Colossians 2:6

ὡς. Cf. 2 Corinthians 7:14, where however οὕτως follows.

οὖν. The immediate reference is to the latter part of Colossians 2:5, but the next verse shows that St Paul is going back in thought as far as events mentioned in Colossians 1:4; Colossians 1:7.

παρελάβετε. (1) Does this compound here mean (a) “ye took to yourselves” or (b) “ye took as delivered to you by others”?

In favour of (a) is the fact that it is the ordinary meaning of παραλαμβάνω when followed by an accusative of the person, e.g. Acts 15:39, and even Matthew 27:26-27; John 19:16; John 1:11. So here it may only mean as ye received Christ, etc. into your heart, walk, etc.

(b) But everywhere else in St Paul’s writings it means “receive as delivered by others,” correlative of παραδοῦναι, e.g. Colossians 4:17 and especially 1 Corinthians 15:3, and although he uses it always elsewhere of things we are hardly justified in attributing to it a different meaning here unless this is absolutely necessary. But, so far from that, the context on the whole suggests the same meaning. For in the next verse he says καθὼς ἐδιδάχθητε, and in Colossians 2:8 contrasts τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν�. Hence (b) is to be preferred. Compare 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:6.

(2) Observe that St Paul does not merely say that they accepted the teaching about Christ which had been taught them. His thought includes that but passes beyond it. For the Christian scholar does not receive the teaching fully unless he receives Christ Himself. This the Colossians had done. Christ had been delivered to them by their teachers, and they had received Him at their hands. John 1:11 is doubtless similar in this respect.

τὸν χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον. The exact phrase (i.e. with the article, with the order “Christ Jesus,” and without any addition after κύριον) is unique. The only passage approaching it is Ephesians 3:11, ἐν τῷ χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.

It raises many questions, viz. (1) the force of the article; (2) the connexion of Ἰησοῦν, whether it is to be taken with χριστὸν or τὸν κύριον; (3) the meaning of τὸν κύριον.

τὸν χριστὸν. In Colossians 2:5 the article was absent, why is it inserted here? Probably because it takes up the reference. Compare Acts 8:1; Acts 8:3, Σαῦλος δέ, but Acts 9:1, ὁ δὲ Σαῦλος, and Acts 9:2, ἐπιστολὰς εἰς Δαμασκόν, but Colossians 2:3, ἐγγίζειν τῇ Δαμασκῷ (see Blass, Gram. § 46. 10). It thus approaches in meaning to “this Christ.”

Ἰησοῦν. Is this to be taken (1) closely with τὸν χριστόν, or rather (2) with τὸν κύριον? In favour of (1) is the fact that ὁ χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς occurs not only in Acts 5:42; Acts 18:5; Acts 18:28 (cf. var. lect. in Matthew 1:18), but also at least three times in St Paul’s writings, Galatians 5:24, οἱ δὲ τοῦ χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, Galatians 6:12, τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ χριστοῦ [Ἰησοῦ]; Ephesians 3:1, ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, besides 11, ἐν τῷ χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. On the other hand Ἰησοῦς ὁ κύριος seems to occur here only, for in 1 Corinthians 9:1; Romans 4:24; 2 Peter 1:2 we have the addition of ἡμῶν.

Yet (2) is almost certainly right. Compare Ephesians 4:20, ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐχ οὕτως ἐμάθετε τὸν χριστόν. For not only is Χριστόν of Colossians 2:5 taken up more directly if the pause is made at τὸν χριστόν, but thus Ἰησοῦν τὸν κύριον serves to expand and explain it, and this in precisely such a way as to deepen in the mind of the Colossians the true character of the faith. They received the teaching about Christ, yes and Christ Himself, who is the historical person Jesus (cf. Ephesians 4:21, καθὼς ἔστιν�) and that the Lord.

τὸν κύριον. Not precisely as predicate, “Christ Jesus as Lord” (contrast 2 Corinthians 4:5, οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν�), but further defining the position of Him whom they had received. He was not only Jesus, but the Lord, who is supreme over all, and claims practical obedience (cf. Colossians 1:10 note).

ἐν αὐτῷ. Repeated in Colossians 2:7; cf. Colossians 2:3. The force of ἐν is not to be weakened. Christ is the element in which they must live and act, not the detailed precepts. Only here is περιπατεῖν found with ἐν referring to Christ. Compare 1 Corinthians 4:17, τὰς ὁδούς μου τὰς ἐν Χριστῷ [Ἰησοῦ].

περιπατεῖτε, Colossians 1:10, note. For περιπατεῖν in correlation to παραλαμβάνω, life the result of teaching received, compare 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:6.

Observe that it is probably right to see in this charge not only a desire for their continuance in well-doing as in Colossians 1:23 (where a thought follows which resembles Colossians 2:7), but also an admonition against being satisfied with theory. “He warns them of the danger, amidst heretical surroundings, of an unapplied orthodoxy. If they would be both firm and vigorous they must put truth into life” (Moule).