1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Good morning, faithful listeners, Welcome to the Bible Explain podcast. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: On this lovely, beautiful day, we are in the last 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: chapter of Colossians today and we're going to be finishing 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: this book up and moving into First Thessalonians on Thursday, 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: but as of today, we will be discussing all of 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: these various people that Paul mentioned and their role in 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: the early church history. So stay tuned for that. As 8 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: much as I like talking about the deep theological teachings 9 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: of Paul, sometimes it's really nice to take a step 10 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: back and talk about church history and other topics that 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: are a little bit more light. However, they're still so 12 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 1: important because they're here in scripture. And so what can 13 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: we learn from all of these people that Paul mentions, Well, 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: actually we can learn a lot. So we're going to 15 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: talk about each individual person and who they might have 16 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: been or what role they played in the early Church. 17 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: So this is Paul's conclusion to Colasians, where he is 18 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: thanking all of these individuals. Let's read Colossians for seven 19 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: through eighteen. I'll be reading as always from the web. 20 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: Grab your delicious cup of seven Weeks Coffee, the coffee 21 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: brand that supports life in the womb link in description. 22 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: As we read this passage together, all of my affairs 23 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: will be made known to you by Tachikus, the beloved brother, 24 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: faithful servant, and fellow bond servant in the Lord. I 25 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: am sending him to you for this very purpose, that 26 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts. Together 27 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: with Onisimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one 28 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: of you, they will make known to you everything that 29 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: is going on here. Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you. 30 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: And Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you received instructions. 31 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: If he comes to you, receive him. And Jesus, who 32 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: is called Justice. These are my my only fellow workers 33 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: for God's kingdom, who are of the circumcision, men who 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one 35 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: of you, a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving 36 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 1: for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect 37 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: and complete in all the will of God. For I 38 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: testify about Him that he is great zeal for you 39 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: and for those in Ladicea, and for those in Hiropolis. 40 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: Luke the beloved physician and Demus greet you greet the 41 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: brothers who are in Ladicea with Nymphus and the assembly 42 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: that is in his house. When this letter has been 43 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: read among you, cause it to be read also in 44 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: the assembly of the Ladysseans, and that you also read 45 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: the letter from Leadicea. Tell Archipas, take heed to the 46 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: ministry which you've received in the Lord that you fulfill it. 47 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: I Paul write this greeting with my own hand, remember 48 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: my chains. Grace be with you, Amen. What a lovely 49 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: way to end Colossians, you know, with Paul just giving 50 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 1: thanks for all of these people and blessing them for 51 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: every generation to see and read about. And most of 52 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: these people, you know, we don't actually know who they are, 53 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: but we do know some of them, which we'll get 54 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: into in just a second. Paul was writing this letter 55 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: to the Colossians, and he actually says at the very 56 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: end here that he was also writing it to the Leideseans, 57 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: which was a city very close to Calisa. But in 58 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: the last four chapters, Paul was making a huge case 59 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: as to why the Colossian Church needed to abandon bad 60 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: ideologies such as angel worship or wisdom worship or pagan 61 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: rituals being integrated into Christianity, or judaizers coming in and 62 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: trying to lead people astray and force them to follow 63 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: the Old Testament laws when that was not necessary for salvation. 