Colossians 4:8

8. I have sent] Greek, “I sent.” But the English is true to our idiom. He means that the letter and Tychicus are sent together; the aorist, the “epistolary past” of Greek, must be rendered as a perfect in English to convey this thought. So Eph_6:22, where see our note.

for the same purpose] For this very purpose, R.V. Word for word as in Eph_6:22. The “purpose” is that just stated (Col_4:8), and now more fully explained.

that he might know] That ye might know, R.V. This is the more probable reading, though the text has considerable support, particularly in early Versions. Lightfoot urges for the change (besides manuscripts) that it is unlikely that St Paul should so emphasize (“for this very purpose”) Tychicus’ mission of information, and then suddenly give as its first object a work of enquiry. Further, that transcribers were more likely to assimilate the person and number of the verb to the “he might comfort” just below, than elaborately to assimilate a “he might know” here to the “ye might know” in Ephesians.

comfort] See on Col_2:2.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Col 4:8. Γνῷ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν) γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν is found in Al. Colb. 7, etc. It has been transferred to this place from Eph 6:22. See App. Crit. Ed. 2.[30] on this passage. The two epistles [Ephesians and Colossians] truly have many points of resemblance to one another, but yet so as that the things that need to be changed are changed in each respectively (mutatis mutandis). And generally in parallelisms of this sort, which the officiousness of transcribers has mixed together [blending the parallel readings of two epistles into one], one reading in the one place, and another in the other, is the genuine reading. Tychicus, and through Tychicus (as it appears) Paul, was to learn the state of the Colossians (whence, instead of γνῷ [third person, viz. Tychicus], γνῶ [first person, viz. Paul] may be also read), just as he learned the state of the Thessalonians through Timothy; that of the Corinthians through Titus; that of the Philippians through Epaphroditus; and more especially did Paul wish to learn that of the Colossians, because he had a great ‘conflict’ on their account [ch. Col 2:1]. Moreover the knowledge of the Colossians concerning Paul is sufficiently indicated (marked), not only by the preceding words, as in the Epistle to the Ephesians, but also by those following, which are peculiar to this Epistle to the Colossians: πάντα ὑμῖν γνωριοῦσι τὰ ὧδε.[31]

[30] Γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν is the reading of ABD corrected, (Δ), Gfg, and so Lachm. But γνῶ—ὑμῶν in C Vulg. and Rec. Text, and so Tisch.—ED.

[31] Therefore Beng. rejects the reading γυῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν.—ED.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Col 4:8 . ἔπεμψα : “I am sending” (epistolary aorist). γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν . This is not only the better attested reading but yields the better sense, because both before (Col 4:7 ) and after (Col 4:9 ) Paul says that Tychicus will acquaint them with matters at Rome. He wishes to relieve the anxiety of the Colossians as to his welfare. παρακαλέσῃ : see on Col 2:2 . This function is not ascribed to Onesimus, who was not a σύνδουλος .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν. So (א*) ABD*FgrGP. ἵνα γνῷ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν Text. Rec. with אcCDbcKL vulg. Syrr. The external evidence leaves no doubt that the former is right.

8. = || Eph 6:22 word for word.

ὃν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Epistolary aorist, “whom I send”; cf. Phm 1:12.

ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν. See notes on Textual Criticism. The alternative reading ἵνα γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν makes very good sense in itself as an introduction to the following clause, but (besides the evidence of the MSS. etc.) seems too contradictory of the εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο.

Observe the progressive character of St Paul’s thought about the information to be given: Col 4:7, ἐμέ, St Paul only; Col 4:8, ἡμῶν, St Paul and his fellow workers, especially Timothy; and Col 4:9, ὧδε, the state of affairs generally at Rome, with special reference of course to the Christian community there.

καὶ παρακαλέσῃ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. See note on Col 2:2; cf. 2Th 2:17. In cheering the Colossians’ hearts Onesimus could do little.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

for the same purpose--Greek, "for this very purpose."

that he might know your estate--Translate, "that he may know your state": answering to Col 4:7. So one very old manuscript and Vulgate read. But the oldest manuscripts and the old Latin versions, "that YE may know OUR state." However, the latter reading seems likely to have crept in from Eph 6:22. Paul was the more anxious to know the state of the Colossians, on account of the seductions to which they were exposed from false teachers; owing to which he had "great conflict for" them (Col 2:1).

comfort your hearts--distressed as ye are by my imprisonment, as well as by your own trials.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. That he might know your estate] Instead of ινα γνω τα περι υμων, that HE may know YOUR affairs, ABD*FG, many others, with the AEthiopic, Itala, Theodoret, and Damascenus, read ινα γνωτε τα περι ημων, that YE may know OUR affairs; which is probably the true reading. Tychicus was sent to them, not to know their affairs, but with Onesimus, to carry this epistle and make the apostle's state known to them, and comfort their hearts by the good news which he brought. The next verse confirms this meaning.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose,.... That is, to relate to them his affairs both temporal and spiritual; and also,

that he might know your estate. The Arabic version renders it, "that I may know your estate" by him when he returned again; as whether they continued steadfast in the Gospel, and observed the order, ordinances, and discipline of it; how it prospered, and was succeeded among them, to their comfort and edification, and to the conversion of others; and what reception the false teachers had among them; and what love, concord, and harmony were among themselves; or what were their afflictions and distresses from their enemies. The Ethiopic version renders it, "that ye may know the history of me"; which agrees with a manuscript mentioned by Grotius, which reads, "that ye may know the things concerning us", as does the Alexandrian copy; and with Eph 6:22 where it is added, as here, and "comfort your hearts"; who might be greatly cast down upon hearing of the sufferings of the apostle, and also with those they themselves endured both from within and from without, from sin, Satan, and the world;

see on Gill Eph 6:22.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

Ver. 8. And comfort your hearts] {See Trapp on "Eph 6:22"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose; who was Paul’s messenger to them, as to let them know how it was with Paul, so to this end:

