Paul identified Luke , the writer of the third Gospel and Acts , only as a physician. [source][source][source]
"At this time medicine was only just becoming a subject of systematic instruction." [1][source]
Luke would have been both physically and spiritually helpful to Paul. Demas later forsook Paul ( 2 Timothy 4:10), but at this time he was ministering to and with the apostle. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Colossians 4:10-18 - Christian Greetings
What a noble group had gathered round the Apostle in his enforced residence in Rome! That hired room of his must have been filled time after time with most interesting groups; and each friend was dear to the lion-heart, and intent on some act of loving devotion. Aristarchus had been with him in the Ephesian riot; Mark was endeavoring to make good his former lapse of courage; Epaphras, who had come from Colosse, was remarkable for his soul-agony and prayer-labor on his friends' behalf; Luke, the beloved physician, always on the alert to minister to the malaria or other malady that afflicted him; and Demas, of whom perhaps he had begun to have suspicions, 2 Timothy 4:10. Archippus is believed to have been a son of Philemon, and chief presbyter of Laodicea. Does the injunction, Colossians 4:16, imply that already the church there had begun to grow cold, Revelation 3:15? The closing words were probably written in autograph. The clumsy handwriting was accounted for by the weight of the fetters on the poor wrists, yet his heart was full of love and joy [source]
Chapter Summary: Colossians 4
1He exhorts them to be fervent in prayer; 5to walk wisely toward those who are not yet come to the true knowledge of Christ 10He salutes them, and wishes them all prosperity
Greek Commentary for Colossians 4:14
Luke, the beloved physician [Λουκας ο ιατρος ο αγαπητος] Mentioned also in Philemon 1:24; 2 Timothy 4:11. The author of the Gospel and the Acts. Both Mark and Luke are with Paul at this time, possibly also with copies of their Gospels with them. The article here (repeated) may mean “my beloved physician.” It would seem certain that Luke looked after Paul‘s health and that Paul loved him. Paul was Luke‘s hero, but it was not a one-sided affection. It is beautiful to see preacher and physician warm friends in the community. [source]
Demas [Δημας] Just his name here (a contraction of Demetrius), but in 2 Timothy 4:10 he is mentioned as one who deserted Paul. [source]
The beloved physician [] See Introduction to Luke. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:14
Acts 11:26Were called Christians [χρηματίσαι Χριστιανούς] The former of these two words, rendered were called, meant, originally, to transact business, to have dealings with; thence, in the course of business, to give audience to, to answer, from which comes its use to denote the responses of an oracle; a divine advice or warning. See Acts 10:22; and compare Matthew 2:12; Hebrews 11:7. Later, it acquires the meaning to bear a name; tobe called, with the implication of a name used in the ordinary transactions and intercourse of men; the name under which one passes. This process of transition appears in the practice of naming men according to their occupations, as, in English, “John the Smith,” “Philip the Armorer;” a practice which is the origin of many familiar family names, such as Butler, Carpenter, Smith, Cooper. Compare in New Testament Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:14); Matthew the publican (Matthew 10:3); Luke the physician (Colossians 4:14); Erastus the chamberlain (Romans 16:23); Rahab the harlot (Hebrews 11:31). In the same line is the use of the word calling, to denote one's business. The meaning of the word in this passage is illustrated by Romans 7:3. The disciples were called. They did not assume the name themselves. It occurs in only three passages in the New Testament: here; Acts 26:28; and 1 Peter 4:16; and only in the last-named passage is used by a Christian of a Christian. The name was evidently not given by the Jews of Antioch, to whom Christ was the interpretation of Messiah, and who wouldn't have bestowed that name on those whom they despised as apostates. The Jews designated the Christians as Nazarenes (Acts 24:5), a term of contempt, because it was a proverb that nothing good could come out of Nazareth (John 1:47), The name was probably not assumed by the disciples themselves; for they were in the habit of styling each other believers, disciples, saints, brethren, those of the way. It, doubtless, was bestowed by the Gentiles. Some suppose that it was applied as a term of ridicule, and cite the witty and sarcastic character of the people of Antioch, and their notoriety for inventing names of derision; but this is doubtful. The name may have been given simply as a distinctive title, naturally chosen from the recognized and avowed devotion of the disciples to Christ as their leader. The Antiochenes mistook the nature of the name, not understanding its use among the disciples as an official title- the Anointed - but-DIVIDER-
using it as apersonal name, which they converted into a party name. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]
2 Timothy 4:11Luke [] See Introd. to Luke. His connection with Paul appears first in Acts 16:10. He remained at Philippi after Paul's departure, and was there seven years later, when Paul revisited the city (Acts 20:5,Acts 20:6). He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15), after which we lose sight of him until he appears at Caesarea (Acts 27:2), whence he accompanies Paul to Rome. He is mentioned Colossians 4:14and Philemon 1:24. [source]
2 Timothy 4:10Demas [] A contraction of Demetrius or Demarchus. He is mentioned Colossians 4:13and Philemon 1:24. It is supposed that he was a Thessalonian. On leaving Paul he went to Thessalonica; and in Philemon his name is mentioned next to that of Aristarchus the Thessalonian. That no epithet is attached to his name in Colossians 4:14(comp. “Luke the beloved physician”) may be a shadow of Demas's behavior mentioned here, in case Colossians was written later than 2nd Timothy. [source]
2 Timothy 4:10Forsook me [με εγκατελειπεν] Imperfect (MSS. also have aorist, εγκατελιπεν egkatelipen) active of the old double compound verb εγκαταλειπω egkataleipō for which see note on Romans 9:29. Clearly in contrast to 2 Timothy 4:9 and in the sense of 1 Timothy 6:17, wilful desertion. Only mentioned elsewhere in Colossians 4:14. [source]
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Λουκᾶς
Sense: a Gentile Christian, the companion of Paul in preaching the gospel and on his many journeys; he was a physician and author of the book of Luke and Acts in the NT.
