Bible in One Year Day 352 (1 Peter 1-2, Colossians 3-4, Proverbs 30: 10 - 14)

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Day 352: Purified by Fire

Agape Bible Study 1 Peter 1 - 2 

Chapter 1
Part I: The Introduction and Greeting

1 Peter 1:1-2 ~ St. Peter's Greeting to the Congregations

Question: In what two ways does Peter address those to whom he has sent his letter?
Answer: He calls the "sojourners", meaning "travelers" or those who "temporarily reside in a place" and identifies them as those living in the Diaspora, meaning lands outside of the Promised Land.

St. Peter addresses the newly baptized converts as "sojourners" because they no longer belong to this world. Baptized believers who have been reborn "from above" now have the privileged status of being among "the chosen" and sanctified people and this makes them future citizens of heaven and worthy of God's grace and peace (verse 2). This is in contrast to their earthly existence as exiles and temporary residents of earthly life who are making the faith journey to Heaven through a sinful world.

Peter also identifies the receivers of his letter as "of the dispersion." It is a reference to those living outside the Promised Land God gave to the Israelites. Any region outside the Holy Land was referred to as the Diaspora. 

Question: Peter identifies God's calling of the faithful with what formula in verse 2, and what is the blessing he imparts at the end of his greeting?
Answer: In Peter 1:2, St. Peter uses a Trinitarian formula to explain how Christians are called to belief:

1. in the foreknowledge of God the Father
2. through sanctification by the Holy Spirit
3. for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ

Then he gives a blessing of grace and peace.

This Trinitarian order is the same as in Revelation 1:4-5 as opposed to the order in Matthew 28:19.

The order in Matthew 28:19 ~
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in

1. the name of the Father
2. and of the Son
3. and of the Holy Spirit

The order in Revelation 1:4-5 ~

1. He who is and who was and who is to come = God the Father
2. from the seven spirits before His throne = God the Holy Spirit
3. Jesus Christ the faithful witness = God the Son

Question: How is the liturgical order of the Most Holy Trinity reflected in the sacrifice of the Mass?

Answer: 

1. We begin our worship by addressing our prayers to God the Father, and continue with prayers to the Father until the Eucharistic prayer. 
2. In the Eucharistic prayer the priest first calls upon God the Holy Spirit when he prays: "Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ."
3. It isn't until the rite of the "Sign of Peace" that the priest first addresses a prayer to God the Son: "Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you.' Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever." From the Sign of Peace onward our prayers are continually directed to God the Son. 

Part II: The Gift and Call of God in the Sacrament of Christian Baptism

This part of Peter's letter begins in 1:3 and concludes in 2:10. It is because of the focus on the subject of baptism that it has been suggested this was a homily to be read to those Christians who were about to receive or had recently received the Sacraments of Baptism and/or Confirmation. In the early Church it was common for the Sacrament of Confirmation to come immediately after Baptism.

1 Peter 1:3-9 ~ God's Mercy Demonstrated (Peter's Blessing)

St. Peter offers praise to God the Father who he says is the source of mercy/grace who gave the gift of new birth in Christian baptism.
Question: How was the gift of new birth made possible?
Answer: It was made possible through the mercy/grace of God in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. 

Question: Why is the gift of our inheritance in Baptism kept in heaven?

Answer: Because we cannot collect our inheritance that is the gift of eternal life until our life on earth is completed and we join the risen Savior in Heaven.

Suffering Viewed from a Human and Divine Perspective in 1 Peter

HumanPerspective	Divine Perspective
Suffering through various trials (1 Pt 1:6b)	Rejoice, trials are temporary and you suffer for Christ (1 Pt 1:6a, c)
Suffering subjugation by the powerful (1 Pt 2:18)	Resist evil by doing good (1 Pt 2:21)
Suffering in the flesh (1 Pt 4:1)	Give up harmful desires of the flesh (1 Pt 4:2)
Suffering persecution for the faith (1 Pt 4:12-15)	Rejoice to share in Christ's sufferings (1 Pt 4:13-14)
Suffering for the sake of God's will (1 Pt 4:19a)	Such suffering increases spiritual growth (1 Pt 4:19b)
Suffering from a Satanic attack (1 Pt 5:8)	Resist and Christ will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Pt 5:10)

Peter encourages the faithful by writing that not only is our future inheritance in heaven secure, but even now on earth we are safeguarded through our faith in Christ Jesus for a salvation that is already revealed. Peter's point is just as Jesus' resurrection was preceded by His suffering and death, so can the newly reborn Christian in the Sacrament of Baptism expect that their declared "new life" will bring persecution from the world, but they have the promise that just as Christ was resurrected after His sufferings so too will they be resurrected from suffering in this life to join Christ in the next, in eternal life. Christian baptism was the "first resurrection" (Jn 3:3-5; Rom 6:1-11), the "first death" is on earth, and the bodily resurrection when Christ returns was called the "second resurrection:" Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no power of these... (Rev 20:6). The "second death" is the Final Judgment at the end of time (Rev 2:11; 20:14). It became a saying of the early Fathers: "Born once, die twice; born twice, die once."

7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Question: To what event is Peter referring in verse 7 when he writes about "the revelation of Christ"? 
Answer: St. Peter is referring to the Second Advent of Christ.

Peter writes that our works will be tested by fire. St. Paul wrote about the final trial by fire of our works and deeds in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15: If anyone builds on this foundation with God , silver, precious stones, wood, hay , or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss, the person will be saved, but only as through fire. The "Day" is the Day of Individual Judgment and each professed believer in Christ will be judged according to his or her works of faith in a place of purification that the Church calls Purgatory (CCC 1030-32). The point not to be missed is that only the believers are purified by the fiery love of God because they will not lose their salvation but may only pass through the fire with all selfish deeds and venial sins burned up and nothing to show for their works of love in the name of God. But those whose good works survive the purifying fire of God will receive a reward (1 Cor 3:8).⁽²⁾

In the next five sections of his letter, Peter addresses what is necessary to the Christian's formation as a "new creature" in Christ:

1. Salvation (1:10-12)
2. Obedience (1:13-16)
3. Holiness (1:17-21)
4. Regeneration by the word (1:22-25)
5. Living in imitation of Christ (2:1-10)

1 Peter 1:10-12 ~ Salvation

"Salvation" is the general term that Peter uses as the sum of all that we receive in Christ. It refers to our present state as new creatures in Christ that comes through faith and the Sacraments of Christian Baptism and Confirmation, but it also points to the future destiny that is ours when Christ returns. Peter's point is that our salvation is both present and future. It is something we have already through faith and Baptism, but our salvation will be fully completed only when see Christ face to face (CCC 163). In Scripture salvation is never referred to as a one-time event. Salvation is a process with many points of justification along each individual's faith journey to the gates of heaven and eternal salvation. 

Examples of Scripture defining the Past, Present, and Future Dimensions of Salvation:

Past	Present	Future
Ephesians 2:5	1 Peter 1:8-9	Romans 13:11
Ephesians 2:8	1 Corinthians 1:18	1 Corinthians 3:15
	Philippians 2:12	1 Corinthians 5:5

CCC# 588; 1256-57; 1277; 1739-42; 1889

Question: How is this passage in verses 10-12 an acknowledgment of the unity and continuity of the Old and New Testaments? See Is 52:13-53:12.
Answer: The Holy Spirit's role in salvation was active in the Old Testament through the prophets of God like Isaiah who announced the future suffering of God's "Servant" and His resurrection in glory that would result in the promise of salvation. Now in the New Covenant, what was promised has come about, and it is the preachers of the Gospel who announce it inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:13-16 ~ Obedience

In chapter 1, St. Peter makes the first two of his many Old Testament reference:

Old Testament references in 1 Peter chapter 1	Old Testament Passages
1:16 for it is written, "Be holy because I am holy."	Leviticus 11:45b ... be holy because I am holy.
1:24 for: "all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts; but the word of the Lord remains forever."	Isaiah 40:6b-8 "All mankind [flesh] is grass, and all their glory like the flowers of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it ... Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever."

