HOW GREATLY I STRIVE (ηλικον αγωνα εχω). Literally, "how great a contest I am having." The old adjectival relative ηλικος (like Latin _quantus_) is used for age or size in N.T. only here and James 3:5 (twice, how great, how small). It is an inward contest of anxiety like the μεριμνα for all the c... [ Continue Reading ]
MAY BE COMFORTED (παρακληθωσιν). First aorist passive subjunctive of παρακαλεω (for which see 2 Corinthians 1:3-7) in final clause with ινα.BEING KNIT TOGETHER (συνβιβασθεντες). First aorist passive participle of συνβιβαζω, old verb, causal of βαινω, to make go together, to coalesce in argument... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM (εν ω). This locative form can refer to μυστηριου or to Χριστου. It really makes no difference in sense since Christ is the mystery of God.ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE (παντες ο θησαυρο της σοφιας κα γνωσεως). See on Matthew 2:11; Matthew 6:19-21 for this old word, our thes... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS I SAY (τουτο λεγω). Paul explains why he has made this great claim for Christ at this point in his discussion.MAY DELUDE (παραλογιζητα). Present middle subjunctive of παραλογιζομα, old verb, only here in N.T., from παρα and λογιζομα, to count aside and so wrong, to cheat by false reckoning... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH (ε κα). Not κα ε (even if).YET (αλλα). Common use of αλλα in the apodosis (conclusion) of a conditional or concessive sentence.YOUR ORDER (την ταξιν). The military line (from τασσω), unbroken, intact. A few stragglers had gone over to the Gnostics, but there had been no panic, no breac... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEREFORE YE RECEIVED (ως ουν παρελαβετε). Second aorist active indicative of παραλαμβανω in same sense as in 1 Thessalonians 4:1; Philippians 4:9 (both μανθανω and παραλαμβανω) that is like μανθανω, to learn (Colossians 1:7), from Epaphras and others.CHRIST JESUS THE LORD (τον Χριστον Ιησουν... [ Continue Reading ]
ROOTED (ερριζωμενο). Perfect passive participle of old verb ριζοω from ριζα, root. In N.T. only here and Ephesians 3:17. Paul changes the figure from walk to growing tree.BUILDED UP IN HIM (εποικοδομουμενο εν αυτω). Present passive participle (rooted to stay so) of εποικοδομεω, old verb, to bui... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED (βλεπετε). Present active imperative second person plural of βλεπω, common verb for warning like our "look out," "beware," "see to it."LEST THERE SHALL BE ANY ONE (μη τις εστα). Negative purpose with the future indicative, though the aorist subjunctive also occurs as in 2 Corinthians... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IN HIM DWELLETH ALL THE FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY (οτ εν αυτω κατοικε παν το πληρωμα της θεοτητος σωματικως). In this sentence, given as the reason (οτ, because) for the preceding claim for Christ as the measure of human knowledge Paul states the heart of his message about the Person of C... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE MADE FULL (εστε πεπληρωμενο). Periphrastic perfect passive indicative of πληροω, but only one predicate, not two. Christ is our fulness of which we all partake (John 1:16; Ephesians 1:23) and our goal is to be made full of God in Christ (Ephesians 3:19). "In Christ they find the satisfacti... [ Continue Reading ]
YE WERE ALSO CIRCUMCISED (κα περιετμηθητε). First aorist passive indicative of περιτεμνω, to circumcise. But used here as a metaphor in a spiritual sense as in Romans 2:29 "the circumcision of the heart."NOT MADE WITH HANDS (αχειροποιητω). This late and rare negative compound verbal occurs only... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING BEEN BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM (συνταφεντες αυτω εν τω βαπτισματ). Second aorist passive participle of συνθαπτω, old word, in N.T. only here and Romans 6:4, followed by associative instrumental case (αυτω). Thayer's Lexicon says: "For all who in the rite of baptism are plunged under the wa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YOU (κα υμας). Emphatic position, object of the verb συνεζωοποιησεν (did he quicken) and repeated (second υμας). You Gentiles as he explains.BEING DEAD THROUGH YOUR TRESPASSES (νεκρους οντας τοις παραπτωμασιν). Moral death, of course, as in Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:5. Correct... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING BLOTTED OUT (εξαλειψας). And so "cancelled." First aorist active participle of old verb εξαλειφω, to rub out, wipe off, erase. In N.T. only in Acts 3:19 (LXX); Revelation 3:5; Colossians 2:14. Here the word explains χαρισαμενος and is simultaneous with it. Plato used it of blotting out a w... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING PUT OFF FROM HIMSELF (απεκδυσαμενος). Only here and Colossians 3:9 and one MS. of Josephus (απεκδυς). Both αποδυω and εκδυω occur in ancient writers. Paul simply combines the two for expression of complete removal. But two serious problems arise here. Is God or Christ referred to by απεκδυ... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NO ONE JUDGE YOU (μη τις υμας κρινετω). Prohibition present active imperative third singular, forbidding the habit of passing judgment in such matters. For κρινω see on Matthew 7:1. Paul has here in mind the ascetic regulations and practices of one wing of the Gnostics (possibly Essenic or eve... [ Continue Reading ]
A SHADOW (σκια). Old word, opposed to substance (σωμα, body). In Hebrews 10:1 σκια is distinguished from εικων (picture), but here from σωμα (body, substance). The σωμα (body) casts the σκια (shadow) and so belongs to Christ (Χριστου, genitive case).... [ Continue Reading ]
ROB YOU OF YOUR PRIZE (καταβραβευετω). Late and rare compound (κατα, βραβευω, Colossians 3:15) to act as umpire against one, perhaps because of bribery in Demosthenes and Eustathius (two other examples in Preisigke's _Worterbuch_), here only in the N.T. So here it means to decide or give judgment... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT HOLDING FAST THE HEAD (ου κρατων την κεφαλην). Note negative ου, not μη, actual case of deserting Christ as the Head. The Gnostics dethroned Christ from his primacy (Colossians 1:18) and placed him below a long line of aeons or angels. They did it with words of praise for Christ as those do n... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE DIED (ε απεθανετε). Condition of the first class, assumed as true, ε and second aorist active indicative of αποθνησκω, to die. He is alluding to the picture of burial in baptism (Colossians 2:12).FROM THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD (απο των στοιχειων του κοσμου). See Colossians 2:8.AS THOUGH... [ Continue Reading ]
HANDLE NOT, NOR TASTE, NOR TOUCH (μη αψη μηδε γευση μηδε θιγηις). Specimens of Gnostic rules. The Essenes took the Mosaic regulations and carried them much further and the Pharisees demanded ceremonially clean hands for all food. Later ascetics (the Latin commentators Ambrose, Hilary, Pelagius) re... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE TO PERISH WITH THE USING (εστιν εις φθοραν τη αποχρησε). Literally, "are for perishing in the using." Φθορα (from φθειρω) is old word for decay, decomposition. Αποχρησις (from αποχραομα, to use to the full, to use up), late and rare word (in Plutarch), here only in N.T. Either locative case h... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH THINGS (ατινα). "Which very things," these ascetic regulations.HAVE INDEED A SHOW OF WISDOM (εστιν λογον μεν εχοντα σοφιας). Periphrastic present indicative with εστιν in the singular, but present indicative εχοντα in the plural (ατινα). Λογον σοφιας is probably "the repute of wisdom" (Ab... [ Continue Reading ]