Colossians Chapter 4 Series

Colossians Chapter 4

v. 1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

v. 1 Masters, [on your part] deal with your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

A. Masters, give unto your servants:

1. 1 Cor. 7:21 “Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made

free, use it rather.”

2. A slave’s standing in the ancient world: The slave was a thing in the eyes of the law.

There was no such thing as a cod of working conditions. When the slave past his

work, he could be thrown out to die. He had not even the right to marry, and if he

cohabited and there was a child, the child belonged to the master, just as the lambs of

the flock belonged. (William Barclay)

3. The master must treat the slave not like a thing, but like a person, with justice and with the

4. Paul brings them under control, because both are equally under subjection to the authority

of God. He urges that equity of which he makes mention. (John Calvin)

Equity which goes beyond justice. (WB)

B. Just and equal:

1. What they ought to have; what is fairly their due. (Albert Barnes)

2. Slaves or bondmen were at the mercy of their master as they don’t have rights.

3. The object of this is, to secure for servants a proper treatment. It is evident, from this, that

there were in the Christian church those who were "masters;" and the most obvious

interpretation is, that they were the owners of slaves. (AB)

4. In Christ, to make the master and the servant feel that, in a most important sense, they were

on an equality. (AB)

C. Knowing that ye also have a Master:

1. Slaves were expected to do a day of work each day as God as their Master they were to

work as if doing it for the Lord.

2. The meaning here is, that God would not be influenced in the distribution of rewards and

punishments, by a regard to the rank or condition of the master or the slave. He would

show no favor to the one because he was a master; he would withhold none from the

other because he was a slave. He would treat both according to their character. (AB)

v. 2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

v. 2 Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.

A. Continue in prayer: (Servants, Masters, etc. v. 2 is possible continuation of v. 1)

1. Continue =to attend constantly; Usage: I persist, persevere in, continue steadfast in, to

devote oneself. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath. (Chuck Missler)

2. That is, do not neglect it. The biggest lack in the Christian walk = prayer. (CM)

3. Maintain the spirit of prayer, and embrace all proper occasions to engage in it. (AB)

4. Watch that your mind may be in a right frame when you pray; and watch that when your

mind is in a right frame you may not neglect to pray. (AB)

5. He tells them to persevere in prayer. Even for the best of us, there comes times when

prayer seems to be unavailing and to penetrate no farther than the walls of the room in

which we pray. At such a time the remedy is not to stop but to go on praying; for in

the man who prays, spiritual dryness cannot last. (William Barclay)

6. Prayer is the heavy artillery in the armor of God. (CM)

7. Prayer should be faithful: (CM)

a. “Men ought to pray and not to faint” Luke 18:1

b. “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thes. 5:17

c. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” Eph. 6:18

d. “Praying in the Holy Ghost” Jude 1:20

8. Our walk will directly reflect the time we spend with Him. The soul flourishes in an

atmosphere of prayer. (CM)

B. Watch in the same with thanksgiving:

1. Watch for favorable opportunities. (AB)

2. He adds, thanksgiving, because God must be solicited for present necessity in such a way

that, in the meantime, we do not forget favors already received. (John Calvin)

3. Being always grateful to God, who has called you into such a state of salvation, and

affords you such abundant means and opportunities to glorify him, (Adam Clarke)

4. Thanksgiving is a must have a part in every prayer. (Thank you for daily bread)

v. 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: