Colossians 2:6

As ye have therefore&c. As if to say, "I see with joy your present stedfast faith and consequent holy union; therefore I entreat you at once to stay there and to grow there, for you will be tempted towards a very different region otherwise."

" Have received" :somewhat better, did receive, at their conversion. The Greek word rendered "receive" is frequently used of the reception of teaching, learning; and no doubt the reference is mainly to their "reception" from their missionary (Colossians 1:7) of the revealed truth. See further just below. But Ellicott well says that "the object [Christ] is so emphatically specified" as to imply that "they received … Christ Himself, in Himself the sum and substance of all teaching." Cp. John 1:12; 1 John 5:11-12.

Christ Jesus the Lord Lightfoot punctuates and renders, the Christ, even Jesus the Lord; taking the reference to be to their having learned and welcomed as the true Christ(Messiah) not the speculative "Christ" of the heretics but the historic Jesusof the Incarnation and the Cross. This rendering (in view of the Greek) strongly commends itself to us, though R.V. retains A.V. In any case, however, the solemn emphasis of the whole phrase points in the direction of thought indicated by Lightfoot.

" The Lord" :doubtless in the highest sense of the word. Cp. Philippians 2:11.

walk ye in him "Let your actual lifeas believers be guarded and guided by this Lord thus received." He warns them of the danger, amidst heretical surroundings, of an unappliedorthodoxy. If they would be both firm and vigorous they must put truth into life. On the word "walk" see above on Colossians 1:10. It occurs often in these Epistles of the Captivity; eight times in Eph., four times in Col., twice in Phil.

" In Him" :see on Colossians 1:2 above.