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Col_3:12-17
Col_3:12. Put on therefore.—To the “have put on the new man” (Col_3:10) there is joined, as a consequence (“therefore”), the positive precept, which finds a motive, as a continuing and valid requirement, in the “being renewed;” although they have put on the new man, they have yet to take up anew the single parts. [Ellicott, following Hoffmann, thinks ïὔí has here more of its reflexive force, taking up what has been said and continuing it: “as you have put on the new man, put on all its characteristic qualities.” But even this paraphrase implies a “moral consequence.” “For although the putting on of the new man as a fact, has historically occurred through the conversion to Christ, yet it has, according to the nature of the new man, its continued acts, which should occur, viz., through the appropriation of those virtues, which the new man as such must possess” (Meyer).—R.]
As the elect of God, [holy or] saints and beloved, conditions the justice of the precept and the indispensableness of complying with it. “As” gives prominence to the actual condition, relation, in which they stand.—“Elect of God” is used substantively as Mat_24:31; Mar_13:27; Luk_18:7; Rom_8:33; Tit_1:1 : “saints” ( ἄãéïé ) as Rom_1:7; Rom_15:25-26; Rom_15:31; Rom_16:2; Rom_16:15; 1Co_1:2, etc. “ Áãéïò ôïῦ èåïῦ (Mar_1:24; Luk_4:34; Joh_6:69) is a description of the Christian; ἄ ãéïé áὐôïῦ (“His saints”) also occurs (2Th_1:10). The position of the genitive ( ôïῦ èåïῦ ) however requires it to be joined with the first term (“elect”). “Beloved” is also used substantively as Eph_1:6. The climax here is unmistakable: as to the ground, they are without desert “elect of God,” as to their condition they are “saints,” as to their relation to God, they are, as the perfect denotes, the continued objects of His love (1Th_1:4; 2Th_2:13). Bengel: “the order of words corresponds exquisitely with the order of things: eternal election precedes sanctification in time, the sanctified feel love, and then imitate it.” The last, firmly founded on the preceding, has the stress laid on it. All three are correlatives of “putting on the new man,” which pre-supposes the “election of God” (Col_3:10-11). Hence neither are the last two substantives and the first an adjective (Bleek), nor the first subject and the two others predicates (Meyer, Bengel). [So also Eadie, Alford and Ellicott. Either view is admissible on grammatical grounds. Ellicott urges that the force of the exhortation rests on their character as “elect,” while Alford insists that as ἐêëåêôïß is a word, which must find its ground independently of us in the absolute will of God, it cannot be an adjunctive attribute of the other two. On the whole the view of Meyer, followed by the commentators just mentioned, and implied in the E. V., is preferable. For it seems better accordant with Paul’s method of stating the truth of Divine grace, and with the position of the Words to lay the emphasis upon the phrase “elect of God,” and hot to regard the three phrases as co-ordinate. “The consciousness of this extraordinary privilege, of being the elect of God, who as such are holy and beloved of God—how it must have affected the conscience of the readers and aroused them to the very virtues, corresponding with so high a position, which Paul here enjoins!” Meyer.—R.]
Bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering.—“Bowels of mercy” stands foremost; viscera with the quality of mercy, of which they are the seat. Php_2:1, we find “bowels and mercies.” The first word denotes what is inmost, most individual (Php_1:8; Phm_1:12; 2Co_6:12; 1Jn_3:17). Luk_1:78, “tender mercy of God” lit., “bowels of mercy of God” is similar. So Eph_4:32, “tender-hearted,” “heart of mercy” ( åὔóðëáã÷íïé ). The manifestations of mercy then follow, forming a climax; “kindness” which as the opposite of “severity” (Rom_11:22) helps outward need, “humbleness of mind” ( ôáðåéíïöñïóýíçí ) which recognizes our own unworthiness and the superiority or talent of a brother, “meekness,” which as the opposite of “fierceness” ( ἀãñéüôçò ), is mild toward faults which are blameworthy, and “long-suffering” which restrains itself so as to quietly bear reprehensible injuries in the hope of a better mind and consequent improvement on the part of the offender. See on Eph_4:2; Eph_4:32, Tittmann, Synon. I. 140–142. [Comp. Trench; Syn. New Testament, sub vocibus. He makes “meekness” to be at first in crespect to God, then toward men as growing out of this. But in this case it is primarily toward man, though implying the other as its ground (Alford, Ellicott, while Eadie excludes the reference to God).—R.]
