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EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS
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I. ADDRESS AND SALUTATION
Col_1:1-2
And Timotheus the brother.—On this see Van Oesterzee (Lange’s Commentary) 1 Timothy. The same phrase is added, Phm_1:1. and 2Co_1:1; in 1Co_1:1 : “and Sosthenes the brother”; Php_1:1 : “Paul and Timotheus, servants of Jesus Christ”; 1Th_1:1 and 2Th_1:1 : “Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus”; Gal_1:1-2 : “Paul an Apostle—and all the brethren that are with me.” Since “my” is not added as in Rom_16:21, “Timotheus my workfellow,” this last passage compels us to understand the word ἁäåëöüò in the simple sense of “Christian brother,” with no more special relation to Paul, than that of one Christian to another (as Col_1:2, ἁäåëöïῖò ). The Apostle writes, not merely in virtue of his peculiar authority as an Apostle, but together with tried associates; he includes with himself his helpers and friends. To him the Christian brother is a friend and assistant, with whom he has consulted and now acts respecting the case of this church, without resigning or impairing his independence (Col_1:24; Col_2:1; Col_4:7). Timothy is not on this account the writer of the Epistle, which Paul dictates to him (Steiger), else according to Rom_16:22, Tertius should have been named in the address, Rom_1:1; and must each of the Epistles to the Thessalonians have been dictated to two persons ? or the Epistle to the Galatians to the whole circle of Paul‘s companions ? for Gal_6:11 is the usual autograph salutation. See Schmoller in loco (Lange’s Commentary, Gal.) and Laurent: Neutestamentliche Studien, p. 4 sq. Nor can Timothy be regarded as the dispatcher of the Epistle (Schenkel), and certainly ὁ ἀäåëöüò does not mean “fellow Apostle” (Chrysostom: ïὐêïῦí êáὶ áὐôὸò ἀðüóôïëïò ). [So Theophylact. Wordsworth, supporting the view that Paul was the founder of the Colossian church, says: “In the case of all the other Epistles, where Timothy is thus introduced, it is certain that he had been with St. Paul at the places, and was well known to the churches to which those Epistles were sent.” “If Timothy had not been at Colosse, it is hardly probable that, being still a young man, he would have been associated with the Apostle in this address to the Colossian church.” “This opinion is also confirmed by the words ὁ ἀäåëöüò , the brother, signifying that he was well known to them as such, and was their own brother as well as St. Paul’s. Timothy is introduced as ‘Timothy the brother’ in the Epistle to Philemon, who lived at Colosse.” Eadie:—“So well known was he as ‘the brother,’ doing the Apostle’s 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 Colosse could not wonder at his name being associated with that of Paul.”—R.]
Col_1:2. To the saints in Colosse.—See Eph_1:1. [See Beveridge, Vol. VI. Serm. II., p. 401, where he answers the question, “What is it to be a saint?”—R.]—And faithful brethren in Christ.—After defining their relation toward God, the relation of the members of the church to each other is noted in the word “brethren.” This is one, mediated and maintained by Christ, while the adjective ðéóôïῖò describes its internal, true and vital character. At all events “in Christ” must be joined with “brethren” or better with “saints,” ἁãßïéò , here used as a substantive, and hence having the local attribute joined to it; it must not be joined to ðéóôïῖò , which is not = faithful (Steiger). [The E. V. might be amended—to read “believing” instead of “faithful,” but the ordinary reader would then be more likely to regard “in Christ” as connected with it rather than with “brethren” or “saints.” Alford joins ἐí ×ñéóôῷ to ἀäåëöïῖò and suggests, to account for the omission of the article before ἐí × . that the idea ἀäåëöὸò - ἐí - ×ñéóôῷ was familiar.—R.] A comparison with Eph_1:1-2, shows, amid all the similarity, the unmistakable original independence.
Col_1:2 b. The Greeting. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.—Comp. Eph_1:2. [The final phrase, hitherto rejected by most modern editors, has found a new and important support from Cod. Sinaiticus. While the reason given in the critical note for retaining it should have due weight, the testimony of Chrysostom and Theophylact must not be disregarded: “Yet in this place he does not insert the name of Christ.”—Theophylact adds: “Although it is his usual way to insert it.” The reason he subjoins: “Lest the Apostle should revolt them at the outset, and turn their minds from his forthcoming argument,” Eadie properly terms “silly;”—especially since, as Wordsworth, referring to Chrysostom, remarks: “It is observable that in the beginning of this Epistle—addressed to a church where the name of Jesus Christ was disparaged by many, and written in order to vindicate His Dignity—the Apostle repeats the word Christ four times”—not including this instance, where both adopt the briefer reading.—R.]
