Colossians 4 commentary

The apostle proceeds with the duty of masters to their servants. Not only justice is required of them, but strict equity and kindness. Let them deal with servants as they expect God should deal with themselves.

No duties can be done aright, unless we persevere in fervent prayer, and watch therein with thanksgiving. The people are to pray particularly for their ministers. Believers are exhorted to right conduct towards unbelievers. Be careful in all converse with them, to do them good, and recommend religion by all fit means. Diligence in redeeming time, commends religion to the good opinion of others. Even what is only carelessness may cause a lasting prejudice against the truth. Let all discourse be discreet and seasonable, as becomes Christians. Though it be not always of grace, it must always be with grace. Though our discourse be of that which is common, yet it must be in a Christian manner. Grace is the salt which seasons our discourse, and keeps it from corrupting. It is not enough to answer what is asked, unless we answer aright also.

Ministers are servants to Christ, and fellow-servants to one another. They have one Lord, though they have different stations and powers for service. It is a great comfort under the troubles and difficulties of life, to have fellow Christians caring for us. Circumstances of life make no difference in the spiritual relation among sincere Christians; they partake of the same privileges, and are entitled to the same regards. What amazing changes Divine grace makes! Faithless servants become faithful and beloved brethren, and some who had done wrong, become fellow-workers of good.

Paul had differed with Barnabas, on the account of this Mark, yet he is not only reconciled, but recommends him to the churches; an example of a truly Christian and forgiving spirit. If men have been guilty of a fault, it must not always be remembered against them. We must forget as well as forgive. The apostle had comfort in the communion of saints and ministers. One is his fellow-servant, another his fellow-prisoner, and all his fellow-workers, working out their own salvation, and endeavouring to promote the salvation of others. The effectual, fervent prayer is the prevailing prayer, and availeth much. The smiles, flatteries, or frowns of the world, the spirit of error, or the working of self-love, leads many to a way of preaching and living which comes far short of fulfilling their ministry. But those who preach the same doctrine as Paul, and follow his example, may expect the Divine favour and blessing.

1. Masters, what is just. He mentions first, what is just, by which term he expresses that kindness, as to which he has given injunction in the Epistle to the Ephesians. (Ephesians 6:8.) But as masters, looking down as it were from aloft, despise the condition of servants, so that they think that they are bound by no law, Paul brings them under control, “Et rabbaisse leur presomption;” — “And beats down their presumption.” because both are equally under subjection to the authority of God. Hence that equity of which he makes mention.

And mutual equity. Some understand it otherwise, but I have no doubt that Paul here employed ἰσότητα to mean analogical Our author, has here in view a definition of Aristotle, quoted by him when commenting on 2 Corinthians 8:13. See Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 2, p. 294. — Ed. or distributive right, “C’est a dire, qui est reglé et compassé selon la circonstance, qualité, ou vocation des personnes;” — “That is to say, which is regulated and proportioned according to the circumstances, station, or calling of individuals.” as in Ephesians, τὰ αὐτὰ, (the same things.) “Comme aux Ephesiens il a vsé de ce mot, Le mesme, ou Le semblable, en ceste signification, comme il a este là touché;” — “As in the Ephesians he has made use of this word, the same, or the like, in this sense, as he has there noticed.” For masters have not their servants bound to them in such a manner as not to owe something to them in their turn, as analogical right to be in force among all ranks. “Comme il y a vn droict mutuel, reglé selon la consideration de l’office et vocation d’vn chacun, lequel droict doit auoir lieu entre tous estats;” — “As there is a mutual right, regulated according to a consideration of the office and calling of each individual, which right ought to have a place among all ranks.”

2. Continue in prayer. He returns to general exhortations, in which we must not expect an exact order, for in that case he would have begun with prayer, but Paul had not an eye to that. Farther, as to prayer, he commends here two things; first, assiduity; secondly, alacrity, or earnest intentness. For, when he says, continue, he exhorts to perseverance, while he makes mention of watching in opposition to coldness, and listlessness. “Ou façon d’y proceder laschement, et comme par acquit;” — “Or a way of acting in it listlessly, and as a mere form.”

