Read or listen the Epistle to the Colossians chapter 4 online (ESV, Bible Gateway)

Verse 1 is contextually part of the third chapter, so we already covered it in the last chapter and will start with verse 2.

Watch and pray! – Col. 4:2-4

Speaking about the end times, Jesus urged his followers to stay alert (Mark 13:37). Vigilance is needed not only in the end times, but always, because the devil is constantly looking for ways to separate us from God (1 Peter 5:8).

Verse 2 may refer to Jesus’ frequent night-time prayers during his public ministry (Matt. 14:23). But it can just as well refer to the prayers that take place in the middle of everyday life.

Above (Col. 3:17) Paul urged the Colossians to do everything with prayer. Now Paul asks the Colossians to intercede for his ministry (verse 3). "Open a door for the word" means both that God will give opportunities to proclaim the gospel and that the understanding of the listeners would be opened to receive the gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 16:9, Eph. 6:19, and 2 Thess. 3:1). People cannot understand the gospel if the Holy Spirit does not open it to them.

In verse 4, Paul uses the Greek word “dei” which denotes divine necessity. What God wants to happen will inevitably happen, regardless of any obstacles (cf. Rev. 3:8). The prophet Jeremiah had the same "necessity to testify" – he had to proclaim God's will, even if it brought difficulties (Jer. 20:9). Paul was a prisoner precisely because of the gospel. If he had renounced Jesus, his imprisonment would have ended, too.

Grace and salt in our speech – Col. 4:5-6

Verses 2-4 could be described as "Talk to God about people!" and verses 5-6 as "Talk to people about God!" A preacher of the Gospel should prepare with prayer. If God does not "soften the ground", our proclamation will fall on a stony field (cf. the parable of the sower, Matt. 13:1-23). But prayer also changes the one praying; our smallness is revealed before God's greatness (cf. Is. 6:1-8).

Non-Christians read Christians as their first "bible"; they have been called "the fifth – and most read – gospel". Christians should therefore live in such a way that their lives are a good testimony of Jesus and the gospel.

In advising Timothy, Paul urged him to testify about Jesus "in season and out of season" (2 Tim. 4:2). Many new converts act as if Paul had written "in an appropriate and inappropriate way." They do have zeal, but perhaps not much consideration and respect for others. Many of the more mature Christians, on the other hand, think that no time or manner is appropriate for talking about Jesus. Once again, we should find a "happy medium".

Peter also urged his readers to always be ready to give a testimony about the reason for their hope (1 Peter 3:15). When we go to work, we go to do our job and not just to testify to our faith (Luther’s opinion was that doing your job well is one form of testimony, "A shoemaker is a good Christian by making good shoes.") But when God gives us an opportunity to share our faith, we should use it.

Christians have a responsibility for their neighbours – above all, whether they have heard the gospel (cf. Eze. 3:16-21).

Christians are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). That is why the testimony of Christ can also be stinging: sin is exposed. But our speech is not only "seasoned with salt" but also "gracious", i.e. proclaiming grace and the gospel.

This episode once again shows that Paul did indeed know Jesus' speeches (e.g. the Sermon on the Mount) and he refers to them in his letters, although he usually does not quote them word for word.

Paul’s messengers – Col. 4:7-9

Verses 7-8 are almost the same as Eph. 6:21-22. This suggests that the letters were perhaps written at the same time. Paul mentions two Christians who most obviously delivered the letter to the Colossians in Colossae.

Tychicus is mentioned first (verse 7). He was from Asia Minor and was among Paul's travelling companions on his last journey from Corinth to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). He was with as a representative for the Christians of Asia Minor in the group that delivered the money Paul had collected. In total, Tychicus is mentioned five times in the New Testament: Acts 20:4, Eph. 6:21, Col. 4:7, 2, Tim. 4:12, and Titus 3:12.

The other letter deliverer was Onesimus, a runaway slave who had become a Christian and whom Paul "returned" to his master Philemon in Colossae. Onesimus is the main character in the Letter to Philemon, so you can read more about him there.

Bishop Onesimus of Berea is mentioned in the letter of Church Father Ignatius to the Ephesians. Whether it is the same person remains unsolved. Ignatius mentions that the bishop was martyred, so he was faithful until death (cf. verse 9).

