Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Colossians 3:5 - 3:11
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Col_3:5-11
5Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him- 11a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
Col_3:5
NASB "consider the members of your earthly body as dead"
NKJV "put to death your members which are on the earth"
NRSV "put to death whatever in you is earthly"
TEV "you must put to death the earthly desires at work in you"
NJB "you must kill everything in you that is earthly"
This is an aorist active imperative which denotes urgency (cf. Col_3:8; Col_3:12). It begins a section which emphasizes the need for believers to strip themselves of evil once and for all (Col_3:5-11). Paul often used clothing as a metaphor for the spiritual life (cf. Rom_6:6; Rom_6:11; Rom_8:13; Eph_4:22; Eph_4:24-25; Eph_4:31, possibly from Zechariah 3). Believers are to die to self, to sin, and to worldliness. The next section emphasizes that Christians should put on Christlike virtues (Col_3:10-17).
Paul often characterized the sins of the old life and old man in lists which in many ways were similar to the Greek moralists (like the Stoics) of his day.
hyperlink
▣ "immorality, impurity" This first Greek term (porneia) originally meant "harlot," but it came to be used for sexual immorality in general (cf. 1Co_6:9). We get the English term "pornography" from this word. The second term "impurity" (akatharsia) was also a general term for sexual immorality, though it was originally used in the OT in the sense of ceremonial uncleanliness or moral uncleanliness. Paul intended the second connotation.
▣ "passion, evil desire" These two terms are also used together in 1Th_4:5 and translated "lustful passion." The first term, "passion" (pathos), is used in two very different senses: (1) of suffering and (2) of sexual desire.
The second term, "evil desire" (epithumia), is also used in two very different senses, a strong desire for something (1) good or (2) evil. Context must determine which aspect of a word's semantical field is meant by the author.
This list of sexual sins may be related to the false teachers. Gnostic false teachers were of two types: (1) those who lived ascetic lives of self-abasement and (2) others who viewed the body as irrelevant to spiritual life and indulged the body's desires. Often sexual and financial exploitation characterize false teachers.
▣ "greed" This term is usually used of desire for things, but in a context of sexual exploitation, it may have meant more and more sexual pleasure at any cost! Some see others only as objects for personal, sexual gratification.
▣ "which amounts to idolatry" Anything that dominates, controls, or demands allegiance becomes an idol which replaces God. For some, sexual pleasure becomes the focus of their lives, thoughts, and plans.
Col_3:6 "the wrath of God will come" In many ways this is similar to Paul's discussion in Rom_1:18 to Rom_2:16. God's wrath was viewed in two time frames in the Bible: (1) sin resulted in punishment now, in this life (temporal) and (2) God will judge all mankind one day (eschatological).
There is a Greek manuscript variant at this point. The longer text, which includes the Semitic idiom "upon the sons of disobedience," is in the uncial MSS à , A, C, D, F, G, H, K, L, and P. It is omitted in MSS P46 and B. The longer reading is found in every manuscript of Eph_5:6 which may be the source of this addition (see Bruce M Metzger, A Textual Commentary On the Greek NT, p. 824).
Col_3:7 "in them you also once walked" The background of the Colossian believers was paganism (cf. Rom_6:19; 1Co_6:11; Tit_3:3). These believers used to think and live these kinds of sins.
Col_3:8 "But now" Notice the contrast (old man vs. new man).
▣ "put them all aside" This is an aorist middle imperative which denotes urgency. Believers must be different. Paul used clothing as a metaphor for a person's lifestyle choices. Believers are encouraged to take off the old life and lay it aside like a garment (cf. Col_3:8-9; Eph_4:22; Eph_4:25; Eph_4:31; Jas_1:21; 1Pe_2:1). They are to put on Christ (cf. Col_3:10; Col_3:12; Col_3:14; Eph_4:24 : Rom_13:14; Gal_3:27). These believers were once controlled and dominated by their evil desires, but now, through Christ, they can turn from them (cf. Romans 5-6).
▣ "anger" This term means continuing, long-lasting, simmering anger (cf. 2Co_12:20; Gal_5:20; Eph_4:31).
▣ "wrath" This term means fast-burning anger or outburst of rage (cf. 2Co_12:20; Gal_5:20; Eph_4:31).
▣ "malice" This term means "vicious thoughts" (cf. Rom_1:29; 1Co_5:8; Eph_4:31). It implies a desire to hurt others.
▣ "slander and abusive speech" People are listening; our speech reflects who we really are (cf. Mat_12:34-35; Mat_15:11; Mat_15:18; Mar_7:20; Eph_4:29; Eph_5:4; Jas_2:3-12).
hyperlink
Col_3:9 "do not lie" This is a present middle (deponent) imperative with negative particle which meant stop an action in process. The Greek sentence runs from Col_3:9 to Col_3:11. Christian speech must be true, honest, edifying, and spoken in love (cf. Eph_4:15).
Col_3:10 "the new self who is being renewed" This is a present passive participle with the implied agent being God or the Spirit. The Christian life is both a state (Eph_2:5; Eph_2:8) and a process of development (1Co_1:18). Its goal is Christlikeness (cf. Rom_8:29; Gal_4:19; Eph_1:4), being restored to the image of God. This "renewing" (cf. 2Co_4:16 and the noun in Rom_12:2 and Tit_3:5) is a work of God that each believer must allow, and must cooperate with God to perform it in them (like the "filling" of the Spirit, also a present passive participle in Eph_5:18).
hyperlink
▣ "a true knowledge" This is literally "in full knowledge" (epignôsin). In contradistinction to the false knowledge of the Gnostics.
Col_3:11 This verse expresses the same truth as Rom_3:22; Rom_3:29; Rom_10:12; 1Co_12:13; Gal_3:28 and Eph_2:11-22. All human barriers and distinctions are removed by the gospel. This does not remove all biblical distinctions, for example, the relationship between husbands and wives (cf. Eph_5:21-31) or the rich and poor (cf. Jas_1:9-10), but it does remove all inequality!
▣ "no barbarian, Scythian" This referred to cultured and uncultured Gentiles. The onomatopoeic term "barbarian" originally referred to the way that people of the Greco-Roman Empire heard the European tribes speak which they referred to as "bar bar bar." Greco-Roman society considered the Scythians the most uncivilized and barbaric national entity.
hyperlink
▣ "Christ is all, and in all" Jesus is the leveling influence and sphere. In Him all human distinctions are removed in the love of God! All may come, all are welcome, all become family (cf. Gal_3:28). Salvation in Christ is the reversal of the Fall (cf. Col_3:10, "image") and the Tower of Babel (cf. Genesis 10-11, division of people).