Bible Study Notes On Colossians Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bible Text

Notes and Thoughts

1 ¶ Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equitable, knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven.
2 ¶ Continue in prayer and watch therein with thanksgiving,
3 besides praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 ¶ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outsiders, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
7 ¶ Tychicus, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord, shall declare unto you all my circumstances.
8 I have sent him unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your state and comfort your hearts,
9 and with him Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner salute you, and also Mark, Barnabas’ sister’s son (concerning whom ye received instructions that if he come unto you, receive him),
11 and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the Circumcision. These only are my fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, who have been a comfort unto me.
12 Epaphras, a servant of Christ who is one of you, salute you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13 For I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you and for those who are in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.
14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.
15 Salute the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church which is in his house.
16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
17 And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it."
18 The salutation by the hand of me, Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

The old life and new life continued.
v1 Paul reminds the master to be fair as they will be judged by their Master in heaven. See Col 3 notes.1 Cor 7:22.
v2-6 Use of speach and dangers.
God gave us the power of speech and we should use it for His glory. But speech can be dangerous, James 3:1 1ff.
Paul list four ways of using speech.
v2-3 Praying.
Prayer and worship are wonderful uses of speech. Paul felt the need of prayer and we must be faithful in prayer. Acts 1:14; Acts 2:46; 1 Thess 5:17. Remember God does not always answer the way we want or He may not answer at all if your request is not according to His Will. 1 John 5:14-15 Prayer should be thankful. Phil 4:6.
v3-4 Telling the Word.
Open the doors to the Gospel. Even when in prison Paul spread the message to all who saw him, guards, Caesars household etc. Phil 4:22; Acts 6:4.
v5-6 Telling the lost.
Those "outsiders" of God’s family need the message. Our behaviour can destroy all we may say, so how we live and speak go together, they must be full of grace. Neither must we miss the opportunities "redeeming the time" Eph 5:16. 1 Thess 4:12; 1 Tim 3:7; 2 Cor 4:2-4; Speak as Jesus. Luke 4:22.
"Seasoned with salt," salt was used to preserve, stop corruption. Eph 4:29.
v7-9 Workers together.
A list of people sharing the burden with Paul, they also were to deliver some of his letters to the churches. Eph 6:21; Titus 3:12; 2 Tim 4:12.
v16 It is believed that this epistle may have been Ephesians.
v10-18 Personal greetings.
Information on the people:
Aristarchus: Col 4:10; Acts 19:28-41; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2.
John Mark: Acts 12:12; Acts 13:5-13; Acts 15:36-41; 2 Tim 4:11. He failed at first but grew in the Lord and Paul needed his presence with him.
Jesus Justus: Col 4:11.
Epapharas: Col 4:12.
Luke: Col 4:14 A very important person in the early church, a Gentile physician greatly loved by Paul, chosen by God to write Luke and Acts. Paul appears to have joined the missionary team at Troas, Act 16:10,"us / we" appears in the text from then on. Acts 20:5ff; Acts 27:1ff.
Demas: 2 Tim 4:10,11.
v18 Paul confirms that it is from him, after dictating the letter, with a greeting in his own hand.

Easy English Translation

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The Letter to the Colossians