The church in Laodicea (Colossian 4:15-16)

Sometimes a church is mentioned in a surprising place. Probably we are aware of this congregation because of what is said about it thirty years later by Jesus in Revelation 3. By that time it had become a very worldly church, one that appalled the Saviour. Yet we can see from Colossians 3 that it was a church that had enjoyed spiritual blessings. 

 

It is likely that the church there was founded by Epaphras around about the time that the church in Colosse began. Paul’s short description of this neighbouring church to Colosse gives us insight into church life in the early period.

 

There was a focus on prayer. Paul had a great burden for the church there: he wrestled in prayer for it (Col. 2:1ff.), especially that they would appreciate who Jesus is and what his resources for his people are. Epaphras too laboured in prayer for the congregation (Col. 4:13). No doubt, Paul was wanting the members in both churches to imitate such practice and pray earnestly for one another.

 

They were recipients of Pauline letters. Paul mentions a letter he had written to the church in Laodicea, which does not seem to have been taken at this time by Tychicus. It is described rather unusually as the letter ‘from Laodicea’. I don’t think he means that it originated in Laodicea, but rather he means that once Laodicea had read the letter they were to send it on to Colosse. This points to the existence of a circular letter that had been sent to all the churches.

 

In addition to that letter, which was also to be read in the church in Colosse, the church in Laodicea was to read the letter that Paul had sent to the church in Colosse. This points to two important aspects: (a) Paul knew that he was writing scripture and (b) the Bible should be read publicly in church gatherings. Regarding the first aspect, here we have evidence as to how the church would know which letters were divinely inspired – the apostles would have guided them. Concerning the second aspect, Paul previously had urged the church in Thessalonica to listen to the public reading of his letter to them (1 Thess. 5:27). A special blessing is given to the person who fulfilled this task in the churches who received the Book of Revelation from John (Rev. 1:3).

 

This practice has disappeared from most churches – we only read passages from which we are going to preach, and the disappearance may be connected to the availability of printed Bibles which allow us to read as much of the Bible as we wish at one sitting. There is one difference at least between the two methods. Personal reading can turn into a devotional approach, and that is fine. Yet public reading was a proclamation to individuals by the representative of the sovereign God – in other words, the authority of God’s Word was being affirmed by the listening congregation.

 

Early Christians met in a house. This third feature of the church in Laodicea is that we are told its address – it met in the house of a lady called Nympha. It may be that Paul has in mind the eldership of the church by his term ‘brethren’, and then he addresses the rest of the congregation, or he may have the same group in mind when he calls them ‘brethren’ and ‘church’. The early church usually met in the house of a wealthy member of the congregation. Obviously this is a reminder that ‘church’ in the New Testament refers to the people and not to a building.

 

We have come to the end of Colossians. As we do, we can note what Paul says in verse 18 when he asks the Colossians to remember his chains. Paul who provided this letter for all the churches was in chains when he composed it. How thankful we should be to God for making Saul of Tarsus into such a loyal servant! And while we cannot remember his chains now in prayer, we can remember those in chains today for the faith who are greatly helped by what was written by that prisoner of Christ.

 

Paul’s friends (3) (Colossians 4:12-17)

Paul mentions some more of his friends in these verses. Epaphras is described as a slave of Christ (v. 12). In the accompanying letter to Philemon, Paul says that Epaphras is a fellow-prisoner. Yet although his body was confined by the civil authority, his heart was lovingly enslaved to Jesus Christ. Because this was the case, even his own troubles could not diminish the loyalty he had to the interests of Jesus concerning the Colossians. 

 

He wanted them to make progress in the faith, and therefore he wrestled with God about it. His prayer life was persistent, his vision extended to three communities (Colosse, Laodicea and Hierapolis), and his aim was that his friends would be unwavering, developing Christians. Prayer warriors cannot forget that Christian growth depends on God and will therefore pray earnestly about it.

 

The next individual Paul mentions is Luke (v. 14), whom he calls the beloved physician. This description is a reminder that Paul had a range of illnesses that needed ongoing care. It is a marvellous insight into the heart of Luke that he was willing to sacrifice his own career in order to help Paul. Luke put the progress of the kingdom first. It is likely that at this time he was completing the two books he contributed to the New Testament – the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. It is an interesting thought that there in the place of confinement in Rome one could meet the authors of three-quarters of the New Testament (Mark, Luke and Paul).

 

The third person that Paul mentions is Demas. He is described by Paul as a fellow-worker in his letter to Philemon, but in his final letter (2 Timothy), Paul says of Demas that ‘because he loved this world, [he] has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica’ (2 Tim. 4:10). Demas is a warning that we have to persevere. Why did he abandon Paul? After all, as Paul indicates by this reference, Demas had been willing to help the apostle during his first imprisonment in Rome, so it cannot be Paul’s later circumstances that were the reason. 

 

The actual cause was a change in the object of Demas’ affections. Instead of loving Christ, he began to love what could be enjoyed in this present world. Perhaps Thessalonica was his home town and he literally went back to the world he had known before his profession. Whatever the reasons for him going there, he did not go there as a follower of Jesus.

