Colossians 4:5,6

5. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.

Translation and Paraphrase

5. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward those outside (of the church), buying up the time (by wise use of your opportunities).
6. (Let) your speech always be gracious, seasoned with (the) salt (of wit and enthusiasm and sparkle). (Study) to know how you ought to answer each one (who asks you about your faith).

Notes

1.

In the times of the early church Christians were sometimes spoken of as atheists because they would not conform to the state religions. They were regarded as unpatriotic and sometimes immoral. Toward such hostile outsiders they needed to behave wisely, both to prevent harm to themselves, and to persuade men of the truth of the gospel.

2.

Those that are without are those that are outside the church. Mark 4:11.

3.

When Paul spoke about redeeming the time, he was not suggesting that we can redeem the time in the sense of buying back past opportunities that we have let slip by. The word redeem used here (Gr. exagoradzo) has the meaning of buying up for one's use, but not the meaning of buying back. Thus by wise use of every opportunity to do good, we can buy up the time so that the record of its use is on the credit side of our ledger with God. (Ephesians 5:15-16).

4.

While our speech and conduct should be done with wisdom so that the world will be attracted to the gospel and not unnecessarily repelled by our personal manners, we must remember that the gospel itself is the supreme wisdom, and that walking in wisdom cannot be done more perfectly than by walking according to the gospel. 1 Corinthians 2:1-7.

5.

Probably the primary part of our walking in wisdom toward outsiders is the speech we utter Therefore Paul urges us to speak with grace. (Ephesians 4:29).

6.

Our speech should be seasoned with salt, as well as being wise. In our modern usage salty speech means profanity. But Paul meant almost the exact opposite: he referred to speech that was pungent, interesting, full of charm, witty, not repelling. Note Christ's use of the word salt. Matthew 5:13.

7.

Paul's speeches had salt. Consider his words on Mars Hill (Acts 17:1-34), in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:1-52), before King Agrippa (Acts 26:1-32), and on board the ship to Rome (Acts 27:1-44).

8.

The wording of Colossians 4:6 makes it sound as if we were to season our speech with salt as a means of learning how we ought to answer each one. This seems a little strange, and perhaps even backward: salty speech seems to us to be the goal we strive for in learning to speak, rather than the means of learning how we ought to answer each one. Perhaps Paul was suggesting that in our efforts to use speech seasoned with salt, we shall discover what types of answers are most effective and which are not.

9.

We certainly do need to study and think and experiment until we learn the right ways to answer every one. 1 Peter 3:15; Proverbs 26:4-5.

Study and Review

86.

Who are the them that are without? What does without mean here? (Colossians 4:5)

87.

How were the Christians to behave before those without?

88.

Explain the phrase redeeming the time.

89.

With what was their speech always to be uttered? (Colossians 4:6)

90.

Explain the phrase speech. seasoned with salt.

91.

What is the connection between seasoned with salt and that ye may know how ye ought to answer?