Colossians 3

David Lipscomb Commentary On Colossians 3Col 3:1 If then ye were raised together with Christ,—In these words Paul refers to what took place when they entered into Christ. “ Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12). Since then they had put off the old man of sin in baptism, and had been raised with Christ, and in Christ, carry forward this begun work of conformity to the life of Christ.seek the things that are above, where Christ is,—We seek the heavenly things by recognizing Jesus, who is in heaven, as our Head, and as members of his body, doing his will in all things. [These are the reward of faithful service on earth, and are within reach of present human effort and its noblest aim. Indeed, every effort to please Christ and to advance his kingdom may be looked upon as an effort to gain the things at his right hand, for these are an inevitable and known result of such effort. (Romans 2:7).]seated on the right hand of God.—[The life in Christ is the elevation of our whole manhood into a divine realm of thought and action. This figuratively expresses the union of Christ with God in the possession of divine power and authority, and in peace, a further reason for seeking heavenly things.]Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things that are above,—To set the mind upon him in the affections is to direct the thoughts, desires, and affections toward the things that are in heaven, cultivate an earnest desire for them, and follow the path that leads to them.not on the things that are upon the earth.—Do not seek after the worldly, fleshly ends and aims— the gratification of theflesh—worldly ambition, or earthly riches. [We may use the world without abusing it. But it must be secondary, and made subservient to the higher and heavenly interests of the soul.]Colossians 3:3 For ye died,—You are dead with Christ to the world, and your life is swallowed up in the life of Jesus Christ. Paul said: “ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20). [This represents a distinct dement in Christian experience; it means that the soul passes through a death to earthly things— sin and its allurements of the flesh, just as the Lord died upon the cross.

The crucifixion must have its counterpart within us. We die to the attractions of the world.

The dead know not nor care for anything of this world. Their love and hatred and envy are wholly wiped out. A dead man is as cold and motionless as a stone to all things about which the living make ado. How perfectly then, how entirely, ought we to be free from sin, in order to be dead to it! It is not enough from outward acts of sin, but if the heart cherishes any liking for it. This is not dying to it. Before we can attain to that perfect sinlessness, our hearts must be completely closed against the temptation as if we were nailed down in our coffin; our ears must be deaf to his voice; our eyes must be blind to his charms. We must not only give up every evil practice; we must also stifle every evil desire.

Nothing less can deserve the name of being dead to sin. This, then, is the perfection of devotion after which we are to diligently strive.]and your life is hid with Christ in God.—By faith we are crucified to ourselves, die to our own life, and appropriate the life of Jesus and live his life, reproduce the life of the Son of God in our own bodies and lives. [Christ is our life now as well as here­after. This is simply a summary of two truths: “ Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20) as the source of life; and “ for to me to live— as the actual condition of life— is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). It is but a brief expression of faith in the truth which Jesus declared in these words: “I am the resurrection, and the life: . . . and who­soever . . . believeth on me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26). Hence our spiritual life is not only a being “ with Christ” ; it is also unity with Christ in the bosom of the Father.]Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, s/hall be manifested,—The reference is to the second coming of Christ, which was a blessed hope to Paul as it is to us. He looked for his personal coming again as a glorious hope.

Christ is our life here and now, for “ he that hath the Son hath the life.” (1 John 5:12).then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.—It will be in glory and we shall share in that glory. “ We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.” (1 John 3:2). The glory will come as the crown of the hidden life.Colossians 3:5+Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth:—These members are those which seek only fleshly and sensual gratification, and pertain only to the flesh.

They are those of the fleshly body in contrast with the faculties and desires of the spiritual body. The exhortation is to put them to death. Hold them in restraint, check them. Unrestrained they lead to the sins enumerated.fornication,—Strictly speaking, fornication is illicit inter­course between the sexes, whether married or unmarried. Adul­tery is a violation of the marriage bed, or unlawful sexual inter­course with another person, whether married or unmarried. Fornication sometimes signifies adultery. (Matthew 19:9). [The church of Christ should wage such a relentless warfare against all such wickedness that all such characters would either come to repentance or learn that the church has no fellowship for them.]uncleanness,—Every manifestation in word or look or deed of the impure spirit, and so is wider and subtler than the gross physical act.

It includes self-abuse, bestiality, and sodomy.passion, evil desire,—[The source of evil deeds. More in­ward and more general than the preceding.

They include not only the lusts and longings which give rise to the special sins just denounced, but to all forms of hungry appetite and desire after the “ members which are upon the earth.” If we desire to draw a distinction between the two, probably passion is somewhat narrow­er than desire, and the former represents the evil emotion as an affection which the mind suffers, while the latter represents it as a longing which it actually puts forth. The lusts of the flesh are in the one aspect kindled by the outward temptations which come with terrible force and carry the unstable captive, acting almost irresistibly on the animal nature. In the one the evil comes into the heart; in the other the heart goes out to the evil.]and covetousness,—Covetousness is such an overmastering desire for what belongs to another that the laws of right and justice are violated to obtain it. It is closely allied to the grosser forms of sensuality, and but another form of evil desire going out to the things “ which are upon the earth.” The ordinary worldly nature flies for solace either to the pleasures of appetite or to the passion of acquiring. And not only are they closely connected in root, but covetousness often follows lust in the history of a life just as it does in this catalogue. When the former evil spirit loses its hold, the latter often takes its place.

Many men are now mainly devoted to making money, whose youth was foul with sensual indulgence. When that palled, this came to titillate the jaded desires with a new form of gratification.

In that case, covetousness is promoted vice, lust superannuated.which is idolatry;—Those who reject the God of the Bible formulate a god from their own imagination and desires. Such a god is of necessity the deification of their own reason, desires, appetites, and lusts. The heathen embody them in idols of wood, stone, and metal which are visible objects of worship; but these images are all representatives of certain qualities which they cherish and seek to attain. They are the embodiment of their ideas of the highest good. A man really worships that on which his heart is most earnestly set, which is the chief end of his labor in life. That which man most ardently desires, he worships; and the service he renders in obtaining it is worship.

Hence the Holy Spirit defines covetousness to be idolatry. The man that is covet­ous unduly desires and seeks money, worships it, and becomes sor­did, heartless, selfish, and his whole soul is absorbed in the one end of gaining money.

When a man desires, above all things, to gratify his lusts and fleshly appetites, and finds happiness only in this, he worships the god of lust; becomes licentious, sensual; loses all ennobling spiritual aspirations; and abandons himself to the grati­fication of his lusts, and the same is true of covetousness.Colossians 3:6for which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience:—Man left without restraint which the worship of God lays on him, controlled by his fleshly lusts alone, falls into these degrading sins; the wrath of God rests upon them to destroy them. It was for sins of this kind that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and the inhabitants of Canaan. Faith in God is the only power on earth that can hold in restraint the evil passions and lusts of man to live the life God desires he should live. All the appetites, desires, and lusts of the body, restrained and guided by the law of God, promote man’ s happiness and his well-being. Unrestrained, they work degradation, sink him below the brute, and bring him to/ ruin.Colossians 3:7wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things;—He reminds them that they walked in these things while they knew not God, and were given over to idolatry. [They formerly lived in the sins just mentioned. They then went along a path trodden by those whose character was derived from and determined by the principle of rebellion against God.]Colossians 3:8but now do ye also put them all away:—Since they Had died with Christ to the world, they were to put away the sins he now mentions.anger,—The natural passion or emotion of displeasure aroused by injury or insult, real or imagined, and directed against the cause thereof; sudden and strong displeasure.

The apostle requires that this feeling be controlled.wrath—Deep, determined, and lasting anger; extreme and uncontrolled passion, and if not quickly subdued it grows violent and works malice.malice,—This is a disposition or intent to Injure others for the gratification of anger, jealousy, hatred; active malev­olence. It is always sinful.railing,—Scornful, insolent, or derisive language; to blame with bitterness, and may be directed either against God or man.

It is sinful in either case.shameful speaking—Obscene and filthy talk, calculated to excite the appetite, lusts, and passion which are all wrong in the sight of God.out of your mouth:—This adds to the prohibition graphic definiteness. “ Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.” (Ephesians 4:29). All that comes out of the mouth that injures the hearer works yet greater injury to the speaker. These are all to be put away by Christians as unworthy of their high calling in Christ.Colossians 3:9lie not one to another;—To lie is to deceive. Intentional deception is lying, no matter whether done by deed or act, whether by opening or closing the mouth. Do not deceive or take advan­tage of one another. To deceive in order that one may get advan­tage is dishonest, is to steal.

Lying, deception, and dishonesty belong to the did man— the man of sin that was put off in baptism.seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,—When we put off the old man of sin, we put off his deeds, cease the course of life in which we walked when following the flesh. [So complete is the change that the man himself as he formerly was is spoken of as an old garment laid aside, as though per­sonality itself were changed.]Colossians 3:10and have put on the new man,—This is the new life into which they were led by faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ leads man to seek to conform his spirit and life to the life of Christthat is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:—Jesus Christ created him.

By obtain­ing a knowledge of Christ and his will, our spiritual being is changed into the likeness of Christ. That is, we learn to think, feel, purpose, and act like Christ. So the heart, the inner man, is made into his image or likeness, and through this the body is brought to obey his will. [Knowledge is the aim of the renewal and the creator is its pattern: therefore the knowledge aimed at must be a human counterpart of the creator’ s infinite knowledge. As the renewal makes progress, we shall in greater measure share God’ s knowledge of all that he has made and done. In other words, spiritual growth is growth in intelligence of spiritual things.]Colossians 3:11where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman;—In Christ there are no distinctions of the flesh— no distinct nationalities or/ states. By the law of Moses, all had to be circumcised, and become as children of Abraham or Jews, to become the people of God.but Christ is all, and in all.—This does not mean that those of different states and sexes do not have different duties to per­form, suited to their different faculties and conditions, but all shall be the children of God without reference to these conditions. [To have Christ is to have all things— for he is himself all that his servants need.

