In Colossians 4, Paul provides unique insights into his ministry team and their connections. We learn that Aristarchus was imprisoned with Paul, Barnabas had a cousin Mark, and Epaphras was a dedicated pastor in Colossae. Luke was confirmed to be a physician, and Demas, who later deserted Paul, was once a valued co-worker.

Here are nine things we wouldn’t know about Paul and his missionary team if Colossians 4 wasn’t in our Bibles. I’ll list them in the order they appear in Colossians 4.

Colossians and Philemon were sent by Paul at the same time (4:9).

The key link between the two is Onesimus, a runaway slave who met Paul in Rome—and who is the subject matter of Paul’s letter to Philemon. Paul writes in 4:9 that he is sending Tychicus to the Colossians “and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.” The two letters (Colossians and Philemon) also link together by greetings from Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. Still, without Onesimus connecting the two, I’m unsure that we would be confident that these two letters were sent at the same time.

Aristarchus was a “co-prisoner” with Paul (4:10).

Paul writes, “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you.” Have you ever heard of Aristarchus? He’s more important in Paul’s story than you might realize. Aristarchus was one of the two Christian men who got dragged into the stadium instead of Paul during that dramatic riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:29-30). Aristarchus later travelled with Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4), and (surprisingly) appeared as a passenger on a prisoner ship with Paul after Paul’s appeal to Caesar (Acts 27:2). If he continued with him all the way to Rome, Aristarchus also was shipwrecked with Paul (Acts 27:39-28:1). But without Colossians 4:10, we wouldn’t know that Aristarchus was a prisoner with Paul in Rome.

Barnabas had a cousin (4:10).

Colossians 4:10 reads, “Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas…” Barnabas was one of the most significant characters in the early church (Acts 4:36-37; 9:22-30; 11:22-26; all of Acts 13-15; Gal 2:1-14). Mark—or John Mark, as he is sometimes called (Acts 12:12; 15:37), also plays an important role in Acts (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37-39; cf. 1 Pet 5:13) and was likely the author of the Gospel of Mark. But without Colossians 4:10, we wouldn’t know that Barnabas and Mark were cousins. By the way, the fact that they were relatives may partially explain why Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus (Acts 15:39) after the sharp disagreement that split the dynamic duo of Paul and Barnabas (all linked to Mark—see Acts 15:36-41). Barnabas was a Cypriot (Acts 4:36); so it’s likely that he and Cousin Mark headed toward familiar territory (as on Barnabas’s first missionary journey with Paul, Acts 13:4-12).

Paul had a co-worker named Jesus (4:11).

No, not that Jesus, though Paul certainly was a co-worker with Him! Paul sends greeting to the Colossians from “Jesus who is called Justus.” I wonder if they called him “Justus” because of the other Jesus! The only thing we know about Jesus-Justus is that he was Jewish. Paul writes about Mark, Aristarchus, and Jesus-Justus that “These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God and they have been a comfort to me.” I detect some sadness in Paul’s words as he comments about only having three Jewish co-workers laboring alongside him in his gospel work, though he obviously really appreciated the encouragement that these three had been to him.

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