In addition to the neighboring Laodicean Christians, Paul sent greetings to Nympha, possibly the hostess of a Laodicean house-church. There is no evidence that Christians met in church buildings until the third century. [1] The early Christians seem to have chosen their meeting places on the basis of convenience and expediency. [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 4:15
Nymphas [Νυμπαν] That is masculine, if αυτου autou (his) is genuine (D E K L) after κατ οικον kat' oikon but Νυμπα Numpha (feminine) if αυτης autēs (her) is read (B 67). Aleph A C P read αυτων autōn (their), perhaps including αδελπους adelphous (brethren) and so locating this church (εκκλησια ekklēsia) in Laodicea. It was not till the third century that separate buildings were used for church worship. See note on Romans 16:5 for Prisca and Aquila. It is not possible to tell whether it is “her” or “his” house here. [source]
Nymphas [] Probably contracted from Nymphodorus, as Artemas from Artemidorus (Titus 3:12): Zenas from Zenodorus (Titus 3:13); Olympas from Olympiodorus (Romans 16:15). [source]
His house [αὐτοῦ] Others read αὐτῶν their(so Rev., Lightfoot, Meyer). Others, as Westcott and Hort, αὐτῆς herregarding the name as female, Nympha. It is difficult, however, to know to whom the plural can refer. Some explain, Nymphas and his family. Meyer refers it to the brethren at Laodicaea and Nymphas, and thinks that the allusion is to a foreign church in filial association with the church at Laodicaea, and holding its meetings in the same place. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:15
Romans 16:5The church that is in their house [τῆν κατ ' οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν] The phrase church that is in their (or his) house occurs 1 Corinthians 16:19, of Aquila and Priscilla; Colossians 4:15, of Nymphas; Philemon 1:2, of Philemon. A similar gathering may be implied in Romans 16:14,Romans 16:15. Bishop Lightfoot says there is no clear example of a separate building set apart for christian worship within the limits of the Roman Empire before the third century. The Christian congregations were, therefore, dependent upon the hospitality of prominent church members who furnished their own houses for this purpose. Hence their places of assembly were not called temples until late; but houses of God; houses of the churches; houses of prayer. Numerous guilds or clubs existed at Rome for furnishing proper burial rites to the poor. Extant inscriptions testify to the existence of nearly eighty of these, each consisting of the members of a different trade or profession, or united in the worship of some deity. The Christians availed themselves of this practice in order to evade Trajan's edict against clubs, which included their own ordinary assemblies, but which made a special exception in favor of associations consisting of poorer members of society, who met to contribute to funeral expenses. This led to the use of the catacombs, or of buildings erected over them for this purpose. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The expression here denotes, not the whole church, but that portion of it which met at Aquila's house. [source]
Philemon 1:2To Archippus [Αρχιππωι] Dative case in address. It is uncertain whether he is the son of Philemon or not. Apparently he is prominent in the church in Colossae, possibly even pastor, probably not in Laodicea as some understand Colossians 4:17 to imply. Fellow-soldier (συνστρατιωτηι sunstratiōtēi). Old word, only here and Philemon 2:25 in N.T. In metaphorical sense. Perhaps while Paul was in Ephesus. To the church in thy house The church that met in the house of Philemon. In large cities there would be several meeting-places. Before the third century there is no certain evidence of special church buildings for worship (White, Exp. Grk. T.). See note on Acts 12:12 for Mary‘s house in Jerusalem, 1 Corinthians 16:19 for the house of Aquila and Prisca in Ephesus, Romans 16:5 for the house of Prisca and Aquila in Rome, Colossians 4:15 for the house of Nympha in Laodicea. [source]
Philemon 1:2To the church in thy house [τηι κατ οικον σου εκκλησιαι] The church that met in the house of Philemon. In large cities there would be several meeting-places. Before the third century there is no certain evidence of special church buildings for worship (White, Exp. Grk. T.). See note on Acts 12:12 for Mary‘s house in Jerusalem, 1 Corinthians 16:19 for the house of Aquila and Prisca in Ephesus, Romans 16:5 for the house of Prisca and Aquila in Rome, Colossians 4:15 for the house of Nympha in Laodicea. [source]
2 John 1:11Partaketh in his evil works [κοινωνει τοις εργοις αυτου τοις πονηροις] Associative instrumental case with κοινωνει koinōnei as in 1 Timothy 5:22, common verb from κοινωνος koinōnos (partner). It is to be borne in mind that the churches often met in private homes (Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15), and if these travelling deceivers were allowed to spread their doctrines in these homes and then sent on with endorsement as Apollos was from Ephesus to Corinth (Acts 18:27), there was no way of escaping responsibility for the harm wrought by these propagandists of evil. It is not a case of mere hospitality to strangers. [source]
What do the individual words in Colossians 4:15 mean?
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐκκλησία
Sense: a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.
What are the major concepts related to Colossians 4:15?
Greek Commentary for Colossians 4:15
That is masculine, if αυτου autou (his) is genuine (D E K L) after κατ οικον kat' oikon but Νυμπα Numpha (feminine) if αυτης autēs (her) is read (B 67). Aleph A C P read αυτων autōn (their), perhaps including αδελπους adelphous (brethren) and so locating this church (εκκλησια ekklēsia) in Laodicea. It was not till the third century that separate buildings were used for church worship. See note on Romans 16:5 for Prisca and Aquila. It is not possible to tell whether it is “her” or “his” house here. [source]
Probably contracted from Nymphodorus, as Artemas from Artemidorus (Titus 3:12): Zenas from Zenodorus (Titus 3:13); Olympas from Olympiodorus (Romans 16:15). [source]
Compare Philemon 1:2; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Acts 12:12. [source]
Others read αὐτῶν their(so Rev., Lightfoot, Meyer). Others, as Westcott and Hort, αὐτῆς herregarding the name as female, Nympha. It is difficult, however, to know to whom the plural can refer. Some explain, Nymphas and his family. Meyer refers it to the brethren at Laodicaea and Nymphas, and thinks that the allusion is to a foreign church in filial association with the church at Laodicaea, and holding its meetings in the same place. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 4:15
The phrase church that is in their (or his) house occurs 1 Corinthians 16:19, of Aquila and Priscilla; Colossians 4:15, of Nymphas; Philemon 1:2, of Philemon. A similar gathering may be implied in Romans 16:14, Romans 16:15. Bishop Lightfoot says there is no clear example of a separate building set apart for christian worship within the limits of the Roman Empire before the third century. The Christian congregations were, therefore, dependent upon the hospitality of prominent church members who furnished their own houses for this purpose. Hence their places of assembly were not called temples until late; but houses of God; houses of the churches; houses of prayer. Numerous guilds or clubs existed at Rome for furnishing proper burial rites to the poor. Extant inscriptions testify to the existence of nearly eighty of these, each consisting of the members of a different trade or profession, or united in the worship of some deity. The Christians availed themselves of this practice in order to evade Trajan's edict against clubs, which included their own ordinary assemblies, but which made a special exception in favor of associations consisting of poorer members of society, who met to contribute to funeral expenses. This led to the use of the catacombs, or of buildings erected over them for this purpose. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The expression here denotes, not the whole church, but that portion of it which met at Aquila's house. [source]
The early Christians had no church buildings. See also Acts 12:2; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philemon 1:2; Colossians 4:15. The Roman Christians had probably several such homes where they would meet. [source]
Dative case in address. It is uncertain whether he is the son of Philemon or not. Apparently he is prominent in the church in Colossae, possibly even pastor, probably not in Laodicea as some understand Colossians 4:17 to imply. Fellow-soldier (συνστρατιωτηι sunstratiōtēi). Old word, only here and Philemon 2:25 in N.T. In metaphorical sense. Perhaps while Paul was in Ephesus. To the church in thy house The church that met in the house of Philemon. In large cities there would be several meeting-places. Before the third century there is no certain evidence of special church buildings for worship (White, Exp. Grk. T.). See note on Acts 12:12 for Mary‘s house in Jerusalem, 1 Corinthians 16:19 for the house of Aquila and Prisca in Ephesus, Romans 16:5 for the house of Prisca and Aquila in Rome, Colossians 4:15 for the house of Nympha in Laodicea. [source]
The church that met in the house of Philemon. In large cities there would be several meeting-places. Before the third century there is no certain evidence of special church buildings for worship (White, Exp. Grk. T.). See note on Acts 12:12 for Mary‘s house in Jerusalem, 1 Corinthians 16:19 for the house of Aquila and Prisca in Ephesus, Romans 16:5 for the house of Prisca and Aquila in Rome, Colossians 4:15 for the house of Nympha in Laodicea. [source]
Associative instrumental case with κοινωνει koinōnei as in 1 Timothy 5:22, common verb from κοινωνος koinōnos (partner). It is to be borne in mind that the churches often met in private homes (Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15), and if these travelling deceivers were allowed to spread their doctrines in these homes and then sent on with endorsement as Apollos was from Ephesus to Corinth (Acts 18:27), there was no way of escaping responsibility for the harm wrought by these propagandists of evil. It is not a case of mere hospitality to strangers. [source]