Albert Barnes Commentary Colossians 4:9

"together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things that [are done] here." — Colossians 4:9 (ASV)

With Onesimus. He had formerly been a servant of Philemon, an inhabitant of Colossae (See Barnes on Philemon 1:10).

Onesimus had probably been recently converted, and Paul felt toward him the warm attachment of a brother (Philemon 1:16). It is unknown in what way Paul became acquainted with him. A more complete account of him will be found in the notes on the epistle to Philemon.

Who is one of you. This means he was either from your city or one of your own people and nation. It is clear from this that Onesimus was from Phrygia, and probably from the city of Colossae itself.

It would also seem that he was of a higher rank than is designated by the word "slave" now. He was, indeed, a "servant"—doulos—of Philemon.

But would the apostle have addressed the Colossians and said that he was "one of them" if he had occupied precisely the condition that is now denoted by the word slave? Would a minister of the gospel now in the Northern States, who should send a letter by a runaway slave to a community of masters at the South, say of him that he was "one of them?" Would it be kindly received, or produce a good impression, if he did?

There is reason, therefore, to think that Onesimus was not a slave in the proper sense, but that he might have been a respectable youth who had bound himself to service for a term of years .

They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. This relates to Paul himself and the state of the church in Rome.

Since the epistle Paul sent was designed not only for them but also to be a part of the volume of revealed truth, he wrote only those things that would be of permanent interest.

Other matters he left for those who carried the epistle to communicate. It would also serve to give Tychicus and Onesimus more respectability in the view of the church at Colossae if he referred the church to them for information on important points.