64 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: And then Paul talked about what Christianity is going to 65 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: look like inside the home. No matter what social station 66 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: you held in life, whether you were a husband, a wife, 67 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: a slave, or a freeman, every single person had a 68 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: responsibility once they became a Christian. So now he wraps 69 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: up here talking about all of these different people, some 70 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,119 Speaker 1: of them Jewish, some of them gentile, who have come 71 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: together under the family of faith. He says in verse seven, 72 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: all of my affairs will be made known to you 73 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: by Taichikis, the beloved brother, faithful servant, and fellow bond 74 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: servant in the Lord. Now, most likely Taichikis, which I 75 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: think I'm saying his name correctly. It's it's kind of 76 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: a mouthful. Taichikis. He was probably the guy that was 77 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: carrying this letter to the Colossians, and he was very 78 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: likely the same man who carried the Ephesian letter to 79 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: the Ephesians as well. So Taichikis was basically Paul's messenger 80 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: and not to mention, Taichikis had a big responsibility of 81 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: not just delivering this letter to the one city, but 82 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: he also had to travel around to the other area, 83 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: the other cities nearby and read these letters as well, 84 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: because don't forget that, back in these days, writing letters 85 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: was time consuming and finding paper or scrolls was also 86 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: hard to do, so copying down several letters for different 87 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: areas was very difficult, which was why a messenger like 88 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: Taichikis would be very important back in these days, because 89 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: he would go from town to town and a city 90 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: to city, sharing this message with the local churches. He says, 91 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 1: I am sending him Taichikis to you for this very purpose, 92 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts 93 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 1: together with Onisimus. So it sounds to me like Taychikis 94 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: had never been to Colossie before. But the reason Paul 95 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: was sending him, it sounds like, was for the purpose 96 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: of telling the Colossians how Paul was getting along, and 97 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: Paul trusted Taichikis to be a good bearer of this news. Apparently, 98 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: Tychkiss was also coming with Anissimus, and we talked about 99 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: Anisimus last week. We mentioned how he was the slave 100 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: of phi Leman, who was likely a wealthier Christian individual. 101 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: In fact, Phileman had a church inside of his own home, 102 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: but he was a slave owner, as were most of 103 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: the people back in these days. In fact, half of 104 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: the people you would encounter were slaves of some sort. 105 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: And Anissimus had run away from Philemon, not just running 106 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: away but also stealing from him. But then when he 107 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: met Paul, he became a Christian, and Paul, while being 108 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: in prison, writes a letter to Philemon saying, please accept 109 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: Anisimus back, because though he was useless before. That is 110 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: what Paul says, he is now your brother in Christ, 111 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: and he is going to be useful. He was useful 112 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: to me. In fact, he is useful right now. He 113 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: comforted me while I was in chains, and so I 114 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: ask of you that you accept him back and treat 115 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: him kindly, is what he says. In fact, Phileman one, 116 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: there's only one chapter in Philemen, verse ten. Here's what 117 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: Paul says to Phileman. I appeal to you for my 118 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: child Anisimus, whom I have become the father of in 119 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: my chains, who is once useless to you, but now 120 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: is useful to you and to me. I am sending 121 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: him back. Therefore, receive him. That is my own heart 122 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: whom I desired to keep with me, that on your 123 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: behalf he might serve me in my chains for the 124 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: good news. So Paul gives this glowing recommendation for Anisimus, 125 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: and then later on in the chapter he actually tells Philemen, 126 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: I will pay back everything he stole from you. I 127 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: will pay it back because he is my brother in Christ, 128 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: and he is your brother in Christ. You know, slaves 129 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: generally were never treated well. They were generally treated in 130 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: a subhuman kind of way. People did not believe that 131 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: slaves had equality with freemen. And yet Paul was breaking 132 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: those barriers by saying, every single person has been created 133 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: equal in God's eyes. And that is what he says 134 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: right here, going back to Colossians chapter four, verse nine, 135 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: Anisimus is the faithful and beloved brother, not a slave, 136 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:40,319 Speaker 1: but a brother who is one of you. We talked 137 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: last week about how Christianity was what eventually completely dismantled slavery. Unfortunately, 138 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: it took a long time. You know, slavery was very 139 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: common for a long time. But Paul's words, teaching the 140 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: equality of slaves was countercultural for the time period and 141 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: had almost immediate effects. Phileman was written probably at the 142 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: exact same time that Colossians was. In fact, it's very 143 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: likely that Anisimus