must be gracious and a preservative against evil and error, like salt in food (Col. 4: 6). In

other words, the believer who wishes to be faithful and fruitful must not only be

opportune as regards time, but also speak appropriately to the person concerned, and here

heavenly wisdom will be needed as to the best way to handle each one that comes our

way, for everyone is individual in his needs.

Paul now refers to his associates and messengers and brings forward Tychicus who

was the bearer of the letter to the Ephesians as well, and also possibly one to Laodicea

(Eph. 6: 21). He is mentioned twice in the Pastoral Epistles (II Tim. 4: 12; Titus 3: 12)

and is designated by the Apostle as a faithful friend and helper who would declare his

circumstances to them. Onesimus, the runaway slave, who in the providence of God had

come into contact with Paul at Rome and become a believer, is the subject of the letter to

Philemon. Though once an unbelieving slave, he is now `one of you' and, from a

spiritual stand-point, on an equal footing with the other members of the Colossian church.

Tychicus and Onesimus would be able to give them an up-to-date account of the Apostle

and the circumstances surrounding him as the `prisoner of the Lord' at Rome.

The Apostle now sends greetings from six believers who were with him at the time of

writing, three of them Jews and three of them Gentile. Aristarchus was associated with

Paul in the riot of Ephesus (Acts 19: 29) and later went to Jerusalem as one of the two

delegates sent from Thessalonica. He also, together with Luke, accompanied the Apostle

when he set sail from Caesarea to Rome (Acts 27: 2). Paul describes him as his

`fellow-prisoner' which probably means he shared the Apostle's imprisonment

voluntarily.

Mark joins in the greetings (4: 10). He is described as the cousin of Barnabas (R.V.)

which explains the link between him and Barnabas in the Acts (15: 37), causing the

dispute between Paul and Barnabas when he failed and left them, not being able

apparently to stand the rigours of the way. Now, at the time of writing the Colossian

letter, he had redeemed his reputation. It would appear that the Colossians had received

some communication regarding Mark (4: 10) and they are bidden to receive him if he

should visit them.

Of Jesus Justus we know nothing apart from this reference. Jesus is the Greek form of

Joshua and Justus was a common Latin name. "These only are my fellow-workers unto

the Kingdom of God" declared the Apostle. We have shown earlier on that the thought

of a Kingdom is stressed in the Prison Epistles after Acts 28: as well as before, and

therefore it is quite erroneous to try to limit the thought of a Kingdom to the people of

Israel. It is the sphere of the Kingdom that differs before the Acts and afterwards,

inasmuch as earth is distinct from heaven.

There is no part of God's redemptive purpose (touching both heaven and earth) that

does not come under God's sovereignty. Almost the last thought of Paul in his final

letter is to declare that the Lord would preserve or save him "unto His heavenly

Kingdom" (II Tim. 4: 18). These Jewish Christians had been a comfort and support to

the imprisoned Apostle.