INTRODUCTION TO COLOSSIANS 3
This chapter contains exhortations to several duties, some more
general, which relate to all Christians, and others more particular,
which belong to saints in such and such a state of life. The apostle
begins with an exhortation to seek things heavenly, and not earthly,... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE THEN BE RISEN WITH CHRIST,.... The apostle having observed in
the former chapter, that the believing Colossians were dead with
Christ from the rudiments of the world, were buried with him in
baptism, and were risen with him through the faith of the operation of
God, argues from hence how much... [ Continue Reading ]
SET YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE,.... For unless the affections are
set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The
word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve
of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for
them; for where the trea... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE ARE DEAD,.... Not in a natural or corporeal sense, for they
were living in the world; nor in a moral sense, for though they had
been dead in sins, they were quickened by the grace of God; nor in a
legal sense, for all their trespasses were forgiven them; see 1
Thessalonians 2:13; but they wer... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN CHRIST, WHO IS OUR LIFE, SHALL APPEAR,.... The Vulgate Latin
version, and some copies, read, "your life". Christ is the author of
spiritual life, the fountain from whence it springs, the object on
which the saints live, yea, their very life itself; it is not so much
they that live, as Christ th... [ Continue Reading ]
MORTIFY THEREFORE YOUR MEMBERS,.... Not your bodies, as the Ethiopic
version reads, nor the members of the natural body, but of the body of
sin, indwelling sin; which as a body consists of various members,
which are parts of it, rise out of it, and are used by it, as the
members are by the body; and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHICH THINGS' SAKE,.... Those sins above mentioned, 1
Thessalonians 3:5:
THE WRATH OF GOD; the effects of it in temporal judgments, and eternal
ruin and destruction, the wrath to come, which all are deserving of,
and there is only deliverance from by Christ:
COMETH UPON THE CHILDREN OF DISOBED... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WHICH YE ALSO WALKED SOME TIME,.... Either in or among the
children of disobedience, 1 Thessalonians 3:6, or rather in the afore
mentioned sins, 1 Thessalonians 3:5. Sin is a road or path, in which
sinners walk a way of their own, or of their own choosing and
approving, though a dark and croo... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW YOU ALSO PUT OFF ALL THESE,.... Intimating, that now since
they were converted and delivered out of the former state in which
they were once, and professed not to walk and live in sin, it became
them to separate, remove, and put at a distance from them all sins,
and every vice, to lay them a... [ Continue Reading ]
LIE NOT ONE TO ANOTHER.... Which is another vice of the tongue, and to
which mankind are very prone, and ought not to be done to any, and
particularly to one another; since the saints are members one of
another, and of the same body, which makes the sin the more unnatural;
of this vice, Ephesians 4:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN,.... Concerning which, and the putting it
on, Ephesians 4:24,
WHICH IS RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE; this man, or principle of grace in the
soul, is a new one, which never was there before; and there is a daily
renovation of it in the spirit of the mind, by the Spirit of God; fo... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE THERE IS NEITHER GREEK NOR JEW,.... That is, either in Christ,
after whose image the new man is created; see Galatians 5:6 or in the
new man, and with respect to
regeneration; or in the whole business of salvation: it matters not of
what nation a man is; this has no influence on his new birth... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT ON THEREFORE,.... As the apostle had argued for the putting off of
the members of the body, from their having put off the old man
himself; so he now argues from their having put on the new man, to
their putting on of his members; that is, to the exercise of the
various graces of the Spirit, and... [ Continue Reading ]
FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER,.... Not only bearing one another's burdens,
and with one another's weaknesses, but forbearing to render evil for
evil, or railing for railing, or to seek revenge for affronts given,
in whatsoever way, whether by words or deeds:
AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER; all trespasses and o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS,.... Bowels of mercies, kindness, c.
PUT ON CHARITY, or brotherly love, for without this all is nothing
they will only be done in show and appearance, in mere guise and
hypocrisy, if love is wanting; this actuates and exercises all the
rest; it is only from this principle... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS,.... By "the peace of
God" is meant, either the peace believers have with God, which is his
gift, and passes all understanding, and flows from a comfortable
apprehension of interest in the blood, righteousness, and atonement of
Christ; or rather that peac... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU,.... The Alexandrian copy and
Arabic version read, "the word of God"; by which may be meant the
whole Scripture, all the writings of the Old and New Testament, which
are by inspiration of God, were endited by the spirit of Christ, speak
and testify of him, and wer... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER YE DO IN WORD OR DEED,.... Whether in preaching the
word of Christ, in hearing the Gospel, in singing psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs, and in conference and conversation with each other;
or in whatsoever action, civil or religious throughout the whole life
and conversation, in the... [ Continue Reading ]
WIVES, SUBMIT YOURSELVES UNTO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS,.... The apostle
proceeds from those duties which related to them as church members one
towards another, for their mutual good and edification, and the glory
of God, to such as concerned them in their own houses and families, as
in a natural relation t... [ Continue Reading ]
HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES,.... Ephesians 5:25.
AND BE NOT BITTER AGAINST THEM; turning love into hatred of their
persons; ruling with rigour, and in a tyrannical manner; behaving
towards them in a morose, churlish, and ill natured way; giving them
either bitter words, or blows, and denying them the... [ Continue Reading ]
CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS,.... Both father and mother;
Ephesians 6:1.
IN ALL THINGS; not in things sinful, which are contrary to the law of
God, and Gospel of Christ; in things repugnant to the duties of
religion, the ordinances of the Gospel, and the doctrines of Christ,
parents are to be negle... [ Continue Reading ]
FATHERS, PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO ANGER,....
Ephesians 6:4.
LEST THEY BE DISCOURAGED; or disheartened and dispirited; their
spirits be broke through grief and trouble, and they become indolent,
sluggish, and unfit for business; or, despairing of having any share
in the affections of their pare... [ Continue Reading ]
SERVANTS, OBEY IN ALL THINGS YOUR MASTERS,.... That is, in all things
relating to the body, and bodily service; not to the conscience, and
religious worship; in things worldly, and not spiritual; in all things
that are within a master's power, and it is lawful for him to command;
and in all things t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER YE DO,.... Some have thought that these words, and the
two following verses, regard the Colossians in general, and the
performance of any, and all good works by them; but by their
connection with the preceding verse, and with the beginning of the
next chapter, they appear to concern s... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THAT OF THE LORD YE SHALL RECEIVE THE REWARD OF THE
INHERITANCE,.... This is said for the encouragement of Christian
servants, who, though they may receive little or nothing from their
earthly and carnal masters; yet they shall be used and treated as
children by the Lord, and by whom they wi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE THAT DOTH WRONG,.... Which may be understood, both of servants
that do wrong to their masters through sloth and idleness, neglecting
their business, embezzling their masters' goods, and defrauding them
of their substance; and of masters that injure their servants by
withholding from them prop... [ Continue Reading ]