^ <^ r^^ ^xV^*''^ >/^ Shelf. PRINCETON, N. J. Division Ju W.K>.0 T" 1 Section ^..f^.^i5..l./C< Number V». . "fw AN AMERICAN COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT. EDITED BY ALVAH HOVEY, D.D., LL.D. V PHILADELPHIA . AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 1420 Chestnut Street. COMMENTARY ON THE Epistle to the Colossians. BY EDWIN C. DARGAN, D. D., Pastor of Citadel Square Baptist Church, Charleston, South Carolina. PHILADELPHIA : AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 1420 Chestnut Street. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1890, by the AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. I. THE AUTHOR. The opening words of the Epistle itself declare it to be the production of Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles. Is there any good reason to doubt this claim ? None whatever ; as will appear from the following considerations : 1. The external authority is ample and satisfactory. Schaff, in his "Church His- tory" (latest edition, page 785), says : "The external testimonies are unanimous in favor of the Pauline authorship, and go as far back as Justin MartjT, Polycarp, Ignatius, and the heretical Marcion." Meyer ("Einleitung," section 3) puts it thus : " The external testi- mony for our Epistle is so ancient and continuous and universal (Marcion ; Valentinus' School ; Irenasus, "Adv. Haeret." 3, 14, 1 and 5, 14, 2; Muratorian Canon ; Clement of Alexandria, "Strom." I. page- 277 ; IV. page 499 ; V. page 576 : VI. page 645 ; Ter- tullian, " De Praescrip. Haeret." 7, " De Res.sur. " 23 ; Origen, " Cont. Cels." 5, 8, etc.) that from this side a well-grounded doubt cannot be raised." We have then the state- ment of the Epistle itself confirmed by the unvarying testimony of ancient writers, and the unbroken tradition of history for centuries. This ought to be enough. 2. The objections from internal considerations have not been sustained. It is surely a daring thing to challenge, from internal considerations, the authorship of any writing which is as amply sustained as this is by external evidence. But German criticism, what- ever else may be said of it, is at least daring ; and so has ventured to challenge the Paul- ine authorship wholly from the character, contents, and style of the Papistic itself These objections have been elaborately and satisfiictorily answered by Olshausen and Meyer in their Introduction to the Epistle, and by Farrar in his "Life and Work of St. Paul." (Chapter XLVIII.) It is hardly worth while here to state and refute these objections. Those who feel interested may consult the authorities above referred to, and SchaflTs " Church History," Vol. I, page 782, seq. 3. If Paul did not write it, who did ? It must have been written by some one. Negative criticism wrestles in vain with the problem that itself has raised. As Farrar well says : " We might well be amazed if the first hundred years after the death of Christ produced a totally unknown writer who, assuming the name of Paul, treats the mystery wiiich it was given him to reveal with a masterly power which the apostle himself rarely equaled, and most certainly never surpas.sed. Let any one study the remains of the Apostolic Fathers, and he may well be surprised at the facility with which writers of the Tubingen School, and their successors, a.ssume the existence of Pauls who lived unheard of and died unknown, though they were intellectually and spiritually the equals if not the superiors of St. Paul himself? " 3 4 INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. II. THE RECIPIENTS. The Epistle is addressed "to the saints and faithful brethren in Clirist which are at Colosse. 1. The town of Colosse was situated on the river L}'cus, a tributary of the Maeander. Its near neighbors were Laodicea and HierapoHs, some twelve miles away. Colosse was never so large or wealthy as either of the other cities. It is mentioned by Herodotus as a resting place for Xerxes' great invading host ; and by Xenophon in his account of the expedition of Cyrus the Younger. Tliese writers speak favorably of the city. But later on its two neighbors overshadowed it, and after the apostolic age it fell into a decline. It was visited by an earthquake probably near this time, and that catastrophe, fiom which its neighbors recovered, may have facilitated the decline of the least important of the three. Near its site, in the Middle Ages, a small village called Chora3 existed ; but the actual ruins of Colosse have been identified only within recent times. 2. The church at Colosse does not seem to have been founded or even visited by Paul. We infer from his language in chapter 2:1, that he did not personally know most of the members either there or at Laodicea, though it is equally evident from other allu- sions that he knew some at both places. It appears reasonable to conclude from his lan- guage about Epaphras (1 : 7, 8 ; 4 : 12) that this "fiiitiiful minister" was the probable founder and pastor of the church. It may also not unreasonably be conjectured that Epa- phras was himself a convert of Paul, and that the churches at Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were the outgrowth of the apostle's long and fruitful labors at Ephesus, the chief city of all this region. (See Acts 19 : 10, 26.) The church does not figure largely in sub-sequent history, though its neighbor Laodicea was one of the "Seven" addressed in Revelation. The Colossian Cliurch probably declined in importance with the town, and was the least important of all the churches to which Paul addressed a letter, III. DATE AND PLACE. The Epistle was evidently written during a captivity of the apostle. (See Col. 4:10, 1.3, and Philem. 1, 23.) Which captivity was it? There are known to have been two of these, and a third is very reasonably supposed ; namely, (1) the captivity at Cesarca under Felix and Festus ; (2) the captivity at Rome, subsequent to the voyage and extend- ing (Acts 28 : 30) over " two whole years "; (3) a second and later captivity at Rome ter- minated by his death, and during which he wrote the Pastoral Epistles. This, though not historically established, is generally accepted, as necessary to explain certain allusions in the later letters. No one holds that the letter to Colosse was written during this last confinement. The question lies, therefore, between the captivity at Cesarea and the first Roman captivitj'. Some of the ablest expositors, even Meyer, maintain that the letter was written from Cesarea. But the grounds for this opinion are very slender. Tradition unanimously designates Rome, and the allusions in Colossians and the other Epistles of this period strongly endorse this view. The case is well stated by Farrar. (Chapter XLVI.) The date, of course, cannot be exactly settled, but it was most likely about the year 60. IV. DESIGN. Although not known by face to the Colossian Church, Paul had a deep interest in them, as in all the churches. And this interest was evidently intensified by the coming of INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 5 Epaphras (1:7) with news concerning the cliaracter and dangf^rs of the Colossian Church. It has also been suggested that Paul had learned something of the state of things at Co- losse from Onesinius, the escaped slave of Philemon, who was i)robably a member of the Colossian Church. From these sources, then, Paul learned of a dangerous heres}', or tendency of thought, that was threatening the churches of this region — Laodicea, Hier- apolis, and Colo.sse. He sympathized with Epaphras (1 : 9 ; 2 : 1 ; 4:12, 13) in his deep concern for their welfare, especially in view of their present danger. Moved by this feel- ing, and no doubt at the earnest request of Epaphras, he writes this letter, together with one to Laodicea (4 : 16), to refute the incipient heresy and to set forth the truth of the gospel over against these threatening errors. The general outlines of this error may be traced in the allusions of the Epistle itself, its more particular historical and philosopliic affinities from what is known of certain sects and tendencies of the time. A study of the Epistle shows that there are two distinct ele- ments of error which the apostle combats : (1) A .Judaistic tendency — a regard for new moons and Sabbaths and holy days ; and (2) a Gnostic tendency — a would-be philosophic speculation about the unseen world, combined with ascetic practices. The question has been raised, whether these two lines of error were held by one, or two different parties. But it seems wholly unnecessary to assume the existence of two parties of errorists. It is better, with Meyer, Lightfoot, and other eminent scholars, to hold that we have in the views combatted by Paul a combination of Judaic and Gnostic elements. For it is impos- sible to separate clearly the lines of attack, supposing there Avere two distinct sets of wrong teachers. After warning them (in 2 : 8) against " philosophy and vain deceit" he proceeds to discuss the spiritual circumcision and the law of ordinances. And in 2:16, speaking of the fast days and new moons, he goes on at once, in verses 18 and 19, to allude to the empty speculations of the errorists. Thus it would seem to be plain that it was one set of false teachers, but that they held views at once Judaic and Gnostic. Two explanations of this rather singular phenomenon are offered : (1) Lightfoot and Meyer (with others) hold that the views and practices of the Essenes, so far as they are known, presented just this combination of Judaism and Gnosticism, both in its specula- tive elements and its ascetic practices, which we find traced in the Epistle. (2) Franke, however, denies on various grounds the relation to the Essenes and explains the com. pound with the general statement that Judaism, especially in tbe Dispersion, had doubt- less felt the influence of the incipient Gnosticism of the daj'. Either ex]ilanation is nii explanation, but the able and learned discussions of Lightfoot give very great probability to his view. In either case, whether Essenes or not, these ftilse teachers were by their wretched medley of Judaism and Gnosticism seriously endangering the purity of Chris- tian teaching, if not the very existence of Christian churches, at Colosse, Hierapolis, and Laodicea. It was to meet and repel these teachers, therefore, that the letters to Colosse and Laodicea were written and directed (4 : 16) to be interchanged. 1. With regard to tiie form of Judaism opposed in the Epistle, not much need be said. It differed somewhat from that against which the Epistle to the Galatians had been directed, and to which allusion is made in Philippians. That was narrower, took more account of obedience to the law and submission to circumcision as necessary to salvation. There are allusions to the same things in Colossians, but the scope is broader. To show the similarity, or rather the sameness of the error, however, let Galatians and Colossians be compared : Gal. 5 : 2, 3, 6 ; 6 : 15 with Col. 2:11, with regard to circumcision ; Gal. 2 : 15-21 ; 3 : 1-14 with Col. 2:13, 14, with regard to the law ; Gal. 4 : 10 with Col. 2 : 6 INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 16, with regard to feasts ; and finally, Gal. 3 : 28, with Col. 3 ; 11, with regard to exclu- siveness. These passages compared will show both the sameness of the error and the wide difference in the treatnient. If Lightfoot's theorj' about the Essenes be accepted, Ave might saj', that in Galatiaus Paul combats Pharisaic Judaism ; in Colossians, Essenic Judaism. 2. Any elaborate discussion of Gnosticism is, of course, here impracticable. Three things, however, must be remarked : (1) That Gnosticism in the age immediately follow- ing the Apostolic, and even later, assumed great proportions ; became a wonderfully com- plete and developed sj'stera ; but that amid all these complexities and additions the simpler elements of an earlier stage of history may be traced. (2) That there is very strong reason to believe that this earlier form of thought and speculation, afterward called Gnosticism, powerfully aifected the Jews, whether particularly the Essenes, or the general body, about the time in which Colossians was written. (3) That therefore we may expect to find in Colossians allusions only to the earliest stage, and yet to the fundamental priiiciitles, of Gnosticism. This is in fact the case. What then was Gnosticism? The word comes from the Greek for "knowledge" (y.' e give thaulw U)-*(.iod the Father of our Lord 1 Gr. the brother 2 Or, to thote that art at Coloaaoe, holy and faithful brethren in Christ 3 Or, God and the Father. The Title. — In the older manuscripts tlie'j 'saints' by God's grace. At Colosse. Many- title is given simply "To the Colosssians'' ; in some, however, it reads, "To the Colas- sians." No one regards the title as part of the original autograph. Tlie better manuscripts give Colassians in the title, and Colossians in ver. 2. This is the form adopted by Westcott and Hort and Lightfoot, though Tischendorf and Meyer and Franke use Colossians in both places. Ch. 1:1,2. The Address. 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, etc. In accordance with his established custom, the apostle begins by declaring his authority to speak for Christ. ' B3' the will of God' — not by men, nor by himself. It is a great claim that he invari- ably makes, and is not lightly to be passed by. And Timotheus our brother. Notice this as.sociation of Timothy (compare 2 Cor. 1:1; Phil. 1 : 1), who is not called "apostle," but 'our (the) brother.' 2. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ. Or, since there is biit one article, it may be read: 'To the holy and faithful brethren.' The point is of no great import- ance. They are called 'holy' or 'saints,' not because of any natural or acquired sanctity' of their own, but because of God's saving inercy bestowed upon them in Christ. They were 'brethren in Christ,' 'faithful' in character, manuscripts have the spelling "Colassae," but the best authorities favor the usual orthog- raphy, which is also that of the manuscripts of Herodotus and Xenophon in passages where the city is mentioned. It was a city of Phry- gia on the river Lycus, a siiort distance (ten or twelve miles) above Laodicea. It receives complimentary notice from Xenophon in the "Anabasis." It is now in ruins, but there is a village called Cbonos near the site. Little or nothing is known of the church at Colosse, beyond what the Epistle itself teaches. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.i This is the common salutation of the Epistles. 'Grace' is the favor, the blessing of God, espe- cially in bestowing spiritual gifts; 'peace' is the peace of reconciliation with God, the abid- ing peace of a pardoned and justified soul. Compare Rom. 5 : 1. 3-5. Thanksgiving. 3. We give thanks ... praying. Apos- tolic example enforcing the precept of Phil. 4:6. Question whether 'always' goes with 'give thanks' (Lightfoot, Meyer), or with "praying" (Bengel, Olshausen, Ellicott). I prefer the latter. The 'always' need not be pressed to literal e,\actness, but should cer- tainly not be weakened down to nothing, as a mere rhetorical flourish. - iThe Revised Version, with Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort, Lightfoot, Meyer-Franke, omits the words 'and our Lord Jesus Christ' from the benediction. Manuscripts favoring the omission arc B P K L, 17, H9, 46, and others. Chrysostom and Origen both notice and comment on the omission as unusual with Paul. The manuscripts (even X) which contain the addition were evidently manipulated by copyists to conform to the usual style. Clearly, therefore, the words should be omiAfed. 