15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house. 16 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. 17 Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.
Evidence of good church relations comes to light in Paul’s closing comments, reflecting good fellowship between the area churches surrounding Colossae. The idea of a super-church that stood alone, completely independent from others, was not the norm during apostolic times. In particular, Paul’s communication to them was to be shared.
His closing infers that Paul wrote other letters (e.g. to the Laodiceans), which have been lost to antiquity, and for whatever God’s reason, did not find their way into the canon of the New Testament documents. In fact, we can piece together from the historical evidence found in his extant letters that he wrote at least two additional letters to the Corinthians, which also have not been preserved. Armchair theologians like to theorize what would happen if one of these were found, but such is only speculative at best. There is no way of validating any such find if they were to occur anyway. Suffice it to say the Lord has preserved that which He desires for the church through the ages.
Archippus receives the final admonition to fulfill the ministry given to him—mentioned last but certainly not least.
Finally, as he does some of his other letters (see 1 Corinthians 16:21 and 2 Thessalonians 3:17), Paul adds his own handwriting to the conclusion, as his personal mark of authenticity. Most likely this implies that he had working for him what is called an amanuensis, that is, a personal secretary, to actually write down his communication. Why Paul didn’t pen the whole letter is a matter of speculation, not the least possibility being limitations due to his imprisonment or maybe his eyesight. Regardless of whose physical hand was put to parchment, the letter was none-the-less his authorship. Despite the penchant of 18th and 19th century liberal theologians, no serious scholar today doubts the authenticity of Paul’s letter to the Colossians as being his actual writing.
Finally the apostle asks the Colossians to remember him in his imprisonment and closes with his signature saying, “Grace be with you.” Paul, amidst all that he taught and did, in the final analysis, was all about grace.
Lord, grant us the grace to share our Christian lives with others beyond the local church in which we are involved. We all together are the body of Christ.
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