himself delivered the letter to Philemen when 144 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 1: Paul was sending him to Colossie. Right here. Very likely 145 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: Anisimus was delivering this letter to Phileman. And you can imagine, 146 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: you know, if Phileman was a strong Christian who believed 147 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: in God, who believed the scriptures, and who believed the 148 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: words of Paul, that he would accept Anisimus back and 149 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: also treat him as a brother in Christ. But continuing forward, 150 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: Paul says in verse ten, aristarkis my fellow prisoner. Greets you. Now, 151 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: I think this is referring to Acts chapter nineteen, because 152 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 1: Aristarkus is mentioned in Acts nineteen. He got arrested when 153 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: Paul was in Ephesus. Paul was in Ephesus for a 154 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 1: very long period of time. Aristarkus was with him during that, 155 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: and the city got into this big riot over Paul 156 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: and his ministry and the Gospel of Jesus. Here's what 157 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: Acts nineteen, Verse twenty nine says the whole city was 158 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into 159 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarkus, men of Macedonia, 160 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: Paul's companions in travel. So poor Aristarkus, while being in Ephesus, 161 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: was caught in the crossfire of this giant riot that 162 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: took place and was arrested. So I think when Paul 163 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: calls Aristarchus his fellow prisoner in Christ, he very well 164 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: could be referring to that when Aristarchus was arrested. Though 165 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: Aristarkus I believe was released from prison pretty quickly after that, 166 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: because he traveled again with Paul in Acts chapter twenty, 167 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: which was very soon after that riot had taken place. 168 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: So he says, Aristarkas my fellow prisoner, A greets you 169 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas concerning whom you received instructions. 170 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: If he comes to you, receive him. And we know 171 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: a lot about Mark. He was the guy obviously that 172 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: wrote the Book of Mark. He was not one of 173 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: Jesus's disciples, but he was a very good friend of Peter. 174 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: Mark and Paul kind of had like a checkered history 175 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: because Mark had abandoned Paul for whatever reason, we're not 176 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: exactly sure why, but Mark abandoned Paul's ministry for a while. 177 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: Paul got so angry about that that he and Barnabas 178 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: split up because Mark was Barnabas's cousin, and for that matter, 179 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: Barnabas sided with Mark. Paul was mad about that, so 180 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: Barnabas and Paul go on their separate ways. That's when 181 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: we see in the Book of Acts Paul switching his 182 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: companion from Barnabas to Silas. It was over Mark. But 183 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: later on, as is shown right here, Paul and Mark 184 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: mend things and are no longer fighting. They're able to 185 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: get along once again. In fact, Paul says to the Colossians, 186 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 1: he says, when Mark comes to you, receive him. He 187 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: is a fellow brother in Christ, so receive him. And 188 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: then in verse eleven, Paul continues, he says, and also Jesus, 189 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: who is called Justice, greets you. Now we have no 190 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: clue who this guy is other than the fact that 191 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: he goes by two names, which is Jesus and also Justice. Now, 192 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: the name Jesus was actually very common in Paul's day. 193 00:12:55,080 --> 00:13:00,439 Speaker 1: The name Jesus is actually the Greek form of Joshua. Technically, 194 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: Jesus's name in Hebrew would have been Joshua, but many 195 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: people went by the Greek forms of their names. But 196 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: this guy, Jesus in verse eleven here goes by the 197 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: name Justice instead of Jesus, whereas Justice was the Latin 198 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: form of the name Jesus or Joshua. So it gets 199 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: kind of confusing because there are so many languages taking 200 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 1: place at this time that people had two or three 201 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: names on occasion, and so this Jesus Justice guy is 202 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: one of those those people. Now I don't know exactly 203 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: why he didn't go by Jesus. You know, people don't 204 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: really name their kids Jesus even to this day. I mean, 205 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:46,199 Speaker 1: there is like Heesus, I guess in Spanish, and there 206 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: is Joshua. But the name Jesus is just kind of special. 207 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: I don't know any Jesus is. People would probably look 208 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: at you very funny if you named your kid Jesus. 