2 A variation, unimportant as to the sense, but inter- esting to critics, occurs here. It is what Westcott and Hort call a" ternary variation" — that is, there are three readings to choose from. It comes after evxa-p'TTovixfv (" we give thanks") ; the question is, whether we should read, as in Received Text, (1) tuj 0eiZ Ka'i narpi (" to the God and Father"); or (2), tw 9f flecu irarpX ("to God the Father," without "and," both the latter having to be rendered into English in the same way). No critical edition (exceprt Lachniann, I 9 10 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. I. i Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of Ihe love which ye have to ;ill the saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up lor you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel ; 6 Wliich is corue unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it dot/i also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth : 4 Jesus Christ, praying always for you, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love wliich 5 ye have toward all the saints, because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you ; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of 4. Since we heard — Revised Version, bet- ter, "having heard of your faith," etc. The 'having heard' is the temporal, not causal, use of the participle. The news came through Epaphras (ver. 7), and was not a matter of per- sonal knowledge on Paul's part. The occa- sion of this thanksgiving was their faith in Christ and love for the brotherhood. Truly, a sufficient ground for thanksgiving always. Their faith was "centred in Christ" (Elli- cott); "resting on Christ" (Meyer). Which ye have is found in the most important man- uscripts, and is therefore inserted in the Re- vised Version without italics.^ To all the saints. Their love was not confined to their own church and community of faith, but reached out to all who could truly be called 'saints.' 5. For the hope — Revised Version, "be- cause of the hope" ; probably better still, on account of the hope. This is not given as a second ground of thanksgiving, but as the reason of their love to all the saints, being the comtnon tie of Christian brotherhood. Which is laid up for you in heaven (Revised Ver- sion, tnore correctly, "in the heavens") — that is, it awaits its complete fulfillment in hea- ven ; also, the thought of its being safely kept may bo involved. The hope is here in our ■hearts, but it also "entereth into that within the vail." Compare Rom. 8 : 24, 25. Where- of ye heard before — by the ministry of Epaphras and probably others. 'Before' — formerly., at first, before now. Lightfoot's suggestion of an allusion in the word to the later teaching of the heretics as contrasted with the earlier pure tetichmg of Epapliras is possible, but ratlier forced. In the word of the truth of the gospel. Many expositors construe appositiontiUy, "the word of the truth, which is the gospel " : but I think (with Meyer) that the thought is rtilher that the word is full of truth, and that tha word of truth on this great topic is presented by the gospel. The gospel alone reveals the truth about this hope; the gospel, alone makes it "sure and steadfast." This mention of the word of the gospel naturally leads to the next thought : 6. The Presence and Power of the GOSPEI,. 6. Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit. The best manuscripts omit 'and' before 'bringeth,' and add "itnd increas- ing."* Accordingly, we should read with the Revised Version, "which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world, bearing fruit and :ncreasing." The gospel is thus described as having come, and being now a present reality, among the Colossians, and is affirmed to be existing as a fruit-bearing and grov.'ing power in all the world. 'In all the world' — as a general statement, not as in believe) adopts the second form, which is not very well supported, and may be left out. As between (1) and (.3) the German scholars, Tischendorf, and Meyer-Franke, adopt (1) the common reading on the authority of X A C2D« E K L P; all cursives (Old Latin?), Vulgate, sev- eral Fathers. The English school, on the contrary, Tregelles followed by Westcott and Hort and Lightfoot, adopt (3) on the authority of B C*, some manuscripts of Old Latin, Mcmphitic, Syriac, Ethiopic, Arabic ; Au- gu.stine and Ca-ssiodorus. This, as the shorter and more tinusual reading, is preferable, besides giving a reason- able explanation of the other two. <0n these grounds, it is more likely the correct reading, and has been ac- cepted by the Revised Version. 1 Here the words >?>' ex'" (" which ye have") are taken into the text by Revised Version, Tischendorf, Meyer- Franke, on authority of X and most other manuscripts, versions, and Fathers. External authority is strongly in favor of it. But Westcott and Hort and Lightfoot put it in brackets because omitted by B, and being possibly a "conflate" reading. The point is doubtful, but it is most likely correct to insert with Tischendorf and Revised Version. 2 Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort, Lightfoot, omit Kai before sctti on vastly preponderant authority. It is retained by Meyer-Franke on graiumatical grounds, though slenderly supported. Westcott and Hort, Light- foot, Tischendorf, Meyer-Franke, insert koI av^avoixe- vov ("and increasing") on decisive manuscript and other authority. Ch. I.] COLOSSIANS. 11 7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faitliCiil luiiiister of Christ ; » VVlio also declared unto us your love in tlie .Spirit. y For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, aud to desire that ye might be filled wiih the knowledge of his will iu all wisdom aud spiritual uuderstandiug; 7 God in truth; even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of 8 Christ on 'our beiialf, who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, ihat ye may be tilled wiih the knowledge of his will in uU 1 Many aocieat autborities read your. every detail literally true. But even as a gen- eral statement, and including only the Konian Empire and coittiguous countries, it is a very rcimarlvable fact at tliat early date. As it doth also ill you. The Revised Version is ■again decidedly preferable. He would not implj' by saying that the gospel was bearing fruit and growing in ail the tvorld that it was not doing the same among them, and so at the expense of grammatical smootiiness he brings in a second comparison to include them in the statement of the fruitage and growth of the gospel. Their advance had in fact been steady from the first. Since the day ye heard, and knew the grace of God in truth. Two questions arise here: (1) Does 'heard' govern 'grace' or 'gospel' understood? Does he mean to say, 'since ye heard (the gospel), and knew the grace'? This is Meyer's view. I prefer to follow the Revised Version, with Lightfoot. 'The grace of God' is the gist of the gospel ; to hear and know one is to hear and know the other. ('2) Does the phrase 'in truth' qualify the verb 'heard,' and thus indi- cate their true reception of the gospel ; or does it belong with 'grace,' and so describe the truth of the gospel as distinguished from all errors? Alford combines the two: "In its truth and with true knowledge." This is not necessary. Either gives excellent sense. I prefer the construction with 'heard.' Meyer says: "It was a true knowledge, correspond- ing with the essence of the grace and the char- acter of the gospel which had been preached to them, without Judaistic and other errors." 7,8. Epaphra.s. Two questions arise here: 1. Is this Epapiiras the satne person as Epaph- roditus, mentioned in Phil. 2:25, seq., and 4 : 18? The name may be ttie same, Epaphras being a contraction, but it does not follow that the person is the same. In fact, the greater probability' is that there were two persons- The shorter form is always used in this Epis- tle, and also in Philem. 23, where the same person is referred to ; the longer form is used just as exclusively for the other person ; and then the localities and circumstances are very different. 2. Shall we read a faithful min- ister of Christ /or us, or, for you ? I prefer the fortu'er.* Epaphras is mentioned here and in 4 : 12, 13 ; also Philem. 23. From the notice in Philemon we mark him as a " fellow-pris- oner" of the apostle, possibly from choice, in order to be with Paul, and learn from him. Here he appears as the first instructor of the Colossians in llie gospel, while from 2 : 1 we infer that Paul had not seen the Colossians in person. Twice is he called, in a very com- mendatory way, a " minister of Christ." Paul not only endorses him as faithful, but even speaks of him (according to the most prob- able rpading) as in some sort a substitute for himself. It appears that, being perplexed and troubled with regard to the serious errors of the churches at Colosse, Hierapolis, and Laodicea (*: is), he sought counsel from Paul at the cost of becoming a prisoner himself (Phiiem. 23), and that this Epistle and that to Laodicea (i:ir,) are the result of his communications. 8. Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit— affectionate mention of his peoi)le by Epaphras. The phrase 'in the Spirit' denotes the sphere, and so the source and sustaining power of their love. It was a spiritual love, the Christian love, one of the " fruits of the Spirit " (Giii.5:22), and possibly here having special reference to Paul himself as its object. 9-12 rr. Prayer FOR the CoLossiANS. 9. How naturally this follows! For this ' It is very difficult to deciile here whether to read I 37. 47., and many others ; d e f Vulgate, Gothic, Pyriac, irn-ep rjjiwK (" for US," •" in our behalf"), with Lightfoot, Coptic, and other Versions. On internal grounds, the Westcott and Hort, on authority of X* A B fJ * F G, .3. [ reading of the English scholars and the Revised Ver- 13. 3:?. 4:i. 52. 80.91. 109. a g Anibrosiaster ; or imkftvixiov sion seems prefvrable. The reading is interesting a-s ("for you," "on your behalf"), with Tischeudorf, j displaying a curious conflict between the best maau- Heyer-Franke, on authority of X' C D' E K E P, 17. scripts and the versions. 12 COLOSSTANS. [Ch. I. 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleiisiiLg, being fniittul in every good work, and in- creasing ill the knowledge of tiud ; 1! Sirenglhened with all might, according to bis glorious power, unto all palieiice and longsutfering with joyfuluess ; 10 spiritual wisdom and understanding,to walk worthily of the Lord ' unto all pleasing, bearing fiuit in e\e\Y good work, and increasing '^ in the knowledge of God ; 11 ^strengthened ■'with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all ^ patience and longsutTer- 1 Or. unto allpUasing, in every good work, hearing fruit and increasin b Or, sted/astne , etc 2 Or, by 3 Gr. made powerful 4 Or, in. cause. This, perhaps, refefs to the whole preceding statement from ver. 4, but, natur- ally, has a more specific reference to the last turn of the sentence ; namely, their spiritual love, which awakened loving, prayerful in- terest on his part. We also. The 'also' "denotes the response of the apostle's per- sonal feeling to the favorable character of the news." (Lightfoot. ) Since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire. See note on ver. 3. "To pray and make request for you," as it is more accu- rately given in the Revised Version. Both the praying and the making request are ' for them,' the latter term being introduced to simplify the statement and to specialize the subjects of petition. It would be still more nearly exact to render, "Do not cease on your behalf praying and asking." "He made mention of prayers in a general way in ver. 3, now he expresses what he prays for." (Bengel.) The noble burden of the prayer now follows. Com- pare Eph. 3 : 14-19. It embraces a number of particulars which glide naturally out of, and into, each other in the onward sweep of high spiritual emotion. That ye might be filled with the knowledge (njjprehensinn) of his will in all wisdom and spiritual under- standing — or, all S2yiritual irisdom and un- derstanding. This arrangement of the sen- tence is better than that of the Common Version; for the epithet 'spiritual' qualifies both 'wisdom' and 'understanding.' The exerciseof our natural 'wisdom' and 'under- standing,' under tlie control and direction of the Spirit acting on our spirits, is necessary to a real 'apprehension' of the will of God. This he prays that they may have. Compare Rom, 8: 26-28. 'Knowledge," here, is com- ))lete, thorough knowledge {iitiyviaassive sense involved in the termination of the Greek word for 'fulness' (jrA^pwjua) is here maintained when we take the secondary sense of the Greek verb (jrAjjpoCi') — that is, "to fulfill," "to complete." The "fulness" (n-Aijpco/oio) is, accordingly, that which is filled, fulfilled, completed ; and so the com- plement, or plenitude, of the divine perfec- tions. This disposes of the diflScultj' as to whether the word should be taken as active, that which fills, or passive, that rvhicJiis filled ; the sense seeming to require the former, the usage of the Greek the latter. But by con- sidering the term to be derived from the verb in its secondary sense of "fulfill" or "com- plete," the passive sense is retained, and the meaning is as above ex])lained. Another question is as to whether the use of this term 'fulness' (wA^pco/ita) by the Gnostics influenced Paul in the use of it here. Baur and other hostile critics consider that the use of this Gnostic term indicates the un-Pauline author- ship of the Epistle, inasmuch as the developed Gnostic use of it belonged to a later time. But both Meyer and Lightfoot have very satis- factorily disposed of this objection. For (1) it is easily supposable that the use of the word in the Gnostic systems of a later date had nothing whatever to do with Paul's use of it here, as the word was a good and intelligible one in itself, and very ai>propriate in the con- nection. Or (2) the more probable supposi- tion is that, as the tendencies of thought which Ch. I.] COLOSSIANS. 19 20 And, h;iviiig m:ide peace through the blood of his ) ;iO should all the fulness dwell ; and through him to cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by , reconcile all tliinus 'unto '■'hiiuself, having made liiiu, Isity, whether tkny 6e things iii earth, or things i[i peace through the blood of his cross; through him / lieaveu. | iu^/, whether things upon the earth, or things in the 1 Or, into him 2 Or, Aim. were later developed into the various Gnostic sj'stems were now beginning to appear, so this terta was already beginning to have with these tl'iinkers a peculiar signification ; and that the apostle very happily forestalls its later use by applying it here to Christ. The later Gnostics used this word pleromn to describe their con- ceptions of a great divine totality, from which various enuniat'ions, Christ himself being one, were at different periods derived. Now if this idea was beginning already, in a vague way, to take shape, how well might Paul say, that so far from Christ's being in any sense deriva- tive from a divine totality, the totality of the divine perfections does, in fact, reside in him. We should not fail to observe the use of the word 'dwell' as of a perinanent abode. It pleased God that his completeness should take up its abode in Christ. And now, as the long sentence draws to a close, among his other glories the atoning work of Christ comes to view : 20. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to recon- cile all things to himself. This brings home to the beli(!ver's own heart the great glory and power of his Saviour, who is the universal Reconciler. The passage is difficult, for though the general meaning is apparent, the sugges- tions are obscure, and the grammatical struct- ure is uneven. 'Having made peace' is to be referred to God, as the implied subject of the sentence in the phrase 'it pleased.' He makes peace between rebellious man and himself. See 2 Cor. 5 : 20. 'To reconcile all things to himself.' In the Greek it is simply "to him," the pronoun not being reflexive. Yet it seems necessary to consider it as refer- ring to God himself, though we should have expected 'himself,' instead of the simple "him," which qranimatica lly v/(m]d refer to the pret^eding 'by him,' meaning Christ. But to read: 'By him to reconcile till things to liim' — that is, Christ — would be awkward. To 'reconcile' is to "make completely other" (an-oKaTaAAao-o-cu) — that is, to change the senti- ments from enmity to love, from hostility to obedience. So we read in the passage already referred to (2Cor. 5:i9) that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." ' By the blood of his cross' is, of course, the blood shed upon the cross, and so in general the atoning death of Christ, its most significant feature, the shedding of blood, representing sacrifice in its wholeness. 