Colossians 2:2

συνβιβασθέντες. So א*ABCD*P Old Lat. Vulg. -θέντων is read by the Text. Rec. with אcDcKL.

τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ. In B Hil. de Trin. ix. 62 only.

This difficult reading was altered in several ways:
(a) τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν Χριστός D* Aug.

(b) τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ Cyr. Alex.

(c) τοῦ θεοῦ DbP and a few cursives.

(d) τοῦ θεοῦ πατρὸς [τοῦ] χριστοῦ א*AC vulg.

(e) τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς τοῦ χριστοῦ אc Syr. Harcl. text.

(f) τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ χριστοῦ Text. Rec. with DcKL.

(g) τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ or τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ 17 [Aeth.] Clem.

Alex. Ambrst. See further W.H. Append. p. 126, where Hort thinks that the original reading was [τοῦ μυστηρίου] τοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ. But it seems improbable that so comparatively simple a reading would have caused so much trouble.

2. ἵνα. The aim of his contest, “that their hearts may be cheered.”

παρακληθῶσιν, cf. Colossians 4:8. παρακαλέω includes the thought of “comforting” in the modern sense, as for loss received, and “bracing up” as for fresh energy. The nuance in each case is to be derived from the context. Here not so much comfort (Vulg. consolentur) under trial as encouragement would appear to be prominent. The Colossians and those in like circumstances were in danger of being disheartened by the arguments of the false teachers. But St Paul’s aim is that they may be cheered up, partly by knowing his interest and work on behalf of them (Colossians 2:1); partly by renewed union among themselves (συμβ. ἐν�), and partly too by their being freed from doubts (καὶ εἰς … τῆς συνέσεως).

αἱ καρδίαι, cf. Colossians 3:15-16; Colossians 3:22; Colossians 4:8. The heart as the physical part on which bodily life ultimately depends was readily identified, perhaps half in metaphor, with the source of all emotions and thoughts. It is “the seat of the affections (Matthew 6:21; Matthew 22:37), and the understanding (Matthew 13:15), also the central spring of all human words and actions (Matthew 15:19); cf. καθαρὰ καρδία (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22) which implies something deeper than καθαρὰ συνείδησις (1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3)” (Author’s note in the Pulpit Comm., on Matthew 5:8).

αὐτῶν, cf. note on καὶ ὅσοι, Colossians 2:1. St Paul apparently here employs αὐτῶν rather than ὑμῶν in order to emphasize the fact that he is working for others as well as the Colossians, lest these latter should deem it a strange thing that he should write to them.

συνβιβασθέντες. See notes on Textual Criticism, “they being knit together.”

(1) συμβιβάζω, “bring together,” occurs

(a) literally in Colossians 2:19; Ephesians 4:16; in both which places the somewhat stronger figure “knit together” of Tyndale onwards is an excellent translation; (b) metaphorically of deducing logically either in thought (Acts 16:10) or by word, and thus “proving” (Acts 9:22) or “instructing” (1 Corinthians 2:16, and perhaps Acts 19:33). In the LXX. and Hexapla fragments (b) alone is found. And so Vulg. here instructi.

The quasi-literal meaning of our passage may be illustrated by Hdt. I. 74, οἱ δὲ συμβιβάσαντες αὐτοὺς ἦσαν οἵδε; Thuc. II. 29, συνεβίβασε δὲ καὶ τὸν Περδίκκαν τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις, Schol. φίλον ἐποίησε (Wetst.). Chrysostom’s paraphrase is ἵνα ἑνωθῶσι.

(2) For the participle cf. Colossians 3:16; see also 2 Corinthians 9:11.

ἐν�. The community had been divided by the false teaching, if not openly (cf. Colossians 2:5) yet in spirit. St Paul desires that they may be once more united, and that in the element of love; cf. Ephesians 4:16.

καὶ. Not “even” (Etiam, Beng.) but “and (brought unto),” “the thought being supplied from the preceding συμβιβασθέντες, which involves an idea of motion, comp. John 20:7, ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἔνα τόπον” (Lightfoot).

εἰς πᾶν πλοῦτος. See notes on Textual Criticism. πλοῦτος (Colossians 1:27) connotes not merely the abundance of the πληροφορία but also its essential value. It describes the πληροφορία itself (gen. of apposition). πᾶν, i.e. all possible, all that can be enjoyed under the circumstances of the case; cf. πάσῃ, Colossians 1:9.

τῆς πληροφορίας, “of the conviction.” The substantive occurs only three times elsewhere in the N.T. Of these, in Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 10:22, “full development” or “fulness” are perhaps preferable, but in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, the meaning of “confidence,” “assurance,” seems necessary. And so in Clem. Rom. § 42, παραγγελίας οὖν λαβόντες καὶ πληροφορηθέντες διὰ τῆς� (“with the firm conviction inspired by the Holy Ghost,” Lightfoot). Hence the Peshiṭta is doubtless right in translating it both here and 1 Thessalonians 1:5 by ܦܢܳܣܳܐ “conviction.” St Paul is contrasting their present depressing and divided state of doubt with happy union and firm conviction. See Chrysostom’s excellent paraphrase, ἵνα ὑπὲρ μηδενὸς�, ἵνα ὑπὲρ πάντων πεπληροφορημένοι ὦσι. For the verb see Colossians 4:12 and note.

τῆς συνέσεως, “of their understanding.” On this word see Colossians 1:9. It is their intellectual grasp, their discernment in any specific case, e.g. any of the doctrinal or practical questions that the false teaching brought before them.

The stress of the clause lies indeed on “conviction” (cf. δόξης, Colossians 1:27), but the addition of τῆς συνέσεως not only marks out more clearly the sphere of τ. πληροφορίας, but also prevents the Colossians from thinking that St Paul was urging a merely crass and blind acceptance of truth.

εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν. The result of union in love and conviction, as well as of the encouragement thus brought about, will be their full knowledge of the mystery, etc. So the R.V., “that they may know,” cf. Colossians 3:10. On ἐπίγνωσις see Colossians 1:9, note.

It is curious that St Paul always omits the article before ἐπίγνωσις if he employs a preposition (so also 2 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 2:20, but contrast 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Peter 1:8); was he led to this by the common Hebrew lâda‘ath?

τοῦ μυστηρίου. See Colossians 1:26.

τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ. See notes on Textual Criticism. If the text is right there are three possible interpretations.

(a) Deleting the comma, “the God of Christ.” In itself this is unobjectionable, compare the note on τῷ θεῷ πατρί, Colossians 1:3, and the reff. there given to Matthew 27:46; Ephesians 1:17. But it is hard to see why St Paul should use the phrase here. It would apparently mean the secret of the God whom Christ made known, thus laying stress on the fact that it is only through Christ that we can know God. But this is expressed so concisely that we can hardly suppose this interpretation to be true, even though אc evidently understood it so, τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς τοῦ χριστοῦ.

(b) Taking Χριστοῦ in apposition to θεοῦ only, “the secret of God (I mean) Christ,” as seems to be implied in the “isolated” readings τοῦ θεοῦ κ. Χριστοῦ (Cyril), and τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ (Clem. Alex. Ambrosiaster). This again is in itself unobjectionable, but suggested by nothing in the context, and is without parallel in St Paul’s writings. It is perhaps hypercriticism to object (with Abbott) that it would predicate Χριστός of ὁ θεός, thus ignoring the distinction of persons. On the other hand, to render “of the God-Christ” is intolerable.

(c) Taking Χριστοῦ in apposition to μυστηρίου or more properly the whole phrase τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ, “the secret of God, even Christ,” so apparently D* and some Latin authorities including Augustine (see note on Textual Criticism).

If the sentence is then awkward it is intelligible, and suits the context. In Colossians 1:27 the mystery was also stated to be Christ, though there not Christ regarded by Himself but Christ in believers. Here the Apostle finds it sufficient to mention Christ (cf. Colossians 4:3), presuming that his readers will remember what he has already stated to be the special relation which Christ as God’s secret holds to them. The connexion of Colossians 2:3 with Χριστοῦ does not appear to be so close as to justify us in considering it to be part of the definition of the secret, viz., Christ-in-Whom, etc.