March 14
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THREE JEWISH FRIENDS OF PAUL BRINGING HIM COMFORT
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’ cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); 11 and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me. – Colossians 4:10-11:
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Aristarchus was a Thessalonian believer who was a close companion of Paul. Acts 20:4 says that he was a Macedonian from Thessalonica. Acts 19:29 mentions him again as one of the travel companions of Paul when he was in Ephesus when a riot happened there. In Acts 27:2, Aristarchus was mentioned again as a companion of Paul as he sails to Rome. In Philemon 24 Paul referred to him again as a fellow prisoner of Christ as he tells the Colossians his greetings for them. It seems that Aristarchus was always with Paul especially when Paul was in situations of trouble. William Ramsay suggests that he actually made himself Paul’s slave so that he could travel with him on this journey to Rome.
John Mark who is usually known as Mark, is the author of the gospel of Mark. As Paul mentions here, he is Barnabas’ cousin. In Acts 13:5, Mark and Barnabas were with Paul in his first missionary journey but in Acts 15, we hear that Mark deserted Paul and went home to his mother. According to Bruce, it “It is from this reference alone that we learn that Mark was Barnabas’ cousin – a piece of information which throws light on the special consideration which Barnabas gives to Mark in the narrative of Acts.” It seems that in this letter, Paul has forgiven Mark during those time that he deserted him as he highly endorses him to be welcomed by the believers in Colossae.
According to biblestudytools.com, Jesus Justus is not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, and there is nothing more known about him than is given in this passage, namely, that he was by birth a Jew–“of the circumcision”–that he had been converted to Christ, and that he was one of the inner circle of intimate friends and associates of the apostle during his first Roman captivity.
David Guzik comments that at that time, Paul had only three fellow workers with a Jewish heritage. Yet these three did a great work, they proved to be a comfort to Paul.
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REFLECTION
• How important is it for believers to have fellow-believers who can walk with them through thick or thin?