Slaves - Colossians 4

4:1 - Paul continues the household code, having just given counsel to servants, he now has something to say to those who are in the position of “Master,” saying, “give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.” I wondered why Paul didn’t just say, “free them,” assuming that they were slaves, but first, that might start a whole thing saying that those who had slaves couldn’t become Christians. It would make a requirement for joining the church to be freeing your slaves. Now I personally see slavery as a disgusting, abhorrent thing, freeing slaves wasn’t even a requirement for the modern church in the beginning. A few pioneers emigrated to Utah territory with their slaves in tow, and some even paid their tithing by giving slaves to the church. While Jesus clearly wants all slaves freed, he also chose not to make the abolition of slavery a central focus in the early church, probably because of the precarious state of America at that time, especially when it came to slavery. Seeing as how Jesus has experienced the life of every single slave throughout the history of time, He is allowed to give those directives because he is the one who is responsible for fulfilling the law of compensation for them. He knows what they’ve endured, he knows the injustice of it, and he is the one who has promised them that it will all be worth it. Now it’s easy for me to sit here and say that, seeing as how I’m not a slave, but if I believe that Jesus will make all my trauma worth it in the long run, then I have to believe that he would do the same for them. It’s also interesting because like I mentioned yesterday, my ex husband is black and I’ve spent the last decade or so doing his genealogy, on behalf of my kids of course, and I’ve had some very interesting experiences while doing their temple work. I’ll share a few now, just because I feel like it helps put an eternal perspective on the issue of slavery. First, I like to go back and look at the temple work that has been done for the names that I released to the temple system and see where they were done at because I think it’s really cool to see some of the work be done in far off places. Well, once when I was looking at a specific family, I noticed that the father and all of the like 7 sons were baptized and confirmed in the same temple on the same day. These weren’t slaves but disenfranchised black men in the early 1900s. I was kind of bummed because I like it when they are all done in different places at different times because I think it’s interesting. When I thought how disappointed I was, the thought came to me immediately that this was a very special circumstance for all these men to be baptized and confirmed at the same time because they had not had a relationship with each other in mortal life and this was a big deal for them all to be there accepting the gospel together. That was really special, and it hadn’t happened in the temple. Second, I was being baptized and confirmed for a set of three sisters once and nothing really happened during the baptism, but when it came time to get confirmed, there was another girl in the room with me going first, and while I was waiting my turn, I turned my head to the left, and I could almost see three young black women jumping for joy and hugging each other. It was really special because it’s one thing to do genealogy and hope for the best, but it’s entirely different when you feel that they not only accept the gospel, but that they are excited about it. I was really grateful to be a small part of that journey. Third, because there have been so many names over the years, I released most to the temple, but my mom and sister have helped me with the women’s names and they’ve had some interesting experiences too. My mom has felt a connection to a few of the women, especially those who have died more recently. My sister says that before going through a session, she sits in the chapel and just tries to get a feel for the person that she’s doing the work for. One time she came to me and asked where I had gotten the names of the women that I had given her. I told her that they were slave names from my ex’s side of the family and she said, “oh that makes sense then because I just feel an overwhelming sadness from them.” Which just goes to show that for many people there might be healing in the next life, but it’s a process and death isn’t necessarily the cure all that some of us think that it is. Paul’s not just talking about literal slaves either. The ancient world of servitude was complicated and even today with our jobs and relationships we can apply this master and servant advice to that as well. Take a job for instance. Most of us have bosses and some of us have subordinates. Per Paul’s advice, we should work for our boss’s success whole heartedly, and we should be fair and kind to those we are in charge of. And we should treat other who answer to us in the way that we would want Jesus to treat us because remember, we are his servants and he is our Master. 4:2-6 - Paul encourages us and them to pray always, watch in prayer always, which I think might mean to look for God in all of our interactions and in our daily life. Watching for his hand in our lives “with thanksgiving,” or in other words, watching for opportunities to be grateful. That’s kind of an interesting perspective. What if I spent my life looking for all the things I could be grateful for? Would it make a difference in my attitude, in my life? I’m going to try this, I’m going to look for all the things that I can be grateful for in my life and be grateful for them and I’ll let you know how it goes on Friday. Paul also asks them to pray for them, “that God would open unto us a door of utterance,” being given opportunities to teach the gospel so that they could reach those who are ready for it. He gives them seemingly nonsensical counsel to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to out to answer every man.” This made absolutely no sense to me, but the IM clarifies saying, “The phrase ‘them that are without’ referred to people who were not members of the Church… In ancient times, salt was used in the offering of temple offerings and thus became a symbol of gospel covenants. Salt was also used as a purifying agent. Therefore, Paul’s teachings about speech being seasoned with salt reminded Church members that all their communication, even with non-Christians, should be purse and in harmony with the covenants the had made with the Lord.” 4:7-18 – It seems a pattern for Paul to close the letters that he writes by introducing those who are going to be delivering the letters and also giving feedback on the service of those that came to him from their community, so this must have been an ancient protocol, which makes sense because these men who were coming to them, seemingly on Paul’s authority needed to be vouched for before the people started listening to them. Tychicus is a “fellowservant in the Lord.” Onesimus is apparently from the congregation of Colossae. Aristarchus is a “fellow-prisoner” who sends his regards. Marcus is Barnabas “sister’s son” which is cross-referenced to mean cousin or kinsman, should be received. Jesus is also called Justus is “of the circumcision” meaning that he is natively a Jew. These are all “my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.” Epaphras is also from Colossae and has been “labouring fervently for you in prayers.” He’s been a faithful advocate for Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. Luke “the beloved physican” who I wonder if this was the apostle Luke that served with Jesus. Demas also greets them. Paul wants this epistle shared with “the Laodiceans” and he says to read the epistle that he sent to them, but the IM says “this verse suggests that Paul sent a letter to the Saints in Laodicea. This letter no longer exists today.” A loss of scripture is always a tragedy. And he also says to tell “Archippus” to “take heed to the ministry which thou hast receive in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” Don’t know if this is a reminder, a gentle “good job son,” or a “hey, get your act together, you’ve got a job to do.” And Paul says farewell to the saint at Colossae.