Show—Don’t Tell

There they are again—those verses that we tend to merely peruse. Coming to the closing remarks of the letter to the Colossians (4:7-18), it is tempting to quickly glance at them and move on. After all, they are just names, greetings, and references to matters we’re not part of.

Well, if we read the Bible merely as a textbook, extracting instructions, principles, and the “rules of life,” then verses like these will frustrate us (or at least bore us). The Bible, however, is not a mere textbook—the stories, hymns, and letters are a window into life itself! It is a realistic depiction of what life is like, including its rough edges and tragic blemishes. Yet it is also an awe-inspiring and hope-filled depiction of what life can be through Christ, not just once in heaven, but already here on earth.

When reading Colossians 4:7-18, something intriguing stands out: Compared to Paul’s other letters, it is noteworthy how unusually long and in-depth his closing remarks are (only the letter to the Romans has a similar epilogue). This fact has prompted many to probe these verses for deeper insight. Countless pages have been filled with potential biographies of the names listed, as well as extracted strategies we can glean from Paul’s missionary network. As tempting as it may be to jump in, dissect, and look for biographies or “mission strategies,” it might be wise to resist that temptation . . . at least for a moment.

A Window Into the Church as the Body of Christ

This, of course, is not to say that Paul and the church didn’t strategize. On the contrary, they were quite intentional, as seen, for example, in the letter to Titus. But Paul’s remarks offer deep insight into his life, and, by extension, the early church’s life. As such, his remarks here resist the idea that all of this was mere strategy—it almost seems to come naturally to Paul. Albeit “naturally” here implies a born-again follower of Christ, since what the early church exemplifies here is not at all “natural” in this world.

Rather than a show of strategy, this paragraph offers insight into how the church works when members are impacted and driven by Christ’s work (maturity, true relationships, bonds between all walks of life, persevering intercession, transparency regarding struggles, grace, and responsibility). At the same time, it gives insight into how the church operates when the members are driven by something else (e.g., tensions with Mark, division with Demas).

Of course, one might argue that Paul does that in all his letters. Nevertheless, there is a difference between intentionally painting a picture and actually living it. Gallons of ink, telling people what it should be like and what they have to do, will never have the same impact as actually living the example. It boils down to “show, don’t tell”—and Paul, here in the fringes of his letter, is showing, not telling. In these closing remarks in Colossians, Paul shares something that opens a window into what the church looks like as the body of Christ. Let me just highlight three aspects that stand out to me.

Paul’s friendships were real, not calculated, and their warmth still reaches us today. He reminds us that we need people in the same place, sharing life side by side (not in the safe distance of our digital habits).

Mutual Dependence

First, let’s be blunt: Surprise, surprise, Paul does not work alone! This is one of the instances where the lie of the “self-made man” falls apart. Paul invests in relationships, and his entire ministry pulses with the conviction that maturity in Christ is never an individual endeavor. God advances his kingdom through the body of Christ, not through isolated heroes running solo missions.

Ministry is inherently relational. In Colossians 4 the whole network (Paul, Epaphras, Nymphas, Mark, Luke, the churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis, and many more) depend on each other (shared labor, concern, and encouragement). Paul is genuinely interested in the well-being of these churches and the individuals within them. They, in turn, are deeply invested in him. Their exchange is not merely a polite “How’s it going?” but a real partaking in each other’s lives.

These greetings, updates, commendations, and requests are not filler material at the end of the letter—they reveal a community that believes spiritual growth happens in the messy, mutual, ordinary work of walking together. Paul demonstrates a remarkable connectedness: authority that never turned cold, leadership that never stifled affection. His friendships were real, not calculated, and their warmth still reaches us today. He reminds us that we need people in the same place, sharing life side by side (not in the safe distance of our digital habits).

And then comes the uncomfortable question: How am I in this regard? How do I respond when brothers and sisters share testimonies, mission reports, the joys they can’t contain, and the frustrations they wish they didn’t have? How do I respond when they share the annoying, the boring, the bothersome details of their lives? Do I see these as real invitations into genuine fellowship? Or do I treat them as background noise to be endured?

Mutual Transformation

Second, we can see how these people are being transformed into the image of Christ. Something we often overlook, though, is that this transformation is never primarily for its own sake. Christian maturity and steadfastness are inherently others-oriented in their transformation.

