20–3:4. _Transition to the detailed practical directions of the Epistle_ (Colossians 3:5 to Colossians 4:6). St Paul, first negatively (Colossians 2:20-23), and secondly positively (c. Colossians 3:1-4), describes in general terms the right attitude of the believer to Christ in his daily life. His l... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ, no more suggesting doubt than in Colossians 2:20. It “introduces the first member of a conditional syllogism; cf. Romans 5:15” (Ell.). ΟΥ̓͂Ν. With special reference to Colossians 2:20-23 which included not only the statement of a false method of victory, but also an appeal based on the fact tha... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ἌΝΩ ΦΡΟΝΕΙ͂ΤΕ. He emphasizes, by repetition, the thought of τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε but enlarges and deepens it. φρονεῖν expresses the set and purpose of the mind. It “denotes the whole action of the φρήν, i.e. of the affections and will as well as of the reason” (Sanday-Headlam, on Romans 8:5). It theref... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠΕΘΆΝΕΤΕ ΓΆΡ. To be taken up with things on earth is unreasonable, for dead men have no more to do with such things. For the tense cf. Colossians 2:12; Colossians 2:20, notes. ΚΑῚ Ἡ ΖΩῊ ὙΜΩ͂Ν. I.e. the life that followed on their death. Therefore not the future life as such but the real and spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΤΑΝ Ὁ ΧΡΙΣΤῸΣ ΦΑΝΕΡΩΘΗ͂Ι κ.τ.λ. The connexion of thought with Colossians 3:3 is as follows: Concealment is necessarily only temporary (cf. Mark 4:22); a day is coming when Christ will be made known in His true character and power, i.e. His glory; but your life is now concealed with Him; yes, more t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΝΕΚΡΏΣΑΤΕ ΟΥ̓͂Ν. St Paul here begins the directly “practical” part of his Epistle, but characteristically (cf. Romans 12:1; Ephesians 4:1) joins it to the more doctrinal part by a “therefore.” Life is indeed “hidden,” but it is hereafter to be manifested in its true nature, and must logically be tak... [ Continue Reading ]
5–17. _The individual life_ Colossians 3:5-11. Negatively (together with a general description of the new life), for sins are inconsistent with the new self. Colossians 3:12-17. Positively, especially love, and knowledge of God’s word, and thanksgiving. (Colossians 3:5) The hidden life which will... [ Continue Reading ]
5–4:1. _Practical duties_ Colossians 3:5-17, in the individual life; Colossians 3:18_ to_ Colossians 4:1, in the social relations of a household.... [ Continue Reading ]
6. At the end of the verse Text. Rec. adds ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς� (from Ephesians 5:6) with אAC(D), etc. “In D, however, they are written (though by the first hand) in smaller letters and extend beyond the line (in both Greek and Latin), whence we may infer that they were not found in a copy which was... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΟἿΣ. Certainly neuter with the short form of Colossians 3:6, and almost certainly neuter even with the long form, for “περιπατεῖν ἐν is most commonly used of things, not of persons, especially in this and the companion epistle, Colossians 4:5; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:17; Ephesi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΝΥΝῚ ΔῈ, see Colossians 1:21. ἈΠΌΘΕΣΘΕ. ἀποτίθεσθαι is used of putting off clothing, literally in Acts 7:58, and metaphorically in Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22 (in both passages contrasted with ἐνδύεσθαι), also probably in Hebrews 12:1, and James 1:21. In 1 Peter 2:1 Hort (q.v.) thinks that the meta... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜῊ ΨΕΎΔΕΣΘΕ ΕἸΣ�. That the change to the present tense suggests that the sin was still existing (cf. Ephesians 5:18 μὴ μεθύσκεσθε) see the remarks by J. H. Moulton, _Gram. Proleg._ 1906, p. 126. The thought is expressed more fully in Ephesians 4:25. ἈΠΕΚΔΥΣΆΜΕΝΟΙ. Compare Colossians 2:15 note, and ἀ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἘΝΔΥΣΆΜΕΝΟΙ, “and putting on.” See note on Colossians 3:9. ΤῸΝ ΝΈΟΝ. As the unconverted state was described not as a congeries of separate sinful acts but as a living organism directed by a will, “the old man,” in which “self” determined all the doings, so the state of the Christian is “the new... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΠΟΥ. (1) Probably this refers to the εἰκών, the image in which the new man will eventually be. In that future perfected likeness to God there will be no Greek, etc., but Christ will be all and in all. (2) Perhaps the direct reference is to the νέος ἄνθρωπος (cf. Matthew 26:57, where the verbal ante... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝΔΎΣΑΣΘΕ. Taking up ἐνδυσάμενοι (Colossians 3:10), but applying the figure to details. Here also is the aorist chosen because the present would imply an only gradual acceptance of the following virtues (cf. note on ἀπεκδυσάμενοι, Colossians 3:9). ΟΥ̓͂Ν. Including the argument from ἀπεκδυσάμενοι, Co... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘῺΣ ΚΑῚ Ὁ ΚΎΡΙΟΣ ἘΧΑΡΊΣΑΤΟ ὙΜΙ͂Ν. κύριος is read by ABD*G vulg. χριστὸς by Text. Rec. with אA(vid)cCDbKLP, etc., Syrr. Egyptt. Chr. θεὸς by א*. Apparently χριστός and θεός are explanatory of κύριος. 