209 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: So it's just a special name. And I imagine that 210 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: Jesus Justice went by Justice because he felt the name 211 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: Jesus was just too holy for him. At least that's 212 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: my interpretation of this. But then Paul says, these are 213 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 1: my only fellow workers for God's kingdom who are of 214 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: the circumcision, men who have been a comfort to me. 215 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: Now that's interesting because these men that Paul have mentioned 216 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:26,119 Speaker 1: so far, these are the only Jews, because Paul specifically 217 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: says they are of the circumcision, so that means they 218 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: are Jewish Men. So the rest of the people that 219 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: Paul is going to mention here are not Jews. And 220 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: there's actually more non Jews than there are Jews that 221 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: were helping Paul. And that's not a political statement or anything. 222 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: That's just it's amazing how quickly the gospel spread to 223 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: these gentiles, that there were so many that Paul knew 224 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: who loved Jesus, loved the Gospel, and were comforting Paul 225 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: during his time of distress. So he goes into the 226 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: non Jewish men. Now Epiphras, who is one of you, 227 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: a servant of Christ, salutes you, always striving for you 228 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: in his prayers that you may stand perfect and complete 229 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: in all the will of God. Now Epiphras was mentioned 230 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: earlier in Colossians. Paul actually credits him as being the 231 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: one who carried the good news to the Colossians. He says, 232 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: you heard it from Epiphra's or you learned it rather 233 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: from Epiphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful 234 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: servant of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to 235 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: us your love in the spirit. So Epiphris was a 236 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: friend of Paul's, and he is credited as being the 237 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: founder of the Colossian Church. Paul did not plant the 238 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: Colossian Church. Someone else did. It was planted by a 239 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: gentile man named Epiphras. Paul gives him a very very 240 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: nice description here in Colossians chapter four. He says, Epiphras, 241 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: who is one of you, is a servant of Christ. 242 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: He salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, 243 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: that you may stand perfect and complete in all the 244 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: will of God. For I testify about him that he 245 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: is great zeal for you, and for those in Ladicea, 246 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: and for those in Kiropolis. Now those three cities were 247 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: very close to each other. They were all in the 248 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: Likeas valley in Turkey, only a handful of miles apart 249 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: from each other. And Epiphras had a heart for just 250 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: that region, Thelycus valley region. And it seems to me 251 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: that after Epiphras spread the Gospel and planted the church 252 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: in Colossie. He did not stay there. He actually, it 253 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: sounds like, was with Paul. He went to go see 254 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: Paul and talk to him, very likely about the church 255 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 1: that he had just planted, which was why maybe Paul 256 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: was sending this letter to the Colossians when he heard 257 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 1: about some of the issues that were happening in the area. 258 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: But regardless, ep the First had a heart for this region, 259 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: and Paul certainly confirms that. Then Paul mentions Luke in 260 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: verse fourteen. He says, Luke the beloved physician, and demus 261 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: greet you. Even though Luke is only mentioned here for 262 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: like a second, we find out quite a bit about 263 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: him that we did not know before. First and foremost, 264 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: this is the first and only time that he is 265 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: mentioned being a physician. We did not know that about 266 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: Luke before. We did know he was one of Paul's friends, 267 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: and we know that he wrote the Book of Luke, 268 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: but we did not know he was a physician until 269 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: just now. So he was a doctor. He was a 270 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: beloved doctor, says But we also know something else now. 271 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: We find out that Luke was a gentile, whereas we 272 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: did not know that before, because he is not mentioned 273 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 1: in the list of all of the Jews that had 274 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: comforted Paul in verses seven through eleven, he is mentioned 275 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: with the Gentiles. So Luke, who was a non Gentile, 276 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: wrote a significant portion of the New Testament, which shows 277 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,439 Speaker 1: that the Gospel message is for everybody. It's not for 278 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 1: one race of people, it's for everybody. And I just 279 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: find that really, really amazing. So actually, just from this 280 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: short little mention here we find out quite a bit 281 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,360 Speaker 1: about Luke, whereas we did not know any of this before. 282 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: Then in verse fifteen we learned about somebody named Nymphis. 