Verses 13-16 are a call for the newly baptized to live lives of holiness and mutual love based on redemption through the blood of Jesus. Peter asks them to be resolute in their commitment to live a righteous Christian life and to set that steady course by their hope in the grace won for them by the merits of Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 1:17-21 ~ Holiness of Christian Conduct

The Christian's faith journey is like the Exodus Passover experience of Israel. Christians are sojourners in a strange land who have been delivered by the blood of a spotless victim: Jesus Christ. We first experience His deliverance in the Sacrament of Baptism, as we make our way on our faith journey through this earthly life. We have hope and faith in our final deliverance from the sufferings of this temporal existence because Jesus was raised from the dead according to the set plan and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23) that was determined before the creation of the world (1 Pt 1:20).

1 Peter 1:22-25 ~ Regeneration by the Word for Mutual Love

Question: What is the "living and abiding Word" that is from imperishable seed?
Answer: Jesus Christ.

Chapter 2

1 Peter 2:1-10 ~ Living in Imitation of Christ

Old Testament reference in 1 Peter chapter 2	Old Testament Reference
2:3 for you have tasted that the Lord is good.	Psalm 34:8/9 Taste and see that Yahweh is good... (NJB)
2:6 For it says in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame."	Isaiah 28:16 LXX Behold, I lay for the foundations of Zion a costly stone, a choice, a cornerstone, a precious stone, for its foundations; and he that believes on him shall by no means be put to shame.
2:7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ..."	Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected had become the cornerstone.
2:8 "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall."	Isaiah 8:14 Yet he shall be a snare, an obstacle and a stumbling stone to both the houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to those who dwell in Jerusalem ...
2:9a But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation," "a people of his own", so that you may announce the praises"	Exodus 19:5-6 5 Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.  Isaiah 43:20b for my chosen people... the people whom I formed for myself that they might announce my praise.
2:9b of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.	Isaiah 9:1 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.
2:10a Once you were no people but now you are God's people;	Hosea 1:9 Give him the name Lo-ammi, for you are not my people, and I will not be our God. Malachi 3:17a And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my own special possession, on the day I take action.
2:10b you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.	Hosea 2:25b I will say to Lo-ammi, "You are my people," and he shall say, "My God!" Malachi 3:17b And I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion [mercy] on his son who serves him.
2:22 He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.	Is 53:9b Though he had done no wrong not spoken any falsehood...
2:23 When he was insulted, he returned no insult	Is 53:7 Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth
2:24a He himself bore our sins in his body	Is 53:4 Yet it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings that he endured  Is 53:12c And he shall take away the sins of many
2:24b By his wounds you have been healed.	Is 53:5b By his stripes we were healed
2:25 For you had gone astray like sheep	Is 53:6 We had all gone astray like sheep
Michal E. Hunt Copyright © 2015

Question: What does Peter write that suggests the gift of salvation is not a "one time" event in Christian Baptism in 2:3?
Answer: He says they need spiritual milk so they can "grow into salvation."

Question: Peter says that growth toward salvation comes in what two steps?
Answer: 

1. Stripping away all that binds you to the old life and is a hindrance to the new life in Christ (verse 1).
2. The spiritual nourishment that the newly baptized receive in the Word and in the Eucharist (verses 2-3).

That Christians are now "a chosen race" (see Ex 19:5 and Is 43:20b-21) indicates their divine election (Eph 1:4-6) to serve and worship God in Christ. The Jews were to be the "chosen people" destined to bring forth the Redeemer-Messiah, but when they rejected Him they lost their divine prerogatives which have now been transferred to the Christians (1 Pt 3:9; Acts 28:26-28). 

Christians are a new "royal priesthood (Ex 19:6), continuing the priestly functions of Jesus' life in virtue of Christian baptism into Jesus' death and resurrection. They are a "holy nation" (like Israel in Ex 19:6) reserved for God as a "chosen people" He claims for his own (see Is 43:20 and Mal 3:17). The titles in verses 9-10 not only identify the unity of the Church's relationship with God but its responsibility in the world. God has called us out of the "darkness" of sin into the "light" of Christ (Jn 1:9; 9:12). It is a message of "light" that Christians are called to share with the world.

Part III: Christians in a Hostile World

In this part of Peter's letter he gives advice concerning Christian behavior in the world:

1. General conduct of Christians
2. Christians as citizens of the secular community
3. The conduct of Christian slaves
4. Following the example of conduct set by Christ

1 Peter 2:11-12 ~ Christian Conduct

Having explained the doctrinal basis for the election of the baptized and a "chosen people" and a "priestly nation," St. Peter now presents practical examples the virtues that should prevail in all the relationships of the members of the community of the faithful. Christians are "aliens and sojourners" because of their estrangement from the secular world on their journey to salvation.

1 Peter 2:13-17 ~ Christian Citizens

Peter urges Christians to be obedient subjects of their local governments so that their good citizenship will win approval for all Christians.
Question: What does Peter say is true Christian freedom?
Answer: True freedom comes from being obedient slaves/servants of God and committing no action that is contrary to the teachings of Christ and the commandments.

Question: Peter concludes his advice on good citizenship by giving what four commands and what do those commands mean?
Answer: 

1. Give honor to all: treat everyone with dignity and respect.
2. Love the community: act with love toward one's brothers and sisters in the community of the faithful and also show love for the secular community of which one is a member.
3. Fear God: show reverence for God and avoid offending Him by thoughts or actions.
4. Honor the king and respect those who enforce civil law: show respect for the civil authority.

1 Peter 2:18-20 ~ Christian Slaves

The fundamental principles for Christian life in the world that Peter addressed earlier (1 Pt 2:11-17) are now applied to specific roles of Christian slaves within the households of their masters. He tells them that when they patiently bear unjust suffering it will count to their credit with God. Peter says this form of unjust suffering is "a grace from God" (charis para theo in verse 20). No act of righteousness, even in suffering, is without merit in the eyes of God. 

1 Peter 2:21-25 ~ Following the Example of Christ

In a series of references to the "Suffering Servant" passages in the Book of Isaiah, in verses 21-25 Peter compares the unjust suffering Christian slaves may have to endure to the suffering of Christ. He applies the familiar shepherd metaphor to the guidance Jesus offers to those who suffer. 

Agape Bible Study Colossians 3-4 

Chapter 3:1-4:1 The Ideal Christian Life in the World

Colossians 3:1-4 ~ Mystical Death and Resurrection

Paul begins this part of his letter by addressing the implications of the Christian's union with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and exaltation. Paul teaches that our transformed lives must demonstrate living in imitation of Christ's life. The Christian must have Christ as the foundation of his or her earthly life if he or she is going to be an effective witness for Christ to the world in fulfillment of the "Great Commission" (Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15; Lk 24:47; Jn 20:21). 

Colossians 3:5-11 ~ Renouncing Sin

Since Christians have died to Christ in the Sacrament of Baptism, they must regard themselves as dead to the old life dominated by sin (3:5-11). 

Questions: What five vices of earthly behavior must the Christian renounce? What do the first four vices have in common? What is the definition of the first vice and what do Scripture and the Church teach about this sin? 
Answers:

1. immorality [fornication]
2. impurity
3. passion
4. evil desire
5. greed

The first four vices are all sexual sins.  Sexual sins that abuse God's blessing of fertility are mortal sins that block the path to Heaven. St. Paul wrote: Make no mistake "the sexually immoral [fornicators], idolaters, adulterers, the self-indulgent, sodomites, thieves, misers, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers, none of these will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:10). 

Paul placed the focus on sexually immoral practices because they were common in the lifestyles and worship of pagan cultures. The Old Covenant Law condemned impure sexual practices (Lev 18:22-25), and Paul frequently condemned such behavior in his letters (e.g., Rom 1:24-28; 13:13; 1 Cor 5:10-11; 6:9; 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 4:31; 5:3-5; 1 Tim 1:9-10; 6:4; 2 Tim 3:2-5; Tit 3:3 ). In 2 Corinthians 6:20, Paul wrote: For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. Purity is a gift of the Holy Spirit (CCC 2345). God calls all unmarried persons to sexual purity in a chaste and pure life outside of marriage (Phil 2:13-15; 1 Tim 5:22; Jam 2:16-18; 4:8; 1 Jn 3:3). In our chastity outside of marriage, we image Christ. Purity is a gift of the Holy Spirit (CCC 2345). 