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Δημᾶς
Sense: a companion of Paul, who deserted the apostle when he was a prisoner at Rome and returned to Thessalonica.
What are the major concepts related to Colossians 4:14?
Greek Commentary for Colossians 4:14
Mentioned also in Philemon 1:24; 2 Timothy 4:11. The author of the Gospel and the Acts. Both Mark and Luke are with Paul at this time, possibly also with copies of their Gospels with them. The article here (repeated) may mean “my beloved physician.” It would seem certain that Luke looked after Paul‘s health and that Paul loved him. Paul was Luke‘s hero, but it was not a one-sided affection. It is beautiful to see preacher and physician warm friends in the community. [source]
Just his name here (a contraction of Demetrius), but in 2 Timothy 4:10 he is mentioned as one who deserted Paul. [source]
See on Philemon 1:24. [source]
See Introduction to Luke. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:14
The former of these two words, rendered were called, meant, originally, to transact business, to have dealings with; thence, in the course of business, to give audience to, to answer, from which comes its use to denote the responses of an oracle; a divine advice or warning. See Acts 10:22; and compare Matthew 2:12; Hebrews 11:7. Later, it acquires the meaning to bear a name; tobe called, with the implication of a name used in the ordinary transactions and intercourse of men; the name under which one passes. This process of transition appears in the practice of naming men according to their occupations, as, in English, “John the Smith,” “Philip the Armorer;” a practice which is the origin of many familiar family names, such as Butler, Carpenter, Smith, Cooper. Compare in New Testament Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:14); Matthew the publican (Matthew 10:3); Luke the physician (Colossians 4:14); Erastus the chamberlain (Romans 16:23); Rahab the harlot (Hebrews 11:31). In the same line is the use of the word calling, to denote one's business. The meaning of the word in this passage is illustrated by Romans 7:3. The disciples were called. They did not assume the name themselves. It occurs in only three passages in the New Testament: here; Acts 26:28; and 1 Peter 4:16; and only in the last-named passage is used by a Christian of a Christian. The name was evidently not given by the Jews of Antioch, to whom Christ was the interpretation of Messiah, and who wouldn't have bestowed that name on those whom they despised as apostates. The Jews designated the Christians as Nazarenes (Acts 24:5), a term of contempt, because it was a proverb that nothing good could come out of Nazareth (John 1:47), The name was probably not assumed by the disciples themselves; for they were in the habit of styling each other believers, disciples, saints, brethren, those of the way. It, doubtless, was bestowed by the Gentiles. Some suppose that it was applied as a term of ridicule, and cite the witty and sarcastic character of the people of Antioch, and their notoriety for inventing names of derision; but this is doubtful. The name may have been given simply as a distinctive title, naturally chosen from the recognized and avowed devotion of the disciples to Christ as their leader. The Antiochenes mistook the nature of the name, not understanding its use among the disciples as an official title- the Anointed - but-DIVIDER- using it as apersonal name, which they converted into a party name. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
See Introd. to Luke. His connection with Paul appears first in Acts 16:10. He remained at Philippi after Paul's departure, and was there seven years later, when Paul revisited the city (Acts 20:5, Acts 20:6). He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15), after which we lose sight of him until he appears at Caesarea (Acts 27:2), whence he accompanies Paul to Rome. He is mentioned Colossians 4:14and Philemon 1:24. [source]
A contraction of Demetrius or Demarchus. He is mentioned Colossians 4:13and Philemon 1:24. It is supposed that he was a Thessalonian. On leaving Paul he went to Thessalonica; and in Philemon his name is mentioned next to that of Aristarchus the Thessalonian. That no epithet is attached to his name in Colossians 4:14(comp. “Luke the beloved physician”) may be a shadow of Demas's behavior mentioned here, in case Colossians was written later than 2nd Timothy. [source]
Imperfect (MSS. also have aorist, εγκατελιπεν egkatelipen) active of the old double compound verb εγκαταλειπω egkataleipō for which see note on Romans 9:29. Clearly in contrast to 2 Timothy 4:9 and in the sense of 1 Timothy 6:17, wilful desertion. Only mentioned elsewhere in Colossians 4:14. [source]
Luke is with Paul now in Rome as during the first Roman imprisonment (Philemon 1:24; Colossians 4:14). [source]