Colossians 4:7-9 (NIV)
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
Common people frequently sent letters in the hands of friends or acquaintances who were going that direction. In this case, Tychicus had business in the area around Colossae and Laodicea or was passing through there on his way further east. So, Paul entrusted the letter to him.
In addition to carrying the letter, Tychicus would be able to give a verbal report on Paul’s health and well-being, and he would be able to answer questions about Paul that anyone wanted to know. There were rumors about Paul spreading throughout the churches and having a first-hand witness to be able to give updates was very valuable.
Tychicus is identified as a dear brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant. This is high praise from Paul, and a strong recommendation for the Colossians to pay attention, not just to his news about Paul, but to any teaching or correction that he would give to them.
Accompanying Tychicus to Colossae was a man named Onesimus. Paul doesn’t give much information about Onesimus in this letter, but in the letter to Philemon we find that Onesimus was a slave of Philemon in Colossae. Onesimus had run away to Rome, and somehow had been introduced to Paul. Paul had led him to the Lord and had discipled him, and had taken him under his wing.
But Onesimus’ status as a runaway slave was a problem. If captured, he would be returned to Philemon in chains, and could be severely beaten, or even killed for his crime of being an escaped slave. Paul’s solution was to send him back to Philemon, who was, according to Epaphras, a strong believer, and to plead with Philemon to receive him back, not as an escaped slave, but as a brother, and to forgo the punishment that he deserved. (See the letter to Philemon.)
Father, it is one thing to talk about Jesus changing everything in our lives. But it is another thing entirely to accept that Jesus has transformed the life of someone else, especially if that someone else has wronged us. But, as true believers, we must always be willing to put our theology into concrete action. Since you have completely forgiven Onesimus for running away from Philemon, Philemon had an obligation to extend complete forgiveness to him as well, if he wanted to remain in Your good graces (Matthew 6:14-15). Help me, Lord, to always remember the obligation I have, as one of your people, to forgive as fully and as freely as I myself have been forgiven, to put my theology into action, and to live it out concretely every moment of every day. Amen.