He adds, thanksgiving, because God must be solicited for present necessity in such a way that, in the mean time, we do not forget favors already received. Farther, we ought not to be so importunate as to murmur, and feel offended if God does not immediately gratify our wishes, but must receive contentedly whatever he gives. Thus a twofold giving of thanks is necessary. As to this point something has also been said in the Epistle to the Philippians. (Philippians 4:6.)

3. Pray also for us. He does not say this by way of pretense, but because, being conscious to himself of his own necessity, he was earnestly desirous to be aided by their prayers, and was fully persuaded that they would be of advantage to them. Who then, in the present day, would dare to despise the intercessions of brethren, which Paul openly declares himself to stand in need of? And, unquestionably, it is not in vain that the Lord has appointed this exercise of love between us — that we pray for each other. Not only, therefore, ought each of us to pray for his brethren, but we ought also, on our part, diligently to seek help from the prayers of others, as often as occasion requires. It is, however, a childish “Plus que puerile;” — “Worse than childish.” argument on the part of Papists, who infer from this, that the dead must be implored “Qu’il nous faut implorer l’aide des saincts trespassez;” — “That we must implore the aid of departed saints.” to pray for us. For what is there here that bears any resemblance to this? Paul commends himself to the prayers of the brethren, with whom he knows that he has mutual fellowship according to the commandment of God: who will deny that this reason does not hold in the case of the dead? Leaving, therefore, such trifles, let us return to Paul.

As we have a signal example of modesty, in the circumstance that Paul calls others to his assistance, so we are also admonished, that it is a thing that is replete with the greatest difficulty, to persevere steadfastly in the defense of the gospel, and especially when danger presses. For it is not without cause that he desires that the Churches may assist him in this matter. Consider, too, at the same time, his amazing ardor of zeal. He is not solicitous as to his own safety; “Il ne se soucie point d’estre sauué des mains de ses ennemis;” — “He does not feel anxiety to be saved from the hands of his enemies.” he does not ask that prayers may be poured forth by the Churches on his behalf, that he may be delivered from danger of death. He is contented with this one thing, that he may, unconquered and undaunted, persevere in a confession of the gospel; nay more, he fearlessly makes his own life a secondary matter, as compared with the glory of Christ and the spread of the gospel.

By a door of utterance, however, he simply means what, in Ephesians 6:19, he terms the opening of the mouth, and what Christ calls a mouth and wisdom. (Luke 21:15.) For the expression differs nothing from the other in meaning, but merely in form, for he here intimates, by all elegant metaphor, that it is in no degree easier for us to speak confidently respecting the gospel, than to break through a door that is barred and bolted. For this is truly a divine work, as Christ himself said,

It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. (Matthew 10:20.)

Having, therefore, set forward the difficulty, he stirs up the Colossians the more to prayer, by declaring that he cannot speak right, except in so far as his tongue is directed by the Lord. Secondly, he argues from the dignity “La dignite et l’excellence;” — “The dignity and excellence.” of the matter, when he calls the gospel the mystery of Christ. For we must labor in a more perfunctory manner in a matter of such importance. Thirdly, he makes mention also of his danger.

4. As I ought. This clause sets forth more strongly the difficulty, for he intimates that it is no ordinary matter. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, (Ephesians 6:20,) he adds, ἵνα παῤῥησιάσωμαι, (that I may speak boldly,) from which it appears that he desired for himself an undaunted confidence, such as befits the majesty of the gospel. Farther, as Paul here does nothing else than desire that grace may be given him for the discharge of his office, let us bear in mind that a rule is in like manner prescribed to us, not to give way to the fury of our adversaries, but to strive even to death in the publication of the gospel. As this, however, is beyond our power, it is necessary that we should continue in prayer, that the Lord may not leave us destitute of the spirit of confidence.

