Colossians Chapter 4

Our life in Christ
 Raised with Christ (3:1-4)

This is a continuation of the previous chapter which concluded that God is a fair and impartial judge and how we are to work at our jobs with honesty and integrity.

Paul turns his attention briefly to Masters, employers, and tells them to treat those under their charge fairly because they too have a master in heaven, the ultimate the ultimate and impartial judge, who treats them fairly.

Teachings about holiness (3:18-4:6)
In prayer (4:2-4)

  The word "devote" is proskartereo which means to continue steadfastly, to adhere to, to be devoted to.  Paul urges us to be steadfast and continuous in our prayers.  We're not to slack in this practice.

There is no official statement on how many times someone is to pray for getting or for how long, but the Scriptures are full of the accounts of God and the people praying in all circumstances and at all times of the day and night.

We are to keep alert in prayer and we must be watchful that we do not pay too much attention to the world in there by neglect this privilege and necessity.

Being thankful in our prayers always puts us in a proper attitude before God because it reminds us of what he has done for us in Christ.

Paul asks the Colossians to pray for him.  One might wonder why Paul the mighty apostle would request prayers from other Christians.  And dozens his apostleship and request a God carry more weight?  We cannot say that this is the case for Paul was a sinner as the rest of the Colossians.

Likewise, those spiritual leaders on TV and radio are no more influential with God than you. For we are all sinners saved by grace and all our prayers go through Christ.

Paul knows the value of prayer and he requests that the Colossians pray that God would open the door for him to be able to preach and teach the word of truth.  Paul's heart is to preach the word of truth so that by it, people would hear, believe, and be saved from the righteous judgment of God.

Paul writes Colossians during his first imprisonment in Rome as recorded in Acts 28.

Paul desires to speak with the truth and wisdom of God, not from his own wisdom.  Only God is the true source of all wisdom and Paul desires that through prayer he might know the proper way to speak to those with whom he is imprisoned both guards and fellow inmates.

Teachings about holiness (3:18-4:6)
With unbelievers (4:5-6)

"Conduct" is literally "walk" in the Greek.

Wisdom is a rare commodity in this world.  We have a lot of knowledge about a lot of things but often fail when it comes to properly using that knowledge.  Just because we have a right answer about something does not mean we need to beat someone over the head with it.

  The outsiders are the unbelievers and Paul is telling us that our conduct before them is very important.   He is telling us to use wisdom so that every opportunity provided by God might be fully appreciated.

Grace is unmerited favor.  There might be times when unbelievers, or even believers, speak in harsh ways.  Whatever the circumstance, we are called to be gracious in our responses.

Salt was a preservative and it kept things from going bad.  Likewise, our speech must be gracious so that it preserves the situation and the opportunity and prevented from being lost.

Conclusion (4:7-18)
Commendation of Tychicus (4:7-9)

Tychicus was the one who bore this letter from Paul who was in Rome in prison, to the church in Colosae.

Tychicus was from Asia (Acts 20:4).

Paul once the Colossians to know about the circumstances he is under.  Paul had been in prison but was doing quite well.  He sent Tychicus to let the people know not to worry.

Onesimus was most probably the slave mentioned in the book of Philemon.  It   It's probable that he was of the area of Colosae.

Conclusion (4:7-18)
Greetings from Paul’s Friends (4:10-14)

Aristarchus was a Thessalonian who was with Paul on his third missionary journey (Acts 19:19; 27:2) and is apparently in prison with Paul.

  Mark was a companion with Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 12:25).     However, it appears that Mark abandoned Paul on this journey but there seems to have been a reconciliation since Paul tells them to welcome him.  Paul mentions Mark favorably in 2 Tim. 4:11.

  Jesus was a common name of the time, as was Justus.  These three, Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus were Jews. 

The word "encouragement" is also rendered as "comfort" and is the word "paregoria" which only appears once in the New Testament in this verse.

Epaphras was also a Colossian and Paul graciously mentions him in his Ministry of prayer for them.

Of course Paul mentions that he desires a stand perfect and assured and all the will of God.

This is the same Luke who wrote the gospel and Acts who was a doctor and may very well have attended to Paul during all sickness that he had in Galatia.

Conclusion (4:7-18)
Paul’s Personal Farewell (4:15-18)

The meaning of churches and homes was very common.  Synagogues were run by the Jews in this new sect of Christianity could only meet in people's houses.

Did Paul consider his writing to the Colossians to be inspired and scripture?  We don't know, but he surely must have considered it authoritative since he instructed that it be read in the church at Laodicea.

It might be that Archippus was not fulfilling the ministry to which he was a called.  It is not stated what that Ministry was.

Paul's customary way was to write his letters with his own hand.  (1 Corinthians 16:21; Galatians 6:11).

Some have wondered that Paul's thorn in the flesh might have been a vision problem due to his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus in Acts 9, where he was blinded.  In Galatians 611, Paul comments about how he writes the epistle with large letters in his own hand.