“even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,”

Again, Epaphras is commended to the Colossians Christians as a “fellow servant” and a “faithful servant.” Epaphras is faithful to his Lord and God and has a heart for the people and for the spread of the gospel. 

Paul not only counts his brother in Christ as faithful, but also a fellow servant. Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, but sees himself as a humble servant of God. He does not Lord it over others or presume that they want to listen to him. He counts himself as the least of believers, because he persecuted the church of Christ and is “one born out of season” 

“And last of all — as to the untimely birth — he appeared also to me, for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I did persecute the Assembly of God”

1 Corinthians 15:8-9

The witness of Paul to us is huge, not just in what he has said, recorded for us in Scripture, but in the magnitude of the holiness of his life. 

Although Epaphras is not an Apostle, Paul counts him as acting and speaking on his behalf, as the leader of the congregation. Epaphras has taught the Colossians Christians the gospel, and has carried our the will of God in that place.