Colossians 4:11

Ἰησοῦς : otherwise unknown to us. Zahn has well pointed out that the mention of this name, in addition to those mentioned in Philemon, creates difficulties for the impugners of the authenticity. If Philemon was authentic why should an imitator venture to add an unknown person, and especially to give him the name Jesus, that so soon became sacred among Christians? If not authentic, why should he not have copied himself? οἱ ὄντες ἐκ περιτομῆς : to be taken with the following words, in spite of the awkwardness of the construction. What is meant is that these are the only ones of the circumcision who have been a help to him. If a stop is placed at περ., we get the sense that these who have just been mentioned are his only fellow-workers, which is not true. Aristarchus is probably not included, for he went as one of the deputation sent by the Gentile Christians with the collection for the Church at Jerusalem. οὗτοι μόνοι : for the attitude of Jewish Christians in Rome towards Paul cf. Philippians 1:15-17; Philippians 2:19-24. This is more natural in a letter from Rome than from Cæsarea. βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. The phrase is intentionally chosen; the Jews were devoted to the kingdom; Paul should have found in the Jewish Christians his best helpers. ἐγενήθησαν : the aorist seems to point to some special incident.