Colossians 3:16

The word of Christ. The only occurrence of the phrase. The word spoken by Christ.

Richly. See on Romans 2:4, and compare ch. 1 27.

In all wisdom. Some connect with the preceding words, others with the following - in all wisdom, teaching, etc. The latter seems preferable, especially in view of ch. 1 28, where the phrase occurs teaching and admonishing in all wisdom; because the adverb richly forms an emphatic qualification of dwell in, and so appropriately terminates the clause; and because the whole passage is thus more symmetrical. "Dwell in has its single adverb richly, and is supported and expanded by two coordinate participial clauses, each of which has its spiritual manner or element of action (in all wisdom, in grace) more exactly defined" (Ellicott).

Admonishing. See on ch. Colossians 1:28. The participles teaching and admonishing are used as imperatives, as Romans 12:9-13; Romans 12:16-19; Ephesians 4:2; Ephesians 4:3; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 3:1; 1 Peter 3:7; 1 Peter 3:9; 1 Peter 3:16.

One another [ε α υ τ ο υ ς]. Yourselves. See on ver. 13.

Psalms. See the parallel passage, Ephesians 5:19. A psalm was originally a song accompanied by a stringed instrument. See on 1 Corinthians 14:15. The idea of accompaniment passed away in usage, and the psalm, in New - Testament phraseology, is an Old - Testament psalm, or a composition having that character. A hymn is a song of praise, and a song [ω δ η ο δ ε] is the general term for a song of any kind. Hymns would probably be distinctively Christian. It is supposed by some that Paul embodies fragments of hymns in his epistles, as 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:11-14; James 1:17, and Revelation 1:5; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 14:3, are also supposed to be of this character. In both instances of his use of wjdh song, Paul adds the term spiritual. The term may, as Trench suggests, denote sacred poems which are neither psalms nor hymns, as Herbert's "Temple," or Keble's "Christian Year." 206 This is the more likely, as the use of these different compositions is not restricted to singing nor to public worship. They are to be used in mutual christian teaching and admonition.

With grace [ε ν τ η χ α ρ ι τ ι]. Lit., the grace. The article limits the meaning to the grace of God. With grace begins the second participial clause.