Colossians 4:10

Salutations

10. Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner My fellow-captive (Latin Versions, concaptivus), fellow-prisoner- of-war. So Epaphras is called, Philemon 1:23 (where see note). And so Andronicus and Junias, Romans 16:7. The word indicates either that Aristarchus was, or had been, in prison with St Paul in the course of his missionary warfare, or that he was now in such close attendance on him that St Paul lovingly calls it an imprisonment.

The name Aristarchus occurs here, in Philemon, and Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2; and it is morally certain that we have one man in all these places. He was a Thessalonian; he accompanied St Paul on his third journey, and was, with Gaius, seized at Ephesus, when the riot broke out. (Just possibly, the word fellow-captivemay be a free allusion to that terrible hour.) He was with St Paul later when he returned from Greece to Asia, and either accompanied or followed him on to Syria, for he sails with him from Syria for Rome. We know no more of him; tradition makes him bishop of Apamea, in Asia Minor, east of Colossæ.

Marcus The name occurs also Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25; Acts 15:37; Act 15:39; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24; 1 Peter 5:13. We may assume the identity of the man in all the places, and that he is the "John" of Acts 13:5; Acts 13:13. We gather from these mentions that Marcus was also called Johannes; the latter, probably, as his Hebrew home-name, the former as his alternative name for Gentile intercourse. So Saul was Paul, and Jesus (Colossians 4:11) was Justus; and so it is often now with Jews in Europe. (It is noticeable that the Jewish name drops away as the narrative proceeds; "John Mark," or "John," is only "Mark" in Acts 15 and in the Epistles.) His father is not mentioned; his mother was a Mary (Miriam), who lived at Jerusalem, whose house was a rendezvous of the disciples a.d. 44, to which Peter, released from prison, went as to a familiar place. He was cousin (see next note) to Barnabas. Peter calls him "my son"; spiritually, of course, assuming the identity of person in all the mentions of Marcus. Perhaps Peter, in the house of Mary, met her son and drew him to the Lord, thus "begetting him again." With Paul and Barnabas, as their "helper," he set out on their mission-journey (a.d. 45), but left them at Perga for Jerusalem, for a reason not known, but not approved of by Paul. Some seven years later he accompanied Barnabas on a second mission to Cyprus, after the "sharp contention" of the two Apostles. But that difference was not permanent (see 1 Corinthians 9:6); and now, nine or ten years later again, we find him with St Paul at Rome, and perhaps about to return (see this verse), with his blessing, to Asia. Later again, probably (but see Appendix B), he is with his spiritual father, Peter, at Babylon (probably the literal Chaldean Babylon, not the mystical, Rome). And then, again later, probably, he is with or near Timothy in Asia; and Paul, a second time imprisoned, sends for him, as "useful for him for personal service." Here end our certain notices. In Scripture, he maybe the "certain young man" of Mark 14:51-52. Tradition, from early cent. 2 onwards, makes him the writer of the Second Gospel, and to have compiled it as in some sense Peter's exponent. (Cp. Eusebius, History, 111. 39; and see Salmon, Introd. to N. T. p. 110, etc.) Later tradition (first recorded cent. 4) makes him founder and first bishop of the Alexandrian church.

sister's son Rather, cousin. Latin versions, consobrinus;Wyclif, "cosyn." The Greek, anepsios, bears the meaning "sister's son" in later Greek, but its derivation and earlier usage fix it here to mean a cousin-german, the child of the other's own aunt or uncle. Etymologically, it is remotely akin to our "nephew"; but that word also has varied its reference. In the A.V. of 1 Timothy 5:4 it means "descendants," such as grandchildren; representing a different Greek word. This kinship explains no doubt, in part, the wish of the loving Barnabas to retain Marcus as his helper (Acts 15).

ye received commandments No doubt through some previous emissary from Rome to Asia.

if he come An intended visit of Marcus to Asia is implied. Perhaps he was on his way to the residence there which later brought him into connexion with Peter in Chaldea. See note on Marcus, just above.

receive him It is implied that some misgiving about Marcus lingered among the followers of St Paul. The "commandments" had announced Marcus" full restoration to St Paul's confidence, and so to that of his converts; now they were to act upon them.