'By him'' is re- peated for emphasis and clearness. The glor- ious Person through whose active energy cre- ative power was put forth (ver. lo) is the same as he through whose atoning death the sin-estranged universe is reconciled to God. Whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. Bold language! Are we to un- derstand the last clause as teaching thtit there are heavenly things or beings, as well as earthl}'^, that need to be reconciled to God by the work of Christ? We cannot deny it. But it may be that the language is only employed to denote the completeness and universality of Christ's saving, reconciling work, as affect- ing the whole universe, being suggested by the large conceptions of the entire passage. It may be taken with a sort of understood hypothesis, somewhat like our Lord's remark about the "ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance." Yet it is not impossible that the language is to be taken literally. How, then, is it to be understood? Lightfoot and Ellicott decline to enter the boundless field of speculation opened by this language. The German writers, as usual, are bolder. Meyer rightly rejects as unscriptural the no- tion that the lost and fallen angels are so rec- onciled. But he holds that "the angels them- selves, as all creatures, owe the restoration of their relation to God entirely to the mediation of Christ." He maintains "that our passage affirms that the lohole universe is throuith Christ reconciled to God," and seeks to ex- phiin, as follows: Inasmuch as sin affects (1) total huinanity ; (2) even the inanimate cre- ^ The second *t avrov (" by him ") is omitted by B and I bracketed by Westcott and Hort. But it is most prob- some other important authorities, and is therefore | ably to be retained, as Lightfoot rightly judges. 20 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. I. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and ene- mies in your miud by wicked worljs, yet now liatli he reconciled. 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblauieable and unreproveable in his sight : 21 heavens. And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil worlcs, yet now 22 1 hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and 1 Some uucieul riutfaorities reuil ye have been reconciled. ation (Rom. 8:19, seq.) ; (3) further also the fallen angels who are under the wrath of God ; accordingly (4) the death of Christ removes the curse of sin and points to the coming of Christ to judgment, when sin shall be put down and the harmony of all things be re- stored. Franke, in commenting on this, justly remarks that it is vague in the third and fourtii particulars, because it is already as- sumed that the hol^' angels have not sinned, and that there is no restoration of the fallen. Franke, therefore, goes further and maintains that there are imperfect angels ; that the holi- ness of angels is not infinite ; that God "charges the angels with folly" (jo1)4:i»); that there is an intimation (i Cor. 6 : 3) of a judg- ment of the angels ; and accordingly there is reason to suppose that there are angels and spiritual beings who need, in some sense, rec- onciliation to God; and that for these, as well as for sinful man, the death of Christ avails. It is, perhaps, better not to enter on so bold a speculation, but, with the more sober inter- preters, to say that, while the language hints such things, we are not warranted in drawing such large deductions. Yet it gives a grand idea of the scope of Christ's atoning work, and of the glory of the ultimate triumph of grace in all things and everywhere. 21-23. Christ's Work in Them. Having spoken of the power and glory of Christ in this broad and striking way, Paul goes on now to describe the application of that work to the Colossians themselves. 21. And you — as a part of the 'all things' on earth that are reconciled. The statement is made of their former condition. That were alienated (or, estranrjed) — that is, from God, who is your proper Lord and Friend. Ene- mies in your mind by wicked works — that is, op))osing God in the e.\ercise of your mind, your thinking powers exerted in oppo- sition to God, and this mentiil enmity exhib- ited in 'wicked works.' Some (even Meyer) interpret as if the enmity' was on God's part toward them, as if it meant "hated by God," instead of " hating God." But Lightfoot is right in rejecting this representation as not in accordiince with the usual Scriptural lan- guage. The Scriptures represent God as hat- ing sin, but not as hating the sinner, who is indeed the object of wrath, but also of mercy from God. Yet now hath he reconciled. Some manuscripts have: "Ye were recon- ciled."* The grammatical smoothness is in- terrupted, as so often in Paul's writings, but the sense is plain: "You, who were formerly estranged from God and even hostile to him, God hath now reconciled." The reconciling act is commonly attributed to God. Compare 2 Cor. 5: 18-20. The 'now' goes with the past (aorist) tense because, though the act of reconciliation is represented as having oc- curred in God"s doing once for all, its effect in those who were thus reconciled is a present existing fact. Meyer and others quote a strik- ing passage from Plato in illustration of this unusual construction. 22. In the body of his flesh — that is, of course, of Christ's flesh. Christ's human body was the vehicle for the accomplishment of the purposes of "God's grace. AVhy the apostle should have written ' body of his flesh ' instead of simply 'his body,' has given the commen- tators unnecessary' trouble. Some (Olshausen and others, after Bengel) say tiiat it was to distinguish the human body of Christ from the church which is called his body shortly 1 We have here a very interesting variation. Most of the aiithoi jtios read as the Received Text: anoKaTriWa- fef ("he [hath] reconciled"), but B gives oTroKTrjAAayrjTe ("ye were reconciled"), wliile other less important authorities give variations from these. The choice lies befVeen these. Tischcndorf, witli the majority of the autlioritiis, retains tlie usual reading. Wcstccitt and Hort gi.ve B's rendering in the margin, though by re- taining the common reading in their text they evi- dently prefer it. Both Lightfoor and Meyer-Franke adopt the reading of B (" ye were reconciled "), and de- fend it with force. As the more difficult reading, and explaining ail the variations, it may be correct, and is certainly entitled to notice as a i)rol)able alternative, but not to be coutideutly adopted. Ch. I.] COLOSSIANS. 21 23 If ye continue in the fnitli groundfd and settled, 23 unreproveable before hiin : if so be that ye continue anil be "not moved away from the hope of the gospel, i in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not mnvi-d which ye have heard, mid which was preached to every away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, croaiiire which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am which was preached in all cieaiion under hea\eii; maile a minister; whereof 1 Paul was made a minister. 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill | 24 Now 1 rejoice in my sutteriiigs lor your sake, and before. Others, that it was because of Docetic errors then beginning to arise! Meyer, that it was to eiiipluisize tlie contrast between Christ's mediation and that ascribed by the errorists at Colosse to the angels wlio liave no fleshly body! Others still, tliat it was so ex- pressed as against tlic ascetic notions that the flesh was evil, for here Christ's fleshly body is represented as the velucle of tlie atonement! All these things seem to ine utterly unneces- s;iry. It is just simply an emphatic way of saying a human body — a bod^' subject to "the ills that flesh is heir to." No need to seek any deeper meaning, nor -Any need to condemn this simple explanation (as Meyer does) on the ground of tautology. The Scriptures, and alniostall other writings, abound in such rhe- torical emphasis. Through death —the means of reconciliation, and requiring a human, mor- tal body. On this doctrine, see the numerous similar passages, such as Rom. 8:3; Heb. 2 : 14-17, etc. To present you holy and un- blameable and unreproveable. More ac- curately: "To present you holy and unblem- ished and unaccused before him." 'Holy' — as devoted to God, and therefore fit for his service; 'unblemished' — as the animals of- fered in sacrifice were required to be; 'un- accused ' — as those against whom no successful accusation can be made before God as Judge. It is not certain whether this presentation 'before him ' is to be regarded as referring to the judgments of the present life, or to that of the final day of accounts. If the reference is to the present life, it means that one object of reconciliation was to make the reconciled even now in God's sight 'holy, unblemished, and unaccused,' because even now that process is going on within them which will ultimately make them so in f;tct. There is something to he said for this view, and it is held by Light- foot. But the reference to the Final Judg- ment is more in accordance with Paul's usage. See Rom. 14 : 10; 2 Cor. 5 : 10. This view is held by Meyer, and is, I think, preferable. 23. If ye continue in the faith. The rendering of tiie Revised Version is more ex- act: "If so be that ye continue in the faith." The 'if hero does not imply doubt that they would continue, but expresses a simple suppo- sition. Of course, the ultimate appearing be- fore God without blame is conditioned on the contiimance of that which establishes the blamless state. 'The faith.' It is a question wliether this is to be considered as referring to their faith, and so to faith in general, as the mode of reception of the gospel ; or whether it is here used in the less frequent sense of the object of faith, the things believed, the gospel itself. For this latter sense, see Gal. 1 : 23 ; 3 : 23, and Jude 3. Meyer insists on the usual sense, the faith of the believer. But the other view seems a little more natural here. In either sense 'faitli' is the basis upon which they are to be grounded and settled, and not moved away. Compare 1 Cor. 15 : 58. The last expression perhaps refers to the efforts being made by the false teachers at Colosse to move them away from the true faith. From the hope of the gospel— for this also is a foundation. It is a sort of synonymous ex- pression ; the gospel is embodied and repre- sented in the great hope it gives. Which — referring to 'gospel.' The remainder of the verse is more accurate as in the Revised Ver- sion. Ye have heard — which was preached (heralded) in all creation under heaven. This is not a fantastic exaggeration, as if he were stating an actual fact; but a phrase denoting the universality of the gospel according to its spirit and tendency, and the plain command of Christ. Whereof I Paul am made (bet- ter, became) a minister. This is not the word for servant which refers to the Lord; but that which refers to the service (SiaKovo^). It is used byjPaul of himself and others in a general way. Sometimes especinlly applied to the oflHce of deacon, to which it has given name. 24-29. The Apostles Sufferixg, Work, and Purpose in the Gospel. — The mention of his having become a servant of the gospel naturally leads Paul to speak now of his labors in its behalf This he does with great earnestness and force. 24. Who now rejoice in my sntforings. The best authorities omit 'who,' so that it is 22 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. I. up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, whicli is the church: fill up on my part tliat which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, best with the Eevised Version to begin here a new paragraph : " Now I rejoice in my sutfer- ings for your sake." 'Now' is not simply a particle of transition, of concession, but has, as usual when it begins a sentence, its strictly temporal meaning. It is not so easy to ex- plain as a note of time. Meyer suggests that Paul says 'now' as distinguished from a former time when he was free and hard at work: "Now, though a prisoner and not as formerly free to go as I pleased, I rejoice," etc. Lightfoot conjectures that it refers to the apos- tle's spirits, as much as to say that there might have been a time when he was deeply troubled and disturbed by his trials, but now lie rejoices in them. Neither of these explanations is sat- isfactory. It is not necessary to su|)pose that Paul was ever unduly depressed by his suffer- ings. Even in 2 Cor. he shows how he could at the same time feel their pressure, yet tind in this occasion of joy. Nor is there reason I to suppose that at this particular time he took i any more cheering views of the grace of God | than at other-. So also there is not the least | necessity to go back with Meyer to the former ; time of comparative freedom. It strikes me as being .simply an emphatic 'now' — without special contrast with any former time, but emphasizing the present: Just now, at this very moment, I am rejoicing in my sufferings for you. 'In my sufferings.' These are the grounds of his joy — ^the things that gave him joy; not merely the untoward circumstances amid v}hich, notwithstanding their untoward- ness, he could and did rejoice for other rea- sons, but rather the trials themselves gave him joy. This, however, not because they were sufferings, but 'suflTerings on your behalf — that is, for your benefit, for your spiritual good. As much as to say : Since my sufl\;ring brings good to you, I rejoice to suffer. 'For you ' — as one member of 'the church, the body of Christ,' mentioned further on. 'And fill up' — present tense, expressive of a continuous and now realized effect of sufferings, both past and present; a view of an established fact which is thus a now existing and continuous process. And fill up that which is behind of the atflictions of Christ. There are sev- eral difticultios involved in this strong and unusual mode of expression, and they are of moment. As was to have been expected, in- terpreters differ widely as to the exact mean- ing. 1. The word translated 'fill up' in the Com- mon Version, and more fully "fill upon my part" in the Revised Version, requires notice. The word ()pu)) is a double compound, two prepositions {avri, 'instead of or 'over against,' and avd, 'up') being placed before the simple verb "to fill." This is the only place in the New Testament where the word occurs. The usual form is the single com- pound (AvairKripCi, "fill Up"). The question is as to the force of the preposition (avri, ' instead of or 'over against'), which is here put before the more usual compound. The Common Ver^ion ignores it entirely, translating 'fill up' as if only the simpler and more usual word were here. The Revised Version tries to bring out its force by adding "on my part" — that is, "as compared with," "over against," Christ; but this commits the version to an interpretation of the meaning which is by no means certain. The only two reasonably sat- isfactory explanations of the unusual term, which must evidently have been used for a purpose, are those held by Meyer and Light- foot respectively. The former explains the contrast expressed in " over against" (avri), as involved in the ideas of lack and completion — over against a lack, I present you with a fill- ing up. This is apparently the true explana- tion, but it is impossible to express it well in a translation. Lightfoot holds the rendering adopted by the Revised Version, putting the contrast in the persons, Christ and Paul. 2. What is meant by the 'afflictions of Christ'? The view taken of this phrase will help in deciding the meaning of the entire passage, and hence it is discussed first. (1) The natural and obvious meaning is the suffer- ings which Christ himself endured in his earthly life. Now of these, which? (n) The whole of his sufferings, including Gethsemane and the Cross; or (6) his general suflTerings and trials, exclusive of his expiatory suffer- ings; or (c) his expiatory sufferings alone? (2) A meaning suggested to get rid of the difficulty; namely, that the sufferings here meant are those of the clmrch, which is the body of Christ; and so her persecutions may Ch. L] COLOSSIANS. 23 2) Whereof I am made a minister, according to tlie dispensation of (iod which is given to lue for you, to fulfil the word of Uod ; 25 wliicli is the church ; whereof I was made a min- ister, accurUing to tlio ' dispensaiion of (jod which was given me to you-ward, to fultil the word of 1 Or, stewardship. be called tlie 'afflictions of Christ,' tiie Head. (:5) Another of the same sort, that by their 'afflictions' are meant the trials whicii Christ jjiM-mits to come, or imposes upon his people. Of these (3) may be dismissed at once, as nei- tiier grammatically or contextually admis- sible; (2), though supported by great names (Calvin, Olsliausen, even Ellicott, and others), is too fanciful, and too evidently manufact- ured to evade a difficulty. Recurring, there- fore, to (1), we are still confronted with the question as to what phase of Chi ist's afflictions is meant. The notion that his expiatory suf- ferings alone are meant cannot be held, for reasons tiiat will appear below. We are left then to choose between the views designated above as {a) and (b). It is hard to decide. "We may say that ia) is more natural as the general, all-embracing description, while {h) (Meyer) would be more in accord with the well-known teaching of Paul with regard to the atonement ; and also with his general use of words, for he never uses the word 'afflic- tion' to describe the expiatory death of Christ. Perhaps the best way to put the matter would be to say that by the term 'afflictions' Paul means to describe the whole course of Christ's earthly sufferings, but without special refer- ence to his deatii on the Cross. So we have tiie general view of Christ as a man enduring afflictions, not a special view of him as the sin- atoning sufferer. 3. If this be accepted as the correct view, what is then meant by 'that which is behind (literally, lacks, uo-Tepij^iTa) of the afflictions of Clirist'? In what sense were Christ's suffer- ings deficient? Certainly not in the sense that his atonement was incomplete, that his death was insufficient to atone for sin. This would put aside the whole New Testament view of the efficacy of the atonement, and contradict a prime element in Paul's own teaching. It simply means that Christ did not during the course of his human life experience every kind and phase of suffering for his people. He was not shipwrecked, he was nut imprisuned. lie did not have daily "the care of all the churches," and so on. There were some 'afflictions' that had to be borne and suffered for the good of the church, which Christ did not actually in his human experience endure. 4. It thus becomes plain how Paul could ' fill up the lacks.' Not at all that he could by his sufferings add anytliing to the complete- ness and sufficiency of Clirist's atoning pas- sion, but that tiie Lord had left out of his own actual experience some things for Paul to suffer for the sake of those for whom he had himself died. This is no strange tiiouglit with the apostle. See Rom. 8 : 17, and like pas- sages. He here counts it a joy that his Master had left out of his own sorrows something for his servant to 'fill up' in service for the church. And this is explained in what fol- lows. The interpretation here adopted is sub- stantially that of both Meyer and Lightfoot, and is the only satisfactory one. For the other view, see Olshausen, Ellicott, Bengel. In my flesh fur his body's sake, which is the church. In my body, for his body's sake. Contrast between the seat of Paul's suffering, and Christ's mystical body, the mention of 'flesh' naturally suggesting 'body,' and this the figurative body of Christ. Of course, 'the church' is here taken in its broad sense as the general community of believers. 25. Whereof I am made (literally, became) a minister. See on ver. *23. According to the dispensation of (^od. The word trans- lated 'dispensation,' sometimes "stewardship," literally means "house niiinagement," and is transferred into English as "economy." It sometimes refers to the personal management of the householder himself, and someti-mes derivatively to the management of the house as entrusted by him to a servant. This last is the sense here. The apostle as a steward was entrusted with this part of the 'house manage- ment' of God. His work and service was that of a man charged with responsible office by the divine Householder whose 'house' is the church. Which is given to me for you. The office of steward is to be used for no per- sonal ends, but ft)r the advantage of the house- hold, of which you at Colosse are part. To fulfil the word of God. This describes the nature of the task. It has reference to the word of God, and hence must be the com- 24 COLOSSIANS, [Ch. I. 2() Ereii the mystery which hatli hcen hiJ fnim ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saiiils : 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of thi.-- mystei'y among the (jentiles; wliich is Christ in you, the liojie ol glory : 'lii Whom we preach, warning every man, and teach- ing every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 26 God, p.ven the mystery which hath been hid ' for ages and geueriitions : but now haih it been m.mi- 27 tested to his saints, to whom God was pleai-ed to miike known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among ihe (ientiles, which is Christ in 28 you, the hojie of glory : whom «e proclaim, ad- monishing every man and teaching eveiy iiiiui iu all wisdom, that v\e may present every m:iu 1 Gr. from the ages and from the yeiieratio niunication of the truth of the gospel ; and this communication must be full and com- plete. "To proclaim the word of God com- pletely, in its whole meaning and extent." (Olshausen.) 26. Even the mystery — apposition to 'word of God.' A 'myi^tery' in classical usage was some secret that was made known to initiated persons, but kept froin all others. Here, as usual in the New Testament, it refers to the hidden purpose of God in the gospel, which could not have become known without often in Paul's writings. 'To his saints'; that is, to believers in Christ. See 1 : 1. 27. To whom Liotl would make known — rather "willed to make known," the word 'make known' (yviopiiia) is different from that recorded above 'made manife.-t' and implies the communication of knowledge, rather than simply the exhibition of facts or truths. What is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles. We may get at the thought better, perhaps, by a change of lan- guage: ""What is the richness of the excel- his revelation. Being revealed, it is no longer j lence of this revelation of grace as it is pro- a ' mystery ' in the sense of a secret or even a | claimed, not to a select few, but far and wide difficult thing, but only as a matter which re- I to all nations." Which is Christ in you quired a revelation from God to make it the hope of glory. Does 'which' refer to known. i 'riches' as the grammatical rule would seem Which hath been hid from (tfie) ages to require; or to 'mystery' as the leading and from (^Ae) generations Hasthe'from' thought and term of the whole passage. Either here its privative, or only a temporal force? Lightfoot says the latter, hidden from all will give an excellent shade of meaning, leav- ing the general tliought the same. It is better times, that is, during and since all past times. [ to take it as referring to 'mystery,' so tliat the But the proper privative force of the preposi- i thought would be: "And this revelation of tion seems to be required by the contrast in j grace is Christ in you," etc. It is ' Christ hi what follows: but now it is made manifest I yoii,' not ''among yoii,^ as it might be gram- to his saints. What then is the meaning of ! matically, but with a far tamer significance, the terms? The only difficulty is as to 'ages,' This indwelling of Christ is of course by faith, "generations" evidently meaning the men of i See Eph. 3 : 17. Christ, in all that he means all past times. With regard to 'ages' inter- | and represents, dwelling in you — personally preters differ. Some hold that it refers to the [ apprehended— made your own. 'Tiie hope of angels! Others that it means the 'ages' from glory.' Beautiful figure. Christ in the soul the beginning and so inclusively to the in- is the hope of heaven. 'Glory' here refers, habitants of the ages; that is, all intelligent I not to brilliant excellence in general, as in the beings that existed before the creation of the preceding clause, but more especially to the world. Yet others (as Lightfoot) more simply say that it refers to the ' ages ' of human hii consummated excellence of the future state, involving the bliss of heaven, the excellence tory which are made up of many ' genera- i of the saints, and the triumph of the Lord tions.' This is decidedly the preferable view, and we may take the phrase as describing all past time, and in its picturesque way empha- sizing the fact that never before had God's pur- pose in the gospel been plainly and fully de- clared. ' But now is made manifest,' or it tons vnanifested ; a change of construction caused by the long sentence and for emphasis, as so Compare Heb. 2: 10; 12: 22, 23. 28. Whom we preach — better, "^)rrt- ported, throws doubt on the genuineness nf ilie first, and he seems inclined to read, conjecturally, tou ev XptffTo) (" which is in Christ"), as giving an explana- tion both of the first and second. This is very precar- ious; and it appears pretty conclusively that the first must be accepted. This the Revisers have done. 28 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. II. 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ■i And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with j'ou in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your tailh in Christ. 6 A.s ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so ivalk ye in him : 3 tery of God, ^ even Christ, in whom are all the 4 ireasiires of wisdom and knowledge hidden. This I say, that no one may delude you with jier- 5 suasiveuess of speech. For though I am absent in ihe flesh, yet am I with you in ihe spiril, joying and behoUliug your order, and the siedfastuess of your faith in Christ. G As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, : The aticieul authoriiies vary much in the texc of this pa Tliis puts "Christ" in apposition with "mys- tery," the myster^'^ of God, which mystery is Christ. This is also grammatically correct, suits tlie conte.vt well, resetnbles the modes of e.xpression in 1 : 27 and in 1 Tim. 3 : 16, and so is decidedly preferable to the other two. See the excellent notes of Ellicott and Light- foot, both of whom adopt and defend this view. 3. In whom (in Christ) are hid, etc. Bet- ter read, as in the Kevised Version, " In whom are all the treasures . . . hidden." These treasures are 'in him,' and they are 'hid- den.' Yet this does not mean that they are hidden in the sense of concealed, or destined to concealment, but rather as laid up, stored away, waiting to be revealed when God shall see fit. Compare 1 Cor. 1 : 7. Tliese treasures are hidden from the unspiritual and self-sutfi- cient. But they are in Christ for all who will come to him. It is possible that Lightfoot's ingenious suggestion of a reference here to the "hidden wisdom" of the false teachers may be correct. They prided themselves on hav- ing a higher wisdom, which was kept hidden from the common herd and made known only to the favored few. So it is as if Paul would say: "Your false teachers speak of hidden wisdom for the initiated only, but I say that iji Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; they are 'hidden' indeed from those who refuse him, but richly stored up for any and all who accept him as Lord; 'hid- den' in part even from these, but being ever more and tnore revealed, until the full reve- liition shall come." Wisdom and knowl- edge here are, of course, not the divine attri- butes, but the objects of human attr.inment. There are stored up in Christ rich treasures of divine truth which it is true knowledge to acquire, the best wisdom to apply. 4. And this I say— referring to what is contained in ver. 1-3: "(l)The declaration that all knowledge is comprehended in Christ; (2) the expression of his own personal anxiety that they should remain steadfast in this con- viction. This last point explains the language that follows." (Lightfoot. ) Lest any man (or, that no one^) may beguile you — reason you away from your convictions, a word often used in classical Greek. With enticing words (or, persuasiveness of SjDeec/*)— with plausible arguments, as the false teachers were then tr^'ing to do. 5. For though I be absent. See ver. 1. With you in the spirit— that is, in thought, heart, and concern ; there is no reference to the Holy Spirit. Joying and beholding— that is, rejoicing to see. This seems to be the simplest way to construe the rather unusual arrangement. Ellicott and Meyer discuss the nuitter elaborately, but, after all, not very satisfactorily. Your order — that is, your orderline-s in walk and behavior. And the steadfastness of your faith in Christ (rather, the solid foundation of yoiir faith). As Ellicott remarks, it is agreeable to know that the Colossians, though tried by false teachers, were substantially sound in faith. Some (as Lightfoot) take the words in a mili- tary sense, 'order' or "array" as of an armj'^ drawn up in line, and 'solidness ' as of a pha- lanx or legion, solidly' ojjposed to the enemy. The referejice is possible, but hardly natural, in this connection, and rather fanciful. 6, 7. A Gkneral Exhortation. 6. As ye have therefore received. Better omit 'have'; the tense is not the ))erfect, but the past indefinite. Christ Jesus the Lord. Note that it is not merely abstract truth that they received, but the personal ' Christ Jesus.' It is, as Meyer observes, a .solemn statement of the essential principle of the faith they re- ceived, the Christ, that is Jesus, in his oflRce and character as Lord. Following out this last thought ct)nies the command. So walk 'Read Mi^fis ("no one"), instead of mi? ti? (;' lest any one"), with Tischendorf, Westcott and Ilorl, Lightfoot, Meyer-I-'ranke following ail the better authorities. Ch. II.] COLOSSIANS. 29 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye liave been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lost any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 7 so walk in him, rooted and builded up in hirn.and stablished 'in your laith, even as ye were laught, abounding - in thanksgiving. 8 iiTake lieed lest there shall be any one that maketli spoil of you through his philosophy and Viiin deeeit, after the tradition of men, after tlie 1 Or, by 2 Some iinciint auihoriiies ins it 3 Or, See whether. ye in him. The 'walk' is a common Bible phrase for the 'conduct,' or the 'manner of life.' Here it is the same as saying, " Livfijn accordajicewHli th^_j2rijudiikfi_^u received wiien you a£cepted_Ckckt__aa_iSaviour and Lord." 7. Rooted and bnilt up in him. He de- fines more purlieu iarly the cliaracteristics of this walk: 'Rooted in him,' as tlie soil in which the tree is planted and by which it grows. 'Built up in him,' as the foundation upon which the superstructure of a just char- acter is reared. Stablished in the faith — or, more probably confirmed by faith, as the medium of connection with Christ. Abound- ing therein with thanksgiving — or, abound- ing in thanksgiving,^ as the suitable frame of mind for one who enjoj'S such blessings. Ob- serve the change back and forth of the tenses of these participles. ' Kot)ted ' is perfect, de- scribing a fact iicconiplished in the i)ast when they took Clirist for tiieir Lord, but in its re- sults still abiding; 'built up,' or rather bci7ig built, is present, describing a continuous pro- cess going on as a consequence of the otlier; 'confirmed' is perfect, again taking the mind back to the past act of faith, resulting, however, still in their firm stand; 'tibounding' is pres- ent, again pointing to what should be a con- tinuous and habitual state of mind. Observe, too, the rapid change of metaphors: rooted, built, confirmed, all giving vividness and full- ness to the description of this state in Christ. As ye have been (better, were) taught — that is, by Epaphras. (i : i-) 8-33. Special Warning against the False Teachings at Colosse. — The main diflficulties, as well as the leading interest of the Epistle, centre in this passage. For the nature of the false teachings at Colosse, see the " Introduction," and more especially the care- ful discussions of Lightfoot and Meyer. The three leading errors combated in the passage appear to be : (1) A fiilse philosophy ; (2) a burdensome ceremonialism ; (3) a rigid and worthless asceticism, all leading away from Ciirist. 