Colossians 1:6

Colossians 1:6. Which. This refers directly to ‘the gospel.'

Is come, lit, ‘is present,' unto you. There are two ideas suggested here: its reaching them (‘unto you') and its abiding with them (‘is present').

As it is in all the world. This need not be limited to the Roman world, or the chief places, nor be taken literally. ‘The expression is no hyperbole, but the repetition of the Lord's command. Though not yet announced to all nations, it is present in all the world,

the whole world being the area in which it is pro-claimed and working' (Alford). See notes on Romans 1:8; Romans 10:18.

Bringing forth fruit and increasing. The second participle is abundantly supported, by the five earliest manuscripts, the Vulgate and other authorities; but ‘and' should be omitted before the participles, which define how the gospel is in all the world. ‘The figure is borrowed from a tree which both bears fruit and grows (Matthew 7:17; Matthew 13:32; Luke 13:19). The former word refers to the faith, the love, the Christian virtues, which the gospel produces in the internal and external life; the latter to the extension and the multiplication of its adherents; Acts 6:7; Acts 12:24; Acts 19:20 ' (Braune).

As it doth among you also. This points to Colossæ as part of the field in which the gospel is fruitful and growing, furnishing a proof of its efficiency. ‘Among' seems therefore preferable to the more literal ‘in.'

Since the day ye heard it. Some regard ‘the grace of God' as the object of both verbs, but it is far more natural to supply ‘it,' i.e., the gospel. ‘Of it' (E. V.) is objectionable, since they must hear it, in order to allow it to work among them.

And knew the grace of God in truth. ‘Knew' is a stronger word than that usually thus rendered, pointing to a fuller knowledge. ‘The grace of God' forms the contents of the gospel; by hearing the gospel they came to know this grace. ‘In truth' suggests more than ‘truly,' pointing to the element in which they knew the grace of God. The phrase does not qualify ‘heard,' since this makes Colossians 1:7 seem tautological (Ellicott); see above also.