283 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: And depending on what version you read, it's going to 284 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: call Nymphis either him or her. It says, greet the 285 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: brothers who are in Ladicea with Nymphis and the assembly 286 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: that is in his house. Switch over to any other 287 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: more modern version, it's going to say, greet the brothers 288 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: who are with Nympha in her house. Now, how that 289 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: ended up happening was when Paul wrote this letter, there's 290 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: like a little accent that was supposed to go above 291 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: one of the letters on Nympha's name, And depending on 292 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,439 Speaker 1: where that little accent went, it determined whether the person 293 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 1: was male or female. But since Paul did not include it, 294 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: which was a very common thing in these days, was 295 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 1: to not include accents, people were not sure if Nympha 296 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,399 Speaker 1: was a male or a female. So some versions translated 297 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:49,880 Speaker 1: as Nymphus in his house and others translated it as 298 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 1: Nympha in her house. Now, if you read about things 299 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: like this online, you're gonna see, oh, you know, the patriarchy. 300 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 1: When people translated scripture, they were, you know, trying to 301 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: make it look like women can't have churches in their 302 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: households because they're sexist. And but here's what's really funny 303 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: about that. Every single house church that we see in 304 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:18,399 Speaker 1: the New Testament has a female associated with it. Okay, 305 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: the big one was Priscilla and Aquilla. They were a 306 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: married couple that had a church in their house. Another 307 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 1: famous person that had a home church was Lydia, the 308 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: seller of Purple. I believe she's talked about in Acts 309 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 1: chapter sixteen. So there's another home church that was in 310 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: a woman's house. And then we have in the Book 311 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: of Philemon a woman mentioned named a Fea, who was 312 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 1: most likely Philemon's wife, and they had a church inside 313 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: of their house as well. Here's what that says, Philemon 314 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: one verse one, Paul a prisoner of Christ, Jesus and 315 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: Timothy our brother, to Phileman, our beloved fellow worker, to 316 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 1: the beloved of Fear, to Archipas, our fellow soldier, and 317 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 1: to the assembly in your house, Grace to you and 318 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 319 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: So there's another home church where a woman is mentioned. 320 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:22,160 Speaker 1: Every single home church has a woman associated with it. 321 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: So I think it's silly to assume that the reason 322 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: the translators decided to make Nympha's name a masculine name 323 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: because they were like part of the patriarchy or whatever, 324 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 1: or didn't want women to have churches in their houses. 325 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,959 Speaker 1: I think that's kind of ridiculous, because you'd think they 326 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: do that to all of the other churches that are 327 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: meeting inside of all of these other women's homes, and 328 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: not just this person Nympha right here. Now, all of 329 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: that being said, most people believe these days that Nympha 330 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: is a female, and most translations will say Nympha and 331 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 1: the church that meets in her house, and pretty much 332 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: all biblical scholars now agree that Nympha was in fact 333 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 1: a female, which is the Church of Leiadica, which brings 334 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: us to another interesting point where the Church of Ladicea 335 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: was not a very good church. They were considered to 336 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: be the lukewarm church that God got pretty angry at. 337 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: In the Book of Revelation, Revelation chapter three, fourteen through 338 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: twenty two gives this warning to the Ladicea in church. 339 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: To the Angel of the Assembly in Laidica right the Amen, 340 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: the faithful and true witness the beginning of God's creation, 341 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: says these things. I know your works, that you are 342 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 1: neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 343 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 1: So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, 344 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you 345 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: say I am rich and have gotten riches, and have 346 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: need of nothing, and don't know that you are the 347 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:08,719 Speaker 1: wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you 348 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you 349 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: may become rich, and white garments that you may clothe yourselves, 350 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,400 Speaker 1: and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed. 351 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: And an eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you 352 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:24,920 Speaker 1: may see as many as I love, I reprove and chasten. 