Colossians 4:5-9

5. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

5. Sapienter ambulate erga extraneos, tempus redimentes.

6. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

6. Sermo vester semper in gratia sit sale conditus: ut sciatis quomodo oporteat vos unicuique respondere.

7. All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

7. Res meas omnes patefaciet vobis Tychicus dilectus frater et fidelis minister ac conservus in Domino.

8. Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

8. Quem misi ad vos hac de causa, ut sciretis statum meum, et consolaretur corda vestra:

9. With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

9. Cum Onesimo fideli et dilecto fratre, qui est ex vobis. Omnia patefacient vobis quae hic sunt.

5. Walk wisely. He makes mention of those that are without, in contrast with those that are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10.) For the Church is like a city of which all believers are the inhabitants, connected with each other by a mutual relationship, while unbelievers are strangers. But why would he have regard to be had to them, rather than to believers? There are three reasons: first,

lest any stumblingblock be put in, the way of the blind, (Leviticus 19:14,)

for nothing is more ready to occur, than that unbelievers are driven from bad to worse through our imprudence, and their minds are wounded, so that they hold religion more and more in abhorrence. Secondly, it is lest any occasion may be given for detracting from the honor of the gospel, and thus the name of Christ be exposed to derision, persons be rendered more hostile, and disturbances and persecutions be stirred up. Lastly, it is, lest, while we are mingled together, in partaking of food, and on other occasions, we be defiled by their pollutions, and by little and little become profane.

To the same effect, also, is what follows, redeeming the time, that is, because intercourse with them is dangerous. For in Ephesians 5:16, he assigns the reason, because the days are evil. “Amidst so great a corruption as prevails in the world we must seize opportunities of doing good, and we must struggle against impediments.” The more, therefore, that our path is blocked up with occasions of offense, so much the more carefully must we take heed lest our feet should stumble, or we should stop short through indolence.

6. Your speech. He requires suavity of speech, such as may allure the hearers by its profitableness, for he does not merely condemn communications that are openly wicked or impious, but also such as are worthless and idle. Hence he would have them seasoned with salt. Profane men have their seasonings of discourse, Sales. The term is frequently employed by classical writers to denote witticisms. See Cic. Fam. 9:15; Juv. 9:11; Hor. Ep. 2:2, 60. — Ed. but he does not speak of them; nay more, as witticisms are insinuating, and for the most part procure favor, “Et que par ce moyen il seroit a craindre que les fideles ne s’y addonassent;” — “And as on this account it was to be feared that believers would addict themselves to this.” he indirectly prohibits believers from the practice and familiar use of them. For he reckons as tasteless everything that does not edify. The term grace is employed in the same sense, so as to be opposed to talkativeness, taunts, and all sorts of trifles which are either injurious or vain. “Ou s’en vont en fumee;” — “Or vanish into smoke.”

That ye may know how. The man who has accustomed himself to caution in his communications will not fall into many absurdities, into which talkative and prating persons fall into from time to time, but, by constant practice, will acquire for himself expertness in making proper and suitable replies; as, on the other hand, it must necessarily happen, that silly talkers expose themselves to derision whenever they are interrogated as to anything; and in this they pay the just punishment of their silly talkativeness. Nor does he merely say what, but also how, and not to all indiscriminately, but to every one. For this is not the least important part of prudence — to have due regard to individuals. “Car c’est des principales parties de vraye prudence, de scauoir discerner les personnes pour parler aux vns et aux autres comme il est de besoin;” — “For it is one of the chief departments of true prudence, to know how to discriminate as to individuals, in speaking to one and to another, as there may be occasion.”

7 My things. That the Colossians may know what concern he has for them, he confirms them, by giving them, in a manner, a pledge. For although he was in prison, and was in danger of his life, making care for himself a secondary matter, he consults for their interests by sending Tychicus to them. In this the singular zeal, no less than prudence of the holy Apostle, shines forth; for it is no small matter that, while he is held prisoner, and is in the most imminent danger on account of the gospel, he, nevertheless, does not cease to employ himself in advancing the gospel, and takes care of all the Churches. Thus, the body, indeed, is under confinement, but the mind, anxious to employ itself in everything good, roams far and wide. His prudence shews itself in his sending a fit and prudent person to confirm them, as far as was necessary, and withstand the craftiness of the false apostles; and, farther, in his retaining Epaphras beside himself, until they should come to learn what and how great an agreement there was in doctrine among all true teachers, and might hear from Tychicus the same thing that they had previously learned from Epaphras. Let us carefully meditate on these examples, that they may stir us up to all imitation of the like pursuit.