Paul’s companions – Col. 4:10-17

Only the Epistle to the Romans has more greetings than the Epistle to the Colossians. Both are letters to churches that Paul himself had not visited.

The first one to send greetings is Aristarchus, who was Paul's fellow prisoner (verse 10). Aristarchus was from Thessalonica. In the Ephesus riot, he was seized by the crowd while Paul was not caught (Acts 19:29). Aristarchus was with Paul both on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4) and on his sea voyage to Rome (Acts 27:2). Aristarchus is also mentioned in the Letter to Philemon (verse 24).

Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, is mentioned next (verse 10). He was from Jerusalem, and the first Christians gathered in his house (Acts 12:12). He was on Paul’s first missionary journey but left Paul and Barnabas when they moved from Cyprus to work in actual Gentile regions (Acts 12:25, 13:13). Barnabas wanted to take his cousin with them on the second missionary trip as well, but Paul did not. Then they parted ways (Acts 15:39). Now the former disagreements were forgotten, and Mark and Paul were coworkers again. According to early tradition, Mark was Peter's interpreter and the writer of the Gospel of Mark. Mark is also mentioned in the Letter to Philemon (verse 24) and in the Second Epistle to Timothy. (4:11).

Jesus Justus, mentioned in verse 11, is mentioned only in this passage. Jesus was a common Jewish male name at that time (Joshua in Hebrew, Jesus in Greek). In the style of the time, he also had a Latin name: Justus, which means "just".

There were only two Jewish Christians – Mark and Jesus Justus – who followed Paul now. The Jews began increasingly to turn their backs on Christ.

Epaphras (verse 12) was from Colossae and was probably the founder of the churches not only in Colossae but also in the neighbouring cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis. His great value is highlighted by the fact that Paul uses the title "a servant of Christ Jesus" for him, which Paul uses elsewhere only for himself (however, in Col. 1:1 Timothy receives the same title alongside Paul).

The evangelist Luke's profession – doctor – is mentioned only in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The two books constituting Luke's history work are the longest in the New Testament: the Acts of the Apostles is the longest, and the Gospel of Luke is the second longest. He is probably the only non–Jewish author of the New Testament (the author of the Letter to the Hebrews is not known, but he is probably Jewish). Luke accompanied Paul on his second and third missionary journeys (the so-called “we” sections in Acts, cf. Acts 16:10-11). Luke is also mentioned in the Letter to Philemon (verses 23-24) and in the Second Letter to Timothy (4:11).

Demas is also mentioned in the Letter to Philemon (verse 23). 2 Tim 4:10 states that Demas, "in love with this present world", left Paul and went to Thessalonica.

Verse 15 is a reminder that at first Christians gathered in each other’s homes and catacombs and other places. Only later did they start building separate church buildings.

The letters of Paul – and other New Testament writers – have survived to us because they were copied to be read at church gatherings (verse 16, cf. also 1 Thess. 5:27). Papyrus was fragile and could not withstand wear and tear. That is why only copies of copies of the New Testament writings were preserved for us from who knows how many generations back. When decisions were made on the collection of New Testament books, one criterion for including a writing was that it had been read in the churches from early on.

The Laodicean Epistle is lost (verse 16). How many of Paul's other letters have been lost is a mystery. At least two letters to Corinth have been lost, those remaining are the second and fourth (= 1 and 2 Cor.).

At that time, writing was laborious, so the correspondence between Paul and the churches was hardly very lively. It has been estimated that writing the letter to the Romans may have taken about a hundred hours.

What Archippus' ministry was, which Paul encouraged him to fulfill in verse 17, remains unclear. In letters, there are always things that only the writer and the recipient will understand. It has been suggested that Archippus may have become the leader of the church in Colossae after Epaphras and therefore Paul encouraged him. Archippus is also mentioned in the second verse of Paul’s Letter to Philemon as one of the recipients of the letter.

Hand-written signature – Col. 4:18

Paul used scribes to write his letters. This time the name of the scribe is not mentioned, but as usual, Paul's handwritten verification and signature are at the end of the letter (cf. 1 Cor. 16:21, Gal. 6:11, and 2 Thess. 3:17). The actual final greeting at the end is exceptionally short.