Colossians 4
Further Instructions
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Paul gave the Colossians an example of prayer in chapter 1. This prayer contained 11 points of interest:
Live a life:
1. Led by the spirit
2. That displays your heart
3. To please God
4. Showing God’s heart
5. Of study and growth
6. of dependency on His strength
7. of Patient endurance
8. of thankfulness
9. of understanding our importance
10. of realizing we are saved
11. of following Jesus
When we see how fervently Paul prayed for the Colossians, a congregation he had never met, we learn something important about prayer: it must contain passion and depth. When Paul says to “devote” oneself to prayer, he means to steadfastly dedicate yourself to it. Day in, day out, through the good and the bad, through circumstance and season. Prayer life, in this context, is marked by two items: watchfulness and thankfulness. Watchfulness because there is false teaching all around them.
Jesus said, ““I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16). He spoke to the apostles as they prepared for a missionary journey of which they had to rely on God for their provision. In the same way, we must understand that the world surrounds us with false theology and philosophy and desires us to be brought into its worldview.
Thankfulness is also an important attribute because even in the tumultuous times we live, filled with uncertainty, distrust, anguish and anger, God is still in charge and desires the best of us. For our daily breath and daily bread we must give thanks, not because things are perfect around us but because our loving father takes care of us in the midst of the storm.
Next, Paul asks that the Colossians, the very people he aimed to help, to pray for him as well. You’ll notice that Paul doesn’t pray to be let free from prison, for the proper attire he needs or good transportation when he is free, but Paul asks for prayers that He may open doors (and hearts) to the message. The selflessness of this request is important to understand. Paul has a servant’s heart.
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
It is a fact of life that we can’t live in faith isolation. Life is meant to be lived amongst others, a faith is meant to be shared. When dealing with the world around us, we are to do it with grace, confidence and love. When we speak, it should be to build others up and to bring them into an understanding of who God is and why it matters that we know Him. Each conversation, whether it be of the spiritual or temporal, must be seasoned with the knowledge of the eternal. When we deepen our relationship with God and move into the ungodly world, we must be centered in the foundational truths of our faith so that when questions come along, our answers will be strong, knowledgeable and carry the weight of light for others.
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Tychicus is mentioned in Acts 20:4. He was one of the men who accompanied Paul to Asia. Like Paul, Tychicus is an unknown Christian to those in Colossae. Epaphras, the man who brought Christianity to Colossae in the first place, wasn’t able to return, so Tychicus was dispatched by Paul in his place. He is also the bearer of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21-22). Onesimus, the other man referenced here,is regarded as a faithful brother. His story is told in the epistle of Philemon.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
Aristarchus has an interesting through-line in the book of Acts. He was with Paul when Paul was attacked by an Ephesian gang of hostiles (Acts 19:29), was one of the men who accompanied Paul to Asia (Acts 20:4), and also was with Paul during his sailing to Rome (Acts 27:2). There is also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (Acts 15:36-40) and Jesus, also named Justus. There is no further scripture of this man.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Epaphras, the man who brought Christianity to Colossae, is always at work praying for Colossae. He understood the gravity of the of the problems in Asia Minor and Paul acknowledges his love and prayer life for Colossae. Epaphras’ prayer isn’t for them to get out of their situation, but to be mobilized to stand firm and mature int he midst of it.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
The final verses of this letter mention Luke, the physician who wrote the book of Luke and later Acts, Nympha and Demas. Demas is mentioned also in 2 Timothy 4:10 as a man who has forsaken Paul. 2 Timothy is the last of Paul’s letters and Demas is one of the many who has abandoned Paul in his last days.
Paul asks for the Colossians to “remember my chains.” There is much passion in these final words, but they are followed by “Grace be with you.” As always, Paul’s present situation is not of supreme importance, but the grace he can share through his understanding of the Lord and what Jesus has to offer is of greater importance.
Further Instructions
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Paul gave the Colossians an example of prayer in chapter 1. This prayer contained 11 points of interest:
Live a life:
1. Led by the spirit
2. That displays your heart
3. To please God
4. Showing God’s heart
5. Of study and growth
6. of dependency on His strength
7. of Patient endurance
8. of thankfulness
9. of understanding our importance
10. of realizing we are saved
11. of following Jesus
When we see how fervently Paul prayed for the Colossians, a congregation he had never met, we learn something important about prayer: it must contain passion and depth. When Paul says to “devote” oneself to prayer, he means to steadfastly dedicate yourself to it. Day in, day out, through the good and the bad, through circumstance and season. Prayer life, in this context, is marked by two items: watchfulness and thankfulness. Watchfulness because there is false teaching all around them.
Jesus said, ““I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16). He spoke to the apostles as they prepared for a missionary journey of which they had to rely on God for their provision. In the same way, we must understand that the world surrounds us with false theology and philosophy and desires us to be brought into its worldview.
Thankfulness is also an important attribute because even in the tumultuous times we live, filled with uncertainty, distrust, anguish and anger, God is still in charge and desires the best of us. For our daily breath and daily bread we must give thanks, not because things are perfect around us but because our loving father takes care of us in the midst of the storm.
Next, Paul asks that the Colossians, the very people he aimed to help, to pray for him as well. You’ll notice that Paul doesn’t pray to be let free from prison, for the proper attire he needs or good transportation when he is free, but Paul asks for prayers that He may open doors (and hearts) to the message. The selflessness of this request is important to understand. Paul has a servant’s heart.
5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
It is a fact of life that we can’t live in faith isolation. Life is meant to be lived amongst others, a faith is meant to be shared. When dealing with the world around us, we are to do it with grace, confidence and love. When we speak, it should be to build others up and to bring them into an understanding of who God is and why it matters that we know Him. Each conversation, whether it be of the spiritual or temporal, must be seasoned with the knowledge of the eternal. When we deepen our relationship with God and move into the ungodly world, we must be centered in the foundational truths of our faith so that when questions come along, our answers will be strong, knowledgeable and carry the weight of light for others.
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Tychicus is mentioned in Acts 20:4. He was one of the men who accompanied Paul to Asia. Like Paul, Tychicus is an unknown Christian to those in Colossae. Epaphras, the man who brought Christianity to Colossae in the first place, wasn’t able to return, so Tychicus was dispatched by Paul in his place. He is also the bearer of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21-22). Onesimus, the other man referenced here,is regarded as a faithful brother. His story is told in the epistle of Philemon.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
Aristarchus has an interesting through-line in the book of Acts. He was with Paul when Paul was attacked by an Ephesian gang of hostiles (Acts 19:29), was one of the men who accompanied Paul to Asia (Acts 20:4), and also was with Paul during his sailing to Rome (Acts 27:2). There is also Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (Acts 15:36-40) and Jesus, also named Justus. There is no further scripture of this man.
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Epaphras, the man who brought Christianity to Colossae, is always at work praying for Colossae. He understood the gravity of the of the problems in Asia Minor and Paul acknowledges his love and prayer life for Colossae. Epaphras’ prayer isn’t for them to get out of their situation, but to be mobilized to stand firm and mature int he midst of it.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”
18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
The final verses of this letter mention Luke, the physician who wrote the book of Luke and later Acts, Nympha and Demas. Demas is mentioned also in 2 Timothy 4:10 as a man who has forsaken Paul. 2 Timothy is the last of Paul’s letters and Demas is one of the many who has abandoned Paul in his last days.
Paul asks for the Colossians to “remember my chains.” There is much passion in these final words, but they are followed by “Grace be with you.” As always, Paul’s present situation is not of supreme importance, but the grace he can share through his understanding of the Lord and what Jesus has to offer is of greater importance.