Colossians 1:2

to the saints Holy ones; persons possessed of holiness, separated from sin to God. It is true that this is the language of "charitable presumption" (Pearson, Exposition of the Creed, Art. ix. p. 353); when a community is thus described St Paul does not thereby positively assert that each individual answers the description. But this presumptive use of the word "saint" does not lower the true sense of the word so as to make it properlymean merely a member of the baptized community, a possessor of visible Church privileges. "The saints" are supposedto be really separated to God, by purchase, conquest, and self-surrender.

faithful The adjective is used of Christians frequently; see (in the Greek) Acts 10:45; Act 16:1; 2 Corinthians 6:15; Col 1:2; 1 Timothy 4:3; 1Ti 5:16; 1 Timothy 6:2; Titus 1:6. These and similar passages, and the contrast of the word "unfaithful" (infidelis, infidel), shew that as a designation of Christians it means not trustworthy but trustful; full of faith, in the Christian sense. The "faithful" are (see last note) supposedto be those who have really "believed unto life everlasting" (1 Timothy 1:16) and now "walk by faith" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

brethren Because "children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26; and see next note).

in Christ See for parallels to this all-important phrase, Rom 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; &c. And cp. the Lord's language, John 6:56; John 14:20; John 15:1-7, and the illustration given by e.g. Ephesians 5:30. These "brethren" are regarded as one with their Lord in respect of inseparable interest, holy dearness, and union by the life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17); especially the latter. They are "brethren in Christ," brothers because "in" the Firstborn Son (Romans 8:29). This phrase occurs some 12 times in the Epistle, and closely kindred phrases raise the number to about 20. It is likely that the special doctrinal perils of Colossæ led to this emphasis on the Christian's union with Christ.

Colosse Properly Colossœ (Colassai), or Colassœ. On the spelling, see Introd., p. 20, and on the topography of Colossæ and its neighbourhood, Introd., ch. 1 generally. The older English Versions read Colise(Wyclif, 1380), Colossa(Tyndale, 1534, Cranmer, 1539, Rheims 1582), Collossœ(Geneva, 1557).

The verse thus far may perhaps be rendered more exactly, To those who at Colossæ are holy and faithful brethren in Christ. But the A.V. (and text R.V.) is grammatically defensible and is certainly practicallycorrect.

Gracebe unto you, and peace So in the openings of Rom., Cor., Gal., Phil., Col., Thess., Philem., Pet., and Rev. In the Pastoral Epistles, and in 2 Joh., the remarkable addition "mercy" appears; in Jude, "mercy, peace, and love." In these salutations "Grace" is all the free and loving favour of God in its spiritual efficacy; "Peace" is specially the complacency of reconciliation with which He regards His people, but so as to imply also its results inthem; repose, serenity of soul; happiness in its largest sense. See further on Colossians 3:15 below.

from God our Father To St Paul, God is the Pater Nosterof Christians, in the inner sense of their union by faith with His Son. The Scriptures, while not ignoring a certain universal Fatherhood of God, always tend to put into the foreground the Fatherhood and Sonship of special connexion, of covenant, grace, faith. Among many leading passages see John 1:12; Romans 8:14 &c.; Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1-2. Cp. the Editor's Outlines of Christian Doctrine, p. 34.

and the Lord Jesus Christ These words, present in the parallel passage Ephesians 1:2, are probably to be omitted here, on documentary evidence.