Useful Bible Studies > Colossians Commentary > chapter 4

Exciting news for Colosse’s Christians

Colossians 4:7-9

Paul has the most wonderful and exciting news for the Christians in Colosse. It is more wonderful than anything that they can imagine. However, God will have to act very powerfully for it to happen, so it needs much prayer.

Perhaps for those reasons, Paul chooses not to share this great news in his letter. Instead, Tychicus, who took the letter to Colosse, will explain everything.

We know what Paul’s news was from Philemon 22. Paul wrote to Philemon at the same time as he wrote the Book of Colossians; Philemon lived near Colosse (compare Colossians 4:9 with Philemon 8-16).

This was Paul’s news: for the last 2 years, Paul had been a prisoner in Rome. Now, however, he had reason to believe that he soon would be free again. Paul had always intended, after his time in Rome, to declare God’s message in some place where people had not heard it. Formerly, he thought that God might send him to Spain to do that (Romans 15:20-24). Now, however, God had shown him that there was such an opportunity in the region round Colosse. Paul had never before been there (2:1). However, during his time as a prisoner, he would have learned much about the region from Onesimus (Colossians 4:9 and Philemon 10-12). Also, Paul was praying for the people of that region with Epaphras, who had established two or three churches there (1:6-7; 4:11-13).

In addition, Paul knew Philemon, Onesimus’s master; and there was an opportunity for Paul to stay at his house for some time.

So, now we see the real reason for Paul’s letter to Colosse. It was to prepare the Christians there for a possible visit by Paul.

Next part: Greetings from the Jewish Christians with Paul in Rome (Colossians 4:10-11)

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© 2019, Keith Simons.