353 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 1: Be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the 354 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens 355 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: the door, then I will come into him and will 356 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: dine with him, and he with me. So that's a 357 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: pretty strong warning that God gives the Laydicea in church, 358 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: mainly because Layadicea was actually a very very wealthy city 359 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: in the Likest Valley. It was so wealthy actually that 360 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: when this big earthquake hit it in eighty seventeen, the 361 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: people fused help from the Romans and just did it 362 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,679 Speaker 1: all themselves, like, funded it themselves and built the city 363 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: up again. That's how wealthy they were. They had a 364 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,120 Speaker 1: lot of things going for them. Specifically, they had a 365 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: school of health that was very very famous. They also 366 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: invented this like eye ointment that was just wanted all 367 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 1: over the world for its healing properties for the eyes, 368 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: which is why God here in revelation actually mentions that 369 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: I balm. He's like, find I solve to anoint your 370 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: eyes that you may see because Leadsia was known for 371 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 1: their their eye balm, I guess, but Laiadicea, unfortunately was 372 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: a lukewarm church, very likely because of their wealth and 373 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: the fact that they did not recognize their abundant need 374 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: for a savior. But going back to Colossians chapter four 375 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: to finish up, Paul asks in verse sixteen for the 376 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: letter to the Colassians to be read in Laiadicea as well. 377 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 1: He says, when this letter has been read among you, 378 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 1: cause it also to be read in the assembly of 379 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: the Ladiceans, and that you also read the letter from Ladicea. 380 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: Tell Archipas, take heed to the ministry which you've received 381 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: in the Lord that you fulfill it. Now, this guy, 382 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: Archipus very well could be the same guy in the 383 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:32,360 Speaker 1: Book of Philemon that was mentioned here in verse one, 384 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: or rather verse two. Remember we're just talking about Philemon's wife, 385 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: a Fia. She is mentioned in verse two, but also 386 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: Archipus once again is mentioned. So some assume that Archipas 387 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: is Phileman's son and they all had a house church together, 388 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:56,640 Speaker 1: And for some reason, Paul gives Archipus this like warning 389 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: at the very end here he says, take heed to 390 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: the ministry which you've received in the Lord that you 391 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: fulfill it. I have no clue what that means. I 392 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: don't know what Paul was trying to say to Archpas, 393 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: but apparently Archpis had something very important that he needed 394 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: to do and complete without fear, so Paul encourages him 395 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: to not have fear. Then, in verse eighteen, Paul concludes 396 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: by saying, I write this greeting with my own hand, 397 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: remember my chains. Grace be with you a men. I 398 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: think the one thing we can take away from today's chapter, 399 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: even though we don't really know who these people are 400 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: all that much, is that God sees us all. We 401 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: are all created equal under Him, equal in value. I 402 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 1: should say. We are not all given the same opportunities 403 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: in life, but we are equal in value. And because 404 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 1: of that, God sees us, and God sees all these 405 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:05,879 Speaker 1: men and women possibly that Paul mentioned right here, and 406 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:11,120 Speaker 1: God chose to bless them for generations by writing their 407 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: name down in scripture right so that everybody can see 408 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 1: who these people are and learn from them and learn 409 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 1: that even though we don't have a big role in ministry, 410 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: God does see our work and will in fact bless us. So, 411 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: faithful listeners, I hope you enjoyed the Book of Colossians. 412 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 1: We will be moving into First Thessalonians on Thursday, and 413 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: will be in Thessalonians a little bit longer because there's 414 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: two of them. There's First Thessalonians and a second Thessalonians. 415 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: And I'm super duper excited to delve into Thessalonians because 416 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: this is where we're going to get into the rapture. 417 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: This is where Paul talks about Jesus's second coming, and 418 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: I'm very excited to delve into all of that with you. 419 00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:59,639 Speaker 1: So I hope you tune in on Thursday as we 420 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: start in First Thessalonians, chapter one, but also tune in 421 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: tomorrow because tomorrow is the Old Testament side of stuff, 422 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: where we will be talking about First Chronicles and discussing 423 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: more about the life of David. So tune in then 424 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: six am or whenever you choose to wake up and listen. 425 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: So faithful listeners until tomorrow, happy listening, and God bless