Colossians 1:1

ἀπόστολος … διὰ θελ. Θεοῦ. The reference to his apostleship is not due to any attack on his apostolic authority or teaching, as in the case of the Epistles to the Galatians or Corinthians, but, as in the Epistle to the Romans, to the fact that he was unknown to those to whom he was writing. Similarly reference is made to it in the Epistle to the Ephesians, the letter being sent to Churches, to some of which, probably, Paul was unknown. In writing to the Macedonian Churches it is not mentioned, for they had been founded by him and remained loyal. Τιμόθεος : included in the salutations in Thess., 2 Cor., Phil. and Philm. He would be known by name to the Colossians as Paul's companion, but probably not personally. Ramsay's conjecture (also put forward by Valroger) that he may have founded the Church is unsupported and improbable (see Colossians 1:7), while Ewald's view that he wrote the bulk of the Epistle, after consultation with Paul, has nothing to recommend it, and is open to serious objections. ὁ ἀδελφός is added to balance ἀπόστολος, and has no reference, as Chrysostom thought, to Timothy's official position.