13. ἈΝΕΧΌΜΕΝΟΙ�, “Bearing with one another.” Similarly in || Ephesians 4:2 with the addition ἐν�.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὅ ἘΣΤΙΝ. So ABCGP. ὅς ἐστιν, א*D*. ἥτις, Text. Rec. with אcDbcKL, etc. Cf. Colossians 2:17. The feminine is so easy that it gives no cause for the others. Of them ὅς is easily explicable as an assimilation to σύνδεσμος, whereas ὅ is so difficult that it would readily be altered. 14. ἘΠῚ ΠΑ͂ΣΙ ΔῈ ΤΟΎ... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ΕἸΡΉΝΗ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. Text. Rec. reads θεοῦ with אcCbDcKL, etc. Chr. Thdrt. Ambrst. Cf. Philippians 4:7. ἘΝ [ἙΝῚ] ΣΏΜΑΤΙ. The numeral is omitted by B 67** sahid. 15. ΚΑῚ merely copulative, not “atque ita” (Beng.). Ἡ ΕἸΡΉΝΗ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. See notes on Textual Criticism. The peace possessed by C... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΛΌΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂, אcBC2DGL, etc. vulg. sahid., Syr.Harcl. τοῦ κυρίου, א* memph. Clem. Alex. τοῦ θεοῦ, AC* Thdrt. The fact that ὁ λόγ. τ. χρ. is unique doubtless gave rise to the other readings. 16. Ὁ ΛΌΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂. See notes on Textual Criticism. As in Colossians 3:15 St Paul bade his r... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΠΑ͂Ν, “and everything.” As he thinks of the song going up in the heart to God he passes on to the spirit that should animate the whole life. No detail is to be excluded as common, but each and all to be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. Parts of this thought are expressed in Colossians 3:23 (τ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑἹ ΓΥΝΑΙ͂ΚΕΣ. On the article and nominative used as the vocative see Blass, _Gram._ § 33. 4. Moulton, op. cit. pp. 70, 235. Cf. Matthew 11:26; Luke 8:54. This is the typical form of the vocative in Hebrew, the article lending itself with special ease to the Hebrew love of pictorial effect. ὙΠΟΤΆΣΣΕΣ... [ Continue Reading ]
18–4:1. _The social relations of a household_ Colossians 3:18-19. Wives and Husbands. Colossians 3:20-21. Children and Fathers. Colossians 3:22_ to_ Colossians 4:1. Slaves and Masters. (Colossians 3:18) Wives! subject yourselves to your husbands, as is, after all, fitting in the Lord; (Colossian... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἹ ἌΝΔΡΕΣ. On the article see Colossians 3:18. ἈΓΑΠΑ͂ΤΕ ΤᾺΣ ΓΥΝΑΙ͂ΚΑΣ. The command is enlarged in || Ephesians 5:25-33 and reasons are added. In this relation above all others is love the fulfilling of the law. ΚΑῚ ΜῊ ΠΙΚΡΑΊΝΕΣΘΕ ΠΡῸΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΆΣ, “and be not severe towards them.” πικρ. is used liter... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ΤΈΚΝΑ. || Ephesians 6:1-3. ὙΠΑΚΟΎΕΤΕ, Colossians 3:22. See note on ὑποτάσσεσθε, Colossians 3:18. ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΓΟΝΕΥ͂ΣΙΝ. In contrast to a mark of the ungodly (γονεῦσιν�) both then, Romans 1:30, and in the last days, 2 Timothy 3:2. ΚΑΤᾺ ΠΆΝΤΑ. Emphatic. Such a case as that contemplated in Matthew 10:35... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΡΕΘΊΖΕΤΕ BDbcK, etc. παροργίζετε is read by אACD*GL from Ephesians 6:4. (On the Syriac verss. here see Lightfoot, add. note.) 21. ΟἹ ΠΑΤΈΡΕΣ. The change from γονεῖς (Colossians 3:20) seems to forbid the inclusion of mothers here (contrast Hebrews 11:23), who are too in a distinctly subordinate pos... [ Continue Reading ]
ΦΟΒΟΎΜΕΝΟΙ ΤῸΝ ΚΎΡΙΟΝ. An apparently unique phrase. Text. Rec. has the common expression φοβ. τὸν θεόν with אcDcK. 22. ΟἹ ΔΟΥ͂ΛΟΙ, ὙΠΑΚΟΎΕΤΕ, Colossians 3:20, note. ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΚΑΤᾺ ΣΆΡΚΑ ΚΥΡΊΟΙΣ. For κατὰ σάρκα, describing earthly relationships, see Romans 9:3. The phrase both insists on the reality of... [ Continue Reading ]
22–4:1. _Slaves and Masters_ Δοῦλοι must have formed a large proportion of the believers in St Paul’s days, and their behaviour to their masters (whether Christians or not) must have been an important matter, if Christianity was to show itself capable of winning all classes. St Paul of course had s... [ Continue Reading ]
23. Ὅ ἘᾺΝ ΠΟΙΗ͂ΤΕ. This and the two following verses are an explanation and expansion of φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον. ἘΚ ΨΥΧΗ͂Σ. || Ephesians 6:6. Referring not to singleness of purpose (Colossians 3:22), but to ready impulse in contrast to external constraint (cf. Delitzsch _Psychol._ p. 241 Eng. Trans.... [ Continue Reading ]
24. ΕἸΔΌΤΕΣ, cf. Colossians 4:1; Philemon 1:21; || Ephesians 6:8. Especially of what is known long since, known as a fundamental proposition, e.g. Romans 5:3; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Corinthians 1:7; Galatians 2:16. Here giving a reason for hearty work. ὍΤΙ�, i.e. Christ, as everywhere in... [ Continue Reading ]
25. Ὁ ΓᾺΡ�. Does St Paul here desire (1) to _encourage_ the slaves by reminding them that if they are illtreated their masters will be punished in due course by God, or (2) to _warn_ them that even if a slave does wrong his ill action will not be overlooked by God, or (3) to definitely include both... [ Continue Reading ]