An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 4 · Chapter 4 · Verse 7
Vers. 7.
All my state shall Tichicus declare vntounto you, who is a beloued brother and a faithfull Minister and fellow seruant in the Lord.
8.
Whom I hauehave sent vntounto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts.
9.
With Onesimus a faithfull and beloued brother, who is one of you, they shall make knowne vntounto you all things which are done here.
In these words and those that follow is conteined the second part of the conclusion. Before he hath handled the common doctrine both of faith and life, now he lets loose his affection to expresse in particular his louelove to speciall Christians, in all the words there is to be obserued, first a narration as an entrance. Secondly the salutations themselues.
The narration is in these three verses and the summe of it is that Paul being Prisoner at Rome to expresse his care for and louelove to the Church and in particular to the Colossians, sends Timothie and Onesimus the one a Minister the other a priuate man, both faithfull to shew them of Paules affaires, and to visit the Churches and comfort them.
Before I come to the particulars, from the generall consideration of all the verses to the end of the Chapter, these foure things may be obserued.
1 That religion extends it selfe to the behauiour of men, euen in these more ordinary matters, of life, so as men may sinne or obey euen in them.
2 That the louelove euen of the best Christians needs (for the preseruing and continuing of it) euen these lighter helpes and obseruances.
3 That pietie is no enemie to curtesie, it doth not remoue but rectifie it, pietie doth prescribe to curtesie foure waies, 1 By forbidding and restraining the art of dissimulation and the politicke seruing of mens humors, and all the base courses of flatterie. 2 By moderating the excesse of complements. 3 By preseruing the puritie of them, that they be not made the instruments of prophanenesse, and pollution and wantonnesse. 4 By adding to them the seedes of grace and religion, Paul will salute aswell as the Gentiles but yet his matter shall tend vntounto grace and some good of the soule, as Col. 1.2. and in the rest of the Epistles.
4 Amongst Christians there may be a preheminencie of affection, some may be loued more then others, the Apostle is desirous his doctrine may be a testimonie of his louelove, to all, but yet he cannot forbeare, the mention of his speciall respect of some.
The first thing in this part of the conclusion is the narration, and out of the whole narration these things may be noted.
1 The generall care Ministers should hauehave of the Churches, Paul cares for the Churches farre remoued, yea when himselfe is in great trouble, and so it might be thought, he had cause enough of care for himselfe.
2 That the affections betweene faithfull Ministers and the people should not only be conceiued but exprest.
3 That Church Gouernours should be carefull whom they imploy in the businesses of the Church, Paul will not send a letter but makes choise of discreet and faithfull men, much lesse would he hauehave imploied about the worship of God or the censures of the Church, suspitious persons men of ill fame drunkards or of scandalous behauiour, how can it be otherwise but that the graue censures, of the Church should be loathed, and scorned when such numbers of disordered and prophane persons are admitted to the denouncing, pleading and executing of them.
4 Men should be carefull how and whom they commend by word or writing, to commend euill men is to beare false witnesse, many times to the great hurt both of the Church and common wealth.
The first particular thing in the narration concerning Tichi…us, is his praises. Heere I obserue,
1 Who commends him, viz: Paul. And this shewes that ministers should be carefull to preserue and inlarge the credits of their brethren. Especially this is a care should be in such as excell others in place or gifts. They are farre from this, that detract from the iust praises of their brethren, hold them downe with all disgrace, labour to destroy what they build vp, and plucke away the affections of the people from them; and when they hauehave occasion to speake to them, vse them contemptibly, and rate them as if they were rather their scullions then their brethren. And the sinne is the worse, when the same persons can countenance idle, euill, and scandalous persons.
2 To what end, viz: That his embassage might be so much the more respected: for the credit of the person winnes much respect to the doctrine it selfe.
3 In what manner. And heere obserue two things: 1. That he giues him his full praise; for a man may slander by speaking sparingly in the praises of the well-deseruing. 2. That hee praiseth him without any (but) to teach vsus that we should not be easie in word or letter in discouering the infirmities of faithfull ministers.
4 The particulars of his praises. And they may be diuided thus: Either they are common to all true Christians, (beloued brother) or proper to Church officers,foreign. and that either in relation to Christ, (a faithfull minister) or in relation to Paul (a fellow seruant.)
There are foure things ought to be in eueryevery good minister.
1 He must be a good man, a brother.
2 He should be beloued of his people, beloued brother.
3 He must be faithfull. And his faithfulnesse stands in two things: 1. Diligence in labour: 2. Sinceritie in giuing eueryevery one their portion of rebukes, comforts, directions, &c. in due season.
4 He must be a fellow-seruant, one that will draw in the yoke with his brethren.
This may smite the conscience of many sorts of ministers.
Some because they are of wicked and scandalous life.
Some because they hauehave made themselues hatefull to their people by their indiscretion, couetousnesse, contention, &c.
Some because they are not faithfull: Either not true to the bed of the congregation to which they consecrated themselues: or not sincere in the vse of their gifts, being idle loiterers, indiscreet feeders, men-pleasers, or the like.
Some because they are proud, humorous, selfe-conceited, singular, and louelove to goe alone.
Thus of his praises. The ends of his mission followes, and they are three.
1. That he might declare vntounto them Pauls estate. 2. That hee might know their estate. 3. That he might comfort their hearts.
For the first: If you aske what he should declare, I may answer, such things as these, the successe of the Gospell in Rome, the order of Pauls life, and his afflictions.
If you aske to what end: I answer, 1. For approbation; the greatest men need the approbation of other ministers, yea of other Christians. 2. For thankesgiuing, that so many praises might be giuen to God. 3. For praier for what was wanting, or hurtfull to him or the Church. 4. For consolation to them, who questionlesse would reioice to heare from Paul.
Againe it is to be noted that he saith his whole estate: for a godly man carrieth himselfe so as he cares not though all men see into all his courses.