And in all his servants, as himself all things to them, Christ is. In the slave Christ is his liberty; in the Scythian, as his civilization and culture.

And since Christ in­cludes in himself the whole world of man’ s need, and dwells in all his servants, all human distinctions have in the new life passed utterly away. National and social barriers there cannot be where Christ is.]Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as God’ s elect,—The Christians at Co­lossae, Gentiles who had believed and been baptized into Christ, are called God’ s elect. The Jews had been the elect of God, now both Jews and Gentiles who believed in and obeyed Jesus Christ are equally God’ s elect. And as his elect or chosen people Paul be­seeches them to clothe themselves with the qualities that become the children of God.holy and beloved,—As God’ s chosen people, he beseeches them to clothe themselves with the qualities that become the children of God. [Beloved describes the position of those who, carrying out by their present holiness the purpose of their election, are the objects of God’ s abiding love. (1 Thessalonians 1:4). This love brought about their election and set at work the means by which it was accomplished. (Ephesians 1:3-4; Ephesians 2:4; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:9-10).]a heart of compassion,—Inasmuch as we have put on Christ, as members of his body, we ought to drink into his spirit— a spirit of compassion for those who have done wrong. When we were sinners against God, he showed his compassion, his love for us, by giving his Son to die for us that we might escape death.kindness,—If we are led by the Spirit of God, we must show the same spirit— a heart of kindness to all. [The objects of compassion are the suffering and miserable; of kindness to the needy and dependent.]lowliness,—Not proud, haughty, not thinking highly of self. [This word here means lowliness of mind and not the mock humility of 2: 18.

Jesus exalted lowliness and pointed out the perils of self-conceit in a number of parables and applied it to himself. (Matthew 11:29). This grace is opposed to haughtiness.]meekness,—Gentle and forbearing under ill-treatment and provocation, but firm and unyielding in devotion to right.

It goes far deeper down than any attitude towards man. It lays hold on the will of God as the supreme good, and delights in absolutely and perfectly conforming itself to it.longsuffering;—Gentle and unresenting while suffering un­der ill-treatment. It finds its pattern in God’ s dealing with the unthankful and the evil. (Luke 6:35). It is so natural for us when falsely accused to feel that we must defend ourselves, or to resent such treatment; but of our Lord we read that when false witnesses had risen up against him “ he gave him no answer, not even to one word.” (Matthew 27:14).Colossians 3:13forbearing one another, and forgiving each other,—In differences in which we feel that we are right and our brethren wrong, we should be gentle and patient, not quick to assert our rights, or to avenge the wrongs others committed against us.if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:—Here Christ and his course are held up as an example to us. We are to treat others and forgive others as Christ treated and forgave us. How did Christ treat us ?

When we were sinners he forbore to execute justice upon us. He suffered long, treated us kindly, gave us health, sent the sunshine and rain, gave us food and raiment; and died to save us because he loved us, and desired not the death of any, but that all might repent that he might forgive them that they might live.

Christ does not forgive us until we repent and turn from our sins against him. We cannot forgive those who sin against us until they repent. But Christ did love us, forbore with us, did good to us, and died for us to induce us to repent that he might save us. While those who have wronged us refuse to repent we are to be kind, and show our love for them— do good to them, return good for evil— that they may be brought to repent of their sins that we may forgive them. We cannot forgive those who sin against us till the/y repent.Colossians 3:14and above all these things put on love,—As a bond above all the virtues, feelings, and acts, put on love, as a bond to bind all these special qualities together into one godly character— a char­acter like that of God. Jesus said: “ Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45).

Many of us have indefinite and incorrect con­ceptions of what love is. It is not an emotion, or a fleshly feeling, or a magnetic attraction, or a mere sentiment.

The apostle defines it: “ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” (1 John 5:3).which is the bond of perfectness.—We so trust and confide in God that we take his direction as our guide in all good, and do all that he directs, that we may do the greatest possible good. t, then, accepts God as the standard and inspiration of right and the source of all good; and so in discharging the obligations of love we do all that his law directs— what God would have us do to them. So love is the one thing that includes, binds in one, all that goes to make up perfection.Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,—The heart is the inner spiritual man. The peace of God is the peace he bestows on those who love and obey him. It arises from the consciousness of union and harmony with him. If we are in union and harmony with him, who rules the world, we can bear with quiet and complacency all the minor ills, trials, and troubles that spring up in our pathway here. [It is the test of everything; by it everything is to be determined.]to the which also ye were called in one body;—In the body of Christ the peace of God reigns. All in Christ are time and again exhorted to cherish the peace that is the fruit of trusting obedience to the Lord.and be ye thankful.—They were called by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, into the peace, and for this they should be truly thankful.Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;—The word or teaching of Christ dwells in us richly, when we know and understand it, and it fills our hearts, moulds our thoughts and feelings, and guides our lives, accepting it as the fullness and completeness of all wisdom. [Richly suggests abundance.

The spoken word of Christ is to have a permanent and abundant place in the church, and on the lips and thoughts of its members, thus making them truly rich.]in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,—Singing is one means of getting the word of Christ into the hearts of the hearers. By speaking in songs they are to teach and admonish one another, by bringing the thoughts and feelings of the heart into harmony with the sentiment of the songs.

These are the ends and purposes of the worship of the song service. To present the sentiment in song helps to carry the impression to the heart. The thoughts contained in the words do the teaching and admonishing; the song is the vehicle by which the sentiments are conveyed to the heart of those who hear and understand. Instrumental accompaniment does not aid in conveying the thoughts and sentiments to the heart of those who hear. It hinders, rather than helps. The words must be heard and dis­tinctly understood and the sentiments apprehended to effect this end. The instrumental service hinders and diverts the mind from, instead of aiding in, this work. If it aids at all, it is in the execution of the musical performance.

This is the danger point and the bane of the song service— that it be diverted to a musical performance to entertain, instead of service to God. The instru­mental performance helps to corrupt it at its weakest point, and really hinders it in the main end and purpose for which God ordained it. This, I conclude, would be the case, else God would have connected the instrumental with song service. He knew what is in man, and knew exactly what would be best to effect his purpose. He did not ordain instrumental music in his service. For man to bring it in is at once to impugn the wisdom of the Almighty and to corrupt his service and pervert the end of his appointment.

As a musical performance it cannot be called an aid to the singing. An aid or helper is less conspicuous and im­portant than the thing aided.

The principal occupies the chief and leading place; the aid the secondary position. The mechanical instrument occupies the leading, not the secondary, part in time and sound, in the service where it is used. It usurps the chief or principal place, and the singing is done as a mere accompaniment of the instrumental service. The attention and thoughts are diverted from the sentiment of the song to the symphonies of the mechanical instrument. It defeats the chief end of the song, the moral and spiritual impression on the heart, and in the musical performance is not an aid, but a hindrance, to the leading end, and makes the singing a minor accompaniment to the instrumental performance. It defeats and perverts the service ordained by God, both in the aim and in th/e performance.singing with grace in your hearts unto God.—We are to sing in the sunshine of the favor of God, our song being prompted by his great goodness to us.

The melody of the lips coming from and filling the heart. Whatever goes up to God must fill the heart.

In the parallel passage it is said: “ And … be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19). These passages mean exactly the same. To “ be filled with the Spirit” and to have the “ word of Christ dwell in you richly” are one and the same thing; to sing and make melody in the heart to the Lord and to sing with grace in the heart are one and the same thing, and mean to bring the thoughts and feelings into harmony with the sentiment sung. It is the sentiment that is sung that constitutes the worship; there is no acceptable worship in music distinct from the sentiment sung. The music of the song is only the means of impressing the senti­ment sung more deeply on the hearts of both singer and hearer. What is sung must be the outgrowth of the rich indwelling of the word of Christ in the heart.

The purpose is to praise God and teach the word of Christ.Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,—To do a thing in the name of the Lord Jesus is to do it for him and as He directs. Do it by his authority; do it as his servant, for his honor and glory.

He is the only mediator between God and man. Does any one believe if Christ were here in person as we are that he would go into any human society and do things as they require ? We are re­quired to give and do all we do as the servants of God. Jesus, when on earth, did nothing save what God required. He had no will of his own, no wish or desire to do anything save the will of God. If we are his disciples and do his will, we will not enter or remain in any society that Jesus did not appoint or command. God and his institutions are entitled to the whole undivided service of man in carrying out the will of God. He has nothing to divide with others.

God cannot reward for what a man does as a member of another body, and to divide his time and service with that of others is to vitiate all the service rendered. God will not accept a divided or mutilated service. “ Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:10). “ But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.” (Matthew 15:9). God demands our whole time and service in his church. We need it all there to make us loyal and true citizens of that kingdom.[Our eating and drinking— acts which seem remote from the interests and sentiments of the spiritual life— these are to be “ sanctified through the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:5), by the mention of Christ’ s name in thanksgiving to the Father, who through him sends us all life’ s blessings. And if our mere physical necessities of life are capable of being thus hallowed, there is nothing in family relations, or secular employments, or social duties, which may not receive and does not demand the same consideration. We should associate Christ with everything we do, doing all as his servants and under his eye, and in such a way that, in every part of our work, he may be glorified in us, and this will be a safeguard to the Christian.

If he is to do everything in Christ’ s name, he must do nothing unworthy of that name, nothing with which he cannot associate it. Nowhere, in any company or in any business, must he forget, “ whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed,” that this worthy name is the name which he bears, and whose honor is in his keeping.

This is the seal which every true Christian wears upon his heart: “ Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteous­ness.” (2 Timothy 2:19).]giving thanks to God the Father through him.—By living a life of constant gratitude to God the Father in the manner all is done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both in his gifts and in his chastisements, praise him. Such gratitude is through him since what he is and what he has done as our Redeemer not only makes us grateful, but gives us a Mediator for the expression of our thanksgiving. The first human motive? in the Christian life is gratitude for redemption, and it does not lose its power as we feel more and more how great a Redeemer the Lord Jesus is.Colossians 3:18 Wives, be in subjection to your husbands—It is fit or proper that the wife submit herself to her husband so far as she can do it in the Lord, or without disobedience to God. God ordained from the beginning that the husband should be the head of the household. The Holy Spirit says: “ In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives; beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear.” (1 Peter 3:1-2).

It is proper for the wife to show what she regards as right, then to submit to his decisions. She may influence, but not control him.as is fitting in the Lord.—This is what God has ordained, and it is fitting that those who are in the Lord should observe his order. [The holy and mysterious union of man and woman in marriage is fashioned in the likeness of the only union which is closer and more mysterious than itself— that between Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32-33).

Such then as is the subjection of the church to Christ, such will be the nature of the wife’ s sub­jection to the husband— a subjection of which love is the very soul and animating principle. In a true marriage, as in loving obedience to a loving soul to Christ, the wife submits not be­cause she has found a master, but because her heart has found its rest. For its full satisfaction, a w/oman’ s heart needs to look up where it loves. Since then a woman’ s love is in general nobler, purer, more unselfish than a man’ s and therein quite as much as in physical constitution, is laid the foundation of the divine ideal of marriage, which places the wife’ s delight and dignity in sweet loving subjection. Of course the subjection has its limitations, for it is bound by: “ We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29).]Where the husband and wife are both earnest Christians seeking to do the will of God, in whose hearts there is real mutual affec­tion and esteem, there will be no difficulty whatever in regard to such an admonition as this; but it will require grace to yield loving obedience when perhaps the husband is a carnal, worldly, and unreasonable man, and yet we need to remember that the marriage relationship is divinely ordained, and for the Christian woman, this relation once formed, there is no other position in conformity with the will of God than that of godly submission to the husband whom she herself has chosen. The present loose ideas in regard to easy divorce and remarriage to another are bearing fearful fruit which will increase unto more ungodliness, until there will be duplicated the corruption and vileness of the days before the flood and the unspeakable vileness and immorali­ties of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Of all this the Lord Jesus has warned us most solemnly. For one to seek to dissolve the marriage relationship because of incompatibility of temperament is to trample under foot the instructions of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Death, or what is equivalent to it, adultery of husband or wife, is the only scriptural ground for the termination of the marriage contract, leaving the innocent party free to remarry. (Matthew 19:9). Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives,—In the beginning it was said: “ Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24). Husbands must love and cherish their wives, promote their good, happiness and welfare. The apostle says: “ Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself: for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church. . . . Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.” (Ephesians 5:28-33). [The Christian husband is to accept his place of headship as a sacred responsibility put upon him by God himself, and is to exercise authority for the blessing of his home in the love of Christ And just as some wives may be united to tyrannical and unreasonable men, so there are hus­bands who, after marriage, find that the one who in the days of courtship seemed so affectionate is a veritable termagant, and as unreasonable as it is possible to be. But still the husband is to love and care for her, showing all consideration, as the apostle says: “ Giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel; as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7).]and be not bitter against them.—[God knew how petty and trying some women’s ways would be when he said this.

In the power of the new life one may manifest patience and grace under the most trying circumstances, and not suffer himself to become exasperated.] Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things,—In the early years of the child life, the parents stand as God unto them. They should be taught implicit obedience.

When they come to know and understand their relation to God, then the first and highest duty is to teach, and the command is: “ Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” (Ephesians 6:1). Obey them in all things compatible with their obedience to God.for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.—[There is something especially pleasing in the behavior of a lovingly obedient child, that wins “ favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52). The law of filial obedience has its creative ground “ in him” (Colossians 1:16), and is an essential part of the Christian order of life, which is the natural order restored and perfected. It is a pleasing thing to see children subjecting their impulses, their wishes, their plans, to the belter judgment, and riper experience, of their parents. It is a pleasing thing to see them rendering prompt obedience. This is not only pleasing in itself, but it is well-pleasing in the Lord.]Colossians 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children.—Parents ought not to be hard to please, severe, and harsh.

It disheartens them, andmakes them bitter and rebellious.—No more sacred or important duty was ever committed to mortals than that of nurturing and training children to the Lord. Parents owe it to the children and their everlasting well-being to train them for the Lord.

In no point of duty are Christians more negligent than in training them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They should be trained from the beginning to obey, but with love. Sympathy and encouragement should be shown.that they be not discou/raged.—Under protracted irritation the child is likely to become despondent, hopeless, sullen, losing all courage and spirit and giving up all effort to obey, and finally become reckless. They should not be fretted, but they should be encouraged and commended when they do well. [They should be trained as to make them feel that the approbation of parents la a desirable thing, and when they act so as to deserve that approbation, it encourages them to know it. He who always finds fault with a child, who is never satisfied with what he does, who scolds, and frets, and complains, let him do what he will, breaks the spirit, and even destroys all desire of doing well The child, in despair, soon gives up every effort to please.]Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh;—Slavery existed in the days of the apostles by political authority; and was recognized and regulated among Christians with reference to both master and slave. God did not break and destroy the relationships fixed by political governments suddenly.

He breathed into them a spirit which softened their harsh features, and gradually prepared men to see the evils of such relations and that influence finally destroyed it. Christians are to obey their masters in all things.not with eye-service,—[Service that must be watched to see that it was done at all, or properly done.

The aim of the service was to seem faithful.]as men-pleasers,—Solely desirous of pleasing men without reference to the right or wrong of the thing done. [To please men is their aim— and therefore their work is only such as falls within the range of human observation. Such merely external service is utterly unworthy of Christians. For it brings him down to the level of those whose well-being depends on the smiles of their fellows.]but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:—With the de­sire to do right for its own sake, or rather for the sake of the Lord Jesus as their divine Master; as against the selfish aim of men-pleasers. The principles here laid down as to slaves apply to all cases where one is entitled to the service of another, whether he be slave or hired servant; and all men who work for wages, from the president down, are in the good sense of the term hired serv­ants. The admonition is, when one is entitled to your service, ren­der it heartily and faithfully, knowing that God will take account of your faithfulness. God will hold to accountability as unworthy the man who is not as diligent and faithful in the absence of the employer as in his presence.Colossians 3:23whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord,—Render service to the earthly master earnestly, faithfully, from the heart, as service rendered to the Lord and not unto man.and not unto men;—The service the Christian servant ren­ders to the earthly master must be from the heart, and with a view to what the Lord thinks of it. [For everything should be done for Christ, as service rendered for him, in view of the relation to him.

And the relation to the human master should not, in this method of regarding it, be taken into account at all, on the principle of not serving two masters.]Colossians 3:24knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recom­pense of the inheritance:—The Christian slave will receive of the Lord the reward for his fidelity in the service to the earthly master. Paul says: “ For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord’ s freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ’ s bondservant.” (1 Corinthians 7:22).

When another is entitled to the service of a Christian he cannot give the time and service to God that he would were he free; so the Lord releases him from that constant service to which he holds the free­man. But if the Christian servant will serve his earthly master faithfully, the Lord will accept it as service rendered to him, and will so reward him, for such service adorns “ the doctrine of God our Saviour.” (Titus 2:10).ye serve the Lord Christ.—In faithfully serving the earthly master, they served Christ.Colossians 3:25 For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done:—He who does not serve the earthly master with fidelity wrongs him— is not diligent in his absence as in his pres/ence, does not faithfully look after his interests, is not faith­ful unto God— God will punish for the wrong he does the earthly master, certainly, God demands that his children must be trustworthy and faithful in all relations of life.and there is no respect of persons.—God does not reward a man for being a slave or a freeman, for being rich or poor; but requires fidelity of his servants in all the relations in which they stand. Verse 1 Colossians 3Findlay’s outline of this section of the epistle is: a. The Colossians urged to maintain a lofty spiritual life (Colossians 3:1-4). b. They were to put off old vices (Colossians 3:5-8). c. They were to put on new Christian virtues (Colossians 3:9-14). d. The sovereignty of Christ was to rule them (Colossians 3:15-17). e. Instructions regarding reciprocal relationships (Colossians 3:18 to Colossians 4:1).

