Colossians 4:7-18 → Final Greetings
- Steve Schott
- 6 days ago
- 11 min read
Theme
► The main theme of Colossians, in my opinion, is the deity of Jesus Christ - His fullness as God, and His complete sufficiency as having done all that is necessary to save us from our sins.
► Colossians 2:9-10a → "9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete,..."
→ Who Jesus is, is complete - the supremacy of the Person of Jesus
→ What Jesus has done, is complete - the sufficiency of the work of Jesus
• There is nothing that we can add to this to effect, improve, or add value to, our salvation.
► Paul will spend the rest of this letter, both carefully elaborating on the divine character of Jesus, and also being very specific about the completeness of what Jesus did on the cross to obtain our salvation.
► Attacks, if you will, from outside the church (and perhaps some from inside the church), that suggest that more is needed, specifically within the framework of our human efforts, to fully obtain salvation, will be shot down like enemy missiles, the intent of which is to destroy our faith.
Outline
► An outline of the Book of Colossians
→ (This is the outline used by the group of teachers I participate with at our church. All of my blog postings for Colossians are following this outline)
Theological
• Pretty much everything in this section (chapters 1 and 2), including Paul’s greeting, is dialoguing about the truth of Jesus, and how it has impacted our lives, and will continue to do so in the future.
• Even when Paul is dealing with the false teaching, he’s dealing with the false teaching in light of the truth about Jesus he’s already dealt with up to that point.
1 → Introduction to the Book of Colossians
2 → 1:1-12 Greeting and Prayer for the Colossians
3 → 1:13-18 The Preeminence of Christ
4 → 1:19-23 Reconciliation Through Christ
5 → 1:24-29 Paul's Ministry to the Church
6 → 2:1-7 Reaching the Riches of Full Assurance
7 → 2:8-15 Made Alive Together With Christ
8 → 2:16-23 Let No One Disqualify You
Practical
• Once we get into chapter 3, and through chapter 4, Paul’s approach will be much more centered on how to live out this true gospel in our everyday lives, in the community of the body of Christ.
9 → 3:1-8 Seek the Heavenly, Put to Death the Earthly
10 → 3:9-17 Put on the New Self
11 → 3:18-4:1 Rules for Christian Households
12 → 4:2-6 Steadfast Praying, Wise Walking, Gracious Speaking
13 → 4:7-18 Final Greetings
Intro to today's passage
► In this last passage in the letter to the Colossians, we are going to see from Paul, what seems to be a somewhat standard exit from the theological and/or practical concepts of the Christian faith, to some final, personal, words to the recipients of his letter.
► The list of people he addresses and/or mentions is 10 names long. Each of them must have been special to Paul in some way for him to include them individually in this closing statement of his letter.
► Some we know next to nothing about - the letter doesn't elaborate for us to know for certain.
► Some we do know about. A few we know to have had significant impact on the Roman world of this time. At least one will become one of Paul's greatest regrets.
Passage
7 As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant 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;
→ "Tychicus" is mentioned a few times in the NT. He was with Paul during his 3rd missionary journey, specifically near the end of the trip as Paul was sailing from Philippi to Troas. This is documented in Acts 20:4-6 → "4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 5 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days."
New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version (Ac 20:4–6). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.
→ And he is mentioned here in Colossians, as well as in Ephesians 6:21-22, as not only the one delivering this letter, but also would provide any additional info about Paul not mentioned in these letters.
→ Most probably, he would have delivered the letter from Paul to Philemon as well, seeing as how Philemon resided in, and was a member of the church at Colossae.
→ In Titus 3:12, Paul asks Titus to join him in Nicopolis as soon as either Artemas or Tychicus arrive, after he sends one of them to Titus, presumably to take his place ministering in Crete.
→ The last reference to Tychicus is in 2 Timothy 4:12, where Paul is imploring Timothy to come visit him while he's once again in prison in Rome. He tells Timothy that he has sent Tychicus to Ephesus, where Timothy is ministering, possibly that Tychicus could sub for him while he is away.
9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
→ "Onesimus" is only mentioned here in Colossians, and in Philemon.
→ Onesimus was a run-away slave, that had come to faith in Christ.
→ Philemon 1:10 leads us to believe that Onesimus was led to the Lord by Paul.
→ In the letter to Philemon, who is Onesimus' owner, Paul encourages Philemon to treat Onesimus as a brother, rather than as a slave.
→ "Aristarchus" was a companion of Paul's, and we first hear of him when he and Gaius are captured by the mobs during the riot in Ephesus, during Paul's 3rd missionary journey (Acts 19:29).
→ He apparently was later released as he would accompany Paul when he traveled from Greece to Troas on his return trip to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4), as was Tychicus.
→ Even later still, in Acts 27:2, we find that Aristarchus is still with Paul as he is being shipped to Rome from Caesarea. We don't know if he had stayed the entire 2 years in Caesarea while Paul was under house arrest there, but it could very well be just that. This is where we also find out that Aristarchus is from Thessalonica in Macedonia.
→ He is lastly mentioned at the end of the letter Philemon (1:23-24), Paul mentioning that Aristarchus is also with him while he's in prison in Rome.
→ Aristarchus apparently had real staying power! What a great friend!
and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
→ I think this might be my favorite story in the entire Bible.
→ We are first introduced to "John Mark", Acts 12:12. After the miraculous release of Peter from prison by the angel, He goes to the home of "Mary, the mother of John wo was also called Mark,...".
→ Later, in Acts 12:25 we see that Paul (who was still called Saul at this point) and Barnabas, who had come to Jerusalem lately, and had been there when James, the brother of John had been executed, and were still there when Peter was arrested, and also when King Herod died, return to Antioch, taking John Mark with them.
→ When Paul and Barnabas started the 1st missionary journey, they took along "John, who was also called Mark." (Acts 13:1-12)
→ But when they left Cyprus, and crossed over to Perga in Pamphylia (modern Turkey, on the southern coast), "John (Mark) left them and returned to Jerusalem." (Acts 13:13). No overt comment is made as to the why Mark left, just that he did.
→ Later, about 2 years after the start of the 1st missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas wanted to go out again, and Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along again. Paul wouldn't even hear of it, saying "that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work." The disagreement was so severe that Paul and Barnabas separated and no longer did ministry together, and Barnabas is never again mentioned in the book of Acts (Acts 15:36-41).
→ At some point, in this void of time, either between the 1st and 2nd missionary journeys, or after John Mark went off with Barnabas to Cyprus, Mark would eventually write the Gospel bearing his name. It is commonly believed that it was pretty much dictated to Mark by Peter. I could almost see Peter taking John Mark under his wing, and helping him to work through whatever issues he had, by having him write down the words and deeds of Jesus from the time that Peter first met Him until after the resurrection.
→ BUT somehow, something happened, something pretty big, because when Paul is confined in Rome some 12 years later, we see that John Mark is with Paul in Rome.
→ Here in Colossians, he's mentioned right along with Tychicus and Aristarchus, and we learn something new about him. He is "Barnabas's cousin". Most translations say cousin, the KJV calls him "sister's son to Barnabas", which would make him Barnabas' nephew. Either way, that makes Barnabas either John Mark's mother Mary, Barnabas' sister or aunt.
→ In 1st Peter 5:13, Peter calls John Mark his "son". Several commentators state that John Mark is Peter's spiritual son. Others claim that he is his biological son, making Mary Peter's wife, and we do know from 1st Corinthians 9:5 that Peter was married, so it's not so hard to believe. And if this is true, then it also makes Peter and Barnabas brothers-in-law.
→ John Mark is also mentioned in the letter to Philemon as a "fellow worker" (1:23-24).
→ Lastly, John Mark is mentioned near the end of Paul's life, when, while awaiting execution, Paul in 2 Timothy 4:11 asks Timothy to "pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service."
→ Such an amazing testimony about a person, who failed so miserably that it had negative ramifications that impacted some of the most prestigious ministers to part ways, yet now, he is fully restored to the one who so emphatically had turned his back on him.
11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.
→ "Jesus who is called Justus;...". We know nothing about this person.
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
→ "Epaphras", only mentioned in Colossians and Philemon, was most likely a convert of Paul's from his time in Ephesus. He is the one who alerted Paul to the growing issue of false teaching that triggered the writing of this letter. And he is recognized as the person who started the church in Colossae.
→ "Luke", while being the author of the gospel by his name, and the book of Acts, is only mentioned by name 3 times in the Bible.
→ Once here in Colossians, once in Philemon 1:23-24, and once in 2 Timothy 4:11.
→ You'd think that someone this significant in the Apostle Paul's life and ministry would be named more often, but he's not.
→ What we do know is this - he was "beloved", meaning Paul held him close in his heart. It's apparent from Acts when Luke is with Paul, and when he's not, because sometimes the dialogue talks about they/them, in regards to their comings and goings, but a lot of the time it's we/us, meaning that what Luke was recording was 1st hand, eyewitness news.
→ Luke is also called a "physician", which means he would have been able to attend to Paul in his weakest moments requiring physical care.
→ We also know from the construct of this passage that Luke was a Gentile, not a Jew. Which I find to be a little funny (weird, not ha ha) because the Gospel of Luke does so much to demonstrate the Jewish history and culture, and also chronicles the right of Jesus to be the King of Israel through Mary's line, back to Nathan, the son of King David.
→ When Paul is imprisoned the last time in Rome, awaiting execution, he sends for Timothy to come to him, telling him in 2 Timothy 4:11, "only Luke is with me."
→ This is the sad one.
→ "Demas", marked in this passage, and in Philemon 1:23-24 as being one of the associates of Paul, in 2nd Timothy 4:10, is said to have "loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica;..."
→ How sad this must have been for Paul.
15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house. 16 When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
→ "Nympha", in some translations "Nymphas" could be a man, as the Greek is in the masculine, but the "her" in the phrase "and the church that is in her house" can be translated her or him.
→ For all time I thought this was a woman, but that may be incorrect.
→ We know nothing else about this person.
→ Paul here also encourages the Colossians and Laodiceans to swap letters. We don't have the Laodicean letter, but I can't help thinking that it wasn't much different than the one to the Colossians.
17 Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
→ Of "Archippus" we know only that there is a church in his home.
→ We know this from Philemon 1:2.
→ Other than this, we only know he was urged to fulfill some ministry that the Lord had given him.
→ Paul finishes this letter stating that he wrote "this greeting with my own hand", possibly another reference to his failing eyesight.
→ He encourages the believers to "remember my imprisonment" as he's spelled out for them earlier in how to pray for him.
→ And he ends the letter the way he began it - wishing them to experience the "grace" of God.
So What?
► When we come to the end of this letter we see several examples of how to live a rich Christian life.
► We also see one, showing what failure looks like.
► More than likely, each of us will some successes and some failures.
► Lord please don't let us become like Demas.
► But hopefully, when we fail, we'll bounce back like John Mark, who deserted Paul and the ministry he was called to, but later repented, and once again became useful to Paul.
► Lord, help us to walk in a way that will be pleasing to You, and will bring honor to Your Name!
Photo • 2/27/2025 - Late afternoon at Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, CA
“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org”
All linked verses are from the YouVersion at www.Bible.com
Comments