This is Part 15 of a 15 part Bible Study on the book of Colossians.
Compiled and written by Norma Becker – a true woman of God and God’s word.
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Part 15 – Friendships
Christian friends are wonderful – especially those who stand by you in time of trouble. Paul was in prison awaiting trial for proclaiming the Gospel. It was always dangerous to be a prisoner’s friend. It took courage to visit Paul and to show that you were on the same side. Let’s look at some of the people he mentions:
“Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts” (Colossians 4:7-8).
The book of Titus tells of Tychicus being sent on a mission to Crete. In the book of Timothy he is sent to Ephesus. Now, he is being sent to Colossi to deliver the letter and to encourage them.
Can you imagine – here Paul is in prison and things must have been pretty grim, but he wants to cheer them up by telling how well things are going. Paul never complained.
Verse 9:
“He (Tychicus) is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.”
Onesimus was a runaway slave who had belonged to Philemon who lived in Colossae. After Onesimus had stolen some money from Philemon and had run away, he met Paul and was converted. After he became a Christian he ministered to Paul as a servant. Paul would have liked to keep Onesimus but he returned him to Philemon when Tychicus was delivering the letter to Colossi.
Onesimus was the subject of the letter Paul wrote to Philemon – it comes right after Titus in the New Testament. He tells of Onesimus’ conversion to Christ and he asks Philemon to take him back as a Christian brother, not as a slave. Paul said he would pay whatever Onesimus owed Philemon.
How do you think Onesimus must have felt as he left to return to his master? He was still subject to his master and as a runaway slave there was a death sentence hanging over his head.
Read verses 10-11:
“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.) Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.”
Aristarchus had been with Paul in Ephesus when there was a riot against them. (Acts 19:29) Paul had escaped but Aristarchus had been grabbed by the mob but apparently had been turned loose. Later in Acts it tells of him continuing with Paul on his third missionary journey.
Again, in Acts 27:2, Paul has been arrested and is being sent to Rome and Aristarchus is with him. Now in Rome, he is in prison with Paul. That is true friendship.
Then there is Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. He was such a close friend of Peter that Peter even called him his son in 1 Peter. Mark’s gospel is Marks setting down the preaching material of Peter.
When Mark was quite young he had gone on Paul’s first missionary journey because his cousin Barnabas was going too. In the middle of the journey, when things became difficult, for some reason Mark quit and went home. (Acts 13:13) Paul had a hard time forgetting this. When they were about to set out on the second journey, Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them again; however, Paul refused and he and Barnabas parted company and never worked together again.
We don’t know what happened in later years but now he is with Paul in his last imprisonment and is an active helper. (Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11)
The Jews, as a whole, were against Christianity in general but some of the Jewish converts to Christianity were against Paul because he preached that Gentiles didn’t have to become “Jewish Christians” to be good Christians. They did not have to keep the Jewish laws too. But Aristarchus, Mark and Joshua stood by him:
“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. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis” (Colossians 4:12-14).
Epaphras was a native of Colossae and the founder of the Colossian church. He had come to Rome to bring Paul news of the church at Colossae and also the churches in the neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul gives Epaphras a great commendation when he tells the Colossians how Epaphras prays for them and how hard he works for them.
“Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings” (Colossians 4:14).
Luke had stuck by Paul from the beginning, accompanied him on most of his third missionary journey, was with him now and stayed with him until the end. In 2 Timothy, at the very end of Paul’s life, while in prison in Rome, he writes, “Only Luke is with me.”
As well as a doctor, Luke must have been a writer and historian too. In his gospel he tells of the character, career, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. In the book of the Acts of the Apostles he tells of the rise of Christianity and then chronicles Paul’s missionary activities.
As for Demas, in Philemon he worked for the Lord along with the rest of the people. Something happened in the next five years and in 2 Timothy 4:10 it says:
“For Demas fell in love with this present world and has deserted me.”
When it comes to doing the Lord’s work we can either be a Luke or a Demas.
“Give my greetings to the brothers 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” (Colossians 4:15-18).
Church Life in the First Century
These verses show some interesting information about church life in the first century:
First it shows how they gathered in homes for their meetings. It wasn’t until the late third century that Christians began meeting in places especially set aside for worship. In fact it was illegal until then.
Second, it shows that the churches had fellowship with each other. Paul wanted his letter to Colossae to be read in other churches. He wanted all of his letter to the different churches to be passed around.
“Tell Archippus: See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord” (Colossians 4:17).
Coming to the End
Now Paul comes to the end of his letter to the church in Colossae that was under pressure from the false teachers who were destroying faith in Christ by undermining Christ’s humanity and divinity.
He told them that Christ alone is the source for their spiritual life – the head of the body of believers. Christ is Lord of both the physical and spiritual worlds. He let them know that the way to deeper spiritual life was not through religious duties, special knowledge or secrets; it was only through a close connection with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as he said in the beginning, “May God our Father give you grace and peace” the letter ends with a prayer for grace, “May God’s grace be with you.”
Only God’s grace could strengthen them against the false teaching and keep them true to the gospel they had received.
It is the same way with us.
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