1. As wives and husbands (Colossians 3:18-20).
2. As parents and children (Colossians 3:21).
3. As servants and masters (Colossians 3:22 to Colossians 4:1).[1]The hortatory section, or “practical teachings,” as usual in Paul’s letters, comes after the doctrinal part of the letter; a number of deductions from this fact are important: (1) It is not ethics which produces doctrine, but the doctrine which produces ethics, as Peake said: “The ethical exhortation has its basis in the dogmatic exposition already given."[2] All Christian morality, ethics and philosophy are grounded in the historical fact of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2) In putting the doctrine first, Paul followed the usual pattern visible in the New Testament. The New Testament everywhere insists upon true doctrine … the whole tendency (today) is to discourage talk about doctrine and to urge that we work together, etc. … but the fact is that there is no unity apart from truth and doctrine; and it is departure from this that causes division and breaks unity.[3]From this, the deduction follows that all of the sacred writers stressed doctrine, and on doctrine built the appeal for better conduct. The apostle now develops his ethical teaching, erecting, as is his custom, his moral superstructure upon a solid doctrinal foundation.4 Then, should not doctrine be re-emphasized today? It may be well to note the words of Wagner and Johnson who developed an analysis of why some churches grow and others do not; and they determined that: What really determines growth is the intensity of belief that any group has in the particular doctrine it holds … What we have seen occurring from the time of Constantine in the fourth century has been/ a general watering down of our belief in our views of salvation and of the church.[5]Christ strongly emphasized the true doctrine, declaring that those who taught “as their doctrines the precepts of men” were worshipping God in vain (Matthew 15:9). Of course, Paul was one with the Holy Saviour in the strong and emphatic teaching regarding the doctrine. PAUL’S ON The trouble Paul sought to correct with this very letter was that of the Colossians following human doctrine (Colossians 2:22). The unstable and ineffective Christians at Ephesus Paul identified as those “carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Paul classified everything that was “contrary to sound doctrine” as being sinful in the same degree as fornication, falsehood and murder (1 Timothy 1:10). “The words of faith and of good doctrine” were to be proclaimed by Timothy in order for him to be “a good minister of Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 4:6). Paul commanded him to give heed and attendance to “doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13 1 Timothy 4:16), and ordered him to hold in “double honor” those who were laboring “in the word and in the teaching (doctrine)” (1 Timothy 5:17). Furthermore, the apostasy itself was to come about through the sins of the churches that “could not endure the sound doctrine,” but who would cater to their “itching ears” by supplying false teachers (2 Timothy 4:3). All these instructions to Timothy were, in essence, repeated to Titus, where Paul commanded him to “speak the things which befit the sound doctrine,” and where all faith and honesty were seen primarily as an “adornment of the doctrine of God” (Titus 2:1 Titus 2:10). Therefore, either churches or ministers who neglect to teach the “sound doctrine” of the word of God, or seek to downgrade it in any way, are guilty of forsaking the “faith once for all delivered to the saints.” [1] G. G. Findlay, Colossians in The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 19 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 147. [2] A. S. Peake, Expositor’s Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 536. [3] D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, The Basis of Christian Unity (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), p. 50. [4] Ernest G. Ashby, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 488. [5] C. Peter Wagner and Arthur Johnston, “A Pragmatic Concern for Church Growth,” in Christianity Today, Vol. 21, No. 7 (January 7,1977), p. 14 (382). If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1) As Neilson said, “If then ye were raised parallels if ye died with Christ inColossians 2:22.[6] Both of course, refer to Christian baptism. Macknight affirmed that the meaning here is, “Since then ye have been raised with Christ in baptism.[7] Barclay also elaborated it thus: The point Paul is making here is this. In baptism the Christian dies and rises again. As the waters close over him, it is as if he was buried in death; as he emerges from the waters, it is like being resurrected to a new life.[8] … We have seen repeatedly that the early Christians regarded baptism as a dying and rising again. When a man was buried, the Greeks commonly spoke of him as being hidden in the earth; but the Christian had died a spiritual death in baptism, and he is not hidden in the earth but hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3).[9]HOW ONE DIES WITH CHRIST IN BAPTISMThere are two different aspects of one’s death with Christ in baptism, these being: (1) the firm and irrevocable resolution and intention of renouncing sin forever (this is the spiritual aspect of it), very appropriately referred to as dying with Christ, since as far as the Christian is concerned, his body (in his intention) is no more to be given over to the indulgence of fleshly lu/sts and sins, any more than if he had physically died, and (2) the legal aspect of dying in the person of Christ. Christ died on Calvary; therefore, all who are in Christ are also said to have died “in him.” Every Christian can say, “I have already paid the penalty of sin, which is death; for I died on the cross in the Person of my Redeemer,” this being exactly parallel to Paul’s statement that we are “dead to the Law by the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4). It should be observed in this connection that one’s having died with Christ unto sin has reference only to the imperative and all-important change of the will (repentance) when one becomes a Christian. There is nothing here of God’s taking away all temptations. Even Christ was tempted in all points like as we are tempted. This death to sin is suggested by the burial of the convert in the act of baptism. Despite the fact of baptism’s nowhere being called a “figure” or “outward sign” of anything in the New Testament, it is called “that form of doctrine” which must be obeyed by those seeking eternal life. In that frame of reference, it is to be understood, therefore, as a form of death, burial and resurrection of Christ (that is, of the gospel), and also of the convert’s death to sin, burial in baptism, and being raised to walk in the newness of life in Christ. But is not “the form” as applied to baptism in Romans 6:17 the same as “figure,” etc.? No indeed; it is an expression which is used of Christ being “in the form of God” (Philippians 2:6), and that usage of it denotes the utmost reality and substance, making baptism to be a reality of the gospel, in fact, the gospel itself that must be obeyed by people seeking salvation. See more on this in my Commentary on Romans, Romans 6:17 ff. The truth is that “obeying the gospel,” as used in the New Testament, invariably means believing and being baptized, there being no other way whatever in which the “good news” could be obeyed. If ye then were raised together with Christ … Barry said the reference here is “evidently to baptism.[10] Findlay likewise referred it to “the gate of baptism”;[11] and Guthrie agreed that here there is an allusion “to baptism."[12]Seek ye the things that are above …Seek … is stressed by many as a word indicating the most careful and persistent pursuit of the goal indicated. The things that are above … The thought of Christ and heaven being above and the sinful things of earth being below is misleading when understood merely in the sense of altitude. “The things above” are rather the things of higher importance, more exalted principles, and spiritual rather than carnal. As Ellis reminded us, “The words above and below in the writings of Paul and of John do not primarily indicate spatial contrasts."[13]There is a dramatic fourfold reference to “Christ” in these first four verses; and Barry stated that “The name, four times repeated, has in all cases the article prefixed to it. Evidently it is used emphatically to refer to our Lord as our Mediator - our Prophet, Priest and King."[14][6] John B. Nielson, Colossians in Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. IX (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1965), p. 410. [7] James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles with Commentary, Vol. III (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 549. [8] William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), p. 147. [9] Ibid., p. 148. [10] Alfred Barry, Ellicott’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. III, Philippians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 111. [11] G. G. Findlay, op. cit., p. 147. [12] Donald Guthrie, New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1148. [13] E. Earle Ellis, W/ycliffe New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 795. [14] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 112. Verse 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.See preceding verse. Verse 3 For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.Ye died … your life is hid … See Barclay’s comment on this under Colossians 3:1. Also see comment by Bruce. When Christ … shall be manifested … Each of the significant clauses in this verse is actually related to the thought of the Christian’s life being “hid with Christ.” True it is hidden now, but at the Second Advent, when the heavens shall be ablaze with the glory of Christ, lo, all of his saints shall likewise appear “with him” in the glory of eternal life which shall be given to them “at that time.” Christ, who is our life … The thought here is parallel to that of Gal 2:20. Significantly, the consummation of all the Christian’s hope shall be achieved “at the coming of Christ, which will be a personal and visible appearing of himself."[15]Another wonderful thought on being “hid with Christ” was also given by Bruce in reply to a question, “How is our life hid with Christ in God?” He wrote: Here is J. B. Lightfoot’s answer: “The apostle’s argument is this: `When you sank under the baptismal water, you disappeared forever to the world. You rose again, it is true, but you rose only to God. The world henceforth knows nothing of your life, and (as a consequence) your new life must know nothing of the world’.” Since Christians live “in Christ,” and Christ indeed is their true life, it is inevitable that their life should be securely preserved where he is.[16]Manifested … The Greek word here is [@faneroo].[17] Other New Testament passages where it is used of the Second Advent are: 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:2.

