A Final Greeting

Philemon 23-25

What could be learned from a final greeting?  That is what these verses are dealing with and in verse 23 we are introduced to Epaphras, Paul’s fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, and we know that he is a companion of Paul’s, unless we look to Colossians 1:7-8 and we find that he is from Colossae.  This is what Paul has to say about him, “just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.  He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”  In Colossians 4:12-13, we are given more information on Epaphras; “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.  For I bear witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea, and in Hierapolis.”  It is important to understand that Epaphras has taught the gospel to these people of Colossae, and they have received it and the gospel is growing and bearing fruit because of this faithful minister of Christ.  But now he is in Rome with Paul, maybe a prisoner, Paul calls him a servant of Christ Jesus, a man of prayer, and last he is telling Philemon that he is a fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.

In verse 24, Paul calls these men, my fellow workers; they were in Rome with him, not as Prisoners but co-workers in the kingdom of Christ.  You may be familiar with the name Mark and Luke but Aristarchus and Demas may not have hit your radar.  The first time we hear of Aristarchus is in Acts 19:29, he is from Macedonia and is a companion of Paul’s and is taken captive in a riot at Ephesus, that’s the first time we hear of him. Acts 27:2, gives this insight that I’ve missed.  Paul is a prisoner going to Rome, and was accompanied by none other than Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.  And in the book of Colossians 4:10, Paul refers to Aristarchus as my fellow prisoner.

Demas another of Paul’s co-laborers, whom we may not be familiar with is found in Colossians 4:14, “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.”  So this we know that the church at Colossae knows who Demas is and must have some kind of history with him.  And in the letter to Philemon, Demas is called my fellow worker, but in 2 Timothy 4:10, we see a part of Demas that should awaken every Christian that reads it.  What insight from 2 Timothy 4:9-10; “Do your best to come to me soon.  For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.”

Demas was a co-worker, a follower of Christ and was involved in growing the kingdom of Christ on this earth, what happen?  Somehow, someone got him to remove his focus from the kingdom of God to this present world and it did not happen over night, Demas never saw it coming, he was polluted by a love for stuff, and maybe the way others saw him.  In the gospel of Luke 12:15, Jesus said these words; “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  In the gospel of Luke 8, Jesus is talking about the parable of the Sower beginning in verses 4-15, it seems that Demas and so many that are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life are unfruitful.  They, like Demas, have fallen in love with this present world.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice