Colossians 1 - Introduction
ΠΑΥΛΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ Η ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΑΣΣΑΕΙΣ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΥΛΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥ Η ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΛΑΣΣΑΕΙΣ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀπόστολος … διὰ θελ. Θεοῦ. The reference to his apostleship is not due to any attack on his apostolic authority or teaching, as in the case of the Epistles to the Galatians or Corinthians, but, as in the Epistle to the Romans, to the fact that he was unknown to those to whom he was writing. Similarl... [ Continue Reading ]
SALUTATION OF PAUL AND TIMOTHY TO THE CHRISTIANS OF COLOSSÆ.... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul does not address the Church as a Church. This has been explained by the fact that he stood in no official relation to the community, and therefore addressed individuals. But he does not mention the Church in _Philippians_, though he had founded it. The omission may be accidental; but he seems t... [ Continue Reading ]
τῷ Θεῷ πατρὶ κ. τ. λ.: “to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus”. Even if Θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ were read, we should probably not make Κυρίου dependent on Θεῷ as well as πατρὶ, since this is not Paul's usual language, though it is found in Ephesians 1:17 (ὁ Θεὸς τ. Κυρ. ἡμ. Ἰ. Χ.). πάντοτε is connected by seve... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL'S THANKSGIVING FOR THE TIDINGS HE HAS RECEIVED OF THE SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF THE COLOSSIANS. According to his usual custom (so in Thess., 1 Cor., Rom., Phil., Philm.), Paul begins his letter with an expression of his thankfulness to God for the Christian graces of his readers. There is, however,... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul now introduces the grounds of his thankfulness, the good report he has heard as to the faith and love of the Colossians. He refers to it again (Colossians 1:9). πίστιν ἐν Χ. ἐν may be equivalent to εἰς, but probably indicates “the sphere in which their faith moves rather than the object to whic... [ Continue Reading ]
διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα. This is connected by Bengel, followed by several recent commentators (Hofm., Kl [2], Ol., Haupt, Weiss, Abb.), with εὐχαριστοῦμεν. Having heard of their faith and love, Paul gives thanks for the hope laid up for them in heaven. Lightfoot and Soden urge that in this way the triad of C... [ Continue Reading ]
This word of the truth has been defined as the Gospel, but Paul now proceeds to indicate more precisely what he means by this term. It is that Gospel which they have already received, not the local perversion of it that has recently been urged on their notice, but that which is spreading in the whol... [ Continue Reading ]
καθὼς, _i.e._, in the manner in which. Paul thus sets the seal of his approval on the form of the Gospel which they had learnt from their teacher, and also on the teacher himself. Ἐπαφρᾶ. Epaphras was apparently the founder of the Colossian Church, ἐμάθετε referring to the same time as ἠκούσατε. He... [ Continue Reading ]
τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην may be taken in the general sense of Colossians 1:4, though many think it is their love to Paul that is meant; and this is favoured by δηλ. ἡμ., and perhaps by καὶ ἡμεῖς in Colossians 1:9. ἐν πνεύματι is added to show that this love is in the Holy Spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
διὰ τοῦτο. The good report from Colossæ prompts Paul's prayer. Apparently the reference is to all that has been said in Colossians 1:4-8, though Haupt confines it to Colossians 1:8. καὶ ἡμεῖς : “we also,” _i.e._, as the Colossians had prayed for Paul, so he had made unceasing prayer for them. Simila... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL'S UNCEASING PRAYER FOR THAT MORAL DISCERNMENT WHICH WILL ENABLE THEM TO PLEASE GOD IN ALL THEIR CONDUCT, THAT STRENGTH WHICH WILL GIVE THEM ENDURANCE IN FACE OF ALL PROVOCATION AND TRIAL, AND THAT THANKFULNESS TO GOD, WHICH BEFITS THE GREAT DELIVERANCE HE HAS ACHIEVED FOR THEM THROUGH HIS SON.... [ Continue Reading ]
περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ Κυρίου (_Cf._ Ephesians 4:1). This lofty wisdom and insight is not an end in itself. It must issue in right practice. Doctrine and ethics are for Paul inseparable. Right conduct must be founded on right thinking, but right thinking must also lead to right conduct. The infinitiv... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει : “with all power,” ἐν being instrumental. κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. The equipment with power is proportioned not simply to the recipient's need, but to the Divine supply. God's glory is His manifested nature, here as manifested in might. εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν. Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
εὐχαριστοῦντες : not to be taken with οὐ παυόμεθα, Colossians 1:9 (Chrys., Beng.). Usually it is co-ordinated with the two preceding participial clauses. Haupt objects that it would be strange if thankfulness for participation in salvation were mentioned only after its consequences for Christian con... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul now explains how God has qualified them for their share in the heavenly inheritance. On this passage Acts 26:18 should be compared; the parallels extend to Colossians 1:12; Colossians 1:14 also. ἐρύσατο. The aorist refers to the time of conversion. The metaphor implies the miserable state of th... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is parallel to Ephesians 1:7. ἐν ᾧ : not by whom, but in whom; if we possess Christ, we possess in Him our deliverance. ἔχομεν : (present) we have as an abiding possession. ἀπολύτρωσιν : “deliverance”. The word is generally interpreted as ransom by payment of a price, for which Mark 10:45... [ Continue Reading ]
With this verse the great Christological passage of the Epistle begins. Its aim is to refute the false doctrine, according to which angelic mediators usurped the place and functions of the Son in nature and grace. He, and He alone, is the Creator, Redeemer and Sovereign of all beings in the universe... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SON IN WHOM WE HAVE OUR DELIVERANCE IS THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD, THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH, INCLUDING THE ANGELIC POWERS, AND HE IS THE GOAL FOR WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN CREATED. AND AS HE IS THE FIRST IN THE UNIVERSE, SO ALSO HE IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH,... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul now gives the ground for the designation of the Son as πρωτότ. π. κτίσεως. In Him τὰ πάντα were created. From this it follows that the Son cannot be a creature, for creation is exhausted by the “all things” which were so created in Him (“omnem excludit creaturam,” Bengel). ἐν αὐτῷ : this does n... [ Continue Reading ]
αὐτός ἐστιν. αὐτ. is emphatic, He and no other. Lightfoot (followed by Westcott and Hort and Ellicott) accents ἔστιν, “He exists,” on account of the present, and compares ἐγὼ εἰμί (John 8:58). But there ἐγὼ εἰμί stands alone, whereas here αὐτ. ἐστ. is completed by πρὸ πάντων. Besides, there is no ob... [ Continue Reading ]
The false teachers not only wrongly represented the relation of the angel powers to the universe, but they assigned them a false position in the work of redemption and a false relation to the Church. Hence Paul passes from the pre-eminence of the Son in the universe to speak of Him as Head of the Bo... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse with Colossians 1:20 shows how the Son was able to hold the position assigned to Him in Colossians 1:18. Further, this verse leads up to Colossians 1:20. The thought is then: All the fulness dwelt in the Son, therefore reconciliation could be accomplished through the blood of His cross, a... [ Continue Reading ]
To this verse Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 2:16, are partially parallel. It supplies the basis for the Son's pre-eminence (Colossians 1:18) in His reconciling death. διʼ αὐτοῦ : through the Son. ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν. The choice of ἀποκατ. instead of the more usual καταλλ. is for the sake of... [ Continue Reading ]
For this verse _cf._ Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:12. Usually καὶ ὑμᾶς is made to begin a new sentence. Even with the reading ἀποκατήλλαξεν the construction is not quite regular, but with the probably correct reading, ἀποκατηλλάγητε, a violent break in the context is involved, since Paul begins with t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR RECONCILIATION WILL RESULT IN THE PRESENTATION OF THEMSELVES AS BLAMELESS BEFORE GOD, IF THEY ARE STEADFAST IN THE GOSPEL THEY HAVE HEARD, WHICH IS NO OTHER THAN THAT PREACHED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.... [ Continue Reading ]
νυνὶ in contrast to ποτὲ : “now,” not “at the present moment,” but “in the present state of things,” thus, as Lightfoot points out, admitting an aorist, referring to an action lying in the past. ἀποκατηλλάγητε : “ye were reconciled,” but scarcely to be represented in English except by the perfect. ἐ... [ Continue Reading ]
εἴ γε with the indicative expresses the Apostle's confidence that the condition will be fulfilled. ἐπιμένετε. This abiding in faith is the only, as it is the sure way, to this presentation of themselves κατ. αὐτ. This is directed against the false teachers' assurance that the gospel they had heard n... [ Continue Reading ]
It is usually assumed that ὃς read by the Western text is due to dittography; but it may quite as easily have fallen out through homœoteleuton as have been inserted. It is, however, omitted by such an overwhelming combination of MSS. that it would not perhaps be justifiable to place it in the text.... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL REJOICES THAT HIS SUFFERINGS ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHURCH, IN WHOSE SERVICE HE FULFILS HIS DIVINELY APPOINTED TASK, OF FULLY PREACHING THE LONG HIDDEN BUT NOW REVEALED MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH IS UNIVERSAL IN ITS SCOPE, A TASK IN WHICH HE USES ALL THE MIGHTY STRENGTH WITH WHICH GOD HAS... [ Continue Reading ]
ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος. With these words Paul returns to Colossians 1:23, speaking of himself here, however, as a minister of the Church, there of the Gospel. Because he is a minister of the Church, it is a joy to suffer for its welfare. He proceeds to explain what his peculiar (ἐγὼ emphatic) mini... [ Continue Reading ]
Partially parallel to Ephesians 3:9. How great the honour conferred on Paul is, appears from the fact that he is entrusted with the duty of declaring the long concealed secret which is the distinguishing mark of his Gospel. τὸμυ μυστήριον. Lightfoot thinks that the term is borrowed by Paul from the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cf._ for a partial parallel Ephesians 1:18. οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς : “inasmuch as to them God willed”; ἠθέλ. is chosen to express the idea that the revelation had its source solely in God's will. τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης.: _cf._ Romans 9:23; Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 3:16. The express... [ Continue Reading ]
δν : _i.e_., Χριστὸν ἐν ὑμῖν. ἡμεῖς : (emphatic) we in contrast to the false teachers. But the reference seems to be simply to Paul, not to Timothy and Epaphras as well. For throughout the section he is speaking of his own special mission. νουθετοῦντες. Meyer points out that admonishing and teaching... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰς ὃ : to achieve which end. κοπιῶ expresses toil carried to the point of weariness. ἀγωνιζόμενος : a metaphor from the arena. Meyer takes the reference to be to inward striving against difficulties and hostile forces. Perhaps both inward and outward struggle are referred to (De W.). κατὰ. The stru... [ Continue Reading ]