7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.
8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,
9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.
10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),
11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
Tychicus (v.7) — Tychicus is mentioned in four other places in the New Testament, the earliest in Acts 20:4-5; see also Ephesians 6:21; Titus 3:12; 2 Timothy 4:12 (the whole period dating from about A.D. 58-68).
He was a native of the Roman province of Asia. He accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey, went with him with others to Jerusalem on his last journey there. In Paul’s last epistle he states that he has sent him to Ephesus again. — Vine, page 372.
comfort (v.8) = encouragement
Tychicus was accompanied by Onesimus (v.9), the runaway slave who in the providence of God had come into contact with Paul in Rome and (apparently through the witness of Paul) was converted to Christ. (See the epistle to Philemon for the story.) Paul now sends him back to Colossae, but no mention is made of his bondage or of his crimes of the past. Instead he is designated as a faithful and beloved brother (i.e., a loyal and dearly-loved fellow-believer) and as one of you (i.e., a trustworthy member of the community). — Vaughan, page 115.
all things which are happening here (v.9) — lit. “all things here” — in Rome, with Paul and with the church
Aristarchus (v.10) — Acts 19:29; 20:4 — A Jew from Thessalonica and a traveling companion of Paul’s
Jesus (v.11) — probably should be “Joshua” after the O.T. Joshua.
these are my only (v.11) — These three men are the only Jewish Christians working with Paul
