Colossians 1:14

ἔχομεν אCDG, etc. (A defective); ἔσχομεν B alone of MSS. Boh. In || Ephesians 1:7 ἔχομεν is read by only א*D*gr Boh. The reading is not certain. One tendency to assimilate the tense to the accompanying aorists is at least balanced by another to insist on the present possession of redemption. Compare Philemon 1:7.

14. This verse = Ephesians 1:7, save that there we find the addition after ἀπολύτρωσιν of διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ, and the substitution of παραπτωμάτων for ἁμαρτιῶν.

ἐν ᾧ, cf. Colossians 2:3; more than διʼ οὗ, and expressing that only in spiritual and real union with Christ, as members in the body (1 Corinthians 12:27) or as branches in the vine (John 15:4), do we possess τὴν�. Severance from Him would mean loss of the blessings ensured in Him. St Paul is doubtless already thinking of the effect of the False Teaching (cf. Colossians 2:19).

ἔχομεν. See notes on Textual Criticism.

The marginal reading ἔσχομεν is ingressive, “we got” (see Moulton, Gram. Proleg. 1906, pp. 110, 145) our privileges. We entered on them at the time of our baptism (cf. Colossians 2:11-14; see also ἔσχον, Philemon 1:7). The text, ἔσχομεν (cf. Colossians 1:4 note), lays stress on the present possession of the Colossians and all believers, thus reminding them again of their privileges in Christ. The thought is taken up and enlarged in Colossians 1:21 b, Song of Solomon 1:22a

τὴν�. The force of the article is perhaps possessive “our redemption,” cf. Hebrews 11:35, but more probably by way of definition, perhaps expressed idiomatically for us by “Redemption,” as contrasted with “redemption.” Compare ἡ σωτηρία. Acts 4:12.

The meaning that ἀπολύτρωσις presented here to St Paul is not quite certain. In derivation, of course, the thought is of “redemption” in the strict sense, the payment of something by which the captive is set free. So λύτρον, Matthew 20:28 || Mark 10:45†. But even in λυτρόομαι, λύτρωσις, λυτρωτής, the sense of ransom may be very weak (Luke 24:21; Luke 1:68; Acts 7:35), and, in the compound word, ἀπό lays still more stress on release than on ransom. Compare the only place in the LXX. where ἀπολύτρωσις occurs, Daniel 4:33 (= 30c Swete, not Theod.), and also ἀπολυτροῦν in Exodus 21:8; Zephaniah 3:2 (1)†.

Hence in the case of ἀπολύτρωσις it is even more imperative than usual to avoid the special temptation of every expositor of Scripture, interpreting words by their derivation rather than their usage. For the context alone can decide which was the thought really in the Apostle’s mind. Apparently in Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30 (?) and perhaps Ephesians 1:7 (because of the additional διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ), compare also Hebrews 9:15, he lays stress on the thought of ransom and the price paid; but on that of release, “emancipation” (Robinson), in Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:23; compare Luke 21:28; Hebrews 11:35.

In our present passage ἀπολύτρωσις seems only to carry on the thought of release (begun in Colossians 1:13), while the thought of redemption in the strict sense does not appear till Colossians 1:20-21. For a full discussion of the meaning of ἀπολύτρωσις see Abbott on Ephesians 1:7. Compare also J. A. R. on Ephesians 1:14, Westcott, Hebrews, pp. 295 sqq., Hort on 1 Peter 1:19.

If it be asked what that is from which we are released, the answer, judging by the context, is, surely, not “punishment and Divine wrath” (Ell.), but the authority of darkness (Colossians 1:13) and the claim of sin (vide infra). This corresponds to the bondage of Egypt, to which λυτρόομαι often refers in the O.T.

The addition in T.R. of διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ from Ephesians 1:7 spoils the connexion here, for St Paul is about to treat emphatically of the Divinity of Christ, and does not come to any thought that involves His humiliation till Colossians 1:20. In Ephesians 1:8 sqq. there is no such difficulty, for the stress of the argument falls on the grace of God towards us.

τὴν ἄφεσιν κ.τ.λ. Epexegetic of τὴν�, bringing out not the positive side of salvation, final endowment with all moral and spiritual graces, but its negative side, release from the claims of sin. This is here mentioned as the primary character of redemption, in which indeed all else is involved.

Observe that in the LXX. ἄφεσις seems to be never used of the forgiveness of sins as such, but usually of the Jubilee (יוֹבֶל 20/50 times) and the liberty (דְּרוֹר 6/50 times) connected with it, and also of the release (שְׁמִטָּה 7/50 times) every seven years for land and creditors. Similarly in Egyptian papyri it is used of remission of taxes, or exemption from them (cf. Deissmann, Bible Studies, pp. 100 sqq., Nägeli, Wortschatz d. Ap. Paul, 1905, p. 56). Compare too 1Ma 13:34; 1Ma 13:39, and perhaps Esther 2:18.

Thus the idea of forgiveness must probably be supplemented by that of remission of claims, our sins being regarded as debts. Cf. the variants in the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14; Luke 11:4.

It should be noticed that ἄφεσις occurs in St Paul’s writings only here and Ephesians 1:7. It is found also in his speeches (Acts 13:38; Acts 26:18), but in view of the fact that it occurs only once in Matt. (Matthew 26:28), twice in Mark (Mark 1:4; Mark 3:29), twice in Heb. (Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 10:18), and ten times in the writings of St Luke, it may be due in both these cases to the narrator.

τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. This general and all-embracing word is perhaps chosen as suggesting the power of ἁμαρτία (Romans 3:9; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:17-22), while it would be impossible to have the singular itself here. In Ephesians 1:7 on the contrary τ. παραπτωμάτων refers only to specific “transgressions” as infra Colossians 2:13 bis.