One of the major New Testament doctrines is that of the Second Advent of Christ. It is usually understood as the occasion when the dead shall all be raised, the general judgment of all people shall occur, and every person shall be assigned his eternal reward. [15] Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings from Paul (Chicago: Moody Press, 1967), p. 334. [16] F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), p. 109. [17] E. Earle Ellis, op. cit., p. 796. Verse 5 Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.Put to death … H/ere is a paradox. As Hendriksen noted: “You died” (Colossians 3:3) … “Put to death therefore your members” (Colossians 3:5) … On the one hand Paul is saying that the Colossians have already died; yet, on the other hand, he is telling them that they must put themselves to death. How can both be true?[18]Hendriksen answered by pointing out that the state and the condition of Christians do not wholly coincide; but the answer presented here is to the effect that it is not “themselves” which the Christians are to “put to death,” but that they are to put to death those evil propensities within themselves, belonging to their carnal nature. A number of very interesting comments on this place are: Members is perhaps suggested by our Lord’s command to “cut off” right hand or “pluck out” right eye, if they cause offense (Matthew 5:29-30).[19]These members are indeed those of the actual body.[20]Different from the views above is that of Ashby who said: “This is internal, not external, and means renunciation of propensities that belong to the old life."[21] Of course, it is believed that this accurately interprets, not only what Paul said here, but that it is also, in light of the apostle’s inspiration, a divine comment upon what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:29-30, regarding “the right hand” and “the right eye.” Macknight elaborated this interpretation thus: The apostle having represented the vicious appetites and passions of the human heart, under the idea of a body (Colossians 2:17), because they have their seat in the body, he, in this passage, calls the sinful actions to which these bad affections prompt men, the members of that body or the old man.[22]A little different statement of what is meant here is that of Barclay, who said, “What Paul is saying is, Put to death every part of yourself which is against God and keeps you from fulfilling his will'."[23]Mortify ... as used here in the KJV has been used by ascetics and others as justification for self-torture; but we may be certain that nothing like that is intended. Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry ... In this series, Paul's various lists of sins have been repeatedly examined. Here, all five of these things are sexually oriented, and "covetousness" would seem to apply to all of them, covetousness being "the desire for more." Which is idolatry ... The pagan temples throughout the world of that era were a constant temptation to Christians to indulge in the impure and unmentionable rites suggested by this word-list. Frequently an idol's temple was a short-cut to indulgence in all of the things mentioned here. Covetousness ... "One is a little surprised to find this word included along with others in this list, thus identifying the love of money and the inordinate desire for it as being on a parity with the grossest of sins. The Christian should especially heed this in the question of determining how much money or income he should devote to the purpose of advancing Christianity in the world. [18] William Hendriksen, Colossians and Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 143. [19] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 113. [20] G. G. Findlay, op. cit., p. 149. [21] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 488. [22] James Mack/night, op. cit., p. 549. [23] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 150. Verse 6 For which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.Wrath of God ... At a time in history when the most extravagant claims are being made with regard to God's love, it is wise to take into account Scriptures such as this where the other side of the divine nature is in view. As Ellis put it, "Far from negating God's love, his wrath confirms it. For without justice, mercy loses its meaning?[24] A God in whom no settled wrath against wickedness resided would be like an executive without any authority. The New Testament is full of teaching to the effect that God has a score to settle with evil and that one day he will settle it. Upon the sons of disobedience ... Special attention should be focused upon the object of God's wrath. Both here and in <a href="/bible/parallel/2TH/1/8" class="green-link">2 Thessalonians 1:8</a>, it is the "disobedient" who shall bear the full weight of the wrath of God. Theologies which seek to eliminate "obedience" as being in any way connected with salvation should be rejected. Regardless of how vigorously one may protest that he has "faith in Christ," unless there is on his part at least some movement to obey the teaching of the New Testament, his doom is certain. Until he has, in his Christian baptism, been buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life, as had these Colossians, he cannot even belong to the company recognized in the New Testament as the family of God. Wrath must not be confused with a vindictive reaction. It is rather the negative side of holiness, the revulsion of righteousness toward all unrighteousness.[25]Disobedience ... is eliminated in some versions. "But the phrase logically fits here, for it stands in the parallel in <a href="/bible/parallel/EPH/5/6" class="green-link">Ephesians 5:6</a>.[26][24] E. Earle Ellis, op. cit., p. 797. [25] Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1149. [26] John B. Nielson, op. cit., p. 413. Verse 7 Wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth.Whereas the list of sins in <a href="/bible/parallel/COL/3/5" class="green-link">Colossians 3:5</a> concerned sexual wickedness, the list here pertains to "tongue-wickedness," both lying in the center of man's body, as well as in the center of his nature. As Ellis said, "The words out of your mouth’ may refer to all the sins listed,"[27] the view here being that they do. Shameful speaking … These come from a Greek word meaning “to speak against” either God or man; but “blasphemy” in English refers to speaking against God. As Hendriksen said, “In the present instance, as the context indicates, speaking against man' is meant ... slander, defamation, detraction.[28] See article Slander at the end of the chapter. [27] E. Earle Ellis, op. cit., p. 797. [28] William He/ndriksen, op. cit., p. 148. Verse 9 Lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings.Lie not one to another ... This is added to the list mentioned in the previous two verses. Nielson writes that this is, "Literally, lie not to yourself,’ and suggests that one who lies may come to believe his own falsehoods."[29]Ye have put off the old man … As frequently in Paul’s writings, he here dramatically switched metaphors. He had been speaking of “putting to death,” but here he changed to “put off,” the new figure being that of stripping off old clothes, a metaphor that often occurs in the New Testament. In Galatians 3:27, Paul wrote, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ”; and here a little later, beginning inColossians 3:12, Paul will outline what is meant, partially, by putting on Christ. Also in Revelation, the clothing metaphor prevails in Revelation 3:4-5. ENDNOTE: [29] John B. Nielson, op. cit., p. 414. Verse 10 And have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him.Have put on the new man … Macknight referred this to “the very temper and virtues of Christ”;[30] but, of course, more than this is meant. The Christian puts on the name of Christ, clothes himself in the spiritual body of Christ, and will appear in glory clothed with the total righteousness of the Lord himself. That is exactly what Jesus meant by the admonition: “I counsel thee to buy of me … white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest” (Revelation 3:18). ENDNOTE: [30] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 552. Verse 11 Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.All the distinctions stressed by such divisions as these are transcended; and, as Ellis put it, “At the foot of the cross, the ground is level … not a uniformity of status in the present world order, but a change in attitude by which the stigma of being different is loved away."[31]See Galatians 3:28 for another exhortation similar to this one, the principal difference here being the inclusion of “Scythian,” which inclusion, according to Barry, was “clearly intended to rebuke that pride of intellect, contemptuous of the unlearned, which lay at the root of Gnosticism."[32] The word “Scythian” hardly means anything at all to modern readers; but as Hendriksen pointed out: In the seventh century before Christ, these Scythians, savage and warlike nomads from the northern steppes, had deluged the countries of the Fertile Crescent, including Palestine, and, having subsequently been repulsed, had left a memory of dread and horror.[33]Summarizing t/he barriers that were removed in Christ, they were (and are): barriers that come of birth and nationality, those derived from the ceremonial and rituals observed, the barriers of race, training, experience, social status, or anything else that tends to divide people and lead some to look down upon others as inferior to themselves. Christ is all and in all … Here again the absolute supremacy of Christ is affirmed and extolled. Note that Christ is “in” all Christians. See my comment on this under Colossians 1:27. [31] E. Earle Ellis, op. cit., p. 797. [32] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 113. [33] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 153. Verse 12 Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering.Elect … holy … beloved … Ellis pointed out that these titles belonged in the Old Testament to the physical Israel of God, but that here they are applied “to the church, the true Israel."[34] This writer also believes that “beloved,” as in so many of Paul’s letters, has reference to the love which the apostle himself had for the addressees, and that this is an incidental indication that Paul was indeed acquainted at Colossae. +Heart of compassion, kindness, … “These indeed are the very virtues and attitudes of the Christ himself, showing that true Christ-likeness is the goal of every Christian. Note too, that in all of these admonitions, Paul does not allow for one moment that anyone might attain to the full stature of Christ in a single act, but that the development of the soul into that which pleases God is a growth process. See more on this principle under Romans 6:5, in my Commentary on Romans. This is why Paul here admonishes Christians who had already “put on Christ” to put on kindness, etc., and to put on anything else that might be lacking. ENDNOTE: [34] E. Earle Ellis, op. cit., p. 552. Verse 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye.It is unpardonable that the translators in this place ignored the “many ancient authorities” which read “Christ” in this place (English Revised Version margin), rendering it, “As the Lord forgave you”; for, as Guthrie pointed out, “There is an echo here of the Lord’s Prayer in the close link between God’s forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others."[35] Thus Paul most assuredly had “Christ” in mind here; but the tenderness of some translators to the implications of this doubtless influenced some of them. The Jews believed, and the Pharisees stated it bluntly to Jesus, that “Who can forgive sins but one, even God?” (Mark 2:7), receiving no contradiction at all from the Christ. Thus Paul’s statement here to the effect that Christ forgave us is fully equivalent to an affirmation of his deity. Roy F. Osborne stated in a sermon that there are only three possible reasons for forgiveness: (1) the person forgiven deserves it; (2) the holiness of the person forgiving is sufficient to guarantee it; or (3) Christ also forgave us! It is not hard to locate the true reason. ENDNOTE: [35] Donald /Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1150. Verse 14 And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.Above all these things … Barry characterized this verse as “remarkable,” saying that it was apparently “suggested by the Gnostic teachers."[36] While it may be true that Gnosticism offered a so-called perfection by some device or another, it seems more logical to refer this reference to “the bond of perfectness” to what Paul had already declared in Colossians 1:28. See notes there. Above all … The thought here appears to be not that of adding love as an additional Christian grace, but rather that of making love the cement that holds everything else in place, or as Nielson put it: (The love) is viewed as the bond of perfectness, or girdle that bonds together the “clothing” that has just been put on. Both the graces and the Christian persons are bound together by love ([Greek: agape], divine love).[37][36] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 114. [37] John B. Nielson, op. cit., p. 416. Verse 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.The peace of Christ … according to Peake means the subjective peace within the Christian which has been bestowed upon him through his relationship with Christ. “It is the peace which Christ gives."[38] Ashby noted that it is “peace” in this passage that has the function of the “girdle,” a function regarded as belonging to “love” in the parallel place in Ephesians. Paul’s mind was not in a straitjacket, and his use of words in slightly different senses “reveals not a different writer but the working of the apostle’s mind along similar but not identical lines."[39]And be ye thankful … It is strange, in a way, that Paul was so insistent upon thanksgiving as a grace enthusiastically and constantly exhibited by the Christian. The Lord’s Prayer does not contain a single note of thanksgiving, except in the comprehensive word “Hallowed be thy name”; but Paul made thanksgiving the ever-present mark of Christian living. This does not mean that there was a difference in the teachings of Christ and Paul, but that “The Lord’s Prayer” belonged to that period before the kingdom of Christ was established, and that the teachings of Paul belong to the joyful era of the kingdom itself. [38] A. S. Peake, op. cit., p. 541. [39] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 488. Verse 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.Let the wo/rd of Christ dwell in you … The significance of this has already been noted under Colossians 1:27, above and under Galatians 5:23. Briefly, the word of Christ dwelling in a person is equivalent in every way to the Spirit of God dwelling in him. If it be objected that the Spirit is a living Person, then let it be remembered also that the word of God is spoken of as “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12 f). Admonishing one another … The parallel between this verse and similar teaching in Ephesians 5:19-20, was set forth as follows by Barry: Here again we have general identity and special distinction between the two passages. There as here we have “the speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” the “singing in the hearts to the Lord,” and the spirit of “thankfulness.” But there the whole is described as being the consequence of “being filled with the Spirit” … whereas here, it (all) comes from “the word of Christ” in the soul.[40]Thus, as Barry pointed out, exactly the same thing is attributed to the agency of the Holy Spirit in the Ephesian passage which here is attributed to the indwelling “word of Christ,” lending the strongest possible corroboration to the view maintained in this series to the effect that the “word of Christ,” “the mind of Christ,” “God,” “Christ,” and “Holy Spirit” are all spoken of in the New Testament as “dwelling in” members of the body of Christ, and that all three members of the Godhead are likewise “dwelt in” by Christians, thus giving Scriptural designations of one and the same phenomenon. There does not live a person, nor has there ever lived a person, who could make these Scriptural expressions to be designations of eight different conditions. On the contrary, they all designate one condition, the saved condition, of the believer baptized into Christ. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs … It would appear that “spiritual” in this verse is the modifier of all that may be properly used in Christian assemblies. By their nature of being in the Old Testament, psalms are surely spiritual, and “hymns” are so by definition; but, as for any song so used, it must likewise be spiritual. Significantly not even all singing is permissible in Christian worship. What is the bearing of this passage on the use of instrumental music in Christian worship? The answer is this: By the apostolic injunction “to sing,” thus commanding a special kind of music, all other kinds are eliminated. It is contrary to the injunction here for congregations to “whistle” or to play mechanical instruments, the latter having been associated throughout history with pagan worship (Daniel 3:4-7). Historically, no mechanical instruments of music were used in Christian worship until the seventh century, despite the fact of such instruments having been known and used throughout the whole world at the time of the beginning of Christianity and for centuries prior to that time. There is no refutation of the fact that the founder of Christianity, namely, the Christ and the blessed apostles simply left them out. See more on this under Ephesians 5:20, this volume. Arguments from the word [@psallo] to the effect that it refers to playing a harp fail in the light of the truth that the instrument of God’s praise appears in the passage, not as anything mechanical, but as the human heart itself. With grace in your hearts … This was interpreted by Peake to mean “with thankfulness."[41]The word of Christ … Guthrie interpreted this to mean “the teaching Christ brought to men,"[42] and as preserved and communicated to us through the holy apostles. This is one of the most definite passages in the New Testament, which nails down the identification of Christian doctrine as including the message delivered by Christ, thus making even the Old Testament, valuable as it is, outside the perimeter of Christian authority in all things pertaining to the church of which Christ is the head. See elaboration of this in my Commentary on Matthew under “The Great Commission.” [40] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 115. [41] A. S. Peake, op. cit., p. 541. [42] Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1150. Verse 17 / And whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Do all in the name of the Lord … This means to respect the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in everything. The sectors in which this applies are: (1) that of personal morality and conduct; (2) the province of things done in public assemblies of Christians; (3) in the whole area of thought and action (word or deed); and (4) even in the secret purposes of the soul. In short, “do all” in the name of the Lord. Verse 18 Wives be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.This begins Paul’s instructions on certain reciprocal relationships, that of wives and husbands being treated first. See extensive teaching on this in Ephesians 5:22-33, where Paul elaborated it. The glorious difference between the Christian conception of duty and that prevalent in the world of Paul’s day lies in the fact that obligations, even the sacred obligations in marriage, are “reciprocal” obligations. The duty is never all on one side. In the Roman Empire of Paul’s day, there were no recognized rights of women, children or slaves, who were all expected to obey husbands, parents and masters upon penalty of death. Christianity changed all that. As observed in the parallel place in Ephesians, here Paul enunciated the great ethic of mutual respect and obligation in these sectors; and this ethic destroyed slavery and other abuses, although, of course, not immediately. As is fitting in the Lord … As Guthrie said, “This would at once transform current ideas and invest the wife’s position with an adequate safeguard."[43] As spelled out fully in Ephesians, husbands were to love their wives, a command to regard the wife as an extension of the husband’s own self, having every true claim against him that ever pertained to himself. ENDNOTE: [43] Ibid., p. 1151. Verse 19 Husbands love your wives, and be not bitter against them.This must be understood in the light of Eph 5:28-33. Paul did not need to spell everything out in each of the epistles, because he specifically instructed that his writings should be passed around and made available to others, beyond those addressed in the salutation (Colossians 4:16). Verse 20 Children obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.“Well-pleasing in the Lord … fitting in the Lord (Colossians 3:18) … fearing the Lord (Colossians 3:22) … as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23) … ye serve the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:24) …” Notice that all of the persons addressed regarding their personal and domestic duties were continually reminded of being “in the Lord,” and therefore as having “put on” the graces and virtues commanded earlier in this chapter. The whole teaching is that a Christian must not get “out of character” in dealing with everyday relationships and duties. Kindness, meekness, love, gentleness … name them all; such virtues must mark the Christian’s life at all times. Verse 21 Fathers, provoke not your chi/ldren that they be not discouraged.This should be read against the stern and tyrannical background of the father’s absolute control over his children, as in the Roman Empire when these words were written. As Barclay said: A parent could do anything he liked with his child. He could sell him into slavery … he even had the right to condemn his child to death and carry out the execution himself.[44]In current times, the pendulum has swung the other way; and it is the duty of children to obey their parents that needs emphasis (Ephesians 6:1-3). ENDNOTE: [44] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 161. Verse 22 Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.Some commentators have supposed that, as Onesimus, a runaway slave, was bearer of this letter, Paul made the slavemaster relationship the more elaborate part of these reciprocal institutions in this epistle. There are a number of exceedingly important deductions to be made from Paul’s handling of the slave problem in the New Testament. Two of these are: (1) True Christianity does not consist of any kind of attack upon social institutions, even so vicious and deplorable a system as that of slavery. Christ and the apostles were not revolutionaries in the modern sense of that word. See article, “Christ and the State” in my Commentary on Romans. There were practical reasons for Paul’s words here, as noted by McGarvey (see my Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:20-21); but over and beyond the practical need of refraining from an assault upon society, it was inherently unchristian to do so. It is as leaven and not as dynamite that the religion of Christ works. See more on this in my Commentary on 1Corinthians. (2) Ancient slavery no longer exists in the civilized part of the world, but there still exists the relationship between employers and employees; and Nielson was correct in suggesting that these words of Paul are applicable to that relationship, no less than to ancient slavery. “The master must give a fair and just wage, and the laborer must give a fair and full day’s labor."[45] If an ancient slave was commanded to work vigorously and enthusiastically, how much more is it mandatory for every employee to give his best to the job? Eye-service … men-pleasers … This is a reference to working only when the master is observing. The employee who is careful to appear busy when the boss is looking is guilty of the same attitude here condemned. ENDNOTE: [45] John B. Nielson, op. cit., p. 420. Verse 23 Whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.God has his own way of rewardin/g honorable and faithful work, regardless of the failure of human authorities to do so; and the difference is brought out in the very next verse. Verse 24 Knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.As Barry pointed out, “The only peculiarity in this passage (as compared with the parallel in Ephesians) regards the strong emphasis on ’the reward of the inheritance’."[46] The inheritance is exactly the thing which no slave could receive; only a son could be an heir of God (Galatians 4:7). Thus the slave on earth is recognized as a son in heaven. ENDNOTE: [46] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 115. Verse 25 For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.Some understand this as a warning to slaves not to do wrong; but since the admonition stands as another reason, along with the one in Colossians 3:24, directed to the proper motivation of the slave, it is understood here as a reference to God’s judgment of slavemasters if they do wrong. “No respect of persons” favors this view; because it is not likely that the hope of a slave to avoid punishment could be based on any supposed “respect of persons.” On the other hand, masters might think that because of their position God might overlook their sins. Perhaps it is wrong to restrict the meaning of “he that doeth wrong” to either class. Will not God judge and punish all wrongdoers whomsoever? Commentators have long struggled with this question, arriving at different conclusions, thus: This has reference solely to the master of the slave (Ridderbos). This refers to the slave (Lenski). It seems best to suppose that both are included (Lightfoot).[47]Peake summarized such opinions thus: To include both is highly questionable, not only because a double reference is on principle to be avoided in exegesis, but because the connection implies that only one side of the relationship is being dealt with. It is commonly thought that the verse is an encouragement to the slave, based on the assurance that the master who treats him will receive his recompense in due course.[48]The reliance of the Christian, in whatever state of life, upon the eternal justice of God’s universe is the great stabilizer of the human heart. Without this reliance, life becomes an idiot’s dream where injustice, misery, caprice, chance and luck are supreme. On the other hand, one who learns to trust in the assurance Paul here extended to the slaves of the ancient Roman Empire, perhaps the most unfortunate class ever to live on earth, - one who learns to trust that assurance has already won rest for his soul. No matter what inequalities, no matter what injustice, no matter how much unfairness, partiality and wickedness may torture one’s earthly existence, the eternal reward is absolutely sure. God will make all things right.

Now people may view this as “pie in the sky” if they wish, but it is surely better than any five-year plan advocated by Marx. Without the divine assurance in view here, there can be no true stability of heart, no genuine serenity of the soul, in fact, no real sanity on earth! SLANDER AND GOSSIPSingled out by the apostle in Co/l_3:8 for one of his apostolic prohibitions was the vice of slander, or “shameful speaking” as our translators have rendered the word, the same being a vice which is universally detested. Something of the pioneer attitude toward this sin is apparent in a story told with reference to the famed cowboy evangelist B. B. (Cowboy) Crimm of San Augustine and East Texas. Crimm (1886-1950) preached extensively in East Texas and Oklahoma in the first half of the current century and became famous for the sensational and outlandish things said in the pulpit. One night, in a meeting attended by more than one thousand people, a woman came forward saying, “Oh, Brother Crimm, I have come to lay my tongue on the altar.” The woman was a noted gossip in that community. Crimm replied: “I’m sorry, Ma’am, our altar is only eight feet long, but go ahead and put whatever part of it you are able to get on it!” GOSSIP TOWNHave you ever heard of Gossip Town On the shores of Falsehood Bay, Where old Dame Rumor in rustling gown Is going the livelong day? The principal street is called They Say.' I’ve Heard’ is the public well; And the breezes that blow from Falsehood Bay Are laden with Don't you tell.' Just back of the park in Slander’s Row’; ‘Twas there that Good Name died, Pierced by a shaft from Jealousy’s bow In the hands of Envious Pride. It isn’t far to Gossip Town For the people who want to go; The Idleness Train will take you down In just an hour or so. But the people who go to Gossip Town All reap of the seed they sow; And this you will find as they have found If ever you chance to go.

• Anonymous [47] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 175. [48] A. S. Peake, op. cit., p. 543.

“THE EPISTLE TO THE "

Chapter Three

IN THIS CHAPTER

1. To see what Paul offers as the Christian solution in dealing with the problem of sin

2. To understand what our responsibilities are as “the elect of God, holy and beloved”

SUMMARY Having warned the brethren of the “Colossian Heresy”, and the need to be established in the faith of Jesus Christ, Paul now offers a detailed description of “The Christian Solution” to the problem of sin in their lives. Rather than being deceived or swayed by false alternatives, they need to seek those things above, where Christ is, to set their minds on things above and not on the earth. This is because they have been raised with Christ (cf. Colossians 2:12) and their life is now hidden in Christ, awaiting the day of His coming in which they will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

With minds set on Christ, they need to “put to death” those sins in which their earthly members engaged, and upon which the wrath of God is coming. This is done by “putting off” the old man with his deeds, and “putting on” the new man who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of Christ. The deeds of the old man and the characteristics of the new man are defined by Paul, followed with exhortations to allow the “peace of God” to rule in their hearts and to let the “word of Christ” dwell in them richly. He also charges them to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father (Colossians 3:5-17).

As so much of their daily lives revolve around the home, Paul also addresses the responsibilities of various family members as they serve the Lord (Colossians 3:18-25 Colossians 4:1).

OUTLINE

I. THE (Colossians 3:1-17)

A. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE (Colossians 3:1-4)

1. Since you were raised with Christ, seek those things above (1-2) a. Where Christ is, seated at God’s right hand (Colossians 3:1) b. Not on the things on the earth (Colossians 3:2)
2. For you have died, one day to appear with Christ in glory (3-4) a. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3) b. When Christ appears, you will also appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:4)

B. PUT OFF THE OLD MAN (Colossians 3:5-9)1. Put to death the members of your body (Colossians 3:5) a. Fornication b. Uncleanness c. Passion d. Evil desire e. Covetousness, which is idolatry – For the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and you also once walked in such things (Colossians 3:6-7) 2. Put off the old man with his deeds (Colossians 3:8-9) a. Anger b. Wrath c. Malice d. Blasphemy e. Filthy language f. Lying to one another

C. PUT ON THE NEW MAN (Colossians 3:10-17)1. In which you are renewed in the image of our Creator, where there is neither: a. Greek nor Jew b. Circumcised nor uncircumcised c. Barbarian, Scythian d. Slave nor free – But Christ, who is all and in all (Colossians 3:10-11) 2. As God’s elect, put on Christ-like qualities (Colossians 3:12-14) a. Tender mercies b. Kindness c. Humbleness of mind d. Meekness e. Longsuffering f. Bearing with one another g. Forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave you h. Above all these things, put on love, the perfect tie that binds 3. In addition… a. Let God’s peace rule in your heart, and be thankful (Colossians 3:15) b. Let Christ’s word dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with song, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16) c. Do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, with thanksgiving to God (Colossians 3:17)

II. (Colossians 3:18-25 and Colossians 4:1)

A. WIVES TOWARD THEIR (Colossians 3:18)

1. Submit to your own husbands
2. As is fitting in the Lord

B. TOWARDS THEIR WIVES (Colossians 3:19)1. Love your wives 2. Do not be bitter toward them

C. TOWARD THEIR PARENTS (Colossians 3:20)1. Obey your parents in all things 2. This is well pleasing to the Lord

D. FATHERS TOWARD THEIR (Colossians 3:21)1. Do not provoke your children 2. Or they may become discouraged

E. TOWARD THEIR MASTERS (Colossians 3:22-25)1. Obey your earthly masters in all things (Colossians 3:22) a. Not with eye-service, seeking only to please men b. But with sincerity of heart, fearing God 2. Do your work heartily (Colossians 3:23-24) a. As to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23) b. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance (Colossians 3:24) 3. He who does wrong… (Colossians 3:25) a. Will be repaid for the wrong he does b. There will be no partiality

F. MASTERS TOWARD THEIR (Colossians 4:1)1. Give your servants what is just and fair 2. Knowing that you also have a Master in heaven

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• The Christian solution (Colossians 3:1-17)
• Familial responsibilities (18-25; 4:1)

2. What two-fold charge is given to those who have been raised with Christ? (Colossians 3:1-2)

• Seek those things which are above, where Christ is
• Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth

3. Where is our “life” at the present? When shall it appear? (Colossians 3:3-4)

• Hidden with Christ in God
• When Christ appears (i.e., His Second Coming)

4. What sins are we to “put to death”? (Colossians 3:5)

• Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry)

5. Why must we put them to death? (Colossians 3:6)

• Because the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience

6. What other sins must we “put off”? (Colossians 3:8-9)

• Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language, lying to one another

7. What have we “put off”, and what have we “put on”? (Colossians 3:9-10)

• We have “put off the old man with his deeds”
• We have “put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (i.e., Christ)

8. As God’s elect (chosen), holy and beloved, what are we to “put on”? (Colossians 3:12-14)

• Tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another as Christ forgave us, and love

9. What must we allow the “peace of God” do? (Colossians 3:15)

• Rule in our hearts

10. What must we allow the “word of Christ” do? (Colossians 3:16)

• Dwell in our hearts richly

11. How are we to teach and admonish one another? (Colossians 3:16)

• In psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord

12. How are we to do all things, whether in word or deed? (Colossians 3:17)

• In the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him

13. What is the duty of wives? (Colossians 3:18)

• To submit to their own husbands

14. What is the duty of husbands? (Colossians 3:19)

• To love their wives and not be bitter toward them

15. What is the duty of children? (Colossians 3:20)

• To obey their parents in all things

16. What is the duty of fathers? (Colossians 3:21)

• Not to provoke their children

17. What is the duty of servants? (Colossians 3:22-23)

• To obey their masters in all things
• Not with eye-service, as pleasing men, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God
• To do all things heartily, as to the Lord

18. What positive motivation is there for a servant to so act? What negative motivation? (Colossians 3:24-25)

• Serving the Lord Christ, they will receive the reward of the inheritance
• Those who do wrong will be repaid, with no partiality being shown

19. What is the duty of masters? What motivation is offered to do this? (Colossians 4:1)

• To give their servants what is just and fair
• They too have a Master, one who is heaven

Question by E.M. Zerr On Colossians 31. With whom are Christians risen? 2. What conduct is pointed out to follow ? 3. What things will this be seeking? 4. Is it natural to love heavenly things? 5. What must be done about the affections? 6. In what sense are Christians dead? 7. Who holds the life ? 8. When will it be manifested? 9. What is the meaning of “ mortify” ? 10. What is inordinate affection? 11. Tell what is associated with idolatry. 12. What do such things bring? 13. On whom do they bring it ? 14. When had they walked in these evil things? 15. Distinguish anger, wrath, malice. 16. Define “ filthy communication.” 17. What must be done with all these things? 18. Why not lie to one another? 19. What has been put on? 20. State the nature of the renewing. 21. What place is antecedent of “ where” verse 11? 22. Are Jews and Greeks barred from this relation? 23. What principle makes them one and alike? 24. Who are the elect of God ? 25. What must they put on ? 26. Explain “ bowels of mercies.” 27. Distinguish humbleness and meekness. 28. Will forbearance require tolerance for error? 29. In what things may we be tolerant? 30. Whose example is cited as motive ? 31. What is the final bond of perfection? 32. What kind of peace is to be desired? 33. What should dwell in the lives of saints? 34. By what should they teach and admonish ? 35. What kind of songs required? 36. What must regulate our words and deeds? 37. Through what must such name be obtained ? 38. Tell what must be given to God. 39. State what is fitting for wives. 40. Would unlawfud demands be excepted? 41. Give the requirements for husbands. 42. Obedience of children gives pleasure to whom ? 43. Fathers should guard against what? 44. What is the command to servants ? 45. Does this refer to temporal masters ? 46. Give the meaning of “ eye service.” 47. In whose fear must service be given ? 48. How must the service be performed? 49. From whom will the reward come? 50. How does God regard persons?

Colossians 3:1

Colossians 3:1. Some translations render the first part of this verse as follows: “Since, then, ye have been risen with Christ.” That is correct, for the first word is from the Greek term RI which is defined in the lexicons as a conditional term. It means a condition that something is based upon, and the condition in this case is that the Colossians had been risen with Christ. However, there is no doubt implied, for chapter 2:12 plainly states that they had done so, and says it was when they were baptized. That act entitled them to the things mentioned in our verse. The preceding chapter shows them the folly of depending on human elements, hence they should look elsewhere for something worth having and seeking for.