He adds, Onesimus, that the embassy may have the more weight. It is, however, uncertain who this Onesimus was. For it can scarcely be believed that this is the slave of Philemon, inasmuch as the name of a thief and a fugitive would have been liable to reproach. Paley, in his Horae Paulinae, finds the statement here made respecting Onesimus, “who is one of you,” one of the many undesigned coincidences which he adduces in that admirable treatise, in evidence of the credibility of the New Testament. The train of his reasoning in this instance may be briefly stated thus — that while it appears from the Epistle to Philemon, that Onesimus was the servant or slave of Philemon, it is not stated in that Epistle to what city Philemon belonged; but that it appears from the Epistle, (Philem. 1, 2,) that he was of the same place, whatever that place was, with an eminent Christian, named Archippus, whom we find saluted by name amongst the Colossian Christians; while the expression made use of by Paul here respecting Onesimus, “who is one of you,” clearly marks him out as being of the same city, viz., Colosse. — Ed. He distinguishes both of them by honorable titles, that they may do the more good, and especially Tychicus, who was to exercise the office of an instructor.

Colossians 4:10-13

10. Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

10. Salutat vos Aristarchus, concaptivus meus, et Marcus, cognatus Barnabae, de quo accepistis mandata si venerit ad vos, ut suscipiatis ipsum.

11. And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

11. Et Iesus qui dicitur Iustus, qui sunt ex circumcisione, hi soli cooperarii in regnum Dei, qui mihi fuerunt solatio.

12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

12. Salutat vos Epaphras, qui est ex vobis servus Christi, semper decertans pro vobis in precationibus, ut stetis perfecti et completi in omni voluntate Dei.

13. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

13. Testimonium enim illi reddo, quod multum studium vestri habeat, et eorum qui sunt Laodiceae et Hierapoli.

10. Fellow-prisoner. From this it appears that there were others that were associated with Paul, “D’autres furent mis prisonniers auec sainct Paul;” — “Some others were made prisoners along with St. Paul.” after he was brought to Rome. It is also probable that his enemies exerted themselves, in the outset, to deter all pious persons from giving him help, by threatening them with the like danger, and that this for a time had the desired effect; but that afterwards some, gathering up courage, despised everything that was held out to them in the way of terror.

That ye receive him. Some manuscripts have receive in the imperative mood; but it is a mistake, for he expresses the nature of the charge which the Colossians had received — that it was a commendation of either Barnabas, or of Marcus. The latter is the more probable. In the Greek it is the infinitive mood, Excipite δέξασθε, vel δέξασθαι, ut excipiatis, si conjungas cum ἐλάβετε, ut habet Syrus interpres, ut exprimatur quod fuerit illud mandatum;” — “Receive ye, δέξασθε, or δέξασθαι, that ye may receive, if you connect it with ἐλάβετε, (ye received,) as the Syrian interpreter has it, so as to express what the charge was.” — Beza. — Ed. but it may be rendered in the way I have done. Let us, however, observe, that they were careful in furnishing attestations, that they might distinguish good men from false brethren — from pretenders, from impostors, and multitudes of vagrants. The same care is more than simply necessary at the present day, both because good teachers are coldly received, and because credulous and foolish men lay themselves too open to be deceived by impostors.

11. These only are fellow-workers, — that is, of the circumcision; for he afterwards names others, but they were of the uncircumcision. He means, therefore, that there were few Jews at Rome who shewed themselves to be helpers to the gospel, nay more, that the whole nation was opposed to Christ. At the same time, by workers he means those only who were endowed with gifts that were necessary for promoting the gospel. But where was Peter at that time? Unquestionably, he has either been shamefully passed over here, and not without injustice, or else those speak falsely who maintain that he was then at Rome. Farther, he calls the gospel the kingdom of God, for it is the scepter by which God reigns over us, and by means of it we are singled out to life eternal. “Nous sommes receus a la vie eternelle;” — “We are received to life eternal.” But of this form of expression we shall treat more fully elsewhere.

