Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus _our_ brother, Ver. 1. _Paul an apostle, &c._] This golden Epistle is an epitome, as it were, of that other to the Ephesians; like as that he writeth to the Galatians is an abstract of that other to the Romans.... [ Continue Reading ]
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace _be_ unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 2. _Which are at Colosse_] A city in Phrygia, swallowed up by an earthquake not long after this Epistle was written. God's judgments are sometimes... [ Continue Reading ]
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Ver. 3. _We give thanks-praying, &c._] Prayer and thanks (saith one) are like the double motion of the lungs; the air that is sucked in by prayer is breathed out again by thanks.... [ Continue Reading ]
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love _which ye have_ to all the saints, Ver. 4. _And of the love, &c._] Faith in Christ Jesus maketh love to all the saints. Therefore they go commonly coupled in Paul's Epistles. And therefore when the disciples heard how often they must for... [ Continue Reading ]
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Ver. 5. _For the hope_] It is hope (saith an interpreter here) that plucks up the heart of a man to a constant desire of union by faith with God and of communion by love with man. But by... [ Continue Reading ]
Which is come unto you, as _it is_ in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as _it doth_ also in you, since the day ye heard _of it_, and knew the grace of God in truth: Ver. 6. _As it is in all the world_] Eusebius saith that the gospel spread at first through the world like a sunbeam, Αθροως ο... [ Continue Reading ]
As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Ver. 7. _Who is for you a faithful minister_] Epaphras was their city preacher; whom therefore the apostle here so highly commendeth. Luther is much blamed by his best friends for opposing and dispa... [ Continue Reading ]
Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. Ver. 8. _Who also declared unto us_] His heart was over joyed with his people's forwardness, and he could not but impart it to the apostle. It was a pride in Montanus to overly ween his Pepuza and Tymium, two pelting parishes not far from Colosse,... [ Continue Reading ]
For this cause we also, since the day we heard _it_, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Ver. 9. _In all wisdom and spiritual_] _See Trapp on "_ Eph 1:8 _"_ There you have the same expression.... [ Continue Reading ]
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Ver. 10. _That ye might walk worthy_] By walking before God, with God, after God, according to God, as it is phrased in several Scriptures, all to one purpose. See the... [ Continue Reading ]
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Ver. 11. _And longsuffering with joyfulness_] The joy of the Lord is the strength of the soul, Nehemiah 8:10, as true gold comforts and strengthens the heart, that alchemy doth not. At... [ Continue Reading ]
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Ver. 12. _Of the saints in light_] So that though cast into a dark dungeon, the saints may clap their hands upon their bosoms, as Oecolampadius upon his death bed did, and say, _Hic sat... [ Continue Reading ]
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated _us_ into the kingdom of his dear Son: Ver. 13. _And hath translated us_] A word taken from those that plant colonies, and cause the people to translate their dwellings into another country, μετεστησεν. (Bishop Davenant.) _ From... [ Continue Reading ]
In whom we have redemption through his blood, _even_ the forgiveness of sins: Ver. 14. _Even the forgiveness, &c._] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 1:21 _"_ Sin is the greatest evil; as that which sets us farthest from God the chiefest good; and as that which procureth and embittereth all other evils that bef... [ Continue Reading ]
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Ver. 15. _Who is the image_] The express image of his person, Hebrews 1:2. Milk is not so like milk as this Son is like the Father. By whom also God (otherwise invisible) is manifested to us. And here, he that would see God mus... [ Continue Reading ]
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether _they be_ thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Ver. 16. _For by him were all things_] This is a high praise to Christ, Revelatio... [ Continue Reading ]
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Ver. 17. _By him all things consist_] They would soon fall asunder, had not Christ undertaken to uphold the shattered condition thereof, by the word of his power.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all _things_ he might have the preeminence. Ver. 18. _And he is the head_] See the note on Ephesians 1:22. Angels are under Christ as a head of government, of influence, of confirmation, not of re... [ Continue Reading ]
For it pleased _the Father_ that in him should all fulness dwell; Ver. 19. _In him should all fulness_] In a vessel or treasury an emptiness may follow a fulness: not so here. _See Trapp on "_ Joh 1:14 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, _I say_, whether _they be_ things in earth, or things in heaven. Ver. 20. _To reconcile all things_] That is, all the saints, who are worth all, better than all, more worth than a world of wi... [ Continue Reading ]
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in _your_ mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled Ver. 21. _Enemies in your mind_] Haters of God, Romans 1:30, and so, God slayers, 1 John 3:15. _Omne peccatum est Deicidium._ All sin is a killer of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: Ver. 22. _To present you holy and unblameable_] By his righteousness imputed and imparted; though most interpreters expound this text of sanctification, and not of justification or future per... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and _be_ not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, _and_ which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Ver. 23. _If ye continue in the faith_] All the promises are made to perse... [ Continue Reading ]
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Ver. 24. _And fill up that which is behind_] Christ suffered much for Paul; it is but meet therefore that Paul should suffer somewhat for Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Ver. 25. _According to the dispensation_] What a horrid blasphemy therefore is that of the Jesuits, who stick not to tell the people in their pulpits that St Paul was not secu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even_ the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: Ver. 26. _But now is made manifest_] God hath now opened his whole heart to his saints, Revelation 11:3. _See Trapp on "_ Rom 7:25 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Mat 4:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom God would make known what _is_ the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Ver. 27. _The hope of glory_] All the saints are said to worship in the altar, because they place all their hope of life in Christ's death alone.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Ver. 28. _Whom we preach_] Ministers do not only preach of Christ, but preach Christ, that is, they give what they speak of. As the manna came down in the dew, so doth the... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Ver. 29. _I also labour, striving_] Labour to lassitude, strive even to an agony. Good ministers are great painstakers; and God that helped the Levites to bear the ark, 1 Chronicles 15:26, will help his servan... [ Continue Reading ]