Text -- Colossians 1:1-7 (NET)

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 1:2 to the saints, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father!

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Church

1:3 We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1:4 since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints. 1:5 Your faith and love have arisen from the hope laid up for you in heaven, which you have heard about in the message of truth, the gospel 1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. 1:7 You learned the gospel from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave– a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf–

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Col 1:1

Of Christ Jesus ( Christou Iēsou ).

This order in the later epistles shows that Christos is now regarded as a proper name and not just a verbal adjective (Anointed One, Messiah). Paul describes himself because he is unknown to the Colossians, not because of attack as in Gal 1:1.

Robertson: Col 1:1

Timothy ( Timotheos ).

Mentioned as in I and II Thess. when in Corinth, II Cor. when in Macedonia, Phil. and Philemon when in Rome as here.

Robertson: Col 1:2

At Colossae ( en Kolossais ).

The spelling is uncertain, the MSS. differing in the title (Kolassaeis ) and here (Kolossais ). Colossae was a city of Phrygia on the Lycus, the tributaries of which brought a calcareous deposit of a peculiar kind that choked up the streams and made arches and fantastic grottoes. In spite of this there was much fertility in the valley with two other prosperous cities some ten or twelve miles away (Hierapolis and Laodicea). "The church at Colossae was the least important of any to which Paul’ s epistles were addressed"(Vincent). But he had no greater message for any church than he here gives concerning the Person of Christ. There is no more important message today for modern men.

Robertson: Col 1:3

God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ( tōi theōi patri tou kuriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou ).

Correct text without kai (and) as in Col 3:17, though usually "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"(2Co 1:3; 2Co 11:31; Rom 15:6; 1Pe 1:3; Rev 1:6). In Col 1:2 we have the only instance in the opening benediction of an epistle when the name of "Jesus Christ"is not joined with "God our Father."

Robertson: Col 1:3

Always ( pantote ).

Amphibolous position between eucharistoumen (we give thanks) and proseuchomenoi (praying). Can go with either.

Robertson: Col 1:4

Having heard of ( akousantes ).

Literary plural unless Timothy is included. Aorist active participle of akouō of antecedent action to eucharistoumen . Epaphras (Col 1:8) had told Paul.

Robertson: Col 1:4

Your faith in Jesus Christ ( tēn pistin humōn en Iēsou Christōi ).

See Eph 1:15 for similar phrase. No article is needed before en as it is a closely knit phrase and bears the same sense as the objective genitive in Gal 2:16 (dia pisteōs Christou Iēsou , by faith in Christ Jesus).

Robertson: Col 1:4

Which ye have ( hēn echete ).

Probably genuine (Aleph A C D), though B omits it and others have the article (tēn ). There is a real distinction here between en (sphere or basis) and eis (direction towards), though they are often identical in idea.

Robertson: Col 1:5

Because of the hope ( dia tēn elpida ).

See note on Rom 8:24. It is not clear whether this phrase is to be linked with eucha istoumen at the beginning of Col 1:3 or (more likely) with tēn agapēn just before. Note also here pistis (faith), agapē (love), elpis (hope), though not grouped together so sharply as in 1Co 13:13. Here hope is objective, the goal ahead.

Robertson: Col 1:5

Laid up ( apokeimeinēn ).

Literally, "laid away or by."Old word used in Luk 19:20 of the pound laid away in a napkin. See also apothēsaurizō , to store away for future use (1Ti 6:19). The same idea occurs in Mat 6:20 (treasure in heaven) and 1Pe 1:4 and it is involved in Phi 3:20.

Robertson: Col 1:5

Ye heard before ( proēkousate ).

First aorist indicative active of this old compound proakouō , though only here in the N.T. Before what? Before Paul wrote? Before the realization? Before the error of the Gnostics crept in? Each view is possible and has advocates. Lightfoot argues for the last and it is probably correct as is indicated by the next clause.

Robertson: Col 1:5

In the word of the truth of the gospel ( en tōi logōi tēs alētheias tou euaggeliou ).

"In the preaching of the truth of the gospel"(Gal 2:5, Gal 2:14) which is come (parontos , present active participle agreeing with euaggeliou , being present, a classical use of pareimi as in Act 12:20). They heard the pure gospel from Epaphras before the Gnostics came.

Robertson: Col 1:6

In all the world ( en panti tōi kosmōi ).

A legitimate hyperbole, for the gospel was spreading all over the Roman Empire.

Robertson: Col 1:6

Is bearing fruit ( estin karpophoroumenon ).

Periphrastic present middle indicative of the old compound karpophoreō , from karpophoros (Act 14:17) and that from karpos and pherō . The periphrastic present emphasizes the continuity of the process. See the active participle karpophorountes in Col 1:10.

Robertson: Col 1:6

Increasing ( auxanomenon ).

Periphrastic present middle of auxanō . Repeated in Col 1:10. The growing and the fruit-bearing go on simultaneously as always with Christians (inward growth and outward expression).

Robertson: Col 1:6

Ye heard and knew ( ēkousate kai epegnōte ).

Definite aorist indicative. They heard the gospel from Epaphras and at once recognized and accepted (ingressive second aorist active of epiginōskō , to know fully or in addition). They fully apprehended the grace of God and should be immune to the shallow vagaries of the Gnostics.

Robertson: Col 1:7

Of Epaphras ( apo Epaphrā ).

"From Epaphras"who is the source of their knowledge of Christ.

Robertson: Col 1:7

On our behalf ( huper hēmōn ).

Clearly correct (Aleph A B D) and not huper humōn (on your behalf). In a true sense Epaphras was Paul’ s messenger to Colossae.

Vincent: Col 1:2

Colossae

The form of the name appears to have been both Kolossai and Kolassai , the former being probably the earlier.

The city was in Phrygia, in the valley of the Lycus, about ten or twelve miles beyond Laodicaea and Hierapolis. The region is volcanic, and the earthquakes common to large portions of Asia Minor are here peculiarly severe. The tributaries of the Lycus carried calcareous matter which formed everywhere deposits of travertine, said to be among the most remarkable formations of this character in the world. " Ancient monuments are buried, fertile lands overlaid, river-beds choked up, and streams diverted, fantastic grottos and cascades and arches of stone formed by this strange, capricious power, at once destructive and creative, working silently and relentlessly through long ages. Fatal to vegetation, these incrustations spread like a stony shroud over the ground. Gleaming like glaciers on the hillside, they attract the eye of the traveler at a distance of twenty miles, and form a singularly striking feature in scenery of more than common beauty and impressiveness" (Lightfoot).

The fertility of the region was nevertheless great. The fine sheep, and the chemical qualities of the streams which made the waters valuable for dyeing purposes, fostered a lively trade in dyed woolen goods. All the three cities were renowned for the brilliancy of their dyes.

Colossae stood at the junction of the Lycus with two other streams, on a highway between eastern and western Asia, and commanding the approaches to a pass in the Cadmus mountains. Both Herodotus and Xenophon speak of it as a prosperous and great city; but in Paul's time its glory had waned. Its site was at last completely lost, and was not identified until the present century. Its ruins are insignificant. Paul never visited either of the three cities. The church at Colossae was the least important of any to which Paul's epistles were addressed.

Vincent: Col 1:2

To the saints

A mode of address which characterizes Paul's later epistles. The word is to be taken as a noun, and not construed as an adjective with faithful brethren: to the holy and faithful brethren .

Vincent: Col 1:2

And faithful brethren in Christ

Or believing brethren. Compare Eph 1:1. There is no singling out of the faithful brethren from among others who are less faithful.

Vincent: Col 1:2

Our Father

The only instance in which the name of the Father stands in the opening benediction of an epistle without the addition and Jesus Christ .

Vincent: Col 1:3

And the Father

Some of the best texts omit and . So Rev. The form with and is the more common. Compare Col 3:17.

Vincent: Col 1:3

Praying always for you

Rather connect always with we give thanks , and render we give thanks for you always , praying , or in our prayers . According to the Greek order, praying for you (as Rev. and A.V.), would make for you unduly emphatic.

Vincent: Col 1:5

For the hope ( διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα )

The A.V. connects with we give thanks (Col 1:3). But the two are too far apart, and Paul's introductory thanksgiving is habitually grounded on the spiritual condition of his readers, not on something objective. See Rom 1:8; 1Co 1:4; Eph 1:15. Better connect with what immediately precedes, love which ye have , and render as Rev., because of the hope , etc. Faith works by love, and the ground of their love is found in the hope set before them. Compare Rom 8:24. The motive is subordinate, but legitimate. " The hope laid up in heaven is not the deepest reason or motive for faith and love, but both are made more vivid when it is strong. It is not the light at which their lamps are lit, but it is the odorous oil which feeds their flame" (Maclaren). Hope . See on 1Pe 1:3. In the New Testament the word signifies both the sentiment of hope and the thing hoped for. Here the latter. Compare Tit 2:13; Gal 5:5; Heb 6:18; also Rom 8:24, where both meanings appear. Lightfoot observes that the sense oscillates between the subjective feeling and the objective realization. The combination of faith , hope , and love is a favorite one with Paul. See 1Th 1:3; 1Co 13:13; Rom 5:1-5; Rom 12:6-12.

Vincent: Col 1:5

Laid up ( ἀποκειμένην )

Lit., laid away , as the pound in the napkin, Luk 19:20. With the derivative sense of reserved or awaiting , as the crown , 2Ti 4:8. In Heb 9:27, it is rendered appointed (unto men to die), where, however, the sense is the same: death awaits men as something laid up . Rev., in margin, laid up for . Compare treasure in heaven , Mat 6:20; Mat 19:21; Luk 12:34. " Deposited, reserved, put by in store out of the reach of all enemies and sorrows" (Bishop Wilson).

Vincent: Col 1:5

Ye heard before ( προηκούσατε )

Only here in the New Testament, not in Septuagint, and not frequent in classical Greek. It is variously explained as denoting either an undefined period in the past, or as contrasting the earlier Christian teaching with the later heresies, or as related to Paul's letter (before I wrote), or as related to the fulfillment of the hope (ye have had the hope pre -announced). It occurs several times in Herodotus in this last sense, as ii. 5, of one who has heard of Egypt without seeing it: v., 86, of the Aeginetans who had learned beforehand what the Athenians intended. Compare viii. 79; vi. 16. Xenophon uses it of a horse, which signifies by pricking up its ears what it hears beforehand . In the sense of mere priority of time without the idea of anticipation, Plato: " Hear me once more, though you have heard me say the same before" (" Laws," vii., 797). I incline to the more general reference, ye heard in the past. The sense of hearing before the fulfillment of the hope would seem rather to require the perfect tense, since the hope still remained unfulfilled.

Vincent: Col 1:5

The word of the truth of the Gospel

The truth is the contents of the word , and the Gospel defines the character of the truth.

Vincent: Col 1:6

Which is come unto you ( τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς )

Lit., which is present unto you . Has come and is present. Compare Luk 11:7, " are with me into bed."

Vincent: Col 1:6

In all the world

Hyperbolical. Compare Rom 1:8; 1Th 1:8; Act 17:6. Possibly with a suggestion of the universal character of the Gospel as contrasted with the local and special character of false Gospels. Compare Col 1:23.

Vincent: Col 1:6

And bringeth forth fruit ( καὶ ἔστι καρποφορούμενον )

Lit., and is bearing fruit . The text varies. The best texts omit and . Some join ἔστι is with the previous clause, as it is in all the world , and take bearing fruit as a parallel participle. So Rev. Others, better, join is with the participle, " even as it is bearing fruit ." This would emphasize the continuous fruitfulness of the Gospel. The middle voice of the verb, of which this is the sole instance, marks the fruitfulness of the Gospel by its own inherent power . Compare the active voice in Col 1:10, and see Mar 4:28, " the earth bringeth forth fruit αὐτομάτη of herself , self-acting . For a similar use of the middle, see show , Eph 2:7; worketh , Gal 5:6.

Vincent: Col 1:6

Increasing ( αὐξανόμενην )

Not found in Tex. Rec., nor in A.V., but added in later and better texts, and in Rev. " Not like those plants which exhaust themselves in bearing fruit. The external growth keeps pace with the reproductive energy" (Lightfoot). " It makes wood as well" (Maclaren).

Vincent: Col 1:7

Fellow-servant

Used by Paul only here and Col 4:7.

Vincent: Col 1:7

Minister ( διάκονος )

See on Mat 20:26; see on Mar 9:35.

Vincent: Col 1:7

For you ( ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν )

Read ἡμῶν , us as Rev., on our behalf : as Paul's representative.

Wesley: Col 1:2

This word expresses their union with God.

Wesley: Col 1:2

This, their union with their fellow - Christians.

Wesley: Col 1:3

There is a near resemblance between this epistle, and those to the Ephesians and Philippians.

Wesley: Col 1:5

I wrote to you. In the word of truth, of the gospel - The true gospel preached to you.

Wesley: Col 1:6

That is, in every place where it is preached.

Wesley: Col 1:6

Truly experienced the gracious power of God.

Wesley: Col 1:7

Of Paul and Timotheus.

JFB: Col 1:1

Greek, "through," &c. (compare Note, see on 1Co 1:1).

JFB: Col 1:1

(Compare Notes, see on 2Co 1:1 and Phi 1:1). He was with Paul at the time of writing in Rome. He had been companion of Paul in his first tour through Phrygia, in which Colosse was. Hence the Colossians seem to have associated him with Paul in their affections, and the apostle joins him with himself in the address. Neither, probably, had seen the Colossian Church (compare Col 2:1); but had seen, during their tour through Phrygia, individual Colossians, as Epaphras, Philemon, Archippus, and Apphia (Phm 1:2), who when converted brought the Gospel to their native city.

JFB: Col 1:2

Written in the oldest manuscripts, "Colasse." As "saints" implies union with God, so "the faithful brethren" union with Christian men [BENGEL].

JFB: Col 1:2

Supported by some oldest manuscripts omitted by others of equal antiquity.

JFB: Col 1:3

Thanksgiving for the "faith, hope, and love" of the Colossians. So in the twin Epistle sent at the same time and by the same bearer, Tychicus (Eph 1:15-16).

JFB: Col 1:3

I and Timothy.

JFB: Col 1:3

So some of the oldest manuscripts read. But others better omit the "and," which probably crept in from Eph 1:3.

JFB: Col 1:3

With thanksgiving (Phi 4:6). See Col 1:4.

JFB: Col 1:4

Literally, "Having heard." The language implies that he had only heard of, and not seen, them (Col 2:1). Compare Rom 1:8, where like language is used of a Church which he had not at the time visited.

JFB: Col 1:4

The absent, as well as those present [BENGEL].

JFB: Col 1:5

To be joined with the words immediately preceding: "The love which ye have to all the saints because of (literally, 'on account of') the hope," &c. The hope of eternal life will never be in us an inactive principle but will always produce "love." This passage is abused by Romanists, as if the hope of salvation depended upon works. A false argument. It does not follow that our hope is founded on our works because we are strongly stimulated to live well; since nothing is more effectual for this purpose than the sense of God's free grace [CALVIN].

JFB: Col 1:5

A treasure laid up so as to be out of danger of being lost (2Ti 4:8). Faith, love, and hope (Col 1:4-5), comprise the sum of Christianity. Compare Col 1:23, "the hope of the Gospel."

JFB: Col 1:5

Greek, "in the heavens."

JFB: Col 1:5

Namely, at the time when it was preached to you.

JFB: Col 1:5

That "hope" formed part of "the word of the truth of the Gospel" (compare Eph 1:13), that is, part of the Gospel truth preached unto you.

JFB: Col 1:6

Greek, "Which is present among you," that is, which has come to, and remains with, you. He speaks of the word as a living person present among them.

JFB: Col 1:6

Virtually, as it was by this time preached in the leading parts of the then known world; potentially, as Christ's command was that the Gospel should be preached to all nations, and not be limited, as the law was, to the Jews (Mat 13:38; Mat 24:14; Mat 28:19). However, the true reading, and that of the oldest manuscripts, is that which omits the following "and," thus (the "it is" of English Version is not in the original Greek): "As in all the world it is bringing forth fruit and growing (so the oldest manuscripts read; English Version omits 'and growing,' without good authority), even as it doth in you also." Then what is asserted is not that the Gospel has been preached in all the world, but that it is bearing fruits of righteousness, and (like a tree growing at the same time that it is bearing fruit) growing in numbers of its converts in, or throughout, all the world.

JFB: Col 1:6

Rather, "heard it."

JFB: Col 1:6

Rather, "came to know"; became fully experimentally acquainted with.

JFB: Col 1:6

That is, in its truth, and with true knowledge [ALFORD].

JFB: Col 1:7

"Also" is omitted in the oldest manuscripts. The insertion implied that those inserting it thought that Paul had preached the Gospel to the Colossians as well as Epaphras, Whereas the omission in the oldest manuscripts implies that Epaphras alone was the founder of the Church at Colosse.

JFB: Col 1:7

"from Epaphras."

JFB: Col 1:7

Greek, "beloved."

JFB: Col 1:7

Namely, of Christ. In Phm 1:23 he calls him "my fellow prisoner." It is possible that Epaphras may have been apprehended for his zealous labors in Asia Minor; but more probable that Paul gave him the title; as his faithful companion in his imprisonment (compare Note, see on Col 4:10, as to MEYER'S conjecture).

JFB: Col 1:7

Translate, "who is faithful in your behalf as a minister of Christ"; hinting that he is one not to be set aside for the new and erroneous teachers (Col. 2:1-23). Most of the oldest manuscripts read, "for (or 'in behalf of') US." Vulgate, however, with one of the oldest manuscripts, supports English Version.

Clarke: Col 1:1

Paul, an apostle - by the will of God - As the word αποστολος, apostle, signifies one sent, an envoy or messenger, any person or persons may be the senders: but the word is particularly restrained to the messengers of the everlasting Gospel, sent immediately from God himself; and this is what St. Paul particularly remarks here when he calls himself an apostle by the will of God; signifying that he had derived his commission from an express volition or purpose of the Almighty

Clarke: Col 1:1

And Timotheus - Though Timothy is here joined in the salutation, yet he has never been understood as having any part in composing this epistle. He has been considered as the amanuensis or scribe of the apostle.

Clarke: Col 1:2

To the saints - Those who professed Christianity. See the note on Eph 1:1

Clarke: Col 1:2

Which are at Colosse - Instead of εν Κολοσσαις, at Colosse, or among the Colossians, ABC, and many other excellent MSS., with both the Syriac, Coptic, Slavonic, Origen, Gregory Nyssen, Amphilochus, Theodoret, Damascenus, Theophylact, and others, read εν Κολασσαις in Colassa, or among the Colassians; and this is most probably the true reading. That this city perished by an earthquake, a short time after the date of this epistle, we have the testimony of Eusebius. That which at present is supposed to occupy the site of this ancient city is called Konos. For other particulars see the preface to this epistle

Clarke: Col 1:2

Grace be unto you - See on Rom 1:7 (note)

Clarke: Col 1:2

And the Lord Jesus Christ - This clause is omitted by many MSS., several versions, and some of the fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text, not, in my opinion, on sufficient evidence.

Clarke: Col 1:3

We give thanks to God - Who is the author of all good; and from whom the grace, which has produced your conversion, has sprung by his mission of Christ Jesus. See the note on Eph 1:15, Eph 1:16 (note).

Clarke: Col 1:4

Since we heard of your faith - This is very similar to Eph 1:15. And it is certain that the apostle seems to have considered the Church at Ephesus, and that at Colassa to have been nearly in the same state, as the two epistles are very similar in their doctrine and phraseology.

Clarke: Col 1:6

Which is come unto you - The doctrine of the Gospel is represented as a traveler, whose object it is to visit the whole habitable earth; and, having commenced his journey in Judea, had proceeded through Syria and through different parts of Asia Minor, and had lately arrived at their city, every where proclaiming glad tidings of great joy to all people

Clarke: Col 1:6

As it is in all the world - So rapid is this traveler in his course, that he had already gone nearly through the whole of the countries under the Roman dominion; and will travel on till he has proclaimed his message to every people, and kindred, and nation, and tongue

In the beginning of the apostolic age, the word of the Lord had certainly free course, did run and was glorified. Since that time the population of the earth has increased greatly; and, to follow the metaphor, the traveler still continues in his great journey. It is, the glory of the present day that, by means of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Bibles are multiplied in all the languages of Europe; and by means of the Christian missionaries, Carey, Marshman, and Ward, whose zeal, constancy, and ability, have been rarely equalled, and perhaps never surpassed, the sacred writings have been, in the compass of a few years, translated into most of the written languages of India, in which they were not previously extant. In this labor they have been ably seconded by the Rev. Henry Martyn, one of the East India Company’ s chaplains, who was taken to his great reward just when he had completed a pure and accurate version of the New Testament into Persian. The Rev. R. Morrison, at Canton, has had the honor to present the whole of the New Testament, in Chinese, to the immense population of that greatest empire of the earth. May that dark people receive it, and walk in the light of the Lord! And, by means of the Wesleyan missionaries, the sacred writings have been printed and widely circulated in the Singhalese and Indo- Portuguese, through the whole of the island of Ceylon, and the pure word of the Gospel has been preached there, and also on the whole continent of India, to the conversion of multitudes. Let every reader pray that all these noble attempts may be crowned with unlimited success, till the earth is filled both with the knowledge and glory of the Lord. Talia secla currite ! Amen

Clarke: Col 1:6

And bringeth forth fruit - Wherever the pure Gospel of Christ is preached, it is the seed of the kingdom, and must be fruitful in all those who receive it by faith, in simplicity of heart

After καρποφορουμενον, bringeth forth fruit, ABCD*EFG, many others, both the Syriac, Erpen’ s Arabic, the Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, and Itala, together with many of the fathers, add και αυξανομενον, and increaseth. It had not only brought forth fruit, but was multiplying its own kind; every fruit containing seed, and every seed producing thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. This reading is very important, and is undoubtedly genuine

Clarke: Col 1:6

The grace of God in truth - Ye were fruitful, and went on increasing in the salvation of God, from the time that ye heard and acknowledged this doctrine to be of God, to spring from the grace or benevolence of God; and received it in truth, sincerely and uprightly, as his greatest gift to man.

Clarke: Col 1:7

As ye also learned of Epaphras - who is for you - Who this Epaphras was we cannot tell; only it is likely that he was a Colossian, and became, by the call and grace of Christ, a deacon of this Church, faithfully labouring with the apostle, to promote its best interests. Some think that he is the same with Epaphroditus, Epaphras being a contraction of that name, as Demas is of Demetrius; and it is remarkable that one of the Slavonic versions has Epaphroditus in this place. That he was a Colossian is evident from Col 4:12 : Epaphras, who is one of you, ὁ εξ ὑμων· some think that he was the first who preached the Gospel among this people, and hence called an apostle. He was raised up among themselves to be their minister in the absence of the apostle, and he showed himself to be worthy of this calling by a faithful discharge of his ministry, and by labouring fervently for them all, and pressing them forward, that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Calvin: Col 1:1

1.Paul an Apostle I have already, in repeated instances, explained the design of such inscriptions. As, however, the Colossians had never seen him, and on that account his authority was not as yet so firmly established among them as to make his private name ²⁷⁸ by itself sufficient, he premises that he is an Apostle of Christ set apart by the will of God. From this it followed, that he did not act rashly in writing to persons that were not known by him, inasmuch as he was discharging an embassy with which God had intrusted him. For he was not bound to one Church merely, but his Apostleship extended to all. The term saints which he applies to them is more honorable, but in calling them faithful brethren, he allures them more willingly to listen to him. As for other things, they may be found explained in the foregoing Epistles.

Calvin: Col 1:3

3.We give thanks to God He praises the faith and love of the Colossians, that it may encourage them the more to alacrity and constancy of perseverance. Farther, by shewing that he has a persuasion of this kind respecting them, he procures their friendly regards, that they may be the more favourably inclined and teachable for receiving his doctrine. We must always take notice that he makes use of thanksgiving in place of congratulation, by which he teaches us, that in all our joys we must readily call to remembrance the goodness of God, inasmuch as everything that is pleasant and agreeable to us is a kindness conferred by him. Besides, he admonishes us, by his example, to acknowledge with gratitude not merely those things which the Lord confers upon us, but also those things which he confers upon others.

But for what things does he give thanks to the Lord? For the faith and love of the Colossians. He acknowledges, therefore, that both are conferred by God: otherwise the gratitude were pretended. And what have we otherwise than through his liberality? If, however, even the smallest favors come to us from that source, how much more ought this same acknowledgment to be made in reference to those two gifts, in which the entire sum of our excellence consists?

To the God and Father ²⁷⁹ Understand the expression thus — To God who is the Father of Christ. For it is not lawful for us to acknowledge any other God than him who has manifested himself to us in his Son. And this is the only key for opening the door to us, if we are desirous to have access to the true God. For on this account, also, is he a Father to us, because he has embraced us in his only begotten Son, and in him also sets forth his paternal favor for our contemplation.

Always for you, Some explain it thus — We give thanks to God always for you, that is, continually. Others explain it to mean — Praying always for you. It may also be interpreted in this way, “Whenever we pray for you, we at the same time give thanks to God;” and this is the simple meaning, “We give thanks to God, and we at the same time pray.” By this he intimates, that the condition of believers is never in this world perfect, so as not to have, invariably, something wanting. For even the man who has begun admirably well, may fall short in a hundred instances every day; and we must ever be making progress while we are as yet on the way. Let us therefore bear in mind that we must rejoice in the favors that we have already received, and give thanks to God for them in such a manner, as to seek at the same time from him perseverance and advancement.

Calvin: Col 1:4

4.. Having heard of your faith This was a means of stirring up his love towards them, and his concern for their welfare, when he heard it that they were distinguished by faith and love. And, unquestionably, gifts of God that are so excellent ought to have such an effect upon us as to stir us up to love them wherever they appear. He uses the expression, faith in Christ, that we may always bear in mind that Christ is the proper object of faith.

He employs the expression, love towards the saints, not with the view of excluding others, but because, in proportion as any one is joined to us in God, we ought to embrace him the more closely with special affection. True love, therefore, will extend to mankind universally, because they all are our flesh, and created in the image of God, (Gen 9:6;) but in respect of degrees, it will begin with those who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:10.)

Calvin: Col 1:5

5.For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven For the hope of eternal life will never be inactive in us, so as not to produce love in us. For it is of necessity, that the man who is fully persuaded that a treasure of life is laid up for him in heaven will aspire thither, looking down upon this world. Meditation, however, upon the heavenly life stirs up our affections both to the worship of God, and to exercises of love. The Sophists pervert this passage for the purpose of extolling the merits of works, as if the hope of salvation depended on works. The reasoning, however, is futile. For it does not follow, that because hope stimulates us to aim at upright living, it is therefore founded upon works, inasmuch as nothing is more efficacious for this purpose than God’s unmerited goodness, which utterly overthrows all confidence in works.

There is, however, an instance of metonymy in the use of the term hope, as it is taken for the thing hoped for. For the hope that is in our hearts is the glory which we hope for in heaven. At the same time, when he says, that there is a hope that is laid up for us in heaven, he means, that believers ought to feel assured as to the promise of eternal felicity, equally as though they had already a treasure laid up ²⁸⁰ in a particular place.

Of which ye heard before As eternal salvation is a thing that surpasses the comprehension of our understanding, he therefore adds, that the assurance of it had been brought to the Colossians by means of the gospel; and at the same time he says in the outset, ²⁸¹ that he is not to bring forward anything new, but that he has merely in view to confirm them in the doctrine which they had previously received. Erasmus has rendered — it the true word of the gospel. I am also well aware that, according to the Hebrew idiom, the genitive is often made use of by Paul in place of an epithet; but the words of Paul here are more emphatic. ²⁸² For he calls the gospel, καψ ἐξοχήν, ( by way of eminence,) the word of truth, with the view of putting honor upon it, that they may more steadfastly and firmly adhere to the revelation which they have derived from that source. Thus the term gospel is introduced by way of apposition ²⁸³

Calvin: Col 1:6

6.As also in all the world it brings forth fruit This has a tendency both to confirm and to comfort the pious — to see the effect of the gospel far and wide in gathering many to Christ. The faith of it does not, it is true, depend on its success, as though we should believe it on the ground that many believe it. Though the whole world should fail, though heaven itself should fall, the conscience of a pious man must not waver, because God, on whom it is founded, does nevertheless remain true. This, however, does not hinder our faith from being confirmed, whenever it perceives God’s excellence, which undoubtedly shews itself with more power in proportion to the number of persons that are gained over to Christ.

In addition to this, in the multitude of the believers at that time there was beheld an accomplishment of the many predictions which extend the reign of Christ from the East to the West. Is it a trivial or common aid to faith, to see accomplished before our eyes what the Prophets long since predicted as to the extending of the kingdom of Christ through all countries of the world? What I speak of, there is no believer that does not experience in himself. Paul accordingly had it in view to encourage the Colossians the more by this statement, that, by seeing in various places the fruit and progress of the gospel, they might embrace it with more eager zeal. Αὐξανόμενον, which I have rendered propagatur , ( is propagated,) does not occur in some copies; but, from its suiting better with the context, I did not choose to omit it. It also appears front the commentaries of the ancients that this reading was always the more generally received. ²⁸⁴

Since the day ye heard it, and knew the grace Here he praises them on account of their docility, inasmuch as they immediately embraced sound doctrine; and he praises them on account of their constancy, inasmuch as they persevered in it. It is also with propriety that the faith of the gospel is called the knowledge of God’s grace; for no one has ever tasted of the gospel but the man that knew himself to be reconciled to God, and took hold of the salvation that is held forth in Christ.

In truth means truly and without pretense; for as he had previously declared that the gospel is undoubted truth, so he now adds, that it had been purely administered by them, and that by Epaphras. For while all boast that they preach the gospel, and yet at the same time there are many evil workers, (Phi 3:2,) through whose ignorance, or ambition, or avarice, its purity is adulterated, it is of great importance that faithful ministers should be distinguished from the less upright. For it is not enough to hold the term gospel, unless we know that this is the true gospel — what was preached by Paul and Epaphras. Hence Paul confirms the doctrine of Epaphras by giving it his approbation, that he may induce the Colossians to adhere to it, and may, by the same means, call them back from those profligates who endeavored to introduce strange doctrines. He at the same time dignifies Epaphras with a special distinction, that he may have more authority among them; and lastly, he presents him to the Colossians in an amiable aspect, by saying that he had borne testimony to him of their love. Paul everywhere makes it his particular aim, that he may, by his recommendation, render those who he knows serve Christ faithfully, very dear to the Churches; as, on the other hand, the ministers of Satan are wholly intent on alienating, by unfavourable representations, ²⁸⁵ the minds of the simple from faithful pastors.

Defender: Col 1:2

Colosse was a small city of Asia Minor not too far from Laodicea (Col 4:16). Paul had never visited there and so addressed them a little more formally than he did the church at Ephesus, even though the doctrinal content of the two epistles is often similar. He apparently wrote while he was in prison at Rome (Col 4:18) and sent the letter to them by Tychicus (Col 4:7), by whom he also sent the Ephesian letter, presumably at the same time (Eph 6:21, Eph 6:22), as well as the letter to Philemon."

Defender: Col 1:5

Note the mention of faith, love and hope (Col 1:4). These three words are also in 1Co 13:13; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 5:8; Rom 5:1-5; Gal 5:5, Gal 5:6; Eph 4:2-5; Heb 6:10-12; Heb 10:22-24; 1Pe 1:3-8, 1Pe 1:21-22.

Defender: Col 1:5

The "word of the truth of the gospel" thus includes the promise of heaven, as well as the death and resurrection of Christ (1Co 15:14). It also includes recognition of the Creator and His great creation (Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7)."

Defender: Col 1:6

Christ had commissioned His followers to go "into all the world" with the gospel (Mar 16:15), and wherever they went, it bore (and still bears) spiritual fruit."

Defender: Col 1:7

Epaphras evidently had been the man who first preached the gospel and established the church at Colosse. At the time of writing, he was with Paul (Col 4:12), having brought word to him of the state of the Colossian church with its need for doctrinal guidance. He is also mentioned in Phm 1:23, where it is indicated that Epaphras may also have been imprisoned with Paul for a time."

TSK: Col 1:1

an : Rom 1:1; 1Co 1:1; 2Co 1:1; Eph 1:1

Timotheus : Phi 1:1; 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1; Phm 1:1

TSK: Col 1:2

the saints : Psa 16:3; 1Co 1:2; Gal 3:9; Eph 1:1

faithful : 1Co 4:17; Eph 6:21

Grace : Rom 1:7; Gal 1:3; 1Pe 1:2; 2Pe 1:2; Jud 1:2; Rev 1:4

TSK: Col 1:3

give : Rom 1:8, Rom 1:9; 1Co 1:4; Eph 1:15; Phi 1:3-5, Phi 4:6; 1Th 1:2

praying : Col 1:9, Col 1:13; Eph 3:14-19; Phi 1:9-11; 1Th 3:10-13; 2Th 2:16, 2Th 2:17; 2Ti 1:3

TSK: Col 1:4

we : Col 1:9; 2Co 7:7; Eph 1:15; 1Th 3:6; 3Jo 1:3, 3Jo 1:4

faith : Gal 5:6; 1Th 1:3, 1Th 4:9, 1Th 4:10; 2Th 1:3; Phm 1:5; 1Pe 1:21-23; 1Jo 3:14, 1Jo 3:23; 1Jo 4:16

the love : Heb 6:10

TSK: Col 1:5

the hope : Col 1:23, Col 1:27; Act 23:6, Act 24:15, Act 26:6, Act 26:7; 1Co 13:13, 1Co 15:19; Gal 5:5; Eph 1:18, Eph 1:19; 2Th 2:16; Heb 7:19; 1Pe 3:15; 1Jo 3:3

laid : Psa 31:19; Mat 6:19, Mat 6:20; Luk 12:33; 2Ti 4:8; 1Pe 1:3, 1Pe 1:4

the word : Col 3:16; Act 10:36, Act 13:26; Rom 10:8; 2Co 5:19, 2Co 6:7; Eph 1:13; 1Th 2:13; 1Ti 1:15; 1Pe 2:2

TSK: Col 1:6

is come : Col 1:23; Psa 98:3; Mat 24:14, Mat 28:19; Mar 16:15; Rom 10:18, Rom 15:19, Rom 16:26; 2Co 10:14

bringeth : Col 1:10; Mar 4:8, Mar 4:26-29; Joh 15:16; Act 12:24; Rom 1:13, Rom 15:28; Eph 5:9; Phi 1:11, Phi 4:17

since : Rom 10:17

knew : Psa 110:3; Act 11:18, Act 16:14, Act 26:18; 1Co 15:10,1Co 15:11; 2Co 6:1; Eph 3:2; Eph 4:23; 1Th 1:5, 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:13; Tit 2:11, Tit 2:12; 1Pe 1:2, 1Pe 1:3, 1Pe 5:12

in truth : Joh 4:23

TSK: Col 1:7

Epaphras : Col 4:12; Phm 1:23

our : Phi 2:19-22, Phi 2:25

a : Num 12:7; Mat 24:45, Mat 25:21; 1Co 4:2, 1Co 4:17, 1Co 7:25; 2Co 11:23; Eph 5:21; 1Ti 4:6; 2Ti 2:2; Heb 2:17, Heb 3:2

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Col 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ - See the notes. at Rom 1:1

By the will of God - Notes, 1Co 1:1.

And Timotheus our brother - On the question as to why Paul associated others with him in his epistles, see the notes at 1Co 1:1. There was a particular reason why Timothy should be associated with him in writing this Epistle. He was a native of the region where the church was situated Act 16:1-3, and had been with Paul when be preached there, and was doubtless well known to the church there; Act 16:6. It is evident, however, from the manner in which Paul mentions him here, that he did not regard him as "an apostle,"and did not wish the church at Colosse to consider him as such. It is not "Paul and Timothy, apostles of Jesus Christ,"but "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother."Paul is careful never to apply the term "apostle"to Timothy; Phi 1:1. "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ;"compare 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1. If he had regarded Timothy as an apostle, or as having apostolic authority, it is not easy to conceive why he should not have referred to him as such in these letters to the churches. Could he have failed to see that the manner in which he referred to him was adapted to produce a very important difference in file estimate in which he and Timothy would be held by the Colossians?

Barnes: Col 1:2

Grace be unto you - See the notes at Rom 1:7.

Barnes: Col 1:3

We give thanks to God - See the notes at the parallel place in Eph 1:15-16.

Praying always for you - See the Rom 1:9, note; Eph 1:16, note; compare 1Th 1:2.

Barnes: Col 1:4

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus - To wit, by Epaphras, who had informed Paul of the steadfastness of their faith and love; Col 1:7-8. This does not prove that Paul had never been at Colossae, or that he did not establish the church there, for he uses a similar expression respecting the church at Ephesus Eph 1:15, of which he was undoubtedly the founder. The meaning is, that he had heard of their faith at that time, or of their perseverance in faith and love.

Which ye have to all the saints - In what way they had manifested this is not known. It would seem that Paul had been informed that this was a character of their piety, that they had remarkable love for all who bore the Christian name. Nothing could be more acceptable information respecting them to one who himself so ardently loved the church; and nothing could have furnished better evidence that they were influenced by the true spirit of religion; compare 1Jo 3:14.

Barnes: Col 1:5

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven - That is, "I give thanks that there is such a hope laid up for you."The evidence which he had that this hope was theirs, was founded on the faith and love to the saints which he heard they had evinced. He fully believed that where there was such faith and love, there was a well-founded hope of heaven. The word "hope"here is used, as it often is, for the thing hoped for. The object of hope - to wit, eternal happiness, was reserved for them in heaven.

Whereof ye heard before - When the gospel was first preached to you. You were told of the blessed rewards of a life of faith, in heaven.

In the word of the truth of the gospel - In the true word of the gospel.

Barnes: Col 1:6

Which is come unto you - It has not been confined to the Jews, or limited to the narrow country where it was first preached, but has been sent abroad to the Gentile world. The object of the apostle here seems to be, to excite in them a sense of gratitude that the gospel had been sent to them. It was owing entirely to the goodness of God in sending them the gospel, that they had this hope of eternal life.

As it is in all the world - It is confined to no place or people, but is designed to be a universal religion. It offers the same blessedness in heaven to all; compare the notes at Col 1:23.

And bringing forth fruit - The fruits of righteousness or good living; see the notes at 2Co 9:10. The meaning is, that the gospel was not without effect wherever it was preached. The same results were observable everywhere else as in Colossae, that it produced most salutary influences on the hearts and lives of those who received it. On the nature of the "fruits"of religion, see the notes at Gal 5:22-23.

Since the day ye heard of it - It has constantly been producing these fruits since you first heard it preached.

And knew the grace of God in truth - Since the time ye knew the true grace of God; since you became acquainted with the real benevolence which God has manifested in the gospel. The meaning is, that ever since they had heard the gospel it had been producing among them abundantly its appropriate fruit, and that the same thing had also characterized it wherever it had been dispensed.

Barnes: Col 1:7

As ye also learned of Epaphras - Epaphras was then with Paul. Phm 1:23. He had probably been sent to him by the church at Colossae to consult him in reference to some matters pertaining to the church there. It is evident from this, that Epaphras was a minister of the church at Colossae, though there is no evidence, as has been often supposed, that he was the founder of the church. The apostle here says, that they had learned from Epaphras the true nature of the gospel, and he designs undoubtedly to confirm what he had taught them in opposition to the teachings of errorists; see the Introduction, Section 4. He had doubtless conferred with Epaphras respecting the doctrines which he had taught there.

Our dear fellow-servant - This shows that Paul had contracted a strong friendship for Epaphras. There is no reason to believe that he had known him before, but his acquaintance with him now had served to attach him strongly to him. It is possible, as has been conjectured (see the Introduction), that there was a party in the church at Colossae opposed to Epaphras and to the doctrines which he preached, and if this were so, Paul’ s strong expression of attachment for him would do much to silence the opposition.

Who is for you a faithful minister of Christ - "For you,"when he is with you, and in managing your interests here.

Poole: Col 1:2

To the saints: See Poole on "Phi 1:1".

And faithful brethren in Christ: See Poole on "Phi 4:21".

Which are at Colosse: see the Argument: ( See Poole on "Col 1:1" .)

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: See Poole on "Eph 1:2", and See Poole on "Phi 1:2" .

Poole: Col 1:3

We give thanks to God: See Poole on "Phi 1:3". He doth here take in Timothy and others, in acknowledging of God’ s grace to them, which might express his great good-will to them.

And the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ describing God, to whom they render thanks both absolutely and relatively, as the Father of Jesus Christ, according to both natures: See Poole on "2Co 1:3" , and See Poole on "Eph 1:3" .

Praying always for you always when they did address themselves to God by prayer making mention of them, as he also wrote to the Philippians: See Poole on "Phi 1:3,4" .

Poole: Col 1:4

He instanceth in principal graces, as the matter of his thanksgiving, beginning with faith described and differenced from the special object of it, Christ Jesus implying not a bare knowledge or assent, but a trust in him alone for salvation; so Rom 1:8 . Understanding this saving grace with the consequent was wrought in them, as he heard it was in the Ephesians, and Philemon, it, was a cogent motive to engage them in solemn thankfulness to God: see on Eph 1:15 , compared with Phm 1:5 . He joins love or charity, to all the saints with faith to our Saviour, because they are in effect inseparable, there being no real embracing of Christ without loving of him, and all his members for his sake, Gal 5:6 2Ti 1:13 : not as if believers were not to show love or charity to others, who are of the same nature, and so bear the image of God, for this Christ requires of them, Mat 5:44,45 ; but by how much the nearer any are brought to God by sanctification, by so much the more a special love is to be showed to them, as fellow citizens, of the household of God, and the hosehold of faith, Rom 15:26 , with Gal 6:10 Eph 2:19 .

Poole: Col 1:5

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven: hope here, in this description of it, seems chiefly by a metonymy to be put for the glorious eternal salvation hoped for, Rom 8:24 Eph 1:18 which may also include that lively grace whereby we lay hold of eternal life contained in the promise, Tit 1:2 . This indeed is set before believers here to encourage them to fly unto Christ for refuge, Heb 6:18 , and reserved in heaven for them, 1Pe 1:4 ; which may well quicken in Christian love all the members of Christ in every condition; yet not with a mercenary of affection, 2Co 5:14 , as if any by offices of Christian love to brethren could merit what is laid up for those who exercise faith, love, and hope, but that God of his mere grace and undeserved love is pleased to reward such as diligently seek him, and thereby gives an exact evidence of his admirable liberality, Heb 11:6 , which will abundantly weigh down those light afflictions they sustain here, 2Co 4:17 .

Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel hereupon he puts them in mind of the means whereby they attained to this good hope when they first embraced the gospel, viz. by hearing, Rom 10:14 , the word of truth, eminently, 2Co 6:7 Eph 1:13 ; not only because it is the word of Jesus Christ, who is the truth and the life, Joh 14:6 , but because the gospel (which is here put appositively) is the most excellent of all truths, surpassing all in philosophy, and the law, Joh 1:17 .

Poole: Col 1:6

Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world and passing the narrow bounds of Judea, unto all or most of the regions of the world, Col 1:23 Mat 24:14 Act 2:5 Rom 1:8 10:18 . So admirable was the progress of it east, west, north, and south, well nigh over the world as it was then known to the Greeks and Romans; whereupon the apostle might well write, Christ was

believed on in the world 1Ti 3:16 : as Christ had said he was the light of the world, and, by a figure of part for the whole, would upon his death draw all men to him, Joh 12:32,46 . Yet let not the Rhemists, or any other Romanist, think that the promulgation of the mysteries of the gospel then is any proof of the verity of the Romish religion in these latter ages, when by tyranny they impose for doctrines the traditions of men: they do not bring forth that genuine fruit which the Colossians did.

And bringeth forth fruit viz. becoming the gospel, (as the Philipplans did, Phi 1:27 ), and true repentance, Mat 3:8 13:23 Joh 15:16 ; and real holiness, abiding in the hearts and lives of men, and effectually working in them that believe it, Isa 55:10 Act 5:14 Act 6:7 12:24,16,17,20 1Th 2:13 ; which the practical religion of the papists generally bears no proportion to, being contrary to that.

As it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it which from the first receiving of the gospel, was found growing amongst the true converts at Colosse, though it should seem false teachers crept in to choke the good fruit with their tares.

And knew the grace of God in truth however, they who had real experience of the grace of God and the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, Psa 3:8 , did hold, bringing forth fruit in old age, Psa 92:14 .

Poole: Col 1:7

As ye also learned of Epaphras: to maintain the truth, it did much concern them to have a good opinion of him, who was an eminent instrument in communicating it to them, and therefore Paul doth here very opportunely commend Epaphras, in opposition to those false teachers, who likely might insinuate somewhat to his disparagement.

Our dear fellow servant the respect they bare, and relation he stood in to them, being dearly beloved of him for his sincerity in promulgating the gospel; and being engaged with them in the service of the same Master, Col 4:7 Rev 6:11 .

Who is for you a faithful minister of Christ his office, which he discharged with fidelity and affection unto them. He did with all honesty and integrity, as became one intrusted by his Master Christ, discharge what was incumbent on him for their good, Col 4:13 Joh 12:26 1Co 4:1,2 Eph 4:12 1Ti 4:6 Heb 13:17 .

Haydock: Col 1:6

In the whole world; i.e. a great part of it. (Witham) ---

This epistle was written in the year 62, at which time the gospel had spread itself through the whole world by the preaching not only of the apostles, but of their disciples, and by the noise which this new religion made. (Calmet) ---

St. Augustine sheweth with St. Paul, that the Church and Christ's gospel was to grow daily, and to spread all over the world; which cannot stand with what heretics allude of the failure of the Church, nor with their own obscure conventicles. (ep. lxxx. ad finem.)

Haydock: Col 1:7

Of Epaphras, who seems to have been their first apostle, and their bishop. (Witham)

Gill: Col 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,.... The apostle puts his name to this epistle, by which he was known in the Gentile world, as he usually does in all his epistles; and styles himself "an apostle", as he was, having seen Christ in person, and received his commission, doctrine, and qualifications immediately from him, with a power of doing miracles to confirm the truth of his mission. This he chose to make mention of, partly because the false teachers everywhere insinuated that he was not an apostle; and partly to give the greater sanction and authority, and command the greater regard and credit to what he should say; as well as to excuse his freedom in writing to them whom he had never seen, since he was an apostle of the Gentiles, and so to them; see Rom 11:13; he calls himself an apostle "of Jesus Christ"; not of men, he was not sent out by men, but by Christ, who appeared to him, made him a minister of his, gave him his Gospel by revelation, abundantly qualified him for the work, sent him forth unto the Gentiles, in whose name he went as an ambassador and messenger of his, and whom he preached, and by whom he was greatly succeeded, to the conversion of many souls, who were seals of his apostleship in every place, 1Co 9:2, into which office he came

by the will of God; not by the will of men, for he derived no authority and power, nor received any doctrine from men; nor by his own will, of his own head, by any usurpation of his; he did not take this office upon him of himself, but was invested with it, according to the secret will and purpose of God, from everlasting, who had ordained and appointed him to this service, and according to his will of command made known to him in time, when he told him what he should do, and openly separated, and sent him forth to do the work he had called him to; and which arose not from any merits or worthiness of the apostle, but from the sovereign good will and pleasure, free grace and favour, of God, to which the apostle continually ascribes it in all his epistles:

and Timotheus our brother; who joined with the apostle in this epistle, and whom he calls a "brother"; partly because of the Christian relation he stood in to him, and them, they being all brethren, children of the same Father, partakers of the same grace of regeneration, belonging to the same family, and so should own and love one another as brethren; and partly and chiefly because of his being a brother, companion, fellow soldier, and a fellow labourer in the Gospel. He mentions him, either because he was known unto them, or that he might be so; and to show the agreement there was between them in the doctrine of Christ, which might have the greater weight with them to abide in it.

Gill: Col 1:2

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ,.... This is the inscription of the epistle, in which the persons wrote unto are described as "saints", or holy men; not by birth, for all are unholy and unclean by nature; nor by baptism, for that neither takes away sin, nor gives grace; nor merely externally, by an outward reformation; but by separation, being by an act of eternal election set apart for God, for holiness, and happiness; and by imputation, Christ being made sanctification to them; and by the sanctifying grace of the Spirit of God in regeneration, being called with an holy calling, and having principles of grace and holiness wrought in them, and they formed as new men in righteousness and true holiness: and as "brethren"; being born of God, having him for their Father, and being of his household, and a part of the family in heaven and earth named of Christ, and heirs together of the grace of life, and of the heavenly glory: and as "faithful" ones; true and sincere believers in Christ, constant and persevering in the faith of him; faithful to the Gospel, and their profession of it, and to Christ, whose name they bore, and to one another, to whom they stood in the relation of brethren: and all this "in Christ"; and by, and through him; they were saints in him; they were chosen in him, and sanctified in him their head, and received all their holiness from him; they were brethren in him the firstborn of them; his God being their God, and his Father their Father; and had their faith and faithfulness from him, as well as it was exercised towards, and on him: and they are further described by the place of their abode,

which are at Colosse: a city of Phrygia:

grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the salutation, and which stands in this form in most of Paul's epistles; See Gill on Rom 1:7. The Syriac version puts "peace" before "grace", and leaves out the last clause, "and the Lord Jesus Christ"; as does also the Ethiopic version.

Gill: Col 1:3

We give thanks to God,.... Meaning himself and Timothy. This is the beginning of the epistle, which is introduced with a thanksgiving to God; to whom praise and thankfulness are always due as a Creator and preserver, as the author of all good things, as the Father of mercies, temporal and spiritual, and as the covenant God and Father of his people through Christ: wherefore it follows,

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the sense of which either is, that God the Father, who is the object of praise and thanksgiving, is both the God of Christ, and the Father of Christ, the God of Christ, as Christ is man, and the Father of Christ, as Christ is God; or the latter is exegetical of the former, and may be rendered thus, "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ": and very properly are thanks given to him under this character, because it is as he is the Father of Christ that he blesses his people with all spiritual blessings; and because he is their God, as well as his God; and their Father, as well as his Father, though in a different sense, his by nature, theirs by adoption. Moreover, as all their blessings come from God, as the Father of Christ, and through Christ, and for his sake, so it is very proper that thanks should be returned unto him under that character; and through Christ, by whom alone such sacrifices of praise are acceptable to God: it is added,

praying always for you; which, as it is expressive of the constant discharge of the duty of prayer, and the continual remembrance of these saints in it, and shows the affection the apostle had for them; so it points out the time when, and the way and manner in which Paul and Timothy gave thanks to God on account of them; it was when they were at the throne of grace, and in their frequent prayers to God; thankfulness for mercies received, both by ourselves and others, being a branch of the duty of prayer.

Gill: Col 1:4

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,.... This expresses the matter of their thankfulness, or what it was they gave thanks to God for, their faith in Christ; by which is not only meant their hearty assent to the whole doctrine of faith, concerning the person, offices, and grace of Christ, their soundness and steadfastness in it, and their sincere and constant profession of it; but the grace of faith in them, the operation of the Spirit of God in their souls, which had not Moses, nor any mere man, but Christ for its object; by which they looked unto him as a Saviour, went unto him as such, ventured on him, committed themselves unto him, leaned and relied upon him; that grace which comes from him, has him for its author and finisher, and returns unto him, and lives on him. This Paul and Timothy had heard of by their minister Epaphras; and it shows that they made no secret of it, did not keep it to themselves, but declared, confessed, and published it to others, as is the duty of all believers to do; and thanks being given for it to God, makes it a clear point that it was not of themselves, but was the gift of God, otherwise there would have been no need of thankfulness for it; as also, that it is a very eminent grace, and of great use and service to such who are possessed of it,

And of love which ye have to all the saints; this is another thing for which thanks are given to God. The object of this grace are "saints"; all men indeed are to be loved, and even our very enemies; and good is to be done to all, but especially to holy and good men, to the household of faith; and these are "all" to be loved and respected; nor is any respect or difference of persons to be made on account of country, or natural relation, as Jews or Gentiles, or of outward state and condition, as rich or poor, bond or free, or of greater or lesser gifts and grace, weak or strong believers, or of different sentiments in the lesser matters of religion. It denotes both the grace of love itself, which is a fruit of the Spirit implanted in regeneration, and is an evidence of the new birth, and always is where true faith in Christ is, for faith works by it; and also the effects of it, which lies not in bare words, in expressions of spiritual affection and friendship, but in deeds, by serving one another in love, by relieving in necessity, sympathizing in distress, praying with and for one another, and the like; all which these saints were famous for.

