The Epistle from Laodicea. John Davenant: We have in these words
the last particular of the apostolic command, which enjoins that a certain
letter sent from Laodicea should be read in the church of the Colossians. It is
probable that the Laodiceans had written to Paul concerning the state of their
affairs and that the letter contained something in it that was very useful to
be known by the Colossians. Hence the apostle ordered it to be read by them.
But concerning this letter commentators have entertained very different
opinions. Theophylact would have the First Epistle to Timothy to be understood,
which is reported to have been written from Laodicea.… Some … think that some
letter was written by the apostle to the Laodiceans.… But I answer that no one
ever accounted that letter for a genuine epistle of Paul. Exposition of
Colossians 4:16. (Exposition, 2:301-3 in Philippians,
Colossians, New Testament, ed. Gregory B. Graybill [Reformation Commentary
on Scripture 11; Westmont, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2013], 251)