‘Even as you learned of Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.'
Paul rejoiced in the close bond between himself and his fellow-workers. To him they were all beloved. It was clearly Epaphras, sent out by Paul, who had established the church at Colossae and returned to Paul declaring how they had revealed true spiritual love implanted in them by the Holy Spirit. He also established the churches at Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13) and upheld them all in constant prayer. Thus can Paul declare, ‘he is faithful' in the task he is carrying out and has carried out ‘on our behalf'. They work as a team and each works on behalf of the whole.
‘A faithful fellow-servant (sun-doulos, a ‘together servant')) and a faithful servant (diakonos) of Christ.' What greater commendation could there be? And this from Paul who knew how to assess men. It is required in servants that they be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2), and Epaphras was faithful. He also apparently shared one of Paul's imprisonments (Philemon 1:23).
‘Epaphras.' See also Colossians 4:12; Philemon 1:23. The name is short for Epaphroditus, but Paul probably distinguished him from the other Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:18) by this shortened name.