Friendly Greetings (Col. 4:9-17)

This sermon was preached on 28/7/2011

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, for example here, 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 (we should note that he has nothing much to say about Demas (v. 14), which may be a hint that even then, several years before he apostatised, Demas was giving signs that all was not well.

The companions of Paul (vv. 9-14)

What I want to do in this study is look briefly at what Paul says about the various individuals he mentions. We will begin with Onesimus (we looked at Tychicus in a previous study). Onesimus 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 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 this list, 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.

Paul then 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. It is impossible to bring comfort in any other way. As one serves God, he or she will become like God, and God loves to comfort his people.

Aristarchus is his fellow-prisoner. Aristarchus 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 had 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.

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).

Luke is worth a study in himself. He hints in the Book of Acts that he waited behind at Philippi after Paul and Silas left, and probably pastored the church there (note the pronouns in the account of what happened in Philippi). Thereafter he re-joined Paul and went with him to Jerusalem, and accompanied him to Rome after he was arrested. When Paul writes his final letter (2 Timothy), as he awaits implementation of the death sentence, he reveals that ‘only Luke is with me’ (2 Tim. 4:11). Luke was obviously loyal to his brother, Paul.

The other 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, he had been willing to help the apostle during his first imprisonment, so it cannot be only Paul’s 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 church in Laodicea (vv. 15-16)

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.

A focus of 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 there (Col. 4:13). No doubt, he was wanting the members in both churches to imitate such practice and pray earnestly for one another.

Recipients of Pauline letters. Paul mentions a letter he had written to the church there, 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 and many scholars believe it is a reference to the letter to the Ephesians.

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 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.

Met in a house. The 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 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.

The call to Archippus (v. 17)

Archippus was the son of Philemon (Phile. 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. He is the only Colossian that Paul singles out in this letter, so perhaps Archippus was acting as a pastor in the absence of Epaphras. Whatever role he was engaged in, Paul reminds the congregation of their responsibility to encourage him until he completes the task.

Remember Paul’s chains

In verse 18, Paul asks the Colossians to remember his chains. No doubt, he wanted them to recall them as they prayed for him. In that sense, it is not possible to remember his chains because Paul was liberated centuries ago. Yet there are other senses in which we should remember his chains. We can recall the providence of God that arranged for his servant to write several letters of the New Testament while he was in chains. We can recall his devotion to Christ and his determination to serve his Master even while in chains. And we can resolve to do what he would want us most to do – read what he wrote and absorb what he said about Jesus and living for him.