4:1 That which is just and equal (\to dikaion kai tˆn isotˆta\). Paul changes from \to ison\ (like \to dikaion\, neuter singular adjective with article for abstract idea) to the abstract substantive \isotˆs\, old word, in N.T. only here and 2Co 8:13f. If employers always did this, there would be no labour problem. A Master in heaven (\Kurion en ouran“i\). A wholesome reminder to the effect that he keeps his eye on the conduct of masters of men here towards their employees.

4:2 Continue steadfastly (\proskartereite\). See Mr 3:9; Ac 2:42,46 for this interesting word from \pros\ and \karteros\ (strong), common in the _Koin‚_. Watching (\grˆgorountes\). Present active participle of \grˆgore“\, late present made on perfect active stem \egrˆgora\ with loss of \e-\, found first in Aristotle.

4:3 Withal (\hama\). At the same time. That God may open (\hina ho theos anoixˆi\). Common use of \hina\ and the subjunctive (aorist), the sub-final use so common in the N.T. as in the _Koin‚_. A door for the word (\thuran tou logou\). Objective genitive, a door for preaching. It is comforting to other preachers to see the greatest of all preachers here asking prayer that he may be set free again to preach. He uses this figure elsewhere, once of a great and open door with many adversaries in Ephesus (1Co 16:9), once of an open door that he could not enter in Troas (2Co 2:12). The mystery of Christ (\to mustˆrion tou Christou\). The genitive of apposition, the mystery which is Christ (2:2), one that puts out of comparison the foolish "mysteries" of the Gnostics. For which I am also in bonds (\di' ho kai dedemai\). Perfect passive indicative of \de“\. Paul is always conscious of this limitation, this chain. At bottom he is a prisoner because of his preaching to the Gentiles.

4:4 As I ought to speak (\h“s dei me lalˆsai\). Wonderful as Paul's preaching was to his hearers and seems to us, he was never satisfied with it. What preacher can be?

4:5 Toward them that are without (\pros tous ex“\). A Pauline phrase for those outside the churches (1Th 5:12; 1Co 5:12f.). It takes wise walking to win them to Christ. Redeeming the time (\ton kairon exagorazomenoi\). We all have the same time. Paul goes into the open market and buys it up by using it rightly. See the same metaphor in Eph 5:16.

4:6 Seasoned with salt (\halati ˆrtumenos\). The same verb \artu“\ (old verb from \air“\, to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mr 9:50; Lu 14:34. Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul's desire "that ye know how ye must answer each one" (\eidenai p“s dei humas heni ekast“i apokrinesthai\). Who does know?

4:7 All my affairs (\ta kat' eme panta\). "All the things relating to me." The accusative case the object of \gn“risei\. The same idiom in Ac 25:14; Php 1:2. Tychicus (\Tuchikos\). Mentioned also in Eph 6:21 as the bearer of that Epistle and with the same verb \gn“risei\ (future active of \gn“riz“\) and with the same descriptive epithet as here (\ho agapˆtos adelphos kai pistos diakonos en Kuri“i\, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord) except that here we have also \kai sundoulos\ (and fellow-servant). Abbott suggests that Paul adds \sundoulos\ because he had used it of Epaphras in 1:7. Perhaps \pistos\ goes with both substantives and means faithful to Paul as well as to Christ.

4:8 I have sent (\epempsa\). Epistolary aorist active indicative of \pemp“\ as in Eph 6:22. That ye may know (\hina gn“te\). Second aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive of \gin“sk“\, "that ye may come to know." This the correct text, not \gn“i\ (third singular). Our estate (\ta peri hˆm“n\). "The things concerning us." May comfort (\parakalesˆi\). First aorist active subjunctive. Proper rendering here and not "may exhort."

4:9 Together with Onesimus (\sun Onˆsim“i\). Co-bearer of the letter with Tychicus and praised on a par with him, runaway slave though he is. Who is one of you (\hos estin ex hum“n\). Said not as a reproach to Colossae for having such a man, but as a privilege to the church in Colossae to give a proper welcome to this returning converted slave and to treat him as a brother as Paul argues to Philemon.

4:10 Aristarchus (\Aristarchos\). He was from Thessalonica and accompanied Paul to Jerusalem with the collection (Ac 19:29; 20:4) and started with Paul to Rome (Ac 27:2; Phm 1:24). Whether he has been with Paul all the time in Rome we do not know, but he is here now. My fellow-prisoner (\ho sunaichmal“tos mou\). One of Paul's compounds, found elsewhere only in Lucian. Paul uses it of Epaphras in Phm 1:23, but whether of actual voluntary imprisonment or of spiritual imprisonment like \sunstrati“tes\ (fellow-soldier) in Php 2:25; Phm 1:2 we do not know. Abbott argues for a literal imprisonment and it is possible that some of Paul's co-workers (\sun-ergoi\) voluntarily shared imprisonment with him by turns. Mark (\Markos\). Once rejected by Paul for his defection in the work (Ac 15:36-39), but now cordially commended because he had made good again. The cousin of Barnabas (\ho anepsios Barnabƒ\). It was used for "nephew" very late, clearly "cousin" here and common so in the papyri. This kinship explains the interest of Barnabas in Mark (Ac 12:25; 13:5; 15:36-39). If he come unto you, receive him (\ean elthˆi pros humas dexasthe auton\). This third class conditional sentence (\ean\ and second aorist active subjunctive of \erchomai\) gives the substance of the commands (\entolas\) about Mark already sent, how we do not know. But Paul's commendation of Mark is hearty and unreserved as he does later in 2Ti 4:11. The verb \dechomai\ is the usual one for hospitable reception (Mt 10:14; Joh 4:45) like \prosdechomai\ (Php 2:29) and \hupodechomai\ (Lu 10:38).

