Colossians 4:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For he says, “that he may know what concerns us and comfort your hearts.” Since they knew that Onesimus was a slave, they probably would have been grieved if one who had been a slave yesterday and the day before were suddenly deemed capable of comforting and teaching a whole Church.

Therefore the Apostle said that Tychicus alone was sent for this. But he found it fitting for both to report about the Apostle, thereby honoring Onesimus and not offending the Colossians.

Then come instructions and directives. The Epistle to the Colossians is to be read in the Church of Laodicea, and the one from Laodicea is to be read by the Colossians.

Also, an apostolic reminder is to be conveyed to Archippus, head of the Colossian church after Epaphras, concerning zealous fulfillment of pastoral duties (Col 4:16–17).

Finally, there follows the concluding postscript in the Apostle Paul’s own hand: “Remember my bonds. Grace be with you all. Amen.”

Onesimus could also have been sufficiently initiated into these, since he had formerly been the servant of Philemon, was converted by Paul, and was sent by him back to his master.

He had fled from that master, and now he had to present to him a special letter from Paul, the Epistle to Philemon.

“See Paul’s prudence,” says St. John Chrysostom. “He does not put everything into his Epistles, but only what is necessary and urgently needed.

“He does this, first, because he did not want to make them too long. Second, he wished to give greater honor to the person departing with the letter, so that he would have something to tell.

“Third, he wished to show his own disposition toward him, since otherwise he would not have entrusted him in this way. Finally, there was something that did not need to be set forth in writing.”

“Here the Apostle shows strong love. It was for precisely such motives that he sent Tychicus to them.”

Bishop Theophan adds to this: “We must think that the words, ‘that he may know what concerns you,’ in the Apostle’s mouth have the closest relation to the content of the Epistle.

“For the Apostle, outward life is not the chief matter, but how the work of salvation is proceeding. He wished to stir up their attention and zeal, so that they would look carefully to see whether everything was in order and correct what required correction.

“Perhaps the Colossians also had some troubles that required consolation, but not so great that they had to be mentioned separately in the Epistle. It was enough to give Tychicus instructions about them.

“And with what joy the Colossians must have received this messenger! This was all the more so because the news contained nothing extremely grievous.

“The bonds, terrifying in themselves, had been lightened for the Apostle by certain concessions, by which he could receive whom he wished and write to whom he wished.”

“One cannot fail to see the Apostle’s wisdom also in this,” says blessed Theodoret, “that he left consolation to Tychicus alone.

“For they knew that Onesimus was a slave, and likely would have been grieved if yesterday’s slave were suddenly deemed capable of comforting and teaching a whole Church.”

The Apostle warned against false teachers and urged them not to listen to them. “That he may know” points to the Apostle’s concern over whether those false teachers had managed to sow tares.

It also concerns whether the Colossians will listen to his exhortations, and to what extent. For the Apostle, outward life is not the chief matter, but how the work of salvation is proceeding.

He wished to stir up their attention and zeal precisely toward this matter, so that they would examine carefully whether everything was in order and correct what needed correction.

In every way, this should have been the fruit of the Epistle.

Ambrosiaster writes, “Although above he said that he is present with them in spirit, nevertheless there is need also for intermediaries and messengers who are not spiritual.

“Everyone becomes more careful about himself when he sees that someone has come to him precisely to observe how he conducts himself.

“Conscious that there is an eye watching his deeds, he becomes more cautious. God sees everything, and we know that all our affairs are known to Him.

“But because we do not see that He sees us, we do what is contrary to Him.”

“And he will comfort your hearts.” In the Epistle it is not evident that the Colossians were suffering anything unpleasant. Therefore the consolation Tychicus was to bring them should be understood as coming from faithful news about St. Paul and Epaphras.

St. Paul was not a stranger to them. It could not fail to grieve them that he, their true Apostle, was burdened with bonds.

It was still more grievous that he had been sent in bonds so far away, and that nothing was known about him. They sent to him their own closest enlightener, Epaphras, to be with him and serve him, as blessed Theodoret says.

Yet nothing was known about Epaphras either. With what joy they must have received a faithful messenger about them, who had not only seen them but had shared their lot with them.

In his person they received their own dear fathers, and they could not but be filled with great consolation. This was all the more so because the news brought contained nothing extremely grievous.

The bonds, terrifying in themselves, had been lightened for the Apostle by certain concessions, by which he could receive whom he wished and write to whom he wished.

Perhaps, however, as Epaphras could have reported, there were also some troubles at home among the Colossians that required consolation. Yet they were not so great that they needed to be mentioned separately in the Epistle.

It was enough to give Tychicus instructions about them. Our commentators suppose that the Colossians were under temptation and had need of consolation.