8. Beware lest any man spoil yon. The warning begins in general terms. 'Spoil you:' This is not in the sense of "corrupt" you, which the Greek does not have at all, and is only an ambiguity of the English transhttion ; nor in the sense of "despoil," "rob" you; but is more literally given in the Revised Ver- sion, "make spoil of you." The Greek is very vigorous and definite, presenting to the mind the picture of a person dragging away another as his booty. The form of tlie Greek (future indicative), which is clearly, albeit a little clumsily, expressed in the Revised Version, shows that it was a real and not simply a sup- posable danger which the apostle has in mind. Though the indefinite mode of expression, 'any one' (ns), is used, a definite set of per- .sons, or possibly one person, is clearly in view. Compare our own use of the expression, "a certain person." Sotnewhat as if he would say: "Take heed; it looks as if somebody were going to drag you away as spoil." Through philosophy and vain deceit — that is, what passed for philosophy and was empty delusion. Taking the fair name of phi- losophy, it was really deception, empty of all good, and unable to satisfy mind or heart. The particular form of so-called ' ])hilosophy ' to which the Colossians were exposed was a theo- sophic speculation, in which the follies of the later Gnosticism were already beginning to appear. (See " Introduction.") All the Com- mentators remark that the absence of both article and preposition before 'A'ain deceit' in the Greek shows that this is not a separate idea, biit a characterization of the 'philos- ophy.' This is of course not philosophy in 1 More literally, ahounding in it, in Ihank.ifjivi.nr). The reading is uncertain. If the 'in it' be retained, the reference is of course to faith, in which they must abound with a thankful heart to God for this gift. (Eph. 2 : 8.) If the ' in it ' be omitted, we read, as in the Revised Version, " abounding in thanksgiving" as the quality which should characterize their whole state of heart and mind in the reception and exercise of the gospel gifts. 30 9 For in Liiu dwellelh all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. lU And ye are com|ilete in liini, which is the head of all priiicipality and power: COLOSSIANS. [Ch. II. 9 1 rudiments of the world, and not after Christ : for in hiiu dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead 10 bodily, and in him ye are made full, who is the 1 Or, elements. our modern sense of the word, nor even as I currently understood then, but (as indicated by the article in Greek) that particular form of teaching to which the Colossians were then exposed, and which doubtless called itself 'philosophy.' After the traditions of man. The character of tlie philosophy and vain de- ceit. It was of purely human origin, being simply handed down from man to man. There is ])erhaps allusion here to the Kabbala, the mystic traditions of Judaism, with which the false teaching at Colosse had some affinity. The form of the sentence is interesting. This teaching is: (1) positively; («) of human origin; (6) of earthly nature; (2) negatively, not Christian. After the rudiments ol the ivorld. 'Rudiments' are "elements" or "first principles" or "a b c." The very first principles of this rapacious philosophy are of the earth earthy. This is the simplest inter- pretation. The notion of some of the Fathers that by the Greek term (aToixeia) is meant not ' rudiments,' but the heavenly bodies, and that the reference is to astrology or the like, is utterly out of place. While the suggestion advanced by Franke on Meyer, that the angels and angel-worship are meant, is too fiinciful for serious consideration. Lightfoot has a very clear and able note on the whole passage, defending the view adopted here. And not after Christ. Contrast. Here is no robbing l)hilosophj', but the truth of God; no empty delusion, but historical reality; no worldly principles, but divine life, yea, God manifest in the flesh, as the next verse sets forth. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This declares, in strong and striking language, the true deity of Christ. 'For' here goes back to the turn of expression in the last clause of ver. 8: "Not after Christ," for, on the contraiy. in him dwelleth, etc. 'In him dwelleth.' The pres- ent tense is used here not specially to contrast the present either with the past or with the future, but simply to denote a prevailing fact, true both of his earthly life and of his present exaltation. And so the vivid use of the pres- ent tense simply brings up what must always be true /or us, a fact ever ofl'ered for our per- ception and acceptance. The ever-present truth is here. 'All the fulness of the God- head.' For the special appro]>riateness of using the term ' fulness' because of the Gnos- tic use of it, see on 1 : 19. The fullness of the Godhead is that which makes Deity complete. The word (SeoTT)?) which would literally be rendered "Godness," if there were such a word, had better be translated Deity rather than Divinity, or, perhaps, even Godhead. Now according to this statement, all that which goes to make up the completeness of God dwells bodily in Christ! Wonderful language! As to the important qualif\'ing word 'bodily,' we may say that it refers to the manifestation of God in Christ, formerly in his earthly body and now in his glorified body. Henceforth (since the incarnation) and forever, the completeness of Deity in bodily manifestation dwells in Christ. Our concep- tion of the Christ while he lived on earth and now when glorified in heaven is that of a bodily fulfillment of God.i With this thought of Christ's fullness of Deity in his mind, Paul goes on to speak of the believer's fullness of Christ, (ver.io.) This suggests the spiritual union of believers with Christ under the figure of circumcision (ver. n); and this naturally leads on to the new rite, which symbolizes the real spiritual entrance of the believer into the main focts in Christ's career, his death and resurrection (ver. i2). 10. And ye are complete in him — ye are filled (Revised Version, "made full "), ye are in a state of completeness in him. Not as he is, the fullness of Deity ; but your being filled with all good, with all the excellence of which you are capable, is in and from him. See Eph. 3:19. Bengel acutely remarks: ^' Ipse plenus, J Light font well says: "St. Panl's language is care- fully guarded ; he does not say iv aianaTi (' in a body '), for the Godhead cannot be confined to any limits of space ; nor po8it)on to circumcision, but only as the mention, in a figurative way, of a rite of the Older Dispensation suggests the symbolic rite of the New. There is no word or turn of expression to indicate that baptism was to "take the place of circum- cision." 2. In so far as baptism is a humanly- administered (though divinely ordained) rite, it is as much "made by hands" as ever cir- cumcision was. But the circumcision here spoken of is of the heart, and refers to the renewing of the nature which is only out- wardly represented in the act of baptism as a burial and resurrection. 3. There is no trace elsewhere in the Scriptures of any identifica- tion of circumcision and baptism, or substitu- tion of one for the other. It is hardly too much to say that no one would ever have thought of such an interpretation of this 'cir- cumcision ' if the prevalence of infant bap- tism had not made it desirable for its defenders to seek some Scriptural justification for their practice. 12. Buried Avith him in baptism. The Revised Version is again decidedly preferable. "Having been buried with him in baptism'" — as a symbolic portraiture of that inward change represented as 'putting ofl^ the body of the flesh,' and spoken of as a 'circumcision made without hands.' The act of baptism, in which the believer is put under the water, is a symbolic burial to the sins of the past. See Rom. 6 : 3, 4. "For all who in the rite of 1 Westcott and Hort, Tischendorf, Meyer-Franke omit ritv anapniiv ('of the sins'), following N A B C etc. It was, uo doubt, an e.\p!anatory gloss. 32 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. II. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncir- 13 of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, ■cunicision of your flesh, haih' he quiclceiied together I being dead through your trespasses and the uncir- wilh hiiu, having forgiven you all trespasses ; ciinicision of your flesh, you, / siiy, did he quicken I together with him, having forgiven u.s all our tres- baptism are plunged under tlie water, thereby declare that they put faith in the expiatory death of Christ for the pardon of their past sins; therefore Paul likens baptism to a burial by which the former sinfulness is buried — that i.s, utterly taken away." (Tha^'er's "Grimm's Lexicon," p. 605, s. v. awednTw). Lightfoot (a Bishop of the Church of England) says: " Bai)tisrn is the grave of the old man, and the birth of the new. As he sinks beneath the baptismal waters the believer buries there all his corrupt affections and past sins; as he emerges. thence lie rises regenerate, quickened to new hopes and a new life." If the learned bishop meant this to be taken symbolically, it ma3' be accepted; but if literally, that as an actual fact this momentous change is effected by the act of baptism itself, it is of course much too strong a statement, plainly contrary to the spirit of New Testament teaching and to the true meaning of this passage itself. Wherein also ye are risen with him. Further symbolism of baptism, a resurrection to new life. Through the faith of the ope- ration (loorkiuf/, or energy) of God, who hath raised him from the dead. See Kom. 10 : 9. The resurrection of Christ was a glori- ous exhibition of the mighty energy of God, and is a central point in the Christian faith. Now it is faith, dependence on this divine power, by which this energy becomes effective "to the saving of the soul." But this recep- tion by faith of the power of God into the life (?f the believer is beautifully symbolized in its effects by the burial and resurrection set forth in baptism. Compare the more complete ex- pression of the thought in the parallel passage in Rom. 6 : 1-4. The mention of Christ's being raised from the dead by the power of God brings Paul now to mention (ver. is) the death in sin from which the believer is raised by divine power and forgiveness; this forgiveness is complete, being evidenced in the entire removal (ver. ii) of all that makes us obnoxious to the divine wrath and punishment, a removal by the cross, in which, though an instrument of shame and torture, Christ's high triumph (ver. 15) is achieved. 13. And you (emphatic), being dead in your sins (or, through your trespasses). ' In ' or 'through' — equivalent here to "by means of " ; your trespasses were the means of your spiritual death. 'Trespasses' is the proper translation. It is the same word that occurs in the last part of the verse. If Paul could use it twice in the same sentence, there would seem no good reason why King James' Revi- sers should not have done so; but with their usual fondness for variety, at the expense of accuracy, they have here rendered it 'sins,' which is a different word in the Greek. The word properly translated 'sin' (ainapTia) comes froin a root meaning "to miss," "to go wide of the mark"; while this word (jrapaTrrufia) comes from a word meaning "to fall," "to fall aside," or "away from the side of." So both in etymology and usage there is a distinct shade of difference in the meaning, and they should not be confounded. Being spiritually dead by the falls you have made away from God's law, is the thought. Compare Ei>h. 2 : 1, seq. And the uncircumcision of your flesh — that is, by your carnal state of aliena- tion from God; uncircumcision denoting the natural, ungodly, or rather godless condition of separation from God. ]\Iost probably, it does not here refer to literal uncircumcision as the evidence of their being heathen Gentiles (though possibly suggested by that), but the figurative use of the term is here continued for the 'circumcision' of ver. 12. You, hath he quickened — or, did he quicken. ' You' is here repeated, according to the correct text,' not specially for emphasis, but for clearness. (See Buttmann's Grammar, p. 142.) Did he tnahe alive would be now a more exact ren- dering, though "quicken" was sufficiently so in older English usage. Together with him — denoting the close spiritual union with 1 The best authorities, for sufficient reasons, omit ei' 1 ened '). Both readings adopted by the Revisers. So ('in') before n-apaTTTto/uacrif (' trespasses'), and insert a I also rjnif ('us') after x«P"''«^f>'<'s ('having forgiven') second vixat ("you") after awiimo-noiriaiif (' quicl\- 1 is undoubtedly the correct text. Ch. II.] COLOSSIANS. 33 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and loolc it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 14 passes ; having blotted out ' the bond written in or- dinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it 1 Or, the bond that was against ua hy its ordinances. Christ, by virtue of which true spiritual life is given to the believer. "It has been ques- tioned whether the life here spoken of should be understood in a spiritual sense of the re- generation of the moral being, or in a literal sense of the future life of immortality re- garded as conferred on the Christian poten- tially novv, though only to be realized here- after. But is not such an issue altogether superfluous? Is there any reason to think that St. Paul would have separated these two ideas of life? To him the future glorified life is only the continuation of the j)resent moral and spiritual life. The two are the same in essence, however the accidents may differ. Moral and spiritual regeneration is salvation, is life." (Lightfoot, against Meyer.) An important question of grammar arises here: What is the subject of the verb 'quick- en ' ? God or Christ? It is necessary to under- stand Christ as the subject of the sentence later on, beginning at the words 'and took out of the way.' The question is whether that construction applies here also, so that we are to regard Christ as the understood subject to 'quicken,' 'having forgiven,' 'hav- ing blotted out.' Ellicott takes this position for the sake of uniformity throughout the .sen- tence. But Meyer and Lightfoot more wisely take the ground that we must understand God as the subject in the three cases just mentioned. For these acts are usually ascribed to God, and it is not unnatural or unusual for Paul to glide from one subject to the other in such a connection. See Eph. 2 : 4, 5. No distinct change is made, but the seemingly unconscious passing from one subject to the other is itself most interesting and forcible. Having forgiven you all trespasses. The correct te.xt (see foot note, page 32) has "us" rather than 'you.' The apostle easily includes himself in the divine forgiveness, though it turns the grammatical construction a little. This divine forgiveness is manifested iilong with regeneration : 'He quickened . . . having forgiven all your trespasses.' 14. Blotting out — description of the method of the divine forgiveness. Compare Isa. 44: 22. The handwriting of ordinances — better as in Revised Version, the bond writteii in ordinances. The word {\eipoypav tv), ' willing in,' occurs quite frequently, as a translation of the Hebrew expression "to delight, or take pleas- ure in" a person or thing. Thaj'er's "Grimm's Lexicon" gives the examples, which are nu- merous, sufficient to establish the point, and should be decisive.