Gill: Col 1:5

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,.... These words may be considered either in connection with the foregoing, and express the reason or motive which encouraged these saints to believe in Christ, and to go on believing in him, and hold fast the profession of their faith in him, and to love the saints, and show it upon all occasions, and in every case; because of the rich treasure of glory and happiness in reserve for them in heaven, which they were hoping and waiting for; this encouraged their faith in Christ, and enlarged their love and beneficence to the saints: or else with the thanksgiving of the apostle, and so contains fresh matter of it, that as thanks were given for faith and love, so for "hope"; by which is meant, not the grace of hope, for that is not in heaven, though it enters within the vail, and is conversant with heavenly things, but is in the heart; and though it supposes it, and which these persons had; they were not without it; they had a good hope through grace of eternal glory, for faith, hope, and love, always go together: nor Christ the foundation of hope; there are many things in him, which are a ground of hope of happiness, as his sufferings, and death, and redemption thereby; his resurrection from the dead, his intercessions and preparations; the promise of life in him, and the thing itself being in his gift; his righteousness and grace, which, give a title to it, and meetness for it; and he is also in heaven, but then he cannot be said to be laid up there: but the thing hoped for, everlasting happiness, is intended; see Tit 2:13 Gal 5:5; which is so called, because it is the object of hope; is not yet possessed; is future; is not seen; is difficult, and yet possible to be enjoyed: this is said to be "laid up"; which denotes the preciousness and valuableness of it, it is a treasure, an inheritance, a kingdom, and riches of glory; and the secrecy and hiddenness of it, it consists of things invisible to the bodily eye, and which are out of the reach of carnal sense and reason, of which faith only has some small glimpse; and also the safety of it, it is hid in Christ, it is reserved "in heaven", and cannot be come at, and spoiled by men or devils; and likewise the free grace and goodness of God in laying up and providing things of such a nature for his children and friends: the place where it is, in heaven, where moth and rust corrupt not, and thieves cannot break through and steal; and so is safe, and must be of an heavenly nature, as it is for heavenly persons: "for you"; the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, for those who were chosen in Christ, for whom it was prepared from the foundation of the world; for this is not laid up for any, for everyone, but for the chosen of God, and precious; whom God has distinguished by his grace, Christ has redeemed by his blood, and the Spirit regenerates and sanctifies, and who have faith, hope, and love, given unto them; and this was not only laid up for them, but they knew of it, they were made acquainted with it:

whereof ye heard before; before the writing of this epistle, under the ministry of their faithful teacher Epaphras:

in the word of the truth of the Gospel; or in the true word of the Gospel; which comes from the God of truth, is indited by the Spirit of truth, is concerning Christ the truth, and which contains nothing but truth, and lies in the Scriptures of truth: or "in the word of truth", even the Gospel; which explains what word of truth is meant. The law is the word of truth; and many of the words of men, of the philosophers, were words of truth; but it was not in either of them they had heard of eternal life laid up in heaven; of which there were hopes to be entertained by sinful creatures, enjoying it through Christ: this is what only the Gospel brings an account of; life and immortality are only brought to light by the Gospel; which not only speaks of it, but lays that before men, which give them ground and encouragement to hope for it.

Gill: Col 1:6

Which is come unto you,.... That is, the Gospel, which came to them from God, from heaven, from Christ, out of Jerusalem, from whence the word of the Lord was to come, by the ministers of the Gospel, who being sent, came to Colosse, and there preached it; and so the Syriac version renders the words הי דאתכרזת, "which is preached unto you". And a wonderful instance of the free grace of God this was; they did not seek, inquire for, and go after the Gospel, but it came to them; and so Christ was found of them by it, who sought him not, and made manifest in his person, grace, and righteousness to them that asked not after him: for this Gospel came not to them in, word only, but with the power of the Holy Spirit: it was come, εις υμας, "into you", as the phrase may be rendered, into their very hearts, and wrought effectually there, enlightening, convincing, comforting, and instructing them; where it had a place, and remained; for the words may be read, as they are by the Arabic version, "which is present with you". The Gospel is always in one place or another, and will be to the end of the world; but it is not always in the same place; but as yet it was not removed from Colosse; it was still with them in the external ministry of it, and it remained in their hearts in the powerful and comfortable experience of it:

as it is in all the world; as it was come into, and preached to all the world, and was made useful, and continued in all the world at that time. Christ gave his disciples a commission to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; it was no more to be restrained to a particular nation, but was made general and common to all the nations of the world, and accordingly they preached it to all; and by this time had delivered the joyful message to the greater part of the world, which is sometimes meant by all the world, and the whole world; or it had been now preached in all the known and habitable parts of the world by one apostle and another, some being sent into one part, and some into another; so that the grace of God appeared to all men, and the doctrine of it had been preached to every creature under the heaven, according to Christ's commission; the Gospel of the kingdom was to be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations, before the end of the Jewish state came, or before the destruction of Jerusalem, which was not many years after the writing of this epistle. Now this shows, that it was the same Gospel which had been preached at Colosse by their faithful minister there, as had been preached in other areas, and in all parts of the world by the apostles; which is said in the commendation of the Gospel, it being one, uniform, consistent, and all of a piece in every place, and as preached by every faithful minister, and might serve greatly to confirm the Colossians in their faith of it:

and bringeth forth fruit: by which is meant, either the conversion of sinners, the fruit of the Gospel ministry, when attended with a divine blessing and power; or the graces of the Spirit, as faith, hope, love, repentance, humility, self-denial, &c. with all the effects thereof, in new obedience, and a godly conversation, which come from Christ, the green fir tree, and are produced by the Spirit, through the preaching of the Gospel. The Vulgate Latin adds, "and increaseth"; the Syriac version has the same; and it is so read in some Greek copies, as in the Alexandrian copy, two of Stephens's, and in the Complutensian edition; and may intend the spread of the Gospel among others, besides those who first received it, and the growing fruitfulness of the professors of it under its influence:

as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it; as soon as ever it came among them they hearkened to it, they were inclined to hear it externally, and a divine power going along with it, giving them hearing ears, and understanding hearts, they heard it, so as to know it, love it, and believe it; and from that time it brought forth fruit, and increased in them, and they continued in the faith and profession of it; so that as the Gospel is commended both from the large spread and efficacy of it, as well as its uniformity in every place, these Colossians also are commended for their hearing of it, both externally and internally, and for their perseverance in it: and which is further illustrated in the following clause,

and knew the grace of God in truth: by "the grace of God" may be meant the love and favour of God, in the mission and gift of his Son, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of lost sinners, displayed in the Gospel, of which they had a comfortable experience, it being shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit; or the blessings of grace revealed in the Gospel, as free justification by the righteousness of Christ, full pardon of sin, according to the riches of grace, and adoption of children, arising out of the love and free favour of God, of which they had had a real application made to them through the Gospel, by the Spirit of God; or rather the doctrine of grace itself, so called because it is a declaration of the free grace of God in the salvation of sinners and the means of implanting grace in the heart. This they knew not merely in a notional and speculative manner, but experimentally; for the Gospel was not only come to them, but into them; they had a spiritual knowledge of it, and affection for it; they felt the power of it in their hearts, and tasted and relished the sweetness of it; and owned and "acknowledged" it, as the word here used may be rendered; for as with the heart they believed it so with the mouth they made public profession of it: and this they did "in truth"; they came by the knowledge of the love of God, and the blessings of grace, and the doctrines of it, by the Gospel, the word of truth; in and through that they became acquainted with these things; and having known and embraced the doctrine of the Gospel of the grace of God, in the truth of it, without any mixture of error, as it had been purely, and without adulteration, truly and faithfully preached by their minister, they professed it truly heartily, and sincerely, and without hypocrisy; which is another part of their commendation, and involves in it the praise of their minister also, which is enlarged upon in the following verses.

Gill: Col 1:7

As ye also learned of Epaphras,.... To know the grace of God, believe the truth of the Gospel, and to own and profess it sincerely,

Our dear fellow servant; a "servant" of Christ he was, and a "fellow" servant of the apostles, jointly engaged with them in preaching the Gospel; which character, as it greatly commends Epaphras, and shows him to be a very considerable preacher of the word, so it expresses the great humility and condescension of the apostle, in putting him upon a level with himself, though he was not in that high office of the apostleship he was. And "dear" this precious servant of Christ was to him, and his fellow ministers, on account of the grace and gifts bestowed on him, because of his usefulness in the ministry, and his faithfulness and integrity in the discharge of it; and whose company and conversation in the prison greatly endeared him to them, for he was a fellow prisoner, as well as a fellow servant, Phm 1:23. It follows,

who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; one whom Christ had made a "minister" and not man, who was qualified, and sent forth, and made successful by him in his service; and who preached none but Christ, and him crucified, in the business of salvation: and he was a "faithful" one; one that sought not his own glory, but the glory of him that sent him; nor to please men, but his master; who concealed no part of his message, but freely and fully declared the whole; he was faithful to Christ, who put him into the ministry, and to the souls of men, to whom he ministered: and therefore it is said, he was such an one "for you"; for them, not for himself; for their spiritual good and advantage; he sought not theirs, but them; he had a great zeal for them, dearly loved them, and spent his time and strength, and made use of his gifts and talents while among them, for their use and benefit.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Col 1:1

¹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

NET Notes: Col 1:2

¹ tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the καί (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.

² tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

³ tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”

⁴ tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Ψ 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these mss would surely have deleted the phrase in the rest of the corpus Paulinum), it is surely authentic.

NET Notes: Col 1:3

¹ tn The adverb πάντοτε (pantote) is understood to modify the indicative εὐχαριστοῦμεν (eucaristoumen) because it precedes περὶ ὑμῶν (peri Jumwn) which probably modifies the indicative and not the participle προσευχόμενοι (proseucomenoi). But see 1:9 where the same expression occurs and περὶ ὑμῶν modifies the participle “praying” (προσευχόμενοι).

NET Notes: Col 1:4

¹ tn The adverbial participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is understood to be temporal and translated with “since.” A causal idea may also be in the apostle’s mind, but the context emphasizes temporal ideas, e.g., “from the day” (v. 6).

NET Notes: Col 1:5

¹ tn Col 1:3-8 form one long sentence in the Greek text and have been divided at the end of v. 4 and v. 6 and within v. 6 for clarity, in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English toward shorter sentences. Thus the phrase “Your faith and love have arisen from the hope” is literally “because of the hope.” The perfect tense “have arisen” was chosen in the English to reflect the fact that the recipients of the letter had acquired this hope at conversion in the past, but that it still remains and motivates them to trust in Christ and to love one another.

² tn BDAG 113 s.v. ἀπόκειμαι 2 renders ἀποκειμένην (apokeimenhn) with the expression “reserved” in this verse.

³ tn The term “the gospel” (τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, tou euangeliou) is in apposition to “the word of truth” (τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας, tw logw th" alhqeia") as indicated in the translation.

NET Notes: Col 1:6

¹ tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ἐστιν (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ἐστίν (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.

NET Notes: Col 1:7

¹ tn Or “learned it.” The Greek text simply has “you learned” without the reference to “the gospel,” but “the gospel” is supplied to clarify the sense of the clause. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

² tn The Greek word translated “fellow slave” is σύνδουλος (sundoulo"); the σύν- prefix here denotes association. Though δοῦλος is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

³ tn The Greek text has “who (ὅς, Jos) is a faithful minister.” The above translation conveys the antecedent of the relative pronoun quite well and avoids the redundancy with the following substantival participle of v. 8, namely, “who told” (ὁ δηλώσας, Jo dhlwsa").

⁴ tc ‡ Judging by the superior witnesses for the first person pronoun ἡμῶν (Jhmwn, “us”; Ì⁴⁶ א* A B D* F G 326* 1505 al) vs. the second person pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “you”; found in א² C D¹ Ψ 075 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy co), ἡμῶν should be regarded as original. Although it is possible that ἡμῶν was an early alteration of ὑμῶν (either unintentionally, as dittography, since it comes seventeen letters after the previous ἡμῶν; or intentionally, to conform to the surrounding first person pronouns), this supposition is difficult to maintain in light of the varied and valuable witnesses for this reading. Further, the second person is both embedded in the verb ἐμάθετε (emaqete) and is explicit in v. 8 (ὑμῶν). Hence, the motivation to change to the first person pronoun is counterbalanced by such evidence. The second person pronoun may have been introduced unintentionally via homoioarcton with the ὑπέρ (Juper) that immediately precedes it. As well, the second person reading is somewhat harder for it seems to address Epaphras’ role only in relation to Paul and his colleagues, rather than in relation to the Colossians. Nevertheless, the decision must be based ultimately on external evidence (because the internal evidence can be variously interpreted), and this strongly supports ἡμῶν.

Geneva Bible: Col 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the ^{( a )} will of God, and Timotheus [our] brother,

^{( a )} By the free bountifulness of God.

Geneva Bible: Col 1:2

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at ^{( b )} Colosse: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^{( b )} Colosse is situated in Phrygia, not far from Hierapolis and Laodicea, on that side that faces toward Lycia and Pamphylia.

Geneva Bible: Col 1:3

^{( 1 )} We give thanks to God and the ^{( c )} Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

^{( 1 )} He commends the doctrine that was delivered to them by Epaphras, and their readiness in receiving it.

^{( c )} We cannot otherwise think of God to be our salvation, except that he is Christ's Father, in whom we are adopted.

Geneva Bible: Col 1:5

For the ^{( d )} hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

^{( d )} For the glory that is hoped for.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Col 1:1-29

1 After salutation Paul thanks God for their faith;

7 confirms the doctrine of Epaphras;

9 prays further for their increase in grace;

14 describes the true Christ;

21 encourages them to receive Jesus Christ, and commends his own ministry.

Maclaren: Col 1:2

Saints, Believers, Brethren

The saints and faithful brethren in Christ.'--Col. 1:2.

THE disciples were called Christians first in Antioch,' says the Acts of the Apostles. It was a name given by outsiders, and like most of the instances where a sect, or school, or party is labelled with the name of its founder, it was given in scorn. It hit and yet missed its mark. The early believers were Christians, that is, Christ's men, but they were not merely a group of followers of a man, like many other groups of whom the Empire at that time was full. So they never used that name themselves. It occurs twice only in Scripture, once when King Agrippa was immensely amused at the audacity of Paul in thinking that he would easily make a Christian' of him; and once when Peter speaks of suffering as a Christian,' where he is evidently quoting, as it were, the indictment on which the early believers were tried and punished. What did they call themselves then?

I have chosen this text not for the purpose of speaking about it only, but because it gathers together in brief compass the three principal designations by which the early believers knew themselves. Saints' --that tells their relation to God, as well as their character, for it means consecrated,' set apart for Him, and therefore pure; faithful', that means full of faith' and is substantially equivalent to the usual believers,' which defines their relation to Jesus Christ as the Revealer of God; brethren'--that defines their relation and sentiment towards their fellows. These terms go a great deal deeper than the nickname which the wits of Antioch invented. The members of the Church were not content with the vague' Christian,' but they called themselves saints,' believers,' brethren.' One designation does not appear here, which we must take into account for completeness: the earliest of all --disciples. Now, I purpose to bring together these four names, by which the early believers thought and spoke of themselves, in order to point the lessons as to our position and our duty, which are wrapped up in them. And I may just say that, perhaps, it is no sign of advance that the Church, as years rolled on, accepted the world's name for itself, and that people found it easier to call themselves Christians'--which did not mean very much--than to call themselves saints' or believers.'

Now then, to begin with,

I. They Were Disciples' First Of All.

The facts as to the use of that name are very plain, and as instructive as they are plain. It is a standing designation in the Gospels, both in the mouths of friends and of outsiders; it is sometimes, though very sparingly, employed by Jesus Christ Himself. It persists on through the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and then it stops dead, and we never hear it again.

Now its existence at first, and its entire abandonment afterwards, both seem to me to carry very valuable lessons. Let me try to work them out. Of course, disciple' or scholar' has for its correlative--as the logicians call it--teacher.' And so we find that as the original adherents of Jesus called themselves disciples,' they addressed Him as Master,' which is the equivalent of Rabbi.' That at once suggests the thought that to themselves, and to the people who saw the origination of the little Christian community, the Lord and His handful of followers seemed just to be like John and his disciples, the Pharisees and their disciples, and many another Rabbi and his knot of admiring adherents. Therefore whilst the name was in one view fitting, it was conspicuously inadequate, and as time went on, and the Church became more conscious of the uniqueness of the bond that knit it to Jesus Christ, it instinctively dropped the name disciple,' and substituted others more intimate and worthy.

But yet it remains permanently true, that Christ's followers are Christ's scholars, and that He is their Rabbi and Teacher. Only the peculiarity, the absolute uniqueness, of His attitude and action as a Teacher lies in two things: one, that His main subject was Himself, as He said, I am the Truth,' and consequently His characteristic demand from His scholars was not, as with other teachers, Accept this, that, or the other doctrine which I propound,' but Believe in Me'; and the other, that He seldom if ever argues, or draws conclusions from previous premises, that He never speaks as if He Himself had learnt and fought His way to what He is saying, or betrays uncertainty, limitation, or growth in His opinions, and that for all confirmation of His declarations, He appeals only to the light within and to His own authority: Verily, verily, I say unto you.' No wonder that the common people were astonished at His teaching, and felt that here was an authority in which the wearisome citations of what Rabbi So-and-So had said, altogether lacked.

That teaching abides still, and, as I believe, opens out into, and is our source of, all that we know--in distinction and contrast from, imagine,' hope,' fear'--of God, and of ourselves, and of the future. It casts the clearest light on morals for the individual and on politics for the community. Whatever men may say about Christianity being effete, it will not be effete till the world has learnt and absorbed the teaching of Jesus Christ; and we are a good long way from that yet!

If He is thus the Teacher, the perpetual Teacher, and the only Teacher, of mankind in regard to all these high things about God and man and the relation between them, about life and death and the world, and about the practice and conduct of the individual and of the community, then we, if we are His disciples, build houses on the rock, in the degree in which we not only hear but do the things that He commands. For this Teacher is no theoretical handler of abstract propositions, but the authoritative imposer of the law of life, and all His words have a direct bearing upon conduct. Therefore it is vain for us to say: Lord, Lord, Thou hast taught in our streets and we have accepted Thy teaching.' He looks down upon us from the Throne, as He looked upon the disciples in that upper room, and He says to each of us: If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.'

But the complete disappearance of the name as the development of the Church advanced, brings with it another lesson, and that is, that precious and great as are the gifts which Jesus Christ bestows as a Teacher, and unique as His act and attitude in that respect are, the name either of teacher or of disciple fails altogether to penetrate to the essence of the relation which knits us together. It is not enough for our needs that we shall be taught. The worst man in the world knows a far nobler morality than the best man practises. And if it were true, as some people superficially say is the case, that evil-doing is the result of ignorance, there would be far less evil-doing in the world than, alas! there is. It is not for the want of knowing, that we go wrong, as our consciences tell us; but it is for want of something that can conquer the evil tendencies within, and lift off the burden of a sinful past which weighs on us. As in the carboniferous strata what was pliant vegetation has become heavy mineral, our evil deeds lie heavy on our souls. What we need is not to be told what we ought to be, but to be enabled to be it. Electricity can light the road, and it can drive the car along it; and that is what we want, a dynamic as well as an illuminant, something that will make us able to do and to be what conscience has told us we ought to be and do.

Teacher? Yes. But if only teacher, then He is nothing more than one of a multitude who in all generations have vainly witnessed to sinful men of the better path. There is no reformation for the individual, and little hope for humanity, in a Christ whom you degrade to the level of a Rabbi, or in a Church which has not pressed nearer to Him than to feel itself His disciples.

There was a man who came to Jesus by night, and was in the dark about the Jesus to whom he came, and he said, We know that Thou art a Teacher come from God.' But Jesus did not accept the witness, though a young teacher fighting for recognition might have been glad to get it from an authoritative member of the Sanhedrim. But He answered, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.' If we need to be born again before we see it, it is not teachers of it that will serve our turn, but One who takes us by the hand, and translates us out of the tyranny of the darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of God's love. So much, then, for the first of these names and lessons.

Now turn to the second--

II. The Disciples Must Be Believers.

That name begins to appear almost immediately after Pentecost, and continues throughout. It comes in two forms, one which is in my text, the faithful,' meaning thereby not the reliable, but the people that are full of faith; the other, meaning the same thing, they who believe, the believers.' The Church found that disciple was not enough. It went deeper; and, with a true instinct, laid hold of the unique bond which knits men to their Lord and Saviour. That name indicates that Jesus Christ appears to the man who has faith in a new character. He is not any longer the Teacher who is to be listened to, but He is the Object of trust. And that implies the recognition, first, of His Divinity, which alone is strong enough to bear up the weight of millions of souls leaning hard upon it; and, second, of what He has done and not merely of what He has said. We accept the Teacher's word; we trust the Saviour's Cross. And in the measure in which men learned that the centre of the work of the Rabbi Jesus was the death of the Incarnate Son of God, their docility was sublimed into faith.

That faith is the real bond that knits men to Jesus Christ. We are united to Him, and become recipient of the gifts that He has to bestow, by no sacraments, by no externals, by no reverential admiration of His supreme wisdom and perfect beauty of character, not by assuming the attitude of the disciple, but by flinging our whole selves upon Him, because He is our Saviour.

That unites us to Jesus Christ; nothing else does. Faith is the opening of the heart, by which all His power can be poured into us. It is the grasping of His hand, by which, even though the cold waters be above our knees and be rising to our hearts, we are lifted above them and they are made a solid pavement for our feet. Faith is the door opened by ourselves, and through which will come all the Glory that dwelt between the cherubim, and will fill the secret place in our hearts. To be the disciple of a Rabbi is something; to be the' faithful' dependent on the Saviour is to be His indeed.

And then there is to be remembered, further, that this bond, which is the only vital link between a man and Christ, is therefore the basis of all virtue, of all nobility, of all beauty of conduct, and that whatsoever things are lovely and of good report' are its natural efflorescence and fruit. And so that leads us to the third point--

III. The Believing Disciple Is A Saint.'

That name does not appear in the Gospels, but it begins to show in the Acts of the Apostles, and it becomes extremely common throughout the Epistles of Paul. He had no hesitation in calling the very imperfect disciples in Corinth by this great name. He was going to rebuke them for some very great offences, not only against Christian elevation of conduct, but against common pagan morality; but he began by calling them' saints.'

What is a saint? First and foremost, a man who has given himself to God, and is consecrated thereby. Whoever has cast himself on Christ, and has taken Christ for his, therein and in the same degree as he is exercising faith, has thus yielded himself to God. If your faith has not led you to such a consecration of will and heart and self, you had better look out and see whether it is faith at all. But then, because faith involves the consecration of a man to God, and consecration necessarily implies purity, since nothing can be laid on God's altar which is not sanctified thereby, the name of saint comes to imply purity of character. Sanctity is the Christian word which means the very flower and fragrant aroma of what the world calls virtue.

But sanctity is not emotion, A man may luxuriate in devout feeling, and sing and praise and pray, and be very far from being a saint; and there is a great deal of the emotional Christianity of this day which has a strange affinity for the opposite of saintship. Sanctity is not aloofness. There were saints in Caesar's household'--a very unlikely place; they were flowers on a dunghill, and perhaps their blossoms were all the brighter because of what they grew on, and which they could transmute from corruption into beauty. So sanctity is no blue ribbon of the Christian profession, to be given to a few select (and mostly ascetic) specimens of consecration, but it is the designation of each of us, if we are disciples who are more than disciples, that is, believers.' And thus, brethren, we have to see to it that, in our own cases, our faith leads to surrender, and our self-surrender to purity of life and conduct. Faith, if real, brings sanctity; sanctity, if real, is progressive. Sanctity, though imperfect, may be real.

IV. The Believing Saints Are Brethren.'

That is the name that predominates over all others in the latter portions of the New Testament, and it is very natural that it should do so. It reposes upon and implies the three preceding. Its rapid adoption and universal use express touchingly the wonder of the early Church at its own unity. The then world was rent asunder by deep clefts of misunderstanding, alienation, animosity, racial divisions of Jew and Greek, Parthian, Scythian; by sexual divisions which flung men and women, who ought to have been linked hand in hand, and united heart to heart, to opposite sides of a great gulf; by divisions of culture which made wise men look down on the unlearned, and the unlearned hate the wise men; by clefts of social position, and mainly that diabolical one of slave and free. All these divisive and disintegrating forces were in active operation. The only thing except Christianity, which produced even a semblance of union, was the iron ring of the Roman power which compressed them all into one indeed, but crushed the life out of them in the process. Into that disintegrating world, full of mutual repulsion, came One who drew men to Himself and said, One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren.' And to their own astonishment, male and female, Greek and Jew, bond and free, philosopher and fool, found themselves sitting at the same table as members of one family; and they looked in each other's eyes and said, Brother!' There had never been anything like it in the world. The name is a memorial of the unifying power of the Christian faith.

And it is a reminder to us of our own shortcomings. Of course, in the early days, the little band were driven together, as sheep that stray over a pasture in the sunshine will huddle into a corner in a storm, or when the wolves are threatening. There are many reasons today which make less criminal the alienation from one another of Christian communities and Christian individuals. I am not going to dwell on the evident signs in this day, for which God be thanked, that Christian men are beginning, more than they once did, to realise their unity in Jesus Christ, and to be content to think less of the things that separate than of the far greater things that unite. But I would lay upon your hearts, as individual parts of that great whole, this, that whatever may be the differences in culture, outlook, social position, or the like, between two Christian men, they each, the rich man and the poor, the educated man and the unlettered one, the master and the servant, ought to feel that deep down in their true selves they are nearer one another than they are to the men who, differing from them in regard to their faith in Jesus Christ, are like them in all these superficial respects. Regulate your conduct by that thought.

That name, too, speaks to us of the source from which Christian brotherhood has come. We are brethren of each other because we have one Father, even God, and the Fatherhood which makes us brethren is not that which communicates the common life of humanity, but that which imparts the new life of sonship through Jesus Christ. So the name points to the only way by which the world's dream of a universal brotherhood can ever be fulfilled. If there is to be fraternity there must be fatherhood, and the life which, possessed by each, makes a family of all, is the life which He gives, who is the first-born among many brethren,' and who, to them who believe on Him, gives power to become the sons of God, and the brethren of all the other sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty.

So, dear friends, take these names, ponder their significance and the duties they impose. Let us make sure that they are true of us. Do not be content with the vague, often unmeaning name of Christian, but fill it with meaning by being a believer on Christ, a saint devoted to God, and a brother of all who, by like precious faith,' have become Sons of God.

Maclaren: Col 1:5

The Gospel-Hope

The hope of the Gospel.'--Col. 1:5.

GOD never sends mouths but He sends meat to feed them,' says the old proverb. And yet it seems as if that were scarcely true in regard to that strange faculty called Hope. It may well be a question whether on the whole it has given us more pleasure than pain. How seldom it has been a true prophet! How perpetually its pictures have been too highly coloured? It has cast illusions over the future, colouring the far-off hills with glorious purple which, reached, are barren rocks and cold snow. It has held out prizes never won. It has made us toil and struggle and aspire and fed us on empty husks. Either we have not got what we expected or have found it to be less good than it appeared from afar.

If we think of all the lies that hope has told us, of all the vain expenditure of effort to which it has tempted us, of the little that any of us have of what we began by thinking we should surely attain, hope seems a questionable good, and yet how obstinate it is, living on after all disappointments and drawing the oldest amongst us onwards. Surely somewhere there must be a reason for this great and in some respects awful faculty, a vindication of its existence in an adequate object for its grasp.

The New Testament has much to say about hope.

Christianity lays hold of it and professes to supply it with its true nourishment and support. Let us look at the characteristics of Christian hope, or, as our text calls it, the hope of the Gospel, that is, the hope which the Gospel creates and feeds in our souls.

I. What Does It Hope For?

The weakness of our earthly hopes is that they are fixed on things which are contingent and are inadequate to make us blessed. Even when tinted with the rainbow hues, which it lends them, they are poor and small. How much more so when seen in the plain colourless light of common day. In contrast with these the objects of the Christian hope are certain and sufficient for all blessedness. In the most general terms they may be stated as That blessed hope, even the appearing of the Great God and our Saviour.' That is the specific Christian hope, precise and definite, a real historical event, filling the future with a certain steadfast light. Much is lost in the daily experience of all believers by the failure to set that great and precise hope in its true place of prominence. It is often discredited by millenarian dreams, but altogether apart from these it has solidity and substance enough to bear the whole weight of a world rested upon it.

