"Redeeming the Time": What Does Paul Mean?
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Like the letters to the Ephesians and the Philippians, the letter to the Colossians was written while Paul was in prison. As in the case of other believers, Paul expected the Colossians not only to pray for his evangelistic endeavors but also to follow his example. So, after imploring their prayers for his evangelistic efforts (4:3-4), he enjoins them, “With wisdom walk before outsiders, buying the time” (4:5, author’s translation). Obviously, Paul is concerned about the way believers conduct themselves before unbelievers. The method he prescribes, however, seems at first glance obscure.
Time Management?
What does it mean to “buy the time”? The translation “redeeming the time,” found in some older translations (KJV, DRA, ASV), is misleading. It conveys the idea of reclaiming time lost (presumably from the devil?). But the Greek verb (ἐξαγοράζω) need not denote “buy back” in this context but simply “buy” or “acquire.” Accordingly, some translations render the phrase as an idiom referring to the wise stewardship of time (see ESV, CSB). Not surprisingly, this passage has become a proof text for "time management."
Evangelistic Outreach
This reading is unlikely, though, in light of Paul’s subsequent exhortation, which refers to the believer’s verbal communication with the non-believer. It seems preferable, then, to interpret the Greek τὸν καιρὸν not as “time” but as “opportunity” (NAS, NAB, NIV, NLT, NET; see also 2 Cor. 6:2). Opportunity for what? Here’s where verse 6 comes into play: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” The Colossians should be alert not merely for opportunities to play the “Good Samaritan.” More than that, they’re to interact with unbelievers through verbal communication. Their “speech” (ὁ λόγος) should be both gracious and salty, that is, they must communicate in a way that manifests humility and goodwill on the one hand as well as boldness and honesty on the other.[mfn]The phrase “seasoned with salt” refers to the opposite of what is insipid, innocuous, or compromisingly inoffensive.[/mfn]
Like Clergy, Like Lay-People
The reader shouldn’t miss the parallel of thought between Paul’s portrayal of his mission (4:3-4) and Paul’s portrayal of the Colossians’ mission (4:5-6). In both cases, the mission entails interaction with unbelievers. In both cases, the believing parties are to pray for “open doors” (4:3) and be on the lookout for “opportunities” (4:5). And in both cases, the interaction involves more than passive witness. The Colossians’ duty to “answer each person” with “speech” that is both gracious and truthful (4:6) is essentially equivalent to Paul’s responsibility to “declare the mystery of Christ,” making it “clear, which is how [he] ought to speak” (4:3-4). Paul solicits their prayers for his evangelistic outreach and then encourages the believers to remain alert for gospel opportunities.