Colossians 4:10-11 (NIV)
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
As Paul usually does at the close of his letters, he includes greetings from those who are with him. Aristarchus is listed as a “fellow prisoner”. Little is known about him, other than the fact that he is listed in acts as a traveling companion of Paul, who was a Macedonian from Thessalonica (Acts 19:29, 20:4). He was present at the riot in Ephesus, being one of two of Paul’s companions that were grabbed by the crowd and rushed into the theater there. He was also with Paul on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:2), though whether he went simply as a companion of Paul or as a prisoner in his own right is not specifically noted in the Scriptures.
Mark, the cousin of Barnabas, was with Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:5), until he left the team after they had journeyed through the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:13). This leaving had caused such consternation in Paul that he was not willing to let Mark go along on his second journey, resulting in a rift between him and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-40). But over the years, Paul and Mark had reconciled, and Paul considered him a help in his ministry all the rest of his life (2 Timothy 4:11).
Rounding out the few Jewish Christians that were alongside Paul in Rome was Jesus, also known as Justus. Even though Paul had a heart for the gentile Christians, it was helpful to him in his isolation to have some people with him with whom he shared a culture and a past; someone with whom he could sing the old Jewish songs in Aramaic, and who knew the Old Testament Scriptures as well as he did.
Even though Paul was in chains in Rome, he wasn’t having to go through it alone. God gave him companions for the journey who could walk alongside him, extend his reach, and encourage his heart. And when a person is going through a hard time, those things are priceless.
Father, I couldn’t agree more! I have gone through a few really dark times in my life, and I always appreciated those who could walk with me along the way. I am thankful that someone with whom Paul had such a clash could ultimately become so valuable to him. It clearly demonstrates the power of forgiveness and restoration that is available to us when we are in relationship with you. Help me, Lord, to always keep the big picture in view, so that my relationships and your work are not compromised or waylaid by my own deficits or hurt feelings. Amen.