2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; 3 and pray for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, 4 that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak. 5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one. 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my affairs; he is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yourselves. They will tell you of every thing that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions - if he comes to you, receive him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always remembering you earnestly in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brethren at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfil the ministry which you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my fetters. Grace be with you.

182. – Above, Paul gave specific teachings for each class of persons; here he gives instructions to everyone. First, he shows what their relationship to others ought to be; and secondly, how some will be acting towards them (v. 7). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he shows how they should act towards him, the Apostle, their prelate; and secondly, towards others, especially, unbelievers (v. 5). In regard to the first he does two things. First, he urges them to pray in general; secondly, to pray for him (v. 3).

183. – Prayer should have three characteristics: it should be constant, alert, and with gratitude. It should be constant, and so Paul says, continue steadfastly in prayer, that is, pray with perseverance: “Pray constantly” (1 Thess 5:17); “They ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1). It should also be alert, so that the mind does not become oppressed; and so Paul adds, being watchful: “Watch with your prayers” (1 Pet 4:7); and in Luke we read: “All night he continued in prayer to God” (Lk 6:12). Prayer should also be with gratitude, that is, with thanksgiving; for if we are ungrateful for the good things we have received, we do not deserve new favors. And so Paul continues, with thanksgiving: “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess 5:18); and in Philippians (4:6) we have “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.”

184. – Next, Paul asks them to pray for him, saying, and pray for us also, because subjects should pray for their prelates; for their prelates watch over them, and the welfare of the prelates affects all of their subjects: “Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph” (2 Thess 3:1). They should pray that God may open to us a door for the word, that is, the door of our mouth, through which the words coming from our heart pass; and they should pray that God give to Paul the grace to preach his word in a fitting manner. This opening also points to something great: “And he opened his mouth and taught them” (Mt 5:2); and so Paul adds, to declare the mystery of Christ: “He utters mysteries in the Spirit” (1 Cor 14:2). And 1, Paul, need these things, because I am suffering for the word of Christ. And so you must pray that I can do so boldly: “The gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal” (2 Tim 2:9). You must pray that God may open, that is, unblock, to us a door for the word.

185. – There are three obstacles which can block the word. One is fear, and so Paul says, I am in prison. The second is its profundity, so that it cannot be understood by the faithful; and so Paul says, that I may make it clear. The third obstacle is that the way it is preached or the time may not be appropriate; and so Paul says, as I ought to speak. “But I brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh” (1 Cor 3:1); “Who then is the faithful and wise steward whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?” (Lk 12:42).

186. – Then (v. 5), he shows how they should act towards outsiders: first, as to their manner of life; secondly, in what they say (v. 6).

187. – Paul says, conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, that is, unbelievers. And do so wisely, with wisdom: “For God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom” (Wis 7:28). The reason for doing this is that they may be making the most of the time. A person makes the most of his trouble when he overlooks what is owing to him, in order to avoid trouble. Now, they were being troubled by these outsiders. And so Paul wants them to make the most of this trouble by means of wisdom: “Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles” (1 Pet 2:12).

188. – Paul also instructs them as to their speech. First, it should be gracious; and so he says, let your speech always be gracious; “A gracious tongue multiplies courtesies” (Sir 6:5). Secondly, it should be considerate; and so he says, seasoned with salt. Salt signifies considerateness or discretion, because just as salt makes food savory, so every inconsiderate action is bitter and irregular: “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another” (Mk 9:50). They should do these things so that you may know how you ought to answer every one. For those who have wisdom should be answered one way; and the foolish are to be answered in another way: “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself” (Prov 26:4); “Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you,” as we read in 1 Peter (3:15).

189. – Next, Paul tells them about some others. First, about those whom he is sending to them; and secondly, about those who are staying with him (v. 10).

190. – Paul is sending to them a representative, whom he now describes in three ways. First, as to love, saying, a beloved brother, that is, by the love of charity, which makes a person more precious than gold: “A man will be more precious than gold” (Is 13:12). Secondly, he is described as to his faith, a faithful minister: “It is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (1 Cor 4:2). Thirdly, from his humility; and so Paul says, fellow servant, in the ministry, but a fellow servant in the Lord, because a prelate should be looking out for the honor of God and for the benefit of those over whom he has charge. Why is Tychicus being sent? To learn the condition of the faithful. “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock; and bring me word again” (Gen 37:14); “See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them” (1 Sam 17:18). He is also to encourage and comfort them: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Rom 1:11). Our Lord, who was sent by the Father, also came for this purpose: “to comfort all who mourn” (Is 61:2). Then he mentions his companion, and with him Onesimus. These two will tell you of everything that has taken place here; they will relate what you are doing to me for correction, and tell you what I am doing so you may have an example.

191. – Then when he says, Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, he shows how those who are remaining with the Apostle greet them. The text is clear. And Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions. We read in Acts (15:37) that a certain person by the name of John, surnamed Mark, had left Paul and Barnabas when they set out on one of their journeys; however, he later returned to them. Barnabas wanted to take him back, but Paul refused. As a result, Paul and Barnabas went their different ways. Later, Paul wrote to the Colossians that they were not to receive Mark. But now, since Mark had changed, he asks them to receive him. Thus, concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, receive him. Or, it could be understood this way: And Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom, that is, Barnabas, you have received instructions. And Jesus who is called Justus; he was a holy man, and so was called “Justus” [the Just]. These are the only men of the circumcision, sent to preach the Good News of Christ: “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice” (Phil 1:18). Thus he mentions the Gentiles first, and then the Jews. Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, because he was an Asian. Their wish for the Colossians is “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jas 1:4); that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God, that is, in all things relating to the will of God. Then he mentions Luke, who it seems, was not Jewish by birth, because he was from Antioch, and a physician. He singles him out because he had great authority in the Church because of the Gospel he wrote while the Apostle was still alive. He also mentions Demas.

192. – Next (v. 15), he mentions those whom the Colossians ought to greet: first, those from another church, and secondly, those in their own. We can see from what he says, see that you read also the letter from Laodicea, that Paul wrote other letters: the one to the Laodiceans mentioned here, and another to the Corinthians, besides the first and second, because in 1 Corinthians (5:9) he says: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men.” There are two reasons why they are not in the canon: either there was some doubt about their authority, because they were possibly distorted, and had been destroyed in the churches, or because they contained nothing different from the others.

193. – And say to Archippus. He was their prelate, and he tells them to warn him: see that you fulfil the ministry which you have received in the Lord: “Fulfil your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5). One is said to fulfil his ministry when he does that for which he received it. Still, it does not seem proper for those in a congregation to warn their own prelate (Ex 19:24). I answer that a member of the congregation is forbidden to rebuke him sharply or insult him, but he can warn him in a charitable way as Paul rebuked Peter (Gal 2:11). But why did he not write to the prelate? Because the prelate exists for the Church and not the Church for the prelate.

194. – I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. It was the Apostle’s practice to have someone else write the entire letter, and at the end of it he would write something in his own hand, as in 2 Thessalonians (3:17): “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.” He does the same here, so that they will not be deceived. [And he says, Remember my fetters, because he was fettered in Rome]: “As an example of suffering and patience, brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” (Jas 5:10); “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith” (Heb 13:7). Then he wishes them well, concluding: Grace be with you: “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:17), to Whom be praise and glory now and forever. Amen.