Col_3:13. Forbearing one another and forgiving each other.—These participles define the modality of the exhibition of the virtues just mentioned; they must be appropriated by practice which makes the master. The present tense indicates permanence. On “forbearing,” see Eph_4:2, on “forgiving,” Eph_4:32. “One another” ( ἀëëÞëùí ) marks the purely reciprocal, mutual enduring, forbearing; “each other” ( ἐáõôïῖò ) indicates at the same time also, that they have experienced such forgiveness from without, from Him who is their Example. That which is difficult to bear and forgive in others, is not simply what one does against us, but also what he does in general, what is displeasing, unpleasant, or offensive in his manner, whatever in his relations to us may give occasion for blame ( ìïìöÞí ), so that the participles refer to all the preceding virtues, not to the last one only. Bengel arbitrarily distinguishes: forbearing in present offences, forgiving past offences.
If any man have a complaint against any.—[ ÌïìöÞ , only here in N. T., but classical: “ground of blame,” “just cause of complaint.”—R.] Tittmann, Syn. I. 29, distinguishes ἄìåìðôïò and ἄìùìïò —each is free from blame, the former because it is perfect and absolute in its members, the latter because it is free from vice; in the former nothing more can be desired, in the latter there is nothing to be reprehended. On this account, as well as because ðñüò not êáôÜ is here used, a more general relation than that of hostility is indicated; this must be regarded as referring in general to an experience occurring every where, yet mildly described hypothetically, that one can easily find something to blame in another, as is indicated above. [The Greek conditional protasis here used always implies that the hypothesis is correct.—R.]
Even as Christ forgave you, so also doing yourselves.— ×áñéæüìåíïé is to be supplied in thought (Winer’s Gram. p. 526). Hence there is no parenthesis here, nor a disrupted sentence, as though an imperative were to be supplied. [The E. V. gives the imperative, which is objectionable; Ellicott preserves the construction by rendering as above—R.] This expression is explained, Col_2:13; Eph_4:32. Here we have “Christ,” in Eph_1:1 : “God in Christ;” this variation will explain Col_2:13. Bengel is excellent: christus, cui maxima fuerat nobiscum querendi causa. Accordingly “the grace ( ÷Üñéò ) of the Lord Jesus Christ” is often spoken of. “As” denotes the mode of forgiveness, as Luk_7:37-47; Luk_23:34, not the accomplishment of reconciliation with God by His death.
Col_3:14. But over all these things put on love.—“Love,” as in Col_1:4; Col_1:8; Eph_4:2, is to be taken as “brotherly love,” which must come over all those virtues, upon them ( ἐíäýóáóèå , Col_3:12), [So E. V. supplies “put on,” though “above” may or may not have the local or semi-local (Ellicott) force, which ἐðß here conveys. Eadie renders “in addition to,” weakening the force of the passage. Wordsworth quotes Clement, who apparently refers “love” to “love to God.”—R.] In reference to this “love,” the Apostle adds: which is the bond of perfectness.—By the neuter [ ὁ , not ἤôéò —R.] the putting on of love as an act, is denoted. [The article is wanting—hence Braune renders “a bond.” Ellicott says the omission may be due to the verb substantive.—R.] Óὐíäåóìïò , the encircling band, reminds us of a girdle, put over the clothes to hold them together. The genitive therefore adds those virtues included under the category of “perfectness,” as Act_8:23 : “the bond of iniquity;” Eph_4:3 : “bond of peace.” It is parallel with “in love” (Eph_4:2). Comp. Rom_13:10 : “love is the fulfilling of the law.” The Pythagoreans called friendship “the bond of all the virtues.” Hence ὄ is not to be rejected and ἤôéò substituted (Bleek), nor ἀãÜðç to be regarded as neuter (Meyer); Col_2:19 is not a parallel case, since there the masculine is used, and the construction is according to the sense, as Christ is conceived of under êåöáëÞ . Nor is love to be regarded as the upper garment (Meyer), nor “bond” as “sum total” (Insbegriff, Olshausen), nor as the efficient cause of “perfectness” (Schenkel); nor yet is the genitive to be taken attributively as that of quality (Grotius). [To refer “which” to the putting