Wednesday Bible Study- the end of all things-Colossians

This week I travel to Colossians 4, which is just chock full of interesting stuff, none of which is the part the Lord put on my heart as I read it one last time this morning.  For example, one of the main things I have taken to heart is the description by Paul of his friend Epaphras:

Col 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 
Col 4:13  For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 

"Always struggling", because prayer is a struggle.  There are so many competing distractions!  At work, I try to listen to a Christian station on my headphones, but some days, it is a struggle to remained turned just the right direction.  I've had to train myself to 'listen through the static', and prayer is a lot like that, too.  I am trying to be a better Epaphras as a result of this chapter.

Another thing was the list of friends itself.  Among them are Onesimus, the runaway slave that Paul commended to his former owner Philemon in the book of the same name, as well as Philemon's son Archippus, speculated to be the pastor of the church that met at Philemon's house, for whom the following instruction is given:

Col 4:17  And say to Archippus, "See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord." 

And that makes you wonder if, like many young men, Archippus was having struggles in the faith; in that same line of thinking I note Demas, who would later be accused of abandoning the faith for the 'present world' (2 Timothy 4:10, estimated to have been written just 2-4 years later), and Mark, whom Paul rejected as fit for service after abandoning the first missionary trip; but now, he had changed and so had Paul, as Paul tells them:

Col 4:10  Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions--if he comes to you, welcome him), 

Indicating the rift between them was well known- and Paul was working to fix that knowledge with new information.

But no, this morning the Lord led me on a new line based on a well-known verse set:

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 

Col 4:6  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 

"Seasoned with salt."  I was curious here, even though Jesus Himself explained the metaphor (Matt:5:13), so I dug a little bit.  I found that there are a couple of bits that needed to be understood.  First, several commentators mention that the area around Colossae was known for producing salt from a salt lake, which also made Colossae a famous mineral spa of the day.  The other was the connection between the metaphor and a Greek term "Attic Salt" (as in, salt from Attica in Greece, not from a home's attic).  Attic salt is defined as:

Refined, delicate wit. Also known as attic wit.

Wit here meaning closer to wisdom than the current, more humorous definition.  But the commentators also go on to say that the particular phrase "Seasoned with salt" is only found here in the Bible, and as I looked into the translation of "seasoned"...

From a presumed derivative of G142; to prepare, that is, spice (with stimulating condiments): - season.

Which doesn't lend much to the story, but when you look at that G142...

A primary verb; to lift; by implication to take up or away; figuratively to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind); specifically to sail away (that is, weigh anchor); by Hebraism (compare [H5375]) to expiate sin: - away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).

"To expiate sin; to lift..."  I think these are both parts of the whole being tried for.  To remove the sin from the speech, to use speech that REMOVES sin, that, if I may stretch the metaphor, lifts the sin like a detergent "lifts the stain" from an article of clothing.  Remember, in 4:5, Paul specifically states that he is addressing how to deal with NON-Christians.  That he is also struggling with how to do this is another section of the Chapter I noted...

Col 4:2  Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 

Col 4:3  At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison-- 

Col 4:4  that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 

And that whole line tells me two important things:  First, no matter who you are, it's a daily struggle.  And two, how very far I have to go on this issue...