Bible Commentaries

Colossians 4:1. τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα, justice and equity) Comp. τὰ αὐτὰ, [ye masters do] the same things [unto them], Ephesians 6:9, note.

Colossians 4:2. τῇ προσευχῇ, in prayer) Ephesians 6:18.

Colossians 4:3. ἡμῶν, for us) Ch. Colossians 1:1.— ἀνοίξῃ θύραν τοῦ λόγου, would open the [but Engl. Vers. not of the mouth; therefore, “a door”] door of utterance) i.e. the mouth, Ephesians 6:19; Micah 7:5. A great opportunity is elsewhere called a door [and so Engl. Vers. here], 1 Corinthians 16:9.— δέδεμαι, ἵνα φανερώσω, I am in bonds, that I may make it manifest²⁹) a paradox; as in 2 Timothy 2:9; Philippians 1:12-13.

Colossians 4:4. ὡς, as) This depends on λαλῆσαι, to speak, Colossians 4:3.

Colossians 4:5. ἐν σοφίᾳ, in wisdom) Ephesians 5:15, note.

Colossians 4:6. πάντοτε, always) Supply ἤτω, let it be.— ἐν χάριτι) joined with spiritual grace, Ephesians 4:29.— ἅλατι) with the salt of wisdom.[Lest there should be anything corrupt and tainted under it.—V. g.]— εἰδέναι) [by your knowing how]. The infinitive used as an ablative case.

Colossians 4:7. τὰ κατʼ ἐμὲ, the things concerning me) Ephesians 6:21.

Colossians 4:8. γνῷ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν) γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν is found in Al. Colb. 7, etc. It has been transferred to this place from Ephesians 6:22. See App. Crit. Ed. 2.³⁰ on this passage. The two epistles [Ephesians and Colossians] truly have many points of resemblance to one another, but yet so as that the things that need to be changed are changed in each respectively (mutatis mutandis). And generally in parallelisms of this sort, which the officiousness of transcribers has mixed together [blending the parallel readings of two epistles into one], one reading in the one place, and another in the other, is the genuine reading. Tychicus, and through Tychicus (as it appears) Paul, was to learn the state of the Colossians (whence, instead of γνῷ [third person, viz. Tychicus], γνῶ [first person, viz. Paul] may be also read), just as he learned the state of the Thessalonians through Timothy; that of the Corinthians through Titus; that of the Philippians through Epaphroditus; and more especially did Paul wish to learn that of the Colossians, because he had a great ‘conflict’ on their account [ch. Colossians 2:1]. Moreover the knowledge of the Colossians concerning Paul is sufficiently indicated (marked), not only by the preceding words, as in the Epistle to the Ephesians, but also by those following, which are peculiar to this Epistle to the Colossians: πάντα ὑμῖν γνωριοῦσι τὰ ὧδε.³¹

Colossians 4:10. συναιχμάλωτός μου, my fellow-prisoner) This was the state of Aristarchus (viz. that of a prisoner), not so Epaphras, Colossians 4:12 : but it is Epaphras, not Aristarchus, that is spoken of as his ‘fellow-prisoner’ in Philem. 123, 24. Perhaps Epaphras, when he came to Rome, was imprisoned, and presently after liberated. Paul might have so called Aristarchus, because he had been formerly imprisoned.— ὁ ἀνεψιὸς βαρνάβα, [sister’s son, Engl. Vers.] kinsman to Barnabas) Barnabas was better known than Mark; therefore the latter is designated from the former.— περὶ οὗ, concerning whom) namely Mark; the οὗ refers to the nominative, not to the oblique case, of Barnabas [though βαρνάβα immediately precedes].— ἐλάβετε) ye have received. Tychicus and Onesimus seem to have borne these commandments to the Colossians, along with this epistle. Ye have received, he says, not, you will receive; for the ancients suited their language to the time when the epistle was read, not to the time when it was written, as we should do. Thus, I have written, for I write, Philemon 1:19.— ἐντολὰς, commandments) These are put in antithesis to the writing.— ἐὰν, if) This is the sum of those commandments.

Colossians 4:11. οἱ ὄντες, who are) namely, Aristarchus, Marcus, Jesus.— μόνοι, alone) of the circumcision.— παρηγορία) The propriety of the word should be observed; what παραμυθία is in domestic sorrow, παρηγορία is in forensic danger.³²

Colossians 4:12. τέλειοι καὶ πεπληρωμένοι, perfect and complete) This is introduced from the former discussion.³³— ἐν παντὶ, in all) Construe with, ye may stand.

Colossians 4:13. γὰρ, for) The reason (ætiologia: see Append.) is properly in, he hath. The verb, I bear him record, is modal.³⁴— ζῆλον, zeal) lest you should be seduced, ch. Colossians 2:4 : comp. 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Colossians 4:14. ὁ ἰατρὸς, the physician) He is so called, either because he had practised, or was practising, medicine. He calls him Luke, as being sufficiently known to Timothy by his name alone, in 2 Timothy 4:11. He calls him the physician here, as being unknown to the Colossians.— δημᾶς, Demas) He alone is put without any descriptive epithet; comp. 2 Timothy 4:10 : but perhaps the reason for this was, that Demas wrote the epistle under the dictation of Paul.

Colossians 4:15. νυμφᾶν, Nymphas) of Laodicea, as may be collected from this passage. The house of Philemon was open to the congregations of believing Colossians, Philemon 1:2.

Colossians 4:16. ἀναγνωσθῇ, shall be read) publicly, in the church. Comp. 1 Thessalonians 5:27; Revelation 1:3; Deuteronomy 31:11.— ἡ ἐπιστολὴ, the epistle) this very one.— ποιήσατε, cause) So also 1 Thess. as above.— τὴν ἐκ λαοδικείας, the one from Laodicea) Mill is of opinion that the Epistle to the Ephesians is intended, which was to be got from Laodicea, and to be brought to Colosse. It is certainly not without a reason that Paul mentions the town from which the epistle was to be procured, rather than those to whom he sent it.

Colossians 4:17. εἴπατε, say) Speak ye, in my name, as witnesses. This was more affecting than if he had addressed Archippus himself. And perhaps Archippus, a minister, was prevented from going to the public assembly by weak health or old age. For that he was near the end of his career, may be inferred from the word fulfil, Philemon 1:2. Moreover it is not the different overseers of the Church, but the Church itself, which is commanded to speak to Archippus. Therefore the epistle was directed to the Church, although its subject is very sublime. [Why then are laymen, as they are called, to be prevented from reading the Scriptures?—V. g.]— ἣν παρέλαβες, which thou hast received) by a mediate calling [i.e. through the mediate instrumentality of men, who ordained him]; for there does not follow, from the Lord, but in the Lord.

Colossians 4:18. ὁ ἀσπασμὸς, the salutation) Paul adds this verse with his own hand, acknowledging that all which goes before, proceeded from himself.— μνημονεύετε, be mindful) especially in prayer, Colossians 4:3.