesimus (v9) was a runaway slave and thief (Philemon v15-16) who became part of this church. Mark (v10) appears to have been the John Mark who had previously abandoned Paul (see Acts 15 v36-40; 2 Tim. 4 v11).
Here we have two men with previous failures whose lives by the grace of God have put off the old and put on the new (3 v8-10).
Aristarchus (v10) is described as a “fellow-prisoner”. Aristarchus was one of Paul’s travelling companions who had been seized by a mob in Ephesus (Acts 19 v29), he travelled with Paul to Rome (Acts 27 v2) and was shipwrecked.
One of the key elements to Epahras’ fruitfulness was him “wrestling in prayer” (v12). ‘wrestling’ speaks of great effort as does the phrase “working hard” (v13). Pray for grace for you to be faithful to other believers.
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.