1. The Church founded by Jesus Christ is presented to our view as a “family of God,” in which all the members are children of God and brethren to each other.
2. Compared with the difference from God, all differences between the members so far disappear that all are simply brethren.
3. Even in the organism of the church those members, distinguished immediately and by special authority, do not pass out of this fraternal relation; that most important office of the church, the apostolate, is but an accident of the brotherhood; the Christian position is the basis of position in the Church and surpasses it.
4. On fraternal fellowship and love depend all relations of life, all the gradations of that fundamental form which God has established in the earthly human community; each should feel that he is incorporated in the family.
5. True fraternity is not the result of natural family feeling, nor of any form of human community, but the product of God’s Spirit in Christ.
6. But the brotherly love, which embraces all united in the faith, does not in the New Testament mode of life make the special personal relation of friendship stand out more sharply; the disciple of Christ has none other as friend than the disciple of Christ, but has all, who are such, without distinction as friends. Yet as soon as the church is enlarged numerically, there must naturally appear, within the great circle, personal affinities, and chosen companionship. Notwithstanding what is remarked above, biblical justification of these is not wanting, since the Lord Himself chose three of the Twelve to be nearest to Himself, and of these but one leaned on the bosom of Jesus. So Paul, among many whom he loved, had no one so “like-minded” as Timothy (Php_2:20), and in the beginning of the apostolic history we see Peter and John more closely united together than to the others (Palmer: Moral, p. 400 sq.).
Starke:—First, we must be certain of the will of God, then we must follow it cheerfully, whether the world look sweet or sour.—We must not think that we alone can do all, so that nothing goes right but what we alone do. Each must be of such a mind, as to bear a helper beside him.—Whoever fears the Lord from childhood and diligently uses God’s Word, like Timothy may soon become a man in Christ, though in years still a youth.
Schleiermacher:—The Scriptures know nothing of those who were especially saints, preeminent above others, but all who through Christ are brought back into living fellowship with God, are saints.
[Passavant:—It is not: believers on Christ, but in Christ; the Apostle views Christians as through faith firmly founded in Christ, vitally and deeply rooted in His heavenly Being, members of His body, flesh of His flesh, and spirit of His Spirit, life from His life.—On the greeting. Notice everywhere in the writings of the New Testament and especially in the Epistles of Paul, this thorough, unsearchable and indissoluble union of the Father and the Son; from eternity one Being, one Life, one Work of one Eternal Power and Love—and in this Eternal Blessed unity of the Father and the Son was from the beginning decreed and provided and bestowed all that should become to us the peace of eternity: the grace corning unto us.—Rieger:—Fellowship with God through faith makes saints, fellowship with one another makes brethren in Christ.—Henry:—He thought himself engaged to do his utmost, as an Apostle, because he was made so by the will of God.—As all good ministers, so all good Christians are brethren one to another—toward God they must be saints, and in both faithful—Schenkel:—Why Christians are called saints: 1) how humbling, 2) how exalting this designation.—R.]
[Christians are brethren, whatever diiferenco of age or opinion (Paul and Timothy), in spite of distance and degrees of knowledge and piety (Paul and the Colossians); because all are “brethren in Christ.”—R.]
Footnotes:
Title: Ðñὸò Êïë ï óóáåῖò , à . and others; ðñὸò Êïë á óóáåῖò , A. B. K. and others. [The latter is adopted here by Lachmann, Tisehendorf, Meyer, Alford, Wordsworth. Alford incorrectly cites à . in support of the latter reading, both in his apparatus criticus and Proleg . p. 34, Vol. ÉÉÉ .—R.] Comp. Introd. § Col_4:1 .
Col_1:1.— ×ñéóôïῦ Ἰçóïῦ in à . A. B. F. G. [Lachmann, Tisehendorf, Alford, Ellicott.—R.]; better supported therefore than Ἰçóïῦ ×ñéóôïῦ .
Col_1:2.—[ Êïëïóóáåῖò is to be retained on the authority of à . B. D. F. L. (Alford, Wordsworth); Êïëáóó . Lachmann, Tisehendorf, Ellicott. The order of the E. V. is not that of the original: “To the saints in Colosse and believing brethren in Christ.”—R.]
Col_1:2.— Êáὶ êõñßïõ Ἰçóïῦ ×ñéóôïῦ , wanting in no other Pauline salutation, occurring in precisely the same form (except in the pastoral Epistles), is sustained by à . A. C. E. G. and others, but omitted by other important authorities and critics (Tisehendorf). The original absence of the phrase is less explicable than the subsequent omission in some MSS. [Rejected by Meyer, Alford, Wordsworth, Ellicott.—R.]