Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Colossians 4:11

"and Jesus that is called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these only [are my] fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me." — Colossians 4:11 (ASV)

In vv.10–15 six persons join in sending greetings to the Colossian church.

Three of them—Aristarchus, Mark, and Jesus Justus—were Jewish Christians. Aristarchus, a native of Thessalonica who had been arrested at the time of the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:29), accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4) and later on was with him on the journey from Caesarea to Rome (Acts 27:2). Here Paul calls him his “fellow prisoner.” This term may be interpreted either literally or spiritually (i.e., literally in prison with Paul or one who, along with Paul, had been taken captive by Christ). Mark, called here “the cousin of Barnabas,” wrote the gospel that bears his name. He appears in the NT with some frequency, and we know more about him than about any of the others mentioned in this passage (cf. Acts 12:12, 25; 13:13; 15:37–39; 1 Peter 5:13). Of Jesus Justus we know nothing beyond the mention of his name here.

There is a note of pathos in Paul’s remark about these three: “These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God.” Paul felt keenly his alienation from his countrymen (cf. Romans 9:3). But these three, he adds, “have proved a comfort to me,” perhaps in a particular time of crisis when they stood by Paul.