Paul connects this message delivered to the fact that they were recipients of the truth. This was brought to them by a man named Epaphras,[1] who appears to be from Colossae and was the one responsible to have brought the message of Jesus into his home town. He is considered to be the leader of the church. Paul uses endearing terms calling him a beloved (Greek agapeton) fellow slave (Greek sundoulon).[2] One can’t help but notice the gracius way that Paul speaks of those who preach and teach the truth. Yet, just as His Lord, when he deals with a false teacher or deciever, Paul can call out and reprimand evil when he sees it. Paul felt that Epaphras had satisfied his duty well as an evagelist in the Lycus valley region – particularly at Colossae.
Paul saw Epaphras as a pistos huper diakonos or faithful minister/servant of Jesus Christ. The view of Epaphras by Paul saw him as a trustworthy messenger under the Lordship of Jesus Christ who had been a “missionary helper” to Paul. Since Paul had been unable to go into the region around the Lycus valley, Epaphras had been steadfast and committed to proclaiming, teaching, and ministering to those in that region. He help firmly to the truths that he had been instructed in, and the fruit was evident in the reports that Paul had been receiving.
Prayer: Father, I am praying that those that I minister to, and those whom I come in contact with, and especially those who know me best can say that I am a pistos huper diakonos or faithful minister/servant of Jesus Christ. It is my heart's deepest desire that i will stay true to my Lord and Savior. Amen.
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[1] This is a shortened form of the name Epaphroditus. Paul mentions a person by this name in the letter to the Philippian church but there is no reason to connect the two.
[2] The term translates as fellow-slave or fellow-servant. See Wesley J. Perschbacher. The New Analytical Greek Lexicon. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1990).
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