That appearance of God brings with it the fulfilment of our highest hopes in the grace that is to be brought to us at His appearing.' All our blessedness of every kind is to be the result of the manifestation of God in His unobscured glory. The mirrors that are set round the fountain of light flash into hitherto undreamed-of brightness. It is but a variation in terms when we describe the blessedness which is to be the result of God's appearing as being the Hope of Salvation in its fullest sense, or, in still other words, as being the Hope of Eternal Life. Nothing short of the great word of the Apostle John, that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, exhausts the greatness of the hope which the humblest and weakest Christian is not only allowed but commanded to cherish. And that great future is certainly capable of, and in Scripture receives, a still more detailed specification. We hear, for example, of the hope of Resurrection, and it is most natural that the bodily redemption which Paul calls the adoption of the body should first emerge into distinct consciousness as the principal object of hope in the earliest Christian experience, and that the mighty working whereby Jesus is able to subdue all things unto Himself, should first of all be discerned to operate in changing the body of our humiliation into the body of His glory.

But equally natural was it that no merely corporeal transformation should suffice to meet the deep longings of Christian souls which had learned to entertain the wondrous thought of likeness to God as the certain result of the vision of Him, and so believers' wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.' The moral likeness to God, the perfecting of our nature into His image, will not always be the issue of struggle and restraint, but in its highest form will follow on sight, even as here and now it is to be won by faith, and is more surely attained by waiting than by effort.

The highest form which the object of our hope takes is, the Hope of the Glory of God. This goes furthest; there is nothing beyond this. The eyes that have been wearied by looking at many fading gleams and seen them die away, may look undazzled into the central brightness, and we may be sure that even we shall walk there like the men in the furnace, unconsumed, purging our sight at the fountain of radiance, and being ourselves glorious with the image of God. This is the crown of glory which He has promised to them that love Him. Nothing less than this is what our hope has to entertain, and that not as a possibility, but as a certainty. The language of Christian hope is not perhaps this may be, but verily it shall be. To embrace its transcendent certainties with a tremulous faith broken by much unbelief, is sin.

II. The Grounds On Which The Hope Of The Gospel Rests.

The grounds of our earthly hopes are for the most part possibilities, or, at the best, probabilities turned by our wishes into certainties. We moor our ships to floating islands which we resolve to think continents. So our earthly hopes vary indefinitely in firmness and substance. They are sometimes but wishes turned confident, and can never rise higher than their source, or be more certain than it is. At the best they are building on sand. At the surest there is an element of risk in them. One singer indeed may take for his theme The pleasures of Hope,' but another answers by singing of' The fallacies of Hope.' Earth-born hopes carry no anchor and have always a latent dread looking out of their blue eyes.

But it is possible for us to dig down to and build on rock, to have a future as certain as our past, to escape in our anticipations from the region of the Contingent, and this we assuredly do when we take the hope of the Gospel for ours, and listen to Paul proclaiming to us Christ which is our Hope,' or Christ in you the Hope of glory.' If our faith grasps Jesus Christ risen from the dead and for us entered into the heavenly state as our forerunner, our hope will see in Him the pattern and the pledge of our manhood, and will begin to experience even here and now the first real though faint accomplishments of itself. The Gospel sets forth the facts concerning Christ which fully warrant and imperatively require our regarding Him as the perfect realised ideal of manhood as God meant it to be, and as bearing in Himself the power to make all men even as He is. He has entered into the fellowship of our humiliation and become bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh that we might become life of His Life and spirit of His Spirit. As certain as it is that we have borne the image of the earthy,' so certain is it that we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.'

What cruel waste of a divine faculty it is, then, of which we are all guilty when we allow our hopes to be frittered away and dissipated on uncertain and transient goods which they may never secure, and which, even if secured, would be ludicrously or rather tragically insufficient to make us blessed, instead of withdrawing them from all these and fixing them on Him who alone is able to satisfy our hungry souls in all their faculties for ever!

The hope of the Gospel is firm enough to rest our all upon because in it, by two immutable things in which it is impossible that God should lie,' His counsel and His oath, He has given strong encouragement to them who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them. Well may the hope for which God's own eternal character is the guarantee be called sure and steadfast.' The hope of the Gospel rests at last on the Being and Heart of God. It is that which God who cannot lie hath promised before the world was' is working towards whilst the world lasts, and will accomplish when the world is no more. He has made known His purpose and has pledged all the energies and tendernesses of His Being to its realisation. Surely on this rock-foundation we may rest secure. The hopes that grow on other soils creep along the surface. The hope of the Gospel strikes its roots deep into the heart of God.

III. What The Hope Of The Gospel Is And Does For Us.

We cannot do better than to lay hold of some of the New Testament descriptions of it. We recall first that great designation A good hope through grace.' This hope is no illusion; it does not come from fumes of fancy or the play of imagination. The wish is not father to the thought. We do not make bricks without straw nor spin ropes of sand on the shore of the great waste sea that waits to swallow us up. The cup of Tantalus has had its leaks stopped; the sieve carries the treasure unspilled. The rock can be rolled to the hill-top, All the disappointments, fallacies, and torments of hope pass away. It never makes ashamed. We have a solid certainty as solid as memory. The hope which is through grace is the full assurance of hope, and that full assurance is just what every other hope lacks. In that region and in that region only we can either say I hope or I know.

Another designation is A lively hope.' It is no poor pale ghost brightening and fading, fading and brightening, through which one can see the stars shine, and of little power in practical life, but strong and vigorous and not the least active amongst the many forces that make up the sum of our lives.

It is most significantly designated as The blessed hope.' All others quickly pass into sorrows. This alone gives lasting joys, for this alone is blessed whilst it is only anticipation, and still more blessed when its blossoms ripen into full fruition. In all earthly hopes there is an element of unrest, but the hope of the Gospel is so remote, so certain, and so satisfying, that it works stillness, and they who most firmly grasp it do with patience wait for it.' Earthly hopes have little moral effect and often loosen the sinews of the soul, and are distinctly unfavourable to all strenuous effort. But every man that hath this hope in Jesus purifieth himself even as He is pure,' and the Apostle, whose keen insight most surely discerns the character-building value of the fundamental facts of Christian experience, was not wrong when he bid us find in the hope of the Gospel deeply rooted within us the driving force of the most strenuous efforts after purity like His whom it is our deepest desire and humble hope to become like.

Let us remember the double account which Scripture gives of the discipline by which the hope of the Gospel is won for our very own. On the one hand, we have joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope.' Our faith breeds hope because it grasps the divine facts concerning Jesus from which hope springs. And faith further breeds hope because it kindles joy and peace, which are the foretastes and earnests of the future blessedness. On the other hand, the very opposite experiences work to the same end, for' tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope.' Sorrow rightly borne tests for us the power of the Gospel and the reality of our faith, and so gives us a firmer grip of hope and of Him on whom in the last result it all depends. Out of this collision of flint and steel the spark springs. The water churned into foam and tortured in the cataract has the fair bow bending above it.

But this discipline will not achieve its result, therefore comes the exhortation to us all,' Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end.' The hope of the Gospel is the one thing that we need. Without it all else is futile and frail. God alone is worthy to have the whole weight and burden of a creature's hope fixed on Him, and it is an everlasting truth that they who are without God in the world' also have no hope.' Saints of old held fast by an assurance, which they must often have felt left many questions still to be asked, and because they were sure that they were continually with Him, were also sure of His guidance through life and of His afterwards receiving them to glory. But for us the twilight has broadened into day, and we shall be wise if, knowing our defencelessness, and forsaking all the lies and illusions of this vain present, we flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us in the Gospel

MHCC: Col 1:1-8

All true Christians are brethren one to another. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the Christian life. Faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces in the Christian life, and proper matter for prayer and thanksgiving. The more we fix our hopes on the reward in the other world, the more free shall we be in doing good with our earthly treasure. It was treasured up for them, no enemy could deprive them of it. The gospel is the word of truth, and we may safely venture our souls upon it. And all who hear the word of the gospel, ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, obey it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it. Worldly love arises, either from views of interest or from likeness in manners; carnal love, from the appetite for pleasure. To these, something corrupt, selfish, and base always cleaves. But Christian love arises from the Holy Spirit, and is full of holiness.

Matthew Henry: Col 1:1-2

I. The inscription of this epistle is much the same with the rest; only it is observable that, 1. He calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. An apostle is a prime-minister in the kingdom of Christ, immediately called by Christ, and extraordinarily qualified; his work was peculiarly to plant the Christian church, and confirm the Christian doctrine. He attributes this not to his own merit, strength, or sufficiency; but to the free grace and good-will of God. He thought himself engaged to do his utmost, as an apostle, because he was made so by the will of God. 2. He joins Timothy in commission with himself, which is another instance of his humility; and, though he elsewhere calls him his son (2Ti 2:1), yet here he calls him his brother, which is an example to the elder and more eminent ministers to look upon the younger and more obscure as their brethren, and to treat them accordingly with kindness and respect. 3. He calls the Christians at Colosse saints, and faithful brethren in Christ. As all good ministers, so all good Christians, are brethren one to another, who stand in a near relation and owe a mutual love. Towards God they must be saints, consecrated to his honour and sanctified by his grace, bearing his image and aiming at his glory. And in both these, as saints to God and as brethren to one another, they must be faithful. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the Christian life, and is the crown and glory of them all.

II. The apostolical benediction is the same as usual: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. He wishes them grace and peace, the free favour of God and all the blessed fruits of it; every kind of spiritual blessings, and that from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; jointly from both, and distinctly from each; as in the former epistle.

Matthew Henry: Col 1:3-8

Here he proceeds to the body of the epistle, and begins with thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them, though he had no personal acquaintance with them, and knew their state and character only by the reports of others.

I. He gave thanks to God for them, that they had embraced the gospel of Christ, and given proofs of their fidelity to him. Observe, In his prayers for them he gave thanks for them. Thanksgiving ought to be a part of every prayer; and whatever is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. Observe, 1. Whom he gives thanks to: To God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our thanksgiving we must have an eye to God as God (he is the object of thanksgiving as well as prayer), and is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and through whom all good comes to us. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as well as our Father; and it is a matter of encouragement, in all our addresses to God, that we can look to him as Christ's Father and our Father, as his God and our God, Joh 20:17. Observe, 2. What he gives thanks to God for - for the graces of God in them, which were evidences of the grace of God towards them: Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all the saints; for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, Col 1:4, Col 1:5. Faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces in the Christian life, and proper matter of our prayer and thanksgiving. (1.) He gives thanks for their faith in Christ Jesus, that they were brought to believe in him, and take upon them the profession of his religion, and venture their souls upon his undertaking. (2.) For their love. Besides the general love which is due to all men, there is a particular love owing to the saints, or those who are of the Christian brotherhood, 1Pe 2:17. We must love all the saints, bear an extensive kindness and good-will to good men, notwithstanding smaller points of difference, and many real weaknesses. Some understand it of their charity to the saints in necessity, which is one branch and evidence of Christian love. (3.) For their hope: The hope which is laid up for you in heaven, Col 1:5. The happiness of heaven is called their hope, because it is the thing hoped for, looking for the blessed hope, Tit 2:13. What is laid out upon believers in this world is much; but what is laid up for them in heaven is much more. And we have reason to give thanks to God for the hope of heaven which good Christians have, or their well-grounded expectation of the future glory. Their faith in Christ, and love to the saints, had an eye to the hope laid up for them in heaven. The more we fix our hopes on the recompence of reward in the other world, the more free and liberal shall we be of our earthly treasure upon all occasions of doing good.

II. Having blessed God for these graces, he blesses God for the means of grace which they enjoyed: Wherein you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. They had heard in the word of the truth of the gospel concerning this hope laid up for them in heaven. Observe, 1. The gospel is the word of truth, and what we may safely venture our immortal souls upon: it proceeds from the God of truth and the Spirit of truth, and is a faithful saying. He calls it the grace of God in truth, Col 1:6. 2. It is a great mercy to hear this word of truth; for the great thing we learn from it is the happiness of heaven. Eternal life is brought to light by the gospel, 2Ti 1:10. They heard of the hope laid up in heaven in the word of the truth of the gospel. " Which has come unto you, as it hath to all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, Col 1:6. This gospel is preached and brings forth fruit in other nations; it has come to you, as it hath to all the world, according to the commission, Go preach the gospel in all the nations, and to every creature. "Observe, (1.) All who hear the word of the gospel ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, that is, be obedient to it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it. This was the doctrine first preached: Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance, Mat 3:8. And our Lord says, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them, Joh 13:17. Observe, (2.) Wherever the gospel comes, it will bring forth fruit to the honour and glory of God: It bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you. We mistake, if we think to monopolize the comforts and benefits of the gospel to ourselves. Does the gospel bring forth fruit in us? So it does in others.

III. He takes this occasion to mention the minister by whom they believed (Col 1:7, Col 1:8): As you also learned of Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ. He mentions him with great respect, to engage their love to him. 1. He calls him his fellow-servant, to signify not only that they served the same Master, but that they were engaged in the same work. They were fellow-labourers in the work of the Lord, though one was an apostle and the other an ordinary minister. 2. He calls him his dear fellow-servant: all the servants of Christ ought to love one another, and it is an endearing consideration that they are engaged in the same service. 3. He represents him as one who was a faithful minister of Christ to them, who discharged his trust and fulfilled his ministry among them. Observe, Christ is our proper Master, and we are his ministers. He does not say who is your minister; but who is the minister of Christ for you. It is by his authority and appointment, though for the people's service. 4. He represents him as one who gave them a good word: Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit, Col 1:8. He recommends him to their affection, from the good report he made of their sincere love to Christ and all his members, which was wrought in them by the Spirit, and is agreeable to the spirit of the gospel. Faithful ministers are glad to be able to speak well of their people.

Barclay: Col 1:1

A dedicated Christian cannot write a single sentence without making clear the great beliefs which underlie all his thought. Paul had never actually been in Colosse and so he has to begin by making clear what right he has to send a letter to the Colossians. He does that in one word; he is an apostle. The word apostolos (652) literally means one who is sent out. Paul's right to speak is that he has been sent out by God to be his ambassador to the Gentiles. Moreover, he is an apostle by the will of God. That office is not something which he has earned or achieved; it is something which has been given him by God. "You did not choose me," said Jesus, "but I chose you" (Joh 15:16). Here, right at the outset of the letter, is the whole doctrine of grace. A man is not what he has made himself, but what God has made him.

With himself Paul associates Timothy; and he gives him a lovely title. He calls him the brother, a title which is given to Quartus (Rom 16:23); to Sosthenes (1Co 1:1); to Apollos (1Co 16:12). The fundamental necessity for Christian service and for Christian office is brotherliness.

Premanand, highborn Indian who became a Christian, tells in his autobiography of Father E. F. Brown of the Oxford Mission in Calcutta. E. F. Brown was every man's friend; but he was specially the friend of the hackney carriage drivers, the carters, the tram conductors, the menial servants, and the hundreds of poor street boys. Later in his life, when he was travelling about India, Premanand would often meet people who had stayed in Calcutta, and they would always ask for E. F. Brown, saying, "Is that friend of the Calcutta street boys still alive, who used to walk arm-in-arm with the poor?" Sir Henry Lunn tells how his father used to describe his grandfather: "He was a friend of the poor without patronage, and of the rich without subservience."

To use our modern idiom, the first necessity for Christian service is the ability to "get alongside" all kinds of people. Timothy is not described as the preacher, the teacher, the theologian, the administrator, but as the brother. He who walks in aloofness can never be a real servant of Jesus Christ.

Another interesting and significant fact is that this opening address is to God's dedicated people and to the faithful brothers in Colosse. In the matter of opening addresses Paul's custom changed. In his earlier letters he always addressed the letter to the Church. I and 2 Thessalonians, I and 2 Corinthians and Galatians are all addressed to the Church of the district to which they are sent. But beginning with Romans his letters are all addressed to God's dedicated people in such and such a place. It is so in Romans, Colossians, Philippians and Ephesians. As Paul grew older, he came more and more to see what matters is individual people. The Church is not a kind of abstract entity; it is individual men and women and children. As the years went on, Paul began to see the Church in terms of individuals hence this style of greeting.

The openings, greeting closes with a most significant placing of two things side by side. He writes to the Christians who are in Colosse and who are in Christ. A Christian always moves in two spheres. He is in a certain place in this world; but he is also in Christ. He lives in two dimensions. He lives in this world whose duties he does not treat lightly; but above and beyond that he lives in Christ. In this world he may move from place to place; but wherever he is, he is in Christ. That is why outward circumstances make little difference to the Christian; his peace and his joy are not dependent on them. That is why he will do any job with all his heart. It may be menial, unpleasant, painful, it may be far less distinguished than he might expect to have; its rewards may be small and its praise non-existent; nevertheless the Christian will do it diligently, uncomplainingly and cheerfully, for he is in Christ and does all things as to the Lord. We are all in our own Colosse, but we are all in Christ, and it is Christ who sets the tone of our living.

Barclay: Col 1:2-8

Here we are presented with the essence of the Christian life. The fact which delights Paul's heart and for which he gives God thanks is that he has been told that the Colossians are showing two great qualities in their lives, faith in Christ and love for their fellow-men.

These are the two sides of the Christian life. The Christian must have faith; he must know what he believes. But he must also have love for men; he must turn that belief into action. It is not enough simply to have faith, for there can be an orthodoxy which knows no love. It is not enough only to have love for men, for without real belief that love can become mere sentimentality. The Christian has a double commitment--he is committed to Jesus Christ and he is committed to his fellow-men. Faith in Christ and love to men are the twin pillars of the Christian life.

That faith and love depend on the hope that is laid up in heaven. What exactly does Paul mean? Is he asking the Colossians to show faith in Christ and love for men only for the hope of some reward that is going to come to them some day? Is this "pie in the sky"? There is something much deeper than that here.

Think of it this way. Loyalty to Christ may involve a man in all kinds of loss and pain and suffering. There may be many things to which he has to say goodbye. The way of love may seem to many to be the way of a fool. Why spend life in selfless service? Why not use it "to get on" as the world counts getting on? Why not push the weaker brother out of the way? The answer is--because of the hope that is set before us.

As C. F. D. Moule puts it, that hope is the certainty that, in spite of the world's ways, God's way of love has the last word. As James Russell Lowell put it in "The Present Crisis," the hope is that:

Though the cause of Evil prosper, yet 'tis truth alone is strong... Truth for ever on the scaffold, Wrong for ever on the throne; Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

The Christian hope is that God's way is the best way and that the only real peace, the only real joy, the only true and lasting reward are to be found in it. Loyalty to Christ may bring trouble here--but that is not the last word. The world may laugh contemptuously at the folly of the way of love--but the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of man. The Christian hope is the confidence that it is better to stake one's life on God than to believe the world.

Barclay: Col 1:2-8

Col 1:6-8are a kind of summary of what the gospel is and does. Paul has much to say of the hope, to which the Colossians have already listened and which they have already accepted.

(i) The gospel is good news of God. Its message is of a God who is a Friend and Lover of the souls of men. First and foremost, the gospel sets us in a right relationship with God.

(ii) The gospel is truth. All previous religions could be entitled "guesses about God." The Christian gospel gives a man not guesses but certainties about God.

(iii) The gospel is universal. It is for all the world. It is not confined to any one race or nation, nor to any one class or condition. Very few things in this world are open to all men. A man's mental calibre decides the studies he can undertake. A man's social class decides the circle amidst which he will move. A man's material wealth determines the possessions he can amass. A man's particular gifts decide the things he can do. But the message of the gospel is open without exception to all men.

(iv) The gospel is productive. It bears fruit and increases. It is the plain fact of history and experience that the gospel has power to change individual men and the society in which men live. It can change the sinner into a good man and can slowly take the selfishness and the cruelty out of society so that all men may have the chance God would wish them to have.

(v) The gospel tells of grace. It is not so much the message of what God demands as of what he offers. It tells not so much of his demand from men as of his gift to men.

(vi) The gospel is humanly transmitted. It was Epaphras who brought it to the Colossians. There must be a human channel through which the gospel can come to men. And this is where we come in. The possession of the good news of the gospel involves the obligation to share it. That which is divinely given must be humanly passed on. Jesus Christ needs us to be the hands and feet and lips which will bring his gospel to those who have never heard it.

Constable: Col 1:1-2

A. Salutation 1:1-2

Paul began his letter with this salutation to introduce himself to his readers and to wish God's blessing on them.

1:1 Paul cited his apostolic calling and office to lend authority to what follows. "Paul" was the name the apostle used of himself in the Hellenistic-Roman world in place of his Jewish name, "Saul."

"Jews in the Greek-speaking areas took names which closely approximated to the sound of their Hebrew and Aramaic names, e.g. Silas:Silvanus; Jesus:Jason . . ."¹⁰

Timothy was not an official apostle but simply a Christian brother. He was with Paul when the apostle wrote this letter, though he was not a co-author (cf. 1:23-25, 29; 4:18, et al.).¹¹ Paul linked Timothy with himself in the introductions to 2 Corinthians, Philippians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon. He also mentioned Timothy in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 1 and 2 Timothy. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews also mentioned Timothy.

1:2 The Colossian believers were "saints" (Gr. hagios, those set apart to God) in their position and "faithful brethren" (Gr. pistis adelphois) in their practice. They lived in Colosse, a city located beside the Lycus River in the Lycus Valley in the geographical district called Phrygia. This district lay in the Roman province of Asia in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Colosse was about 100 miles east of Ephesus, 11 miles east of Laodicea, and 13 miles southeast of Hierapolis.

The "grace" (Gr. charis) of God is His unmerited favor and supernatural enablement. This word is very prominent in the New Testament occurring about 155 times, mostly in Paul's writings. God's "peace" is the inner confidence He gives.

"In general, the New Testament letters begin like the secular letters of the time. The formula used frequently was A to B, greetings' (cf. Acts 23:26; 15:23-29). There are, however, some significant differences. In the first place, the Christian salutations direct the readers' thought immediately to the work of God in behalf of men (cf. Col. 1:1-2). In the second place, the salutations frequently prepare for the letter by allusion to its major themes (cf. Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:2)."¹²

Constable: Col 1:3-8

B. Thanksgiving 1:3-8

Paul gave thanks to God for his readers frequently. He told them so to enable them to appreciate the fact that he knew of their situation and rejoiced in their good testimony.

1:3-4 Whenever Paul and Timothy prayed for the Colossians they gave thanks to God for them.¹³

"Paul could have meant that every time he prayed he remembered his various churches. Perhaps he maintained the Jewish practice of prayer three times a day (cf. Dan. 6:11; Acts 3:1; Didache 8:3), or perhaps he used the long hours of travel and of work in stitching to hold his churches before God (see also on 1:9 and 4:2)."¹⁴

Specifically Paul and Timothy rejoiced over the continuing demonstration of their trust in Christ as contrasted with their initial acceptance of Him as their Savior.¹⁵ Furthermore the Colossians manifested self-sacrificing love for other Christians.

1:5-6 Third, Paul gave thanks for the hope of blessings ahead that his readers possessed but had not yet experienced. They demonstrated their hope in their living by presently manifesting faith (v. 4) and love (v. 8). The Colossians had heard of this hope when they had heard the gospel preached to them. Paul reminded his readers that the gospel had not come to them exclusively but was spreading through the whole world. Paul may have intended this reference to contrast the gospel with the exclusive message the false teachers in Colosse were trying to get the Christians to adopt. Paul further glorified the gospel message by referring to its dynamic power to change lives and to its uniquely gracious content (v. 6).

1:7-8 Epaphras had evangelized the Colossians.¹⁶ Since then he had come to Rome and was now ministering to the apostle during his first Roman imprisonment (v. 7; cf. 4:12). It appears that Epaphras' bondage was in God's will, not in jail, with Paul (cf. Phile. 23). He had given Paul a good report of the Colossian Christians even though false teachers were trying to make inroads into the church. Paul mentioned him here to pass along some good word about their father in the faith and to associate Epaphras with himself. He probably did this so his readers would realize that the founder of their church shared the views Paul presented in this letter. This would have made them more persuasive to the Colossians.

The Holy Spirit had created love for Paul in the Colossians.¹⁷

"As in the other Pauline letters, the themes and language of the thanksgiving are echoed in the rest of the letter . . ."¹⁸

College: Col 1:1-29

COLOSSIANS 1

SALUTATION (1:1-2)

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

² To the holy and faithful ^a brothers in Christ at Colosse:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father. ^b

^a 2 Or believing ^b 2 Some manuscripts Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

The epistle opens in the usual form for letters of the day. To most Colossian Christians Paul was just a name, since he had never been there personally. In all his letters except Philippians, Philemon, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians he introduced himself as an "apostle." This was probably done for various reasons, and here it may have been to give weight to his words for a church he had never visited. The impression was enhanced by his indication of the source of his call ("of Jesus Christ by the will of God"). Such a person's words could not be taken lightly.

and Timothy our brother,

Timothy's name was joined to Paul's in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 2 Corinthians, Philippians and Philemon. Colossians 4:18 indicates he was not a coauthor of the letter. Of all Paul's companions "in chains" (4:7-14) Timothy may have been singled out because of a special relation to Paul as a permanent coworker. We do not know what previous relations, if any, he had with the Colossian church, though we can suppose he was known to them by name. Was inclusion of his name a second-person verification of Paul's message, or was it to mark Timothy as a preacher of the true gospel? Or was there some other reason?

1:2 To the holy and faithful

The word for "holy" (a{gioi , hagioi ) or a cognate is the term of greeting in all of Paul's letters to churches except 1 and 2 Thessalonians and Galatians. It indicates that they had been chosen and set apart by God - a special people. In some contexts the term indicates a holy lifestyle, but that would be a strange meaning in greeting a church like Corinth. Thus "saints" (the noun form) is the preferred meaning, and even with "holy" as in the NIV, it is God's choice, not their conduct, which is to be understood.

"Faithful" (pistoiv , pistoi ) could mean "believers" in contrast to the outsiders who did not believe in Christ. But that meaning could be indicated simply by saying "in Christ." Therefore we prefer to see "faithful" as meaning "steadfast." Thus it would be an early encouragement to be true to Christ in the face of heresy.

brothers in Christ at Colosse:

"In Christ" or a similar expression punctuates the book at many points (1:4,14,16,17,19; 2:3,9,10,11,12,15 [in Greek]; 3:18,20 [Greek]; 4:7 and 17). It meant "as Christians" and the frequency of such references here as elsewhere indicated the all-encompassing scope of the new life.

Grace and peace to you

The greeting "grace and peace" was a Christian application of the form of secular letters (see the comments on Phil 1:2). Given the nature of Christian interrelationships, it would indicate a deep and prayerful concern for one another, rather than a perfunctory greeting. Among the blessings made possible by divine grace was "peace" (eijrhvnh , eirçnç , "well-being"). On peace see 1:15 and 3:20. The salutation thus combines Greek and Hebrew greetings in a Christian context and wishes an enhancement of blessings already received. "From God" says that they were not generated just from man, but were divinely granted. The highest power in the universe was called upon in these simple words. Grace surrounds the letter, being found again in 4:18.

from God our Father.