1. That he might know your estate; that he might clearly understand, how their matters stood, {as Eph 6:22} especially with respect to spirituals, Col 2:1,5.

2. And comfort your hearts; and cheer up their spirits, {as Eph 6:22} that under the temptations of Satan, and tyranny of persecutors abroad or at home, they might not be discouraged, 2Co 4:17.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. The same purpose—Better, this very purpose, applying to what follows, especially if we retain the next clause. Whether we should read as in the text, or, that ye might know our affairs, as in Eph_6:22, is as yet doubtful. Tregelles adopts the latter, which certainly best agrees with the following verse.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know how it is with us (literally, the things about us), and that he may comfort your hearts. (Eph_6:22) The Received Text reads, by a slight confusion of similar Greek letters, that he may know the things about you (see Lightfoot"s "Notes on some Various Readings"). This is the only clause exactly identical in Colossians and Ephesians. There would be great anxiety on St. Paul"s account amongst the Gentile Christians everywhere, and especially in the Asiatic Churches, after the ominous words of his address to the Ephesian elders. (Act_20:22-25; comp. vers. 37, 38) The Colossians had sent through Epaphras messages of love to him. (Col_1:8) To know that he was of good courage, and even in hope of a speedy release, (Phm_1:22) would "comfort their hearts."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. Whom I have sent. Not only to carry letters, but to ascertain the state of the churches, and to instruct and comfort them. He came as an evangelist to help them on.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

I have sent. Epistolary aorist. Tychicus carried the letter.

He might know your estate [γνω τα περι υμων] . The correct reading is gnwte ta peri hJmwn ye might know the things about us, or our estate. Compare Eph 6:21.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

καὶ πιστὸς κ.τ.λ.] The connexion of the words is not quite obvious. It seems best however to take ἐν Κυρίῳ as referring to the whole clause πιστὸς δίακονος καὶ σύνδουλος rather than to σύνδουλος alone: for (1) The two substantives are thus bound together by the preceding πιστός and the following ἐν Κυρίῳ in a natural way: (2) The attachment of ἐν Κυρίῳ to πιστὸς δίακονος is suggested by the parallel passage Ephes. vi. 21 Τύχικος ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς καὶ πιστὸς δίακονος ἐν Κυρίῳ. The question of connecting ἐν Κυρίῳ with ἀδελπὅς as well need not be entertained, since the idea of ἀδελπὅς, ‘a Christian brother’, is complete in itself: see the note on Phil. i. 14. The adjective πιστός will here have its passive sense, ‘trustworthy, stedfast’, as also in ver. 9: see Galatians p. 154 sq.

δίακονος] ‘minister’, but to whom? To the churches, or to St Paul himself? The following σύνδουλος suggests the latter as the prominent idea here. So in Acts xix. 22 Timothy and Erastus are described as δύο τῶν διακονούντων αὐτῷ. Tychicus himself also was one of several who ministered to St Paul about that same time (Acts xx. 4). It is not probable however, that δίακονος has here its strict official sense, ‘a deacon’, as in Rom. xvi. 1, Phil. i. 1, 1 Tim. iii. 8, 12.

σύνδουλος] The word does not occur elsewhere in St Paul, except in i. 7, where it is said of Epaphras. It is probably owing to the fact of St Paul’s applying the term in both these passages to persons whom he calls δίακονοι, that σύνδουλος seems to have been adopted as a customary form of address in the early Church on the part of a bishop, when speaking of a deacon. In Ignatian letters for instance, the term is never used except of deacons; Ephes. 2, Magn. 2, Philad. 4, Smyrn. 12. Where the martyr has occasion to speak of a bishop or a presbyter some other designation is used instead.

8. ἔπεμψα] ‘I send,’ or ‘I have sent,’ ἔπεμψα being the epistolary aorist; see the note on ἔγραψα, Gal. vi. 11. Tychicus appears to have accompanied the letter itself. For similar instances of the epistolary ἔπεμψα, ἐπέστειλα, etc., see 2 Cor. viii. 18, 22, ix. 3, Ephes. vi. 22, Phil. ii. 25, 28, Philem. 11, Hebr. xiii. 22, Polyc. Phil. 13.

J. B. Lightfoot, St Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and Philemon: a revised text with introductions, notes and dissertations (London: Macmillan, 1875) — public domain. Electronic text from Project Gutenberg (ebook #50857). Covers Colossians and Philemon only (the verse-by-verse notes; introductions and dissertations are omitted); Lightfoot's companion Galatians and Philippians volumes are not included, as the available public-domain scans carry garbled Greek that cannot be faithfully reproduced.