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At the end of Apostle Paul’s letters, he would normally be naming various individuals. It would either be to send greetings to them or from fellow co-workers whom Paul would be sending greetings on their behalf to the recipi-ents of the letter. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul mentioned Tychicus, among many others, whom he called a “dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow serv-ant in the Lord”. He was also cited several times (cf. Acts 20:4; Eph. 6:21; 2 Tim. 4:12 and Titus 3:12) in the New Testament. He was the bearer of this Colossians letter and also the Ephesians and Philemon letters. Paul sent him to explain his circumstances to the church-es of Asia Minor so that they might know how better to pray for him and rejoice with him in his service to God.
In the last few verses of Colossians, one can find several mention of the words “dear”, “fellow” and “faithful”. These were in reference to individuals who were working together with Paul in the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. While many of these people were not very well-known (to us), Paul held them in high regard in God’s Ministry. Tychicus, together with these other individuals, had been dependable and encouraged Paul in his work.
We can thank God for Christian friends and co-labourers in the Christian ministry. In His divine providence, God has granted each one various gifts. Some gifts are more visible while others less so. Nonetheless, God has appointed a means by which He will enable His people to have their confidence firm to the end. God’s people are to develop the kind of Christian relationships in which one help each other hold fast to the promises of God and to escape the deceitfulness of sin. One needs to exhort each another day in and day out to stand fast and firm in the Lord and to put on the whole armour of God. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17).
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