^ Buttmann, in his "New Testament Grammar," opposes this view, but with conspicuous ill-success for so great a scholar. Ellicott dismisses it too sweepingly ; Lightfoot defends it with force. There is no valid objection to it on any ground, except its unusualness; but with the Septuagint usiigi' so well made out, and with the somewhat similar usage of the word in Matt. 9 : 13; 27 : 43, and Heb. 10 : 5 (all quotations from the Septuagint), we need not fear to allow that Paul uses the term here in its unclassical and unusual Septuagint sense. If this be allowed, the meaning becomes plain : "Taking pleas- ure in humility" — that is, in a profession of exceeding humility, said from the standpoint of the man himself, descriptively. And wor- shipping of angels— that is, this person feels too humble .to worship God; he must stop short of the Infinite One and worship inter- mediate beings! 'Humility' — real lowliness of mind, is, of course, a good thing, an emi- nent Christian virtue. But this was (and ever is) a sad perversion. "VVe must worship God humbly, but we are not too humble to worship liim at all. As Lightfoot well says: "There was an officious parade of humility in selecting these lower beings as intercessors, rather than appealing directly to the throne of grace." The person warned against is further de- scribed as intruding into those things which he hath not seen. The Kevised Version reads: "dwelling in the things that he hath seen"; in the margin, "taking his stand upon the things that he hath seen." The 'not' in the Common Version must be omitted before '.seen,'" and 'intruding' is not a correct translatij (' members '), but respectable authorities, have ^m""" ; and this is Nvith the more weighty, though less numerous, author- adopted (not positively) by Lightfoot, Westcotl and I ities. 44 COLOSSIANS.. [Ch. III. 6 For wliich things' sake the wrath of God conietb on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in tiietu. 8 But now ye also put off all these j anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy cummuuication out of your moulh. 6 for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God 7 'upon the sons of disobedience; -in the which ye also walked aforetime, when ye lived in these 8 things. But now put ye also away all these; anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of 1 Some aucienc authorities omit upon the sons of disoheditnce. See EpU. v. 6 2 Or, amongst whom. cially emphasized here : 1. By being men- tioned along with the defiling vices. '2. By being singled out from the rest by the article (which the Revised Version vainly attempts to bring out in an awkward way). 3. By being characterized as ' idolatry.' The word, t^to (TrAeore^ia), is vcr^' suggestive in its ety- mology. It denotes the character of one who desires "fo have more" — that is, more than he has (discontent), more than others have (envy), more than he ougiit to have (injustice). It is 'idolatry' because it is worship of mammon. (Matt. 6:24.) 6. For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh— tlie punitive wrath of God in his holy abhorrence of sin. The present tense ('cometh') may be taken to mean 'is ever coming' as a matter of actual experience and observation; or simply as 'will certainly come' because it is a fixed law of the divine government. The latter conception is prob- ably the correct one here. Upon the chil- dren of disobedience. Some authorities omit this clause as an interpolation from Eph. 5:6; but the evidence is not, to me, convinc- ing.^ The meaning is: " Up^n those who are by these sins disobedient to God." The mode of expression is frequently employed in the Bible. One who is specially marked by the character of a thing (whether person, object, or quality) is called a chitd of that thing, it being natural for a child to resemble its parent. 7. In the which. Read, 'in which'; there is no use in retaining this awkwardness of the Common Version, and, as there is no article in the Greek, the Revised Version, by retain- ing it here discredits its own u-^e of the phrase in ver. 5, as already noticed. If the rendering 'in which' (neuter) be preferred, the refer- ence is of course to the sins )ireviously men- tioned ; and this it will have to be if the words ' upon thechildren of disobedience ' be omitted. But if they be retained the rendering "among whom" may be adopted and the reference will be to the sinners rather than to the sins. This is grammatically equally as good as the other, and a little preferable as it relieves the saying frotii being a truism. I prefer, there- fore, to render: " Among whom ye also for- merly walked (as being yourselves such as they) when ye lived in these things" — that is, in these evil affections and deeds. Your con- duct was that of children of disobedience when your life was marred by tliese evil things. The correct text is "these," not simply "them '■ as in Common Version.- But there is some uncertainty both about the reading, and as to the reference of "these," since it also may be either neuter or ma.sculine. But upon the whole the rendering adopted above seems to me the most likely. 8. But now — emphatic, as contrasted with your former life. Ye also put away all these. The 'ye also' is emphatic too. Do even you, who were formerly such as de- scribed, now put away these things. Then follows another list of evil things to be put away: Anger, wrath — the former, rather settled indignation; the latter, boiling passion. But in such lists as these we are not so much to look for nice shades of meaning in the words themselves as to mark the emphasis brought out by the accumulation of so many terms of kindred meaning. Malice is wicked grudging, evil wishes for others. Blasphemy is here injurious, slanderous speech against each other, not against God in'this connection. 1 The words iiti tows vioit? k. t. X. (' upon the sons of | may well be questioned whether the consideration of disobedience') are omitted by Westcott and Hort, Tisfhendorf, Liyhtfoot, Meyer-Franke on the authority of B; some versions and Fathers, as an evident inter- polation from Eph. 5:6. But there is no inherent impossibility, or very great improbability, that the apobtle should use the phrase in both places. And it the same language in two places should ahrays weigh against valualile and strong evidence, as here. 2 Westcott and Hort, Tischendorf, I.ightfoot, Meyer- Franke all read iv tovtok; (' in these things ') instead of iv avToU (' in them ') on decisive authority. Ch. III.] COLOSSIANS. 45 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; IQ And have put on the new vian, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him : 11 Where there is neither (ireek nor Jew, circumci- sion nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Cbri.->t is all, and in all. 9 your mouth : lie not one to another; seeing that ye 10 have put olf the old niuu with his doings, uwi have put on the new man, who is being renewed unto knowledge alter the image of him that created 11 liiin: where there cannot i>e Greek and .Jew, cir- ciimcisiou and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scyth- ian, boudman, freeiuau: but Christ is all, and in all. Filthy communication out of your mouth — obscene, abusive language. 9. Lie not one to another. This com- pletes the thought; l^'ing goes with the rest. Seeing that ye have put off— literally and simply, ' having putoflT'; but with a suggestion of an argumentative force involved in the par- ticiple, and hence not incorrectly given in the versions. The word has here its proper force of " putting off from oneself as a garn)ent." Compare 2 : 14. The old man — yonr fornier self See ver. 7. >Vith his deeds — his char- acteristic actions. The old wnys must be put away along with the old experiences. 10. And haveput on— literally and simplj' again "and having put on," but with the same argumentative force going on. The new man— that is, a new life in and with Christ and by virtue of repentance and faith. The better way of actmg toward each other is, not only to have laid aside old ways, but to have put on new ones also. The character of this 'new man' is now to be described. Which is renewed in knowledge. The Revised Version is better: ""Which is being renewed unto knowledge" — tliat is, is under- going renewal toward and up to the point of reaching right knowledge of things divine. It is a new life, and its newness becomes ap- parent in growing knowledge of the things of God. The phrase 'renewed,' made new again (^ava) seems to point to the original purity of man before the Fall, and this is further borne out by the allusion to his creation in what fol- lows. After the image of him that cre- ated him. This growth in spiritual knowl- edge is to result in the restoration of that likeness of God in which man was created, and which was marred by his sin. 11. Where — that is, in a community com- posed of these new men who are being re- newed in God's likeness. There is neither Greek nor Jew. Scholars are not tinani- mous as to the exact meaning of the curious little word (eVt) rendered 'there is;' in the Revised Version "there cannot be." It is either a contraction of a well-known word (tVcari), signifying " it is possible"; or an en- largement of the proposition 'in' (e*-), with the idea of the verb "to be" added. If the latter, it is properly rendered as tiie simple substantive verb, as in the Common Version. But if the former view be preferred, it is, with the negative, to be given as in the Revised Version. This is most probably the correct view, and the meaning is that in such a state of things the ordinary human distinctions of rank, race, religion, and the like can no longer prevail, for all are 7iew men. Translate then as follows : Where there can no longer be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircnm- cision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, free- man. Compare Gal. 3 : 28. The antipathies of Greek and Jew, of Judaism and heathen- ism, shall have no place; barbarians shall be subdued, and Scythians, the worst of bar- barians, softened, by the gospel ; even the galling distinction of slave and free shall be done away.' Lightfoot has a long and in- teresting note on the passage which is worthy of study. But it does not seem necessary in a brief commentary like this to go into ex tended discussion, since the meaning is clear without it. This glorious state of renewal and eleva- tion finds its acme in the statement: Bat Christ is all, and in all. Instead of the current distinctions that divide and embitter men, Christ is everj-thing; all differences merge in him; all good things are summed up in him; all things worth having and worth being are to be sought and found in him ; in- stead of the passions and jeaUmsies that flotirish in the unrenewed heart, Christ shall be in every man the motive of his life, the principle and the controlling power of his new exist- ence. The presence and the power of Christ, in his own love, shall overrule all distinctions and obliterate all jealousies. Others take tiie phrase to mean : " Christ is all things and in all things," taking in both cases 'all< as 1 The best authorities omit tou (' and ') after iouAos (" bondman ";. 46 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. III. 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of (Jod, holy and b'loved, bowels of iiieixies, kindness, humbleness of mind, lueekness, longsiittering; i:j Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And aliove all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. lo And let the peace of God rule in yourhearts, tothe which also ye are called in one body ; and be ye thanKl'ul. 12 Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, 13 longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiv- ing each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as Hhe Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things put on love, which is the 15 bond of perfectness. And let the peace of Christ 2 rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called 1 Many ancient authorities read Christ '^ Gr. arhitrate. neuter. That is to say, Christ in this renewed state of mankind is the sum of all things, and the pervasive principle of all things. The meaning is about the same in either case and either is grammatically admissible, but it seems rather better to take the second 'all' as masculine and referring to tliose who are renewed. (Kpii.3:n; Coi. 1:27.) 12-17. Various Practical Exhorta- tions. 12. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved. Paul urges now as a consequence ('therefore') of their having put off the old man with his deeds, and hav- ing put on the new man, a temper and con- duct suitable to their dignity and character as the chosen, the Jioly, and the beloved of God. The 'holy and beloved' are not vocative, but further explanatory adjectives, along with 'elect.' The 'therefore' may refer, as Light- foot understands it, to the last preceding words, 'Christ is all, and in all' ; but owing to the similarity in expression regarding 'put off' and ' put on,' it seems better with Meyer to refer it to ver. 9. 'Holy' — not in the sense of absolute sinless perfection, but as belonging exclusively to God as his chosen, and there- fore separated from common uses and ends. Bowels of mercies — rather, as Revised Ver- sion, a heart of compassion.^ The viscera were regarded by the ancients as the seat of the emotions, especially those of this charac- ter. Kindness — or, gentleness. Humble- ness of mind — that is, 'humilitj',' now used in the best and usual sense, and not as in 2 : 18, 23. Meekness— not a heathen virtue. Longsuffering — patient endurance of evil. la. Forbearing and forgiving go beauti- tifully together. If any man have a quar- rel against any— rather, "complaint," as Revised Version. It may be even a just com- plaint. Even as Christ (or, 'the Lord')* forgave you, so also do ye. The highest measure of forgiveness. But it is better to take these words as beginning a new sentence: "Even as the Lord forgave you, so also (do) j'ou (forgive each other)." This is more natu- ral than to consider the participial structure as going on. 14. And above all these things put on charity — that is, "love." In addition to all these virtues, put on the including element of them all; over and above, as taking them all in, and hence called the bond of perfect- ness.' There is some little difficulty in get- ting at the exact meaning of this beautiful phrase. It may be either (1) the bond which by uniting all virtues tends to perfection, puts the finishing touch upon character; or (2) sim- ply the Hebraistic adjective relation, the bond which is characterized by perfectness, the bond which is perfect as a bond. Other views also are held by various expositors, but Lightfoot well expresses what seems the best sense thus: "The power which unites and holds together all those graces and virtues which together make up perfection." 15. And let the peace of God* (or, more correctlj', of Christ) rule in your hearts. The 'peace of Christ' is the peace which he 1 Best authorities read oiicTipjuoC (" of mercy " sing.) instead of o'lKTipixdv (" mercies"). 2 Hard to decide whether to read 6 xpio-rb? ixapio'aTo ('Christ forgave') with Tischendorf, after X" C D ''«nii<' E K L P, almost all cursives, many versions, and Fath- ers; or 6 Kvpiot ("the Lord forgave") with Westcott and Hort (text), Lighlfoot, Meyer-Fraiike, after A B P* F G 213 ; d e f g m Augustine, Pelagius. X* has Oebi ("God"), which is clearly a correction. The reading of Westcott and Hort more probably correct. ^'O {'which,' neuter) is undoubtedly the correct read- ing, though harsh grammar. * "H )i'T/ ToO xpicTToii (" the peace of Christ "), instead of ToC 9eov ('of God') is the reading of Westcott and Hort, Lightfoot, Teschendorf, Meyer-Frauke, after de- cisive authority : X A B C D, etc. Ch. III.] COLOSSIANS. 