 

The last person that Paul mentions is Archippus. Archippus was the son of Philemon (Philemon 1–2), and in that passage Paul refers to him as his ‘fellow-soldier’, which indicates that he was engaged in a form of spiritual warfare. Here in Colossians 4:17, the congregation are told to convey to Archippus the message that he must complete the work that he has received from the Lord. Paul has not met Archippus, so he is not referring to a task given to Archippus by the apostle. Whatever role he was engaged in, Paul reminds the congregation of their responsibility to encourage Archippus until he completes the task.

 

So we can see that Paul had a variety of friends. Most were dedicated to Jesus, but one (Demas) revealed that his heart was not in it even although he was with Paul at the time. That reality should cause us to think about our own devotional level. If it is becoming lower, how low can it go? Ask Demas.

 

Paul’s friends (2) (Colossians 4:10-12)

In these verses Paul mentions three Jews with Gentile names – Aristarchus, Markus and Justus. He says three things about them. 

 

First, not many Jews are helping him, so even already we can see that the church is becoming increasingly Gentile. His description also hints at the sorrow Paul felt at so few Jews becoming followers of Jesus. Second, they were workers (we don’t know what they did in particular for Paul but they served God, which was all-important to Paul). Third, they comforted Paul. I suspect Paul is saying that it is only those who are serving God by obeying him who can then comfort other disciples. 

 

Aristarchus was Paul’s fellow-prisoner. He was from Thessalonica, and had experienced trouble because he was a Christian. Luke tells us in Acts 19 that during the riot in Ephesus against Paul and his message, Aristarchus, along with Gaius, was frogmarched into the amphitheatre by the hostile crowd. Later he travelled with Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:1-5), and then went with him to Rome. Now he too was imprisoned with Paul. Tradition says that he was martyred by Nero. Aristarchus reminds us that opposition may be heavy for following Christ.

 

The name of Jesus Justus has disappeared from the memory of the church on earth, but the name of Mark will be known as long as the church exists. Mark is a reminder that failures can become greatly-used servants. Previously he had refused to be a worker when he left Barnabas and Paul, but now he is a valued worker, restored in Paul’s estimation. It looks as if he later decided to go to Asia, perhaps to preach in the churches. In any case, he eventually wrote the Gospel of Mark. 

 

Justus tells believers that they will be likely be forgotten by subsequent generations; Mark tells them that they might do something for Jesus that will never be forgotten.

Paul’s friends (1) (Colossians 4:9)

Sometimes we tend to read lists of names in the Bible in a manner similar to how we use the telephone directory – we only read them if we have to. Yet such an attitude will mean missing out on information that the Lord wants us to have because we often find little details about church life in the lists of names that Paul mentions. We can see that is the case in the list in Colossians 4. From the list we can also deduce that Paul was a people’s person, who clearly wanted to say something good about his companions.

 

One of the people mentioned is Onesimus. He had been sent back to Colosse by Paul (more details about Onesimus are given in Paul’s letter to Philemon, the owner of the house in which the church in Colosse met, and who was the master from whom Onesimus had run away to Rome, where he had come in contact with Paul and had been converted). How does Paul describe Onesimus?

 

The apostle only speaks about information he can personally affirm. We see this detail in the pronoun ‘our’, which does not include the Colossians because he refers to them as ‘you’ (v. 10). That same use of pronouns also reveals that Paul’s opinion is shared by all who are with him. We cannot say how long Onesimus has been a Christian, but it cannot have been very long, probably a couple of years at most.

 

Onesimus has shown that he is now a trustworthy person. In this description we can see the power of the grace of God. Before his conversion, Onesimus had shown himself not to be trusted, but having met Jesus he became a new man. So, in the example of Onesimus, we see that followers of Jesus reveal very quickly that they are new creatures in Christ. Because this had happened, Paul could trust Onesimus with responsibilities in Colosse and elsewhere.

 

Further, Paul affirmed that Onesimus was as much a member of God’s family as himself – he was a beloved brother. The adjective is important because we know that sometimes brothers may not be loving. While one has to watch how much is read into a word, it is likely that ‘beloved’ points to ways that Onesimus revealed his love through service for Paul and his companions. Paul delighted in what he saw in Onesimus, which reminds us that we should take pleasure in observing the changed life that reveals spiritual growth.

Who was Tychicus (2)? (Colossians 4:9)

Paul gives three descriptive details of his friend Tychicus: a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant, with each of these relationships being ‘in the Lord’. These are a wonderful combination, and their wonder is enhanced when we recall that the relationship of Paul and Tychicus illustrates what Jesus had done in bringing Jews and Gentiles together (Eph. 2:11-17). In their pre-Christian days Paul and Tychicus would have had nothing to do with one another. Now their lives were entwined.

 

The first detail is that Tychicus is Paul’s beloved brother. Obviously, this reminds us that Christians belong to the same family, that they are the children of God. Adoption into God’s family is the height of spiritual blessing. The basic outlook of a family is love and that is true of God’s family. Love is expressed towards God and is also expressed towards one another.

