COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 2 COLOSSIANS 2:1 Paul testifieth his solicitude for the churches which had not seen him, that they might be united in love, and attain a perfect knowledge of the Christian revelation, COLOSSIANS 2:4 not being seduced from their stedfastness in the faith, COLOSSIANS 2:8 nor corrupt... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEIR HEARTS MIGHT BE COMFORTED: whereas false teachers did endeavour to adulterate the Christian institution, the striving of the apostle's holy soul here was, as in the former chapter, COLOSSIANS 1:28, to this end, that they might be complete and established Christians to the last. BEING KNIT... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM: this may relate eitter to the Divine mystery, wherein are in abundance all necessary doctrines to consolation and salvation stored up, respecting the foregoing verse; compare 1 CORINTHIANS 2:7 EPHESIANS 3:3,4; in opposition to the vain show of wisdom seducers did boast of; or, (as the most... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS I SAY; here he suggests the ground of his insisting upon the excellent treasures of the saving knowledge of Christ, and the ample description of him. LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BEGUILE YOU; to this end, that he might fortify them against delusion by paralogisms, or sophistical and false reasonings... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOUGH I BE ABSENT IN IN THE FLESH, YET AM I WITH YOU IN THE SPIRIT: to prevent any surmise that his distance at Rome might take him off from minding of them at Colosse, he shows that the great affection he bare to them did oblige him to interest himself in all their concerns, (_ the care of all... [ Continue Reading ]
Having cautioned them against sophistical seducers, and commended them for that order and sound faith he understood to be amongst them, he here infers an exhortation to continuance in both, especially in the latter, with respect to the person of Christ, according as he had before described him: for... [ Continue Reading ]
ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM; showing how they should abide and persevere in the faith, by continuing in him as branches do in the root, 1 THESSALONIANS 15:4, and resting upon him as a building upon the foundation, ISAIAH 28:16 1 CORINTHIANS 3:11 EPHESIANS 2:22. AND STABLISHED IN THE FAITH; and being... [ Continue Reading ]
BEWARE: the apostle, after his exhortation, considering their danger from seducing spirits lying in wait to deceive by their sleight and craftiness, 1 TIMOTHY 4:1,2, doth here reinforce and enlarge his caution he had before suggested, COLOSSIANS 2:4, to engage to a heedful avoidance of all seduction... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR; the causal particle induceth this as an argument to enforce the caution immediately foregoing, against those who did seek to draw from Christ by philosophy, as well as urging the ceremonial law; else the apostle's reasoning were not cogent unless against both. IN HIM; it is evident that the Lor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE; ye saints and holy brethren, COLOSSIANS 1:2, who have received Christ, COLOSSIANS 2:6,7, and so are mystically united to him, in whom dwelleth all fulness (as you have heard); being in him, having one Spirit with him, as members with the head, ROMANS 8:1,9 EPH 1:23, ARE COMPLETE; are implete... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM ALSO YE ARE CIRCUMCISED WITH THE CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS: he removes what they who are addicted to superstition might suggest, as if there were somewhat defective to a completeness in Christ, by showing there was no need of any addition to what he required in the gospel; for that the... [ Continue Reading ]
BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM: he shows that in Christ they who are found have not only the thing signified, but right to the outward sign and seal, viz. baptism, in the room of circumcision abolished; the death and burial of Christ is not only the exemplar, but the cause of the death of the old man, s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YOU, BEING DEAD IN YOUR SINS: he further shows they had no need of _circumcision in the flesh,_ EPHESIANS 2:11, having all in Christ for justification as well as sanctification, though they (as well as the Ephesians, see EPHESIANS 2:1,5) were by nature spiritually _dead in sins, _ deprived of th... [ Continue Reading ]
BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES THAT WAS AGAINST US: having just before manifested God's grace in the free forgiveness of all their trespasses, he doth here adjoin the foundation and means of this remission, viz. "Wiping out the bill of decrees," as one reads; or effacing and cancelling ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAVING SPOILED; some render it, seeing he hath stripped or made naked, as runners and racers used to put off their clothes. PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS; hence some of the ancients read putting off his flesh (possibly by the carelessness of some scribes, writing that which signifies flesh instead o... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NO MAN THEREFORE JUDGE YOU; he infers none should be condemned: none condemns another for exercising Christian liberty; none hath power to judge and censure herein: q.d. Suffer not any one (he excepts none) to impose upon you that, as necessary in the use and practice of it, which is not _after... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH ARE A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME; which, as they were but obscurer representations or shadowy resemblances of future benefits procured by Christ, HEBREWS 8:5, HEBREWS 9:11 10:1, whatever temporary glory they had from the former institution, _till the time of reformation,_ HEBREWS 9:10, yet that... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NO MAN BEGUILE YOU OF YOUR REWARD: the original compound word, peculiar in the New Testament to Paul, and that in this Epistle only, (and not very frequent in other authors), hath occasioned interpreters here to render it variously, some joining the next following word with it, and some (as we r... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOT HOLDING THE HEAD: here the apostle suggests, that those things he had before taxed did proceed from hence, that they let go the Lord Christ himself, COLOSSIANS 2:8,9, from whom all truths are to be derived, and consequently he is all truth itself, 1 THESSALONIANS 14:6; not to adhere to him i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE IF YE BE DEAD WITH CHRIST FROM THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD: here the apostle doth further argue against all impositions of superstitious observances, obtruded as parts of Divine worship, whether in reviving those abrogated, or setting up new ones, upon supposition of their union with Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
Which he doth here by way of imitation, upbraiding of them, elegantly recite in the words, phrases, or sense of those imposing dogmatists, whose superstition and lust of domineering over the consciences of Christians is taxed, in the gradation which the well skilled in the Greek judge to be in the o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH ALL ARE TO PERISH WITH THE USING: he adds his reasons why, under the Christian institution, acceptable worshipping of God doth not consist in such observances, both because meats, drinks, garments, &c. are designed unto the benefit of man, for the preserving of his temporal life, and are consu... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH THINGS HAVE INDEED A SHOW OF WISDOM: by way of concession the apostle here grants that the precepts and doctrines of men about religious abstinences had a SHOW OF WISDOM; and it was but a mere show, a bare pretext, a specious appearance, a fair colour of wisdom, which is of no worth, not the r... [ Continue Reading ]