Commentary - Colossians 4:15-17

Bird's-eye view

As Paul brings his letter to the Colossians to a close, he does so with a series of personal greetings and final instructions. This is not mere filler; it is the sinews and ligaments of real Christian fellowship. These verses (15-17) show us the network of churches in the Lycus Valley, the ordinary means of grace through the reading of apostolic letters, and the personal nature of ministerial responsibility. The gospel is not an abstract philosophy but a lived reality among named individuals in specific places. We see the church functioning in its most basic forms: gathered in a home, sharing Scripture, and holding its ministers to account. It is a picture of the Church networked, the Church fed, and the Church accountable.

Paul’s greetings extend beyond Colossae to the neighboring church in Laodicea, highlighting the interconnectedness of the early Christian communities. He mentions Nympha and the church in her house, reminding us that from the beginning, the household has been a fundamental unit of the church. The instruction to swap letters is a crucial glimpse into the formation of the New Testament canon; these were not private memos but catholic epistles for the edification of all the saints. Finally, the pointed word to Archippus is a sober reminder that ministry is a charge received from the Lord, and it must be fulfilled with diligence. It is a corporate responsibility to encourage our leaders to remain faithful to their calling.

Outline

The Networked Church

The end of this letter is a flurry of names and places. This is not an accident. Christianity is an intensely personal and relational faith. Paul is not writing to abstract concepts but to real people he knows and loves, and he is connecting them with other real people. The churches at Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis (v. 13) were sister churches, likely planted around the same time by Epaphras. They were to function as a network, encouraging one another, sharing resources (in this case, apostolic letters), and presumably praying for one another. This is a basic form of catholicity. Your church is not an island. It is part of the whole body of Christ, and you have responsibilities to the other congregations in your region. This is a far cry from the consumeristic church-shopping that defines so much of modern American evangelicalism. These churches were bound together by a common gospel, a common mission, and a common apostle.

Verse by Verse

Colossians 4:15

Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.

Paul begins with a greeting, but it is a strategic one. He wants the Colossians to extend his greetings to the believers in Laodicea, a city about ten miles away. The assumption is that there is regular traffic and communication between these two churches. They are "brothers," part of the same family. This is how the gospel spreads, through networks of fellowship. Then he singles out an individual, Nympha. There is some textual debate whether the name is masculine (Nymphas) or feminine (Nympha), but the better evidence points to a woman. And what is significant about her? She hosts a church in her house. This was the common reality for the early church. They did not have dedicated buildings; they had the hospitality of their members. The home was the locus of worship, fellowship, and instruction. This sanctifies the home as a place of ministry. Nympha, by opening her home, was exercising a foundational form of leadership and service. She was a pillar in the Laodicean church. The church is not a building you go to; it is a people you belong to, a people who gather in homes and share their lives.

Colossians 4:16

And when this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.

This verse is a little window into the life of the early church and the formation of our New Testament. First, apostolic letters were meant to be read aloud in the corporate gathering. This was their "publication." In an age of limited literacy, the public reading of Scripture was a central element of worship, just as it was in the synagogue. Second, these letters were not intended to be private property. Paul explicitly commands them to share this letter with the Laodiceans. This is how the gospel is designed to work, it overflows. Truth is not to be hoarded. Third, there was a reciprocal arrangement. The Colossians were to read the letter Paul had sent to Laodicea. What was this "letter from Laodicea?" We do not have it. This troubles some people, as though God somehow dropped the ball and lost a piece of the Bible. But this is a profound misunderstanding of providence. God has preserved for us exactly what He intended for His whole church down through the ages. We can be confident that everything necessary for life and godliness is contained in the sixty-six books we have. This lost letter is a good reminder that the apostles wrote more than what was ultimately included in the canon. The canon is not a collection of everything inspired men ever wrote, but rather the collection of those writings which the Holy Spirit determined would be the rule of faith and life for the entire church in all ages. The process was organic and Spirit-led, and part of it looked just like this: churches sharing letters.

Colossians 4:17

And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."

This is a fascinating and very pointed exhortation. Who is Archippus? He is mentioned in Philemon as a "fellow soldier" and is likely a minister in the region, perhaps even the pastor of the Colossian church itself, or the one in Laodicea. But notice the method of delivery. Paul does not write a private note to Archippus. He tells the entire Colossian church to deliver the message to him. "And say to Archippus..." This is public accountability. The congregation has a role in encouraging their minister to be faithful. Ministry is not a private affair between a man and God; it is a public trust. The charge is twofold. First, "Take heed to the ministry." The word for "take heed" is blepe, meaning to see, to watch out, to be discerning. Ministry is fraught with temptations, discouragement, pride, laziness, distraction. A minister must be constantly vigilant. Second, he must "fulfill it." The ministry is a task, a race, a stewardship that must be completed. It was "received in the Lord," which means it is not a self-appointed career path. It is a divine calling and a sacred charge from Jesus Christ Himself. For the church to deliver this message to their pastor is not an act of insolence, but of love. It is their way of saying, "We are with you, we are for you, and we want you to finish the race well. Do not neglect the gift that is in you." Every minister needs to hear this, and every congregation needs to say it.