Christ Preeminence is Detailed to the Colossians Volume 46

Paul's Final Greetings to the Colossian Believers Part 4

Colossians 4:14-15 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church which is in his house. KJV

Paul now list perhaps another of his most loyal and faithful fellow-workers during his missionary journeys later in his ministry and that is Brother Luke as he declares with these words, "Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you." (Colossians 4:14) (KJV). After the split or division between the Apostle Paul and Barnabas over the nephew of Barnabas (John Mark), Luke became closer to the Apostle Paul and more of a confidant to him during his travels. It also was a benefit to the Apostle Paul that Luke happened to be a medical doctor, seeing how Paul found himself in so many situations preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ that got him often beaten, bruised, and battered at the hands of spiritually blind Gentiles and Jews who wanted to shut up his witness for our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us remember his own words detailing for us the physical detriment, despair, and distress he often found himself in as he declared to the Corinthian believers, "Are they [ministering] servants of Christ (the Messiah)? I am talking like one beside himself, [but] I am more, with far more extensive {and} abundant labors, with far more imprisonments, [beaten] with countless stripes, and frequently [at the point of] death. Five times I received from [the hands of] the Jews forty [lashes all] but one; Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been aboard a ship wrecked at sea; a [whole] night and a day I have spent [adrift] on the deep; Many times on journeys, [exposed to] perils from rivers, perils from bandits, perils from [my own] nation, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the desert places, perils in the sea, perils from those posing as believers [but destitute of Christian knowledge and piety]; In toil and hardship, watching often [through sleepless nights], in hunger and thirst, frequently driven to fasting by want, in cold and exposure {and} lack of clothing." (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) (Amplified Bible).

It was by the very hand of God that these two men of God were put together shoulder to shoulder for Christ and His Gospel of Grace. Our Lord Jesus already knowing what was instore for the Apostle (in His Name & for His Gospel) as he declared to Brother Ananias with these words, "But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the descendants of Israel; For I will make clear to him how much he will be afflicted {and} must endure {and} suffer for My name's sake." (Acts 9:15-16) (Amplified Bible), for it was this Doctor Luke whom our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ first saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) and then brought him into the company of the great Apostle Paul to minister to him both spiritually, but more importantly physically to tend to the many infirmities of Paul's physical body as detailed above. Luke was not a Jew by birth, but was a convert to Judaism and it is supposed that he was a native of Cyrene, and that he died in Achaia, soon after the martyrdom of Paul, at the advanced age of 84. However, it is completely evident according to the words of the Apostle Paul himself of Luke's loyalty and devotion to Paul and his ministry as evidenced by these words of Paul written to Brother Timothy not long before he was beheaded in Roman captivity for preaching the Gospel of Christ, "Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very helpful to me for the ministry." (2 Timothy 4:11) (Amplified Bible). There was Doctor Luke at the time of Paul's near beheading still ministering to his physical infirmities as best he could, even while he himself was dealing with his own physical problems. We see why here in his final greetings to these Colossian believers that Paul refers to this man alone as 'beloved' meaning dearly loved, well loved, and much loved.

Paul also mentions Brother Demas whose full name was likely Demetrius the name of an Ephesian. It is recorded by Paul of this disciple these words concerning him, "For Demas has deserted me for love of this present world and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens [has gone] to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia." (2 Timothy 4:10) (Amplified Bible). Paul does not declare that Demas had deserted our Lord Jesus Christ, but perhaps Demas had an episode similar to or such as John Mark did early on in Paul's ministry (Acts 15:37-38) and shrieked back from the raging spiritual battles with the devil that landed the Apostle Paul in Roman captivity soon to be beheaded as we documented above, for let us also be reminded that Demas was not alone in forsaking the Apostle as documented for us by the Apostle Paul with these words written again to Brother Timothy, "At my first trial no one acted in my defense [as my advocate] {or} took my part {or} [even] stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the [Gospel] message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So, I was delivered out of the jaws of the lion. [And indeed] the Lord will certainly deliver {and} draw me to Himself from every assault of evil. He will preserve {and} bring me safe unto His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen (so be it)." (2 Timothy 4:16-18) (Amplified Bible). Next the Apostle Paul tells these Colossian believers to, "Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church which is in his house." (Colossians 4:15) (KJV). This happens to be the only time the name 'Nymphas' is reported or accounted in the entire New Testament, so we know nothing of this Christian Brother except what the Apostle declares to us here and that is that he has established a Church Body in his own house. According to the way the Apostle Paul writes this verse of Scripture, we infer that Brother Nymphas is a Laodicean.

"As for Luke, his long and faithful companionship of the Apostle is too well known to need repetition here. His first appearance in the Acts nearly coincides with an attack of Paul’s constitutional malady, which gives probability to the suggestion that one reason for Luke’s close attendance on the Apostle was the state of his health. Thus the form and warmth of the reference here would be explained-'Luke the physician, the beloved.' We trace Luke as sharing the perils of the winter voyage to Italy, making his presence known only by the modest 'we' of the narrative. We find him here sharing the Roman captivity, and, in the second imprisonment, he was Paul’s only companion. All others had been sent away, or had fled; but Luke could not be spared, and would not desert him, and no doubt was by his side till the end, which soon came." Expositor's Bible Commentary

"As for Demas, we know no more about him except the melancholy record, 'Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world; and is departed unto Thessalonica.' Perhaps he was a Thessalonian, and so went home. His love of the world, then, was his reason for abandoning Paul. Probably it was on the side of danger that the world tempted him. He was a coward, and preferred a whole skin to a clear conscience. In immediate connection with the record of his desertion we read, 'At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me.' As the same word is used, probably Demas may have been one of those timid friends, whose courage was not equal to standing by Paul when, to use his own metaphor, he thrust his head into the lion’s mouth. Let us not be too hard on the constancy that warped in so fierce a heat. All that Paul charges him with is, that he was a faithless friend, and too fond of the present world. Perhaps his crime did not reach the darker hue. He may not have been an apostate Christian, though he was a faithless friend. Perhaps, if there were departure from Christ as well as from Paul, he came back again, like Peter, whose sins against love and friendship were greater than his-and, like Peter, found pardon and a welcome. Perhaps, away in Thessalonica, he repented him of his evil, and perhaps Paul and Demas met again before the throne, and there clasped inseparable hands. Let us not judge a man of whom we know so little, but take to ourselves the lesson of humility and self-distrust!" Expositor's Bible Commentary

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…