Colossians 4: 7-18

Thursday, December 05, 2013   Colossians 4: 7-18

Paul is sending his letter to the Colossians with his personal messenger Onesimus, who he described as, “a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people” (Colossians 4:9a). Onesimus was the subject of Paul’s letter to Philemon who was a wealthy businessman who probably came to faith in Jesus when he heard Paul preach in Ephesus. Philemon opened his home in Colossae for a new community of faith to be established.

Onesimus was a slave owned by Philemon. He had deserted Philemon and had at some point come into contact with Paul, and like Philemon, had come to faith in Christ. Onesimus had grown in faith, and had become an important contributor to Paul’s ministry. Even so, Paul knew that true growth in Christ comes through accountability. Paul was seeking to be a peacemaker so that Philemon and Onesimus could be reconciled. Paul knew that for Philemon and Onesimus to live out the life in Christ in this manner would be a huge testimony to the community of Colossae about the authenticity of the church, and the power of Christ to change lives. What a powerful affirmation of the power of Christ that Onesimus returned to Colossae and that Paul entrusted his friend Onesimus to Philemon. While we do not know for certain what became of this reunion, we do know that in the years following this reunion, the church in the area of Colossae elected a Bishop named Onesimus. Onesimus was quite an unusual name, and though we cannot be certain, it is quite possible that the slave Onesimus became the Christian Onesimus, who then became Bishop Onesimus.

Paul also asked the church in Colossae to give his greetings to “Nympha and the church that meets in her house” (Colossians 4:15b). To be so identified makes Nympha both the householder and the head of the church that met in her house. In the passage, Colossians 3:18 - 4:1 we read Paul’s instructions about wives and husbands, and slaves and masters. When you takes those comments in context with his letter to Philemon, his love for Onesimus and that one of his colleagues was Nympha who was both a householder and the head of a church, there can be no doubt that Paul lived out his teaching,

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

In the words of our Master, “Yes, now go and do the same” (Luke 10:37).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.