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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Colossians 4:6 - 4:6
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
6. ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν. A subdivision of the general attitude to be taken towards unbelievers (Col 4:5).
πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι. χάρις when connected with λόγος (cf. Ecc 10:12), and especially when also connected with ἅλς, would suggest to an ordinary Greek reader “pleasingness.” But to St Paul (who never, as it seems, uses it merely in that sense; on Col 3:16 see there) χάρις much rather suggested “grace.” Hence it is probable that St Paul here intended his Christian readers to understand his words to mean “Let your speech be always with grace,” clothed in that Divine gift of spiritual power effective for yourself and others. Cf. J. A. R. on || Eph 4:29.
ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος. Your speech must not be insipid, but pungent, agreeable to the taste of men in their right mind (Job 6:6), and therefore useful. On the form ἅλας see Blass, Gram. § 8. 6.
εἰδέναι. The aim (cf. λαλῆσαι, Col 4:3), or more probably the result, of speaking ἐν χάριτι always.
πῶς. τί would have indicated the matter only, πῶς includes matter, form and manner.
δεῖ. Weaker than in Col 4:4. Yet moral fitness is really moral necessity.
ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. ἀποκρίνομαι here only in the Pauline Epistles. For the thought of the whole verse cf. 1Pe 3:15.
Chrys. (408 A) well says, εἰ γὰρ ἰατρὸς οὐχ ὁμοίως πᾶσι χρήσεται τοῖς σώμασι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον διδάσκαλος.