A note from the Pastor’s Desk:

“Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.”

Colossians 4:14

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

As the Apostle Paul brings his letter to the Colossians to a close, he extends personal greetings from those standing by his side in Rome. To the casual reader, these closing verses can seem like a mere list of names, but they actually reveal the rich, diverse tapestry of the early Church. Previously, the Apostle lists his Jewish coworkers—Aristarchus, Marcus, and Justus—referring to them as those “who are of the circumcision” (Colossians 4:11). In our study verse, the Apostle shifts his attention to his Gentile companions, introducing us to two men from the Greek world who had cast their lot with the gospel: Luke and Demas. By examining this verse, we look into the intimate inner circle of the Apostle’s prison ministry, where we find a striking contrast between two Gentile believers whose lives would ultimately head in opposite directions.

The Apostle first describes one of the most unique individuals in the New Testament. First, by his inclusion in this verse, the Apostle confirms that Luke was, in fact, of Greek heritage, making him a Gentile in biblical terms. Luke is unique because he is the only Gentile writer of the New Testament and is responsible for writing more of it than the Apostle himself. This verse is also the only place in the scriptures that definitively states that Luke was a physician. While Luke was a dear companion of the Apostles for his spiritual insight and devotion to the truth of Jesus Christ, their relationship also had another dimension. The Apostle had suffered greatly during his life (stoning, beating, shipwrecks – 2 Corinthians 11:24-27), and Luke was there to also care for Paul’s physical ailments. Thus, Luke was not just a hired doctor, and he was not merely another minister; he was to the Apostle “the beloved physician.” 

The second person mentioned was one named Demas. There is very little said here and very little known about Demas. Paul mentions Demas in Philemon 1:24 as a fellow laborer with the Apostle, but provides no other detail. The most notable element of this verse is the sudden drop in warmth. While Luke is “beloved” and others in this chapter are called “faithful” or “servants of Christ,” Demas gets a bare and empty mention. The reason for the Apostle’s tone when discussing Demas cannot be fully known. Perhaps, through the Holy Spirit’s discernment, the Apostle already felt a spiritual lack in Demas. It may have been a situation where Demas was physically there in the ministry circle, but did not exhibit zeal for the work. Whatever the reason in this moment, the Apostle reflects a very different relationship with Demas than he had with others in his circle. 

To truly understand the weight of Colossians 4:14, we must fast-forward through history to Paul’s very last letter, written years later from a dark Roman dungeon just before his execution. In 2 Timothy 4:10-11, the Apostle mentions these two ministers and companions again. This imprisonment of the Apostle’s due was by far the worst persecution he faced, and in the midst of this, Demas departed from the Apostle. The Apostle wrote, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica.” Whatever the reason for the Apostle’s lack of warmth towards Demas earlier in life, his lack of dedication and steadfastness is on full display in the hardest of times. In contrast, the beloved physician is again with the Apostle. In the same writing, the Apostle records that “only Luke is with me.” Even when the danger was all around him Luke remained with the Apostle ministering to him in both body and spirit.

The differences between Luke and Demas demonstrate a sad reality. They were in the same spiritual environment; they heard the same sermons and had the same opportunity to converse with the Apostle, yet ended up in completely different places. What made the difference? As Jesus taught, the difference was in the depth of their spirituality and, thus, their ability to handle the trials and tribulations of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. As disciples, we can all learn a lesson from this seemingly simple and overlooked verse. 

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah