Colossians 1:7 - Exposition

As ye learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant; literally, bondman ( Ephesians 4:20 ; 2 Timothy 3:14 ). Only in Colossians 4:7 does the epithet "fellow-bondman" appear again in St. Paul. The dominant thought of Christ Jesus "the Lord" ( Colossians 2:6 ; 3:22-4:1) possibly dictates this expression. That the Colossians had received the gospel in this way from Epaphras, a disciple of St. Paul, was a striking proof of its fruitfulness, and a further cause for thanksgiving on his own part. Who is a faithful minister of Christ on our (or, your ) behalf ( Colossians 4:12 , Colossians 4:13 ; 2 Corinthians 8:22 ; Philippians 2:22 ). He puts his seal upon the ministry of Epaphras, and vindicates it against all questioning at home. Textual evidence for "on our" or "your behalf" is pretty evenly balanced: most older Greek copies read the first person, while the ancient versions generally adopted the second; and the critical editors are similarly divided. The Revisers, with Tregelles, Alford, Lightfoot, Westcott and Hort, prefer "our," which gives a finer and more fitting sense. It was as St. Paul's representative that Epaphras had ministered in Colossae, and to him he now reported his success; and this justified the apostle in claiming the Colossians as his own charge, and in writing to them in the terms of this letter ( Colossians 2:1 , Colossians 2:2 , Colossians 2:5-7 : comp. Romans 15:20 ; 2 Corinthians 10:13-16 ). "Minister" ( διάκονος , deacon, in its official sense found in St. Paul first in Philippians 1:1 , then in 1 Timothy) is to be distinguished from the "servant" ( δοῦλος , slave ) of the last clause, and from "assistant" ( ὑπηρέτης : 1 Corinthians 4:1 ; Acts 13:5 ; Acts 26:16 ), and "attendant" ( θεράπων : Hebrews 3:5 ); see Trench's 'Synonyms of the New Testament.' It is a favourite word of St. Paul's, and points to the service rendered, while other terms indicate the status of the servant.