Colossians 1:1,2

Address and Greeting

Comp. on Ephesians 1:1-2, which closely resembles this passage.

Colossians 1:1. Paul, etc. The writer designates himself in precisely the same terms as in Ephesians 1:1. On the Pauline greetings, see Romans, chap. Colossians 1:1-7, and the references there.

Timothy the brother. ‘Timothy' is mentioned in the address of seven of Paul's Epistles (1 and 2 Cor., Phil., Colossians, 1 and 2 Thess., Philemon), and he is doubtless in-eluded in Galatians 1:2. In 2 Cor., and Philemon also, he is designated as ‘the brother.' This simply means that he was a Christian brother, well-known as such. It does not follow that Paul and Timothy had been at Colossae. ‘So well-known was he as “he brother,” doing the Apostle' work, carrying his messages, bringing correspondence to him, endeared to him in so many ways, and representing him in his absence, that the Church of Colossæ could not wonder at his name being associated with that of Paul (Eadie). Notice that Paul, who claims to be an Apostle ‘through the will of God,' terms the younger believer ‘the brother.' All Christians, as children of God, are brethren, ‘that most important office of the Church, the apostolate, is but an accident of the brotherhood'(Braune). But the mention of Timothy shows also that among the multitude of Christians there must be room for special personal affinities and companionships. Timothy is not named in Ephesians, the third of the Epistles sent from Rome by the same messenger. From this it has been inferred that he was temporarily absent from Rome when that Epistle was written. See further, Introduction to Ephesians, § 2.

Colossians 1:2. Faithful, or, ‘believing,' brethren, etc. The word translated ‘faithful,' used as a noun in Ephesians 1:1, is here an adjective joined with ‘brethren.'

In Christ qualifies ‘brethren,' or the phrase ‘faithful brethren,' indicating ‘the limitin g element, in which the readers are believing brethren, and outside of which they would not be such in the Christian sense' (Meyer). Christians are brethren, notwithstanding differences of age and position (Paul and Timothy), in spite of distance and of degrees in knowledge and piety (Paul and the Colossians); because they are brethren in Christ Colossæ. On the name and place, see Introduction, § 1.

The peculiarity of the greeting consists in the omission of the phrase ‘and the Lord Jesus Christ,' which is found everywhere else, and has good support here also. But, despite the testimony of Aleph in its favor, most modern editors reject the phrase, since the early scribes would make the briefer reading conform to the more usual greeting. The testimony of Chrysostom and Theophylact is decidedly against it. The latter assigns as the reason for the omission: ‘Lest the Apostle should revolt them at the outset, and turn their minds from his forthcoming argument,' which is absurd, in view of the fact that Christ has been named, twice already, and is mentioned again in Colossians 1:3-4.