on of love is a doubtful interpretation. It does not agree so well with the figurative representation of the Apostle, who has already been speaking (Col_3:12) of what they were to pat on, and seems to be mentioning here the last garment required to complete the attire. To make the act of putting on the “bond of perfectness” would be an unnecessary obscuring of the metaphor; especially as we may readily take ἀãÜðç absolutely. There is the same objection perhaps to Meyer’s view, that love is here represented as an upper garment, but a close-fitting upper garment might well be, at the same time, the bond which enclosed and held together all the others. Adopting this view, we may not only say, that love itself is “that bond which unites all the graces into completeness and symmetry” (Eadie), but “without love there is no perfectness; this has its conditio sine qua non in the including of all its other parts in love” (Meyer). Love is the principal of all the other virtues, but is here named last, as if supplementary, because of the figure. Braune’s view of the genitive, which is that of Meyer, is to be preferred to that of Ellicott, who regards it as a genitive of the subject: “love is the bond which belongs to, is the distinctive feature of perfection.” Alford well remarks: “Those who find here justification by works, must be very hard put to discover support for that doctrine.”—R.]
The frame of mind in which Christian love is to be exercised. Col_3:15. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.—This is not a command, but only a wish, the fulfilment of which is of importance, The subject, which in Php_4:7 is “the peace of God,” is that peace wrought by God through Christ in the Holy Ghost, which, according to Joh_14:27 (“my peace I give unto you”), can be accurately termed; of Christ.” (See Winer’s Gram. p. 175.) It is the calm of the soul resting on the consciousness of having a reconciled God and Father, in Christ the Saviour.—[Ellicott says, the idea in Php_4:7 “is substantially the same, except that perhaps peace is there contemplated as in its antithesis to anxious worldliness, while here it is rather to the hard, unloving and unquiet spirit that mars the union of the one body.” It must not be limited to, though it certainly includes, mutual concord.—R.]—The verb âñáâåýù “to be an umpire,” and as such to award the prize as well as regulate the contest, marks the administrative activity in distinction from the legislative found in âáóéëåýåéí . [The idea of presiding, ordering, ruling, is to be retained; the reference to bestowing (Wordsworth), or even winning a prize, which some commentators find here, is forbidden by the phrase which follows.—R.]—The phrase “in your hearts,” ἐí ôáῖò êáñäßáéò ὑìῶí , is not=“in you,” ἐí ὑìῖí (Col_3:16); it refers to the inner, most individual relations, where the peace of Christ is to rule; it is not therefore to be referred to the unity of believers among themselves (Greek Fathers, Calvin, Grotius, Meyer).
To the which also ye were called in one body.—[“To the which,” almost=for into it (Ellicott).—R.] This peace is the immediate end of the calling; this calling is marked by “also” ( êáß ), which joins it to “rule,” as that to which the rule of peace has to correspond. The result of the consummation of the calling on the part of God, and of its acceptance on the part of men, is described by “in one body” This refers to the Church as the body of Christ (Eph_4:4; Eph_2:16); which is the sphere and place, in which this calling is consummated and the called are to move. Therefore it is not= åἰò å ͂ í óῶìá (Grotius), nor is the Church as an organism the object of the Divine calling (Schenkel), which is addressed to individual persons. The calling in itself and the implanting in the Church constitute a benefit, important on account of the peace joined with it, and obligating to friendliness toward the brother, who has become partaker of the same; hence Paul adds: and be ye thankful [sc. to God.—R.]—Comp. Col_2:7; Col_4:2; Eph_5:4. Knowledge of the benefit of the calling and the peace, together with gratitude therefor, must increase. The adjective ( åὐ÷Üñéóôïé ) does not occur elsewhere in N. T. Incorrectly rendered “amiable,” “friendly,” by Jerome, Erasmus, Baehr, [Calvin].
Helps to the exercise of Christian love. Col_3:16-17.
Col_3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.—“The word of Christ” is the word which He has spoken and caused to be proclaimed (1Th_1:8; 1Th_4:15; 2Th_3:1), and which communicates the inward peace, directing and leading to right conduct toward the brethren: “the word through which ye were called” (Bengel); elsewhere called “the word of God” (Col_1:25; 1Co_14:36; 2Co_2:17; 2Co_4:2) from its highest cause, “of truth” (Eph_1:5; Eph_1:13) from its purport, “of life” (Php_2:16) from its effect.But it must have a permanent locality, “as in a temple” (Bengel): let it dwell “among you,” as the context demands. It is not=“in your hearts.” (Col_3:15) “in you” (Theodoret, Beza and others). [Eadie: “within you;” Meyer, Alford : in you as a church, which seems to be Braune’s view. Preferable on the whole, and suggestive of the truth, that want of general diffusion of the word of Christ among the people “richly,” much prevents their obeying the following precept.—R.] “Richly” relates to substance, hence, not used in a stunted, abbreviated eclectic fashion. [“Not with a scanty foothold, but with a large and liberal occupancy” (Eadie).—R.] It does not refer to frequency of use, or to the members of the Church=among many (Schenkel).
In all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.—[“In all wisdom” is joined with what follows. The construction is thus rendered more harmonious; the preceding clause has its emphatic adverb last, and the two qualifying participial clauses each begin with an adverbial phrase of manner. Eadie, following the pointing of Tischendorf, joins “psalms,” etc., with the second clause, but this destroys the correspondence, while the objection he urges, in regard to psalms and hymns as the material of instruction, is not in keeping with his own quotation from Basil’s encomium on the Psalms—R.] The participles, which are to be joined with “you” in the nominative, just as in Eph_4:1-3 (Winer’s Gram. p. 532), refer to the application and use of the word present among them, describe the manner in which the word dwells among them. This explains “speaking to yourselves” (Eph_5:19). The first verb indicates the intellectual, the other the moral reference. To both belong the definition of manner “in all wisdom” (comp. Col_1:28), which is placed first emphatically, and the asyndetic datives which define the means to be used [or “the vehicle in which" the teaching and admonishing was communicated (Meyer).—R.]. These means act the more instructively and effectively, the more familiar one is with them, for the hymn grows out of the word of God and of Christ, and these grow into such songs, as the Bible, the Psalter and Church history attest. Tertullian : Post aquam mannalem et lumina, ut quisque de scripturis sacris vel proprio ingenio potest, provocatur in medium canere. Comp. Eph_5:19. The reference is to public worship, to the use of the word of Christ and singing at the agapæ and in the family circle; it should not be limited to the latter (Meyer).
In grace singing in your hearts to God.—[Braune adopts the reading ἐí ÷Üñéôé , and therefore renders “in gratitude” [Dankbarkeit), but with Lachmann, Tischendorf, Meyer, Alford, Ellicott, Wordsworth, it is better to retain the well supported article: ôῇ ÷Üñéôé then refers to Divine grace, the element to which the singing was to be circumscribed,—that which should accompany it.—R.] The clause corresponds in its structure with the foregoing; “in all wisdom,”—“in grace,” the participles, then the closer definition; they are coördinate therefore. It is altogether improper to join both with “be ye thankful,” making “let the word. richly” parenthetical, or to connect “in psalms,” etc., with this clause (Schenkel), on the ground that singing instruction is inconceivable, or to join ἐí ÷Üñéôé with ðíåõìáôéêáῖò (Luther: spiritual, lovely songs). Since “singing” on account of “in your hearts” (see Col_3:15) must be referred to something internal, and “to God” indicates its direction, “in grace” must be a closer definition of the singing; “in gratitude,” as 1Co_10:30. The meaning of ÷Üñéò is like gratia. It cannot mean “in gracefulness” (Col_4:6; Eph_4:29; Erasmus, Schenkel), nor in grace, nor with the article: in the grace impelling thereto (Chrysostom, Meyer). [If the article be retained, this is undoubtedly the meaning; not only because usus loquendi favors such a view, but because the other meaning: “thankfully” would be a flat and unmeaning anticipation of “giving thanks” below (Alford).—R.] The opinion that the phrase “in your hearts” refers to the existing abuse of singing with the mouth (Theofhylact) is not justified, since the reading is not ôῇêáñäéᾴ , and the tone which accompanied instruction is here noted. [Yet the former clause seems to refer to singing with the mouth, and this to that “in the silence of the heart” (Meyer).—R.]