47 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and s)>iriiual songs, singing with grace in your liearts to the Lord. 16 in one body ; and be ye thankful. Let the word of 1 Christ dw'fll in you ^richly; in all wisdom teach- ing and atiiuonishing "ione another; with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace 1 Some ancieul autboritieH read the Lord : others, God 1 Or, richly in all wisdom 3 Or, youratlvta. bestows (John 14:27), and which must produce a, peacciible spirit in him who receives and keeps it. For the translation 'rule,' the margin of the Revised Version substitutes "arbitrate." The word is derived from the deciding of an umpire Opo/Seu?) at the games, and comes to mean "arrange," "direct," "control," and so "rule." (Meyer, Ellicott.) But no doubt the primary meaning is to "render a decision as umpire," "to arbitrate." If this original meaning be adopted, the exhortation amplified would be this: "Be at peace among your- selves, in accordance with the peace-loving disposition imparted to you in the gift of the peace of Christ; let this peaceable spirit de- cide all difl^erences among you, moving your own hearts." Or, as Lightfoot puts it: "Wherever there is a conflict of motives or impulses or reasons, the peace of Clirist must step in and decide which is to prevail." But these interpretations are a little cumbersome, and the simpler meaning 'rule' is probably to be preferred, being sustained by good usage. To the which (leave out 'the'> also ye were called in one body — that is, "j'ou were called of God to be at peace with one another, even as one body, animated by one life principle." And be ye thankful. Not an afterthought, but thanksgiving is a real result of peace, and is to be returned to God f'lr peace. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. The 'word of Christ' is the gospel, tlie doctrine, the teaching of Christ, both in- formation and precept. 'Dwell in you richly' — a striking phrase ; dwell in your being as a home (et-oiKecTM), with all its riches of spiritual help, abundantly influencing your life. "We have in the remaining words of this verse a great difficultj' in properly arranging the clauses. When it is remembered that the ancients wrote without punctuation, and with- out spaces between the words, it will be seen how impossible it is to tell in every case ex- actly what arrangement of clauses was in the writers own mind. We must depend on the sense, but, as several ditlerent arrangements may give equally good sense, sometimes it is largely a matter of taste and feeling with each expositor what special order he shall adopt. It is interesting to notice the difterent ways in which this sentence may be read by chang- ing the punctuation: (1) 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing,' etc. (2) ' Let the word of Clirist dwell in you richly' ; 'in all wisdom teaching,' etc. (3) 'Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms,' etc. ; 'singing with grace in your hearts to God.' (4) 'In all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another' ; in psalms, etc., with grace sing- ing in your hearts to God. (5) 'Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, etc., in grace'; 'singing in your hearts to God.' Now, upon a careful comparison of these vari- ous ways of combining the words of the sen- tence, it is evident that any of them gives sense, and may be grammatically adopted. Naturally the expositors adopt and combine them very variously. My own preference is to hold on to the punctuation of our Common Version, and to render as follows: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all tois- dom ; teaching and admonishing one another in psahns, hymns, spiritual songs ; with grati- tude singing in your hearts unto God. The exposition is accordingly based on this view of the relation of the clauses. ' Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom'-^ that is. let the gospel principles and precepts fully direct and control your life, so that its power may be manifest in a conduct marked by eminent wisdom ; your wise demeanor will betray the rich sources of spiritual force dwell- ing within you. 'Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns,i spiritual songs.' They were to use these spiritual exercises as a means of mutual instruction and warning. Observe the construction of 'teaching and admonishing' ; it is what is called the "ab.so- J The best authorities omit the conjunction (cal ('and') before both 'hymns' 'and spiritual songs,' making ▼ivid style. 48 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. hi. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is tit in the Lord. 17 in your hearts unto God. And what.soever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is lute " construction, no subject being expressed. "You" is of course implied. It gives a slightly imperative sense to the words, and is peculiarly emphatic : ' Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly — you, under such influ- ence, teaching,' etc The grammatical smooth- ness is interrupted for emphasis. Thedifl'erent shades of meaning in the terms ' psalms, hymns, spiritual songs,' are interesting, as showing the various kinds of songs used in worship by the Christians of the apostolic age. It seems most likely that the 'psalms' were those of the Old Testament translated, and possibly otherwise modified to suit the needs of public worship; the 'hymns' were songs of praise to God, not only Old Testament psalms of this character, but no doubt others also; the 'spiritual songs' or 'odes" were other songs, not specially included in the pre- ceding; perhaps songs of devotion, experi- mental, even historical, but they must be 'spiritual,' that is, in general, devout, moved by the Holy Spirit and elevating the spirit of the worshiper. Some suppose we have a speci- men of such an 'ode' in the words of 1 Tim. 3 : 16, wliich appear to be a quotation and are somewhat metrical. Singing with grace' in your hearts unto God. Probably "grati- tude" is here a better rendering than 'grace.' Compare Heb. 12 : 28. It is not perfectly clear what meaning is to be preferred. (1) Some say "gracefulness," that is, acceptable- ness, that which gives pleasure to the object. This does not accord very well with the sense of this passage, though the word occurs with that meaning, most probably, in 4 : 6 of this Epistle, and has other support in New Testa- ment usage. See Luke 4 : 22; Eph. 4 : 29 (2) Otiiers say "grace" in the sense of the divinely bestowed favor, the usual New Testa- ment use of the word. The occurrence of the article here, as if the divine grace, so often mentioned in Paul's writings as the highest of our privileges, were intended, gives force to this interpretation ; and the meaning will be that worship is to be rendered in the enjoy- ment of divine grace, viewed (as is sometimes the case) as an active quality of our own, be- cause received and embraced by us. (3) But as this is rather labored it is simpler to take 'grace' here as meaning "gratitude," not- withstanding the article, which is emphatic — the gratitude which is appropriate, which we ought to have, etc. The word frequently has this sense in the New Testament, as well as in classical Greek, and seems here more appro- priate to the context. Some hold tliat the ex- pression 'in your hearts' points to a silent singing of the grateful heart to God as distin- guished from the mutual edification of the openly sung 'psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.' But this seems a forced and unnatural sense to put on the words. While we teach each other in the 'psalms and hymns and spir- itual songs,' let the singing of them be at the same time a grateful exercise of the heart toward God. 17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed — a very general exhortation, all-inclu- sive. In the name of the Lord Jesus — as the element or sphere of the doing. Notli- ing unworthy of Christ is to be done, nothing unfit to be said or done in the closest associa- tion with him, but everything in such a way that the holy presence and character of Christ will not beoflfended. Giving thanks to God and the Father through him. Much bet- ter to omit the 'and,' as it is wanting in the Greek. Christ is Mediator of God's grace to us and of our acceptable worship to God. 3 : 18-4 : 1. Domestic Duties.— Compare the similar passages in Eph. 5 : 22-6 : 9, where the discussion is more extended; 1 Tim. 6 : 1, 2; Titus 2 : 1-10; 1 Peter 2 : 18-3 : 7. It is natural that, after the general exhortation of ver. 12 and following, Paul should more espe- cially emphasize Christian duty in the import- ant relations of the household. 18. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands (or, better, as in the Revision, iWestcott and Hort, Tischendorf, Li ght foot, Meyer- ' So also tw flew ^" to God"), instead of T

(" to the Franke all have rai? KapSi'ais, 'hearts,' instead of sin- j Lord"), gular ' heart,' upon decisive authority : X A B C D.etc. j Ch. III.] COLOSSIANS. 49 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things : for this is well pleasing uuto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. 21 Servants, obey In all things your masters according to the flesh ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God : 19 fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives 20 and be not bitter against them. Children, obey yojr parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing 21 in the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children, 22 that they be not discouraged. 'Servants, obey in all things them that are your -masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but 1 Gr. hondser he in subjection to your husbands). The best authorities omit 'own' before 'husbands.' The limits of a wife's becoming subjection to iter husband are not laid down, but the thing itself is clearly taught here, as elsewhere, by Paul. Did he foresee that abuse would be made of the blessings brought to woman by the gospel ? Were such abuses even then be- ginning to appear? And is that why he ad- dresses himself^?-s< to wives, although giving to the husband the first place in the home? As is fitting in the Lord. Christianity teaches, and is in so far committed to what is fitting in this respect. The unfit is unchris- tian. Literally, the expression is, "as was fitting," and the use of the imperfect tense has been variouslj'- explained. It is probably best to say, after Meyer, that it expresses what is a general truth, but is only imperfectly real- ized as a fact in the present. 19. Husbands, love your wives— the ap- propriate and beautiful counterpart of a wife's due submission. Be not bitter against them— that is, hasty, quarrelsome. Ever wise and needed admonition ! 20. Children, obey your parents in all things. This supposes that the parents are worthy of obedience, and their commands are not contrary to God's commands. So there are conceivable cases when a child would be justifiable in disobedience, but the general rule is explicit and urgent, and Christian par- ents should carefully see to its enforcement. For this is well pleasing unto (or, m>) the Lord— in that sphere of duties and proprieties of which the Lord is the centre and sum and life. Christianity sanctifies this relation also. 21. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger. Do not tantalize them with petty exactions and wanton tyranny. Lest they be discouraged. How expressive! A child is easily disheartened by cruelty, or even a lack of sympathy. A valuable hint. 22. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh. Slavery being then an existing institution, the apostle gives precepts suitable to its proper regula- tion. There are Christian duties growing out of the relations on both sides. It is note- worthy that more is said here to servants than to the others. This is probably due in part to the fact that many of this unhappy' class were found among the early converts to Christian- ity, and they were often depraved and wicked; and partly also to the case of Onesimus which was then fresh in the apostle's mind. This man had wronged his master, Philemon, and fled to Rome, where he had met with Paul and was converted to Christ, and was then caused by the apostle to return and submit himself to his master. See the Epistle to Phil- emon, which was probably sent along with this letter. Of course, as in the case of chil- dren, there are supposable limits to the obe- dience even of a slave, and they are reminded that the relation itself is 'according to the flesh.' Not Avith eyeservice— service that must be watched to see that it is done at all, or properly done. Some authorities give the word in the plural, " eyeservices," and this would be expressive of the various single acts of such service. As menpleasers — solely desirous of pleasing men without any refer- ence to the right or wrong of the matters themselves. But in singleness of heart — without the double dealing involved in mere 'eyeservice' for pleasing. Fearing God (or, the Lord") — looking ultimately beyond the earthly relation to the Lord, in fear of doing what is wrong in his sight. Crimes, though often caused by injustice, are not excused by hatred. iVVestcott and Hort, Tischendorf, Lightfoot have iv Kvpiio ('in the Lord'), instead of simply tu Kvpito ('to the Lord') on decisive authority. * Question whether to read o^|,ea\^xoSovf^ialt (' eye- services,' plural), or ia (singular). Preference is rather for plural form. Westcottand Hort, Teschendorf, Light- foot have t'ov Kvpiov ('the Lord'), instead of rhv Otov (' God '), on decisive authority. 50 COLOSSIANS. [Ch. III. 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men ; 24 Kuowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance : for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done : and there is no respect of pel sons. 23 in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord : whatsoever ye do, work > heartily, as unto the Lord, and not 24 unto men ; knowing that from the Lord ye shall re- ceive the recompense of the inheritance : ye serve 25 the Lord Christ. For he that doeth wrong shall 2 receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. 1 Or. from the soul 2 Gr. receive again the wrong. 23. And whatsover ye do, etc. The same thought put in different words. All the ser- vice, even of a slave, should be dutifully and faithfully done, from the heart, not by exter- nal compulsion, with a view to what the Lord thinks of it, and not only men. 24. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance. Genitive of apposition, same as saying "the reward which is the inheritance." Kich re- ward, indeed, the inheritance of God"s chil- dren! Slaves by earthly law, but freemen in Christ, and so "children of God '' and "joint heirs with Christ." Sometimes, but very rarely, were slaves made heirs of their mas- ters; seldom enough and often enough to give point to this expression. Such language ac- cordingly must have had great comfort for the unfortunate class to whom it was addressed. Gibbon adduces as one of the causes of the rapid spread of Christianity in early times the hopes it held out, and the blessings it brought, to the slaves. And why not, pray? Does not that religion deserve to spread that brings blessing and offers hope to the lowest as well as the highest of mankind? The systems of philosophy do not so much. Fori ye serve the Lord Christ. This is your real bondage, you belong to Christ by the purchase of his blood, and the right of almighty sovereignty. Or it may be imperative: "Serve the Lord Christ." Let your service range higher than your earthly masters, and be directed to Christ. It is hard to decide with any posi- tiveness of conviction, but the indicative is rather preferable. 25. But— rather, /or.