COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 3 COLOSSIANS 3:1 The apostle exhorteth to be heavenly-minded, COLOSSIANS 3:5 to mortify carnal lusts, and to put away all malice and ill dealing in respect of one another, as becometh Christians. COLOSSIANS 3:12 He recommendeth brotherly kindness, charity, and other general duties... [ Continue Reading ]
SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE: that the hearts of believers here might be where their treasure is, the apostle here repeats his exhortation, using another word, importing they should intensely mind things above, ROMANS 8:5, viz. the inheritance _reserved in heaven_ for us, 1 PETER 1:4, with hea... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE ARE DEAD; the apostle adds another reason why the believing Colossians should not be earthly-minded, because they were dead, not absolutely, but in a certain respect, viz. of sin, and the world. 1. In regard of that carnal, corrupted, sin-infected life, received from our first parents by car... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN CHRIST, WHO IS OUR LIFE, SHALL APPEAR; which will be, according to the purpose and promise of God, with whom it is laid up, COLOSSIANS 1:5, when Christ by whom they live shall so appear that they shall be like him, 1 JOHN 3:2, and be taken to be with him in the heavenly inheritance, 1 PETER 1:4... [ Continue Reading ]
That they might not think he, who had given check to superstitious abstinences, was for the indulging of any carnal affections, he infers here, how the exercise of truly Christian mortification was incumbent on those who were dead to sin and had their life hid in Christ. Neither is it any incongruit... [ Continue Reading ]
Especially remembering how the indulging or sparing any of them will be of dreadful consequence; see EPHESIANS 5:6; for however they may by carnal men be looked upon as little faults, which God will overlook of course, yet they do certainly incur Divine displeasure, and will bring most inevitable ju... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WHICH; some render it, amongst whom; but, alas! They lived amongst such disobedient ones still; therefore we do better render it _in which, _ i.e. sins or vices. YE, the now believing Colossians, ALSO WALKED SOME TIME; had heretofore practised and exercised; and had not only been infected wit... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW YE ALSO PUT OFF ALL THESE: having minded them of their former condition under paganism in a state of sin, while they served various sensual lusts, he doth here in their present circumstances under Christianity in a state of grace, show them that, now they professed to _walk as children of li... [ Continue Reading ]
LIE NOT ONE TO ANOTHER: here he puts them upon laying aside that vice which violates the ninth commandment, being opposite to truth in word and work: see EPHESIANS 4:25, where he doth more fully urge the putting away lying, from the same argument that follows here: a lie being no other than that vol... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN: (To see number 1: SEE POOLE ON "COLOSSIANS 3:9"). 2. Vivification, or renovation; this he connecteth with the former, continuing the metaphor. As in natural generation the expulsion of the old form is attended with the introduction of the new, so in spiritual regeneratio... [ Continue Reading ]
He prevents the reasoning of those, who did not neglect regeneration, and place religion in more externals, showing that in the new man, or true sanctification, and real Christianity, there was sufficient to save us, in communion with Christ, without those external observances false teachers did sti... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT ON THEREFORE: as he had mentioned some particular vices of the old man they were to put off, COLOSSIANS 3:8, he doth here infer, that they might be complete in Christ, there be particular virtues and graces of the new man they are to put on, or, being new creatures, continually to exercise thems... [ Continue Reading ]
FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER; clemency towards each other, not only in undergoing affronts, but a suspending to take advantage from the infirmities of others, so as not to irritate them to passion, or to take them tripping, so as to aggravate their failings, PROVERBS 16:32 1 CORINTHIANS 4:12 GALATIANS 6:2... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS PUT ON CHARITY: that which we render _above, _ as surpassing all, some read upon, or over, and some, for all these things, viz. the graces he exhorted them to be clothed with. Both agree, that mutual Christian love or charity is the chiefest garment the new man can put on,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET THE PEACE OF GOD; he doth not say the peace of the world, but _the peace of God, _ or, as some copies, the peace of Christ; be sure, without the mediation of Christ we can have no peace with God; he alone hath _made peace,_ COLOSSIANS 1:20, with COLOSSIANS 2:14; he is _our peace, _ making it... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM: one learned man conceives Paul to have written this first clause of the verse as in a parenthesis, joining in the sense what next follows to _be ye thankful_ in the foregoing verse; another would have the parenthesis to begin from COLOSSIANS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER YE DO: here the apostle give a universal direction how in every capacity, both personal and relative, in every motion, a Christian may do all so as to find acceptance with God. IN WORD OR DEED; and that is in his expressions and actings, viz. comprehending his internal as well as exte... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle, entering upon an exhortation to relative duties, begins first with that which wives owe to their husbands to whom they are married, by reason this relation is the first in nature, and the fountain whence the rest do flow, GENESIS 2:22 PSALMS 127:3, PSALMS 128:3 PROVERBS 5:15,16. That wh... [ Continue Reading ]
The husband's duty is _love, _ which the apostle doth ever inculcate from the most obliging considerations when he speaks of this relation; see MATTHEW 19:6 1 CORINTHIANS 7:3, with EPHESIANS 5:25,33; to sweeten on the one hand the subjection of the wife, and to temper on the other hand the authority... [ Continue Reading ]
By CHILDREN he understands both males and females. OBEY YOUR PARENTS; he requires them to yield humble subjection to those that brought them forth, or have just authority over them; see EXODUS 20:12 EPHESIANS 6:1; paying reverence to them, LEVITICUS 19:3 HEBREWS 12:9; observing their holy and pruden... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHERS, PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO ANGER: and to moderate the parental authority, that they may exercise it Christianly, he allows not parents to do that which is in a direct tendency to irritate or move the passions of their children merely for their own pleasure, without a principal regard to G... [ Continue Reading ]
SERVANTS: the apostle knowing how hard the condition of servitude was, both under the Jews and Gentiles, lest any believers in that mean condition should disgust so strict a subjection, especially to unbelieving masters, and cast off the yoke by breaking their covenants, to the disturbance of human... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, courageously and cheerfully, from the very soul, not constrainedly and murmuringly, though they be froward and their commands harsh; making account it is Jesus Christ, (who hath power over soul and body, MATTHEW 10:28), not mortal men only, or in and for themselves, whom you serve, _\see EPHESI... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING, being fully persuaded of this undoubted truth, THAT OF THE LORD, who superintends all your services, (not for any merit of yours), EPHESIANS 6:8, the recompence which your Master in heaven hath purchased, EPHESIANS 1:14,18, shall be freely settled upon you whom he hath adopted into his fami... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE THAT DOETH WRONG; but if the reward will not engage to a right discharge of these relative duties, the injurious person, WHETHER HE BE BOND OR FREE, EPHESIANS 6:8, an inferior servant or a domineering master, who doth violate the rules of right, agreeing with the law natural and eternal, SHAL... [ Continue Reading ]