Normally Pauline greetings were from God and from "the Lord Jesus Christ." Though the reference to Christ is absent here, the body of the letter will present Christ to readers in an unforgettable way.

I. THANKSGIVING (1:3-8)

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints - ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our ^a behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

^a 7 Some manuscripts your

These verses thank God for his grace given to the Colossians as well as given all over the world. Verses 3 through 8 are one sentence in Greek, and it is at times difficult to interpret exactly. The Hellenistic letter form is followed, but it is given a distinctly Christian stamp. Following this paragraph is Paul's prayer, based upon what is described in the present verses. Paul speaks of the Colossians in verses 3-6a, then of the worldwide influence of the gospel in 6b. In the remainder of verse 6 and in verse 7 he returns to consider the Colossians. The progress of their faith was from preaching (by Epaphras, v. 7) to hope (v. 5) to love (v. 4) to Paul's prayers (vv. 8ff).

1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

Jesus is first mentioned in this verse. He is introduced as "Lord" (kuvrio" , kyrios ), and his Lordship is constantly on display throughout the epistle. It draws powerful significance from the hymn in 1:15-20. We are invited by the ways this book will describe Jesus to make comparison with the way he is presented in the first three gospels. Such a comparison helps us appreciate how God had enlarged the church's perception of the one who was "Lord and Christ."

"Thanks" to God is a conspicuous note in Colossians (cf. 1:12; 2:7; 3:15,16,17; 4:2). Here it was a plural thanksgiving, indicating Timothy, and likely others, joined Paul in prayer. Perhaps regular group prayers by those in Paul's company are implied. "Always" implies a constancy in the prayers, as well as a continuing gratitude. God was called "Father" in a scattering of Old Testament references, but fatherhood here is because of Christ, his Son, and because Christians are God's sons in a special way. In other words, God is seen differently because of Jesus.

The content of the prayer will be given in verses 9-12. See also 4:2-4,12.

1:4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus

Now the reason for the thanks is given. It was due to their faith and love response to the hope given by God. Faith, hope, and love are often grouped in Paul's writings (1 Cor 13:13; Rom 5:1-5; Gal 5:5f; 1 Thess 3:5-8) and one or more, as here, is often the reason for his thanksgiving. Reference to their love recurs in verse 8.

Two views are held of the expression "in Christ Jesus." One maintains that it was trust in Christ as the way of salvation. The other, which most commentators prefer, sees it as the sphere in which Christians lived. Thus those "in Christ Jesus" were the people who lived by faith. This makes "in Christ Jesus" parallel with "all the saints." This preferable view still leads one to ask "faith in what or whom," and the answer must have included, but was not limited to, the first view.

and of the love you have for all the saints -

Though Jesus called upon his followers to exercise universal love (Luke 6:27ff) here the special love within the believing community is noted.

1:5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven

"The faith and the love" of the NIV are repeated for clarity, though the expression is not in the Greek. As the NIV renders it, faith and love spring from hope. This is the most likely meaning, though some suggest it was the prayer (v. 3) that sprang from awareness of their hope. Perhaps the ultimate difference in the views is slight. Hope is referred to again in verse 23, as a sustaining foundation. Since Paul's primary concern in this letter was the heresy (2:8-23) he may have been implying that the false teaching robbed them of the hope Jesus gave them, or that it made the achieving of hope more difficult through its requirements. If they had hope as Christians, what more could the heresy offer? Of course uncertainty about the exact nature of the heresy makes this only a conjecture. Though hope has to do with the future, it also influences the present.

"Stored up in heaven" indicates the origin of hope, as well as the sureness of it. It is safe beyond man's meddling and thus assures ultimate glory (1:27; 3:4).

and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel

The hope-giving message, the "word of truth," had been basic to their calling from the beginning (v. 6a), unlike any "johnny-come-lately" philosophy (2:8). "Truth" (ajlhvqeia , alçtheia ) is found both here and in the next verse. The Hebrew sense of the word was "reliability." The Greek sense indicated the true in contrast to the false. Perhaps both ideas are implied here. Truth could be depended upon to give hope, and it dealt the death knell to false teaching (as Paul would go on to show).

1:6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing,

A more appropriate verse division would include the first five words of verse 6 (four words in Greek) with verse 5. The gospel is universal, and powerfully produces fruit and grows. These qualities contrasted with the heresy, and marked the heresy for what it was - something other than the true gospel (assuming the false teaching presented itself as Christian.) It did not bear the appropriate marks.

just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

Though the gospel was preached by men like Epaphras and Paul, the stress was on the power of God's message ("an internal energy," says one author), beyond the realm of human effort. This power resulted in multiplication of converts as well as in transforming lives more and more into the likeness of Christ. Paul prayed for this growth to happen in the experience of the Colossians in verse 10.

"Grace" picks up the greeting of verse 2, and "in truth" restates the language of verse 5.

1:7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

"Learned" (from manqavnw , manthanô ) is not the term Paul normally used for communication or reception of the gospel. Perhaps the term had significance in contrast to the false teaching. Epaphras is mentioned also in 4:12f and Philemon 23 (called a "fellow prisoner for Christ Jesus"). He planted the gospel in Colosse. Paul's reference to him authenticated the message he brought as "the word of truth of the gospel" - again against heresy, and also complimented him generously. The Greek term translated "fellow servant" (sundou'lo" , syndoulos ) is found elsewhere only in 4:7 (of Tychicus). If "our" behalf is read this fits Paul's endorsement of Epaphras. He did his work as Paul's emissary. However, some translators prefer "your" (NIV footnote) and the Greek would allow either reading. "Your" would fit verse 8, which indicates Epaphras was sent from Colosse to Paul with news of the church.

1:8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

This verse testifies to the universality of the love Christians practiced. They had never met Paul, but loved him. This may have been partly because they knew Paul had sent Epaphras their way in the beginning. It may also imply more communication between Paul and this church than the New Testament reveals.

This verse has the only reference to the Spirit in the book (though see 2:5). It speaks to God's working within them to create a loving lifestyle.

II. PAUL'S PRAYER FOR THE COLOSSIANS (1:9-14)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you ^a to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, ^b the forgiveness of sins.

^a 12 Some manuscripts us ^b 14 A few late manuscripts redemption through his blood

The prayer, beginning here, is consequent upon what has been said in verses three through eight. There is disagreement over the structure of this section. Some see the prayer as extending through verse 12, but with an exposition of 12 in the next two verses. Others have the prayer ending in verse 11, with verses 12-14 being drawn from a baptismal confession of the church. Verses 12-14, then, would introduce the Christ hymn of verses 15-20. Verses 12-14 certainly seem to be baptismal language, and the importance of baptism is pivotal to Paul's development of the idea of what it meant to be in Christ (2:11f). The way the text is analyzed, however, does not significantly alter the meaning of it.

There are numerous correspondences between this paragraph and the thanksgiving in verses 3 through 8. This follows Paul's usual procedure of praying for what he had noted in his thanksgiving. O'Brien lists the following: "since the day" (vv. 6, 9), "we heard" (vv. 4,9), "knowledge" (vv. 4,9,10), "bearing fruit and increasing" (vv. 6,10), "giving thanks" (vv. 3,12), "the Father" (vv. 3,12), "the saints" (vv. 4, 12), "Spirit/in spirit" (vv. 8,9), "hope/inheritance" (vv. 5,12), and "all" (vv. 4,6, 9,10,11).

1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you

Prayers of intercession can vary in motivation and in content. Paul's special prayers here fit the Colossian situation. They were not just "prayer in general." The motivation/reason of this prayer was stated in verses 3-5. The "day we heard" may indicate particular information about the Colossian church, perhaps even about the intrusion of the heresy. Or it may indicate all the time since the very first report to Paul about the church. In the latter case the verse testifies to the persistence and depth of Paul's concern, even for those he had not met personally.

and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will

Three terms indicate the burden of the prayer. The word for "knowledge" (ejpivgnwsi" , epignôsis ) used here (also in 2:2; 3:10) is not the usual Greek gnw'si" (gnôsis ). The Greek term for "wisdom" (sofiva , sophia ) is also in 1:28; 2:3; 3:16 and 4:5; and that for "understanding" (suvnesi" , synesis ) recurs in 2:2. These three terms were significant against the claims of the heresy, with its "hollow and deceptive philosophies" (2:8).

Paul prayed they would be filled with "knowledge." The filling idea is used often in Colossians (1:19,24,25; 2:2,3,9,10; 4:12,17) and likely confuted any claims by the false teachers to offer fullness. "Knowledge," "wisdom" and "understanding" would lead to proper living (v. 10). The process would be empowered by God (v. 11). But exactly what was this knowledge "of his will"? The basic truths of Christianity were already at their disposal. Likely what was involved was a deeper understanding which would enhance obedience to God (cf. "growing in knowledge" in v. 10), fruit bearing, and the insight to discern how the heresy was destructive of God's work in Christ. Such a prayer is appropriate for all Christians in every age, since none has completely grasped the complete significance of what Christ has done and how men may respond to it.

through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

We are not told how this knowledge would be given. It would involve God's power. It would be spiritual (some see the Spirit's work here). There were many ways God could work to accomplish these ends. They could include interaction, meditation, divinely guided insight, instruction and worship.

1:10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:

"And we pray this" is added by the NIV translators for clarity, as is "him" in midverse. To know was to obey, and knowledge was the instrument to obedience, as obedience furthered knowledge. Being Christian builds on itself, through God's power (v. 11). Clearly there is no division here between mental grasp and Christian action. The two work in tandem, strengthening one another.

bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Paul used four participles to carry his petition for their spiritual growth. They are the words translated "bearing," "growing," "being strengthened" (v. 11), and "giving thanks" (v. 12). Because verse 12 continues the participial construction some scholars are reluctant to see a separate baptismal confession beginning at this point (see the discussion preceding v. 9). These four explain the "worthy" and pleasing life. The first two terms described the progress of the gospel in verse 6.

1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might

Prayer implies divine action. Paul did not just exhort the Colossians to try harder. He assured them resources would be more than adequate for their needs. Who could doubt that the heresy would be successfully encountered when confronted by God's "glorious might"? "Glorious" (dovxa , doxa ) gives a qualitative dimension that goes beyond force or energy (cf. the term in 1:29). The term kravto" ( kratos ), translated "might," never refers to merely human power in the New Testament.

so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully

"Endurance," "patience" and "joy," when inspired by God's power, would be more than passive qualities. Endurance was the quality that would hold against enemy assaults in battle, or that would persevere in a race (cf. Heb 12:1; Luke 8:15). It would stand against heretical pressure. Patience was a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22; and see Col 3:12). The term basically denoted relations to one's fellow.

NIV connects "joyfully" with "thanksgiving" (v. 12), but others maintain it could modify "endurance" and "patience." The Stoics admired patience, but it was the Christians who combined patience with joy.

1:12 giving thanks to the Father,

Though "giving thanks" is the last of the four participles in verses 10-12 (see discussion at v. 10) the act could be seen as a human response to the divine empowering of verses 10 and 11. Lohse argues that Paul never closed his intercessions with thanks, and thus this was a new beginning. There are parallels in verses 12-14 to baptismal language. Deliverance from death and forgiveness parallel 2:12f (similar concepts are found in 1 Cor 1:30 and 1 Pet 1:3-5). Thus these verses could reflect baptismal language employed in the early church. If so, the brothers were called to reflect on their conversions and the great gratitude generated by what God had done for them. There may be no higher and more powerful motivation for submission to the Lord than gratitude for his grace.

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints

The "inheritance" (klh'ro" , klçros ) draws from the Old Testament background of Israel's possession of Canaan. The word recurs in 3:24. The "blessing" here is present, but a present with a future. There are two views of "saints," or "holy ones." One holds them to be fellow believers, as in other usages in Colossians as well as in Acts 20:32 and 26:18. The other considers them to be angels, on the basis of parallels at Qumran (cf. Dan 7:18,22). This position argues that such fellowship is set against the heretical "worship of angels" in 2:18. Linguistically and theologically either is possible, though we do not know which Paul had in mind. We consider the former more likely.

in the kingdom of light.

"Kingdom of light" and "dominion of darkness" (v. 13) reflect a theme often employed in Scripture for the contrast of good and evil (see Acts 26:18). It was found both in Hellenistic Judaism and at Qumran.

1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

Paul now includes himself among the "rescued" (contrast "you" in v. 12 with "us" here). "Rescued" and "brought" imply an act of transfer. If this was baptismal language then baptism was that act. God had moved a population from danger to safety, from Satan's dominion to Christ's. "Kingdom" is repeated from verse 12, but here it is not the usual "kingdom of God" but "kingdom of his Son." Paul refers to Christ's present rule, before that time when the kingdom would be delivered up to the Father (1 Cor 15:23-28). "Kingdom of the Son" also prepares for the depiction of Christ to follow in verses 15-20.

1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The transition involved deliverance from sin. The expression "forgiveness of sins," though often in Acts, is in Paul only here and in Ephesians 1:7. The emphasis here may have related to some claim of the heretics to offer forgiveness, though we have no direct evidence on the point.

III. THE HYMN ABOUT CHRIST (1:15-20)

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

These magnificent words form the heart of Paul's presentation of Christ in Colossians, and it is from this base that he attacked the heresy described in chapter 2. Had one known the human Jesus personally, one could hardly have imagined the truths about him expressed here. But when Jesus was raised from the dead, Christian understanding broadened and deepened, as the wonder of God's action became known in increasingly greater glory.

These verses are stylistically different from the first person "confession" which preceded in verses 12-14, and from the direct application style of the following verses (1:21ff). Because of style and language there is general agreement that verses 15-20 were a hymn, though we must recognize the ancient and modern definitions of that term are not identical. Even in English translation one can sense the rhythm and symmetry of these words.

When and where, then, did the hymn originate? Was it in a context outside Christianity, then taken and adapted by Christians? Those holding this view have suggested both Greek and Jewish (Hellenistic and rabbinic) origins, but no scholarly consensus has arisen. Was it originally Christian, drawing on concepts which were in the surrounding world, but were not in hymnic form? In any of these cases, did Paul take available material and rework it for his purposes? If so, and if one could determine the points in the hymn at which Paul edited and revised, that would be helpful in determining the ideas he was combatting. Numerous suggestions have been made regarding any Pauline revisions, but again there is no consensus.

Those convinced that an earlier hymn received Christian adaptation have conjectured how the original might have been structured. By theorizing what additions or changes were made various original strophic arrangements have been suggested. Some of the possible changes can be seen in the following discussion. Whatever its original form, the hymn as it stands first describes Christ and the cosmos (vv. 15-17) and then Christ and the church (vv. 18-20). Parallels can be seen within the two parts of the hymn. For example both parts describe him as "firstborn" (vv. 15,18), and in each case the following clause has the same Greek construction. "Thrones . . . authorities" in verse 16 parallels "things . . . heaven" in verse 20.

A minority of scholars consider the hymn to be entirely Paul's composition. Though perhaps not an insurmountable argument, critics of this view point out that the language of the hymn differs from Paul's other writings both in vocabulary and in form. Pauline authorship could still allow his use of materials and concepts from the surrounding thought world. And if Paul were the author, had he composed this hymn on some other occasion and modified it here, or was it composed just for this letter? And if just for this letter, why did he employ the apparent hymn form? Would he intend that his depiction of Christ in refutation of the heresy would be given greater force by working it into Christian worship? The hymn form would certainly be more memorable. Paul's effective use of the hymn indicates the heretics would also know of it, and that the church would understand the concepts set forth in it.

1:15 He is the image of the invisible God,

These are amazing assertions about one whom the Romans had executed as a troublemaker short decades before. Jesus is first called the image of the invisible God (cf. 2 Cor 4:4). He revealed God's nature and will to man, making the unseen seen, the unknown known, the known revealed with greater clarity. Why was the term "image" (eijkwvn , eikôn ) used? A possible source was the story of the creation of man in God's image (Gen 1:27), with the implication that Jesus was what Adam, because of the fall, failed to be. But elsewhere the hymn uses language associated with the wisdom tradition in Israel. Wisdom 7:25 depicts wisdom, personified, as being the "image" (eikôn ) of God. Proverbs 8:22 speaks of wisdom being with God at the beginning of creation. Some Jewish traditions also associate "in the beginning" of Gen 1:1 with wisdom. So if the image was wisdom, and "firstborn" indicated creation, the idea would be that by wisdom God created. Thus Paul may have borrowed from these ideas to give substance to the word "image" used of Jesus. He revealed God's wisdom, his will, to man. He was also the Creator, thus existed from the beginning. The "image" concept may have drawn its meaning from one of the backgrounds indicated, but this does not exhaust the implications of the language for the reflective believer. Jesus was the one who possessed God's authority among men. He made possible a kind of access to God previously unknown. These words set the Christ in a position from which no heresy dare unseat him.

the firstborn over all creation.

Next Jesus is designated "the firstborn" (prwtovtoko" , prôtotokos ) over all creation. Any suspicion that this would imply Jesus was part of creation is dispelled as the text continues into verse 16, which twice speaks of his creation of "all things," and verse 17 with "he is before all things." Here Paul pictured him as unique beyond the creation. The Old Testament twice (Exod 4:22, Jer 31:9) uses "firstborn" to describe one specially loved by the Father. Here the idea also stresses his supremacy over creation, especially as developed in subsequent verses. Cf. also Heb 1:6 where the word "firstborn" is a Messianic title.

1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

The meaning of "firstborn" is fleshed out in this and the following verse. The first reference to creation indicates completed action in the past (aorist), while the second reference (perfect) stresses the continuance of the creation's existence. "By him" is literally "in him," and some translations so render the Greek. Some see Christ as the instrument of creation, as in John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; and on the basis of the Jewish wisdom tradition. Others see "in him" as the location or sphere of creation, as in Ephesians 1:4. Some argue both meanings may have been intended. How nuanced did Paul intend to be in his use of prepositions?

"All things" are defined by the rest of the verse. Since all have one creator, all that exists has a unity. It was cosmos, not chaos. Things in heaven, on earth, visible and invisible, include thrones, powers, rulers and authorities. In Jewish thought thrones and power often indicated angelic hosts (2 Enoch 20:1; Test Levi 3:8). Rulers and authorities are referred to in Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21 and 6:12. These are generally held to be spiritual powers as well. The New Testament, however, does not give enough data to depict a hierarchy of such powers. Whether good or evil, all were his creations. Paul does not discuss the problem of God creating evil powers. It is usual to affirm God made them free and they chose evil. Scholars differ regarding whether any moral implications regarding the "thrones," etc., are even intended here. Quite likely there was reference here to some aspect of the heresy, so that the supremacy of Christ over any role given to any of them is clear.

all things were created by him and for him.

The absoluteness of the creative power is enforced by the twofold repetition of "all things." The verse ends by repeating the creative refrain, but now as "by him and for him." Here different prepositions were used from the opening statement of the verse. "By (through) him" clearly shows him as the creative agent. He was both originator and goal (further stressed in v. 17) of all creation. Any movement in history in any other direction was in the wrong direction. So was any system that sought to move beyond or escape history.

1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

"Before" introduces a fourth Greek pronoun (prov , pro ), with "by" (ejn , en ), "by" (dia , dia ), and "for" (eij" , eis , "into/unto") of verse 16. "Before" probably picks up the sense of "firstborn" of verse 15. The prevailing idea seems to indicate his priority over all things. "Hold together" (sunivsthmi , synistçmi ) is implied by his creative activity. Jesus is the "glue" of all that exists. The Greek term means to continue or endure. Without him there would be chaos, dissolution, disintegration (cf. a similar role for wisdom in Wisd Sol 1:4; 7:24). Consider how this concept would impact any teaching which minimized the significance and role of Christ. Note how later exhortation constantly refers back to Christ (3:10,13,15,16,17,18,24).

1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church;

We have already noted scholarly disagreement over the division of this hymn into sections. One view considers 15f as describing the creative Christ, and 17-18a as depicting him as Lord of the universe and head of the church. Then the rest of the passage stresses his role as reconciler. Other discussion has centered on "the church." It has been argued that "body" (sw'ma , sôma ) in Hellenistic thought could refer to the cosmos. Thus, the position states, the hymn originally continued its cosmic significance through the term "body," and the reference to "beginning and firstborn," parallel to verse 15, begins the second section of the hymn. Paul, on this view, added "the church," thus giving a different meaning to "body," and changing the thrust of verse 17. Of course all these theories are only conjectural. An objection to this view is that Paul never used "body" in the Hellenistic sense. On the other hand it would be a powerful statement of the importance of the church for a term which had indicated the cosmos to now indicate Christ's followers.

It can be asked why Paul chose the body image to describe the church. It may come from the Old Testament concept of the unity of the people of God, "corporate personality," in which the entire community was seen as a single entity and suffered or was blessed because of the actions of one part (cf. Achan in Josh 7), usually a leader. It is possible the idea became significant when the Lord told Paul on the Damascus road that to persecute Jesus' people was to persecute Jesus himself (Acts 9:5).

The body image was also used by Paul in Romans 12:4f; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26; Ephesians 4:15f, 5:23, and later in Colossians 2:9 and 3:15. It stresses the organic connection of Christ and his people, beyond the connection already implied by creation and sustaining power. It indicates the special place of the church to the Creator of the cosmos. "Thrones . . . authorities" are not called his body. As Bruce observes, we think of the head as vitalizing and energizing the church and using it as the instrument for his work on earth. As the church preached Christ, his Lordship over the cosmos was forthtold as well. The high significance thus given the church may have been to counter an individualistic tendency in the "heresy."

he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,

"Beginning" (archv , archç ) and "firstborn" here refer to the "creation" of the church through Christ's resurrection. Since he was firstborn he made it possible for others to be "born from the dead." "Firstborn" may mean he was the first victor over death, but it may indicate his authority (as it did in v. 15) over death as it was over all creation. He produced and ruled both the old and the new creation. The "and" between "beginning" and "firstborn" is not in the Greek, so that "firstborn" modifies "beginning" rather than being a separate description.

so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

"Everything" catches the universal language ("all" in 15, 16 twice, 17 twice, 19 and 20) found throughout this paragraph. "Supremacy" (the verb prwteuvw , prôteuô , "to be first") underlines the point already made. The following two verses will give further substance to Christ's relation to his body.

1:19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

"God" is not found in the Greek, so the verse could be translated with "fullness" (plhvrwma , plçrôma ) as the subject ("all fullness was pleased to dwell in him"), or a subject could be supplied, which would be "God." In context both translations say the same thing about Christ (cf. 2:9). The reference to "fullness" may be aimed at some claim of the heresy, perhaps that some (intermediate between God and man) beings other than Christ possessed God's fullness. Though the concept has depths we cannot fathom, here it should probably be understood as indicating the role of Christ described in this paragraph. In him God's attributes and activities, directed toward reconciliation, were found. Nothing necessary for that to occur was missing. And if the fullness was in Christ, why accept any system of thought ("philosophy" - 2:8) that indicated otherwise?

1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,

When the central theme of salvation and reconciliation is at last broached, it comes with the greatest of all introductions, set into a background of absolute power and majesty (vv. 15-19). It is in reconciliation that human concerns touch divine action. But Paul's view of reconciliation was broader than peace between man and God. It sweeps through earth and heaven and encompasses all of reality. Some maintain that the heresy posited an inherent conflict between God and the creation. Paul denied it. He saw all discord in humanity and nature resolved through Christ. The chaos brought on by the fall was overcome. What had gone wrong God then made right. Enmity was replaced by love.

All this was made possible but was actualized only in part - primarily in the redeemed community. The powers still had their day and could oppose God. But they were not sovereign. Implied here is a safety in Christ from such forces. Whether the powers, human or transhuman, that continue to resist God would one day be compelled to submission is a topic Paul does not address here. But the picture painted of Christ leaves no doubt as to what this outcome would be.

by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

If ever there was a shocking contrast, the last of this verse affords it. Having been carried to cosmic heights and having contemplated the very originating and sustaining power of the universe, we are now transported to the dismal scene of crucifixion and shed blood. Yet that was how God, the "master of surprises," had made reconciliation possible (cf. Phil 2:5-11). Could this scene of victory through humiliation have any application to heretical pride?

IV. THE HYMN APPLIED (1:21-23)

²¹ Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of ^a your evil behavior. ²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - ²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

^a 21 Or minds as shown by

The style of writing changes abruptly here as Paul applies the truths he has just depicted to his readers. One author has called it a homiletic adaptation of the hymn. (Of what use is theology if it does not impact human existence?) The NIV supplies "from God." The theme of reconciliation, resumed from verse 20, is first discussed from the negative side (alienation). In his extensive depiction of their status in Christ here and in 2:9-15 Paul indicates the utter folly of turning from Christ. Verse 23 is an exhortation to insure it would not happen. The point is reinforced by the "once" and "now" of verses 21 and 22.

1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

The language here applies, in a sense, to all men. But in this letter the application was primarily to Gentiles (cf. 3:7) who had never been in covenant with God. Now the alienation implied in verse 20 is made specific. It consisted of thoughts and deeds (behavior). On "minds" (diavnoia , dianoia ) cf. Ephesians 2:3 and 4:18. This was the way of the "dominion of darkness" (v. 13). The reference to their evil prepares us for the next verse, and for the paranetic materials in chapters 3 and 4.

"From God," not in the Greek, is added in the NIV for clarity.

1:22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death

The first half of this verse repeats the thought of verse 20. The last half echoes the prayer of 1:10. "Reconciled" is picked up from verse 20, and "all things" of that verse is drawn into narrower focus on the Colossians. The reference to Christ's physical body distinguishes it from the church as his body. Man, God's enemy, could not heal the rupture with his Creator. No effort, no matter how great, would avail. Only Christ's death could abolish the hostility.

to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation -

The goal in practice was holiness, freedom from blemish and freedom from accusation. Some consider this language to be drawn from sacrificial terminology, though the fit is not exact. Others consider it judicial, as if one were presented blameless in court. The blessed consequence was the same, whether Paul had in mind one or neither of these images.

When was the presenting to be done? At the second coming? Certainly that. But a person is also so presented in this life, through the reconciling blood. There could be no such presentation at the second coming if the reality were not operating in the present. Verse 23 speaks of continuing in the faith. This would be done, in part, by maintaining the proper conduct.

"Holy" (a{gioi , hagioi ) basically means "set apart" and is the same word as "saints" (1:4). The context here, however, seems also to imply the meaning of holiness which indicates purity of life - the usual meaning given today.

1:23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

Christ's death was the divine act, but the resultant holiness and life quality was both a divine gift and a human responsibility. The NIV translates "your" faith, indicating personal faith. Other translations, in accord with the Greek, translate "the faith," which could mean the Christian teaching handed down. The result in life is the same in either case. On faith and hope see 1:5. "Established" (from qemeliovw , themeliôo ) and "firm" (eJdrai'oi , hedraioi ) use building imagery and employ the same terminology used in describing building on the rock in Matthew 7:24f. See also Ephesians 2:20. "Hope" prepares us for 1:27, and implies that movement to a heretical position could destroy that hope.

