1. 'our dear fellow-servant'
2. 'a faithful minister of Christ'
3. the one who 'declared unto [Paul and Timothy the local congregation's] love in the Spirit' and
4. the one from whom the Colossians learned about God and Christ Jesus.
It appears that Paul may have never visited this area, so he was relying on the insights of his friend Epaphras to provide information about the Christian disciples in Colossae, and he wants the little church there to value his friend and their teacher-mentor.
On his blog site ReadingActs.com Phillip J. Long writes (Nov 5, 2015) that
'Paul may associate himself with Epaphras in this letter because his opponents in Colossae are questioning his credentials–who is Epaphras to be teaching the congregation spiritual things? The church may be influenced by other teachers for guidance rather than a young evangelist like Epaphras. Paul gives Epaphras his personal approval in the opening of this letter; what Epaphras teaches is exactly what Paul taught.'
'Paul may associate himself with Epaphras in this letter because his opponents in Colossae are questioning his credentials–who is Epaphras to be teaching the congregation spiritual things? The church may be influenced by other teachers for guidance rather than a young evangelist like Epaphras. Paul gives Epaphras his personal approval in the opening of this letter; what Epaphras teaches is exactly what Paul taught.'
Long also quotes J.B. Lightfoot, whose prolific writings are now in the public domain and are easily found with a quick internet search. One notable quote is -
'Without doubt…[Colossae is] the least important church to which any epistle of Paul is addressed' J. B. Lightfoot, Colossians, 16.
Well, even the 'least important church' was worthy of Paul's attention. And who determines the worth of a church, a city, a person anyway! Jesus teaching about the one lost sheep indicates the worthiness of each of Christ's little ones - 'Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven' (Matt. 18:10). As the prophet Isaiah says: 'A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time' (Isa. 60:22).
Paul obviously valued this little band of believers because he tells them that he and Timothy have 'not cease[d] to pray for [them], and to desire that [they] might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding' (verse 9) because 'the truth of the gospel...is come unto [them], as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit' (verses 5, 6).
So we can be grateful to dear Epaphras for taking the time to faithfully instruct his pupils. And we can be grateful to all his students, who obviously paid attention. And we can value the faithful contributions of each church and church member today and down the ages!
Julie Swannell
PS Epaphras is also mentioned in Colossians 4 and Philemon 1.
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