"3:1-4 has provided the perspective from which the daily life of the Colossian Christians should be lived out. Now follows more specific advice that should help them the better to carry out the thematic exhortation to walk in him' (2:6)."142
On the basis of their position in Christ, Paul urged his readers to separate from the practices of their former way of life. He did this to enable them to realize in their experience all that Jesus Christ could produce in and through them. Three imperatives indicate Paul's main points: consider as dead (lit. put to death, v. 5), put aside (v. 8), and do not lie (v. 9).
3:5 In view of our actual position (v. 1) we should adopt a certain attitude toward our present phase of experience. We should become what we are. The key word translated "consider . . . as dead"is an aorist imperative and means "put to death."There must be a decisive initial act (aorist tense) that introduces a settled attitude (present tense).143
"Despite the power of their having been identified with Christ in his death, there were still things, parts of their old lives, habits of hand and mind, which tied them to the earth' and hindered the outworking of the mind set on what is above.'"144
To put something to death is never pleasant.
"This practice of reckoning dead finds an excellent illustration in the gardener's practice of grafting. Once the graft has been made on the old stock the gardener is careful to snip off any shoot from the old stock that may appear. So, in the believer's life, since he has now been grated into the Last Adam and His new life, he must by the Spirit put to death any products of the old life that may appear (cf. Rom. 8:13)."145
Paul's first list deals with sexual practices.146
Immorality (Gr. porneia) refers to illicit sexual intercourse.
Impurity (akatharsia) in any form is in view, especially moral impurity in this context.
Passion (pathos) means uncontrolled illegitimate desire.
Evil desire (epithymian kaken) means any evil desire in a more general sense.
Greed (pleonexian, lit. "desire to have more") is any materialistic desire including lust that disregards the rights of others. It is "the arrogant and ruthless assumption that all other persons and things exist for one's own benefit."147
3:6-9 Such behavior will bring God's wrath eventually. That is, God will discipline Christians as well as non-believers who practice these things. These activities normally characterize the unsaved. Christians are to put them aside.
The phrase "the wrath of God"(v. 6) is usually eschatological in the New Testament and refers to the Tribulation period (cf. 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rom. 5:9). That is probably its reference here too.
Paul's second list deals with sins of speech.
Anger (Gr. orge) is a settled attitude of hostility.
Wrath (thymos) means a verbal outburst of evil passion.
Malice (kakia) is ill-will, a vicious disposition that results in hurt to one's neighbor.
Slander (blasphemia) refers to injurious, malicious speech.
Abusive speech (aischrologia) means filthy, disgraceful, dishonorable speech.
Lying (pseudesthe) refers to deceptive, distorting, untruthful speech.
The imperative command against lying is very strong. Paul said, never lie. The reason given (v. 9) applies to all the preceding activities. The "old self"is the person the Christian was before God united him or her with Christ.
3:10 The "new self"is who the Christian is after his or her union with Christ.148Verse 10 describes the process of sanctification. "True knowledge"(epignosis) is full knowledge of God and His will. Sanctification results in increasing likeness to Christ. Only by sanctification can people attain to the full image of God and Christ that God created them to bear (Gen. 1:26-28).
3:11 There is no national or racial distinction that determines one's acceptability to God nor is there any religious, cultural, or social distinction. Jesus Christ is all that we need for new birth and growth. He indwells every believer and permeates all the relationships of life. "In all"probably means that Christ is everything (cf. 1 Cor. 15:28; Gal. 3:28).149A barbarian was one who did not know Greek; his or her language was foreign. Scythians originated from the Black Sea and Caspian Sea area, and the Greeks thought of them as the lowest type of barbarian.
"The new man lives in a new environment where all racial, national, religious, cultural and social distinctions are no more. Rather, Christ is now all that matters and in all who believe. The statement is one of the most inclusive in the New Testament and is amply supported by the pre-eminence of Christ in New Testament theology. It is a particularly appropriate statement for the Colossians and affords an excellent summary statement of the teaching of the letter. There are three realms, relevant to the Colossians, in which He is all. He is everything in salvation; hence there is no place for angelic mediation in God's redemptive work (cf. 1:18-22; 2:18). He is everything in sanctification; hence legality and asceticism are out of place in the Christian life (cf. 2:16-23). He is our life (3:3-4). Finally, He is everything necessary for human satisfaction; hence there is no need for philosophy, or the deeds of the old man (1:26-28; 2:3, 9-10). He fills the whole life, and all else is hindering and harmful."150
Paul urged his readers not only to divest themselves of behavior that is inappropriate to their union with Christ but also to clothe themselves with attitudes and actions that are appropriate. He did so to complete their understanding of their responsibilities as Christians.
