Colossians 1:2

Κολοσσαῖς א (A hiatus) BD; Κολοσσαῖς KP.

ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν BDKL amiat. fuldensis. Both Origen and Chrysostom expressly. Text. Rec. adds καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ with אAC etc. Clementine Vulg. The addition is so often genuine, Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:2, that the insertion of it came very naturally to a careless scribe.

2. In the second half of the salutation observe:

(1) The dative suggests the omission either of χαίρειν (λέγω); Acts 23:26; James 1:1 2Ma 1:1, or, more probably, simply γράφω. (2) ἀδελφοῖς occurs nowhere else in such a position (vide supra). (3) A comparison of the other salutations where ἁγίοις occurs shows that in 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1 certainly, and in Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2 probably, ἁγίοις is not a mere epithet, “holy,” but rather “holy ones,” “saints.” (4) Hence καὶ πιστοῖς�. ἐν Χῷ. is added by way of further definition; cf. Ephesians 1:1. (5) We do not find here τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ (as in 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; Philemon 1:2) or ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις (Galatians 1:2)[95]. St Paul here regards his readers not as united into one whole, or into several communities, but primarily as individuals set apart for God. That, however, he closely connected the thought of οἱ ἅγιοι with that of ἡ ἑκκλησία may be assumed in view of the fact that both are taken over from Jewish usage (for ἑκκλησία, Acts 7:38, and for οἱ ἅγιοι cf. Matthew 27:52 with Acts 9:13, on which last passage Hort remarks, “Members of the holy Ecclesia of Israel were themselves holy by the mere fact of membership, and this prerogative phrase is here boldly transferred to the Christians by the bold Damascene disciple,” The Christian Ecclesia, p. 56). (6) He does not repeat the article before ἀδελφοῖς lest he should seem to differentiate the persons. He regards them first as saints towards God, and then as brethren towards each other.

[95] It has been suggested (Abbott) that ἐκκλησία is not used in the salutations of Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, because he had no official relations with the heads of Churches to which he was personally unknown. In Philippians he uses what is perhaps an equivalent, σὺν ἑπισκοποις καὶ διακόνοις.

πιστοῖς. This is almost certainly used in the passive sense of “trustworthy,” proved “faithful,” and not in the active sense of “believing,” “trustful.”

For (1) in classical literature the active sense “is confined to half-a-dozen passages from poets, one from Plato, Leg. 1:824 B (perhaps a quotation from a poet), and one from Dion Cassius 37:12, where πιστός with a negative = ἄπιστος, which often has the active sense.” Also “neither in the LXX. nor in any other Greek Jewish book (Apocrypha, etc.) does πιστός have the distinctly active sense” (Hort on 1 Peter 1:21).

(2) Further, in every case in the N.T. where it = “believing” (John 20:27; Acts 10:45; Acts 16:1; 2 Corinthians 6:15; Galatians 3:9 prob.; 1 Timothy 4:3; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Timothy 5:16; 1 Timothy 6:2; Titus 1:6) it is used either absolutely or semi-absolutely, predicating belief of those who would not necessarily be believers. It never occurs, that is to say, as a mere epithet of those who are known to be already believing. Thus “believing brethren” would be tautology. Ephesians 1:1 is indeed doubtful, but is probably to be interpreted passively on the analogy of our passage.

For πιστός with ἀδελφός see Colossians 4:9 (cf. Colossians 1:7); 1 Peter 5:12. By calling them “faithful” St Paul wishes to imply that they at least have not yielded to the temptations against which he is about to warn them. In 1 Peter 5:12 ὡς λογίζομαι is added, but it is not St Paul’s way so to modify his statements, especially in the opening words of an epistle. In Galatians 6:16; Ephesians 6:24 the exclusion of others from his greetings is more marked.

ἐν Χριστῷ. In view of the non-Christian, yet religious, use of ἀδελφοί (Colossians 1:1 note) such an addition was perhaps necessary. We may say that while ἀδελφοί regards believers externally, and πιστοί their inner disposition tested by behaviour, ἐν Χριστῷ both defines that in which they are brethren, and points to the reality in which alone true brotherhood takes its rise and is maintained. On the absence of τοῖς before of ἐν Χριστῷ see Colossians 1:8 end.

χάρις ὑμῖν. The epistolary formula χαίρειν common among heathen (2Ma 9:19; Acts 23:26; cf. also the examples given from the papyri in J. A. R. Ephesians, p. 276) and Jews (2Ma 1:1), and even among Christians (Acts 15:23; James 1:1) is here ennobled by St Paul. He wants for his brethren more than greeting and joy, even God’s grace. χαίρις here doubtless comprises the fullest sense of the word, both God’s favour and His power freely given.

καὶ εἰρήνη). Not, apparently, a heathen formula, though compare Dan. 3:98 = Daniel 4:1 (LXX. and Theod.) of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel 6:25 (Theod.) of Darius, but Jewish. Perhaps derived from the high priest’s blessing, Numbers 6:26. It occurs in David’s message to Nabal, 1 Samuel 25:5 (ἐρωτήσατε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου εἰς εἰρήνην). It is found with χαίρειν in 2Ma 1:1.

As used by St Paul after χάρις, which assumes that all is right between the soul and God, it probably refers not so much to inward peace as to external, the disposition of their affairs by God in such a way as to bring them quietness and happiness. The Christian greeting will then chiefly mean: May God’s mercies be given to you, and His protection be ever round you! But of course this protection will reach to body, soul, and spirit.

ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. The thought is not of God as the universal Father (Acts 17:28), but as Father of those who are in Christ, among whom St Paul includes himself. On the omission of καὶ κυρίον Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ in the true text see the notes on Textual Criticism. The formula “Grace and Peace” is found in every epistle except Heb., James, 1 and 3 John (Jude), and is increased by “mercy” in 1 and 2 Tim., 2 John. St Paul, save in 1 Thes., always adds the Source of these blessings, limiting it to the Father here only. His reason for so limiting it here perhaps lies in the fact that in Colossians 1:3, and frequently in this epistle, he brings out the special relationship of Christ to the Father, and he therefore avoids a phrase that, in itself, might support independence. He thus lays stress on God as the Father of believers (Colossians 1:2), and in a special sense the Father of “our Lord Jesus” (Colossians 1:3).