Philemon 1:24

1:24 These men are also mentioned at the end of Colossians (Col 4:10, 14). • co-workers: They helped Paul spread the Good News. • Mark: See “John Mark” Profile. • Aristarchus was a faithful associate of Paul for many years (Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2). • Demas was a co-worker who later abandoned Paul (2 Tim 4:10). • Luke: See “Luke” Profile.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Phm 1:24. Λουκᾶς, Luke) He, who was most closely connected with Paul, is named after the others. There is a note in two Greek copies, in the possession of Mill and Kuster, intimating, that the blessed Onesimus died a martyr at Rome, having suffered the punishment of breaking the legs.[1]

[1] Bengel, J. A. (1860). Vol. 4: Gnomon of the New Testament (M. E. Bengel & J. C. F. Steudel, Ed.) (J. Bryce, Trans.) (327–331). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

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

Phm 1:24 . Μάρκος : i.e. , John Mark, cf. Act 12:25 ; Act 15:37 , Phi 4:10 ; he and Aristarchus were Jewish-Christians (Col 4:11 ). Δημᾶς , Δουκᾶς : Gentile Christians ( cf. Act 16:10 ; Act 20:5-6 ; Act 21:15 ; Act 27:2 ); the former name is a contraction of Δημήτριος (Col 4:14 ; 2Ti 4:10 ).

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

Verse 24. Marcus, Aristarchus, c.] These were all acquaintances of Philemon, and probably Colossians and may be all considered as joining here with St. Paul in his request for Onesimus. Some think that Marcus was either the evangelist, or John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas, Ac 12:12; Ac 12:25. Aristarchus was probably the same with him mentioned Ac 19:29; Ac 20:4; Ac 27:2. See Col 4:10.

Demas] Is supposed to be the same who continued in his attachment to Paul till his last imprisonment at Rome; after which he left him for what is supposed to have been the love of the world, 2Ti 4:10; but see the note.

Lucas] Is supposed to be Luke the evangelist, and author of the Acts of the Apostles. On these suppositions little confidence can be placed: they may be correct; they may be otherwise.

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

24 Demas. This is the same person who afterwards forsook him, as he complains in the Second Epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:10.) And if one of Paul’s assistants, having become weary and discouraged, was afterwards drawn aside by the vanity of the world, let no man reckon too confidently on the zeal of a single year; but, considering how large a portion of the journey still remains to be accomplished, let him pray to God for steadfastness.

END OF THE COMMENTARIES ON THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

24. Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas] Cp. Col_4:10; Col_4:14, and notes.

This group of names (with the names of Archippus, Phm_1:2 above, and Onesimus, Phm_1:10) links this Epistle to that to Colossæ, in time and place of writing, and in destination.—See Paley’s acute remarks (Horœ Paulinœ, ch. 14) on the subtle tokens of independence in the two lists and so of literary genuineness. See also Salmon, Introd. to N. T., pp. 467. 468.

my fellowlabourers] A favourite word with St Paul; see above, Phm_1:1.

Demas stands here among the faithful. But see on Col_4:14.

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.

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas,.... Marcus was Barnabas's sister's son, the son of that Mary, in whose house the church met, and prayed for Peter when in prison; whose name was John Mark, whom Saul and Barnabas took along with them to Antioch, and from thence, in their travels, to other parts; but he leaving them at Pamphylia, was the occasion of a contention between Saul and Barnabas afterwards, when returned to Antioch; the latter insisting on his going with them again, and the former refusing it on account of his departure from them; which contention rose so high that they parted upon it, Act 12:12 though after this the apostle was reconciled to him; he approving himself to be a faithful and useful minister of the Gospel; and therefore he desires Timothy to bring him along with him, Ti2 4:11 and if this epistle was written after that, he was now come to him; however, he was now with him, whether before or after: Aristarchus was a Macedonian of Thessalonica; or very likely the apostle had been the instrument of converting him there, and who followed him from thence, and attended him wherever he went; he was with him in the uproar raised by Demetrius at Ephesus, and accompanied him into Asia; went with him in his voyage to Rome, and was now a fellow prisoner there, Act 19:29. Demas is the same with him who is mentioned in Ti2 4:10 and if this epistle is later than that, it should seem that he was restored from his fall, and was returned to the apostle. Lucas is the same with Luke the Evangelist, the beloved physician, the brother whose praise was in all the churches, and a constant companion of the apostle, in his travels; and who wrote the book called, "The Acts of the Apostles": these the apostle styles, "my fellow labourers", being all ministers of the Gospel; and this shows the apostle's great humility, so to call them, when they were far from being on an equal foot with him in office, gifts, or usefulness: and the Christian salutations of these persons are sent to Philemon, with this view, to engage him the more to attend to the apostle's request, in which they all joined.

Philemon 1:25

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

24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Ver. 24. Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas] Here Demas was in good credit with the apostle, but soon after fell away; like as glass, and some baser metals, shine brightest in the fire when nearest of all to melting, or as the candle giveth a great blaze when going out with a stench. Hypocrites have their non-ultra when the godly man’s motto is (as was Charles V’s) Ulterius, Further yet, on, on.

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.

Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, and Lucas - see the notes at the Epistle to the Colossians, Col 4:10, Col 4:14.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

All ministers of the gospel: they are also named, Col 4:10,12,14; they were all at this time at Rome with Paul: see Act 12:12,25; 15:37,39; 19:29; 20:4; 27:2; 2Ti 4:10.

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

24. Marcus—The evangelist. See his life, prefixed to his gospel in our vol. 1.

Aristarchus—Note Act_19:29.

Demas—Abbreviated form of Demetrius. See notes Col_4:14 and 2Ti_4:10.

Lucas—Luke the evangelist.

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

24. Marcus. Mark. See Introduction to Mark. Aristarchus. A Macedonian. See Acts 27:2. Demas. See 2 Tim. 4:10 for his later history, Lucas. See Introduction to Luke. Also Col. 4:14. These are all mentioned in the closing salutations of the Colossian letter.

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.

24. Μάρκος, Ἀρίσταρχος. On these two names see Col 4:10, notes. In Col. also they precede Demas and Luke, though in the reverse order. They are there expressly said to be of the circumcision, and are, as here, included among St Paul’s συνεργοί.

Δημᾶς, Λουκᾶς. See Col 4:14, notes. There appears to be no reason why the order is different here from that in Col. Chrysostom says prettily but fancifully, ὁ μέντοι Λουκᾶς ἔσχατος ὤν, ἐγένετο πρῶτος.

οἱ συνεργοί μου. Col 4:11. Here of Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke. In Col. only of Aristarchus, Mark and Jesus Justus.

Why the last name is not added in this private letter can only be conjectured. Possibly he was not present at the moment, or possibly he alone (being perhaps a Jew of Rome) had had no connexion at all with Philemon.

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.

Mark. Probably John Mark the evangelist. He appears as the companion of Paul, Act 12:25; Col 4:10; 2Ti 4:11. Aristarchus. A Thessalonian. Alluded to Act 19:29; Act 20:4; Act 27:2. He was Paul 's companion for a part of the way on the journey to Rome.

Demas. See Col 4:14; 2Ti 4:10.

Luke. The physician and evangelist. See Introduction to Luke's Gospel.

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