PAUL'S DEEP CONCERN FOR THE COLOSSIANS AND OTHER CHRISTIANS UNKNOWN TO HIM, THAT THEY MAY BE UNITED IN LOVE, AND ATTAIN FULL KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST, IN WHOM RESIDE ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE. θέλω γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι : for the formula _cf._ 1 Corinthians 11:3, and for a similar formula Phil... [ Continue Reading ]
παρακληθῶσιν. It is disputed what meaning should be attached to this. Meyer, Ellicott and others translate “may be comforted”. This seems to be the more usual sense in Paul, and is supported by the addition “knit together in love,” which favours an emotional reference. It is more probable, however,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν ᾧ may refer to μυστηρίου (Beng., Mey., Alf., Ol., Sod., Haupt, Abb.) or to Χριστοῦ (Ell., Hofm., Lightf., Holtzmann, Findl., Moule). The former is defended on the ground that ἀπόκρ. corresponds to μυστ. It is also urged that μυστ. is the leading idea. On the other hand, if Christ is rightly ident... [ Continue Reading ]
τοῦτο λέγω. Haupt thinks the reference is only to Colossians 2:3, but this verse looks back as far as 2 b, and Colossians 2:5 to Colossians 2:1. Generally the reference of τοῦτο is thought to be Colossians 2:1-3, though Soden thinks it is to Colossians 1:24 to Colossians 2:3. παραλογίζηται means to... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL URGES HIS READERS NOT TO BE BEGUILED BY PLAUSIBLE WORDS, BUT TO HOLD CHRIST FAST AS THE PRINCIPLE OF MORAL CONDUCT. THEY MUST LET NO ONE TAKE THEM CAPTIVE BY DECEITFUL PHILOSOPHY AND HUMAN TRADITION, WITH THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD AND NOT CHRIST FOR ITS CONTENT. IN HIM ALONE DWELLS THE WHOLE FU... [ Continue Reading ]
γὰρ is difficult. Meyer thinks that the fact of his spiritual presence is mentioned, in contrast to his bodily absence, as a reason why they should not let themselves be deceived. Ellicott (after Chrysostom) thinks that he is explaining why he can advise them, it is because he thus knows their need.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὧς οὖν παρελάβετε. Oltramare translates “since,” and interprets, “since ye have received Christ … it is in Him you must walk”. But probably the usual interpretation “as” is right, meaning the form in which they had received (= καθὼς ἐμάθετε, Colossians 1:7). The sense is, in that case, live in accor... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ ἐποικοδομούμενοι : “rooted and built up”. The metaphor changes from περιπατ., and again from ἐρριζ., though Lightfoot points out that the term “to root” is not infrequently applied to buildings. More important is the change in tense, the perfect participle expressing an abiding resul... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul once more (previously in Colossians 2:4) begins to attack the false teachers, but turns aside in Colossians 2:9 from the direct attack to lay the basis for the decisive attack in Colossians 2:16-23. τις. It is not clear that we can infer from the singular that only one false teacher had appeare... [ Continue Reading ]
ὅτι is connected by Bleek and Meyer with οὐ κατὰ χ., but it is much more probable that it should be connected with the whole warning introduced by βλέπετε. The false teachers represented the fulness of the Godhead as distributed among the angels, and thus led their victims captive. Paul's warning ag... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ ἐστὲ ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρωμένοι. This still depends on ὅτι. ἐστὲ is obviously not an imperative. We should, perhaps, reject the view of Ellicott and Lightfoot that there are two predicates. The thoughts thus obtained that they are in Him, and that they are made full, are true in themselves. But, as Ab... [ Continue Reading ]
The reference to circumcision seems to come in abruptly. But probably it stands in close connexion with what has gone before. For the return to the principalities and powers in Colossians 2:15 shows that Paul is not passing here to a new section of his subject. Judaism, of which circumcision was the... [ Continue Reading ]
συνταφέντες αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ βαπτισμῷ. This refers to the personal experience of the Christian. The rite of baptism, in which the person baptised was first buried beneath the water and then raised from it, typified to Paul the burial and resurrection of the believer with Christ. Burial seems to imply a pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Partially parallel to Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:5. καὶ ὑμᾶς : “and you”. Frequently this is taken to mean “you also,” _i.e._, you Gentiles. But since Paul has been using the second person before, he can hardly be introducing a contrast. We should therefore take καὶ as simply copulative. It means “y... [ Continue Reading ]
Partially parallel to Ephesians 2:15. Apparently Paul now passes to the historic fact which supplied the ground for the forgiveness. χαρισ. therefore refers to the subjective appropriation of the objective blotting out of the bond in the death of Christ. ἐξαλείψας : “having blotted out,” _i.e._, hav... [ Continue Reading ]
In this difficult verse the meaning of almost every word is disputed. It is therefore imperative to control the exegesis by strict regard to the context. The main question relates to the character of the principalities and powers. Subordinate questions are raised as to the subject of the sentence an... [ Continue Reading ]
The connexion with the preceding argument is this: Since the bond written in ordinances has been abolished, and the angelic powers spoiled and led in triumph, allow no one to criticise your action on the ground that it is not in harmony with the precepts of the Law, or cuts you off from communion wi... [ Continue Reading ]
SINCE THE LAW HAS BEEN CANCELLED AND THE ANGELS DESPOILED, RITUAL OR ASCETIC ORDINANCES HAVE NO LONGER ANY MEANING FOR THOSE WHO IN CHRIST POSSESS THE SUBSTANCE, OF WHICH THESE ARE BUT THE SHADOW. THEY MUST NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY ANGEL WORSHIPPERS, WHO ARE PUFFED UP BY FLESHLY CONCEIT, AND ONLY LOOSE... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse contains a hint of the fundamental argument of the Epistle to the Hebrews (_cf._ esp. Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 10:1). ὅ ἐστιν σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων. Whether ὅ or ἅ be read, the reference is to the whole of the ceremonial ordinances just mentioned. σκιὰ is “shadow,” not “sketch” (as Calvin and ot... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse gives us our only definite information, apart from which it would have been a highly probable inference, that the false teachers practised angel-worship. ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω. This is commonly translated “rob you of your prize”. The judge at the games was called βραβεύς or βραβευτής, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
Largely parallel to Ephesians 4:15-16. Paul proceeds to point out that so far from securing spiritual growth of a higher order, the false teaching, by loosening the hold on Christ, prevented any growth at all, since it obstructed or severed the very channel of spiritual life. καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλ... [ Continue Reading ]
The Apostle, recalling them to the time of their conversion, points out how inconsistent with a death to the elemental spirits any submission to ordinances belonging to their sphere would be. The death of the believer with Christ is a death to his old relations, to sin, law, guilt, the world. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
The precepts here quoted are those of the false teachers, and are, of course, quoted to be condemned, though their meaning is frequently misunderstood. It is not said what things are thus prohibited, but the context supports the reference to meats and drinks, and is confirmed by μηδὲ γεύσῃ. There is... [ Continue Reading ]
ἅ ἐστιν πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει. Augustine and Calvin took ἅ as meaning the ordinances referred to in Colossians 2:20, and explained the words as Paul's refutation, “all which ordinances lead in their use to spiritual destruction”. But ἀποχ. means much more than use, it means abuse or using up... [ Continue Reading ]
ἅτινα : _i.e._, which commandments and teachings. λόγον σοφίας. This may be taken in the sense of “a word of wisdom,” but with no inner truth. Others translate “appearance of wisdom” (Beng., De W. and others). But this seems not to be a meaning of λόγ. Klöpper's translation, “reason” or “ground,” yi... [ Continue Reading ]