Col_3:17. And everything whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.—It is evident that “do” must be supplied with “all” ( ðÜíôá ), and that “all in the name of the Lord Jesus” corresponds with “everything whatsoever” [ ðᾶíὄôé —the absolute nominative.—R.]; “everything whatsoever” referring to individual things, and “all” taking up the same collectively. On this account it is incorrect to explain it: “in every thing which ye do, do all in the name,” etc. (Meyer), or that out of the doing in general the doing in particular proceeds (Schenkel). [Eadie makes the plural “individualing” also.—R.] The repetition as well as the position of ðÜí , together with the giving of a category (“in word or deed”), and the marking of the individual acts ( ὄ ôé ) as well as the conditional form ( ἐὰí ðïéῆôå ) require that it be understood of the entire action (Bengel : facitis lato sensu ponitur, ut etiam to loqui incendat) and this should be “in the name of the Lord Jesus.” This is joined by “and” to “the word of Christ” (Col_3:16). In addition to His word, His Name, His Person should be availing to us; the former in us, and we in the latter, as in the life-sphere dearest to us, out of which we never go, the element which we cannot lack. See Eph_5:20; Php_2:10. The variation from “Christ” (Col_3:16) and “Jesus” here makes us think of the model of the Incarnate One in the form of a servant. “In the name” is not “with invocation of” (Chrysostom and others). Bengel extends it too far : ut perinde sit, ac si Christus faciat, Col_3:11, vel certi ut Christo omnia probetis.
Giving thanks to God the Father by him.—The participle refers to the mood which should ever attend their “doing” (see Col_2:7; Eph_5:20), and which expresses itself in hymn and song. The repetition (Col_3:15-17) marks the importance of “giving thanks.” On “God the Father,” see Eph_1:3; Eph_5:20; Eph_6:23; Col_1:2 As “Father” is without any closer definition, it means of course, “of Jesus.” [Alford, however, justly remarks: “the words must be taken as approximating in sense to that more technical meaning which they now bear, without exclusive reference to either our Lord or ourselves.”—R.]— äé ’ áὐôïῦ “through him,” is, according to Eph_5:20,=“in the name of the Lord,” marking more strongly the mediation of the thanksgiving, the Christian sentiment (Rom_1:8; Rom_7:25). There is nothing here to indicate opposition to angel-worship (Theodoret, Baehr). [Alford : “ ‘through Him,’ as the one channel of all communication between God and ourselves, whether of grace coming to us, or of thanks coming from us. ‘No man cometh unto the Father but by me’ ( äé ’ ἐçïῦ ), Joh_14:6.” Meyer: “For Jesus, as the personal, historical Mediator of the Messianic Salvation through His atoning work, is therefore for the Christian consciousness the Mediator of thanksgiving; He it is, through whose favor the Christian can and does give thanks.”—R.]
2. The new Christian condition or relation is first of all a relation toward God, yet it at the same time influences essentially the relation between those concerned and transferred by it. It is precisely by this that it must prove itself, the religious by the social. First of all this relation of man to God brings a discord into the individual himself, because it divides him into the receding old man, and the advancing new man. The principle of the old man, selfishness, is made by this relation, to yield or become yielding to the principle of the new man, viz., self-denying and world-denying love and the social virtues: mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, appear as necessary manifestations of the reality of the relations towards God. These virtues must show themselves toward the sins, faults and offences of a brother, just as God’s love has shown and still shows itself toward us.
