Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Colossians 3:1-4

20–3:4. Transition to the detailed practical directions of the Epistle (Colossians 3:5 to Colossians 4:6). St Paul, first negatively (Colossians 2:20-23), and secondly positively (c. Colossians 3:1-4), describes in general terms the right attitude of the believer to Christ in his daily life. His life is not to be conducted on the principle urged by the false teachers, submission to rules (Colossians 2:20-23), but on that of directing his attention and will towards Christ in His risen and ascended state

(Colossians 2:20) If, as I said, you died with Christ, thus completely severing yourselves with Him from the rudimentary teaching of the world, why, as though still finding pleasure in the world, are you being placed under the power of rules, (Colossians 2:21) that, for instance, forbid even the very touching of certain foods, (Colossians 2:22) (Though foods as such—you will remember our Lord’s teaching—perish in their very use!) according to the ordinances and instructions of mere men? (Colossians 2:23) Rules such as have the credit of wisdom in self-chosen cult and humility and severity shown to the body, not in anything honourable (??)—to mere repletion of your flesh!

(Colossians 3:1) If all such rules are useless and you also died with Christ and were further raised with Christ out of the old life into the new, make your efforts after the things above where Christ rightly belongs, and where He now is, seated in the place of honour and life-giving power, at God’s right hand. (Colossians 2:2) Fill your mind and heart with the things above, not with rules that belong to mere earthly life, (Colossians 2:3) for you died (and dead men have no more to do with earth), and your present time but spiritual life belongs to the invisible, bound up with Christ, in God. (Colossians 2:4) A time will come when this spiritual life of yours will no longer be hidden. When Christ (Christ, I repeat), who is our life itself, is publicly made known, then shall also you with Him—you in your true life with Him in His—be made known, and that in glory.

1–4. The positive side (see Colossians 2:20, note), both in the reason adduced (συνηγέρθητε) and in the action commanded (τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε), in which the only effective method of victory in the holy life is stated. The vv. thus serve as a transition to the practical charges of Colossians 3:5 sqq.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Colossians 3:1-4

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