Colossians 4 · The Lantern

Masters, give to your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Thou shalt not enjoin aught in thy bitterness upon thy bondman or maidservant, who hope in the same God, lest ever they shall fear not God who is over both; for he cometh not to call according to the outward appearance, but unto them whom the Spirit hath prepared.

What does "due" mean? It means to reward them for their labors, to supply everything in abundance, and not to allow them to be in need of outside help. You should not, after having heard that they have a reward from God, deprive them on your part of what they ought to have from you. As they have you, so you too have the Lord.

Next, Paul shows how masters should treat their slaves. He does two things: first, he gives his instructions, secondly, the reason for them. There are two ways a master can oppress his slaves. First, by acting unjustly against them by violating the laws, for according to the laws a master cannot be cruel to his slaves.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Also praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains:

For that the knowledge does not appertain to all, he expressly adds: "Being knit together in love, and unto all the riches of the full assurance of knowledge, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God in Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge." "Continue in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving." And thanksgiving has place not for the soul a…

This whoso hath held fast, hath made no heresy; this whoso hath held fast, hath made no schism. For whence came schisms? When men say, "we" are righteous, when men say, "we" sanctify the unclean, "we" justify the ungodly; "we" ask, "we" obtain. But what saith John?

Next, Paul asks them to pray for him, saying, and pray for us also, because subjects should pray for their prelates; for their prelates watch over them, and the welfare of the prelates affects all of their subjects: "Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph" (2 Thess 3:1).

That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, making the most of the time.

For it is necessary for us to walk among unbelievers and engage in conversations for the sake of worldly conversation. This is what it reminds us, that our conversation should be with wisdom itself because of the offense of the Gentiles, so that they may not take an opportunity to blaspheme through us and be stirred up to persecute.

What the Lord said: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matt. 10:16), the same thing he now says as well: be cautious and do not give outsiders any cause against you, if they do no harm to you, and do not offend them untimely.

Then he shows how they should act towards outsiders: first, as to their manner of life; secondly, in what they say (v. 6). Paul says, conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, that is, unbelievers. And do so wisely, with wisdom: "For God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom" (Wis 7:28).

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.

Let your conversation always be temperate and modest, and seasoned with religion as with salt. And, further, let there be no jealousy among you or contentiousness, which might bring you into all manner of confusion and division, and thus also make you objects of aversion to Christ and to the emperor, and lead you into the deepest abomination, so that not one stone of your build…

A hermit said to a brother, 'Do not measure yourself against your brother, saying that you are more serious or more chaste or more understanding than he is. But be obedient to the grace of God, in the spirit of poverty, and in love unfeigned. The efforts of a man swollen with vanity are futile. It is written, "Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor.

Paul also instructs them as to their speech. First, it should be gracious; and so he says, let your speech always be gracious; "A gracious tongue multiplies courtesies" (Sir 6:5). Secondly, it should be considerate; and so he says, seasoned with salt.

All my circumstances shall Tychicus declare to you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord:

And they have sent him with the purpose of making their affairs known to you and to be informed of what is happening with you. Although he says above that he is present with them in spirit and sees what they are doing, messengers are still necessary.

And this testifies to Paul's wisdom. He includes in his epistles not everything, but only what is necessary and urgently needed — and this because, first, he did not want to make them too lengthy; second, so that the one departing with the epistle would also have something to relate; third, he shows how well disposed he himself is toward him, because otherwise he would not have…

Next, Paul tells them about some others. First, about those whom he is sending to them; and secondly, about those who are staying with him (v. 10). Paul is sending to them a representative, whom he now describes in three ways.

Whom I have sent to you for the same purpose, that he might know your circumstances, and comfort your hearts;

Here he shows his great love, seeing that for this purpose he sent him, and this was the cause of his journey; and so when writing to the Thessalonians, he said, "Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, and sent Timothy our brother." (1 Thess. iii.

Here the apostle shows his love for them, since he indeed sent him for the purpose of learning about their affairs, and not for the purpose of informing them about his own; besides that, also for the purpose of comforting them. He also points out that they are in trials and are in need of consolation.

Why is Tychicus being sent? To learn the condition of the faithful. "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock; and bring me word again" (Gen 37:14); "See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them" (1 Sam 17:18).

With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known to you all things which are done here.

Onesimus is the one about whom, writing to Philemon, he said, "Whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the Gospel: but without thy mind I would do nothing." (Philem. 13, 14.) And he adds too the praise of their city, that they might not only not be ashamed, but even pride themselves on him.

Onesimus is the slave of Philemon. What honor and what respect he attained, so that he is called a brother of Paul. And Paul is not ashamed to call himself a brother of a slave. Further, in praise of their city he adds: "who is from you," so that they too would consider it an honor for themselves that they produced such a man.

Then he mentions his companion, and with him Onesimus. These two will tell you of everything that has taken place here; they will relate what you are doing to me for correction, and tell you what I am doing so you may have an example.

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, cousin to Barnabas, (concerning whom you received commandments: if he come to you, receive him;)

And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers to the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort to me.

"Who are of the circumcision." He represseth the swelling pride of the Jews, and inspiriteth the souls of these, [the Colossians,] because few of them were of the circumcision, the greater number of the Gentiles. "Men that have been," he saith, "a comfort unto me." He shows himself to be set in the midst of great trials. So that neither is this a small thing.

Perhaps this was a Corinthian. Having expressed fitting approval for each one individually, the apostle now offers a common praise; for at that time it seemed a great thing to be from among the Jews.

And Jesus who is called Justus; he was a holy man, and so was called "Justus" [the Just]. These are the only men of the circumcision, sent to preach the Good News of Christ: "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice" (Phil 1:18). Thus he mentions the Gentiles first, and then the Jews.

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, greets you, always wrestling for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

As at the beginning of the epistle, so also now he commends him, so that, as one who loves them, they would love him in return, and would willingly listen to him when he teaches anything. And that the teacher is a man worthy of respect is beneficial also for the students, since they will more readily believe his words.

Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, because he was an Asian. Their wish for the Colossians is "that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (Jas 1:4); that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God, that is, in all things relating to the will of God.

For I testify about him, that he has a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

That he was not merely a follower, but also a fellow-labourer of the apostles, but especially of Paul, Paul has himself declared also in the Epistles, saying: "Demas hath forsaken me, ... and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me." From this he shows that he was always attached to and inseparable from him.

Luke is the evangelist, for whom it is no small praise to be beloved by Paul. He mentions him after Epaphras — not because he wished to demean him, but because he desired to exalt Epaphras before his fellow citizens. Undoubtedly, there were also others who bore this name. Demas, as can be seen, had not yet abandoned the teacher.

Then he mentions Luke, who it seems, was not Jewish by birth, because he was from Antioch, and a physician. He singles him out because he had great authority in the Church because of the Gospel he wrote while the Apostle was still alive. He also mentions Demas.

Greet the brothers which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

And when this letter is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you likewise read the letter from Laodicea.

Of Crete, Titus. Of Athens, Dionysius. Of Tripoli in Phoenicia, Marathones. Of Laodicea in Phrygia, Archippus.

It seems to me that something was written here that the Laodiceans also needed to hear; and they, in turn, needed to learn what was written in that epistle. There is much more benefit when, from a rebuke directed against others, they learn of their own shortcomings. What then was this epistle from Laodicea? The First Epistle to Timothy: it was written from Laodicea.

We can see from what he says, see that you read also the letter from Laodicea, that Paul wrote other letters: the one to the Laodiceans mentioned here, and another to the Corinthians, besides the first and second, because in 1 Corinthians (5:9) he says: "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men." There are two reasons why they are not in the canon: either t…

And say to Archippus, See to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.

"And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it." Wherefore doth he not write to him? Perhaps he needed it not, but only a bare reminding, so as to be more diligent. "And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord." His chief aim is to subject them to him entirely.

Why does he not write to him? It is likely that he did not need a lengthy epistle; for him, one brief reminder was sufficient. This is everywhere the voice of one who warns, as for example: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy" (Col. 2:8).

And say to Archippus. He was their prelate, and he tells them to warn him: see that you fulfil the ministry which you have received in the Lord: "Fulfil your ministry" (2 Tim 4:5). One is said to fulfil his ministry when he does that for which he received it. Still, it does not seem proper for those in a congregation to warn their own prelate (Ex 19:24).

The greeting by the hand of me Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.

Philo and Agathopus the deacons salute you. I salute the company of virgins, and the order of widows; of whom may I have joy! I salute the people of the Lord, from the least unto the greatest. I have sent you this letter through Euphanius the reader, a man honoured of God, and very faithful, happening to meet with him at Rhegium, just as he was going on board ship.

Remember me, who am in bonds and condemned. And the very best consolation for them is to remember Paul the prisoner in every affliction. When grace is present in you, whether you have afflictions or endure bonds, nothing of the sort will overcome you, since even being bound is a matter of grace.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. It was the Apostle's practice to have someone else write the entire letter, and at the end of it he would write something in his own hand, as in 2 Thessalonians (3:17): "I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand." He does the same here, so that they will not be deceived.

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