Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Colossians 3:8 - 3:8

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Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Colossians 3:8 - 3:8


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

8. νυνὶ δὲ, see Col 1:21.

ἀπόθεσθε. ἀποτίθεσθαι is used of putting off clothing, literally in Act 7:58, and metaphorically in Rom 13:12; Eph 4:22 (in both passages contrasted with ἐνδύεσθαι), also probably in Heb 12:1, and Jam 1:21. In 1Pe 2:1 Hort (q.v.) thinks that the metaphor of clothing is not present. In our passage the reference is doubtful, but on the whole probable, ἀπεκδυσάμενοι (Col 3:9) apparently carrying on and further defining the metaphor.

Observe the tense. There is, ideally, to be no half-heartedness, or any time spent, in such putting off.

καὶ ὑμεῖς. Probably with a slightly different connotation from Col 3:7. “You also” in distinction from what you yourselves once did.

τὰ πάντα, “them all” (Ell.); cf. Col 1:16. Primarily “these things,” of Col 3:7, but because sins cannot be arranged into separate compartments, as it were, St Paul proceeds to include under “them all” other sins of (popularly speaking) a different kind, viz. sins of disposition and of speech.

ὀργήν. Doubtless suggested here by ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ, Col 3:6, to which it forms a contrast. For this and the context compare Jam 1:19-21, βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν, ὀργὴ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς δικαιοσύνην θεοῦ οὐκ ἐργάζεται διὸ ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας κ.τ.λ.

θυμόν. Of ὀργή and θυμός, ὀργή is the more settled and permanent feeling, θυμός the ebullition and manifestation, which may be but temporary. So especially Sir 48:10, explaining Malachi’s prophecy of Elijah (Col 4:5), ὁ καταγραφεὶς ἐν ἐλεγμοῖς εἰς καιρούς, κοπάσαι ὀργὴν πρὸ θυμοῦ (of God, see also Rom 2:8). Compare Theodoret on Psa 68:25 (Psa 69:25), διὰ τοῦ θυμοῦ τὸ ταχὺ δεδήλωκε τοιοῦτος γὰρ ὁ θυμός· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀργῆς τὸ ἐπίμονον· τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ τῆς ὀργῆς φύσις. Compare Trench, Synon. § xxxvii.

κακίαν, “malice” in the usual sense, “malignity.”

βλασφημίαν, “slander.” There can be no thought here of “blasphemy” against God (Mat 12:31), but only of false accusation against man (Rev 2:9). St Paul has the substantive only in two other of his lists of sins, Eph 4:31; 1Ti 6:4, in each case evidently with the same meaning as here.

αἰσχρολογίαν, “abuse.” Here only in the Greek Bible. But cf. Eph 5:3-4, πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἤ πλεονεξία μησὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, καὶ αἰσχρό της καὶ μωρολογία ἥ εὐτραπελία. Strictly “turpiloquium,” such as ministers to wantonness, but if this is its meaning here we should have expected to have found the word in Col 3:5. Hence Trench, Synon. § xxxiv., is probably right in giving to it the wider meaning of abuse generally, quoting Polybius, e.g. VIII. 13. 8, ἡ κατὰ τῶν φίλων αἰσχρολογία, and XXXI. 10. 4, αἰσχρολογία καὶ λοιδορία κατὰ τοῦ βασιλέως. The transition would be easier in an Oriental land than in our own, for Oriental abuse is generally foul.

ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν. Hardly with ἀπόθεσθε for the phrase cannot well refer to ὀργή, θυμός, κακία. It rather adds a fresh point to αἰσχρολογία, implying that such words ought to be stopped before they come out of the mouth. It marks, as it were, their final stage. Cf. Eph 4:29.