This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,

The NIV also adds "This is the gospel," repeating for clearer sentence structure. "Every creature under heaven" is obviously not to be taken literally. Paul's point was that the message they accepted was the same one offered wherever Christianity had gone. This was no doubt to counter the local nature of the false teaching. The concept fits the theme of Christ as Creator and sustainer of all things in 1:15-20. If Christ rules all creatures, then all should heed the message of their Sovereign. And if "all things" are reconciled through Christ, then he must be proclaimed everywhere for that program to be realized.

and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

"I, Paul" indicates that Timothy's name in 1:1 is not to be understood in the sense of authorship. Paul, in calling himself a servant, put himself on the same footing as Epaphras (1:7) and Tychicus (4:7).

V. PAUL'S MINISTRY TO THE CHURCHES AND TO THE COLOSSIANS (1:24-2:5)

A. PAUL'S LABORS IN GOD'S POWER (1:24-29)

²⁴ Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. ²⁵ I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness - ²⁶ the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Paul called himself a servant in verse 23, and he enlarges on that in the following verses. He stresses God as the source of his message and as the one who commissioned him. In describing his work he employs a number of terms that doubtless characterized the heresy, but he relates the terms to Christ. His ultimate purpose was to keep his readers from being deceived and led away from Christ (2:4,8).

1:24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

This verse has been one of the most puzzling in Colossians because it speaks of filling what was lacking of Christ's afflictions. Bypassing that for the moment, Paul paralleled his fleshly suffering with Christ's (v. 22). Jesus died for the Colossians, and Paul suffered for them. This lent urgency to his ministry and to his appeal that they not be drawn away from Christ. For Paul the discomfort of suffering was transcended by the joy of bringing men reconciliation with God. From the first Paul knew he would suffer (Acts 9:16), and it was a continual feature of his ministry (cf. 1 Cor 4:9-13; 2 Cor 11:23-33; Gal 6:17).

Paul suffered for the Colossians (and for the Laodiceans, 2:1f). We are not told how this was done. Was it some special suffering just related to them? More probably he meant that all his suffering for the church was for them as well as for anyone else. Could suffering include inner agony experienced because of the threat to the church? Verses 26-29 may indicate it was related to preaching to the Gentiles.

As indicated above, the interpretive puzzle here centers in the statements "fill up" (ajntanaplhrw' , antanaplçrô ) and "lacking" (uJstevrhma , hysterçma ) in regard to Christ's afflictions. O'Brien gives an admirable summary and critique of the various interpretations:

1) Paul filled a lack in the vicarious sufferings of Christ. But this would deny the all-sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, which the New Testament strongly affirms.

2) Paul suffered "for the sake of Christ." This was true but it leaves "fill up" and "lacking" unexplained.

3) The same objection applies to the view that Paul's sufferings resembled those of Christ.

4) Paul suffered Christ's afflictions because he was in a mystical fellowship with Christ, and this would in some way benefit the church. Besides the problem of establishing a "mystical fellowship" from Paul's writings, this position also fails to adequately explain "fill up" and "lacking." Yet without going to mystical extremes, there could be a sense in which Christian suffering would "complete" the suffering of Christ.

5) Paul was employing apocalyptic language. Verse 26, and 2:2,3 employ language that has an apocalyptic sound. Building on Daniel 12:1, Jewish literature pictured the end time as being accompanied or preceded by suffering and catastrophe, which would afflict even the faithful. Those assuming that Christianity was influenced by this perspective pull into its orbit such texts about suffering as Acts 14:22 (which uses the Greek term translated "affliction" here), Mark 13:19-24 (and parallels), 1 Thessalonians 3:3,7, and Romans 8:17f, 38f. It is also held that God would limit these end time afflictions (the amount of suffering was predetermined), which would be related to the "filling up" of the present text. Thus Paul would be helping complete the Messianic woes to precede the end.

Paul has no doubt employed language familiar in apocalyptic writing. Exegesis of the passages cited, however, could challenge the use to which this position puts them. Were these passages truly apocalyptic? And what were the Christian views of the end time? In one sense it had already come (1:13f; 3:3) though there was still the Second Coming (3:4). O'Brien objects, too, to the concept of a predetermined amount of suffering.

Beyond these theories, we believe Paul was primarily concerned that the Colossians be encouraged and understand Christ, God's mystery (2:2). To accomplish this he had suffered. He may be saying that the task of proclaiming the gospel would frequently (perhaps not inevitably) involve affliction. No matter. The greater work was being done (cf. Rom 8:18). The task, thus the affliction, would go on to the end. Without preaching, the death of Christ would not have been known to unsaved humanity. Perhaps in spreading the message Christ's afflictions would be filled in that their meaning would be made known. As the preachers were afflicted, so would Christ be (Acts 9:4). It has been suggested that the particular affliction to which Paul referred here was reaction by Jews to his preaching to Gentiles, and verses 26-29 would support this. This statement of dedication, resultant from God's commission (v. 25) gave a personal dimension (in addition to the doctrinal) to Paul's case against the false teaching at Colosse.

1:25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness -

The word translated "commission" (oijkonomiva , oikonomia ), often used in tandem with "mystery," was probably Paul's call by God to preach, especially to the Gentiles. The commission gave him insight into the mystery, and involved him as a "servant." Presenting the Word of God in "fullness" roughly parallels the language of Romans 15:19 (in both cases Paul uses the verb "fill up" [plhrovw , plçroô ]) and seems to imply the complete message that was preached to the entire world, particularly to Gentiles. The fullness of preaching led to the fullness of life in Christ (cf. 1:9; 2:10).

1:26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.

The word of God was the "mystery" (musthvrion , mystçrion ). If the mystery (acceptance of Gentiles) had not been preached, then the word of God would not have been proclaimed in fullness (v. 25). "Mystery" is used by Paul three times as often as in all the rest of the New Testament. It was a term, known in the Semitic world, which indicated something hidden and unknown. God would make it known in his time. So Paul asserts God had done just that, and the reality hidden so long was the acceptance of Gentiles into his community in equal standing with Jews. Not only was the mystery revealed, it was to be among the nations (v. 27) since it affected them directly. But it was grasped by the saints, the believers, since they had responded to its offer of deliverance from the "dominion of darkness" (1:13). Other references to the mystery are found in Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:9; 3:3,4,9; 6:19; and Colossians 2:2; 4:3. Use of the term here may have been to give it its Christian meaning, contrary to any meaning the heresy may have accorded to it.

1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,

The veil is lifted, and the identity of the mystery appears - gloriously (cf. 2:2f; Eph 1:7,18; 3:8,16)! God's choice had led to Paul's commission (v. 24). The Old Testament does indicate that God's plan was ultimately for all men (Gen 12:3; Isa 49:6), but the manner and time of it were not in the way it was anticipated by the Jews. Thus we witness the early struggles in the church regarding Gentiles becoming Jews before they could become Christians (Acts 15; Galatians).

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

"Christ in you" could refer to the fact Christ was preached to Gentiles, or, less likely in this context, to the indwelling Christ in the life of each Christian. If parallel to "among the Gentiles" it would mean "among" you. On hope cf. 1:5,22. Paul refers to the "glory" in 3:4. It will come when Christ appears, and we see the magnificent culmination of the believer's pilgrimage.

1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

This further description of the Christian ministry seems expressed in particular opposition to the false teaching. "Wisdom" (sofiva , sophia ) and "perfect" (tevleio" , teleios ) may both be terms which the heretics connected with their philosophy. Paul connects them with Christ. If the false teachers promulgated a view for the "spiritually elite," Paul's threefold use of the expression "all men" (in the Greek; NIV "everyone") combatted that by indicating the universality of Christ's offer of salvation.

Paul's proclamation includes admonition (lit. "putting in mind") and teaching. The same two terms occur in 3:16. Wisdom here is practical, referring to the manner of preaching. Cf. another practical application in 4:5. Paul's wisdom in preaching can be verified from 1 Corinthians 9:23ff, and from his delicate treatment of the matter of Onesimus in Philemon. His goal was to present everyone perfect in Christ, similar to the statement of verse 22. Here the Second Coming seems to be the occasion meant.

1:29 To this end I labor,

In verse 28 the first person plural was used as Paul included his associates, but here he speaks of his personal activity. As he suffered for the Colossians (v. 24), now he labors. In the next verse he relates his efforts specifically to the Colossians. Though Paul was a prisoner this did not diminish the fire within him to do God's work. Later he asked the Colossians to pray for an opportunity for him to preach (4:2-4).

struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Two strong impressions arise from this verse. The first is Paul's intensity, reflected in the words "labor" (kopiavw , kopiaô ) and "struggling" (from ajgwnivzomai , agônizomai ). The first indicates severe labor (cf. 1 Cor 4:12; 15:10; Phil 2:16). The latter is an intensive form of the Greek term from which our "agony" comes. But beyond this depiction of extreme effort is grace. God's power was at work within Paul. Twice in the Greek he used the term ejnergeiva ( energeia ) from which "energy" is derived, and once he used duvnami" ( dynamis , root of dynamic, dynamite, etc.). On this power see 1:11; 2:12 and cf. Ephesians 1:19; 3:7,16,20; and 6:10. Divine empowering made possible Paul's great devotion to his mission. Work and grace go hand in hand.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

Commentary -- Other

Evidence: Col 1:3

Some people applaud when sinners step forward to make a decision for Christ. It is more biblical to hold the applause until the genuineness of their repentance is evidenced by " fruit." See Col 1:6 .

Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Colossians (Book Introduction)

The Epistle to the Colossians

From Rome a.d. 63

By Way of Introduction

Genuineness

The author claims to be Paul (Col_1:1) and there is no real doubt about it in spite of Baur’s denial of the Pauline authorship which did not suit his Tendenz theory of the New Testament books. There is every mark of Paul’s style and power in the little Epistle and there is no evidence that any one else took Paul’s name to palm off this striking and vigorous polemic.

The Date

Clearly it was sent at the same time with the Epistle to Philemon and the one to the Ephesians since Tychicus the bearer of the letter to Ephesus (Eph_6:21.) and the one to Colossae (Col_4:7.) was a companion of Onesimus (Col_4:9) the bearer of that to Philemon (Phm_1:10-12). If Paul is a prisoner (Col_4:3; Eph_6:20; Phm_1:9) in Rome, as most scholars hold, and not in Ephesus as Deissmann and Duncan argue, the probable date would be a.d. 63. I still believe that Paul is in Rome when he sends out these epistles. If so, the time would be after the arrival in Rome from Jerusalem as told in Acts 28 and before the burning of Rome by Nero in a.d. 64. If Philippians was already sent, a.d. 63 marks the last probable year for the writing of this group of letters.

The Occasion

The Epistle itself gives it as being due to the arrival of Epaphras from Colossae (Col_1:7-9; Col_4:12.). He is probably one of Paul’s converts while in Ephesus who in behalf of Paul (Col_1:7) evangelized the Lycus Valley (Colossae, Hierapolis, Laodicea) where Paul had never been himself (Col_2:1; Col_4:13-16). Since Paul’s departure for Rome, the " grievous wolves" whom he foresaw in Miletus (Act_20:29.) had descended upon these churches and were playing havoc with many and leading them astray much as new cults today mislead the unwary. These men were later called Gnostics (see Ignatius) and had a subtle appeal that was not easy to withstand. The air was full of the mystery cults like the Eleusinian mysteries, Mithraism, the vogue of Isis, what not. These new teachers professed new thought with a world-view that sought to explain everything on the assumption that matter was essentially evil and that the good God could only touch evil matter by means of a series of aeons or emanations so far removed from him as to prevent contamination by God and yet with enough power to create evil matter. This jejune theory satisfied many just as today some are content to deny the existence of sin, disease, death in spite of the evidence of the senses to the contrary. In his perplexity Epaphras journeyed all the way to Rome to obtain Paul’s help.

Purpose of the Epistle

Epaphras did not come in vain, for Paul was tremendously stirred by the peril to Christianity from the Gnostics ( hoi gnōstikoi , the knowing ones). He had won his fight for freedom in Christ against the Judaizers who tried to fasten Jewish sacramentarianism upon spiritual Christianity. Now there is an equal danger of the dissipation of vital Christianity in philosophic speculation. In particular, the peril was keen concerning the Person of Christ when the Gnostics embraced Christianity and applied their theory of the universe to him. They split into factions on the subject of Christ. The Docetic (from dokeō , to seem) Gnostics held that Jesus did not have a real human body, but only a phantom body. He was, in fact, an aeon and had no real humanity. The Cerinthian (followers of Cerinthus) Gnostics admitted the humanity of the man Jesus, but claimed that the Christ was an aeon that came on Jesus at his baptism in the form of a dove and left him on the Cross so that only the man Jesus died. At once this heresy sharpened the issue concerning the Person of Christ already set forth in Phi_2:5-11. Paul met the issue squarely and powerfully portrayed his full-length portrait of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Son of Man (both deity and humanity) in opposition to both types of Gnostics. So then Colossians seems written expressly for our own day when so many are trying to rob Jesus Christ of his deity. The Gnostics took varying views of moral issues also as men do now. There were the ascetics with rigorous rules and the licentious element that let down all the bars for the flesh while the spirit communed with God. One cannot understand Colossians without some knowledge of Gnosticism such as may be obtained in such books as Angus’s The Mystery-Religions and Christianity , Glover’s The Conflict of Religion in the Early Roman Empire , Kennedy’s St. Paul and the Mystery-Religions , Lightfoot’s Commentary on Colossians .

JFB: Colossians (Book Introduction)

The GENUINENESS of this Epistle is attested by JUSTIN MARTYR [Dialogue with Trypho, p. 311, B.], who quotes "the first-born of every creature," in reference to Christ, from Col 1:15. THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH [To Autolychus, 2, p. 100]. IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 3.14.1], quotes expressly from this "Epistle to the Colossians" (Col 4:14). CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA [Miscellanies, 1. p. 325], quotes Col 1:28; also elsewhere he quotes Col 1:9-11, Col 1:28; Col 2:2, &c.; Col 2:8; Col 3:12, Col 3:14; Col 4:2-3, &c. TERTULLIAN [The Prescription against Heretics, 7], quotes Col 2:8; [On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 23], and quotes Col 2:12, Col 2:20; Col 3:1-2. ORIGEN [Against Celsus, 5.8], quotes Col 2:18-19.

Colosse (or, as it is spelt in the best manuscripts, "Colassæ") was a city of Phrygia, on the river Lycus, a branch of the Meander. The Church there was mainly composed of Gentiles (compare Col 2:13). ALFORD infers from Col 2:1 (see on Col 2:1), that Paul had not seen its members, and therefore could not have been its founder, as THEODORET thought. Col 1:7-8 suggests the probability that Epaphras was the first founder of the Church there. The date of its foundation must have been subsequent to Paul's visitation, "strengthening in order" all the churches of Galatia and Phrygia (Act 18:24); for otherwise we must have visited the Colossians, which Col 2:1 implies he had not. Had Paul been their father in the faith, he would doubtless have alluded to the fact, as in 1Co 3:6, 1Co 3:10; 1Co 4:15; 1Th 1:5; 1Th 2:1. It is only in the Epistles, Romans and Ephesians, and this Epistle, such allusions are wanting; in that to the Romans, because, as in this Church of Colosse, he had not been the instrument of their conversion; in that to the Ephesians, owing to the general nature of the Epistle. Probably during the "two years" of Paul's stay at Ephesus, when "all which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus" (Act 19:10, Act 19:26), Epaphras, Philemon, Archippus, Apphia and the other natives of Colosse, becoming converted at Ephesus, were subsequently the first sowers of the Gospel seed in their own city. This will account for their personal acquaintance with, and attachment to, Paul and his fellow ministers, and for his loving language as to them, and their counter salutations to him. So also with respect to "them at Laodicea," (Col 2:1).

The OBJECT of the Epistle is to counteract Jewish false teaching, by setting before the Colossians their true standing in Christ alone (exclusive of all other heavenly beings), the majesty of His person, and the completeness of the redemption wrought by Him; hence they ought to be conformed to their risen Lord, and to exhibit that conformity in all the relations of ordinary life Col 2:16, "new moon, sabbath days," shows that the false teaching opposed in this Epistle is that of Judaizing Christians. These mixed up with pure Christianity Oriental theosophy and angel-worship, and the asceticism of certain sections of the Jews, especially the Essenes. Compare JOSEPHUS [Wars of the Jews, 2.8,13]. These theosophists promised to their followers a deeper insight into the world of spirits, and a nearer approach to heavenly purity and intelligence, than the simple Gospel affords. CONYBEARE and HOWSON think that some Alexandrian Jew had appeared at Colosse, imbued with the Greek philosophy of PHILO'S school, combining with it the Rabbinical theosophy and angelology which afterwards was embodied in the Cabbala. Compare JOSEPHUS [Antiquities, 12.3,4], from which we know that Alexander the Great had garrisoned the towns of Lydia and Phrygia with two thousand Mesopotamian and Babylonian Jews in the time of a threatened revolt. The Phrygians themselves had a mystic tendency in their worship of Cybele, which inclined them to receive the more readily the incipient Gnosticism of Judaizers, which afterward developed itself into the strangest heresies. In the Pastoral Epistles, the evil is spoken of as having reached a more deadly phase (1Ti 4:1-3; 1Ti 6:5), whereas he brings no charge of immorality in this Epistle: a proof of its being much earlier in date.

The PLACE from which it was written seems to have been Rome, during his first imprisonment there (Act 28:17-31). In my Introduction to the Epistle to the Ephesians, it was shown that the three Epistles, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, were sent at the same time, namely, during the freer portion of his imprisonment, before the death of Burrus. Col 4:3-4; Eph 6:19-20, imply greater freedom than he had while writing to the Philippians, after the promotion of Tigellinus to be Prætorian Prefect. See Introduction to Philippians.

This Epistle, though carried by the same bearer, Tychicus, who bore that to the Ephesians, was written previously to that Epistle; for many phrases similar in both appear in the more expanded form in the Epistle to the Ephesians (compare also Note, see on Eph 6:21). The Epistle to the Laodiceans (Col 4:16) was written before that to the Colossians, but probably was sent by him to Laodicea at the same time with that to the Church at Colosse.

The STYLE is peculiar: many Greek phrases occur here, found nowhere else. Compare Col 2:8, "spoil you"; "making a show of them openly" (Col 2:15); "beguile of your reward," and "intruding" (Col 2:18); "will-worship"; "satisfying" (Col 2:23); "filthy communication" (Col 3:8); "rule" (Col 3:15); "comfort" (Col 4:11). The loftiness and artificial elaboration of style correspond to the majestic nature of his theme, the majesty of Christ's person and office, in contrast to the beggarly system of the Judaizers, the discussion of which was forced on him by the controversy. Hence arises his use of unusual phraseology. On the other hand, in the Epistle of the Ephesians, subsequently written, in which he was not so hampered by the exigencies of controversy, he dilates on the same glorious truths, so congenial to him, more at large, freely and uncontroversially, in the fuller outpouring of his spirit, with less of the elaborate and antithetical language of system, such as was needed in cautioning the Colossians against the particular errors threatening them. Hence arises the striking similarity of many of the phrases in the two Epistles written about the same time, and generally in the same vein of spiritual thought; while the peculiar phrases of the Epistle to the Colossians are such as are natural, considering the controversial purpose of that Epistle.

JFB: Colossians (Outline)

• ADDRESS: INTRODUCTION: CONFIRMING EPAPHRAS' TEACHING: THE GLORIES OF CHRIST: THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER FOR THE COLOSSIANS: HIS OWN MINISTRY OF THE MYSTERY. (Col. 1:1-29)
• HIS STRIVINGS IN PRAYER FOR THEIR STEADFASTNESS IN CHRIST; FROM WHOM HE WARNS THEM NOT TO BE LED AWAY BY FALSE WISDOM. (Col. 2:1-23)
• EXHORTATIONS TO HEAVENLY AIMS, AS OPPOSED TO EARTHLY, ON THE GROUND OF UNION TO THE RISEN SAVIOUR; TO MORTIFY AND PUT OFF THE OLD MAN, AND TO PUT ON THE NEW; IN CHARITY, HUMILITY, WORDS OF EDIFICATION, THANKFULNESS; RELATIVE DUTIES. (Col. 3:1-25)
• EXHORTATIONS CONTINUED. TO PRAYER: WISDOM IN RELATION TO THE UNCONVERTED: AS TO THE BEARERS OF THE EPISTLE, TYCHICUS AND ONESIMUS: CLOSING SALUTATIONS. (Col. 4:1-18)

TSK: Colossians (Book Introduction)

Colosse was a large and populous city of Phrygia Pacatiana, in Asia Minor, seated on an eminence to the south of the river Meander. It is supposed to have occupied a site now covered with ruins, near the village of Konous or Khonas, and about twenty miles nw of Degnizlu. By whom, or at what time, the church at Colosse was founded is wholly uncertain; but it would appear from the apostle’s declaration, Col 2:1, that he was not the honoured instrument. It appears from the tenor of this epistle to have been, upon the whole, in a very flourishing state; but some difficulties having arisen among them, they sent Epaphras to Rome, where the apostle was now imprisoned (Col 4:3) to acquaint him with the state of their affairs. It is remarkable for a peculiar pathos and ardour, which is generally ascribed to the extraordinary divine consolations enjoyed by the apostle during his sufferings for the sake of Christ. Whoever, says Michaelis, would understand the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians, must read them together. The one is in most places a commentary on the other; the meaning of single passages in one epistle, which, if considered alone, might be variously interpreted, being determined by the parallel passages in the other epistle.

TSK: Colossians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

Col 1:1, After salutation Paul thanks God for their faith; Col 1:7, confirms the doctrine of Epaphras; Col 1:9, prays further for their increase in grace; Col 1:14, describes the true Christ; Col 1:21, encourages them to receive Jesus Christ, and commends his own ministry.

Poole: Colossians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

ARGUMENT

God having a church planted in the city of Colosse, (by some since called Chone), situated at the conflux of the rivers Meander and Lycus, in the neighbourhood of Laodicea and Hierapolis, Col 4:13 , in Phrygia of the lesser Asia; whether at first only by the preaching of Epaphras, one of them who was a servant of Christ, and faithful minister, Col 1:7 4:12 ; or by Paul himself, who (we learn from Luke that accompanied him) had gone throughout Phrygia, Act 16:6 , and again, over all the country of Phrygia in order, Act 18:23 , having staid for a season in Asia, where he wrought miracles, and was complained of for turning away much people from idolatry almost throughout all Asia, Act 19:11,22,26 ; we may leave undetermined. But whoever was God’ s prime instrument in planting the gospel here, upon Paul’ s being advertised by Epaphras, Col 1:8 Col 4:12 Phm 1:23that weeds sprang up to choke the good seed; as he was careful for the Philippians during his imprisonment, so for the Colossians, that they might not be perverted by those Judaizing false teachers who mingled Moses with Christ, stickling for the necessity of abrogated ceremonies to salvation, Col 2:4,8 , &c., varnishing their doctrines with notions of vain or abused philosophy, did seek to introduce a superstitious worship grounded on human traditions, Col 2:8,18 , &c.; but, reposing all their hope of salvation in Christ alone, persevere in that doctrine they had received according to his mind, and in the practice of real holiness with heavenly affections, both personally and relatively in heart and life, craving help of God; unto whom, having blessed God for the grace wrought in them, he doth recommend them in his own and brethren’ s salutations, contracting as it were the matter he had more fully written to the Ephesians, that Epistle and this, as the Evangelists, explaining each other.

COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1

Col 1:1,2 After saluting the saints at Colosse,

Col 1:3-8 Paul testifieth his thankfulness to God for the good

account he had heard of their faith and love,

Col 1:9-14 and his continual prayers for their improvement in

spiritual knowledge, right practice, and thanksgiving

to God for the benefits of redemption by his Son.

Col 1:15-20 He showeth them the exalted nature and mediatorial

office of Christ,

Col 1:21,22 by whom they, who were once enemies, were now

reconciled, if they continued true to the gospel,

Col 1:23-29 whereof he Paul was made a minister to preach to the

Gentiles.

Paul he who of a persecutor was become a preacher, and that amongst the Gentiles laid aside his Hebrew name Saul and made use of this, which was more familiar amongst the Gentiles, viz. Paul, Act 13:2,3,9 .

An apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God one of those extraordinary persons immediately deputed by the special command of our Lord himself, with sovereign authority to preach the gospel, and establish his church, which is the highest charge God ever gave to men, Mat 10:2 Luk 6:13 1Co 12:28 Gal 1:12 : See Poole on "Eph 1:1" . See Poole on "Eph 4:11" .

And Timotheus our brother he joins Timothy, as elsewhere Sosthenes, 1Co 1:1 , by the title of

brother as being of the same faith, labouring in one and the same work, which might be more for their satisfaction.

MHCC: Colossians (Book Introduction)

This epistle was sent because of some difficulties which arose among the Colossians, probably from false teachers, in consequence of which they sent to the apostle. The scope of the epistle is to show, that all hope of man's redemption is founded on Christ, in whom alone are all complete fulness, perfections, and sufficiency. The Colossians are cautioned against the devices of judaizing teachers, and also against the notions of carnal wisdom, and human inventions and traditions, as not consistent with full reliance on Christ. In the first two chapters the apostle tells them what they must believe, and in the two last what they must do; the doctrine of faith, and the precepts of life for salvation.

MHCC: Colossians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

(Col 1:1-8) The apostle Paul salutes the Colossians, and blesses God for their faith, love, and hope.

(Col 1:9-14) Prays for their fruitfulness in spiritual knowledge.

(Col 1:15-23) Gives a glorious view of Christ.

(Col 1:24-29) And sets out his own character, as the apostle of the Gentiles.

Matthew Henry: Colossians (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians

Colosse was a considerable city of Phrygia, and probably not far from Laodicea and Hierapolis; we find these mentioned together, Col 4:13. It is now buried in ruins, and the memory of it chiefly preserved in this epistle. The design of the epistle is to warn them of the danger of the Jewish zealots, who pressed the necessity of observing the ceremonial law; and to fortify them against the mixture of the Gentile philosophy with their Christian principles. He professes a great satisfaction in their stedfastness and constancy, and encourages them to perseverance. It was written about the same time with the epistles to the Ephesians and Philippians, a.d. 62, and in the same place, while he was now a prisoner at Rome. He was not idle in his confinement, and the word of God was not bound.

This epistle, like that to the Romans, was written to those he had never seen, nor had any personal acquaintance with. The church planted at Colosse was not by Paul's ministry, but by the ministry of Epaphras or Epaphroditus, an evangelist, one whom he delegated to preach the gospel among the Gentiles; and yet, I. There was a flourishing church at Colosse, and one which was eminent and famous among the churches. One would have thought none would have come to be flourishing churches but those which Paul himself had planted; but here was a flourishing church planted by Epaphras. God is sometimes pleased to make use of the ministry of those who are of less note, and lower gifts, for doing great service to his church. God uses what hands he pleases, and is not tied to those of note, that the excellence of the power may appear to be of God and not of men, 2Co 4:7. II. Though Paul had not the planting of this church, yet he did not therefore neglect it; nor, in writing his epistles, does he make any difference between that and other churches. The Colossians, who were converted by the ministry of Epaphras, were as dear to him, and he was as much concerned for their welfare, as the Philippians, or any others who were converted by his ministry. Thus he put an honour upon an inferior minister, and teaches us not to be selfish, nor think all that honour lost which goes beside ourselves. We learn, in his example, not to think it a disparagement to us to water what others have planted, or build upon the foundation which others have laid: as he himself, as a wise master-builder, laid the foundation, and another built thereon, 1Co 3:10.