 

Tychicus was dear to Paul because he saw true love displayed by his friend. Connected to this delight that Paul experienced was his awareness that Tychicus was dependable, revealing his trustworthiness as he functioned as Paul’s faithful minister. In Colossians 4:9 Paul uses two words that can be translated as ‘servant’: one is the term translated ‘deacon’ (also used in Ephesians 6:21) and the other term means ‘slave’.

 

By diakonos (minister), Paul probably refers to the personal role that Tychicus performed on the apostle’s behalf as his delegate or representative – he had proved himself faithful over the years that Paul had known him. By sundoulos Paul describes both of them as slaves of a common Master. Each of them had individual roles to perform as slaves of Christ, and Paul affirms that Tychicus did his role well.

 

In this third description, that of slave, we have the key to Christian service. Tychicus served Paul, but Paul was not his master. He served Paul because Jesus wanted him to do so. Because he loved Christ and desired to serve him, he also lovingly served Paul. Love to his Master led him to be faithful to his other servants.

 

As we close this reading, it may be useful to ask ourselves two questions. The first question is, ‘What do we say about other Christians?’ Do we highlight their positive contributions or their failures? Connected to that first question is a second one, which is perhaps more searching: ‘What would another Christian say about us based on the way we interact with them?’

Who was Tychicus (1) (Colossians 4:9)

In the Bible, there are many unsung heroes who are mentioned briefly in different places. Almost every prominent Bible character has several other persons mentioned as his companions in particular periods of his life. Paul had several such persons. Concerning some of them, such as Barnabas and Silas, a great deal is said in the Book of Acts. Others, such as Epaphroditus or Epaphrus, are only mentioned briefly. Epaphroditus, who brought a gift to Paul from the church in Philippi, is described by Paul as his ‘brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier’, one whom his church should ‘receive in the Lord with all joy, and honour’ (Phil. 2:25-30; 4:18). Epaphrus was a prisoner along with Paul at this time (Phil. 23); he had brought the gospel to Colosse, and although he was presently absent from the church there, Paul assures them that Epaphrus was ‘always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God’ (Col. 1:7).

 

Another example is Tychicus. He is first mentioned in Acts 20 as one of the Christians who accompanied Paul to Jerusalem with the collection that had been gathered from several churches to help the suffering believers in Jerusalem. We are not told where he came from in Asia although it is reasonable to assume that he was one of Paul’s converts. By this time, he had matured enough to become a trusted delegate to the church in Jerusalem.

 

The next mention of his name is with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment (Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7), which indicates that he had remained with Paul after his arrest in Jerusalem and had accompanied him on his journey to Rome. These references state that he had been chosen by Paul to take his letters to the churches in Ephesus and Colosse. Another duty that he would have fulfilled at this time would have been to inform Philemon, a member of the church in Colosse, about his slave Onesimus who was travelling with Tychicus (Col. 4:9). This means that three of the books of the New Testament (Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon) were originally delivered by this unsung hero of the Christian faith.

 

The third mention of Tychicus occurs in Titus 3:12, where Paul mentions that he is considering sending Tychicus to replace Titus so that he can meet up with Paul. The fourth mention is 2 Timothy 4:12, where Paul once again sends him to Ephesus in order to allow Timothy to join Paul in Rome when the apostle was in prison there for the second time. Tychicus had become such an advanced Christian that he could take the place of such leaders as Titus and Timothy.

 

So although not too much is said about him, we can see that Tychicus was a man that was available to serve God and was willing to go wherever he would be useful. Perhaps you know some people like that and today would be a good opportunity to pray for them and thank God for them.

Wise Speech (Colossians 4:5-6)

In order to help the Colossians know how and what to say when they are witnessing to others, Paul details two essential prerequisites before they should speak individually to another person. The first is ‘let your speech always be gracious’ and the second is that it ‘should be seasoned with salt’. It may be that both ideas cover the same thing, so that grace is the salt that seasons our speech. Yet I suspect that the first clause is more general and the second one is more specific. 

 

I would say that it is inconceivable for Paul to imagine that a Christian should have any other kind of speech apart from gracious speech. This is the kind of speech he should have at all times. He describes such speech in Ephesians 4:29: ‘Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.’ Our speech in general should reflect the fact that we belong to heaven, that we have been delivered from the old way of life.

 

Sometimes we have to add something to our speech on a given occasion, and I think that is what Paul means by seasoning it with salt. There are many ways by which the illustration of salt can be applied. Salt prevents a piece of food from putrefying, so a Christian’s speech should prevent unwholesome talk. Salt can create aspects of taste in a particular item of food that we did not anticipate. So a Christian by his speech can introduce into a conversation aspects that the other person may not have realised existed. Salt was used to confirm covenants or agreements between individuals, so a Christian should insert into conversations suitable elements of the covenant that exists between him and God.

