Colossians 4:7–9

The Apostle is glad to speak of Tychicus not only as a "brother", but as "a beloved brother"; not only as a "minister", but as "a faithful minister"; not only as a "servant", but as a "fellow-servant" with the Apostle in the Lord. These Christian traits were so well balanced in this servant that his love did not hold back his faithfulness, and his faithfulness did not shut out his fellowship with others.

Tychicus is first on the list and Demas last, as far as Paul's companions go. One of the marks of Tychicus seems to be exactly the thing that tested Demas: the mark of the "fellow-bondman". Demas was not prepared to suffer along with the glad tidings.

Notice the remarkable care the Apostle takes to support and commend true-hearted workers. He knew well the belittling tone that comes naturally to men who can see the failings of those whose service has left them far behind… This overflow of loving praise deserves careful weight. Where it is missing, the bonds of love among believers tend to loosen and come apart.

Paul did not simply grab hold of a man who was standing around with nothing to do. In divine things that does not happen. A person is fitted for the work he is entrusted with. It would take some measure of spiritual judgment in Tychicus to describe the state of the Colossians to Paul, and to describe Paul's feelings towards them.

We see how Christian love loves to tell news and to hear it… Can anything be sweeter than this simple, genuine affection and interest in each other? In a mere man it would be vanity and idle curiosity. In a Christian it is blessed… Here the humble-minded apostle writes in full confidence. He had never seen them, and they had never seen him. Yet he was sure that hearing about one another, through the man who travelled between them, would be a real joy on both sides. What a spring of power the love of Christ is! Truly love is "the bond of perfectness."

Paul sent Tychicus and Onesimus — the runaway slave, now through grace "a brother beloved" (Philemon 16) — to Colossae (Col. 4:7-9). Tychicus carried the letter written to the Colossians, to correct the evils that had arisen in that church and to warn them against the wicked teachings being spread among them. Onesimus the slave carried that beautiful little letter written to his master Philemon. At the same time, as Tychicus and Onesimus left Rome, Paul handed Tychicus the letter to the Ephesians. Never before and never after were such weighty and blessed documents entrusted to human messengers.

Perhaps the best way to describe the closing section of Colossians is "heart-openings." It is in fact the free interchange of brotherly feeling among those who have recognised the place they have been given with regard to one another. So it begins with the provision for mutual knowledge of each other's state. Tychicus is a beloved and faithful brother, able to enter into such things. The apostle sends him to bring the disciples news about himself, and to bring back from them the account of their condition. He knows this is what their hearts would long for as comfort, since they are united together in the love of Christ.

To bring back a report to the Apostle, Tychicus would learn their state. At the same time he would encourage their hearts by letting them know of the Apostle's deep interest in them.

Verse 8 is a plain instance where the influence of most of the oldest copies has misled editors and revisers. The Paris manuscript, with most other Greek copies and translations, has the right reading. The end of verse 9 and the beginning of verse 7 confirm it.

Paul did not just pick a man who was standing by with nothing to do. In divine things that does not happen. A person is fitted for the work entrusted to him. It would take some measure of spiritual judgment in Tychicus to outline the state of the Colossians to Paul, and also to outline Paul's feelings towards them.

This warm and generous praise deserves careful weight. Where it is missing, the bonds of love among believers loosen and come apart. Notice too that love counts on the interest of others in our affairs, just as much as it truly cares to hear about theirs. Among men this feeling is either unknown, or, where it exists, it is only vanity. But then love, divine love, is not there.

Though the apostle was not known to the Colossians in person, he counts on their love for him and their interest in his welfare, so that they would want to know about it. It is sweet to trace this love in the Spirit between the apostle and those he had never yet seen, and the close affection that flows from a shared identification with the interests of Christ.

Onesimus, the main subject of the letter to Philemon, had once been a servant or bond-slave of Philemon, as verse 16 shows. He had wronged his Christian master and then had run away. In God's great mercy, however, the runaway slave met Paul at Rome during Paul's imprisonment, and through Paul he was converted. He was converted so soundly that Paul could speak of him not long after as "a faithful and beloved brother."

Onesimus, who is called "a faithful and beloved brother," was the runaway slave with whom the letter to Philemon is concerned. What but the grace of God can turn a slave who had wronged his master and run away into a faithful and beloved brother in Christ? So Tychicus carried the letter to the Colossians, and Onesimus the letter to Philemon, when they travelled to Colossae together.

In Colossians 4:9 Onesimus is not described as a pardoned criminal but as "our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you." This is the wonder of God's grace. Pardon for crimes of the deepest kind — would that not have answered our great need? But grace does not give pardon alone; it raises us up to be brothers. He is not ashamed to call us brothers.

The letter goes to Philemon himself, and Paul appeals to him on behalf of Onesimus. But the gathered assembly had just as much reason to care about this runaway slave. He was coming back as a beloved brother, so they were to receive him into Christian fellowship. The Lord had received Onesimus. Through grace he had become a member of the body of Christ, and he belonged to the Colossian assembly.

At Colossae the church held both Philemon and his slave Onesimus, "a faithful and beloved brother." So grace triumphs over distinctions that hold good in this world. God recognises those distinctions. But in the church of God they give way to something infinitely higher, on a different level.

The apostle looked for more in the changed slave than simply a saint. So he pressed Philemon harder for a fresh triumph of grace — not only in taking the wrong-doer back to his heart, but in setting him free.

Onesimus, one of the Colossian saints, is also commended as a faithful and beloved brother. Yet nothing suggests that he took part in public ministry. He was probably not a gifted brother. Remember that in social position he was a slave. The commendation Paul gives him would show how fully he answered to the instructions given to slaves in this letter.

Notice the remarkable care the apostle takes to support and commend true-hearted workers. He knew well the fault-finding tone that comes naturally to men who can see the failings of those whose service leaves them far behind… This abundance of affectionate commendation deserves great weight. The lack of it tends to loosen and dislocate the bonds of love among the saints.

Can anything be sweeter than this genuine, simple affection and shared interest? In a mere man it would be empty and prying; in a Christian it is blessed.