The instruction is to seek the things which are above, and the word is defined by Thayer, “in a higher place.” But the apostle leaves no place for uncertainty as to where that is, for he says it is where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Baptized believers, then, have a right to these things, but they must seek for them. Romans 2:7 and Revelation 22:14 will tell us how the seeking is done.

Colossians 3:2

Colossians 3:2. Set your affections are from the Greek word PHRONEO, and Thayer defines it, “to direct one’s mind to a thing, to seek or strive for.” The verse is virtually the same in meaning as the preceding one./

Colossians 3:3

Colossians 3:3. Death means a separation, and when the disciples turned from a sinful life, they were separated from sin and thus died to it. The life or activity that had been devoted to a worldly practice then became devoted to Christ and so was hid with Him. Of course it was in God, because everything pertaining to righteousness and salvation, must be accomplished jointly with the Father and the Son.

Colossians 3:4

Colossians 3:4. Christ who is our life. To be hid with Christ gives assurance of enjoying the provisions that He has made for his faithful servants. Those provisions include eternal life; and all of the interests of Christians that have been hid with Him will be re-vealed–will come out of hiding–when Christ appears at the last day. “When that illustrious day shall rise,” it will be in a halo of eternal glory, betokening victory over the sinful world.

Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:5. In the preceding chapter Paul condemns the extremists who considered it a virtue to torture the body. In the present passage he instructs the disciples to mortify (put to death) certain evil things that are often practiced in the members or parts of the body. Fornication. According to Thayer’s explanation of this word, it means unlawful intimacy in general, between the sexes, whether married or not. Uncleanness is a general term and applies to any kind of defilement whether of body or spirit.

Inordinate affection is from PATHOS, which Thayer defines, “depraved passion; " it is the word for “vile affections” in Romans 1:26. Evil concupiscence is a term for evil desire, and it is described by Thayer as, “desire for what is forbidden, lust.” Covetousness is from , and Thayer defines it, “greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice.” Idolatry is from , and its primary meaning is as the King James Version renders it. Thayer explains it at this place to mean “avarice [greed], as a worship of Mammon.” The last word is derived from the Chaldean lagnuage, and means “what is trusted in,” which shows us why Paul says that covetousness is (not just as bad as) idolatry.

Colossians 3:6

Colossians 3:6. The theory of predestination that many human creeds/ teach, is disproved by this verse. It shows that the wrath of God comes on people only who are guilty of the evils described in the preceding verse. Such conduct puts them in a class called children of disobedience. The first word is described in Thayer’s lexicon as, “those who are connected with a thing by any kind of close relationship.”

Colossians 3:7

Colossians 3:7. The Colossians were once living in sin but are now disciples of Christ, having been baptized into Him. The words walked and lived are used in the same sense, showing that a man’s walk is classified by the way he lives.

Colossians 3:8

Colossians 3:8. When they obeyed the Gospel they were made free from all guilt and stood pure before God. However, being in the beginning of their service to Him, they were like children and would need to make further advancement in their contest against sin. Anger, wrath, malice. If used alone, these words would have virtually the same meaning. When used in one` sentence, they represent a growing of intensity of evil temper, finally becoming fixed in a deep feeling and evil intention called malice. Blasphemy is any kind of evil speaking, especially that which is prompted by the kind of heart just described. Filthy communication is foul and indecent language.

Colossians 3:9

Colossians 3:9. The old man is a figurative name for the kind of life the Colossians had lived, which was put off when they ceased such a life of sin. One of the evils they formerly committed was falsehood, which is to be replaced with truth.

Colossians 3:10

Colossians 3:10. When a person puts off one suit of apparel, it is usually for the purpose of putting on another. In like manner, after discarding their old garb of sin, the Colossians had put on the new one that was renewed (modeled) after a divine pattern like Christ who created or designed it.

Colossians 3:11

Colossians 3:11. This verse does not mean that the groups named cannot be in Christ, but that in Him no distinctions are made for or against any of them. When Greek is used in contrast with Jew it means a Gentile. Circumcision and uncircumcision also mean Jew and Gentile, because that rite was a distinguishing mark between the two from a national standpoint. Barbarian means a foreigner, and Scythian means a class of people considered below the average in culture and intelligence. Bond and free refer to slaves, and those not under slavery. All of these classes have equal right to be in Christ upon obedience to the Gospel, and when they comply with it, they are united as one religious group in Him.

Colossians 3:12

Colossians 3:12. What the Colossians had put on is mentioned in general in verse 10, and thi/s verse gives some items of that new attire. Elect of God means people who have obeyed the law of God and therefore are elected or chosen by Him, and are regarded as holy and beloved. Bowels is used figuratively in the New Testament, which Thayer explains as follows: “In the Greek poets the bowels were regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, but by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections.” Paul partly gives the same definition by adding the rest of the words of this verse. Humbleness and meekness are about the same in meaning, and long-suffering denotes patience under trials and unjust treatment.

Colossians 3:13

Colossians 3:13. Forbearing one another is virtually the same as “longsuffer-ing” in the preceding verse, denoting a spirit of patience with the faults of others. This will be manifested by a willingness to forgive one who has trespassed against us. Quarrel means complaint that one feels he has against a brother. Even comes from KATHOS, which Thayer defines, “according as, just as, even as.” The idea is that we should be willing to follow the example of Christ in forgiving those who have offended us.

Colossians 3:14

Colossians 3:14. Charity is from AGAPE, which means love that is prompted by a genuine interest in another, which is manifested by a willingness to contribute to his welfare. Above all these things means that love is more important than all the other things that were mentioned in the preceding verses. That agrees with 1 Corinthians 13:13, where the last word is from the same Greek term. Bond of perfectness signifies that charity (or love) will make a perfect (complete) bond between brethren.

Colossians 3:15

Colossians 3:15. Peace of God would be that calmness of mind provided by Him. To rule in their hearts means for such a state of mind to predominate in their minds. Such a condition can he had only in the one body which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). Such a blessedness with God is enough to cause them to be thankful.

Colossians 3:16

Colossians 3:16. The body of this verse is the same in thought as Ephesians 5:19; a full explanation is given at that place, which the reader should see; some additional comments will be offered here. The word of Christ is recorded in the New Testament, hence a knowledge of that book is necessary for it to dwell in one’s mind richly and in wisdom. Such a knoweldge will enable the disciples to teach and admonish each other. To teach means to impart instruction, and to admonishmeans to insist on doing one’s duty, with an intimation of danger in neglecting it. Singing with grace indicates that the service is prompted by the grace (favor) of God.

Colossians 3:17

Colossians 3:17. Word or deed. According to Luke 6:43-45, a man’s words are the fruit of his heart or thoughts. Therefore, the phrase in italics includes one’s entire conduct, and the command is that it must be all in the name of the Lord Jesus, otherwise it will be wrong. That cannot mean that merely professing the name of Christ in connection with a thing will make it right. Matthew 7:22 Matthew 24:5 shows persons doing things “in the name” of the Lord, who we know were not doing right. The phrase can mean only to do all by the authority of Christ. Since His authority is known only in the New Testament, it follows that Christians have no right to any thought, word or deed, that is not authorized by that volume.

Colossians 3:18

Colossians 3:18. The relationship between God and Christians is a religious and spiritual one, yet He gives certain regulations regarding conduct of the disciples, in all of their relations and dealings with each other, in their various connections with social, political and industrial activities. The general law that should always prevail when a question is raised as to right and wrong in the cases to be mentioned soon, is stated in Acts 5:29 as follows: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” That is why our present verse instructs wives to submit themselves unto their husbands as it is fit in the Lord. As long as a wife can obey her husband without violating any law of the Lord, it is her duty to do so.

Colossians 3:19

Colossians 3:19. Love is from AGAPAO, which Thayer defines, “to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of.” It does not necessarily include the “romantic sentiments,” although such a feeling should exist for a woman before a man seeks to make her his wife. Be not bitter means for him not to show an angry or irritated feeling toward his wife in ruling over her.

Colossians 3:20

Colossians 3:20. In all things should be understood with the same proviso as “in the Lord” at Ephesians 6:1. A full explanation of this subject is given in that passage which the reader should consult. As long as the commands of parents are not in conflict with the law of the Lord, children must obey them, even though they are old enough to have obeyed the Gospel.

Colossians 3:21

Colossians 3:21. The words to anger are not in the primary definition given by the lexicon. Provoke means to irritate one’s children in a way that will discourage them. It does not oppose proper disciplining of them, even though such correction may be unpleasant. I/t should be considered in the light of Heb 12:11.

Colossians 3:22

Colossians 3:22. It was not the purpose of the Lord to interfere with the relation of master and servant, for that is a temporal one. But He gave regulations for their conduct toward each other when either or both became disciples, which frequently occurred. Eye service means “service performed only under the master’s eye.”–Thayer. Singleness is another name for sincerity, and such service here termed eye service would not be sincere, and would not be prompted by the fear or respect for God.

Colossians 3:23

Colossians 3:23. They were to serve their masters with the same sincerity that they do their service to the Lord. In truth, since He requires servants to obey their masters, such service could well be considered in a sense as having been done for the Lord.

Colossians 3:24

Colossians 3:24. Reward of the inheritance merely denotes the Lord will see that a faithful servant will receive his due reward. The last clause is the same as the preceding verse; Lord Christ means the anointed ruler.

Colossians 3:25

Colossians 3:25. As surely as the Lord will see that a faithful servant will receive his due reward, so He will see that an unfaithful one will be punished. No respect of persons. No unfaithful servant will be shown any partiality on account of some personal preference, as earthly masters sometimes do. (See the comments at Ephesians 6:9.)