西四15~16 请问在老底嘉的弟兄和宁法，并他家里的召会安。这书信在你们中间念了之后，务要叫在老底嘉的召会也念，你们也要念从老底嘉来的书信。

　　我们如果在整卷歌罗西书的光中看四章七至十七节，就会晓得这段话乃是保罗在该书中所说之事的实际应用。……三章十一节告诉我们，在新人里“没有希利尼人和犹太人、受割礼的和未受割礼的、化外人、西古提人、为奴的、自主的，唯有基督是一切，又在一切之内”。在四章七至十七节，我们看见三章十至十一节所启示之新人的实例。这几节提到各种不同的人：犹太人、希利尼人、受割礼的、未受割礼的、为奴的和自主的。在四章十一节，保罗说到那些奉割礼的人。欧尼西母成了“忠信亲爱的弟兄”（9），他原是腓利门的奴隶，腓利门是亚基布的父亲（门10~13、1~2）。所以亚基布是主人。保罗在这几节的用意，乃是把新人生活的实例摆出来（歌罗西书生命读经，三一八至三一九页）。

　　Col. 4:15-16 Greet the brothers in Laodicea, as well as Nymphas and the church, which is in his house. And when this letter is read among you, cause that it be read in the church of the Laodiceans also, and that you also read the one from Laodicea.

　　If we consider Colossians 4:7-17 in the light of the whole Epistle, we shall realize that this passage is a practical application of what Paul covers in this book….In 3:11 we are told that in the new man “there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.” In 4:7-17 we have a practical illustration of the revelation of the new man given in 3:10 and 11. In 4:7-17 different kinds of people are pointed out: Jews, Greeks, circumcision, uncircumcision, slaves, and masters. In verse 11 Paul refers to those who are of the circumcision. Onesimus, who had become a “faithful and beloved brother” (v. 9), was a slave belonging to Philemon, who was the father of Archippus (Philem. 10-13, 1-2). Archippus, therefore, was a master. Hence, Paul's purpose in these verses is to present an illustration of the living of the new man. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 258)

　　歌罗西书是从罗马送到歌罗西。……罗马和歌罗西之间的地区，有许多不同的种族。然而，在地中海附近的这个区域里，新人出现了，并且实际地活出来。虽然交通不便，但众召会之间，却有相当的往来。这给我们一个教训，虽然我们享受一切近代便利的交通工具，但是今天召会之间彼此的往来，可能没有保罗那个时代密切。不仅如此，我承认我从来没有写过一封信，像歌罗西书那样，有这么多个人的问安。请看四章七至十七节提到多少

　　名字：推基古、欧尼西母、亚里达古、马可、巴拿巴、犹士都、以巴弗、路加、底马、宁法、亚基布。保罗也说到在老底嘉的弟兄，在宁法家里的召会，以及在老底嘉的召会。……所有这些名字指明保罗有新人的感觉，有“新人感”。

　　这个实际活在地上的新人，按照文化和社会地位来说，是由希利尼人、犹太人、受割礼的、未受割礼的、化外人、西古提人、为奴的和自主的所构成的。然而，我们已经指出，新人真正的构成成分乃是基督，而且只是基督。因为基督是新人独一的构成成分，信徒既是这新人的一部分，他们之间就不该有分别。

　　不仅如此，召会与召会之间也不该有分别。……这由保罗关于念书信的话得到证明〔四16〕。……保罗写给歌罗西人的，也是为着老底嘉人的；他写给老底嘉人的，也是为着歌罗西人的。这含示何等的交通、合一、和谐与亲密的接触！

　　任何地方的召会向其他召会孤立，乃是羞耻。我们避开别地的召会，害怕他们会干涉我们的事或麻烦我们，这种态度何等错误！……任何召会持这样的态度，就是只对自己有感觉，没有整体新人的感觉。任何人坚持这态度，就会叫新人支离破碎。虽然如此，许多召会和信徒个人的态度是你不管我，我也不管你。……持这种态度的人缺乏一个新人的感觉，缺乏“新人感”。赞美主，在这几节里有一幅新人生活的图画！（歌罗西书生命读经，三一九至三二一页）

　　参读：歌罗西书生命读经，第三十一篇；长老训练第十册，第十章。

　　This Epistle to the Colossians was sent from Rome to Colossae…. In the geographical region between Rome and Colossae were many different kinds of people. However, in this region near the Mediterranean, the new man had come into being and was living in a practical way. Although travel was not convenient, there was considerable traffic among the churches. There is a lesson for us here. Although we enjoy all the modern conveniences and means of transportation, there may not be as much traffic among the churches today as there was at the time of Paul. Furthermore, I have to admit that I have never composed a letter containing as many personal greetings as there are in the book of Colossians. Think of how many names are mentioned in 4:7-17: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark, Barnabas, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, Nymphas, and Archippus. Paul also refers to the brothers in Laodicea, the church in the house of Nymphas, and the church of the Laodiceans…. All these names indicate that with Paul there was a sense, a consciousness, of the new man.

　　This new man who was living on earth in a practical way was constituted of those who according to culture and social status were Greeks, Jews, circumcision, uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slaves, and free men. However, as we have pointed out, the actual constituent of the new man is Christ and Christ alone. Because Christ is the unique constituent of the new man, there should be no differences among the believers who are part of this new man.

　　Furthermore, there should be no differences among the churches….This is proved by Paul's word regarding the reading of letters [4:16]… What Paul wrote to the Colossians was also for the Laodiceans, and what he wrote to the Laodiceans was for the Colossians. What fellowship, oneness, harmony, and intimate contact this implies!

　　It is shameful for the church in any locality to isolate itself from other churches. How wrong it is for us to have the attitude of standing apart from other local churches, fearing that others may interfere with our affairs or otherwise trouble us….Any church which holds such an attitude has a consciousness only of itself, not of the totality of the new man. Those who insist on this attitude cause the new man to be fragmented, to be broken into pieces. Nevertheless, many churches and many individual believers as well have the attitude that they will leave others alone if others in turn will leave them alone….Those who have this attitude lack the sense, the consciousness, of the one new man. Praise the Lord for the portrait of the living of the new man in these verses! (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 258-261)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msg. 31; CWWL, 1989, vol. 4, “Elders' Training, Book 10: The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (2),” ch. 10