As we read through Colossians, it can be rather disjointed looking at only some verses each time. We should remember that the book of Colossians was a letter written by Paul to a group of people. It would have been a great event where the whole church gathered together to hear what Paul may have to say to them.

Everyone would join together, men and women, Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free – all members of the church in Colossae. As they heard this letter read, they would not have breaks in between, especially not month-long breaks like we have had here! They would still have in mind the circumstances of their lives, the facts of the current government and the call to live the life of love and unity and peace that Paul had just stated some verses ago.

Mutually beneficial relationships

The slave here would hear that the master should provide what is right and fair. The master would hear that his slave should do is work as for the Lord, not for him or her.  The master has a master in heaven. The slave has an inheritance from the Lord and works for Him. The relationship has both benefits and rewards when the Lord is the third strand in it.

Each has duties and rights to carry out equally as members of household – the powerful have responsibilities and not only rights and the powerless have rights and not only responsibilities. This carries forward the idea of mutual submission, the each other-ness and the one another-ness that Paul states just a few verses earlier. Lord and Master are used seven times in 9 verses to underscore the importance of the relationships we have with each other in Christ.

Living Christ’s love

All of this passage hinges on living in the name of Jesus – living his love for one another. Love is always seeking the best for others. Children seeking the best for parents, parents seeking the best for children, slaves for masters and master for slaves. Christ’s love is husbands seeking the best for wives and wives seeking the best for husbands.

Paul extends this Christlike attitude in relationships beyond the family and into the relationships with others. He says that ‘outsiders’ too should see the love of Christ in our actions and words.

Devoted to prayer

Perhaps because relationships seem to challenge us the most, give us the most opportunity for growth, Paul then urges us again to pray for one another and for him. He urges prayer for the expansion of the gospel.

Paul ends with updates of various people. You can see the relationships that he has exhorted the Colossians to have, are shown in the way that he gives the same news, encouragement and exhortation to those listed. I like Paul’s little examples here, and he includes such a list! Eight people send greetings. He then ends with greetings for those nearby, one being Nympha and the church in her house (v. 15). Paul is consistent in his text that we all have shared responsibilities and rights as followers of Christ and members of his body. The instructions to the church are like those to family - for one another. Just as Paul includes the church in the last of the letter to the Colossians, he demonstrates how important relationships are.

I’m sorry to finish the book of Colossians already. I know I need to read it again and again to truly appreciate its wisdom.