Colossians 3:1-4.The subject continued; life in union with the Risen One 1. _If_ The "_if_" not of conjecture but of assumption, as in Colossians 2:20. He takes them all for granted, as really united to Christ by a living faith, sealed by holy Baptism. _then_ The thought goes back to all the previ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Set your affection_&c. Not "_affections_," but "_affection," affectus_, the tendency, bias, of the mind. More lit., "_think_the things &c."; in the sense not of articulate thought but rather of character, as we call a man thoughtful, high-thoughted, and the like. R.V., well, SET YOUR MIND &c. Latin... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ The heavenward, Christward, "affection" of the Christian is _reasonable_, when his spiritual relation to Christ is seen. _ye are dead_ Lit. and better, YE DIED; in Christ's death for and to sin. See above on Colossians 2:11-12; Colossians 2:20. _your life_ assumed to be actually theirs, becau... [ Continue Reading ]
_When Christ … shall appear_ R.V., somewhat more closely, SHALL BE MANIFESTED; leaving the Secret Place of His glory to return to human sight, in His Second Advent. The verb is used in the same connexion, 1 Peter 5:4; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:2 (probably). In connexion with the visible "manifestation... [ Continue Reading ]
Universal Holiness the necessary issue of the life of Union: the negative side 5. _Mortify therefore_ Observe the "_therefore_." _Because of_the possession of a hidden _life_, and in its power, they were to put sin _to death_. Here is no mere assertion of duty, but an implied assurance of power, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_For which things" sake_, &c. See Ephesians 5:6 for an almost verbal parallel, only observing that the words "_on the children of disobedience_" should _perhaps_be omitted from the reading here; they are possibly an early insertion from Ephesians. " _The wrath of God_" _:_the eternal _personal_antag... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the which_ "_things_," mentioned just above. Otherwise we may render, "_among whom_" (R. V. margin); i.e. among "the children of disobedience." If those words are not retained in the text, this latter rendering of course falls. _walked_ The same verb is rendered (by A. V.) in the parallel, Ephes... [ Continue Reading ]
_But now_ Under the divinely altered case of their conversion and union with Christ. _you also_ As well as all other true believers. _put off_ The Greek is _imperative_, and so the English is to be taken; but the English is verbally ambiguous between imperative and indicative. In Christ, they were... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lie not_ Cp. Ephesians 4:25. Entire truthfulness is an essential Christian characteristic, for Christ is "the Truth." In the light of His words and deeds it is certain that nothing untruthful, not even the most "pious" of "frauds," can possibly be holy. The uniform emphasis on truthfulness in the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_and have put on_ See the last note but one. Cp. Ephesians 4:24; and Colossians 3:12 below, with note. _the new man_ Practically, the new position of acceptance and the new spiritual power of the regenerated self; with a reference in the phrase to the believer's connexion with "the Second Man," Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
_where_ "_in_" "_the new Man_." This phrase is a further suggestion of the inner reference to Christ as the New Man which we find in this passage and the Ephesian parallel. Certainly the language of _locality_accords better with such a reference than with a reference _merely_to the regenerate state... [ Continue Reading ]
Universal Holiness: the positive side 12. _Put on therefore_ They had already "_taken off the old Man_" and "_put on the new_" (Colossians 3:9, and notes). But the ideal would need to be made real, in obedient faith. _the elect of God_ For the same phrase (or nearly), cp. Matthew 24:31; Luke 18:7;... [ Continue Reading ]
_forbearing one another_ "_in love_," adds Ephesians 4:2. The life of Christian patience has beneath it the living secret of love, the effect and reflection of the love of Christ. _forgiving one another_ Lit., "_forgiving yourselves_," as in Ephesians 4:32, where see note in this Series. The A.V. i... [ Continue Reading ]
_above all these_things] Or, "_upon_all these things." Perhaps the words convey both the _supreme importance_of love, and its relation to other graces as their _embracing bond;_see just below. "Love is the outer garment" (rather, the girdle?) "which holds the others in their places" (Lightfoot). pu... [ Continue Reading ]
_the peace of God_ Read, with decisive documentary evidence, THE PEACE OF CHRIST. Cp. John 14:27; John 16:33. It is the chastened but glad tranquillity caused by knowledge of Christ, and communion with Him, as our all-sufficient Atonement, Life, Friend, and King. _rule_ Lit., ARBITRATE (so R.V. mar... [ Continue Reading ]
_the word of Christ_ The precise phrase occurs here only. It is (surely, though Lightfoot advocates the explanation, "Christ's word to the Christian; His influence speaking in the heart") the message of His Gospel, the terms of the revelation of His personal Glory, redeeming work, and holy will. Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_whatsoever ye do_ See below Colossians 3:23 for the same phrase; and for similar precepts of holy absoluteness cp. Proverbs 3:6; 1 Corinthians 10:31. The Christian life is nothing less than the whole life of the Christian, lived "unto the Lord" (Romans 14:6-8); everything in it is related to Him. _... [ Continue Reading ]
18 4:1. Universal Holiness: relative duties 18. _Wives_ Cp. 1 Peter 3:1-6 and the close parallel, with its large expansion, Ephesians 5:22, &c. The Christian Home, the masterpiece of living Christianity, is now presented as the special field for the practice of the holy principles just stated. _su... [ Continue Reading ]
_Husbands_ Cp. Eph 5:25-33; 1 Peter 3:7. _love_ A word deepened and hallowed indefinitely by the Gospel, in reference to matrimonial truth and tenderness. See our note on Ephesians 5:25. _be not bitter_ with the wretched irritability of a supposed absolute superiority and authority. "The husband's... [ Continue Reading ]
_Children_ Cp. Ephesians 6:1-3. _obey_ The same word as that below, Colossians 3:22. The wife "submits herself" as to a guiding _friend_; the child, and the servant, recognize in parent and master a lawful _commander_. Disobedience to parents, as a definite act of rebellion against God (Exodus 20:... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fathers_ We may (as in Ephesians 6:4, where see note) equally well render PARENTS. Cp. Hebrews 11:23, in the Greek. Still, the father is the natural _representative_of the dual parental authority. _provoke not … to wrath_ CHAFE, IRRITATE. The Greek word is as old as Homer (e.g. _Iliad_, i. 32, iv.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Servants_ BONDSERVANTS, SLAVES. Cp. Ephesians 6:5-8; and see 1 Corinthians 7:21-22; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:9-10; Philemon; 1 Peter 2:18-25; and cp. Luke 17:7-10. On the relation of the Gospel to slavery, see below, _Introd_. to the Ep. to Philemon, ch. 4. _in all_things] See above, on Colossians... [ Continue Reading ]
_whatsoever ye do_ even in the daily round of servile tasks. For the phrase and its significance, see above, Colossians 3:17 and note. _do_it _heartily_ Lit., WORK FROM THE SOUL. Cp. Ephesians 6:6. _as to the Lord_ Whose will expressed itself for them in each act of common duty. What a transfigura... [ Continue Reading ]
_knowing_ as a certainty of the Gospel. So Ephesians 6:8. For the Christian's prospect of "_reward_" cp. Matthew 5:12; Matthew 6:1; Matthew 6:4; Matthew 16:27; Luke 6:35; Luke 14:14; Romans 2:6-10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; [ Continue Reading ]
_But he that doeth wrong_ The spiritual emancipation of the slave writes the law of duty on his heart. The case of Onesimus was surely in the Apostle's mind throughout this passage. _shall receive_ from the Divine Master and Judge; the next words, with their parallel in Ephesians, fix the reference... [ Continue Reading ]