St. Paul wants the Christians of the Lycus River Valley to lead lives of purity in the image of Christ and to vigilantly avoid sin. St. Augustine defines sin as, "A word, deed or desire in opposition to the eternal law." Sin is a deliberate transgression of a Law of God, which identifies the four essentials of every sin:

1. Moral law is involved.
2. God is offended.
3. It is a transgression against grace.
4. It is a deliberate act freely committed.

Scripture has always identified two degrees of sin "mortal and venial. Mortal/deadly sin destroys sanctifying grace, the state of friendship with God, and causes the supernatural death of the soul. It is a turning away from God because of an inordinate adherence to creatures that causes grave injury to a person's rational nature and to the social order, depriving the unrepentant sinner his or her eternal salvation. It is called "mortal" or "deadly" sin because it causes the death of the soul by denying the soul the hope of life in Heaven.

Venial sin is an offense against God which does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace. It is called venial from venia, a Latin word meaning, "pardon" because the soul still has the vital principle that allows a cure from within. God's pardon is similar to the healing of a sick or diseased body whose source of animation (the soul) is still present to restore the ailing body and bring it back to health.

There is no single word for "sin" in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, St. John identified both types of sin: If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly (1 Jn 5:16-17). John's point is that you cannot simply pray away deadly sin because it is forgiven only through confession and repentance to Christ's representative, an ordained priest. It is a power and authority Jesus gave to the ministers of His Church in John 20:22-23.

The Church and the Bible both teach that sin incurs two types of penalties. The first is the rupture in one's relationship with God called the "eternal punishment." Jesus provided a remedy for this sin when He merited the forgiveness of sins on the altar of the Cross and reconciled us to God. We receive this forgiveness personally through repentance and our confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

The second penalty for sin is what Hebrews 12:5-15 refers to as "chastisement." The Church also calls this the "temporal punishment" of sin. It is a punishment which we incur due to the injustice we bring into the world through our sins. A possible analogy is that of a child who offends his parents by breaking a window. His parents can forgive him, but they also might ask him to clean up the broken glass. Another analogy might be a drunkard or an addict who asks God's forgiveness for the harm done to his body but still has to deal with the damaging effects of his alcoholism and drug addiction. In any event, these analogies point to a spiritual truth about the justice of suffering some discomfort as a consequence of our sins. 

and the greed that is idolatry.
It may seem odd that Paul equates greed with idolatry, but he did the same in Ephesians 5:5, listing some of the same vices: Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. The definition of greed is intense and excessive desire that can include wealth, power, food, or even sex. The Old Testament prophets equated idolatry with adultery or fornication since the covenant with Yahweh was imaged as a marriage relationship. The prophet Hosea called the Israelites who engaged in the worship of false gods the children of fornication (Hosea 2:4), equating idolatry with sexual immorality in the Israelites' unfaithfulness to Yahweh the Divine spouse of Israel His covenant Bride. Paul's point is that sin, especially sexual sin, can come to dominate a person's life so completely that it replaces God as the most important part of a person's life. Anything that supplants God in one's affections is idolatry.

6 Because of these the wrath of God is coming [upon the disobedient].
The "wrath of God" is a Biblical image that uses human language to portray God's divine judgment and just punishment for sins. This does not suggest that God possesses the human emotion of anger. "Wrath" is an expression that conveys God's just judgment and the irreconcilable opposition between God and sin/evil (i.e., see Is 9:11, 16, 18, 20; 10:4; 30:27; Zep 1:15) Also see Romans 1:18 where Paul writes: The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. In his commentary, Fr. Hamm writes concerning Colossians 3:6: "God's holiness hurts if we reject it" (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Colossians, page 214).

