COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:1 TREAT YOUR BONDSERVANTS JUSTLY AND FAIRLY. Paul does not approve of the Roman system of servitude. Instead, he provides instructions to believing masters and servants regarding their relationship to each other in the Lord (see note on Eph. 6:5). On bondservants, see... [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:3 THAT GOD MAY OPEN TO US A DOOR FOR THE WORD. Paul asks the Colossians to pray that he will have opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). TO DECLARE THE MYSTERY. See note on Col. 1:26–27. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:5 SEASONED WITH SALT. Compare Matthew 5:13. The metaphor suggests giving a powerful and attractive testimony to non-Christians. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:7 Personal Greetings and Instructions. After praising the “letter carriers,” Paul sends greetings from the ministry associates who are with him during his imprisonment. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:9 ONESIMUS. This was Philemon’s converted bondservant (see notes on Philemon). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:10 MARK THE COUSIN OF BARNABAS. This is the same person as “John Mark.” He went with Paul on his first missionary journey, but suddenly left (Acts 13:13). Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement about taking him again (Acts 15:39). Paul’s view of Mark has changed, probab... [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:13 IN LAODICEA AND IN HIERAPOLIS. Towns near Colossae in the Lycus Valley (on Laodicea, see Colossians 2:1). Both churches had close relationships with the church at Colossae. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, i... [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:14 LUKE THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN is the same Luke who wrote Luke and Acts 1:1 (see 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24). He went with Paul on some of his journeys. He was apparently with Paul during his imprisonments in Caesarea and Rome. Since Luke is not identified among “th... [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:15 NYMPHA AND THE CHURCH IN HER HOUSE. On house churches, see note on 1 Cor. 16:19. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:16 WHEN THIS LETTER HAS BEEN READ AMONG YOU. Public reading in the churches points to the authority of Paul’s letters. It also assumes they were written to be understood by ordinary believers. THE LETTER FROM LAODICEA probably refers to a letter Paul wrote to Laodicea... [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:17 ARCHIPPUS may have been the son of Philemon and Apphia (see Philemon 1:2). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
COLOSSIANS—NOTE ON COLOSSIANS 4:18 Closing. Paul ends his letter by asking the Colossian Christians to pray for him. I, PAUL, WRITE THIS GREETING WITH MY OWN HAND. Timothy has probably been Paul’s secretary to this point (see Colossians 1:1). Paul now signs the letter personally (compare 1 Corinthia... [ Continue Reading ]