Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Philemon 1:24

"[and so do] Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers." — Philemon 1:24 (ASV)

These five coworkers who send greetings to Philemon are also mentioned in Col 4:10–14 (Jesus Justus is a sixth coworker). The question remains as to why the same greetings were given in two letters that were sent at the same time. Some see the unity of the greetings as evidence that the letters were written at the same time to the same place, while Paul was in the company of the same coworkers. One should not discount the possibility, however, that Philemon preceded Colossians (see the introduction).