Colossians 1:7

1:1-8 All true Christians are brethren one to another. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the Christian life. Faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces in the Christian life, and proper matter for prayer and thanksgiving. The more we fix our hopes on the reward in the other world, the more free shall we be in doing good with our earthly treasure. It was treasured up for them, no enemy could deprive them of it. The gospel is the word of truth, and we may safely venture our souls upon it. And all who hear the word of the gospel, ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, obey it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it. Worldly love arises, either from views of interest or from likeness in manners; carnal love, from the appetite for pleasure. To these, something corrupt, selfish, and base always cleaves. But Christian love arises from the Holy Spirit, and is full of holiness.

Colossians 1:7 . Καθὼς , even as ) Paul thus confirms and approves the doctrine of Epaphras, which perhaps some had despised. It was Paul’s duty to write rather than Epaphras.— ἡμῶν , our ) Paul and Timothy.— ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ) for you, on your account .— ἀγάπην ἑν Πνεύματι , love in the Spirit ) Love, the fruit of the Spirit; spiritual love; comp. Colossians 1:9 , at the end.

(7) Ye also learned of Epaphras. —Of Epaphras we know nothing, except what we gather from this passage, and from Colossians 4:12 ; Philemon 1:23 . The name is a shortened form of Epaphroditus, but it is most unlikely that he is the same as the Epaphroditus of Philippians 2:25 ; Philippians 4:18 . Being, it seems, a native of Colossæ itself, he was apparently its first evangelist, and is afterwards described as feeling some responsibility for it and its neighbouring cities, Laodicea and Hierapolis ( Colossians 4:13 ). His work could not have been transient, for under him the Colossians are said not only to have “heard,” but also to have “known” (come to know perfectly) “the grace of God.” St. Paul here gives emphatic testimony to his faithfulness, and to his preaching to them “in truth.” That he was, then or afterwards. Bishop of Colossæ is probably a mere guess of tradition. But he may have had some such charge as that which was afterwards more formally committed to Timothy at Ephesus, and Titus in Crete. At this time, however, he remained with St. Paul ( Colossians 4:12-13 ), and apparently shared his captivity, for he is called (in Philemon 1:23 ) his “fellow-prisoner.” Who is for you a faithful minister of Christ.—(1) “For you” is, properly, on your behalf.

This has been supposed to mean that Epaphras, like his Philippian namesake, had been a representative of the Colossian Church, in ministry to the Apostle; but this is hardly compatible with the entire absence of any personal reference in the sentence. Contrast Philemon 1:13, “that on thy behalf he might minister to me.” If this reading, therefore, is to stand, “on your behalf” must be taken to signify generally “for your benefit,” which is doubtless the meaning of our version. (2) But there is considerable, perhaps preponderating, MS. authority for the reading “on our behalf,” that is, in our stead. This makes Epaphras a representative, perhaps an actual messenger, of St. Paul, for the conversion of the church at Colossæ; sent probably at the time when the Apostle had his head-quarters at Ephesus, and when “all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10). This interpretation not only gives greater force to this passage, but explains also the attitude of authority here assumed by St. Paul toward a church which he had not seen, differing so markedly from the tone of his Epistle to the Romans in a like case.

7. As ye also learned—"Also" is omitted in the oldest manuscripts. The insertion implied that those inserting it thought that Paul had preached the Gospel to the Colossians as well as Epaphras, Whereas the omission in the oldest manuscripts implies that Epaphras alone was the founder of the Church at Colosse. of—"from Epaphras." dear—Greek, "beloved." fellow servant—namely, of Christ. In Phm 23 he calls him "my fellow prisoner." It is possible that Epaphras may have been apprehended for his zealous labors in Asia Minor; but more probable that Paul gave him the title; as his faithful companion in his imprisonment (compare Note, see on [2399]Col 4:10, as to Meyer's conjecture). who is for you, &c.—Translate, "who is faithful in your behalf as a minister of Christ"; hinting that he is one not to be set aside for the new and erroneous teachers (Col 2:1-23). Most of the oldest manuscripts read, "for (or 'in behalf of') US." Vulgate, however, with one of the oldest manuscripts, supports English Version.

As ye also learned of Epaphras - Epaphras was then with Paul. Plm 1:23. He had probably been sent to him by the church at Colossae to consult him in reference to some matters pertaining to the church there. It is evident from this, that Epaphras was a minister of the church at Colossae, though there is no evidence, as has been often supposed, that he was the founder of the church. The apostle here says, that they had learned from Epaphras the true nature of the gospel, and he designs undoubtedly to confirm what he had taught them in opposition to the teachings of errorists; see the Introduction, Section 4. He had doubtless conferred with Epaphras respecting the doctrines which he had taught there. Our dear fellow-servant - This shows that Paul had contracted a strong friendship for Epaphras. There is no reason to believe that he had known him before, but his acquaintance with him now had served to attach him strongly to him. It is possible, as has been conjectured (see the Introduction), that there was a party in the church at Colossae opposed to Epaphras and to the doctrines which he preached, and if this were so, Paul's strong expression of attachment for him would do much to silence the opposition. Who is for you a faithful minister of Christ - "For you," when he is with you, and in managing your interests here.

Colossians 1:7 . καθὼς , i.e. , in the manner in which. Paul thus sets the seal of his approval on the form of the Gospel which they had learnt from their teacher, and also on the teacher himself.— Ἐπαφρᾶ . Epaphras was apparently the founder of the Colossian Church, ἐμάθετε referring to the same time as ἠκούσατε . He had remained in connexion with it ( Colossians 4:12 ), and seems to have come to Paul to inform him of the teaching that was threatening its welfare. He is not to be identified with Epaphroditus ( Php 2:25 sq. , Php 4:18 ), who was connected with Philippi. The name was common.— ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν . This is probably the correct reading; Epaphras is a minister to the Colossians on Paul’s behalf, since he has accomplished a task which belonged to Paul’s sphere as the Apostle of the Gentiles. The reading ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν may be taken in two ways, either (preferably) that he was a minister of Christ for the sake of the Colossians, in which case we should probably have had ὑμῖν or ἐν ὑμῖν or simply ὑμῶν ; or that he ministered to Paul as the representative of the Colossians, for which we should have expected “my minister” instead of “minister of Christ”.

As ye also learned of Epaphras: to maintain the truth, it did much concern them to have a good opinion of him, who was an eminent instrument in communicating it to them, and therefore Paul doth here very opportunely commend Epaphras, in opposition to those false teachers, who likely might insinuate somewhat to his disparagement. Our dear fellow servant; the respect they bare, and relation he stood in to them, being dearly beloved of him for his sincerity in promulgating the gospel; and being engaged with them in the service of the same Master, Colossians 4:7 Revelation 6:11 . Who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; his office, which he discharged with fidelity and affection unto them. He did with all honesty and integrity, as became one intrusted by his Master Christ, discharge what was incumbent on him for their good, Colossians 4:13 John 12:26 1 Corinthians 4:1,2 Eph 4:12 1 Timothy 4:6 Hebrews 13:17 .

Verse 7. - As ye learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant; literally, bondman ( Ephesians 4:20 ; 2 Timothy 3:14 ). Only in Colossians 4:7 does the epithet "fellow-bondman" appear again in St. Paul (the Revisers in these two places omit their marginal "bondservant"). The dominant thought of Christ Jesus "the Lord" ( Colossians 2:6 ; Colossians 3:22-4:1 ) possibly dictates this expression. That the Colossians had received the gospel in this way from Epaphras, a disciple of St. Paul, was a striking proof of its fruitfulness, and a further cause for thanksgiving on his own part. Who is a faithful minister of Christ on our (or, your) behalf ( Colossians 4:12, 13 ; 2 Corinthians 8:22 ; Philippians 2:22 ). He puts his seal upon the ministry of Epaphras, and vindicates it against all questioning at home. Textual evidence for "on our" or "your behalf" is pretty evenly balanced: most older Greek copies read the first person, while the ancient versions generally adopted the second; and the critical editors are similarly divided. The Revisers, with Tregelles, Alford, Lightfoot, Westcott and Hort, prefer "our," which gives a finer and more fitting sense. It was as St. Paul's representative that Epaphras had ministered in Colossae, and to him he now reported his success; and this justified the apostle in claiming the Colossians as his own charge, and in writing to them in the terms of this letter ( Colossians 2:1, 2, 5-7 : comp.

7 . as ye also learned ] In the word “ as ” he refers to the “truth” just spoken of (Lightfoot). So , and not otherwise, had Epaphras phrased his message. The word rendered “ also ” should certainly be omitted, on documentary evidence. As it stands, it simply emphasizes the fact; “ as you actually learned from Epaphras .” But its omission leaves the English reader less likely to misunderstand the sentence, as if it implied some other informant of the Colossians, besides Epaphras. Epaphras ] Named also below, Colossians 4:12 , and Philemon 1:23 . The name is an abbreviation of Epaphroditus , and it has been guessed that the Epaphroditus of Php 2:25 ; Php 4:18 , and this Epaphras, are the same person. But both name-forms were very common at the time; and nothing but the name tends to an identification in this case, unless indeed the warm and devoted Christian character indicated in both Philippians 2 and Colossians 4 does so. And this happily was not so rare in the Church as to make an argument. From the notices in this Epistle and in Philemon we gather that he was a Colossian by birth, or at least by abode; that he had been the first, or at least chief, evangelist of Colossæ (see further, Introd ., p. 21), and that he was now at Rome, arrived from Asia, and was St Paul’s “fellow-prisoner of war;” i.e. either actually imprisoned with him on some charge connected with the Gospel, or so incessantly with him in his captivity as practically to share it.