"The emphasis in this section is on motives. Why should we put off the old deeds and put on the qualities of the new life? Paul explained four motives that ought to encourage us to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4)."151
3:12-14 Paul reminded the Colossians of who they were because an appreciation of who one is affects how he or she behaves. God has specially selected believers, has set them apart for great things, and has made them the objects of His love. In view of this privilege the following characteristics are only reasonable.
Compassion (Gr. splanchna oiktirmou) shows sensitivity to those suffering and in need.
Kindness (chrestotes) manifests itself in a sweet disposition and thoughtful interpersonal dealings.
Humility (tapeinophrosyne) means having a realistic view of oneself, "thinking lowly of ourselves because we are so."152
Gentleness (prautes) means not behaving harshly, arrogantly, or self-assertively but with consideration for others.
Patience (makrothymia) is the quality of being long-suffering, self-restraining. The following two qualities expand on the thought of patience.
Forbearing (anechomenoi) means putting up with others and enduring discomfort.
Forgiving (charizomenoi) involves not holding a grudge or grievance.
Love (agape) means doing what is best for another person.
Note that all these features deal with the believer's interpersonal relationships. In this area of life especially the life of Christ should be visible in us. Love is the supremely important Christian virtue. We should put it on over all the other garments in this figure like a belt that holds the others in place.
3:15 Four imperatives in verses 15-17 identify the precepts believers must follow. The first of these is "let rule."When Christians need to make choices, the peace that Christ produces in our hearts should be a determining factor.153We should choose what will result in peace between us and God, and between us and one another, if such a course of action lies within God's moral will (cf. John 14:27).
"This directive forms, with the Word of God and the witness of the indwelling Spirit, one of the most important principles of guidance in the Christian life."154
When these three indicators line up we can move ahead confidently.
Realization of the unity of the body and the peace of Christ results in thankfulness that should also mark our behavior. The second imperative is "be thankful."
3:16 The third imperative is "let dwell."The "word of Christ,"used only here in the New Testament, is Christ's teachings, not only during His earthly ministry but also in all of Scripture. His Word should permeate our whole being so that we make all decisions and plans in its light.
". . . as the rabbis later pointed out, he who dwells in a house is the master of the house, not just a passing guest . . ."155
"Thus we are to submit to the demands of the Christian message and let it become so deeply implanted within us as to control all our thinking."156
"Many saved people cannot honestly say that God's Word dwells in their hearts richly because they do not take time to read, study, and memorize it."157
Teaching is the imparting of truth, and admonition is warning against error. We should perform these activities joyfully and with song. "Psalms"probably refers to the inspired Old Testament psalms. The word "psalms"implies that the believers sang them with musical accompaniment. Hymns are songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. Spiritual songs probably refer to expressions of Christian experience set to music. Thankfulness to God is to mark our singing too (cf. v. 15).
"It has often been noticed that the Colossian passage is parallel with Ephesians 5:18-20. In the latter passage the hymns and songs are the outgrowth of the filling of the Spirit, while in Colossians they are the result of the deep assimilation of the Word of God. In other words, the Word-filled Christian is a Spirit-filled Christian, and the examination of the two passages would save us from a great deal of error on this subject. Undisciplined emphasis on the Holy Spirit is accompanied too frequently by shallow grounding in the Word of God."158
3:17 This verse covers all other thoughts and actions.
"The NT does not contain a detailed code of rules for the Christian, like those which were elaborated with ever-increasing particularity in rabbinical casuistry. Codes of rules, as Paul explains elsewhere (e.g., in Gal. 3:23-4:7), are suited to the period of immaturity when he and his readers were still under guardians; the son who has come to years of responsibility knows his father's will without having to be provided with a long list of Do's' and Don't's [sic].' What the NT does provide is those basic principles of Christian living which may be applied to all the situations of life as they arise (cf. 1 Cor. 10:21)."159
The basic principle, as opposed to a set of specific rules, is this. We should say all words and practice all deeds in harmony with the revelation of Jesus Christ, namely under His authority and as His followers. The "name"comprehends everything revealed and known about the person bearing the name. Moreover we are to do all with thanksgiving to God. The fourth imperative is implicit in the Greek text, but the translators have supplied it in the English text: "do."
When faced with a question about what the Christian should do, Paul taught that we should simply ask ourselves what conduct would be appropriate for one identified with Christ. This approach is vastly different from the legal one that provides a specific command for every situation. In this contrast we see a basic difference between the New and Old Covenants.
