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Greetings from various persons in Rome:
v. 10. Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, salutes you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him,)
v. 11. and Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.
v. 12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
v. 13. For I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
v. 14. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
v. 15. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
The greetings of the Pauline epistles are most interesting, affording, as they do, an insight into the cordiality and intimacy which obtained among the Christians in the early days. Timothy had been mentioned in the superscription of the letter. The first greeting recorded by Paul is that from Aristarchus, whom he calls a fellow-captive. He hailed from Thessalonica, Act_19:29; Act_20:4; Act_27:2; Phm_1:24, and was brought to Rome at the same time that Paul was brought there to stand trial before the emperor. The apostle names next Mark, the nephew of Barnabas, Act_12:12-25; Act_15:37-39; 2Ti_4:11. Evidently Mark had redeemed himself in the eyes of the apostle since his defection in Perga, Act_13:13, for he was now again a companion of the apostle. Mark had been recommended to the congregation at Colossae by others, and Paul here adds his own commendation to show that he had full confidence in his young assistant. He next names Jesus, with the surname Justus, who is otherwise unknown. These two men, Mark and Jesus Justus, were the only companions of Paul that were Jews by birth. Paul speaks very highly of them, saying that they were his fellow-workers in the interest of the kingdom of God, the Church, and that they had been a comfort to him, brought solace to him upon some special occasion.
A very important greeting was that of Epaphras, who indeed was one of the Colossians, a disciple of the apostle and the founder, not only of the congregation at Colossae, but probably also of the congregations at Hierapolis and Laodicea. Paul calls him a minister of Christ Jesus, who is spending all his time in striving for his Colossian Christians in prayers that they might stand perfected and fully assured in all the will of God. Herein Epaphras proved himself a true pastor, for his intercessory prayers were rising without ceasing to the Throne of Mercy, and his one thought was that God might give to the Colossian Christians the power to be perfected in their faith and sanctification. Only through the fullness of the assurance from on high are Christians enabled to stand perfected in the will of God, in everything that God wills. The will of God finds its expression in the life of the Christians, and that the more and more perfectly as they grow in its knowledge and in the willingness to perform such things as are well-pleasing to their heavenly Father. Paul testifies also of Epaphras that he was still most anxiously solicitous for their welfare, and not only for theirs, but also for that of the congregations at Laodicea and Hierapolis in the neighborhood, probably originally preaching-stations that were established from Colossae.
The apostle sends greetings also from Luke, whom he terms the beloved physician. Luke, or Lucanus, the author of the third gospel, had joined Paul on his second missionary journey and had since accompanied him as often as he could. At this time he was his companion in the imprisonment at Rome, a beloved brother in the Lord. Demas was at this time still a brother in Christ, but later, unfortunately, left the Church and denied the faith, 2Ti_4:10. Paul finally asks the Colossians to send greetings to the congregation at Laodicea, with which that of Colossae was united in intimate fellowship. He singles out one Nymphas for a special greeting, since he was the host of a house-congregation as found so frequently in the early days. Note: The early Christians were not only distinguished for the soundness of their faith and for the fervor of their brotherly love, but they were also willing to offer themselves and all they had in the interest of the Gospel.