3. Christian love is active. In the social Christian virtues there is no weakness, effeminacy, indifference. It is not indifferent indolence but active love, energetically breaking out in these as its forms. The Apology for the Augsburg Confession, Colossians 3 : § 110, rightly repels the assertion of the Romanists, that love justifies, since it does not establish the relation to God, only proves that it has been established, in and by the conduct toward the brethren.
4. Christ, in whom God’s love has become and still becomes our portion, remains the only model, the exclusive norm.
5. His peace in the heart, His word in the Church, are the attendants of Christian love, the former as its tone, the latter as the means of promoting it; without the first, rest, confidence and joy were wanting, without the other, certainty, correctness and strength.
6. The Christian Song, deriving its contents and its growth from the word of God, promoted culture and progress in the Christian life; it is in itself a sermon from the Divine word, and has its value in the fact that it is such. The Christian entrusted with it, should use it in the wider and narrower circle of his associates. Produced by spiritual, natural endowments from the use of God’s word and experience in life and heart, it is an excellent means of edification and growth for the new man. [The question of Psalmody and public praise, is to be settled by (Col_3:16) and similar passages. The word of Christ is to be its substance; all that is not of the word of Christ is to be excluded, all that is, may be included. Hence the Psalter in the main source, but not the only one. “In all wisdom” is its mode, hence mere rhymes of a pious turn are not included. Its end is mutual edification, not entertainment, hence the hymn must be adapted to this end, and the singing of it “to edification.” Those who cannot sing to edification may sing in their hearts, but the text implies that “this teaching and admonishing” is not the privilege of a few, but of Christians as a body.—R.]
7. The walk in fellowship with Christ, the practice of Christian virtues, advances us from the rudiments of a pupil to the perfection of a master. Not for merit, but for growth, Christian walk and Christian virtue are indispensable.
8. Gratitude, corresponding with the status into which we have been brought, with the glory of our relation to God, is most important and constant in Christian conduct. [Hence the excellence of those symbols, which treat of Christian morality under the head of the gratitude of God for redemption. See Heidelberg Catechism. This view guards alike against the extremes of antinomianism and legalism.—R.]
Starke:—Nothing gives the devil so much room to come into the heart as hatred and anger; God’s children drive out both by meekness and spit on the embers, so that they may not break out into a fire.—He who bids us put up the sword, allows us still a shield for our protection; He who has commanded us to be as doves, has desired that we be “wise as serpents.”—A little child, that falls so often and so easily, is lifted up and carried; so gently and tenderly must weak Christians be dealt with. The world sets itself to righting and fighting, if attacked even by a cross word; but a Christian overcomes all by forgiving and yielding; he yields his own right [not the right, however,] and does not think of revenging himself.—That the wolf devours the lamb is nothing uncommon, but that one lamb eats another is deplorable and unnatural; we who are Christ’s sheep will cherish love toward one another.—Behold the necessity of household devotion. All others have their assemblies, merchants, mechanics, etc., yes even the Godless, that they may mock at God and His word, should not believers then establish their holy assemblies ?—We must thank God not only for His benefits, but also for His fatherly chastisements. “Both in His gifts and in His chastisements, praise Him, who either wins thee by giving, that thou mayest not want, or punishes thee when wandering, that thou mayest not perish” (Augustine).
Schleiermacher:—Christian social life : 1) what the deeds peculiar to the new man are; 2) what is distributed to each by virtue of these peculiarities of the new man; 3) the common rule for every one.—Controversy does not divide love and is not against the Christian spirit, if it only proceeds from a desire after nothing save what is true and right.—Love “the bond of perfectness:” 1) by which all imperfections are balanced; 2) by which all that bears in itself only the appearance of the new man, not its true spirit, is overcome; 3) by which we become helpful to others.