4:11 Jesus which is called Justus (\Iˆsous ho legomenos Ioustos\). Another illustration of the frequency of the name Jesus (Joshua). The surname Justus is the Latin _Justus_ for the Greek \Dikaios\ and the Hebrew _Zadok_ and very common as a surname among the Jews. The name appears for two others in the N.T. (Ac 1:23; 18:7). Who are of the circumcision (\hoi ontes ek peritomˆs\). Jewish Christians certainly, but not necessarily Judaizers like those so termed in Ac 11:3 (\hoi ek peritomˆs\. Cf. Ac 35:1,5). These only (\houtoi monoi\). "Of the circumcision" (Jews) he means. A comfort unto me (\moi parˆgoria\). Ethical dative of personal interest. \Parˆgoria\ is an old word (here only in N.T.) from \parˆgore“\, to make an address) and means solace, relief. A medical term. Curiously enough our word paregoric comes from it (\parˆgorikos\).

4:12 Epaphras who is one of you (\Epaphrƒs ho ex hum“n\). See 1:7 for previous mention of this brother who had brought Paul news from Colossae. Always striving for you (\pantote ag“nizomenos huper hˆm“n\). See 1:29 of Paul. That ye may stand (\hina stathˆte\). Final clause, first aorist passive subjunctive (according to Aleph B) rather than the usual second aorist active subjunctives (\stˆte\) of \histˆmi\ (according to A C D). Fully assured (\peplˆrophorˆmenoi\). Perfect passive participle of \plˆrophore“\, late compound, for which see Lu 1:1; Ro 14:5.

4:13 And for them in Hierapolis (\kai t“n en Hierƒi Polei\). The third of the three cities in the Lycus Valley which had not seen Paul's face (2:1). It was across the valley from Laodicea. Probably Epaphras had evangelized all three cities and all were in peril from the Gnostics.

4:14 Luke, the beloved physician (\Loukas ho iatros ho agapˆtos\). Mentioned also in Phm 1:24; 2Ti 4:11. The author of the Gospel and the Acts. Both Mark and Luke are with Paul at this time, possibly also with copies of their Gospels with them. The article here (repeated) may mean "my beloved physician." It would seem certain that Luke looked after Paul's health and that Paul loved him. Paul was Luke's hero, but it was not a one-sided affection. It is beautiful to see preacher and physician warm friends in the community. Demas (\Dˆmas\). Just his name here (a contraction of Demetrius), but in 2Ti 4:10 he is mentioned as one who deserted Paul.

4:15 Nymphas (\Numphan\). That is masculine, if \autou\ (his) is genuine (D E K L) after \kat' oikon\, but \Numpha\ (feminine) if \autˆs\ (her) is read (B 67). Aleph A C P read \aut“n\ (their), perhaps including \adelphous\ (brethren) and so locating this church (\ekklˆsia\) in Laodicea. It was not till the third century that separate buildings were used for church worship. See Ro 16:5 for Prisca and Aquila. It is not possible to tell whether it is "her" or "his" house here.

4:16 When this epistle hath been read among you (\hotan anagn“sthˆi par' humin hˆ epistolˆ\). Indefinite temporal clause with \hotan\ (\hote an\) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of \anagin“sk“\. The epistle was read in public to the church (Re 1:3). Cause that (\poiˆsate hina\). Same idiom in Joh 11:37; Re 13:15. Old Greek preferred \hop“s\ for this idiom. See 1Th 5:27 for injunction for public reading of the Epistle. That ye also read (\kai humeis anagn“te\). Second aorist active subjunctive of \anagin“sk“\, to read. And the epistle from Laodicea (\kai tˆn ek Laodikias\). The most likely meaning is that the so-called Epistle to the Ephesians was a circular letter to various churches in the province of Asia, one copy going to Laodicea and to be passed on to Colossae as the Colossian letter was to be sent on to Laodicea. This was done usually by copying and keeping the original. See Eph 1:1 for further discussion of this matter.

4:17 Take heed (\blepe\). Keep an eye on. Thou hast received in the Lord (\parelabes en Kuri“i\). Second aorist active indicative of \paralamban“\, the verb used by Paul of getting his message from the Lord (1Co 15:3). Clearly Archippus had a call "in the Lord" as every preacher should have. That thou fulfil it (\hina autˆn plˆrois\). Present active subjunctive of \plˆro“\, "that thou keep on filling it full." It is a life-time job.

4:18 Of me Paul with mine own hand (\tˆi emˆi cheiri Paulou\). More precisely, "with the hand of me Paul." The genitive \Paulou\ is in apposition with the idea in the possessive pronoun \emˆi\, which is itself in the instrumental case agreeing with \cheiri\. So also 2Th 3:17; 1Co 16:21. My bonds (\mou t“n desm“n\). Genitive case with \mnemoneuete\ (remember). The chain (\en halusei\ Eph 6:20) clanked afresh as Paul took the pen to sign the salutation. He was not likely to forget it himself