Colossians Chapter 4 Verses 1-4

Col. 4:1 “Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. 2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” 

“Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.”  This is a continuation of the behavior we are support to adopt as disciples of Christ based on the different positions we occupy in life.  Those who are masters are to be fair in their dealings with those who serve them.  To give that which is just can be illustrated by the following example: If a servant does $100 worth of work then he should be paid $100.  To give that which is equal can be illustrated by the following example: If two servants each do $100 worth of work then both servants should receive $100 for the work that they did.  A master in this world should consider that he has a master in heaven who gives that which is just and equal and therefore, his behavior should mirror the behavior of his heavenly master who gives him what is just and equal. 

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” Prayer should be a continuous thing for the disciple of Christ.  Daily prayers should be a part of our daily behavior.  The word watch here means to be vigilant.  Thus we should be vigilant in our prayers and always we should remember to be thankful to God for all the blessings and answered prayers we experience in this life.   

“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”  Paul recognized that the Lord is the one who opens the door for the ministry.  We, ministers often fail to realize that we cannot open doors of utterance, only the Lord can open those doors.  The following verses show us this principle:  

          1.  Acts 14:27 “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.”

          2.  1 Cor. 16:8 “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”

          3.  2 Cor. 2:12 “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,”

          4.  Rev. 3:7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”  

From the above we can conclude that it is the Lord who opens the door of utterance and it is a responsibility for the church to pray that the Lord would open the door of utterance so that the ministry can speak the mystery of Christ to those children of God outside the church kingdom of God.   

“For which I am also in bonds.”  At this time Paul was literally a prisoner in Rome.  But the bonds of Christ were greater bonds that the bonds of men.  Paul was a willing bondsman of the Lord.  As the Lord’s bondsman he felt it a duty and responsibility and privilege to speak the mystery of Christ to the Lord’s people.  Every true minister of Christ should feel to be a bondsman of the Lord.   

“That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”  Paul desired that the mystery of Christ be made manifest to the children of God.  In order to make it manifest the minister should speak plainly using simple words that the children of God may hear and understand the mystery of Christ.