Colossians 4:1-18 - Grace and Greetings

Colossians 4:1-18 

1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Christian Graces

2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Final Greetings (Eph. 6:21, 22)

7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.

Closing Exhortations and Blessing

16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

18 This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.

This book ends with the usual benediction offering prayers for grace and warm greetings of fellowship in Christ Jesus.  The first verse seems to be part of the previous paragraph but also flows into this passage, transitioning from treating servants fairly with the realization that masters of all kinds have a higher Master in heaven who is our Lord God.  This is applicable to those employers who should treat their workers justly without favoritism or discrimination or any overbearing treatment.  If we want to be treated well by the Lord in grace and mercy, then we need to do the same to those under our leadership or employ.  This applies spiritually in the body (James 2:8-9) as well as in the workplace.  May we then be just and fair as we desire to be treated as we also anticipate mercy and grace for what we do not deserve.  We are then encouraged to thankfully pray, earnestly and vigilantly, steadfast and watchful against attitudes and actions which we need to avoid as we put them off and put on godliness in their place.  The prayer most desired by the apostle was to have doors of situations and hearts opened by God for him to bear witness to the gospel that those who are called may hear and turn from sin to Him in repentance and faith to be saved from this perverse generation (Acts 2:40, Philippians 2:15) just as he had been delivered, along with all of us who are now in Christ.  This is a worthy prayer mission that is a godly habit, that we pray for one another to find entrance of the gospel we bear into the hearts and minds of those we are brought before as we go in life as led by God and His Spirit in us.  As we go we also should live wisely and not disgrace the testimony of the Lord (1 Peter 3:15-16, 17) with ungodly conduct, but in humble mind bring hope to the lost and dying.  Suffering for God in doing good is a proper testimony while doing evil is being offensive to God and man and hinders the message of forgiveness and deliverance from sin.  Our speech should therefore answer the questions and attacks alike with grace as salt gives flavor to food.  This is the grace of this passage.  The greetings follow the news of the ministry of the gospel as the apostle calls out specific names of co-laborers who synergistically worked alongside Paul in the gospel.  They shared the work God was doing in each other for encouragement and joy in what the Lord was doing, just as we should be pursuing as well in serving the Lord.  These mentioned here brought comfort and labored wholeheartedly in prayer for all the churches.  They worked for the spiritual growth of the disciples as the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) commands in making followers though conversion by the gospel message and growing sanctification through teaching all things from the scriptures.  This is our mandated pattern of grace and greeting as well as we read these letters of God’s love and call to Him through each of us as it teaches us through Grace and Greetings how to be good witnesses of the Grace of God in the gospel we bring!