Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Colossians 1:9

Colossians 1:9. For this cause; referring to the entire preceding paragraph (Colossians 1:3-8), because of what had been heard respecting the Colossians.

We also; comp. Colossians 1:3. ‘Also' marks the change of subject: ‘we on our part' as well as others, probably with special thought of Epaphras who has just been named (Meyer).

Since the day we heard it; comp. Colossians 1:4. ‘The receipt of the intelligence produced immediate results and led to prayer. The effect was instant and it was not spent with a single impulse' (Eadie).

Do not cease, etc. Comp. Ephesians 1:16: ‘an exactly similar affectionate hyperbole' (Ellicott).

Praying for you and asking. The former participle points to prayer in general, the latter to direct petition; ‘for you' belongs to both words, and the former points to constant habitual action.

That, etc. On ‘that' after verbs of asking, see on Ephesians 1:17. This clause is joined with ‘asking' (as the punctuation of the E. V. suggests) and not with both participles. It gives the purport and purpose of the petition.

Ye may be filled. The verb ‘filled' occurs five times in this Epistle; it suggests the imperfect state of those prayed for.

with the knowledge of his will ‘Knowledge' here is ‘full knowledge,' being a stronger form corresponding with the verb used in Colossians 1:6. The reference is of course to God's ‘will,' and, as Colossians 1:10 indicates, His will respecting the walk of the Christian; but not this exclusively, since Christian life is based on a wider knowledge than this.

In all spiritual wisdom and understanding. This phrase indicates the mode in which this being filled was to take place; not through human, fleshly wisdom, but wisdom and understanding wrought by the Holy Spirit. ‘Spiritual' (comp. Ephesians 1:3) qualifies both nouns, not ‘understanding' alone (E. V.). ‘Wisdom' is a more general term than ‘understanding,' but both refer to practical wisdom.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Colossians 1:9

Old Testament

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