Passavant:—Forbearance may be difficult in certain cases; forgiveness is harder still.—However necessary this gift (God’s word) from above is, it will be learned from daily experience, that the Christians here and there are a very sensitive folk, not permitting themselves to be easily admonished or exhorted, hence the so frequent halts and retreats.—The first Christians from among the Jews soon found in their Psalms from earlier ages, thoughts and words for the later inward experiences, for the thanksgiving, praise and adoration of their new life; and those who came out of heathenism, listened with wonder, when these words of the sacred singers were transferred into their own language, and learned thence the quiet joys and devotions of God’s children in Israel. But soon too under their beautiful sky new Psalms and hymns in their own Greek tongue were born out of the deep inspiration and the holy and happy feelings of their redeemed souls. This glorious gift of spiritual song contributed greatly to the spread of the pure gospel in the age of the Reformation. The great Reformer of the Germans with his friends soon became their choristers, and it is a precious privilege to follow them and so many God-inspired men of after days in singing these beautiful Psalms and sweet hymns.
Genzken :—The choice communion garment of the children of God: 1) who gives it to them (Col_3:15); 2) how it is woven (Col_3:12-15); 3) ho w we should put it on.—Harless :—The proper self-education for the maintenance of divine love and divine peace : 1) constant practice in obedience to God’s word; 2) sanctification of all our doings in the name of the Lord Jesus; 3) unceasing thanksgiving for God’s unmerited grace in Christ.—Schnur :—Spiritual songs: 1) Eagles of Christianity; 2) missionaries of Protestantism; 3) heart-preachers of our nation; 4) mouth of our worship; 5) the Apostles in our houses; 6) the crown of our congregations.—Wolf :—The comfort and joy of the Christian in spiritual songs. They serve: 1) as witnesses of the truth from all stations for the strengthening of our faith; 2) as confessions from the inner life of experienced Christians for the soothing of our spirits; 3) as awakening voices of the Spirit to enliven our own meditation.—Köhler:—The new man, as St. Paul depicts him, outshines all the lustre of the world! 1) His richly-colored garment; 2) his golden girdle; 3) his heart’s peace; 4) the weapons of his hand.—Pröhle :—Bible and hymn book, two precious household treasures; 1) their worth; 2) their use.—Love in all human unions, the most perfect bond : 1) the noblest; 2) the gentlest; 3) the firmest.—Exhortation to Christian families to engage in family worship; it Isaiah 1) a venerable custom inherited from our fathers, though unfortunately disappearing from many houses; 2) deeply grounded in the character of Christianity, as well as in the nature of the family circle; 3) of the most blessed influence upon the home life itself.
[Beveridge :
Col_3:17. Doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus. 1) What is meant by “the name of the Lord Jesus.” a. Lord of all, b. Jesus, Saviour, c. Lord Jesus by the Incarnation. d. Mighty works in His name. 2) And we ought to do all, etc., a. only what God commands or allows, b. in a firm faith in His Holy name. c. for His glory. 3) Instances of things thus done in God’s word. Religious assemblies, Sacraments, Thanksgiving, Censures of the church, Resisting the devil, even giving a cup of cold water. All that a Christian may do, can be done in His name.—R.]
[Burkitt:
Col_3:12. Humility is a certain evidence of our holiness, because it is a great part of our holiness.
Col_3:13. He must have no friends, that will have a friend with no faults, consequently Christians stand in need of forgiveness from each other.
Col_3:14. 1) The upper garment is larger and broader than the rest; so ought charity to extend itself to all persons and upon all occasions. 2) The upper garment is usually fairer than the rest; so doth charity shine brightest amongst all the graces. 3) The upper garment distinguishes the general orders and degrees of men; thus Christians are known by love, as by a livery; it is the bond that Christ’s sincere disciples wear.
Col_3:16. If the heart and affections be not stirred in this duty of singing, the outward grace, though never so graceful availeth nothing.—R.]
[Henry :
Col_3:12. They who owe so much to mercy, ought to be merciful to all who are proper objects of mercy.—There must not only be an humble carriage but an humble mind.
Col_3:13. We need the same good turn from others which we are obliged to show them.
Col_3:15. The work of thanksgiving to God is such a sweet and pleasant work, that it will help to make us sweet and pleasant towards all men.
Col_3:16. The gospel is the word of Christ, which is come to us; but that is not enough, it must dwell in us, or keep house, as a master, who has a right to prescribe and direct to all under his roof.
Col_3:17. They who do all things in Christ’s name, will never want matter of thanksgiving to God the Father.—R.]