Colossians 3:12-16 ~ Put on Love and Let the Peace of Christ Reign

God's chosen ones, holy and beloved...

Paul uses some of the same words found in the Old Testament to describe the covenant people in their relationship with God: For you are a people sacred [holy] to the LORD [Yahweh], your God; he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth to be a people peculiarly his own... It was because the LORD [Yahweh] loved you... (Dt 7:6, 8a). 

As a parallel to "putting off" the vices he listed earlier, Paul now invites Christians to "put on" certain virtues in Christ.
Question: As a parallel to the ten vices Paul listed in 3:5 and 8, what five virtues does he list in verse 12 that God's holy and beloved chosen ones should practice? How are these virtues related to Jesus Christ?
Answer: 

1. heartfelt compassion
2. kindness
3. humility
4. gentleness
5. patience

These virtues are the attributes of Jesus in His humanity and the hallmarks of Christians living in the image of Christ by sharing His love with others.

13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. 14 And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
Forgiveness must be the hallmark of Christian unity. This verse recalls Jesus' promise and warning at the end of the Lord's Prayer when He said: If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions (Mt 6:14-15). In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus taught concerning forgiveness, Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. And in Mark 11:25 He said, When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.

Paul urges them to let the peace of their relationship with Christ control their lives in their thoughts and actions. It is this same peace that calls them together as a unity of "one body" in Christ that is His Church. Paul tells them that they also need to be thankful. 

Colossians 3:18-4:1 ~ The Christian Family

Question: In 3:18-4:1, St. Paul provides specific instructions for what pairings of groups who are baptized members of the community? What do the people in each group have in common?
Answer:

1. wives and husbands
2. children and parents
3. fathers and children
4. slaves and masters

The people in each of the groups serve one Master who is the Lord God in Heaven.

Wives are encouraged to cooperate with their husbands in their leadership roles in the family, but Paul places more responsibilities upon the husbands in what is mutual submission in their relationship with their wives. Husbands are not to do anything that might cause a breach in their relationship (Col 3:19b).

In the Ephesians passage, Paul writes that there are three ways husbands must serve their wives, quoting from the Old Testament creation story of the marriage of Adam and Eve that Jesus also quotes in Matthew 19:5:

1. Husbands must love their wives with the same self-sacrificial love with which Christ loves the Church (verses 25-27).
2. Husbands must love their wives as their own bodies as Christ loves His Body the Church (verses 28-30).
3. Husbands must give their first loyalty to their wives and view their union as "one flesh" (referring to Genesis 2:24 in verse 31).

In the Ephesians passage and in 3:19, Paul places the greater burden for harmony between husband and wife on the husband.

20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.
Question: Which of the Ten Commandments does verse 20 fulfill?
Answer: It fulfills the commandment in Exodus 20:12 to "honor your father and your mother."

In verse 20, Paul admonishes children to obey their parents equally, but in verse 21 he only addresses the fathers who in the Roman world exercised absolute authority over their children. Paul's point is that fathers must not be so harsh with their children as to cause them to become dispirited.

22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but in simplicity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, 24 knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will receive recompense for the wrong he committed, and there is no partiality. 4:1 Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, realizing that you too have a Master in heaven. 
After having spent one verse apiece on four relationships, Paul now devotes five verses on the relationship between slaves and masters. Paul is not condoning slavery in this passage. His letter to Philemon expresses his desire to abolish slavery in Christian households. However, slavery was an institution going back to the dawn of time, and there was nothing Paul could do in the Church's circumstances in his time. The Church was a very weak minority institution without any political power in the world, but Paul does what he can to ease the conditions of those in slavery in Christian households.

