Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.
14. Luke saluteth you. I do not agree with those who understand this to be Luke the Evangelist; for I am of opinion that he was too well known to stand in need of such a designation, and he would have been signalized by a more magnificent eulogium. He would, undoubtedly, have called him his fellow-helper, or at least his companion and participant in his conflicts.
Tychicus carries this letter so he can tell them Paul's full condition by word of mouth, which matters more to them than mere writing. Paul calls him a beloved brother and faithful minister, mark that a great apostle owns a faithful minister as brother, for faithfulness itself is lovely and commands affection.
AI summary
Commenting on Colossians 4:7-18
Luke, the beloved physician,.... Luke the Evangelist, though some doubt it, is here intended, who was a constant companion of the apostle in his troubles, and went with him to Rome, as the Acts of the Apostles wrote by him show, and as from Ti2 4:11 it appears; so Jerom (n) calls the Evangelist Luke, the physician of Antioch, for from thence he was; and...