5–4:1. _Practical duties_ Colossians 3:5-17, in the individual life; Colossians 3:18_ to_ Colossians 4:1, in the social relations of a household. 18–4:1. _The social relations of a household_ Colossians 3:18-19. Wives and Husbands. Colossians 3:20-21. Children and Fathers. Colossians 3:22_ to_... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΗ͂Ι ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΗ͂Ι. Generic. Contrast Colossians 4:12. Probably suggested by the thought of appealing to the one Master in heaven. ΠΡΟΣΚΑΡΤΕΡΕΙ͂ΤΕ. Romans 12:12; Acts 1:14; Acts 6:4. The “staunchness” of καρτερέω (cf. Hebrews 11:27†) is modified by πρός to mean “persevering attendance.” Thus Mark 3:9;... [ Continue Reading ]
2–6. _Prayer_ (Colossians 4:2-4) _and speaking for Christ_ (Colossians 4:5-6) (Colossians 4:2) In prayer be persevering, ever alert in it, combining it with thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:3) praying at the same time not for yourselves alone but also for us, that God may open for us a way for His messag... [ Continue Reading ]
ΘΎΡΑΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΛΌΓΟΥ. A interprets by adding ἐν παρρησίᾳ. ΤῸ ΜΥΣΤΉΡΙΟΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. B*L read τοῦ θεοῦ with a few cursives, aeth. and this is possibly right, though a commoner expression (vide Lightfoot, p. 315 n.). 3. ΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΌΜΕΝΟΙ ἍΜΑ ΚΑῚ, i.e. at the same time as you are praying for yourselves. Ot... [ Continue Reading ]
ἽΝΑ ΦΑΝΕΡΏΣΩ ΑΥ̓ΤῸ. Dependent on ἵνα ὁ θεὸς�.τ.λ. but expressing more finally than λαλῆσαι the result of the gift of such opportunity. Chrysostom and Bengel thinking of St Paul preaching as a prisoner join it with δέδεμαι, but this is to miss the point of the passage. φανερόω is chosen as correlat... [ Continue Reading ]
5. In Colossians 4:5-6 St Paul turns to the thought of their own part in spreading the knowledge of Christ (_a_) by life (Colossians 4:5), (_b_) by word (Colossians 4:6). ἘΝ ΣΟΦΊΑΙ (Colossians 1:9; Colossians 3:16, notes) ΠΕΡΙΠΑΤΕΙ͂ΤΕ (Colossians 1:10, note). Practical Christian wisdom must mark th... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΛΌΓΟΣ ὙΜΩ͂Ν. A subdivision of the general attitude to be taken towards unbelievers (Colossians 4:5). ΠΆΝΤΟΤΕ ἘΝ ΧΆΡΙΤΙ. χάρις when connected with λόγος (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:12), and especially when also connected with ἅλς, would suggest to an ordinary Greek reader “pleasingness.” But to St Paul (w... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ΚΑΤʼ ἘΜῈ ΠΆΝΤΑ, “all my circumstances.” The order suggests that πάντα was almost an after-thought. For τὰ κατʼ ἐμέ, see, besides ||Ephesians 6:21; Philippians 1:12; Tob 10:8; cf. Acts 25:14. ΓΝΩΡΊΣΕΙ ὙΜΙ͂Ν, Colossians 4:9; Colossians 1:27. ΤΎΧΙΚΟΣ, mentioned five times in the N.T. (_a_) Acts 20... [ Continue Reading ]
7–17. _Personal matters and final words_ Colossians 4:7-9. _The messengers commended to them_. (Colossians 4:7) I said “pray for us,” “I am lying bound,” but you will want to know all about me. This Tychicus will tell you, who is a brother, and dear to me, and a faithful minister, who has served to... [ Continue Reading ]
8. ἽΝΑ ΓΝΩ͂ΤΕ ΤᾺ ΠΕΡῚ ἩΜΩ͂Ν. So (א*) ABD*FGRGP. ἵνα γνῷ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν Text. Rec. with אcCDbcKL vulg. Syrr. The external evidence leaves no doubt that the former is right. 8. = || Ephesians 6:22 word for word. ὋΝ ἜΠΕΜΨΑ ΠΡῸΣ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. Epistolary aorist, “whom I send”; cf. Philemon 1:12. ἽΝΑ ΓΝΩ͂ΤΕ ΤᾺ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ὯΔΕ. G vulg. Jer. Ambrst. add πραττόμενα, “a gloss which looks as if it had originated in the Latin, which could not literally render τὰ ὧδε” (Abbott). 9. ΣῪΝ ὈΝΗΣΊΜΩΙ. See Philemon 1:10†. ΤΩ͂Ι ΠΙΣΤΩ͂Ι. Probably not intended to suggest a contrast to his character before his conversion, though i... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΣΠΆΖΕΤΑΙ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. Repeated Colossians 4:12; Colossians 4:14. In each case it introduces a fresh class, viz. (_a_) those of the Circumcision, Colossians 4:10-11. (_b_) Epaphras their fellow-townsman, etc., Colossians 4:12-13. (_c_) Luke and Demas who were perhaps Gentile Christians, Colossians 4:14. I... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂Σ Ὁ ΛΕΓΌΜΕΝΟΣ ἸΟΥ͂ΣΤΟΣ. Nothing is known of him save from this passage. Besides our Lord the following bear the name Ἰησοῦς in the N.T.: (_a_) the son of Eliezer, Luke 3:29; (_b_) Joshua, Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8; (_c_) possibly Barabbas, Matthew 27:17, i.e. according to a few cursives, the... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΤΑΘΗ͂ΤΕ. So א*B. στῆτε Text. Rec. with אcACD, etc., the commoner form. ΠΕΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΗΜΈΝΟΙ אABCD*G Syr.Harcl.mg. πεπληρωμένοι Text. Rec. with DCKLP Pesh. Syr.Harcl.text Syr.pal. Chr. commoner and easier. 12. ἈΣΠΆΖΕΤΑΙ ὙΜΑ͂Σ (Colossians 4:10) Ἐπαφρᾶς (Colossians 1:7; Philemon 1:23). Epaphras is menti... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΟΛῪΝ ΠῸΝΟΝ אABCP Syrpal (ut vid.). πολὺν κόνον D*G. ζῆλον πολὺν Text. Rec. with KL, etc. Other readings are πολὺν ζῆλον Dbc; πολὺν πόθον 10. 31 al.; πολὺν� 6. 67**. External evidence determines for the first, and ζῆλον would not have caused such variations. 13. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΩ͂ ΓᾺΡ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι. The only paral... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΣΠΆΖΕΤΑΙ ὙΜΑ͂Σ, Colossians 4:10, note. ΛΟΥΚΑ͂Σ. Mentioned by name elsewhere in the N.T. only in Philemon 1:24 and 2 Timothy 4:11. Identified since Irenaeus (_Haer._ III. 14. 1) with the Evangelist. The name is probably a shortened form of Lucanus, and is probably also connected with Lucius, althou... [ Continue Reading ]
ΝΎΜΑΝ. See Commentary. ΤῊΝ ΚΑΤʼ ΟἾΚΟΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΗ͂Σ ἘΚΚΛΗΣΊΑΝ. αὐτῆς is read by B 67**, _ejus_ Old Lat. Vulg. Syrpal. αὐτοῦ Text. Rec. with DFGKL, etc., Pesh. Chr. The Syriac versions have the singular (see Lightfoot). αὐτῶν אACP memph (see Lightfoot). See Commentary. 15. ἈΣΠΆΣΑΣΘΕ, as from St Paul and... [ Continue Reading ]
15–17. _Greetings to believers at Laodicea_ (Colossians 4:15) _and directions affecting both Laodicea and Colossae_ (Colossians 4:16-17) (Colossians 4:15) Greet for us the brethren in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the Church that meets at the house of him and his. (Colossians 4:16) And while I am speak... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῊΝ ἘΚ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΊΑΣ. τὴν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ is read by G Syrpal. 16. A command to exchange St Paul’s letters between Laodicea and Colossae. ὍΤΑΝ�ʼ ὙΜΙ͂Ν. Probably at Divine Service, that being the readiest means of ensuring that it be heard by all, a point on which St Paul lays special stress in 1 Thessalon... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ. Probably continuing the immediately preceding subject of their relations with Laodicea (vide infra). ΕἼΠΑΤΕ. “Forms belonging to εἴπα stand without var. in those persons of the imperative which contain τ (εἴπατε, εἰπάτω, -τωσαν)” W.H. _Append._ p. 164; cf. Blass, _Gram._ § 21. 1. There seems t... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ΧΆΡΙΣ ΜΕΘʼ ὙΜΩ͂Ν, א*ABCFGRG Ambrst. Text. Rec. adds ἀμήν with אcDKLP, etc., Syrpal. Subscription. The simplest and apparently most original form is πρὸς κολασσαεῖς אB*C. To this A adds ἀπὸ Ῥώμης, Bc ἐγράφη�. The Text. Rec. has πρὸς Κολασσαεῖς ἐγράφη�, with KL, etc. The Boh. adds καὶ Μάρκου, but c... [ Continue Reading ]