Biblical Essays
EPAPHRAS, THE SERVICE OF PRAYER
(Col. 4:12)
There is a striking difference between the inspired records of the people of God and all human biographies. The former may truly be said to be “much in little”; while many of the latter may be said to be “little in much.” The history of an Old Testament saint stretching over a period of 365 years is summed up in two short clauses – “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). How brief; but yet how full, how comprehensive. How many volumes would man have filled with the records of such a life? And yet, what more could he have said? To walk with God comprehends all that could possibly be said of anyone.
A man may travel around the globe; preach the Gospel in every clime; suffer in the cause of Christ; feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick; read, write, print and publish; in short, he may do all that man could do or have done; and yet it all may be summed up in that brief clause, “He walked with God.” One may do nearly all that has been enumerated and yet not walk with God one hour; yea, one may not even know the meaning of walking with God. The thought of this is deeply solemnizing and practical. It should lead us to the earnest cultivation of the hidden life, without which the showiest services will prove to be nothing more than mere flash and smoke.
There is something peculiarly touching in the way the name of Epaphras is introduced in the New Testament. The allusions to him are brief, but pithy. He seems to have been the stamp of man that is so needed in this age. His labors, as far as the inspired penman has recorded, do not seem to have been showy or attractive. They were not calculated to meet the human eye or elicit human praise. But what peerless, priceless, and precious labors. They were closet labors, closed door labors, sanctuary labors – labors without which all others would prove barren and worthless. The sacred biographer does not place him before us as a powerful preacher, laborious writer, or great traveler, which he may have been and which in their place have value.
The Holy Spirit did not tell us that Epaphras was any of the three. However, He has placed this singularly interesting character before us in a manner calculated to stir the depths of our moral and spiritual being. The Holy Spirit has presented him as a man of earnest, fervent, agonizing prayer; prayer not for himself, but for others. Let us harken to the inspired testimony: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently [agonizing] for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis” (Col. 4:12-13; emphasis added).
Such was Epaphras – hundreds like him are needed in this age. We are thankful for preachers, writers, travelers in the cause of Christ; but we need men of prayer, men of the closet, men like Epaphras.
We are happy to see men on their feet preaching Christ; happy to see them able to ply the pen as a ready writer in the noble cause; happy to see them making their way in the true evangelistic spirit into “the regions beyond”; happy to see them in the true pastoral spirit, going again and again to visit and look after their brethren. God forbid that we should undervalue or speak disparagingly of such honorable services – we prize them more highly than words could convey.
But more than all that we want a spirit of fervent, agonizing, persevering prayer. Without this, nothing can prosper. A prayerless man is a sapless man. A prayerless preacher is a profitless preacher. A prayerless writer will send forth barren pages. A prayerless evangelist will do little good. A prayerless elder will have little food for the sheep he is to watch over. We need men of prayer, men like Epaphras, men whose closet walls witness their agonizing labors. Unquestionably, these are the men for this present age.
The labors of the closet offer immense and peculiar advantages for those who engage in them, as well as for those who are the subjects of them. They are quiet, unobtrusive labors. They are carried on in retirement, in the hallowed, soul-subduing solitude of divine presence, outside the range of mortal vision.
How little would the Colossians have known of the loving, earnest labors of Epaphras had the Holy Spirit not mentioned them. It is possible that some of them might have deemed him deficient in zealous care on their behalf. There were probably people then, as there are today, who measure a man’s care or sympathy by his visits or letters. But this is a false standard. They should see him on his knees to know the amount of his care and sympathy. A love of travel might take one from New York to London to visit brethren. A love of scribbling might lead one to write letters sent out by every mail. Nothing save a love for souls, a love for Christ, could ever lead one to agonize on behalf of the people of God, as Epaphras did, “that they may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
Again, the precious labors of the closet demand no special gift, no peculiar talents, and no pre-eminent mental endowments. Every Christian can engage in them. A man may not have the ability to preach, teach, write, or travel; but every man can pray. One sometimes hears about a gift of prayer. It is not a pleasant expression. It falls gratingly on the ear. It often means a mere fluent utterance of certain known truths retained by the memory and given out by the lips. This is poor work, but it was not this way with Epaphras. And, this is not what we want and long for. We need a real spirit of prayer. We need a spirit that enters into the present need of the Lord’s church, and bears that need in persevering fervent intercession before the throne of grace. This closet laborer spirit may be exercised at all times, and under all circumstances – morning, noon, eventide, or midnight.
The heart can spring upward to the throne in prayer and supplication at any time. Our Father’s ear is always open; His presence-chamber always accessible. Come when or with what we may, He is always ready to hear, ready to answer. He is the Hearer, the Answerer and the Lover of importunate prayer. He Himself has said, “Ask . . . Seek . . . Knock”; “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint”; “All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”; “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” These words are of universal application. They are intended for all God’s children. The feeblest child of God can pray, watch, get an answer, and return thanks.
Furthermore, nothing is as calculated to give one a deep interest in people as the habit of praying constantly for them. Epaphras would be intensely interested in the Christians at Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. His interest made him pray, and his prayers made him interested. The more we are interested for anyone, the more we shall pray for him; and the more we pray, the more interested we become. Whenever we are drawn out in prayer for people, we are sure to rejoice in their growth and prosperity. This is also true in reference to the unconverted. When we are led to wait on God regarding them, their conversion is looked for with the deepest anxiety, and when it comes, hailed with unfeigned thankfulness. The thought of this should stir us up to imitate Epaphras, on whom the Holy Spirit has bestowed the honorable epithet of “a servant of Christ,” in connection with his fervent prayers for the people of God.
Finally, the highest inducement that can be presented to cultivate the spirit of Epaphras is the fact that it was so directly in unison with the spirit of Christ. This is the most elevated motive. Christ is engaged on behalf of His people. He desires that they should “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God”; and those who are led forth in prayer in reference to this object are privileged to enjoy high communion with the great Intercessor. How marvelous – feeble creatures down here permitted to pray about that which engages the thoughts and interests of the Lord of glory. What a powerful link there was between the heart of Epaphras and the heart of Christ, when the former was laboring for his brethren at Colosse.
Let us ponder the example of Epaphras. Let us imitate it. Let us fix our eyes on some Colosse or other, and fervently labor in prayer for the Christians therein. The present is a deeply solemn moment. Oh for men like Epaphras – men who are willing to labor secretly in the closet – on their knees for the cause of Christ, or if need be, wearing the noble bonds of the Gospel. Such was Epaphras. We see him as a man of prayer (Col. 4:12) and as a companion in bonds with the devoted apostle of the Gentiles (Phil. 23).
May the Lord stir up among us a spirit of earnest prayer and intercession. May He raise up many who shall be cast in the same spiritual mold as Epaphras. These are the men needed for this present age.
