I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you. Colossians 4:18
Fans and followers will endure long lines and pushing and shoving to get a signature of someone famous on something of little value. In no way would the Colossian letter be less valuable without Paul’s autograph and note, but it did authenticate what was written, that it was not in memoriam (not an epitaph), and as a bonus, it provided a few more bits of teaching.
Paul was indeed alive and well enough to sign his name, and since he would be released for a time thereafter, had a few more miles, and letters, left in him. For now, he needed to finish this and hand it off to Tychicus.
While he was surrounded by the likes of Luke, Timothy, Mark, Epaphras, Justus, Onesimus, and Tychicus, along with his cell mate Aristarchus, the scene in Rome was more like a hospital room, and Paul had yet to be released by the doctor, nor did he know he’d be allowed to leave in the future. Therefore, it was important for all to remember he was still imprisoned.
For now, with this letter, Paul’s hope and prayer request was that God would “open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ,” for which the Apostle had been imprisoned. Colossians 4:3
Indeed, God was gracious, and Paul’s message got out and was received loud and clear.
[This is my final “verse by verse” devotional commentary in the book of Colossians.]
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