Matthew Henry: Colossians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

We have here, I. The inscription, as usual (Col 1:1, Col 1:2). II. His thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them - their faith, love, and hope (Col 1:3-8). III. His prayer for their knowledge, fruitfulness, and strength (Col 1:9-11). IV. An admirable summary of the Christian doctrine concerning the operation of the Spirit, the person of the Redeemer, the work of redemption, and the preaching of it in the gospel (v. 12-29).

Barclay: Colossians (Book Introduction)

A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL

The Letters Of Paul

There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letters of Paul. That is because of all forms of literature a letter is most personal. Demetrius, one of the old Greek literary critics, once wrote, "Every one reveals his own soul in his letters. In every other form of composition it is possible to discern the writercharacter, but in none so clearly as the epistolary." (Demetrius, On Style, 227). It is just because he left us so many letters that we feel we know Paul so well. In them he opened his mind and heart to the folk he loved so much; and in them, to this day, we can see that great mind grappling with the problems of the early church, and feel that great heart throbbing with love for men, even when they were misguided and mistaken.

The Difficulty Of Letters

At the same time, there is often nothing so difficult to understand as a letter. Demetrius (On Style, 223) quotes a saying of Artemon, who edited the letters of Aristotle. Artemon said that a letter ought to be written in the same manner as a dialogue, because it was one of the two sides of a dialogue. In other words, to read a letter is like listening to one side of a telephone conversation. So when we read the letters of Paul we are often in a difficulty. We do not possess the letter which he was answering; we do not fully know the circumstances with which he was dealing; it is only from the letter itself that we can deduce the situation which prompted it. Before we can hope to understand fully any letter Paul wrote, we must try to reconstruct the situation which produced it.

The Ancient Letters

It is a great pity that Paulletters were ever called epistles. They are in the most literal sense letters. One of the great lights shed on the interpretation of the New Testament has been the discovery and the publication of the papyri. In the ancient world, papyrus was the substance on which most documents were written. It was composed of strips of the pith of a certain bulrush that grew on the banks of the Nile. These strips were laid one on top of the other to form a substance very like brown paper. The sands of the Egyptian desert were ideal for preservation, for papyrus, although very brittle, will last forever so long as moisture does not get at it. As a result, from the Egyptian rubbish heaps, archaeologists have rescued hundreds of documents, marriage contracts, legal agreements, government forms, and, most interesting of all, private letters. When we read these private letters we find that there was a pattern to which nearly all conformed; and we find that Paulletters reproduce exactly that pattern. Here is one of these ancient letters. It is from a soldier, called Apion, to his father Epimachus. He is writing from Misenum to tell his father that he has arrived safely after a stormy passage.

"Apion sends heartiest greetings to his father and lord Epimachus.

I pray above all that you are well and fit; and that things are

going well with you and my sister and her daughter and my brother.

I thank my Lord Serapis [his god] that he kept me safe when I was

in peril on the sea. As soon as I got to Misenum I got my journey

money from Caesar--three gold pieces. And things are going fine

with me. So I beg you, my dear father, send me a line, first to let

me know how you are, and then about my brothers, and thirdly, that

I may kiss your hand, because you brought me up well, and because

of that I hope, God willing, soon to be promoted. Give Capito my

heartiest greetings, and my brothers and Serenilla and my friends.

I sent you a little picture of myself painted by Euctemon. My

military name is Antonius Maximus. I pray for your good health.

Serenus sends good wishes, Agathos Daimonboy, and Turbo,

Galloniuson." (G. Milligan, Selections from the Greek Papyri,

36.)

Little did Apion think that we would be reading his letter to his father 1800 years after he had written it. It shows how little human nature changes. The lad is hoping for promotion quickly. Who would Serenilla be but the girl he left behind him? He sends the ancient equivalent of a photograph to the folk at home. Now that letter falls into certain sections. (i) There is a greeting. (ii) There is a prayer for the health of the recipients. (iii) There is a thanksgiving to the gods. (iv) There are the special contents. (v) Finally, there are the special salutations and the personal greetings. Practically every one of Paulletters shows exactly the same sections, as we now demonstrate.

(i) The Greeting: Rom_1:1 ; 1Co_1:1 ; 2Co_1:1 ; Gal_1:1 ; Eph_1:1 ; Phi_1:1 ; Col_1:1-2 ; 1Th_1:1 ; 2Th_1:1 .

(ii) The Prayer: in every case Paul prays for the grace of God on the people to whom he writes: Rom_1:7 ; 1Co_1:3 ; 2Co_1:2 ; Gal_1:3 ; Eph_1:2 ; Phi_1:3 ; Col_1:2 ; 1Th_1:1 ; 2Th_1:2 .

(iii) The Thanksgiving: Rom_1:8 ; 1Co_1:4 ; 2Co_1:3 ; Eph_1:3 ; Phi_1:3 ; 1Th_1:3 ; 2Th_1:3 .

(iv) The Special Contents: the main body of the letters.

(v) Special Salutations and Personal Greetings: Rom 16 ; 1Co_16:19 ; 2Co_13:13 ; Phi_4:21-22 ; Col_4:12-15 ; 1Th_5:26 .

When Paul wrote letters, he wrote them on the pattern which everyone used. Deissmann says of them, "They differ from the messages of the homely papyrus leaves of Egypt, not as letters but only as the letters of Paul." When we read Paulletters we are not reading things which were meant to be academic exercises and theological treatises, but human documents written by a friend to his friends.

The Immediate Situation

With a very few exceptions, all Paulletters were written to meet an immediate situation and not treatises which he sat down to write in the peace and silence of his study. There was some threatening situation in Corinth, or Galatia, or Philippi, or Thessalonica, and he wrote a letter to meet it. He was not in the least thinking of us when he wrote, but solely of the people to whom he was writing. Deissmann writes, "Paul had no thought of adding a few fresh compositions to the already extant Jewish epistles; still less of enriching the sacred literature of his nation.... He had no presentiment of the place his words would occupy in universal history; not so much that they would be in existence in the next generation, far less that one day people would look at them as Holy Scripture." We must always remember that a thing need not be transient because it was written to meet an immediate situation. All the great love songs of the world were written for one person, but they live on for the whole of mankind. It is just because Paulletters were written to meet a threatening danger or a clamant need that they still throb with life. And it is because human need and the human situation do not change that God speaks to us through them today.

The Spoken Word

One other thing we must note about these letters. Paul did what most people did in his day. He did not normally pen his own letters but dictated them to a secretary, and then added Ws own authenticating signature. (We actually know the name of one of the people who did the writing for him. In Rom_16:22 Tertius, the secretary, slips in his own greeting before the letter draws to an end). In 1Co_16:21 Paul says, "This is my own signature, my autograph, so that you can be sure this letter comes from me." (compare Col_4:18 ; 2Th_3:17 .)

This explains a great deal. Sometimes Paul is hard to understand, because his sentences begin and never finish; his grammar breaks down and the construction becomes involved. We must not think of him sitting quietly at a desk, carefully polishing each sentence as he writes. We must think of him striding up and down some little room, pouring out a torrent of words, while his secretary races to get them down. When Paul composed his letters, he had in his mindeye a vision of the folk to whom he was writing, and he was pouring out his heart to them in words that fell over each other in his eagerness to help.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

The Towns Of The Lycus Valley

About one hundred miles from Ephesus, in the valley of the River Lycus, near where it joins the Maeander, there once stood three important cities--Laodicaea, Hierapolis and Colosse. Originally they had been Phrygian cities but now they were part of the Roman province of Asia. They stood almost within sight of each other. Hierapolis and Laodicaea stood on either side of the valley with the River Lycus flowing between, only six miles apart and in full view of each other; Colosse straddled the river twelve miles farther up.

The Lycus Valley had two remarkable characteristics.

(i) It was notorious for earthquakes. Strabo describes it by the curious adjective euseistos, which in English means good for earthquakes. More than once Laodicaea had been destroyed by an earthquake, but she was a city so rich and so independent that she had risen from the ruins without the financial help which the Roman government had offered. As the John who wrote the Revelation was to say of her, in her own eyes she was rich and had need of nothing (Rev_3:17 ).

(ii) The waters of the River Lycus and of its tributaries were impregnated with chalk. This chalk gathered and all over the countryside built up the most amazing natural formations. Lightfoot writes in description of that area: "Ancient monuments are buried; fertile land is overlaid; rivers beds choked up and streams diverted; fantastic grottoes and cascades and archways of stone are formed, by this strange, capricious power, at once destructive and creative, working silently throughout the ages. Fatal to vegetation, these incrustations spread like a stony shroud over the ground. Gleaming like glaciers on the hillside, they attract the eye of the traveller at a distance of twenty miles, and form a singularly striking feature in scenery of more than common beauty and impressiveness."

A Wealthy Area

In spite of these things this was a wealthy area and famous for two closely allied trades. Volcanic ground is always fertile; and what was not covered by the chalky incrustations was magnificent pasture land. On these pastures there were great flocks of sheep and the area was perhaps the greatest centre of the woollen industry in the world. Laodicaea was specially famous for the production of garments of the finest quality. The allied trade was dyeing. There was some quality in those chalky waters which made them specially suitable for dyeing cloth, and Colosse was so famous for this trade that a certain dye was called by its name.

So, then, these three cities stood in a district of considerable geographical interest and of great commercial prosperity.

The Unimportant City

Originally the three cities had been of equal importance, but, as the years went on, their ways parted. Laodicaea became the political centre of the district and the financial headquarters of the whole area, a city of splendid prosperity. Hierapolis became a great trade-centre and a notable spa. In that volcanic area there were many chasms in the ground from which came hot vapours and springs, famous for their medicinal quality; and people came in their thousands to Hierapolis to bathe and to drink the waters.

Colosse at one time was as great as the other two. Behind her rose the Cadmus range of mountains and she commanded the roads to the mountain passes. Both Xerxes and Cyrus had halted there with their invading armies, and Herodotus had called her "a great city of Phrygia." But for some reason the glory departed. How great that departure was can be seen from the fact that Hierapolis and Laodicaea are both to this day clearly discernible because the ruins of some great buildings still stand; but there is not a stone to show where Colosse stood and her site can only be guessed at. Even when Paul wrote Colosse was a small town; and Lightfoot says that she was the most unimportant town to which Paul ever wrote a letter.

The fact remains that in this town of Colosse there had arisen a heresy which, if it had been allowed to develop unchecked, might well have been the ruination of the Christian faith.

The Jews In Phrygia

One other fact must be added to complete the picture. These three cities stood in an area in which there were many Jews. Many years before, Antiochus the Great had transported two thousand Jewish families from Babylon and Mesopotamia into the regions of Lydia and Phrygia. These Jews had prospered and, as always happens in such a case, more of their fellow-countrymen had come into the area to share their prosperity. So many came that the stricter Jews of Palestine lamented the number of Jews who left the rigours of their ancestral land for "the wines and baths of Phrygia."

The number of Jews who resided there can be seen from the following historical incident. Laodicaea, as we have seen, was the administrative centre of the district. In the year 62 B.C., Flaccus was the Roman governor resident there. He sought to put a stop to the practice of the Jews of sending money out of the province to pay the Temple tax. He did so by placing an embargo on the export of currency; and in his own part of the province alone he seized as contraband no less than twenty pounds of gold which was meant for the Temple at Jerusalem. That amount of gold would represent the Temple tax of no fewer than 11,000 people. Since women and children were exempt from the tax and since many Jews would successfully evade the capture of their money, we may well put the Jewish population as high as almost 50,000.

The Church At Colosse

The Christian Church at Colosse was one which Paul had not himself founded and which he had never visited. He classes the Colossians and the Laodicaeans with those who had never seen his face in the flesh (Col_2:1 ). But no doubt the founding of the Church sprang from his directing. During his three years in Ephesus the whole province of Asia was evangelized, so that all its inhabitants, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord (Act_19:10 ). Colosse was about one hundred miles from Ephesus and it was no doubt in that campaign of expansion that the Colossian Church was founded. We do not know who its founder was; but it may well have been Epaphras, who is described as Paulfellow-servant and the faithful minister of the Colossian Church and who is later connected also with Hierapolis and Laodicaea (Col_1:7 ; Col_4:12-13 ). If Epaphras was not the founder of the Christian Church there, he was certainly the minister in charge of the area.

A Gentile Church

It is clear that the Colossian Church was mainly Gentile. The phrase estranged and hostile in mind (Col_1:21 ) is the kind of phrase which Paul regularly uses of those who had once been strangers to the covenant of promise. In Col_1:27 he speaks of making known the mystery of Christ among the Gentiles, when the reference is clearly to the Colossians themselves. In Col_3:5-7 he gives a list of their sins before they became Christians, and these are characteristically Gentile sins. We may confidently conclude that the membership of the Church at Colosse was largely composed of Gentiles.

The Threat To The Church

It must have been Epaphras who brought to Paul, in prison in Rome, news of the situation which was developing in Colosse. Much of the news that he brought was good. Paul is grateful for news of their faith in Christ and their love of the saints (Col_1:4 ). He rejoices at the Christian fruit which they are producing (Col_1:6 ). Epaphras has brought him news of their love in the Spirit (Col_1:8 ). He is glad when he hears of their order and steadfastness in the faith (Col_2:5 ). There was trouble at Colosse certainly; but it had not yet become an epidemic. Paul believed that prevention was better than cure; and in this letter he is grasping this evil before it has time to spread.

The Heresy At Colosse

What the heresy was which was threatening the life of the Church at Colosse no one can tell for sure. "The Colossian Heresy" is one of the great problems of New Testament scholarship. All we can do is to go to the letter itself, list the characteristics we find indicated there and then see if we can find any general heretical tendency to fit the list.

(i) It was clearly a heresy which attacked the total adequacy and the unique supremacy of Christ. No Pauline letter has such a lofty view of Jesus Christ or such insistence on his completeness and finality. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God; in him all fullness dwells (Col_1:15 , Col_1:19 ). In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge (Col_2:2 ). In him dwells the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form (Col_2:9 ).

(ii) Paul goes out of his way to stress the part that Christ played in creation. By him all things were created (Col_1:16 ); in him all things cohere (Col_1:17 ). The Son was the Fatherinstrument in the creation of the universe.

(iii) At the same time he goes out of his way to stress the real humanity of Christ. It was in the body of his flesh that he did his redeeming work (Col_1:22 ). The fullness of the Godhead dwells in him somatikos (G4984), in bodily form (Col_2:9 ). For all his deity Jesus Christ was truly human flesh and blood.

(iv) There seems to have been an astrological element in this heresy. In Col_2:8 , as the King James Version has it, he says that they were walking after the rudiments of this world, and in Col_2:20 that they ought to be dead to the rudiments of this world. The word translated rudiments is stoicheia (G4747), which has two meanings.

(a) Its basic meaning is a row of things; it can, for instance, be used for a file of soldiers. But one of its commonest meanings is the A B C, the letters of the alphabet, set out, as it were, in a row. From that it develops the meaning of the elements of any subject, the rudiments. It is in that sense that the King James Version takes it; and, if that is the correct sense, Paul means that the Colossians are slipping back to an elementary kind of Christianity when they ought to be going on to maturity.

(b) We think that the second meaning is more likely. Stoicheia (G4747) can mean the elemental spirits of the world, and especially the spirits of the stars and planets. The ancient world was dominated by thought of the influence of the stars; and even the greatest and the wisest men would not act without consulting them. It believed that all things were in the grip of an iron fatalism settled by the stars; and the science of astrology professed to provide men with the secret knowledge which would rid them of their slavery to the elemental spirits. It is most likely that the Colossian false teachers were teaching that it needed something more than Jesus Christ to rid men of their subjection to these elemental spirits.

(v) This heresy made much of the powers of demonic spirits. There are frequent references to principalities or authorities, which are Paulnames for these spirits (Col_1:16 ; Col_2:10 ; Col_2:15 ). The ancient world believed implicitly in demonic powers. The air was full of them. Every natural force--the wind, the thunder, the lightning, the rain--had its demonic superintendent. Every place, every tree, every river, every lake had its spirit. They were in one sense intermediaries to God and in another sense barriers to him, for the vast majority of them were hostile to men. The ancient world lived in a demon-haunted universe. The Colossian false teachers were clearly saying that something more than Jesus Christ was needed to defeat the power of the demons.

(vi) There was clearly what we might call a philosophical element in this heresy. The heretics are out to spoil men with philosophy and empty deceit (Col_2:8 ). Clearly the Colossian heretics were saying that the simplicities of the gospel needed a far more elaborate and recondite knowledge added to them.

(vii) There was a tendency in this heresy to insist on the observance of special days and rituals--festivals, new moons and sabbaths (Col_2:16 ).

(viii) Clearly there was a would-be ascetic element in this heresy. It laid down laws about food and drink (Col_2:16 ). Its slogans were: "Touch not; taste not; handle not" (Col_2:21 ). It was a heresy which was out to limit Christian freedom by insistence on all kinds of legalistic ordinances.

(ix) Equally this heresy had at least sometimes an antinomian streak in it. It tended to make men careless of the chastity which the Christian should have and to make him think lightly of the bodily sins (Col_3:5-8 ).

(x) Apparently this heresy gave at least some place to the worship of angels (Col_2:18 ). Beside the demons it introduced angelic intermediaries between man and God.

(xi) Lastly, there seems to have been in this heresy something which can only be called spiritual and intellectual snobbery. In Col_1:28 Paul lays down his aim; it is to warn every man; to teach every man in all wisdom; and to present every man mature in Jesus Christ. We see how the phrase every man is reiterated and how the aim is to make him mature in all wisdom. The clear implication is that the heretics limited the gospel to some chosen few and introduced a spiritual and intellectual aristocracy into the wide welcome of the Christian faith.

The Gnostic Heresy

Was there then any general heretical tendency of thought which would include all this? There was what was called Gnosticism. Gnosticism began with two basic assumptions about matter. First, it believed that spirit alone was good and that matter was essentially evil. Second, it believed that matter was eternal; and that the universe was not created out of nothing--which is orthodox belief--but out of this flawed matter. Now this basic belief had certain inevitable consequences.

(i) It had an effect on the doctrine of creation. If God was spirit, then he was altogether good and could not possibly work with this evil matter. Therefore God was not the creator of the world. He put out a series of emanations, each of which was a little more distant from God until at the end of the series there was an emanation so distant that it could handle matter; and it was this emanation which created the world. The Gnostics went further. Since each emanation was more distant from God. It was also more ignorant of him. As the series went on that ignorance turned to hostility. So the emanations most distant from God were at once ignorant of him and hostile to him. It followed that he who created the world was at once completely ignorant of, and utterly hostile to, the true God. It was to meet that Gnostic doctrine of creation that Paul insisted that the agent of God in creation was not some ignorant and hostile power, but the Son who perfectly knew and loved the Father.

(ii) It had its effect on the doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ. If matter was altogether evil and if Jesus was the Son of God, then Jesus could not have had a flesh and blood body--so the Gnostic argued. He must have been a kind of spiritual phantom. So the Gnostic romances say that when Jesus walked, he left no footprints on the ground. This, of course, completely removed Jesus from humanity and made it impossible for him to be the Saviour of men. It was to meet this Gnostic doctrine that Paul insisted on the flesh and blood body of Jesus and insisted that Jesus saved men in the body of his flesh.

(iii) It had its effect on the ethical approach to life. If matter was evil, then it followed that our bodies were evil. If our bodies were evil, one of two consequences followed. (a) We must starve and beat and deny the body; we must practise a rigid asceticism in which the body was kept under, and in which its every need and desire were refused. (b) It was possible to take precisely the opposite point of view. If the body was evil, it did not matter what a man did with it; spirit was all that mattered. Therefore a man could sate the bodydesires and it would make no difference.

Gnosticism could, therefore, issue in asceticism, with all kinds of laws and restrictions; or, it could issue in anti-nomianism, in which any immorality was justified. And we can see precisely both these tendencies at work in the false teachers at Colosse.

(iv) One thing followed from all this--Gnosticism was a highly intellectual way of life and thought. There was this long series of emanations between a man and God; man must fight his way up a long ladder to get to God. In order to do that he would need all kinds of secret knowledge and esoteric learning and hidden passwords. If he was to practise a rigid asceticism, he would need to know the rules; and so rigid would his asceticism be that it would be impossible for him to embark on the ordinary activities of life. The Gnostics were, therefore, quite clear that the higher reaches of religion were open only to the chosen few. This conviction of the necessity of belonging to an intellectual religious aristocracy precisely suits the situation at Colosse.

(v) There remains one thing to fit into this picture. It is quite obvious that there was a Jewish element in the false teaching threatening the Church at Colosse. The festivals and the new moons and the sabbaths were characteristically Jewish; the laws about food and drink were essentially Jewish levitical laws. Where then did the Jews come in? It is a strange thing that many Jews were sympathetic to Gnosticism. They knew all about angels and demons and spirits. But, above all, they said, "We know quite well that it takes special knowledge to reach God. We know quite well that Jesus and his gospel are far too simple--and that special knowledge is to be found nowhere else than in the Jewish law. It is our ritual and ceremonial law which is indeed the special knowledge which enables a man to reach God." The result was that there was not infrequently a strange alliance between Gnosticism and Judaism; and it is just such an alliance that we find in Colosse, where, as we have seen, there were many Jews.

It is clear that the false teachers of Colosse were tinged with Gnostic heresy. They were trying to turn Christianity into a philosophy and a theosophy, and, if they had been successful,. the Christian faith would have been destroyed.

The Authorship Of The Letter

One question remains. Many scholars do not believe that Paul wrote this letter at all. They have three reasons.

(i) They say that in Colossians there are many words and phrases which do not appear in any other of Paulletters. That is perfectly true. But it does not prove anything. We cannot demand that a man should always write in the same way and with the same vocabulary. In Colossians we may well believe that Paul had new things to say and found new ways to say them.

(ii) They say that the development of Gnostic thought was, in fact, much later than the time of Paul so that, if the Colossian heresy was connected with Gnosticism, the letter is necessarily later than Paul. It is true that the great written Gnostic systems are later. But the idea of two worlds and the idea of the evil of matter are deeply woven into both Jewish and Greek thought. There is nothing in Colossians which cannot be explained by long-standing Gnostic tendencies in ancient thought, although it is true that the systematization of Gnosticism came later.

(iii) They say that the view of Christ in Colossians is far in advance of any of the letters certainly written by Paul. There are two answers to that.

First, Paul speaks of the unsearchable riches of Christ. In Colosse a new situation met him and out of these unsearchable riches he drew new answers to meet it. It is true that the Christology of Colossians is an advance on anything in the earlier letters of Paul; but that is far from saying that Paul did not write it, unless we are willing to argue that his thought remained for ever static. It is true to say that a man thinks out the implications of his faith only as circumstances compel him to do so; and in face of a new set of circumstances Paul thought out new implications of Christ.

Second, the germ of all Paulthought about Christ in Colossians does, in fact, exist in one of his earlier letters. In 1Co_8:6 he writes of one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things and through whom we exist. In that phrase is the essence of all he says in Colossians. The seed was there in his mind, ready to blossom when a new climate and new circumstances called it into growth.

We need not hesitate to accept Colossians as a letter written by Paul.

The Great Letter

It remains a strange and wonderful fact that Paul wrote the letter which contains the highest reach of his thought to so unimportant a town as Colosse then was. But in doing so he checked a tendency, which, had it been allowed to develop, would have wrecked Asian Christianity and might well have done irreparable damage to the faith of the whole Church.

FURTHER READINGS

Colossians

T. K. Abbott, Ephesians and Colossians (ICC; G)

J. B. Lightfoot, St. PaulEpistles to the Colossians and Philemon (MmC; G)

C. F. D. Moule, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians and to Philemon (CGT; G)

E. F. Scott, The Epistles to Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians (MC; E)

Abbreviations

CGT: Cambridge Greek Testament

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

MmC: Macmillan Commentary

TC: Tyndale Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

Barclay: Colossians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

Christian Greetings (Col_1:1)

The Double Commitment (Col_1:2-8)

The Essence Of The Gospel (Col_1:2-8 Continued)

The Essence Of Prayer's Request (Col_1:9-11)

The Three Great Gifts (Col_1:9-11 Continued)

Prayer's Great Thanksgiving (Col_1:12-14)

The Total Adequacy Of Jesus Christ (Col_1:15-23)

(1) The Mistaken Thinkers (Col_1:15-23 Continued)

(2) What Jesus Christ Is In Himself (Col_1:15-23 Continued)

(3) What Jesus Christ Is To Creation (Col_1:15-23 Continued)

(4) What Jesus Christ Is To The Church (Col_1:15-23 Continued)

(5) What Jesus Christ Is To All Things (Col_1:15-23 Continued)

(6) The Aim And Obligation Of Reconciliation (Col_1:15-23 Continued)

The Privilege And The Task (Col_1:24-29)

Constable: Colossians (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Historical background

The city of Colosse lay in the beautiful Lycus Valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus. It had been an important town during the Persian War of the fifth century B.C. Since then new trade routes had carried most traffic to its neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis and had left Colosse only a country village.¹ The inhabitants were mainly Greek colonists and native Phrygians when Paul wrote this epistle, though there were many Jews living in the area as well. Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) had relocated hundreds of Jewish families from Mesopotamia to this region.

"Without doubt Colossae was the least important church to which any epistle of St Paul is addressed."²

Churches had taken root in Colosse, Laodicea (4:16), and probably Hierapolis (4:13). Paul had not visited the Lycus Valley when he wrote this epistle (1:4; 2:1), but he had learned of the spread of the gospel there through Epaphras (1:8) and probably others.³

Epaphras seems to have been the founder or one of the founders of the Colossian church (1:7; 4:12-13). He was a Colossian and had instructed the Christians there (1:7) and probably in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Perhaps Paul led him to Christ, maybe at Ephesus (cf. Acts 19:10).

Epaphras may have traveled to Rome to meet with Paul to secure his help in combating the influence of false teachers that were preaching in Colosse. Archippus may have stood in for Epaphras during his absence (4:17; Phile. 2).

