Chapter Four
Col. 4:1. Masters, render to your servants that which is just and equal,
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.
Col. 4:1. Knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
As they have you, so you too have the Lord. Therefore, "with what measure you mete" to your servants, "it shall be measured to you" by your Lord (Matt. 7:2). Or, know that together with them you too have a Lord, so that you ought to treat them as fellow servants. The Apostle, thus, makes servitude here a common thing.
Col. 4:2. Be steadfast in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
The devil knows how great a good prayer is, and he attempts in every way to make us recoil from it. Therefore Paul says: "continue in it" (προσκαρτερεΐτε — sit close to it, labor over it). And since one who sits close to prayer is often attacked by laziness and slackness, he added: "watching," that is, being sober, always remaining intent upon the work of prayer. But also "with thanksgiving," that is, he teaches us to offer it with thanksgiving. For that prayer is truly genuine which contains thanksgiving for all benefactions known to us and unknown, both for what brought us joy and for what was accompanied by sorrow — for all benefactions in general.
Col. 4:3. Pray also for us,
Look, what humility; even Paul himself needs their prayers.
Col. 4:3. That God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,
Col. 4:4. That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
That is, that He would give me freedom, not so that I might be free from bonds, but so that I might speak the mystery of Christ as I ought to speak, that is, without pretense or evasion. But in what way, being bound, does he implore and ask others to deliver him from what he already has? By this he expresses not only his humility, but also shows the power of brotherly prayer. And he had need of help from above, which the prayer of the brethren could furnish him in greater measure. By this same word he also wished to lead them into the labor of prayer. For if prayer is needed for him, how much more for themselves.
Col. 4:5. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside,
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. For such ones are without, that is, they are not our own, not of the same fold as us; although they live in the same world as us, they are nevertheless without, being far both from the Church and from the Kingdom of God. Therefore one should deal with them prudently. As for one's own neighbors, in dealing with them such caution is not required. He also encourages them by calling the Greeks outsiders.
Col. 4:5. Making use of the time.
He said this not because he wanted us to be fickle and hypocritical, but because the time is not ours, but theirs. And you can make it yours as well, if you deal with them prudently, do not start inappropriate quarrels, but on the contrary, render them due honor when this does not harm your soul. Listen to his words spoken to Agrippa: "I think myself happy, that I shall answer for myself this day before thee" (Acts 26:2). In this way, we will make strangers our own as well, drawing them to the preaching through gentleness.
Col. 4:6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,
Let your word, he says, be pleasant; however, let it not fall into indiscriminateness and licentiousness, but let it also be restrained. For this is what "salt" means. Let it be neither excessively cheerful nor excessively severe. Just as food, if unsalted, is unpleasant, and if over-salted, one cannot even put it in one's mouth, and in both cases it is inedible, so it is with speech. Do you not remember how Daniel healed with his word an ungodly man? Do you not see how the three youths as well, showing such courage and boldness, did not utter a single harsh or insulting word? For boldness in speech is not a sign of courage, but a sign of vainglory.
Col. 4:6. "so that you may know how to answer each person."
One way with the rich, another way with the poor. The rich man's soul, being feeble, has need of greater condescension; while the poor man's soul is stronger, so it can bear it if you treat him somewhat more harshly. When there is no necessity, do not call a Greek unclean and do not reproach him. If you are brought before a person in authority, render him due honor. But when you are asked about Greek beliefs, speak without fear that they are unclean and impious. Thus Paul in Athens speaks favorably (Acts 17:22) about paganism, pointing out what is good in it; yet he directly rebuked Elymas, because he deserved it (Acts 13:10).
Col. 4:7. Tychicus will tell you all about me,
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 entrusted him with such confidence. Finally, there was something that did not need to be declared in writing.
Col. 4:7. Beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord,
If he is beloved, then he knew everything; if he is faithful, then he will lie in nothing; if he is a fellow worker, then he shared in the trials.
Col. 4:8. whom I sent to you for this very purpose, that he might learn of your circumstances and comfort your hearts,