shadmans Musings  

  (7) As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. (8) For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; (9) and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here. (10) Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); (11) and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. (12) Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. (13) For I t...

            (2) Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; (3) praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; (4) that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.           (5) Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. (6) Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. (Col 4:2-6) There are two aspects within these verses, the obvious one is about prayer and the other is about our speech. In this section, Paul calls upon the Colossians to put on a lifestyle of prayer and to be on their guard to demonstrate proper conduct to those around them. In the words of commentator, R. C. Lucas, this section “... turns the believers’ atte...

  (22) Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. (23) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. (25) For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. (1) Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. (Col 3:22-4:1) Paul finished off this section of Colossians by discussing the relationship between the master and the slave or servant. Some commentators equate slaves or servants, and masters as employee and employer, slaves had fewer rights than employees and masters could be much more abusive than employers. Slaves did not have the right to quit. But it was nothing like the slavery found in th...