The only information available to help us reconstruct the heresy threatening the church comes from indirect allusions and the emphases in this epistle. We conclude that the false teachers were not giving the person and work of Christ proper interpretation or emphasis. They were distorting and minimizing these doctrines. The false teaching also contained a philosophic appeal, whether Oriental or Hellenistic we cannot be sure (2:8). Notwithstanding there was an emphasis on higher knowledge of the cosmic order. There were also elements of Judaistic ritualism and traditionalism present (2:8, 11, 16; 3:11). However, contrary to orthodox Judaism, the false teachers were encouraging the veneration of angels who they believed controlled the operations of nature to some degree (2:18-19). There was an emphasis on ascetic self-denial (2:20-23) and apparently the idea that only those with full knowledge of the truth as taught by the false teachers could understand and experience spiritual maturity (1:20, 28; 3:11). These emphases later developed into Gnosticism, though in Colosse the Jewish emphasis was more prominent than in later Greek Gnosticism.⁴ It is easy to see how such a cult could develop and gain adherents in the Greek-Jewish culture of the Lycus Valley.

". . . given . . . various factors . . ., including the probable origin of the Colossian church from within synagogue circles, the likely presence of Israelite sectarianism within the diaspora, the lack of other evidence of Jewish syncretism in Asia Minor, and the readiness of some Jews to promote their distinctive religious practices in self-confident apology . . ., we need look no further than one or more of the Jewish synagogues in Colossae for the source of whatever influences were thought to threaten the young church there."⁵

The primary purpose of the letter was clearly to combat this false teaching. The two main problems were the doctrine of Christ and how this doctrine affects Christian living. The primary Christological passages (1:14-23; 2:9-15) present Christ as absolutely preeminent and perfectly adequate for the Christian. The Christian life, Paul explained, flows naturally out of this revelation. The Christian life is really the life of the indwelling Christ that God manifests through the believer.

Paul probably wrote this epistle from Rome toward the middle or end of his first house arrest there between 60 and 62 A.D. He experienced confinement though he enjoyed considerable liberty there for about two years. Many of Paul's fellow workers were with him when he composed this epistle (4:7-14). This view of the letter's origin generally fits the facts better than the Caesarean and Ephesian theories of origin.

There are many similarities between Ephesians and Colossians. The major distinction between them is that in Ephesians the emphasis is on the church as the body of Christ. In Colossians the emphasis is on Christ as the head of the body. Stylistically Colossians is somewhat tense and abrupt whereas Ephesians is more diffuse and flowing. Colossians tends to be more specific, concrete, and elliptical while Ephesians is more abstract, didactic, and general. The mood of Colossians is argumentative and polemical, but that of Ephesians is calm and irenic. The former is a letter of discussion; the latter is a letter of reflection.⁶ Paul evidently wrote both letters about the same time. These two epistles, along with Philippians and Philemon, constitute the Prison Epistles of Paul.⁷

Purpose

Three purposes emerge from the contents of the epistle. Paul wanted to express his personal interest in this church, which he had evidently not visited. He wrote to warn the Colossians of the danger of returning to their former beliefs and practices. He also refuted the false teaching that was threatening this congregation. The outstanding Christian doctrine that this letter deals with is Christology. Paul's great purpose was to set forth the absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

"The church today desperately needs the message of Colossians. We live in a day when religious toleration is interpreted to mean one religion is just as good as another.' Some people try to take the best from various religious systems and manufacture their own private religion. To many people, Jesus Christ is only one of several great religious teachers, with no more authority than they. He may be prominent, but He is definitely not preeminent.

"This is an age of syncretism.' People are trying to harmonize and unite many different schools of thought and come up with a superior religion. Our evangelical churches are in danger of diluting the faith in their loving attempt to understand the beliefs of others. Mysticism, legalism, Eastern religions, asceticism, and man-made philosophies are secretly creeping into churches. They are not denying Christ, but they are dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful place of preeminence."⁸

Message⁹

The whole message of this epistle finds expression in 2:9-10a. The two declarations in this sentence are the great revelations of the Colossian letter.

The fullness of the godhead is in Christ. This is an eternal fact that is always true. The Greek word translated "deity" (theotetos) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It does not mean divinity. Divinity is an attribute of God. Deity is the essence of God. It is not enough to say Jesus Christ was divine. In a sense every person is divine. Jesus Christ was deity. He alone possesses the unique nature of God. In Him the fullness of essential deity dwells in bodily manifestation. The Apostle Paul expounded Christ's fullness in three respects in this epistle.

In relation to creation He is the originator and sustainer of all things (1:16-17). This includes all life.

In relation to redemption He is the first-born from the dead (1:18). Resurrection presupposes death. Death is due to sin. Between creation and resurrection there was sin and death. In resurrection Christ was victor over sin, death, and the grave. He is the master of death.

In relation to reconciliation Christ is the maker of peace (1:19-20). The result of Christ's victory over death is peace. He is the reconciler of all things that sin has separated. His reconciliation affects both people and the created world. In Christ we see all the fullness of deity: creating, rising triumphantly out of death, and reconciling to the farthest reaches of the universe. That is the Christ of Christianity.

The second declaration is that in Christ God makes us full (2:10a). Not only is the fullness of the godhead in Christ, but the filling of the saints is in Christ too. Paul explained what this means.

First, it means God restores us to our true place in creation in Christ. We can regain the scepter and the crown as kings of the earth under God's authority. God has sent us out into all the cosmos to make Christ known. Unfortunately we do not always realize our position. We choose instead to grovel among the world's garbage heaps. Nevertheless in this sense God makes us full in Christ. We come into a new relationship to all creation through Christ. God restores us to our divinely intended position in creation in Him. We are His trophies.

Second, God restores us to our true relation to Himself through Christ's resurrection. God communicates His very life to us so that we take our rightful place as subject to God. God does not break our will. He captures our will by the indwelling grace of Christ's life. God makes us full in this sense too. We are His instruments.

Third, God restores us to true fellowship with Himself in Christ. We not only receive from God, but we can also give to God in service. Thus our fellowship is reciprocal. We are His partners.

We experience fullness in Christ for in Him God restores us to our true place in creation, to our true relation to Himself, and to our true fellowship with Himself. This restoration enables us to cooperate with God in His purposes. We become not only trophies of His grace but His instruments and even His partners in our generation. In view of this revelation Paul made a threefold appeal.

The first appeal is a warning against a false philosophy (2:8). Paul described this false philosophy in two ways.

It is the tradition of men, which is essentially speculation. In this context Paul meant human guessing that leaves God out of His universe.

It is also the rudiments of the world. This philosophy is rudimentary because it tries to explain everything within the limits of the material. The material part of life is rudimentary.

We correct this false philosophy by recognizing that Jesus Christ is the solution to the problem of the universe. When we realize that Jesus Christ is the first-born (first in rank and sovereignty, not in temporal sequence) then we gain a true view of the universe. He is the great cohesive agent in the universe.

Paul's second warning is against false mediation (2:16-18).

Paul pointed out that ceremonies such as observing certain kinds of foods and festivals are only shadows. We should not think that observing these ceremonies will improve our relationship to God. We have Jesus Christ who is the substance to which these ceremonies pointed.

Another type of false mediation involves the worship of angels. We should have nothing to do with this practice because we have direct access to Jesus Christ. He is the Creator and Master of all creatures including the angels.

To summarize, we should not allow religious ceremonies or created mediators to come between ourselves and Christ.

Paul's third warning is against false confidences (2:20-23).

Our enemy may tempt us to have confidence in the opinions of others. When false teachers say, "Do not touch this or taste that or handle something," we may think those statements are authoritative. Paul urges us not to follow such opinions but to get our direction from the Lord Jesus.

Our enemy may tempt us to put confidence in ascetic practices of abstention and self-affliction. Paul tells us to forget these things and to set our thinking on the things of Christ rather than on ourselves.

When we have a true view of Jesus Christ He will be the focus of our thinking. That view will deliver us from the domination of the flesh. We need to base our confidence on God's Word rather than on human traditions that do not reflect scriptural revelation accurately.

The matter of supreme importance to the church is her doctrine of Christ. Our Christian life and service will flow out of our doctrine of Christ. We are what we think. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." Not only must Christ occupy the central place in our lives, but our understanding of Christ must be accurate. We can avoid all the errors Paul warned against in this epistle by keeping a proper view of Christ.

Constable: Colossians (Outline)

Outline

I. Introduction 1:1-14

A. Salutation 1:1-2

B. Thanksgiving 1:3-8

C. Prayer 1:9-14

II. Explanation of the person and work of Christ 1:15-29

A. The preeminent person of Christ 1:15-20

1. In relation to God the Father 1:15a

2. In relation to all creation 1:15b-17

3. In relation to the church 1:18-20

B. The reconciling work of Christ 1:21-29

1. As experienced by the Colossians 1:21-23

2. As ministered by Paul 1:24-29

III. Warnings against the philosophies of men ch. 2

A. Exhortation to persevere in the truth 2:1-7

1. Paul's concern 2:1-5

2. Paul's exhortation 2:6-7

B. The true doctrine of Christ 2:8-15

C. The false doctrines of men 2:16-23

IV. Exhortations to practical Christian living 3:1-4:6

A. The basic principle 3:1-4

B. The proper method 3:5-17

1. Things to put off 3:5-11

2. Things to put on 3:12-17

C. The fundamental relationships 3:18-4:1

1. Wives and husbands 3:18-19

2. Children and parents 3:20-21

3. Slaves and masters 3:22-4:1

D. The essential practice 4:2-6

V. Conclusion 4:7-18

A. The bearers of this epistle 4:7-9

B. Greetings from Paul's companions 4:10-14

C. Greetings to others 4:15-17

D. Paul's personal conclusion 4:18

Constable: Colossians

Colossians

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Haik, Paul S. Complete in Christ. Moody Manna series. Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1965.

Helyer, Larry L. "Arius Revisited: The Firstborn Over All Creation (Col 1:15)." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 31:1 (March 1988):59-67.

_____. "Colossians 1:15-20: Pre-Pauline or Pauline?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 26:2 (June 1983):167-79.

_____. "Cosmic Christology and Col 1:15-20." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 37:2 (June 1994):235-46.

_____. "Recent Research on Col 1:15-20 (1980-1990)." Grace Theological Journal 12:1 (1992):51-67.

Hendricksen, William. New Testament Commentary: Exposition of Philippians and Exposition of Colossians and Philemon. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979.

Herzog, William R., II. "The Household Duty' Passages: Apostolic Traditions and Contemporary Concerns." Foundations 24:3 (July-September 1981):204-15.

Hiebert, D. Edmond. "Epiphras, Man of Prayer." Bibliotheca Sacra 136:541 (January-March 1979):54-64.

_____. Working With God: Scriptural Studies in Intercession. New York: Carlton Press, 1987.

Hinson, E. Glenn. "The Christian Household in Colossians 3:18--4:1." Review and Expositor 70:4 (Fall 1973):495-506.

House, H. Wayne. "The Christian Life according to Colossians." Bibliotheca Sacra 151:604 (October-December 1994):440-54.

_____. "The Doctrine of Christ in Colossians." Bibliotheca Sacra 149:594 (April-June 1992):180-92.

_____. "The Doctrine of Salvation in Colossians." Biblitheca Sacra 151:603 (July-September 1994):325-38.

_____. "Heresies in the Colossian Church." Bibliotheca Sacra 149:593 (January-March 1992):45-59.

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Ironside, Harry A. Lectures on the Epistle to the Colossians. Reprint ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, 1945.

Johnson, S. Lewis, Jr. "Studies in the Epistle to the Colossians." Bibliotheca Sacra 118:470 (July-September 1961):239-50; 472 (October-December 1961):334-46; 119:473 (January-March 1962):12-19; 474 (April-June 1962);139-49; 475 (July-September 1962):227-37; 476 (October-December 1962):302-11; 120:477 (January-March 1963):13-23; 478 (April-June 1963):109-16; 479 (July-September 1963):205-13; 121:481 (January-March 1964):22-33; 482 (April-June 1964) 107-16; 484 (October-December 1964):311-20.

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: Colossians (Book Introduction)

THE

EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE,

TO THE COLOSSIANS.

INTRODUCTION.

Colosse was a city of Phrygia, near Laodicea. It does not appear that St. Paul had preached there himself, (see Chap. ii. 1.) but that the Colossians were converted by Epaphras, a disciple of the apostles. However, as St. Paul was the great apostle of the Gentiles, he wrote this epistle to the Colossians when he was in prison, and about the same time that he wrote to the Ephesians and Philippians. The exhortations and doctrine it contains, are similar to those which are set forth in his epistle to the Ephesians. St. John Chrysostom takes notice, that the epistles he wrote in prison seem even more spiritual than the rest: the chief design of which was to hinder them from being seduced by false teachers. (Challoner; Witham) --- The Colossians were first instructed in the faith by Epaphras, who is considered their first bishop. He was a prisoner, at Rome, with St. Paul, when this epistle was written. The intent of it was to disabuse the Colossians of worshipping the Angels; for Cerinthus and others, had taught them to look upon Angels as superior to Christ, whom they looked upon as a mere man; to observe the law of Moses, with all its legal rites and ceremonies. He begins his epistle by insisting chiefly on the exalted state of Christ, saying that he is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature, by whom all things visible and invisible were created, whether thrones, principalities, or powers, and that in him the divinity essentially exists. From this he proves the inutility of the ceremonies of the law, &c. (Fleury and Calmet) and takes great pains to prevent their relapsing either into paganism or Judaism. (Bible de Vence)

====================

Gill: Colossians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO COLOSSIANS

The Colossians, to whom this epistle is written, were not the Rhodians, by some called Colossians, from Colossus, the large statue of the sun, which stood in the island of Rhodes, and was one of the seven wonders of the world; but the inhabitants of Colosse, a city of the greater Phrygia, in the lesser Asia, near to which stood the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis, mentioned in this epistle. Pliny ^a speaks of it as one of the chief towns in Phrygia, and ^b Herodotus calls it the great city of Phrygia; it is said to have perished a very little time after the writing of this epistle, with the above cities, by an earthquake, in the year of Christ 66, and in the tenth of Nero ^c; though it was afterwards rebuilt; for Theophylact says, that in his time it was called Chonae. When the Gospel was brought hither, and by whom, is not known, nor who was the founder of the church in this place; for the Apostle Paul was not, since his face had never been seen by them, Col 2:1, though it is said that Epaphras, the same name with Epaphroditus, was fixed by him pastor of this church; and others say Philemon was set over it by him. The occasion of this epistle was this, Epaphras, who had preached the Gospel to the Colossians, and very likely was the first that did, came to Rome, where the Apostle Paul was a prisoner, and gave him an account of them, how they had heard and received the Gospel, and of their faith Christ, and love to the saints; and also declared to him in what danger they were through some false teachers that had got among them, who were for introducing the philosophy of the Gentiles, the ceremonies of the law of Moses, and some pernicious tenets of the followers of Simon Magus, and the Gnostics; upon which the apostle writes this epistle to them, to confirm them in the faith of the Gospel Epaphras had preached unto them, and which was the same he himself preached; and to warn them against those bad men, and their principles; and to exhort them to a discharge of their duty to God, and men, and one another. It was written by the apostle, when in bonds at Rome, as many passages in it show, and about the same time with those to the Philippians and Ephesians; and the epistle to the latter greatly agrees with this, both as to subject and style. Dr. Lightfoot places it in the year of Christ 60, in the second of the apostle's imprisonment, and in the sixth of Nero's reign.

Gill: Colossians 1 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO COLOSSIANS 1

This chapter contains the inscription of the epistle; the apostle's usual salutation; his thanksgiving to God on behalf of the Colossians for grace received; his prayers, that more might be given them; an enumeration of various blessings of grace, which require thankfulness, in which the glories and excellencies of Christ are particularly set forth: and it is concluded with an exhortation to a steadfast adherence to the Gospel, taken from the nature, excellency, and usefulness of the ministry of it. The inscription, and the salutation, are in Col 1:1, and are the same with those in the epistle to the Ephesians, only Timothy is joined with the apostle here, and the Colossians have the additional character of brethren given them. The thanksgiving is in Col 1:3, the object of it is God, the Father of Christ; the time when made, when in prayer to him; its subject matter, the faith and love of the saints; to which is added, their happiness secured for them in heaven, their hope was conversant with: and whereas the Gospel was the means by which they came to the hearing and knowledge of it, this is commended from the subject of it, the doctrine of truth; from the spread of it in the world; and from its efficacy in bringing forth fruit in all, to whom it came in power, and that with constancy, Col 1:5, and also from the testimony of Epaphras, a faithful minister of Christ, and theirs, who was dear to the apostle, and of whom he had the above account of them, Col 1:7. And then follow his prayers for them, that they might have an increase of spiritual knowledge, and that they might put in practice what they knew; and for that purpose he entreats they might be blessed with strength, patience, and longsuffering, Col 1:9. And in order to excite thankfulness in himself and them, he takes notice of various blessings of grace; of the Father's grace in giving a meetness for eternal glory and happiness, by delivering from the power of darkness, and translating into the kingdom of his Son, Col 1:12, and of the Son's grace in obtaining redemption by his blood, and procuring the remission of sins, Col 1:14, which leads the apostle to enlarge upon the excellencies of the author of these blessings, in his divine person, as the image of God, and the first cause of all created beings, Col 1:15, which he proves by an enumeration of them, as created by him, and for his sake, by his pre-existence to them, and their dependence on him, Col 1:16, and in his office capacity, as Mediator, being the head of the church, the governor of it, and the first that rose from the dead; by all which it appears that he has, and ought to have the pre-eminence, Col 1:18. And this is still more manifest from his having all fulness dwelling in him, to supply his body the church, of which he is the head, Col 1:19, and from the reconciliation of all the members of it to God by him, Col 1:20, which blessing of grace is amplified partly by the subjects of it, who are described by their former state and condition, aliens and enemies, and by their present one, reconciled by the death of Christ in his fleshly body; and partly by the end of it, the presentation of them holy, blameless, and irreprovable in the sight of God, Col 1:21. Wherefore it is a duty incumbent on such to abide by the Gospel of Christ, which brings the good tidings of peace and reconciliation, and is the means of faith and hope; and the rather, since they had heard it themselves, and others also, even every creature under heaven; and the apostle was a minister of it, Col 1:23, and on his ministration of it he enlarges, by observing his sufferings for the church on account of the Gospel, which he endured with pleasure; and therefore they should, by his example, be encouraged to continue in it, Col 1:24. Moreover, he argues the same from his commission of God to preach it for their sakes, Col 1:25, and from the nature and subject matter of it, being a hidden mystery, and containing riches and glory in it; yea, Christ himself, the foundation of hope of eternal glory, Col 1:26, and from the end of preaching it, which was to present every man perfect in Christ; which end the apostle laboured and strove to obtain through the power and energy of divine grace, which wrought in him, and with him, Col 1:28.

College: Colossians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION

THE CITY

Colosse had been a thriving and important city several centuries before Christ, but by the time this letter was written its importance had diminished considerably, and it was overshadowed by its neighbors Hierapolis and Laodicea, both short distances to the west. Colosse was approximately 100 miles east of Ephesus, located in the Lycus valley in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). It was located on a major trade route moving inland from the coast.

A severe earthquake had shaken Laodicea either in 60 or 64 AD, and it is supposed Colosse, being near, would also have suffered. This may have been one cause of a decline in population.

The primary economic significance of the city was due to textiles, and a highly prized wool came from the area. The site of the city was rediscovered in 1835, but it has not been excavated. The city is mentioned in the New Testament only in Paul's letter.

THE CHURCH

Paul would have been in the general vicinity of Colosse during his Ephesian ministry (Acts 19) but there is no reference in Acts to a visit there, though Ephesus did become a mission center (Acts 19:10). In Colossians 1:4 Paul states that he had heard of the faith of the Colossians, and in 2:1 he speaks of those who had not met him personally. These notes, and the references to Epaphras in 1:7f and 4:12f, have led to the conclusion that Paul had not personally visited the city (though he anticipated doing so - Phlm 22), and that Epaphras was the evangelist who founded the church (1:7f). Epaphras may also have founded the congregations in Hierapolis and Laodicea (Col 4:13,16).

Several Christians from Colosse are named by Paul, including Nympha, Archippus (Col 4:15,17), Philemon, Apphia (Phlm 1f), and, of course, Epaphras. Epaphras had gone to visit Paul and is designated in Philemon 23 as Paul's "fellow prisoner" (see the notes there). The text of Colossians indicates the membership was primarily Gentiles, though the "heresy" which Paul opposed contains Jewish elements (see 2:16f and the discussion there).

OCCASION

Personal information is generally shared in letters like Colossians. This would be especially important because there would be concern over Paul's condition as a prisoner. The most likely theory is that Epaphras traveled to see Paul, primarily because of concern over certain teachings that were troubling the church and seemed to seriously diminish the significance of Christ. For some reason (imprisonment - Phlm 1:23?) Epaphras was unable to carry Paul's letter back to Colosse, so that task was entrusted to Tychicus, who also carried a letter to Philemon, and who was accompanied by Onesimus, a runaway slave (Col 4:7-9; Phlm 1:12,17).

But the troublesome teaching is the chief burden of the letter. Paul describes this heresy in 2:8,16-23, and in the rest of the book he attacks it, either frontally or in more subtle ways. The nature of the heresy has been a continuing puzzlement to scholars, and many theoretical explanations have been offered. It seems to have involved Jewish elements (2:16f), angelic worship (2:18), and extreme asceticism (2:20-23). But attempts at more precise definition have had to recognize ambiguities in the text, problems with seeing a coherent relation of the elements of the false teaching, the incompleteness of Paul's description (remembering he had to rely on the reports of others), and finding any known teaching from the period that embodied all these elements. See the discussion in the commentary proper.

The effect of this teaching was to lessen the significance of Christ's saving work. If the tenets of the heresy provided the path to salvation, then Christ's sacrifice was not as important. The heresy seems to have imported another form of works salvation, much as the circumcision party in the church attempted to do. Paul attacks the error by a powerful affirmation of Christ's identity (1:15-20) and his role in salvation. His thesis was that an understanding of Christ and life in him would completely refute the heresy. In addition to the magnificent texts in 1:15-20 and 2:9-15 he constantly makes references to benefits which the heretics sought after, but which only Christ truly gave. These included such things as wisdom, knowledge, and fullness (cf. 1:9). Note also the references to the mystery (1:26; 2:2). Even the ethical appeals from 3:1-4:6 powerfully emphasize the relation of the ethical life to Christ (note the references listed before 3:1).

PAUL'S LOCALE

The commonly accepted tradition holds that Paul wrote Colossians and Philemon from the Roman imprisonment described in Acts 28. The apostle does not name the city from which he writes, but numerous factors support Rome. Luke (Col 4:14) and Aristarchus (Colossians 4:10) were with him there, and were in Rome according to Acts 27:2 (the "we" implies Luke). Acts indicates Paul's Roman imprisonment was not unduly restrictive (Acts 28:30f) and this fits the relatively unfettered activities described in Colossians 4:7-15. Onesimus was with Paul (Col 4:9; cf. Phlm) and it is quite possible he had migrated to Rome to lose himself in the urban populace. If we accept the Roman hypothesis, Colossians would be dated in the early 60s.

Due to the perceived presence of problems with a Roman origin, however, other locales have been suggested. One is Caesarea, since that is the only other Pauline imprisonment documented in Acts. This theory has not gained any significant following, since the circumstances described in Acts do not fit those depicted in Colossians and Philemon, especially Paul's expectation to visit Colosse (Phlm 1:22). From Caesarea Paul expected only to go to Rome, and before his appeal to Caesar he was kept in continual uncertainty.

A more likely case has been formed for Ephesus. It was relatively close to Colosse and could thus conveniently explain Paul's travel plans (i.e., an eventual trip to Rome after a detour to Colosse). Paul did encounter some problems in Ephesus (1 Cor 4:9-13; 2 Cor 4:8-12; 6:4f; 11:23-25; and perhaps 1 Cor 15:32). They might have included prison, but Acts gives no evidence of it, and details are uncertain enough to disallow any definite conclusion. Since Luke details Paul's problems so carefully, it seems strange he would not mention an Ephesian imprisonment had there been one. Further, Acts has no indication Luke was even in Ephesus. He was left in Philippi on Paul's second tour, and did not resume the apostle's company till the third tour (Acts 16:16,40; 20:5). If Colossians was written from Ephesus, it would be dated in the early to mid 50s.

The case for Ephesus depends, in part, on certain perceived weaknesses in the Roman view. One is the divergence between Paul's announced intent to go to Spain (Rom 15:28) and his desire to return to Colosse (Phlm 1:22). In our comments on Philemon 22 we have argued that a change of plans by Paul is a reasonable supposition. Another objection is the distance from Rome to Colosse, well over 1000 miles. If Paul expected Onesimus to be returned to him (see notes on Philemon) that seems a long distance for him to be sent only to retrace his steps. However, the Roman road system was good, and Paul's honor demanded that he send Onesimus and give Philemon the option of voluntary response, whatever the distance. We do not think Paul could have written as he did to Philemon and not have sent Onesimus.

A third argument has to do with Paul's request for lodging with Philemon ( v. 22). Would he have made such a request when so many miles and days away? But once we accept Paul's intent to visit Colosse (perhaps to deal with the heresy) and consider his graciousness in dealing with Philemon, the request seems reasonable enough.

A fair case can be made for Ephesus, but we hold that the case for Rome is the stronger alternative.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

BIBLIOGRAPHY

COLOSSIANS

Bruce, F.F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984.

Lohse, Eduard. Colossians and Philemon . Philadelphia: Fortress, 1971.

Melick, Richard. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon . Nashville: Broadman, 1991.

O'Brien, Peter. Colossians, Philemon . Waco: Word Books, 1982.

Patzia, Arthur. Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1984.

Pokorn΄y, Petr. Colossians, A Commentary . Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991.

Weed, Michael. The Letters of Paul to the Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon . Austin: Sweet, 1971.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

College: Colossians (Outline)

OUTLINE

SALUTATION - 1:1-2

I. THANKSGIVING - 1:3-8

II. PAUL'S PRAYER FOR THE COLOSSIANS - 1:9-14

III. THE HYMN ABOUT CHRIST - 1:15-20

IV. THE HYMN APPLIED - 1:21-23

V. PAUL'S MINISTRY TO THE CHURCHES AND TO THE COLOSSIANS - 1:24-2:5

A. Paul's Labors in God's Power - 1:24-29

B. Warning Against Being Deceived - 2:1-5

VI. RECEIVING CHRIST AS LORD - 2:6-15

A. Continue in Christ: Don't Be Deceived! - 2:6-8

B. "In Christ" - 2:9-12

C. Death to Life - 2:13-15

VII. WARNINGS AGAINST THE HERESY - 2:16-23

A. Don't Lose the Prize! - 2:16-19

B. Shun Worldly Rules! - 2:20-23

VIII. SEEK THE THINGS ABOVE - 3:1-4

IX. THINGS TO PUT TO DEATH - 3:5-11

X. THINGS TO PUT ON - 3:12-17

XI. RULES FOR THE CHRISTIAN HOUSEHOLD - 3:18-4:1

A. Husbands and Wives - 3:18-19

B. Children and Fathers - 3:20-21

C. Slaves and Masters - 3:22-4:1

XII. FINAL EXHORTATIONS TO PRAYER AND PROPER BEHAVIOR - 4:2-6

XIII. FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND GREETINGS - 4:7-18

A. Tychicus and Onesimus - 4:7-9

B. Greetings - 4:10-15

C. Concluding Instructions - 4:16-18

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV