An Apostle and His Friends

The pictures of St. Paul’s friends are among the most helpful parts of his Epistles. Those who have read that delightful book, The Companions of St. Paul, by Dean Howson, will know what can be derived from a study of the various references to those who were associated with the Apostle in his life and work. Only brief hints are given, as a rule, but these are sufficient to indicate the characters of the people, and what St. Paul thought of them. Here we have a galaxy of workers which we shall do well to consider one by one.

I. Tychicus (vs. 7, 8)

He is mentioned five times in the New Testament, first in Acts 20:4, 5, then here and in Ephesians, and last of all in Titus 3:12, and 2 Tim. 4:12. In all these we see his close association with the Apostle, and it is no wonder that the Apostle can speak of him as he does in the three¬ fold way (v. 7), of (a) affection, “beloved brother”; (b) approbation, “faithful minister”; and (c) association, “fellow-servant.” Nor is it a surprise that Tychicus should have been sent by St. Paul for the twofold purpose of obtaining information about the Colossian Christians, and of encouraging and cheering them in their Christian life. The one thought that seems to stand out more than any¬ thing else from Tychicus is that of faithfulness. Probably he was not brilliant or outstanding, but he was dependable, and this above all else was what the Apostle needed under such circumstances. The same thing is true of all our Christian service, for God does not seek for success or marvellous power, but for quiet, humble, genuine faithfulness of heart and life. “Good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21, 23), “Be thou faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10).

II. Onesimus (v. 9)

We know that he was a runaway slave of Philemon and was being sent back to Colosse, and it seems as though before his flight he had not been a Christian, but that in going to Rome he was led to Christ through the Apostle. Now, as he was being sent back to his old home, it was necessary for someone to be ready to give evidence of the change which had taken place. This St. Paul does, both here and in the Epistle to Philemon. Nothing could be finer than the testimony afforded, and nothing could be more delicate than the precise way in which Onesimus is presented to the Christians in Colosse. He is called “the faithful and beloved brother,” words that are almost exactly identical with those used of Tychicus (v. 7), and Epaphras (1 :7). The former slave in becoming a Christian had become a “faithful and beloved brother.” Christianity has a marvellous power to restore and transform lives.

III. Aristarchus (v. 10)

He was a Hebrew Christian (v. 11) of Thessalonica

in Macedonia (Acts 19 :29) and one of Paul’s companions

on his journey. He then accompanied St. Paul on his

voyage as a prisoner (Acts 27: 2), and is here called St.

Paul’s “fellow-prisoner.” This must mean either that he

shared the captivity or had been apprehended for some

reason unknown to us. In any case, he is a sufferer with

the Apostle and reminds us of the way in which God’s

will may be done. Activity is only one way of serving

God; for “they also serve who only stand and wait.” It

must have been as hard for Aristarchus as we know it was for St. Paul to be a prisoner, and thereby prevented from doing active work for Christ, but if only we live in the will of God, our circumstances can be made subservient to His purposes. An old woman, full of bustle and activity, was laid aside, and her friends wondered how she could possibly bear the Inaction after her constant restless service. When they asked about this, she replied, “When I was able to do it the Lord said, ‘Betty, go here, and ‘Betty, go there, but now He says, ‘Betty, lie still and cough,”

IV. Mark (v. 10)

This is a reference to the well-known author of our second Gospel, the cousin of Barnabas, and the companion of Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey (Acts 13). It is particularly interesting to notice this allusion to Mark, because it implies that the estrangement was at an end. Opinions differ as to which was right, Barnabas in his partiality, or Paul in his severity (Acts 15:37-39). Perhaps we may say that both were right, for it may well have been that St. Paul’s strictness made Mark realise what was necessary, while the love of Barnabas gave him another opportunity of recovering himself from his former weakness. It is clear that Mark was a genuine help both at this time and subsequently, to the Apostle (2 Tim. 4:11). It is also thought that the tone of St. Paul’s reference to Barnabas after their separation is marked by genuine affection (1 Cor. 9:6; Gal. 2:1, 9).

