Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Colossians 3:22-25

22–4:1. Slaves and Masters

Δοῦλοι must have formed a large proportion of the believers in St Paul’s days, and their behaviour to their masters (whether Christians or not) must have been an important matter, if Christianity was to show itself capable of winning all classes.

St Paul of course had special reasons for enlarging on this subject in his Epistle to the Colossians. He did not wish to be thought to condone Onesimus’ fault of running away, much less that of stealing (as it appears), and yet he desired to show the possible nobility of even the slave life. Hence the net result of these verses is to maintain the status quo of slaves (in contrast to any revolutionary scheme based on such a passage as Colossians 3:11, ὅπου οὐκ ἔνι … δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος) and indeed to improve the character of the service rendered by putting each slave (still quâ slave) into direct relation to a higher Master. Cf. 1 Peter 2:18-25.

The connexion of the verses is as follows:
(22) He bids them obey thoroughly, because they fear the one Master, (Colossians 3:23) working with free impulse as to Him, (Colossians 3:24) knowing that He (at any rate) will pay fully (in their case the Inheritance). Therefore (St Paul sums up) serve the true Master, Christ. (Colossians 3:25) For a slave who does wrong shall be punished impartially. (Colossians 4:1) The reciprocal duties of masters, justice and equity, for they too are under Christ.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Colossians 3:22-25

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