Bible Commentaries
Colossians 4

Verses 1-18

17 We should always distinguish between our place "in Christ " and "in the Lord". "In Christ " physical distinctions vanish, even the distinction between the sexes is gone. There is neither male nor female ( Gal_3:28 ). But "in the Lord " these are all recognized and regulated. Let us never base conduct on our place in Christ , it is in the Lord . Service is to the Lord, not to Christ. In the Lord, woman is subject, in Christ, she is the equal of the man.

18 The ideal family is characterized by love on the part of the husband, which smoothes the way for subjection on the part of the wife and obedience on the part of the children. It is a sign of the last days that children no longer heed this injunction ( 2Ti_3:2 ).

22 As slavery is almost a thing of the past, these injunctions may well be the guide of those whose service is voluntary rather than compulsory. It is a marvelous help to look beyond all earthly masters and work for One above. Our employer may be hard to please, or unjust, or harsh, not giving proper compensation, but if we become the slave of Christ our work will be sincerely done and we will look to Him for appreciation and due deserts. On the other hand we will be restrained from injurious acts by the fear of Him in that day.

1 Masters, too, by remembering that they are His slaves, will deal justly with those who serve them.

2 The great burden on the apostle's heart at this time was the transcendent revelation of Christ and His secret glories, which had been committed to him. Why did he publish his message when he was a prisoner at the court of Rome? God's ways are not our ways. If the apostle had been free he would probably have proclaimed Christ's universal dignities by word of mouth. Being bound, he committed his message to writing, a method which has been immeasurably more effective.

7 Tychicus is well named, for who ever had a better "chance" than the bearer of this epistle as well as the letter to the Ephesians? ( Eph_6:21 ). The spiritual wealth with which he was entrusted passes our utmost comprehension.

10 The mention of Mark is another affectionate touch. Barnabas and Saul brought him from Jerusalem to Antioch ( Act_12:25 ) and took him with them on their first missionary journey, but he forsook them and returned to Jerusalem ( Act_13:13 ). For this Paul refused to take him the next time, causing the separation of Paul and Barnabas ( Act_15:37-40 ). But Mark has been drinking deeply of grace . He no longer is prejudiced against the uncircumcision. Paul tells Timothy "he is useful for the service" ( 2Ti_-4:11 ). Now he makes sure that his friends receive him. And this man, whose service was so unsatisfactory, is the one chosen by God to write the account of the perfect Servant!

10 Aristarchus, Mark and Justus were once members of the circumcision body who are now joined to the uncircumcision. They had proclaimed the kingdom. Here we have the point of contact between these two companies. The course of the Circumcision is traced in the epistle to the Hebrews.

12 Epaphras seems to have been the principal teacher in the Colossian ecclesia ( Col_1:7 ) through whom they learned the grace of God. How effectively that grace wrought in his own heart is evident by his prayers and anguish while absent from them. His great concern was that they should be mature and complete in all the will of God. How rare are such saints in these days!

16 It is likely that the Laodicean epistle here referred to is the same as that now called the epistle to the Ephesians. It has the character of a circular letter, copies of which were sent to various ecclesias.

18 The epistle was probably penned by a professional scribe, but the apostle appended the greeting with his own hand.