COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 4 COLOSSIANS 4:1 The duty of masters towards their servants. COLOSSIANS 4:2 A general exhortation to perseverance in prayer, COLOSSIANS 4:5 discreet conduct, COLOSSIANS 4:6 and well-ordered speech. COLOSSIANS 4:7 The apostle commendeth Tychicus and Onesimus, by whom he sent this E... [ Continue Reading ]
CONTINUE IN PRAYER; persevere or hold on strongly in prayer with fervency: we are apt to grow sluggish and indisposed, and therefore have need of quickening to this duty, LUKE 18:1 EPHESIANS 6:18. AND WATCH IN THE SAME; endeavouring to keep the heart in all fit seasons unto this, as a help to the pr... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHAL PRAYING ALSO FOR US; not only putting up petitions for themselves, but also interceding for Paul, and others with him, especially Timothy, mentioned in the salutation, COLOSSIANS 1:1,7 RO 15:30 2 CORINTHIANS 1:11 PHILIPPIANS 1:19 2 THESSALONIANS 3:1 PHILEMON 1:22. THAT GOD WOULD OPEN UNTO US... [ Continue Reading ]
That I may manifest, or open and clear, it in due circumstances, as becomes an able minister of Christ, ROMANS 1:15 1 CORINTHIANS 2:4 1 CORINTHIANS 9:16 with 2 TIMOTHY 2:15, 2 TIMOTHY 4:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
WALK IN WISDOM; let your course of life be managed with all Christian prudence, that you may not any way disparage the Christian institution, 2 SAMUEL 12:14 ROMANS 2:23,24, with 1 TIMOTHY 6:4; with your innocency _be wise as serpents,_ MATTHEW 10:16; see EPHESIANS 5:15: yet, while you become all thi... [ Continue Reading ]
LET YOUR SPEECH BE ALWAY WITH GRACE: because discourse is the tenderest part of our converse with men, especially those without, and ought to be managed with the greatest circumspection, upon occasions in every fit season, in imitation of Christ, who entertained those that did converse with him with... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL MY STATE SHALL TYCHICUS DECLARE UNTO YOU: the apostle drawing to a conclusion, that he at so great distance might certify them of his love to them, and care for them, doth here acquaint them that with this Epistle he was sending two persons of integrity, for their satisfaction and his, viz. Tych... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM I HAVE SENT UNTO YOU FOR THE SAME PURPOSE; who was Paul's messenger to them, as to let them know how it was with Paul, so to this end: 1. THAT HE MIGHT KNOW YOUR ESTATE; that he might clearly understand, how their matters stood, _\as EPHESIANS 6:22\_ especially with respect to spirituals, COLOS... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ONESIMUS, whom he adjoins to Tychicus. Some, because of his following commendation, think him to be another person different from the fugitive servant of Philemon; but the most, comparing the description here with the circumstances in the Epistle to Philemon, COLOSSIANS 4:10,16, &c., conclude h... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISTARCHUS MY FELLOW PRISONER SALUTETH YOU: here he doth wish prosperity to them, LUKE 10:5, in the name of others, beginning with those of the circumcision, viz. _Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, _ who had been his fellow traveller, ACTS 19:29, ACTS 20:4 27:2; yea, and now his fellow pri... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS, WHICH IS CALLED JUSTUS, WHO ARE OF THE CIRCUMCISION; a third person of those who had been Jews mentioned in this salutation, is Jesus, surnamed Justus, (probably from his just conversation), whether the same with him mentioned in Luke's history of the Acts, ACTS 28:7, is not evident. The... [ Continue Reading ]
EPAPHRAS, WHO IS ONE OF YOU, A SERVANT OF CHRIST, SALUTETH YOU: after he had given them the good wishes of some of the Jews, he doth here give the like from some of the Gentiles, beginning with Epaphras, whom he had before commended, COLOSSIANS 1:7,8, and doth here recommend him as born and bred amo... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I BEAR HIM RECORD, THAT HE HATH A GREAT ZEAL FOR YOU; for, saith the apostle, though I am not privy to his secret prayers, yet I can bear him witness, and do give him mine own testimony, that he hath a most ardent and special affection for you Christians at Colosse. AND THEM THAT ARE IN LAODICEA... [ Continue Reading ]
LUKE, THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN; whether this Luke was the same with him that penned the Gospel and the Acts, because the apostle here gives him no higher a commendation, some doubt. But others, and the most, conclude that as Matthew from a publican became an apostle, and others from fishers of fishes,... [ Continue Reading ]
SALUTE THE BRETHREN WHICH ARE IN LAODICEA; having saluted the Colossians, in the names of others, circumcised and uncircumcised, he desires them in his own name to salute the Christians in the church at Laodicea. AND NYMPHAS; and some pious man called Nymphas, probably living either in the country n... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THIS EPISTLE IS READ AMONG YOU: the apostle takes it for granted, that, when this Epistle came to their hands, it would be publicly read in a solemn assembly of the church, or brethren, convened to that purpose, as elsewhere usual. For indeed he doth strictly enjoin and adjure the Thessalon... [ Continue Reading ]
He also enjoins them to advise or advertise ARCHIPPUS, whom he doth elsewhere call his _fellow soldier, _ i.e. minister in the gospel, PHILEMON 1:2, on his and Timothy's behalf, to see to, or be mindful of, the nature of that excellent ministry he had undertaken, ROMANS 11:13 EPHESIANS 3:7 1 TIMOTHY... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SALUTATION BY THE HAND OF ME PAUL: the apostle having them on his heart, and here (as elsewhere) likely having used an amanuensis to pen the body of his Epistle, to prevent fraud and forgery he doth subscribe his salutation and apostolical benediction with his own hand, which was well known, ROM... [ Continue Reading ]