 

When we speak in such a way with other Christians, then we will know how to speak with those outside the church. Today it is generally the case that believers have a problem with speaking about their faith to such people. Yet it may be the case that the real problem is that we no longer know how to speak to one another about Christian experience, about the Bible, and about a whole list of items connected to Christian living. Shortly after I was converted, I noticed that the individuals who had spoken best to me (as a non-Christian) were the ones that spoke generally about Christian things to other believers. And the ones who had greatest difficulty in witnessing were often those who did not speak about the things of the faith.

 

Every non-Christian that we meet needs Jesus. In one way or another, we should look for ways to bring the conversation round to knowing him. If we have been doing it generally, it should flow naturally, without seeming strange. There is no guarantee that we will be successful, but our way of speaking should cause others to note the difference and make them curious about us. And that is a door for introducing them to Jesus.

Walking in wisdom (Colossians 4:5-6)

Paul continues to speak about Christian witness and he uses a word picture to make his point – walking. Even in a literal sense, if we are out walking, whether on specific tasks or in a more casual manner, it is guaranteed that we will meet a wide range of individuals. The first important qualification for witness is consistency. All the different individuals that we meet should see the real ‘us’ – we should not be different with one person than we are other with others.

The second important qualification for witness is observation. This is stressed in Paul’s next phrase, ‘making the best use of the time.’ Obviously this is a principle that should cover all the time we have. It will look terrible on the day of judgement to be told that we wasted or misused our time. There are many reasons why we should be careful with our use of time. Here, with regard to outsiders, Paul probably had in mind a sense or urgency because they are perishing, and we have to be on the lookout for opportunities.

A third qualification for witnessing is carefulness regarding what we do and say. Our conduct and words should be marked by wisdom. Wisdom is more than knowledge – it is the ability to apply one’s knowledge correctly in each different situation. How does one become wise? Meditate on the Bible, read biographies of spiritual Christians and note the reasons why they made choices, value the opinions of others even if you disagree with them, develop a humble mindset, and pray for wisdom.

Wise Witness (Colossians 4:5-6)

In these verses, Paul describes the witness of Christians to non-Christians, whom he describes here as outsiders. The witness is twofold: in verse 5, he refers to life in general and in verse 6 he refers to speech. It is likely that there is an evangelistic thrust in this witness because Paul has just asked for prayer for his own evangelistic activities. Now he turns and addresses the form of witness that the Colossians should be engaged in.

The word ‘outsider’ does not sound a friendly word, but Paul does not suggest that Christians should be unfriendly. Instead it is a word that highlights several features. First, it is a word that reminds us that most people do not belong to the visible church, that is, the organised church in a community. 

Second, the word reminds us that many people are outside the family of God. Membership of the family of God, as we know, begins when a person trusts in Jesus and receives from him the Spirit of adoption. One effect of having the Spirit of adoption is that all who have him want to meet with others who have him. Therefore they soon make it obvious that they are insiders.

When we think of the outsiders themselves, obviously there would be different kinds and they can be viewed from a range of perspectives. In Paul’s own day, he could divide them into two racial groups, Jews and Gentiles. Yet within these groups, they could be divided into hostile, indifferent, curious and interested, with individuals moving from one sub-group to another. We can easily see similar groups and sub-groups within our own society.

The basic attitude towards outsiders is that we must want them to become insiders. There are two basic reasons for that. One is that we know where they are going whereas they do not. Outsiders are ignorant of their destiny. The second reason is that we know the way of escape because we have found it through the gospel. 

Paul was willing to do a great deal to win those on the outside. His attitude is described clearly in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: ‘For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.’

 

Paul requests prayer (Colossians 4:3-4)

In these verses, which are the details of Paul’s specific request, we have a clear summary of a gospel minister. First, he is dependent on God to open the door, which is a reminder that all doors are shut unless God opens them. In a literal sense, Paul was probably in a room in which the door was closed because he was imprisoned, but he did not regard that as a reason for a spiritual door not being opened.

Second, a gospel minister works with others – we should note Paul’s use of the pronoun ‘us’. The ‘us’ are probably Paul and Timothy because they are the names at the opening of the letter. We are aware of some reasons why the church should pray for Timothy – he was physically weak and a bit timid, and he needed strength and courage from God.

Third, a gospel minister wants to declare the mystery of Christ. This does not mean that he is to speak in a mysterious way. Instead the term ‘mystery’ in the New Testament refers to something that has been revealed. Paul wanted to preach about Christ, his person and his work. Of course, such a subject is vast and contains more than sufficient material for a preacher. Paul wanted to declare it and he found his enforced silence very hard to bear.

Fourth, a gospel minister may have to pay a price for preaching. Paul had been arrested, which I assume happened because he had continued to preach after he arrived in Rome. As the closing verses of the Book of Acts indicate, Paul initially had freedom to preach in Rome. But later on, he was denied that liberty and was arrested. Yet although the cost was heavy, he was willing to pay it. Of course, such a situation was not a new one for Paul. Still his experience is a reminder that sometimes a gospel minister faces official opposition from the authorities.

Fifth, a gospel minister wants to speak about Jesus clearly. Does this indicate that Paul was aware that sometimes he was not as clear in his preaching as he should have been? Or is he referring to the weakness of his voice that had caused him to be dismissed by some who lived in Corinth? Perhaps he has in mind the variety of individuals who might hear him, even although he is confined. He would have preached to many different soldiers, and these soldiers would have come from different parts of the Empire, with each having his own cultural baggage. Paul would have addressed officials as they came to interview him, and they would have been more intelligent than the soldiers. Yet they too had to hear about Christ.

We know from Paul’s letter to the Philippians that he had known soul winning success even although he had been imprisoned (Phil. 1:12-14). Perhaps one reason for the success was the prayers the Colossians had already made for Paul. And he wanted them to continue. His prayer also reminds us what to pray for when praying for pastors and preachers.

Watching in prayer (Colossians 4:2-4)

The first detail to note is that Paul assumes that they are praying – that aspect is revealed in the word ‘continue’. Paul expected Christians to pray and unless he knew otherwise he assumed they were doing so. No doubt, Epaphras would have told him about the prayer meetings in Colosse, whatever format they took. Paul’s attitude here is evidence of his confidence in God’s grace that it would produce praying people.

His attitude is also encouraging for the Colossians. They had never met Paul and may how wondered how such a notable leader regarded them. Now they had his thoughts about them – he appreciated their prayers and wanted them also to pray for him. Paul not only had confidence in the God who was at work in their lives, he also trusted them to fulfil this basic Christian duty of intercessory prayer. 

Paul was also aware that good practices had to continue. How would their prayer lives keep going? A clue to Paul’s insight into how a healthy prayer life can be maintained is seen in the word ‘steadfastly’. They have to keep on doing it. Of course, such a practice is a permanent expression of our dependence on God. It is also a demonstration that we delight to be in the presence of God.

Further, they were to be watchful as they prayed. Paul’s use of the term ‘watchful’ is a reminder that in prayer we should be alert. Since he does not specify what it is that we are to be alert for, we can suggest a number of possibilities. He could mean to watch as a soldier does for opponents, so we have to guard against spiritual enemies such as the devil and temptation. Or he could mean we should be alert as a recorder and take careful note of what we ask and of what we receive, and since we are to pray with thankfulness this could be the point that the apostle is making. 

Or it could mean to pray intelligently, to be an observer of what is happening and to pray particularly for such developments in our congregations, our neighbourhoods, our country, and around the world. It has even been suggested that prayer is a preparation for the day when Jesus returns, and certainly the possibility of an imminent return by Jesus should lead us to pray earnestly for persons to be saved.

Alongside watchfulness in our prayers should be thankfulness. Paul has already in the closing verses of chapter 3 stressed the importance of thanksgiving. Thankfulness is evidence that we are grateful to God, and the presence of such gratitude is proof that we understand grace. A prayer without thankfulness is not a true prayer.

Why Pray (Col. 4:2-4)

Paul has highlighted several crucial aspects of the Christian faith in his letter to the Colossians. He has provided important reminders of who Jesus is, what he did when he was here on earth, and what his position is as the risen, ascended Saviour. Further he explained to the Colossians how they were to show that they belonged to the new humanity, whether in life in general or in the specific area of household life. 

We can imagine the Colossians, as they listened to the letter being read to them, responding at least to themselves, ‘How can we retain correct thinking about all these issues in our minds?’ If they were thinking in that way as they heard Colossians 4:1 being read, they received the answer in verse 2: ‘Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.’

Further, they may have said to themselves, ‘In addition to demands connected to life in the church, it is also the case that we have to face pressures from those outside the church. Our family members, our neighbours, the contacts we make day by day are not interested in what we have to say about Jesus. What would Paul, who we have never met, say to us?’ No doubt the apostle could say many things, but it is reasonable to assume that one response he would urge would be to ‘continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.’

In addition, it is possible that the Christians in Colosse would face official investigations and punishments by the authorities. Although Colosse was a small town, it was not a backwater location because it was close to the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis. It was inevitable that the authorities would be curious at least about the appearance of this radical new group that involved different races, all levels of society, and did not participate in any of the official religions. One of Paul’s responses to such potential difficulties for the church in Colosse would be to ‘continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ’

The church in Colosse had lost its pastor Epaphras. He had brought the gospel to Colosse after he had been converted through hearing Paul in Ephesus. Over the next decade or so, he had guided the church in Colosse. He had gone to Rome to see Paul and had himself been arrested. There is no hint that Epaphras was about to be released and we can imagine the anxiety that the church would have when Tychicus appeared – without Epaphras. Paul’s advice, I am sure, would be to ‘continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.’

Two men had left the church in Colosse in the past while. One was their pastor Epaphras and one was the unreliable slave Onesimus who had ran away from his master Philemon in whose house the church in Colosse met. I am sure that they prayed for both men, although with different desires for each. They would have prayed for the release of Epaphras and the conversion of Onesimus. Now they could see that the Lord had kept his promise and answered prayer for Onesimus. But what were they to do with regard to their prayers for Epaphras? The answer was to ‘continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.’ Be thankful for Onesimus and continue to pray for Epaphras.

Of course, Paul wanted them to pray for him. He knew that his colleague Tychicus would convey information about his circumstances when he delivered the letter to the church, and in the report he would mention his confinement as a prisoner. We will look in later readings at what he requested about himself, but it is the case that with regard to these specific requests, Paul would want them to ‘continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.’

Living for Jesus as slaves and masters (3:22–4:1)

In a literal sense, this relationship does not exist in our part of the world (although it exists elsewhere). From one point of view, slavery is the sad outcome of the old humanity, an expression of man’s callous indifference to his fellow humans.  

Can grace operate in such a disagreeable situation and can the principles of the new humanity work there? Paul’s answer is yes, to both questions. No matter how difficult, and slaves would have no way of avoiding arduous demands from an unjust master, God’s grace could enable them to live for him there. 

The only way to live in such a way is to put the Lord first and recognise that primarily one’s labour is done for him. There was probably a possibility of a slave in a Christian household, recognising the graciousness of his master, abusing his status by not performing his role. So a slave had to remember that the Lord saw the state of his heart and would know why and how his work was done.  

Jesus wants his people to serve him wholeheartedly, and the service of slaves was measured by its completeness, by its sincerity, and by its fervency. There were to be no uncompleted tasks or sullen expressions. Furthermore, good work for an earthly master may not bring a reward from him for his Christian slaves, but such work will bring a great reward from Jesus when he returns – a share in his inheritance. Failure to do such work, however, will result in loss of aspects of that future life in God’s inheritance. 

Masters are reminded that they too are accountable to Jesus for the way they treat their slaves. The implication is that Jesus will judge any master who is not just and fair with his slaves. I suppose the master could ask himself, ‘Would I like Jesus to treat me in the way that I treat my slaves?’ 

 

Living for Jesus as children and parents (Colossians 3:20-21)

Paul’s words to children here are a reminder that children were present in church services, and that it is appropriate to have something said to them. Obviously, the children he has in mind are old enough to understand his teaching.  

From his words, we can see that parental requirements should be consistent in that both make the same rules for their children. Further, the obedience is to be comprehensive (in everything), which I would take to be a reminder to parents not to make unnecessary demands of their children, but only to require of them what will be pleasing to God.  

It is important to recognise that children can and should please the Lord. This is the obvious meaning of the fifth commandment. They should be encouraged to do what pleases him. Indeed, their baptism is an indication that he is very interested in how they develop within the Christian church. 

In particular, Paul addresses fathers in Colosse and he wants them to realise their responsibility in maintaining a congenial atmosphere in the home so that the children will develop. Paul not mentioning mothers does not mean that he thought they should not be involved. 

The provoking to be avoided is that which comes out of unfair discipline. I recall reading a story of Horatius Bonar. His son had been caught by a neighbour climbing on some rocks in search of birds’ eggs. The furious neighbour marched Bonar’s son to his house and said to Bonar, ‘I hope you give him a sound thrashing.’ Bonar replied, ‘If I thrashed the boy for that, what would I do if he told me a lie?’  

The son gives this testimony of his father: ‘So skilfully did he exercise his guidance as a father, that I never felt the rein that was driving me. I admired his strength and firmness, and as a schoolboy I felt him to be always absolutely fair. He laid himself out to be approachable, and he continually invited my confidence. He liked me to tell him everything, and he was easy to come to.’ 

Living for Jesus as wives and husbands (Colossians 3:18-19)

As we have seen in recent readings, Paul has challenged the Colossians to live devoted lives. He now begins to apply his teaching to specific groups in the church and he starts by addressing wives and husbands. 

Paul speaks first to the wives (v. 18). We should note the stress that he lays on their practical union with Christ as they are reminded that the apostle’s charge is connected to what is fit in the Lord. In other words, since everything in life is an expression of obedience to Christ, so they are to obey Christ in this area as well as long as their husbands don’t cause them to disobey Christ. 

The word ‘submit’ is not a popular word today, although submission is found in many areas of life. Submission will occur wherever there is authority. We submit to the government, soldiers submit to their officers, footballers in a team submit to the will of their manager. If submission does not occur in these areas, then there will be confusion.  

The call of the wife to submit is not a denial of her equality with her husband. Instead it is a recognition and acceptance of the wise will of God. Neither is the submission of a wife an indicator that her role is insignificant – submission in itself can result in great significance. After all, Jesus submitted himself to the will of the Father and became the servant of the Lord. Now he is highly exalted. 

The respective roles of husband and wife regarding submission require a great deal of study, and there are many books on the topic. For the present, we can summarise in this way. The authority of the husband is not dictatorial, it is not dismissive of his wife’s opinions or concerns, and it is not above the authority of God’s instructions in his word. The submission is temporary, because it is only for this life. Further, the submission is a test from God, as to whether or not his divine commandments will be honoured. In addition, the submission is an expression of trust in her husband that he will do what is best. 

Having stated that wives serve Christ by obeying their husbands, Paul now reminds husbands that they serve Christ by loving their wives, especially by not being harsh with them. It may have been the case that Paul highlights this particular problem because it was common in Colosse. The idea behind harshness is irritableness and impatience, or expressions of annoyance. While it is the case that physical harshness is also prohibited by Paul, it is important to note that such verbal expressions are incompatible with the life of the new humanity. The leadership model for husbands is Jesus’ sacrificial love. 

Thankfulness to the Father (Colossians 3:17)

Paul reminds the Colossians that they should be thankful to God the Father through Jesus. All blessings come to believers through Jesus, but they can also be traced to the eternal purpose of the heavenly Father. Paul reminded the Ephesians that the Father had blessed them with all spiritual blessings. It is good for us to take stock and ask ourselves where all our blessings came from. 

The answer is that they came from the loving heart of the Father. Every time we wear the beautiful garments of holiness we should thank the Father (we can look at some items of clothing and say to ourselves, ‘I am grateful to so-and-so for giving me that as a present). 

Every time, we sense the beautiful inner peace of the Christian life, we should thank the Father, the God of peace. Every time we interact with another, we should thank the Father that he has brought us into a community where the truth is spoken.

All such activities and thoughts are connected to the doctrine of adoption, of how we have been brought into the family of God. Because that is the case, we can expect great blessings. Jesus, on one occasion, urged his disciples not to fear and then reminded them that it was their Father’s good pleasure to give them the kingdom.

On another occasion, Jesus told a Samaritan woman that the Heavenly Father wanted her to worship him. When we read John 4, we can see that the woman was keen to have a discussion about comparative religion, whereas Jesus, while acknowledging that the truth had been given to the Jews, wanted her to consider the wonderful living relationship she could have with the Father. 

 

In the name of Jesus (Colossians 3:17)

Paul is describing the kind of life that God’s people should have. In this verse, he points out that all must be done ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus’. It is clear from Paul’s words in this verse that we cannot compartmentalise our lives and divide them into areas that can be classified as sacred and secular, holy and worldly. The apostle makes a comprehensive statement which says all aspects of a believer’s life must be covered by the name of Jesus. Paul is not merely talking about our actions – he also covers our attitudes and thoughts, our aspirations and intentions.

The first detail that the phrase highlights is the supreme position held by Jesus. There is the danger that we can become so familiar with this title and therefore use it in an unthinking way. In addition, we have lost the concept of lordship – we watch the activities of the House of Lords and probably find their titles and interaction irrelevant to us. These individuals don’t look as if they have much power or authority. Yet if we lived in Colosse at the time Paul wrote his letter, or anywhere else in the Roman Empire, we would know that to say Jesus is Lord was to make a public announcement that affirmed he was the supreme ruler, higher, much higher, than Caesar himself.

The distinguishing mark of real authority is that those who possess it have the ability to make laws and have the power to enforce them. They need both – an ability without the power only reveals that the person is wise and weak; the power without the ability will result in cruelty or chaos, or both. We would gladly confess that Jesus has both the ability and the power. 

Yet it is also the case that those who acknowledge the position of Jesus may be ignorant of his requirements. As we know, Jesus’ commandments are found in the Bible. Further, unlike the laws of human governments, the laws of Jesus do not have to be adjusted because of developments in society – his wisdom is such that the laws he has devised will always be relevant to whatever circumstances his subjects find themselves in. And, again unlike most laws passed by human governments, the laws of Jesus are straightforward to obey – he told his listeners in Matthew 11:28-30 that his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

Furthermore, Jesus will enable his subjects to practise his laws. I am sure that all human governments would love to have a means by which they could cause their subjects to obey laws from the heart in a glad manner. Sadly they do not have such a means. But in the kingdom of Jesus, there is such a means and he achieves it in the lives of his subjects by the work of the Holy Spirit. 

So we can see that Paul’s instruction to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus is designed for our spiritual safety. The danger that Christians usually face is doing or saying something in the name of another authority, and there are several such authorities around, such as tradition or mere opinions.

Using the psalms (Colossians 3:16)

Paul has exhorted the Christians in Colosse to let the word of Christ dwell in them richly in order that they can speak wisely to one another. The apostle then gives an example when such teaching and admonishing takes place – by singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 

I take these terms as describing inspired songs, and that Paul uses them because they are found as headings of psalms in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, and it is in the Book of Psalms that such headings are mainly found, with other songs recorded elsewhere in the Old Testament. So what use are we to make of the Psalms?

The first observation is that we should sing them. This may seem a trite comment, but it is a reminder that Christians are called to sing. A second observation is that we don’t only sing them to the Lord, we also sing them to one another. Third, we sing them in order to teach one another and admonish one another. Fourth, I don’t think Paul here is limiting his comments to a church service – indeed he may not even be describing a church service because I don’t think a church service is an occasion when individuals have the time to teach and admonish one another.

How can we share with one another the teaching of Jesus from the psalms? Think about his person and work – we can sing together about his birth (Ps. 40), his life (Ps. 24), his death (Ps. 22), his resurrection (Ps. 16), his ascension (Ps. 110), and his kingdom (Ps. 72). Or we can teach each other about the worldwide spread of the gospel from Psalm 67 or the members of the church from Psalm 87. We can teach each other about the importance of God’s Word from Psalm 19 and Psalm 1. There are many other examples.

