Colossians 4:7-11
Paul wrote the letter to the Colossian believers from his prison cell in Rome. He sends Tychicus to tell them how things are going there in Rome. Notice that Paul calls him a beloved brother, faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I want to be called that as well and you should too.
Now Onesimus is also traveling with Tychicus, He is an interesting personality as well. We find him mentioned in Paul’s letter to Philemon. He was Philemon’s slave who had run away to Rome where he encountered Paul and was saved as a result of that encounter. Paul is now sending him back to Philemon to fulfill his duty as a slave and as a fellow brother in Christ. He is probably carrying Paul’s letter to Philemon with him as he goes which asks Philemon to reinstate his position when he returns. Paul also calls him a faithful and beloved brother.
Paul then sends greetings from Aristarchus, a fellow prisoner with him there in Rome. He also commends Mark, the cousin of Barnabas and asks them to welcome him if he should happen to come to them as well. Somewhere along the way the relationship between Paul and Mark must have changed from the dispute over his desertion that occurs in Acts 15:38 where Barnabas and Paul split up into two missionary teams. Paul now calls Mark profitable for the ministry
(2 Timothy 4:11) and asks Timothy to bring him with as he wanted to see both of them before he died. Next Paul mentions Justus a Jewish man. These are all the ones whom Paul says have been a genuine comfort to him. Paul still remains joyful and encouraged by the faithful men God had given him while he sat in a dark prison in Rome. I believe at the point of this writing his death at the hands of the wicked king Nero was not far off. Do we fall into any of these categories? Can we too be counted faithful as this list of faithful men?
Now Onesimus is also traveling with Tychicus, He is an interesting personality as well. We find him mentioned in Paul’s letter to Philemon. He was Philemon’s slave who had run away to Rome where he encountered Paul and was saved as a result of that encounter. Paul is now sending him back to Philemon to fulfill his duty as a slave and as a fellow brother in Christ. He is probably carrying Paul’s letter to Philemon with him as he goes which asks Philemon to reinstate his position when he returns. Paul also calls him a faithful and beloved brother.
Paul then sends greetings from Aristarchus, a fellow prisoner with him there in Rome. He also commends Mark, the cousin of Barnabas and asks them to welcome him if he should happen to come to them as well. Somewhere along the way the relationship between Paul and Mark must have changed from the dispute over his desertion that occurs in Acts 15:38 where Barnabas and Paul split up into two missionary teams. Paul now calls Mark profitable for the ministry
(2 Timothy 4:11) and asks Timothy to bring him with as he wanted to see both of them before he died. Next Paul mentions Justus a Jewish man. These are all the ones whom Paul says have been a genuine comfort to him. Paul still remains joyful and encouraged by the faithful men God had given him while he sat in a dark prison in Rome. I believe at the point of this writing his death at the hands of the wicked king Nero was not far off. Do we fall into any of these categories? Can we too be counted faithful as this list of faithful men?
