Farewell Instruction (4:15-17)
COLOSSIANS 4:17
INTRODUCTION
A. It would seem from reading Paul’s Epistle To The Colossians that some in Colossae were attempting to minimize Christ in God's plan of salvation, while promoting other things such as angel worship, visions etc. (Col. 2:8-10,18). Part of that false teaching seems to have contended that, in order to get to God, one had to ascend through various levels of spirituality using secret knowledge and rituals which were not revealed to all. Paul attacked the error claiming superiority for Christ over what the false teachers claimed.
Discussion
I. THE MINISTRY
A. ... Take heed to the ministry ... (4:17a).
17 And <2532> say <2036> (5628) to Archippus <751>, Take heed <991> (5720) to the ministry <1248> ...
1. Very little is known about Archippus.
a. He was mentioned only in our text and in the letter to Philemon.
b. In the letter to Philemon, Paul described Archippus as “our fellowsoldier” (Phm 2).
(1) As a fellow soldier Archippus shared a common bond with Paul as a laborer in the gospel.
(2) It is the same bond in the gospel we all should share.
2. In what they shared, Paul cautioned Archippus to “Take heed to the ministry.”
a. heed, Strong’s - 991. blepw BLEPO blep’-o; a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):— behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed. Compare 3700.
TDNT-5:315,706; v AV-see 90, take heed 12, behold 10, beware 4, look on 4, look 3, beware of 3, misc 9; 135 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye 1a) with the bodily eye: to be possessed of sight, have the power of seeing 1b) perceive by the use of the eyes: to see, look descry 1c) to turn the eyes to anything: to look at, look upon, gaze at 1d) to perceive by the senses, to feel 1e) to discover by use, to know by experience 2) metaph. to see with the mind’s eye 2a) to have (the power of) understanding 2b) to discern mentally, observe, perceive, discover, understand 2c) to turn the thoughts or direct the mind to a thing, to consider, contemplate, to look at, to weigh carefully, examine 3) in a geographical sense of places, mountains, buildings, etc. turning towards any quarter, as it were, facing it
For Synonyms see entry 5822
5720 Tense-PresentSee 5774
Voice-Active See 5784
Mood - ImperativeSee 5794
Count-582
Thayer Definition:
1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye 1a) with the bodily eye: to be possessed of sight, have the power of seeing 1b) perceive by the use of the eyes: to see, look descry 1c) to turn the eyes to anything: to look at, look upon, gaze at 1d) to perceive by the senses, to feel 1e) to discover by use, to know by experience 2) metaphorically to see with the mind’s eye 2a) to have (the power of) understanding 2b) to discern mentally, observe, perceive, discover, understand 2c) to turn the thoughts or direct the mind to a thing, to consider, contemplate, to look at, to weigh carefully, examine 3) in a geographical sense of places, mountains, buildings, etc. turning towards any quarter, as it were, facing it
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: a primary word
Citing in TDNT: 5:315, 706
b. ministry, Strong’s - 1248. diakonia DIAKONIA dee-ak-on-ee’-ah; from 1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or techn. of the diaconate):— (ad-)minister(-ing, -tration, -try), office, relief, service(-ing).
TDNT-2:87,152; n f AV-ministry 16, ministration 6, ministering 3, misc 9; 34 1) service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others 2) of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men 2a) of the office of Moses 2b) of the office of the apostles and its administration 2c) of the office of prophets, evangelists, elders etc. 3) the ministration of those who render to others the offices of Christian affection esp. those who help meet need by either collecting or distributing of charities 4) the office of the deacon in the church 5) the service of those who prepare and present food
c. The word ministry is derived from the same Greek word translated "deacon" throughout the New Testament.
d. In fact the word often used of a preacher - minister is the same word for deacon (1Ti 4:6).
(1) minister, Strong’s - 1249 diakonov DIAKONOS dee-ak’-on-os probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands, cf 1377); TDNT-2:88,152; n m/f AV-minister 20, servant 8, deacon 3; 31 1) one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister 1a) the servant of a king 1b) a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use 1c) a waiter, one who serves food and drink
For Synonyms see entry 5834 & 5928
(2) We all should seek to be good ministers of Jesus Christ in the sense of teaching his word and as those who follow it, godly examples.
3. There is no way to know for certain why Paul admonished Archippus.
a. However, since Paul called Archippus a “fellowsoldier” and since the Epistle to the Colossians, and that to Philemon, were evidently written about the same time frame, Archippus could not have been a fellow soldier of the apostle, yet at the same time a delinquent at Colosse.
b. The most probable reason for the admonishment was to remind Archippus of his Christian duties, to remind him to “beware” of, “to discern” or to “perceive” the importance of the his Christian duties and to encourage him in the work.