V. Justus (v. 11)

Nothing more is known of him than is told us here, though it is interesting to realise that one of his names is that of our Lord Himself. He, and the other two, Aristarchus and Mark, were Jewish Christians, and had been a real comfort to the Apostle Paul. It would seem from this that all the other Jewish Christians in Rome were separated from him and were not a comfort. Perhaps this is what he meant when he referred to his affliction (Phil. 1: 15-17). The circumstances in Rome among the Christians at that time must have made St. Paul feel still more grateful for the encouragement and cheer which came from these three brethren who in their fellowship had been a solace to him.

VI. Epaphras (vs. 12, 13)

During the three years of St. Paul’s stay at Ephesus (Acts 20:31), Epaphras seems to have been led to Christ, and to have carried the Gospel to Colosse, where the Apostle had never been (Col. 2:1). Then Epaphras came to St. Paul in Rome with news of the Church and was sent back with this Epistle. The description of the man is very striking and will call for more detailed attention in our next chapter, but we may notice now the Apostle’s testimony to him (v. 13), that he was continually thinking of and working for the Christians, even though he was far away from them (v. 13). The word rendered “labour” really means “pain” and implies both keen desire and great effort. The cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis were in the neighborhood of Colosse and Epaphras had evidently been the evangelist in all three places.

VII. Luke (v. 14)

This is of course the author of our third Gospel and The Acts. He first appears in St. Paul’s company at Troas (Acts 16:10) and went with the Apostle to Jerusalem (Acts 20:5, 6; 21:1, 17), and also to Rome (Acts 27:1). He was with him when this Epistle was written, and it is beautiful to observe the words of the great warrior for Christ just before he was beheaded;

“only Luke is with me” (2 Tim. 4:11). It is usually thought that the way in which Luke is here distinguished from the Jewish Christians implies that he was a Gentile, and, if so, he is the only New Testament writer who was not a Jew. Thus two of the four evangelists, Mark and Luke, are among the friends of St. Paul. Luke is called “the beloved physician,” and we can well understand the comfort of his presence and knowledge to the Apostle, especially at this time.

VIII. Demas (v. 14)

It is impressive and perhaps significant that nothing is said about Demas as in the case of the other fellow-workers. Possibly already there was a danger of what afterwards took place, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10). The contrast between Mark and Demas is striking; Mark returned but Demas seems not to have done so. The contrast between Luke and Demas, as they are mentioned together here, is equally impressive, the one suggesting faithfulness and loyalty, the other unfaithfulness and weakness.

IX. Nymphas (v. 15)

There are two readings, one referring to a man’s name (Nymphas) and the other to a woman’s (Nympha). Whichever is correct, the reference is to a Christian home in Laodicea, and the brethren there are greeted with “Nymphas.” The reference to a private house as the ordinary place of gathering for the early Christians, is an interesting illustration of the simplicity of the earliest Church fellowship. In Colosse, the Church met in the house of Philip. In Ephesus, in the house of Aquila and Priscilla (1 Cor. 16:19), and when these two removed to Rome they did exactly the same there as they had done in Ephesus (Rom. 16:5). All this is at once a testimony to the value of Christian homes and the blessedness of Christian fellowship, and the more we can have of both of these, the better it will be for the reality and progress of Christian living.

At this point it is interesting to notice that the present Epistle was intended to be read in the Church of Laodicea, while the Epistle sent to that Church was to be read in Colosse. It is usually thought the latter refers to our Epistle to the Ephesians, which was pretty certainly a circular Epistle intended for several Churches. This reciprocal use of the Epistles in various Churches forms the germ of that acceptance and use of writings from Apostolic sources by various Churches which reached its culmination in our New Testament.

X. Archippus (v. 17)

No one knows anything more of Archippus than what is found here, though one scholar suggests the probability of his being a son of Philemon (Philem. 2). Most writers think that the admonition given here implies some laxity of duty, though this is of course altogether uncertain. In any case it is an appeal to watchfulness and thorough¬ ness in the ministry which he had received from the Lord.

XI. Paul (v. 18)

It is impossible to close this account of St. Paul’s friends without thinking of the Apostle himself, for his references to others are a genuine reflection of his own heart and life, and of those things which he felt the most essential features of the Christian life. All through the Epistle we find references to him which reveal a good deal of his own life in relation to God (1 :3, 24, 25; 2:1, 5; 4:3, 4). Whether, therefore, in preaching or praying, or practice, the Apostle is a wonderful example for us and we shall do well to follow him, even as he followed Christ.