* 'For,' as a conse- quence of your service to Christ, not as a consequence directly of his Lordship, though it may be that. Yet tlie thought rather is that true service to Christ (see Matt. 25 : 31-46) is the criterion of merit. In the rewards and punishments of the Great Day no mistakes will be made. For he that doeth wrong. The question arises whether the wrong doer is the master, or the slave, or either. Lightfoot takes it that both may be intended ; the wrong doer, whether master or slave, shall receive his due punishment. This is very likely in itself, and is ably justified by Lightfoot. Meyer, on the other hand, is very decidedly of the opinion that the unjust master is meant, by way of encouraging the slave. The slave must be faithful and good in his own place, for the Lord will see that the unjust master is punished. Others take it that Paul means here to warn the eye-serving, man-pleasing slave that if he defrauds his master he will surely be punished for his sin ; his condition will not justify crime. Either way gives good sense. But I see no good reason against in- cluding both senses, as Lightfoot does. Shall receive for the wrong which he hath done — literally, "shall receive the wrong" ; that is, in its appropriate penalty the wrong itself will come back upon the wrong doer. How often demonstrated even in the judg- ments of time! And there is no respect of persons. God will not be more lenient in judging a slave because he is a slave than in judging a master because he is a master. God will not show partiality because of these earthly distinctions. The sentiment applies whichever view of the preceding phrase be taken. Ch. 4 : 1. This is one of several places where the division of chapters in our Bibles is exceedingly unfortunate. The intelligent reader is, of course, aware that the chapter and verse divisions in our copies of the Script- ure are not the work of the inspired writers themselves, but were introduced gradually for convenience of reference and comparison, and were received and fixed as they stand at pres- > K A B C D * E 17 : 47. 7L ; Vulgate, Coptic, Arabic ; Euthalius, Pelagius, followed by best editors omit yap (' for ') before rv xvpiif. 2 The best authorities all have yap (' for '), instead of 6e ('but'). Ch. IV.] COLOSSIANS. 51 CHAPTEK IV. MASTERS, give unto your servants that which is just and equal ; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. 1 1 Masters, render unto your 2 servants that which is just and 3 equal ; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. I Gr. lords 2 Gr. bondservants 3 Or. equality. ent — the chapters just before and the verses probably after, the invention of printing. They have nothing but the authority of con- venience and custom to commend them. It is surprising that any one who could read should have thought it proper to make a divis- ion here. Masters. How beautifully does the apostle turn to these now, with the duties appropriate to their station ! Give unto your servants that which is just. 'Give,' or, better, ren- der. Giving is not in question ; it is the ren- dering of justice. Even a slave has his rights before God and man, and he must be treated justly. This was new doctrine in that day. And equal — literally, as margin of the Ke- vised Version, " and equality." In the matter of justice and right, put them upon tlie same footing as any one else; for justice and right must be done for tlieir own sake — there must be no respect of persons. Meyer prefers this view, interpreting the 'equality' to refer to moral and spiritual matters, and not to any subversion of the relations of slaves, or the overthrow of the social order. Lightfoot and Ellicott, however, prefer to render the word " equity," " do unto your servants that which is just, and equity "; for the word (Ictotijs) has that meaning sometimes, and the context would seem to favor such an interpretation here. But it seems to me it would be rather tautological, as well as awkward, to say "that which is just, and equity " ; so I prefer ' equal- ity,' understanding it, as Meyer does, of moral and spiritual matters, which are here under consideration. The preceding advice to the slaves, as well as his treatment of Onesimus, shows that Paul did not mean 'equality' in any socialistic or revolutionary sense. Know- ing that ye also have a Master in heaven. If only all earthly masters were like him, how different all things might be ! So they who are masters must remember their own Heav- enly Master, who will do equal and exact justice to all, certainly including those who abused the earthly relation by injustice and oppression. HOMILETICAL SUGGESTIONS. Ver. 1 : 1. Condition — if truly a believer. 2. Duty — seeking heavenly things. 3. En- couragement — Christ seated in power. Ver. 2:1. Thoughtful consideration of heavenly, rather than earthly, things. 2. There is great need of it. 3. Great reasons for it. 4. Great blessing in it. Ver. 3: ]. Complete separ- ation, as by death, from worldly things. 2. New life in Christ stored up; not yet in full view. Ver. 4: 1. Christ the life. 2. Christ manifested. 3. 'Ye also.' Ver. 3 : The only right thing to do with some things is to kill them. — Covetousness : 1. Its company. 2. Its character. Ver. G : 1. God has wrath. 2. His wrath cometh, now and hereafter. 3. The cause of his wrath. 4. The objects of his wrath. Ver. 8 : Emphasis of a change— put- ting off anger, and all the other evil things. Always in order thus to emphasize one's con- version. Ver. 9 : Truthfulness between man and man a necessary consequence of the new life. A much-needed lesson to-day in society, in trade, in politics. Ver. 10: The new man is renewed man. The renewed man is intel- lectual man. The intellectual man, so re- newed, is man in the image of his Creator. Ver. 11: Human distinctions: 1. How they arose. 2. Why they continued to exist. 3. In what sense they are to be obliterated — not all of them, in fact, for that could not be ; but in their abuses and evils. 4. How they are to be thus done away — not by anarchj' and blood- shed on one side, nor by pride and oppression on the other ; but bj' the prevalence of Chris- tian principles, by the indwelling and over- ruling power of the Christ. The supremacy of Christ: — 1. The sum of alWAwj^rs. 2. The power for good in all men. Ver. 12, 13 : 1. The Christian's standing with God — elect, holy, beloved. 2. The Christian's corre- sponding attitude toward men — compassion, kindness, etc. Ver. 14 : The perfection of love as the bond uniting Christians. Ver. 15: The ruling power of peace! Ver. 16 a : Com- plete application of Christ's teaching is greater wisdom in action. Ver. 16 6 : The right kind 52 C0L0SSIAN3. [Ch. IV. 2 Continue in prayer, and watch iu the same with thauksgiviug; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a d(jor of utterance, to speak the uiystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds : 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, re- deeming the time. 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with §alt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 2 Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein 3 with thanksgiving; withal praying for us also, that God may ojien uuio us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in 4 bonds; that I may make it manifest, as I ought lo 5 speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are 6 without, 1 redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one. 1 Gr. buying up the opportunity. of churoh music: 1 That which promotes mu- tual edification. 2. That which has a dis- tinctly religious character. 3. That which is acceptable worship to God. Ver. 17 : Broad- est of all precepts, as widely reaching as pos- sible, capable of universal application, cov- ering all "doubtful cases," including all wrong things not specially singled out for Scriptural condemnation ! Do only those things that are : 1. In harmony with the pure name of Christ. 2. That we can praise God in doing. Ver. 18-4 : 1 : Series of discourses on the cardinal domestic duties in the light of the gOspel; or one discourse dealing with all four at once would be useful. Ver. 23: May have a useful application to others besides slaves. Ver. 24, 25 : The final test is not station, but action. Ch. 4:1: Tiiougli primarily written for masters who owned their servants, it has also appropriate application to employers, and needs to be heeded by all who purchase, as well as compel, the services of others. Ch. 4:1 properly belongs at the end of the last chapter. See above. 2-6. Various Exhortations. 2. Continue in prayer. The Kevised Ver- sion inserts "stedfastly," not because of anj' word found in other texts, but only because the notion of perseverance is involved in the word rendered 'continue '(TrpotncapTepeiTe). And Avatch in the same — more literally, the Revised Version, " watching therein." Com- pare Mark 14:38. "Keep j'our hearts and minds awake while i)raying." (Lightfoot. ) With thanksgiving. This must ever be an element of true prayer, and is often so urged by the apostle. 3. 4. Withal praying also for us. He asks for these prayers now on behalf of him- self and his co-laborers in the gospel. That God would open unto us a do6r of ut- terance — literally, "a door of the word." Genitive of the object, and therefore rightly given in Revised Version, "a door for the word;" that is, enlarged opportunity for preaching the gospel. Compare 1 Cor. 16 : 9. To speak the mystery of Christ — that is, the revelation of God in Christ, the gospel. See note on 1 : 26. Ellicott remarks that the genitive is here that of the subject, it is " the m\^stery of which Christ is the sum and sub- stance." This is probably correct, though others put slightly differing constructions upon it, but the same general sense. For which (that is, the ' mystery,' or the whole notion of speaking the m^-stery) I am also in bonds. A special personal reference. Paul was then a prisoner at Rome (not Cesarea ; see the " In- troduction ") for the sake of the gospel, having been sent thither b3' Festus as related in the closing chapters of the Acts. That I may make it manifest — that is, the 'mystery.' It must not remain a ' mystery ' in the nar- rower sense. As I ought to speak. For the force of this 'ought,' compare the fol- lowing passages: Jer. 20: 9; Matt. 10:27; Acts 9 : 15, and 22 : 21 ; J Cor. 9 : 16; 2 Cor. 4 : 13. 5. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without — that is, act with prudence and tact toward those who are not believers. Re- deeming the time. Compare Eph. 5 : IG. This -)nay mean rescuing the time from idle uses and employing it for spiritual good to others ; but the decidedly preferable meaning is that given in the margin of the Revised Version. "Buying up the opportunity" — that is, seizing the fitting occasion for doing good as a merchant "buys up" commodities at the right time for profit. With an eye to the best effect, make use of opportunities for the salvation of others, especially in the use of speech, as the following verse shows. Let your speech be always with grace — not Ch. IV.] COLOSSIANS. 53 7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, icho is a bsloved brother, aud a faithful miulster aud fellow servant in the Lord : 8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, aud comlbrt your hearts ; 9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him ; ) 7 All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and 8 fellow-servant in the Lord: whom 1 have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our 9 estate and that lie may comfori your hearts ; to- gether with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make knowu unto you all things that are done here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom ye received commaudmeuis : if he come unto you, re- here the divine grace, but rather "attractive- ness," giving pleasure to those who hear. (See note on 3: 16.) But this, of course, not at the expense of truth or faithfulness. Sea- soned with salt — having force and char- acter; not insipid, but pointed. There may be reference also to the preservative and puri- fying power of salt. Let your speech be wiiolesome, not corruptive. But this is not so natural as the other. It is scarcely possible that there is reference to wit; though 'salt' is often used in that sense in the classics. That ye may know, etc. Sound speech, ap- propriate to different characters and circum- stances, and tending to spiritual good, requires mucli wisdom. 7-9. Personal Information. 7. All my state (or, affairs) shall Ty- chicus declare (or, make known) unto you. Concerning Tychicus, see Acts 20:4; Eph. 6 : 21; 2 Tim. 4 : 12; Titus 3 : 12. He appears as one of the Asiatic com- panions of Paul on the third missionary journey, whether for all, or for only a part of the time, we cannot say. In the passage of Ephesians referred to he is spoken of in the same terms, and is sent upon the same mission as here. From what appears in the notices of him in 2 Timothy and Titus we y the name of whatever church received a copy. (c) That the similarity of thought and stjMe, and yet the differences due to circumstances; the teaching of one confirming the other, Colossians having a more special and local reference, Ephesians being more general ; and the fact that both were sent by the hands of Tychicus and so apparently at the same time — all this serves to confirm the view adopted. These are the only two views that are worthy of choosing between. The question cannot be regarded as settled, but the weight of proba- bility appears to me to be against the theory of a lost and unheard-of Epistle, and in favor of that which sees in the remarkable Epistle to the Ephesians a circular letter addressed to several churche*, among others to that at Laodicea, and here directed to be read also at Colosse. Ch. IV.] COLOSSIANS. 57 17 And say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which thou h:ist receivi-d in the Lord, Ihat thou tultil it. 18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Kemem- hcr my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. 17 the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. 18 The salutation of me Paul with mine own band. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. 17. And say to Archippus — probably one of the pastors of the church at Colosse. See Philem. 2. Various speculations as to the person and work of Archippus have been put forth, but notliing further is even probably established than what has been said, that he was a pastor at Colosse. It may be, as Bengel acutely remarks, that the exhortation to fidelity in his office is addressed to him through the church for the sake of solemnity, that the church should be witness to this appeal. It does not imply censure, as some have sup- posed. Take heed to the ministry. As we might say, " Look well to the work of a pastor and teacher." Which thou hast received in the L.ord — not only from the Lord, as a dut3' laid upon the recipient, but also 'in the Lord,' as the solemn sphere of its reception and exercise. It is to the Lord that he must look for helpful grace in the performance of his work. That thou fulfil it— that is, fully perform its every duty. 18. Compare 1 Cor. 16 : 21 ; 2 Thess. 3 : 17. The salutation by the hand of me Paul — probably written in large and well-known characters. See Gal. 6 : 11. It seems that he had employed an amanuensis for the rest, but adds this last with his own hand, both as a seal of authenticity and as a matter of affectionate interest, which they might well appreciate. Remember my bonds — that is, especially in jtrayer. See above, ver. 3, 4. A pathetic ap- peal, putting a personal emphasis on all he has written. Then follows the benediction, but in the shortest form. Grace be with you. God's favor in Christ be upon you. The amen is to be omitted.* HOMILETICAL SUGGESTIONS. Ver. 2: Three characteristics of prayer: Continuance, watchfulness, and thankfulness. Ver. 3: Preacher's need of the prayers of his people for enlarged opportunity — more people to preach to, and more power in preaching to them. Ver.' 4: Clear and fearless preaching always needed. Ver. 5 : 1. The outer circle — community, congregation, home. 2. Wise demeanor toward them — need, power, source of this wisdom. 3. Use of opportunities in the work— the phrase and its application. Ver. 6 : Three elements of prudent speech : agreeable, pointed, appropriate. Ver. 7 : Ty- chicus an example of those suggestive char- acters that are only slightly mentioned in the Scripture. See the notes. Ver. 8, 9 : The instructive mutual solicitude of Paul and the Colossians. Ver. 15 : Little known of these, but that little is much — a church in the house ! Ver. 17: The minister and his ministry: 1. The personal element — 'say to Archippus.' 2. The care needed— 'take heed.' 3. Sacred- ness of the trust — 'in the Lord.' 4. Magni- tude of the work — 'that thou fulfil it.' ^'Afxriv ('amen') is to be omitted on decisive au- I by all modern critics. It was evidently added by later thority : K A B C, etc. The postscript it rightly omitted I hands, and appears in the manuscripts in various forms. / Date Due >' -JK :>■ ^ BS2341.A512V5 Commentary on the episue lu p,,„,elonTheo,og.calSe.,nary-Spee;Ubrary^^ 1 1012 00056 0617