B. Those inspired to write scripture were not afraid to remind the saints regarding spiritual things (1Co 4:17; 1Ti 4:6; 2Ti 1:6; 2:14; 2Pe 1:12, 13; Jude 5).
1. Some time we need to be reminded of spiritual things.
a. The admonition to "take heed to the ministry" is similar to Paul's warning to the elders of Ephesus to "take heed unto yourselves" (Acts 20:28).
b. It is similar to what all Christians are cautioned about in scripture (cf. Heb 3:12-13; 1Co 3:10; 8:9).
c. It is always proper to warn all Christians, and especially those of us who would seek positions of leadership, to "take heed to the ministry."
2. Taking Heed Requires:
a. Prayer (1Th 5:17; Jam 5:16).
(1) Any one who is too busy to pray, that is to take time to commune directly with God is one whose direction is life is away from God.
(2) Our days should begin in prayer to God, continue in prayer with God and end in prayer with God.
b. knowledge
(a) Without proper input there will not be any proper output.
(b) If we want the necessary knowledge to fulfill our duties then we need to diligently study God’s word (Pro 2: 6-9, 10-12; 2Ti 3:16-17).
(2) observation
(a) It doesn’t require much observation of the ways of the wicked and weak to realize their direction is not the way we ought to go (cf. Pro 7:6-7,24-27).
(b) Through observation of those who live righteously, those who follow God’s word we will know the direction expected of God (cp. 1Co 11:1).
(3) practice (Php 4:9).
(a) Practice in put into action what we have prayed about, learned from study and observed of the righteous.
(b) Paul told Timothy, “be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1Ti 4:12).
c. All Christians are expected to take heed or focus their attention with their lives on eternity (Col 3:1-4).
Transition:
II. THE MINISTRY GIVEN
A. ... which thou hast received ... (4:17b).
17 ... which <3739> thou hast received <3880> (5627) in <1722> the Lord <2962>, ...
1. Archippus was called to serve the Lord.
2. It is true that some were called directly by God into his service.
a. Moses (Exo 3:1-10).
b. Paul (Act 9:1-6).
3. It is equally true that each of us as Christians are called to serve God (Rom 12:1).
Transition: In serving God in the gospel there are things we must get done.
III. THE MINISTRY DUTY
A. ... fulfil it ... (4:17c).
17 ... that <2443> thou fulfil <4137> (5725) it <846>.
1. Paul told Timothy to make full proof of his ministry that is, to make full; to cause a thing to be shown to the full or to fulfil the ministry in every part (2Ti 4:5).
2. As with Archippus, Timothy was to carry his duties through to the end “in season and out of season” (2Ti 4:2).
a. The most important part of each of their ministries was to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
b. They could easily have gotten sidetracked by things less important.
3. It is no less true for us.
a. To do so is to fail in our Christian duties.
b. The path toward failure is:
(1) wasting of time (Eph 5:16; Col 4:5).
(a) David was interested in redeeming the time (Psa 90)
(b) Most people uses very little of their brains, and are productive at best with very little of their time.
(c) However, we usually find time to do what we desire to do.
(d) We need to desire more to give more of our time to fulfilling our Christian duties.
(2) not prioritizing (Mat 6:33).
(a) Many people spend most of their lives on things which are worthless and in the end receiving nothing for all their time and effort in life.
(b) We need to realize what is of most importance in our lives and to focus on those things.
(c) Nothing is more important then the eternal.
(3) quitting in the face of opposition (Gal 6:9, 2Ti 2:3).
(a) Doing as we are supposed to do will not always be easy.
(b) The Lord did not declare things would always go the way we desire.
(c) Let’s avoid developing a losing attitude (Php 4:13).
Conclusion:
Finishing everything we need to in a day is not always possible. Sometimes after it begins to pile up there is a temptation not to bother. That is the way it sometimes is in the physical world. Spiritually we need to work hard fulfilling all of our Christian duties. We can not bother to do them. Souls may depend on it.
Sources:
Tom Wacaster , ADMONITIONS AND GREETINGS, STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS AND COLOSSIANS,
THE NINETEENTH (2000) ANNUAL DENTON LECTURES, Dub McClish - Editor, Valid Publications, Inc., Pearl Street Church of Christ, Denton, Texas 76201
Cecil A. Hutson, II LEARNING TO DISCERN
Wade Hughes, Sr, A Plan to Fail
in charity through Christ, Ra ym ond Wi se man