Colossians 3:15

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 Christ (εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν) and given by Him to His followers (δίδωμι ὑμῖν), John 14:27. Not primarily peace towards others but the rest of the soul that has accepted Christ’s salvation. Hence St Paul at the end of the verse can join to it thanksgiving. The exact phrase occurs here only, but Philippians 4:7 approaches it in meaning and effect.

βραβευέτω, “act as umpire.” Here only in N.T. For meaning see note on καταβραβευέτω, Colossians 2:18. “Wherever there is a conflict of motives or impulses or reasons, the peace of Christ must step in and decide which is to prevail” (Lightfoot).

ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν. The addition is necessary to show that St Paul does not mean that the community is to appeal to the peace of Christ, but each in his own heart. This reaches further, for “such settlement of debates there would quite preclude all harsh conflicts in the community” (Moule).

εἰς ἥν καὶ ἐκλήθητε. The relative is half causal (cf. Colossians 1:18, note), and the καὶ “marks the introduction of an additional motive” (Alf.).

The emphasis is obtained in a different way in 1 Corinthians 7:15.

ἐν [ἑνί] σώματι. See notes on Textual Criticism.

ἐν states the result of the call, “into” and now “in” one body. Compare, besides 1 Corinthians 7:15; Galatians 1:6; Ephesians 4:3-4 illustrates both this and the connexion of thought in our passage.

If ἐν σώματι be read St Paul means “in a community,” as contrasted with the merely individual call. If ἑνί be genuine he emphasizes the essential oneness of this community; cf. Romans 12:5. You were called to inner unity and also are in fact in external unity.

καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε. The connexion is probably as follows: Your want of love is due in measure to lack of rest in soul, and this to not realising what has been done for you (cf. Colossians 1:12). Thankfulness has a reflex action on peace in the heart, and on love to others.

εὐχάριστος here only in N.T. In the LXX. it is found once, Proverbs 11:16, in the sense of “winning,” “agreeable” (cf. the twofold meaning of “grateful”). But such a sense here, besides being very weak, is excluded by the universal use of εὐχαριστεῖν and εὐχαριστία in the N.T.