Paul writes that slaves should be obedient to their masters not only when directly under their supervision, but obedience should be motivated by a desire to please which he calls "in simplicity of heart," like "fearing the Lord" who is the true Master. "Fear of the Lord" is an authentic expression of true religion in the Old and New Testaments (i.e., Dt 6:24; 31:12; Ps 2:11; Prov 1:7a; Sir 1:12, 18; Acts 13:26; Rev 14:7). It does not refer to servile fear but fear of giving offense in the same way a loving child should fear offending a loving parent. If a slave looks at his service to his master as an expression of serving the Lord Jesus Christ, God will reward him. God will also punish the wrongdoer, even if he is the slave's master. To carry home his point, Paul gives the warning in 4:1, Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, realizing that you too have a Master in heaven. Paul warns masters and slaves that God will justly repay those who behave badly, and in eternity, they will be equals in the Lord.

CHAPTER 4:2-18

Colossians 4:2-6 ~ Persevering in Prayer
 

Paul asks the community to continue in prayer, promoting prayer that is vigilant against temptations and distractions and at the same time thankful for God's spiritual and material blessings. St. John Chrysostom writes: "Paul knows that continuance in prayer can make us restless, so he tells us to be watchful,' that is, to be sober and avoid wandering. For the devil knows the power of a good prayer, and thus he presses heavily upon us when we pray. Paul is also aware how careless many can be at prayer, and so he says continue' in prayer to remind us that it is hard work" (Homilies on Colossians, 10).

Paul is not only asking for prayers to open his prison doors, but prayers that the Holy Spirit will open more "doors." He is referring metaphorically to opening hearts to hear the Word of God as Paul and his missionary team continue to preach the mystery of God's divine plan for humanity's salvation.

Colossians 4:7-8 ~ The Bearers of Paul's Letter

Tychicus was a Christian from Asia Minor and a companion on Paul's third missionary journey (Acts 20:4). Apparently Tychicus and Onesimus, the young slave Paul led to Christ, traveled together to Colossae. Tychicus was tasked to deliver Paul's letters to the Colossian Christians and others in the Lycus River Valley (the lost letter to the Laodiceans). Paul had previously sent him to deliver a Letter to the Ephesians after his first visit when he founded the community (Eph 6:21-22). At a later time, Paul sent him back to Ephesus (2 Tim 4:12), and he was a candidate with Artemas to replace Titus as a minister of the Gospel on the island of Crete (Titus 3:12). Onesimus was sent to return to his master with the letter Paul wrote to Philemon (see the Letter to Philemon). Paul is very fond of both men and writes that they can provide news of Paul's present circumstances. 

Colossians 4:9-14 ~ Paul's Co-Workers

Paul's co-workers, except for Jesus/Justus, are the same men Paul named in his letter to Philemon in verse 23-24.

Question: What do we know about Paul's co-workers in addition to this passage? For Aristarchus see Acts 19:29; 20:4-5; 27:2; Col 4:10; Phlm 24. For Mark see Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37-39; Col 4:10; Phlm 24; 2 Tim 4:11; 1 Pt 5:13; Gospel of Mark. For Epaphras see Col 1:7; Phlm 23; Col 4:12. For Luke see Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3; Col 4:11, 14; 2 Tim 4:11; Phlm 24. For Demas see Phlm 24; 2 Tim 4:10.
Answer:

1. Aristarchus: His Greek name suggests that he was probably a Gentile convert. He was a Macedonian from Thessalonica and a companion at Ephesus on Paul's third missionary journey. He accompanied Paul to Macedonia after waiting for him at Troas. Paul mentions him as a fellow laborer in Christ in his letter to Philemon and as a fellow prisoner in Colossians 4:10
2. Mark: John Mark was the son of the Jewess Mary of Jerusalem and a cousin of the disciple Barnabas. His Latin name Marcus suggests his father was Roman. He accompanied Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey that began in Cyprus, but he left them in Pamphylia to return to Jerusalem. Paul's refusal to take Mark on the second missionary journey caused a falling out between Barnabas and Paul, so Barnabas took Mark with him on a return mission to Cyprus. They renewed their friendship when Mark came to be with Paul when he was imprisoned (probably in Ephesus) and later when he was imprisoned in Rome where Mark was with St. Peter.
3. Jesus/Justus: Paul calls him of the circumcision that identifies him as a Jewish-Christian. 
   His Aramaic name was Yehoshua, and his Gentile Greek name was Justus. He was imprisoned with Paul when Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians.
4. Epaphras: The founding father and teacher of the Colossian Christians and a prisoner with Paul when he wrote the letter. He was probably caught up in Paul's troubles when he came to deliver news about the Christian communities in the Lycus River Valley.
5. Luke: He was Paul's "beloved physician," a Gentile convert, and a faithful missionary companion. The Church Fathers unanimously attribute the Gospel of Luke and Acts to St. Luke.²
6. He was a resident of Thessalonica and a disciple of Paul's until he abandoned him. He was apparently afraid he would share Paul's fate in martyrdom.

Paul became very fond of Mark who spent time with Paul during his last imprisonment in Rome. At the end of his first letter, probably from Rome which he compares to the sinful city of Babylon, St. Peter writes: The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son(1 Pt 5:13).¹

Colossians 4:15-18 ~ Message for Nearby Christian Communities and Farewell

Apparently, Tychicus also had a letter written by Paul for the Christians in Laodicea. Unfortunately, this letter has been lost to history. Laodicea was another city in the Lycus Valley of Phrygia in Asia Minor (Col 2:1; 4:13, 15). The Greek Seleucid ruler Antiochus II founded the city in the third century BC and named after his wife, Laodice. The city's location on the main trade route between the Eastern and Western Roman Empire made it a leading commercial and banking center in Asia Minor. It was one of the seven churches to receive letters from the resurrected Christ in the Book of Revelation (Rev 3:14-22) probably a decade after Paul wrote his letters to Laodicea and Colossae.

Question: How does Jesus describe the spiritual state of the community and what command does He give them in Revelation 3:14-22?
Answer: Jesus described their spiritual state as "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev 3:17). He told them He knew the tepid condition of the faith of the community whose works were "neither cold nor hot" (Rev 3:15). Jesus told the community to prepare themselves for divine judgment, saying: "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Rev 3:20).

Paul sends his greeting to a woman named Nympha. Woman consistently held hospitality leadership positions in the 1^st century AD Church.
Question: Name some women from Acts of Apostles and Paul's other letters who opened their homes for communities of Christians and held leadership positions in the early local churches? See Acts 12:12; 16:14-15, 40; 18:2, 26; Rom 16:1-5; 1 Cor 1:11; 16:19; Phil 4:2-3; Col 4:15.
Answer: Some of those women included:

1. Mary, the mother of John Mark, in Jerusalem
2. Lydia in Philippi
3. Chloe in Corinth
4. Phoebe in Cenchreae
5. Pricilla (who Paul affectionately called Prisca), the wife of Aquila, in Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus
6. Euodia and Syntyche in Philippi
7. Nympha in the Lycus Valley

Paul also names several other women in his letters including eight (some unnamed) in his Letter to the Romans (16:8-15). Their leadership was not in leading the liturgy of worship but in providing their homes as a meeting place and taking on the responsibility for providing what the community needed materially for worship and charity for the poor. Women did not serve in a ministerial capacity. 

17 And tell Archippus, "See that you fulfill the ministry that you received in the Lord." 
Archippus receives a personal message reminding him of his commitment to fulfill the ministry to which the Lord called him.
Question: Who was Archippus? See The Letter to Philemon verse 2.
Answer: Archippus was one of three individuals to whom Paul addressed his Letter to Philemon. Paul called him a "fellow soldier." 

Since Paul mentioned "a calling," it is possible he is the pastor or a deacon in the Colossian community.

18 The greeting is in my own hand, Paul's. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Verses 15-18 are in Paul's handwriting and not Timothy's, who was probably acting as Paul's scribe/secretary and listed as a co-sender of the letter (1:1). Paul frequently included a personal note at the end of his letters written by his hand (i.e., 1 Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11; 2 Thes 3:17). When Paul writes "Remember my chains" he is asking his Christian brothers and sisters to pray for him in his present circumstances and for his release so he can perhaps, one day, come to express his affection for them in person instead of by letter. His petition for them is that God will continue to bless them with His grace on their journey to salvation.