Colossians 3:16

the word of Christ The precise phrase occurs here only. It is (surely, though Lightfoot advocates the explanation, "Christ's word to the Christian; His influence speaking in the heart") the message of His Gospel, the terms of the revelation of His personal Glory, redeeming work, and holy will. This "word" might be conveyed in the Old Scriptures (see e.g. Romans 15:4; Romans 16:26; Galatians 3:8; 1 Peter 2:6), or by the mouth or pen of Christian Apostles and Prophets. Cp. e.g. Acts 4:29; Acts 6:2; Acts 8:14; Acts 13:26; Acts 15:7; Acts 15:35; Acts 17:13; Acts 19:10; Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1Co 14:36; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 1:13; 1Th 4:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:9; Titus 1:9; Hebrews 6:1; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 6:9. Thus both O. T. citations and such Christian watchwords as 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 2:11, would be "the word of Christ" ;and as each portion of the New Scriptures (2 Peter 3:16) appeared and was received its words too would be "the word of Christ." The definiteness of the Gospel is powerfully emphasized by its designation as a word, a message.

dwell in you as what has become a permanent part of your thought.

richly See on Colossians 1:27 for St Paul's love of the imagery of wealth. The heavenly "word" was to be abundant as a store (Psalms 119:11) in their memories, and also as an element in their thought and utterance.

in all wisdom They were not merely to know "the word" verbally, but to handle and apply it with spiritual fitness and rightness. The supreme example appears in our Lord's use of "the word" of the O.T.; Matthew 4 Such "wisdom," infinitely higher than that of the mere critical enquirer, would be learnt in communion with the Lord of the Word. Cp. Ephesians 1:17.

teaching and admonishing one another The Greek is out of grammatical connexion with the previous clauses, but fully intelligible. See Lightfoot's excellent note. "One another" :lit. "yourselves." See note on Colossians 3:13; and on Ephesians 5:19.

" Teaching … admonishing" :in the parallel, Ephesians 5:19 (where see our notes throughout), we have merely "speaking." The spiritual importance of Christian hymnody comes out impressively here. It is no mere luxury of devotion, certainly no mere musical pleasure; it is an ordained vehicle of instruction and warning.

psalms … hymns … spiritual songs Verbatim as Ephesians 5:19. To summarize our comment there; it is impossible to draw absolute limits between these kinds of sacred music; but on the whole the psalmmay be exemplified by (in the O.T.) the songs of the Psalter, and (in the N.T.) those of Luke 1:2, their Christian parallel; the hymnby the chant of the disciples, Acts 4; and the songor ode (ôdê) by such rhythmic "words" as those of 2 Timothy 1:11. This last citation is notably full of both "teaching" and "admonition."

" Spiritual songs" :not necessarily inspired, as Scripture, but pregnant with spiritual truth. Yet it is at least possible, from the recent mention of "the word of Christ," that "songs" due to inspired authorship are here referred to, at least specially. Luther, master and lover of hymns, writes in his Version here, out of the fulness of his heart, mit geistlichenlieblichen Liedern.

with grace Lit., "in the grace"; conditioned by "the grace givenunto you." "Grace" here is, in effect, the presence of God in the believer, with its holy, loving power.