[Eadie :
Col_3:14. “Love the bond of perfectness.” Bound up in this zone, every Christian. excellence fills its own place, and keeps it, and the whole character is sound, does not distort itself by excess, nor enfeeble itself by defect.
Col_3:15. A peace, which is not the peace of Christ, is often rudely disturbed, for it is but a dream and a slumber in the midst of volcanic power, which are employing the time in gathering up their energies for a more awful conflict.
Col_3:16. Such ought to be the habitual respect to Christ’s authority, such the constant and practical influence of His word within us, that even without reference to Him, or express consultation of Him, all we say or do should be said and done in His Spirit.—Art, science, literature, politics and business, should be all baptized into the spirit of Christ.—R.]
[Barnes:
Col_3:16. He who is permitted to make the hymns of a church need care little who preaches, or who makes the creed.
Col_3:17. We are to engage in every duty, not only in the name of Christ, but with thankfulness for the privilege of acting so that we may honor Him.—Schenkel :—The victory of peace in the heart: 1) It comes from Christ; 2) it is accomplished in the church; 3) it is constantly attended by thanksgiving.—The proper Christian congregational singing: 1) The choice of hymns; 2) the kind of singing; 3) the source from which it should spring; 4) the end, which it should aim at.—The nature of Christian gratitude as shown: 1) In that, for which the Christian is thankful; 2) In whom he thanks; 3) In whose name he gives thanks.—R.]
Footnotes:
Col_3:12.—[ Ἅãéïé , “saints,” if used substantively as Braune holds. See Exeg. Notes. There are several quite unimportant various readings in this verse; ïé ̇ êôéñìïῦ and ðñáàôçôá are preferable to ïé ̇ êôéñìῶí and ðñáüôçôá of the Rec.—R.]
Col_3:13.—[ ἈëëÞëùí — ὲáõôïῖò ; there is nothing in the E. V. to indicate that different words follow the two participles.—R.]
Col_3:13.—Instead of ὁ ×ñéóôüò , C. [K. L., most versions, Tischendorf, Meyer, Ellicott, Wordsworth, Rec.], A. B. and others [Lachmann, Alford] read ὁ êõñßïò . à . ὁ èåüò . Besides, èåὸò ôïῦ ×ñéóôïῦ , deus in christo, occur.
Col_3:13.—[To supply an imperative, with E. V., breaks the construction unnecessarily. If anything be supplied in English it should be the auxiliary participle as above.—R.]
Col_3:14.—[ Ἐðὶ ðᾶóéí äὲ ôïýôïéò . “But over all these;”—“above all” is ambiguous.—R.]
Col_3:14.—A.B.C.F.G. and others read ö; ὅò in à . is a correction, as well as the later ἥôéò ; [Rec., grammatical emendatiou (Meyer, Alford).—R.]
Col_3:15.—[ Ôïῦ ×ñéóôïῦ on the authority of à . A. B. C. and most versions, modern editors generally, instead of ðïῦ èåïῦ , Rec, followed by E. V.—R.]
Col_3:16.— Êáß before ὕìíïéò and ᾠäáῖò added from Eph_5:19.
Col_3:16.—[Braune omits the article before ÷Üñéôé and renders “in thanksgiving.” But it is retained by most modern editors on the authority of B. and others. See Exeg. Notes—R.]
Col_3:16.—[ Ôῷèåῷ is the reading of the mass of MSS., adopted by most modern editors; êõñéῷ , Rec. Lachmann, probably taken from Eph_5:19.—R.]
Col_3:17.—B reads êõñßïõ Ἰçóïῦ , à . inserts ×ñéóôïῦ , others omit êõñßïõ . [Lachmann, Ellicott, Wordsworth follow the last reading; Tischendorf, Alford, Rec. that of B.—R].
Col_3:17.—[ Êáß , probably from Eph_5:20, is omitted in à . A. B. C., by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Meyer, Alford, Ellicott, Wordsworth.—R.]
[I have thus attempted to retain the neatness of Braune’s sentence: “Das Verhalten ist durch das Verhältniss bestimmt,” with indifferent success.—R.]