Colossians 1:14

redemption through his blood Omit the words "through His blood," on clear documentary evidence. They stand unchallenged in the parallel verse, Ephesians 1:7. And the truth they express comes out explicitly below, Colossians 1:20; Colossians 1:22.

" Redemption:" lit., "the redemption," here fairly represented by our redemption, as R.V. The word "redemption" (like its Greek equivalent) points by derivation to the idea of a rescue by ransom, whatever the ransom may be. This meaning often in usage vanishes, or at least retires, as where a deliverance by mere poweris called a redemption (e.g. Exodus 6:6). But it is always ready to reappear when the context favours; and certainly does so here, in view of the parallel passage in Eph. and Colossians 1:20 below. Cp. esp. Romans 8:23; and for illustration Matthew 20:28; Heb 9:15; 1 Peter 1:18-19. And see our notes on Ephesians 1:7.

the forgiveness of sins Lit., of the ( our) sins. Ephesians 1:7 has "(our) trespasses." Observe this account of our Redemption in Christ. It is primarily Forgiveness, Remission. It involves indeed immensely more both for soul (Titus 2:14) and body (Romans 8:23); but all else is so inseparably bound up with Forgiveness as its sine quâ nonthat the whole is expressed by this great part. See further on Ephesians 1:7.

Bp Lightfoot thinks that the "studied precision" both here and in Eph. of this description of Redemption may "point to some false conception of Redemption put forth by the heretical teachers." And he shews that "the later Gnostics certainly perverted the term, applying it to their own formularies of initiation." With them it would mean a "redemption" as remote as possible from ideas of forgiveness; a release of the mystic from the bondage of matter into the liberty of esoteric "knowledge." Lightfoot asserts no direct connexion between these later Gnostics and the Colossian heretics; but he sees in the later teaching a hint of possible similar aberrations earlier. See further, Introd., ch. 3.

Before quitting Colossians 1:13, observe the phrase, "inwhom," not "through, or by, whom." The idea thus given is that of union with Christ (see on Colossians 1:2 above). The Remission, won by the Redeemer's dying Work, is for those who by faith are incorporated into the Redeemer's mystical Person. The editor ventures to refer to his Thoughts on Union with Christ, pp. 104, 124, etc.