Paul’S Friends In Rome
PAUL’S FRIENDS IN ROME
COLOSSIANS 4:10-14
Among his Gentile friends, Paul especially honors Epaphras. Why (see verses 12-13)?
At the conclusion of a letter, Paul often conveys the greetings of friends who are with him. The names mentioned here may have become familiar in the Lycus Valley during the period of Paul’s extended stay at Ephesus (about 100 miles away). Aristarchus was from Thessalonica; like Tychicus, he had accompanied the apostle to Jerusalem with the collection and then, apparently, had voluntarily shared house arrest in Rome (Acts 19:29; 20:4; 28:30f.). The reference to John Mark of Jerusalem is surprising since Paul’s unwillingness to take Mark on his second missionary journey had caused a serious break with Barnabas (Acts 15:36-40). This is the first indication that Paul had become fully reconciled to the younger man (see also 2 Timothy 4:11). Jesus, surnamed Justus, is mentioned only here. His Aramaic name was actually Joshua, but in Greek society he would be called by his surname. The complaint that these three are the only Jewish Christians who have been a comfort to the apostle echoes Paul’s report of a divisive spirit by many in the church at Rome (Philippians 1:15f.).
Among his Gentile friends the place of honor is given to Epaphras. Paul emphasizes his faithfulness to Christ and his earnest concern for the Colossians that the church would stand firmly against false teaching. The reference to the efforts he had exerted for the Christians of the Lycus Valley is obscure. A plausible suggestion is that he had come to Rome to raise money for the churches in a time of crisis. If Paul is alluding to the great earthquake which did so much damage in Asia Minor about this time, Epaphras had come to Rome to enlist the support of wealthy Christians for families who had lost everything in that disaster.
Luke was one of Paul’s most constant associates from the time of the second missionary journey (see the “we” sections in Acts 16:10-16; 20:6–21:17; 27:1–28:16) until the time of his death (2 Timothy 4:11). That he was a physician explains this long and close relationship. The apostle’s ill health was aggravated by the conditions of imprisonment. The company of a doctor whom he could trust, and with whom he shared deep fellowship, was a great encouragement to Paul. With Luke, Paul mentions Demas (see also Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:10), who later proved faithless when association with Paul endangered his life.