In the letter to the Philippians, Paul lifts up the self-emptying Christ (Phil. 2:6-11) and calls the church to share “the same mind,” a mind expressed not in theory but in humble service. In Colossians 4:7-18 we see that mind lived out: Tychicus encourages weary hearts (verse 8), Onesimus joins him in bringing personal updates so the church can genuinely know how Paul is doing (verses 7-9), Mark and Justus stand with Paul as a comfort in imprisonment (verses 10, 11), Luke remains faithfully at his side (verse 14), and Epaphras agonizes in prayer “that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (verse 12).

These are earthly acts animated by heavenly realities. The gospel that unites heaven and earth is not abstract; it travels through friendship, hospitality, written words, embodied presence, and the hard work of intercession. While this (mutual) transformation is expressed through our interactions with each other, it is shaped by God’s Word, which nourishes whole communities rather than merely isolated individuals. As such, it is strengthened by the ongoing interplay of grace and responsibility (God does His part; we do ours).

And so a second question presses: How am I in that regard? Am I letting others shape me, and do I offer myself as well, so that Christ can form, strengthen, and steady my brothers and sisters through me? Where would any of us be without others being God’s hands and feet to us?

Mutual Direction

Last, this epilogue exemplifies the biblical understanding of the “body of Christ.” In God’s economy every calling matters, and Colossians 4:7-18 makes that unmistakably clear. The closing lines of the letter reveal a network of believers whose faithfulness is in focus, not their role, prominence, or public influence.

Salvation is individual, but being saved is communal.

Some of these names echo across the pages of Scripture (cf. Paul, Mark, Luke, and even Onesimus through Philemon); some are mentioned elsewhere (cf. Archippus, Tychicus, Epaphras, or Aristarchus). In contrast, others appear only here (cf. Justus or Nympha). Even though we can resort to some valuable educated inferences about these names, in the end much remains speculation. We simply don’t know these people—but Paul and the churches did. Yet there is no indication of hierarchy, no implicit ranking, no suggestion that visibility equals value. In the body of Christ, the specific ministry might differ, but their significance does not. After all, we’re all heading the same way—toward Christ and His kingdom. Faithfulness, not fame, influence, or recognition, is the measure God delights in.

And that brings a third question uncomfortably close: How am I in that regard? Am I drawn toward the “big names” (and yes, even we Adventists have “celebrities”), or am I even tempted to become one? Am I willing to serve in whatever corner God assigns, trusting that humble obedience and passionate faithfulness carry eternal weight? Where am I headed?

Honest and Real—No Varnish

It should be noted how all of this is framed: Paul is remarkably transparent and realistic. We don’t find a glorified, polished, and idealized report. Rather, Colossians 4:7-18 portrays believers faithfully serving God amid imperfection, frailty, and human conflict. Faithfulness involves navigating fights, faults, and the painful realities of relationships and ministry. The early church did not hide these realities. Here, Paul names them, but we also see a model for perseverance and the invitation into a shared life of growth, accountability, and transformation. This transparency reminds us that God’s work flows through imperfect people, and that steadfastness, humility, and reliance on His Spirit are what sustain us as we pursue maturity and service in Christ together.

What Could Be

Compared to other “holy” texts, the Bible is uniquely rooted in history. It’s not just sharing knowledge and “how-to’s”—it’s sharing life! Life as it really is and life as it can be. True, salvation is something deeply personal—a matter between God and me. Yet God always grafts members into His body! Salvation is individual, but being saved is communal. Hence, Colossians 4 shows (not tells) us what it looks like when a community lives between heaven and earth. The cosmic reconciliation achieved by Christ (heaven → earth) empowers the church to stand mature in God’s will (earth → heaven). This divine grace becomes tangible in mutual dependence, mutual transformation, and a mutual direction.

What we find in the closing remarks of Paul’s letter to the Colossians is not a “how-to”! (For that, dive into the content of Paul’s letters to the Colossians and Philippians, among others.) For us, this is a window into what life as a Christian community could be like. Interested? Great! Because Paul’s remarks share the hope of what can be, even in our church today. Christ’s work (unifying heaven and earth) results in this hope and awe-inspiring reality, despite the strains the ongoing great controversy still entails.