Chapter Four

Exhortations of a general character (1–6). Statements by the Apostle about his position and greetings to his readers (7–18).

Colossians 4:1. Masters, provide to your slaves what is right and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in the heavens. Having given instruction to masters (1), the Apostle gives some instructions about prayer, and in particular asks prayers for himself (Col 4:2-4), and then teaches how his readers should relate to non-Christians (Col 4:5-6). See Eph 6:9.

Colossians 4:2. Persist in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:3. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, Colossians 4:4. so that I may reveal it, as I ought to proclaim it. See Eph 6:18-20.

Colossians 4:5. Conduct yourselves wisely toward those outside the faith, making the best use of the time. Colossians 4:6. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. “Toward those outside the faith,” that is, not belonging to the Church. – “Conduct yourselves wisely.” What this wisdom consists in is shown by the following expression: “making the best use of the time,” that is, adapting yourselves to the circumstances of the time. – “Your speech always gracious,” that is, with pleasantness (ἐν χάριτι). – “Seasoned with salt,” that is, edifying and apt. According to the explanation of Theophylact, this points to restraint in the speech of the Christian. – “How to answer everyone.” The Christian is obliged for the benefit of others to answer others in accordance with their personal characteristics.

Colossians 4:7. Tychicus will tell you all about my circumstances, the beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow worker in the Lord, In conclusion of his epistle, the Apostle recommends to his readers Tychicus and Onesimus, who have been sent by the Apostle to the Colossians (Col 4:7-9), and then sends greetings to the Colossian church from those who were with him, and greets the Laodicean church from himself (Col 4:10-15). The epistle ends with certain orders from the Apostle (Col 4:16-17) and a greeting from him personally to the Colossian church (Col 4:18).

Colossians 4:8. whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may learn about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts, Colossians 4:9. with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is from you. They will tell you about everything here. Here the Apostle says that the details about his position in Rome will be communicated to the Colossians by Tychicus (see Acts 20:4) and Onesimus, a resident of Colossae who came to Paul in Rome (about him see the epistle to Philemon). Both of them should tell the Colossians about everything “here,” that is, about the state of the church in Rome. However, only Tychicus, as a person stronger in faith, should “encourage” the Colossians (Onesimus had only recently been converted).

Colossians 4:10. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), Colossians 4:11. and also Jesus, who is called Justus. These are the only ones from the circumcision who are fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Colossians 4:12. Epaphras, who is from you, a servant of Jesus Christ, greets you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Colossians 4:13. For I testify to him that he has a great zeal for you and for those in Laodicea and for those in Hierapolis. Colossians 4:14. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. The greetings to the Colossians are transmitted from the Apostle’s willing fellow prisoner in chains, Aristarchus (see Acts 20:4), from Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom the Colossians had previously received some orders from the Apostle (probably a prohibition to this hesitant preacher from further public activity – see Acts 15:37), but whom the Apostle now orders to be received (this was indeed the evangelist Mark. See the introduction to the Gospel of Mark). Then follow greetings from Jesus Justus, probably a Roman Jew, whom church tradition identifies with Joseph Barsabbas, who also bore the name Justus (Acts 1:23). These three persons were Jews by origin. Then come greetings from Christians from among the Gentiles – namely from Epaphras (compare Col 1), who loves his fellow citizens – the Colossians – so much that he is constantly praying for their moral improvement (that they be fully convinced of the truth of God’s will that has been revealed to them – in Russian: “filled with all that is pleasing to God”) – “And zeal” – this word is extra: in the Greek there is only one word ζήλος – zeal. – About “Luke” – see the introduction to the Gospel of Luke. – “Demas” – probably a shortened form of the name Demetrius (see about him 2 Tim 4:10).

Colossians 4:15. Greet the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and Nympha and the church in her house. The Apostle orders to greet from himself the Laodicean Christians, neighbors of the Colossians, and especially Nympha, a Laodicean, in whose house (κατ´οἶκον αὐτοῦ) was located a church or such a place of worship for Christians as existed also in the house of Philemon (Phlm 1:2).

Colossians 4:16. When this epistle has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the epistle from Laodicea. What is this “epistle from Laodicea”? There is no such epistle in Apostolic writings, so it is necessary to acknowledge that the Apostle means here one of his other thirteen epistles, which had at that time come to Laodicea, but was written originally for another city. Of all the suppositions here, the most probable is the one according to which the Apostle has in mind his epistle to the Ephesians, which had the character of a circular epistle and in all probability reached the Laodiceans shortly before the Colossians received Paul’s epistle. The Laodiceans should have transmitted this epistle to the Ephesians to the Colossian church, which could then pass it on to another nearby church. Indeed, the epistle to the Ephesians appears in the canon of the heretic Marcion with the heading “Epistle to the Laodiceans,” and Tertullian, who reports this, adds that Marcion himself changed the heading of the epistle. In all probability, in Pontus, the birthplace of Marcion, there was a conviction that this epistle was intended for the Laodicean church. And this supposition was probably based on the fact that in Pontus it was indeed received from Laodicea, not from Ephesus. (For a discussion of other opinions about the epistle from Laodicea, see Mukhin, pp. 85–90).

Colossians 4:17. Say to Archippus: “See to it that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord. “Archippus” stood in very close relations to the family of Philemon, who was a Colossian (his slave, Onesimus, is called a Colossian – Col 4:9) and therefore probably also lived in Colossae. At the time when Paul’s epistle was to be received in Colossae, Archippus, by the Apostle’s reckoning, was not to be in Colossae, yet the epistle to the Colossians needed to be transmitted to Laodicea after being read. Therefore the Apostle entrusts the readers to convey to Archippus, upon his return, an instruction from the Apostle about the necessity of greater attention in fulfilling his ministry. But what the ministry of Archippus consisted of is unknown.

Colossians 4:18. The greeting is in my own hand, Paul’s. Remember my chains. Grace be with you all. Amen. The Apostle signs with his own hand the epistle that he dictated in order to verify its authenticity (compare 2 Thess 2:2). He asks them to remember his chains, so that they will not forget him in their prayers.