I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Summary: This passage invites us to indulge in the heart of meditation: Imagining what is possible.
This passage is a bit of a puzzle.
Paul is vouching for Epaphras’s work. Unfortunately, all we know for certain is that he is “working hard” and that the work is “for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”
What could he be doing?
Let’s indulge in a bit of guesswork.
We know that Epaphras was a Colossian and a “faithful minister in Christ.” We also know that Paul considered him a faithful minister … “on our behalf” (Colossians 1:7).
Our initial assumption was that Paul had sent Epaphras to Colossae to share the Gospel there, and this still could be true. Laodicea and Hierapolis are both close to Colossae (within a day’s walk). It is possible that Epaphras extended his mission work to both places, starting those churches as well.
Now, this is where we have to exercise our imaginations.
What if those three churches decided to send Epaphras out as a missionary? Specifically, they wanted him to help Paul in his ministry.
If that is the case, then Paul’s statement in our passage makes perfect sense. Epaphras is on a mission.
One of the things we learned about Epaphras in verse twelve is that he is “always wrestling in prayer.”
As a person who is from Colossae, this also makes sense. His heart is with those at home. As a missionary, he has seen firsthand what Paul is up against. He has seen his physical battles and his spiritual ones. He is concerned for his friends and family, the believers he left behind.
Together, both verses remind us that we are at war. Epaphras knows the “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12) are everywhere. He understands what is at stake.
Our information about Epaphras might be sketchy, but the facts portray a man devoted to the Lord and passionate about the Gospel. The pieces of this sketched puzzle come together in a portrait of faith in action.
Application: Follow Epaphras’s example in prayer.
Food for Thought: What other kinds of work might Epaphras have been doing?
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