His thought is this: look, do not forget to pray for us. By this he affirms the duty of spiritual children to pray for their spiritual fathers. But in inviting them to pray for him, the Apostle does not use the word of propriety and does not reveal his humility alone, but expresses confidence that their prayer is powerful before God, both as believers, and even more so as those who pray in common prayer.

Such promises were given by the Lord Himself to the prayer of believers: "Whatever you ask in prayer, you who believe, you will receive" (cf. Matt. 21:22). If ye be in Me, and My words abide in you, if ye will, ask, and it shall be done unto you (cf. John 15:7). Amen I say unto you, For if two of you consult on earth concerning every thing, if it be asked, it shall be from My Father who is in heaven.

For where there are two or three gathered together in My name, I am in the midst of them (cf. Matt. 18:19-20). Such an advantage is endowed to every believer, and all the more so is the society of believers to whom St. Paul addresses himself here. With this word he affirms the power of the common prayer of the Church, at the same time giving no small consolation to the Colossians, leading them to the idea that they are not affected by this advantage of believers in the Lord.

Blessed Theophylact writes: "He asks them to pray for themselves, not only with humility, but also with the power of brotherly prayer. And He had need of help from above, which the prayer of the brethren had to bring him to a greater extent. With the same word the Apostle wanted to lead them into the work of prayer. For if prayer is needed for him, how much more for themselves." Let us add that if he felt the need to resort to the common brotherly prayer of the faithful, who would dare to be so presumptuous as to dream of doing without the help of brotherly prayer, remaining with his own alone?

Blessed Theodoret writes: "The Apostle showed the usual humility; but teaches us not to rely on ourselves, but to seek mutual help from each other." May God open the doors of the word to us. The opening of the door for the word signifies the unhindered preaching, so that no one interferes with or blocks the preacher's mouth.

The Apostle wishes that they would beg the Lord for free admission everywhere and free preaching of the word. But perhaps by this he also expressed the desire that his word should everywhere receive free entry into the hearts, so that everywhere the ear would be opened to hear and the heart to receive the word. The Apostle points to such an opening of the door for the word when he speaks of the success of his preaching in Troas.

, which means: a multitude of people flocked, and all eagerly listened to the word: Unbelief of those who hear binds the tongue of the preacher. It is for the removal of this trouble that the Apostle asks to pray. Otherwise, how can we proclaim the mystery of Christ? Is it not for this reason that believers pray in the Church for those who are converted to faith: may the Lord proclaim to them the word of truth and reveal the Gospel of righteousness? The discovery here is, of course, for the eyes, mind and heart. Proclaim the mystery of Christ. He does not ask for freedom from bondage to pray (see: St. Chrysostom and others)

, but that the word about the mystery of Christ should come and go from him, more and more publicly, attracting more and more people who hear and diligently accept this word; and whether he is in chains or free, he does not care about this. He has only one concern, which does not depart from his heart, that the word of the mystery of Christ should be spread; everything else does not occupy him.

Since the Epistle was written at the beginning of the bonds in Rome, it can be safely assumed that his speech here is about the successes of the gospel among the Romans. What mystery of Christ does the Apostle have in his mind? Not only the mystery of salvation in general in the incarnate Son of God and God, but even more the mystery of the calling of tongues into the spiritual heritage of the great forefathers and the formation of a single Church of God from Jews and pagans, called upon the Lord the Savior. He has already mentioned it above (see 1:26)

, calling it a mystery hidden from the ages and from generations. It is for this mystery that St. Paul is chiefly bound. In Jerusalem he was bound for destroying the laws of the fathers, that is, for preaching freedom from the laws of the law, and for placing the Gentiles on the same line with the Jews. Had it not been for this, there would have been no such fierce bitterness of the Jews against him, and perhaps there would have been no such bonds.

Why, when he said, "For her sake he is bound," of course, he understood the mystery of which he everywhere says that it has been entrusted to him, namely, to be with the tongue an heir and a steward, and a partaker of the promise of God concerning Christ Jesus (cf. Eph. 3:6). Verse 4. Let me show you as it befits me to speak. The word about that mystery became louder when they tied St. Paul for it.

To the questions: what is this, why did they tie him up? — everywhere the answer was heard: for the fact that he proclaims salvation to the Gentiles on an equal footing with the Jews. The mystery was thus revealed by the very bonds. The Apostle "pointed out the reason for his bonds; for he says: they make the preaching more explicit" (Blessed Theodorite). St. Chrysostom says: "You see, bonds are revealed, not hidden.

He was bound by all the Churches, and he, bound, edified thousands of Christians. Then he was loosed from bondage (rather than bound). He was in chains; but then its flow was all the faster." Or thus: pray that God will open the door for me to proclaim the mystery of Christ, that I may reveal to me as it befits me to speak. He asks to pray for the removal of all obstacles to manifest the mystery of Christ, as befits him.

And it behooves him to speak of it as he is commanded, that is, directing everything to destroy the mediastinum separating Jews and Gentiles, and to make up of both the Church, free from outward legality, but pure and blameless, serving the Lord in spirit. This is primarily the way in which it behooves him to reveal the mystery of Christ, the mystery of salvation in Him of all mankind.