Thoughts on Colossians 1:7-8

Pauline descriptions

It was through Epaphras that the gospel had come to Colosse. The gospel he brought there had to be taught there, which indicates that by ‘gospel’ Paul had more in mind than how a sinner becomes a Christian. We are not told why Epaphras was now with Paul. Maybe he had gone there to ask Paul for advice about a matter or perhaps he had gone there to inform Paul about the spiritual health of the congregation and dangers they faced, or he could have gone with a gift from the congregation, or possibly all three reasons.

Paul refers to Epaphras as ‘our beloved fellow servant’. Literally, he says ‘fellow slave,’ a reminder that they had a common Master, Jesus the Lord. Describing themselves in this way indicates the depth and extent of their devotion to Jesus. He had purchased them by his redeeming death, they had been bought with a great price. His words are also a reminder that they served Jesus wherever they were. He was constantly first in their lives.

By ‘our’, Paul probably means himself and Timothy or himself and other believers then with him. Whoever they were, they all had the same attitude towards Epaphras – they loved him. It is a strong word – dearly beloved. Brotherly love is a basic evidence of salvation, as the apostle John reminded his readers in his first letter.

Paul also says that Epaphras was a faithful servant of Christ. Here the word for servant is the word for a waiter or a deacon and was often used to describe how a pastor functioned in a church. Basically, he gave to those under his care what was good for their spiritual health, and he gave to them from the resources that Jesus has in abundance. Faithfulness to Jesus required Epaphras to get from Jesus in heaven that which was good for his people in Colosse. We can see how Epaphras would have done this by noting what is said about his prayer life in 4:12.

Epaphras was not only faithful to Jesus, he was also faithful to the Colossians. He ensured that Paul and others knew what kind of believers the Colossians were. Paul has already referred to their love for all the saints and maybe he and others deduced that such love could only have come from the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it was Epaphras who said that such was the change in their lives that the only explanation was the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Either way, the challenge comes to us – do we have such love?