With regard to admonishing, we can go and sing Psalm 122 with a believer whose church attendance is erratic or we can sing Psalm 51 with a believer who may be getting into a wrong relationship. We can sing verses from Psalm 107 about the problems that come into our lives when we depart from God. There is a vast range of situations that can be approached from the psalms. 

Why should we sing them? Because singing has a way of conveying emotions that mere speech will not do, and our emotions have to be involved in interactions with God and with one another. When should we sing them? Whenever we can – Paul’s words indicate that singing in order to teach and admonish one another is a normal Christian activity. What is the great benefit of such a method? The teaching and the admonishing are done in biblical words that speak to all the singers.

How are we to use God’s Word? Paul informs us that the frame of mind we should have is hearts that are full of thankfulness to God. We are to be thankful to God that he gave us the Bible, and we have more of it than the Colossians did. The response of our hearts to the possession of the Bible must be heartfelt gratitude to God. It is an evidence of his amazing grace to us.

Using God’s Word (Colossians 3:16)

Yesterday, we saw that the first step in being a Bible-centred community is to know what the Bible says about Jesus. This does not mean that we should not pay attention to other details in the Bible. But having discovered that the Bible belongs to Jesus and is mainly about him, what are we then to do? Paul answers this question in his next two clauses.

The apostle states that believers are responsible for teaching and admonishing one another. Often we assume that teaching and admonishing should be left to ministers and elders, but here Paul makes it very clear that it is an activity that all Christians must take part in on a regular basis. His requirement makes us see why we should have the word of Christ dwelling in us in order to have something to say.

In what manner are we to teach one another? Paul says here we are to teach appropriately, in all wisdom. For example, we have to apply the Bible accurately to a situation. Further, such teaching should be automatic in the sense of being ready to say truth in a spontaneous and suitable manner – we will always know what to say to one another if the word is dwelling within us richly. Mutual teaching will also be done affectionately because it is an expression of brotherly love and not a mere display of knowledge. And it will be done ardently because we want to help one another.

Paul is aware that there will be occasions when admonishment is necessary. Obviously there are degrees of rebuke and sometimes it is necessary for the elders as rulers of the church to give a reprimand. But the usual method of correction is described by Paul here; it happens through mutual admonishing of one another. In what ways should it be done? It should be done humbly, it should be done immediately, it should be done sensitively, and it should be done prayerfully. If such admonishing took place when needed, it would prevent many troubles from breaking out in churches.

The enriching Word of Christ (Colossians 3:16)

What does Paul have in mind when he says, ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’? The first detail concerns the term ‘let’, and it suggests that the believers can hinder this indwelling from taking place. Clearly it is sins of one kind or another that will prevent this from occurring. And I suppose all the Colossians would need to do was to think about the various sins Paul has mentioned already in this chapter, the various attitudes and practices that marked the old humanity and which should not be found in the people of God. It is obvious that Paul is reminding the Colossians of their responsibility to ensure that personal sin does not prevent the word of Christ dwelling in them richly.

Then we need ask what Paul means by the phrase ‘the word of Christ’. There are two common suggestions regarding it. Some say it is the message about Christ (the gospel) and others say it is the Old Testament (most of the New Testament was not available when Paul wrote Colossians). It is more likely that Paul has in mind the Old Testament, the Word of God, and in saying that it should dwell in God’s people he is saying what several Old Testament writers also say about it (for example, Psalms 1 and 19). Of course, we should extend the word of Christ to include the New Testament as well.

The word of Christ is to ‘dwell’ in us, that is, we are to make our inner lives its home. Home is where family members love one another, where they are welcome, where they are relaxed, whether there is mutual delight. Paul is saying that the living word of Christ should reside easily, comfortably, enjoyably within us. The word of Christ is not to be like a lodger, a person who is tolerated; nor is it like a guest, a person who comes and goes. Instead the inner hearts of God’s people should be its home. Going back to the illustration of a lodger or a guest – such a person is only allowed into certain rooms. The Bible is not like that when it indwells us. Instead it has access to every space within our lives.

Paul also says that the word of Christ should dwell in us richly. By the term richly, he is indicating the copiousness of what God’s Word contains. Imagine if a millionaire came to live in our house and said to us that everything he has is now ours. Our homes would change for the better – the furniture would be of higher quality, the food we eat would be from the best stores. That is a very poor illustration of the effects of the improvements that God’s Word will bring about in our hearts when it is in residence.

All this means that the word of Christ must be in our minds. We are to be like the psalmist who meditated on God’s word day and night (Ps. 1), who hid it in his heart that he would not sin against God (Ps. 119:11), and who discovered that God’s word was a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (Ps. 119:105).

We should not be surprised at Paul’s teaching here because he is saying what Jesus himself said about the Old Testament when he spoke to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day he arose from the dead (Luke 24:27) and what he taught the apostles when he met with them later that day (Luke 24:44). He made the same teaching to his opponents when he rebuked them for searching the scriptures and failing to see that they were about him (John 5:39).