Colossians 3:24

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 Colossians 3:18 to Colossians 4:1.

|| Ephesians 6:8 has παρὰ κυρίου, i.e. receiving at His hands. ἀπό is general, the direct agent or means is simply not stated.

The absence of the article is perplexing. (a) Lightfoot interprets “a master” (Colossians 4:1), calling attention to the fact that the article “is studiously inserted in the context, Colossians 3:22-24, τὸν κύριον, τῷ κυρίῳ, τῷ κυρίῳ.” (b) But κύριος so easily loses its article (e.g. Colossians 3:18; Colossians 3:20) when the English translation must still be “the Lord” that this is perhaps preferable here. Compare 1 Corinthians 7:22.

ἀπολήμψεσθε. Perhaps “receive to the full”; cf. Luke 16:25, but probably “receive as due”; cf. Luke 6:34, and, on the whole, Romans 1:27.

τὴν�. Here only in N.T. but ἀνταπόδομα Luke 14:12; Romans 11:9†.

“The just recompense … the double compound involves the idea of ‘exact requital’  ” (Lightfoot). Compare the note on ἀνταναπληρῶ, Colossians 1:24. The point of this statement is that slaves were not, strictly speaking, paid for their work, and could have no inheritance.

τῆς κληρονομίας. Gen. of apposition. The Christian inheritance is here placed in the future. For its being also present see Hort on 1 Peter 1:4. That κληρ. does not imply hereditary succession, but ‘sanctioned and settled possession,’ see (besides Hort) Dalman, Words of Jesus, p. 125.

τῷ κυρίῳ Χριστῷ. Observe (1) St Paul here first defines whom he means by “the Master.” (2) In Colossians 3:17 appealing to the example of our Lord’s life on earth he said κυρίον Ἰησοῦ, but here when speaking of His present majesty and authority he says τ. κυρ. Χριστῷ.

δουλεύετε. Almost certainly imperative. Recalling ὑπακούετε (Colossians 3:22) and ἐργάζεσθε (Colossians 3:23) with its appended reason (its participial clause). St Paul sums up his charge in one phrase—“Serve the Master, Christ.” He then appends a reason for this, Colossians 3:25.

With the right reading (no γάρ in Colossians 3:24, and γάρ instead of δέ in Colossians 3:25) δουλεύετε if indicative is insipid and even tautological. The following γάρ would then refer not to δουλεύετε but to the general command, Colossians 3:22-24 a.