12 Always striving. Here we have an example of a good pastor, whom distance of place cannot induce to forget the Church, so as to prevent him from taking the care of it with him beyond the sea. We must notice, also, the strength of entreaty that is expressed in the word striving. For although the Apostle had it in view here to express intensity of affection, he at the same time admonishes the Colossians not to look upon the prayers of their pastor as useless, but, on the contrary, to reckon that they would afford them no small assistance. Lastly, let us infer from Paul’s words, that the perfection of Christians is, when they stand complete in the will of God, that they may not suspend their scheme of life upon anything else.

Colossians 4:14-18

14. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

14. Salutat vos Lucas medicus dilectus, et Demas.

15. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

15. Salutate fratres qui sunt Laodiceae, et Nympham, et Ecclesiam quae est domi ipsius;

16. And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

16. Et quum lecta fuerit apud vos epistola, facite ut etiam in Laodicensium Ecclesia legatur: et eam quae ex Laodicea est ut vos legatis.

17. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

17. Et dicite Archippo: Vide ministerium quod accepisti in Domino, ut illud impleas.

18. The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

18. Salutatio, mea manu Pauli. Memores estote vinculorum meorum. Gratia vobiscum. Amen.

Written from Rome to the Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.

Missa e Roma per Tychicum et Onesimum.

14. Luke saluteth you. I do not agree with those who understand this to be Luke the Evangelist; for I am of opinion that he was too well known to stand in need of such a designation, and he would have been signalized by a more magnificent eulogium. He would, undoubtedly, have called him his fellow-helper, or at least his companion and participant in his conflicts. I rather conjecture that he was absent at that time, and that it is another of the same name that is called a physician, to distinguish him from the other. Demas, of whom he makes mention, is undoubtedly the person of whom he complains — that he afterwards deserted him. (2 Timothy 4:10.)

When he speaks of the Church which was in the house of Nymphas, let us bear in mind, that, in the instance of one household, a rule is laid down as to what it becomes all Christian households to be — that they be so many little Churches. See Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 2, p. 78. Let every one, therefore, know that this charge is laid upon him — that he is to train up his house in the fear of the Lord, to keep it under a holy discipline, and, in fine, to form in it the likeness of a Church.

16. Let it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans. Hence, though it was addressed to the Colossians, it was, nevertheless, necessary that it should be profitable to others. The same view must also be taken of all the Epistles. They were indeed, in the first instance, addressed to particular Churches, but, as they contain doctrine that is always in force, and is common to all ages, it is of no importance what title they bear, for the subject matter belongs to us. It has been groundlessly supposed that the other Epistle of which he makes mention was written by Paul, and those labor under a double mistake who think that it was written by Paul to the Laodiceans. I have no doubt that it was an Epistle that had been sent to Paul, the perusal of which might be profitable to the Colossians, as neighboring towns have usually many things in common. There was, however, an exceedingly gross imposture in the circumstance that some worthless person, I know not who, had the audacity to forge, under this pretext, an Epistle, that is so insipid, “Contrefaire et mettre en auant vne lettre comme escrite par sainct Paul aux Laodiciens, voire si sotte et badine;” — “To forge and put forward a letter as if written by St. Paul to the Laodiceans, and that too so foolish and silly.” that nothing can be conceived to be more foreign to Paul’s spirit.

17 Say to Archippus. So far as I can conjecture, this Archippus was, in the mean time, discharging the office of pastor, during the absence of Epaphras; but perhaps he was not of such a disposition as to be sufficiently diligent of himself without being stirred up. Paul, accordingly, would have him be more fully encouraged by the exhortation of the whole Church. He might have admonished him in his own name individually; but he gives this charge to the Colossians that they may know that they must themselves employ incitements, “Qu’eux — mesmes aussi doyuent faire des remonstrances et inciter leur pasteur;” — “That they must themselves employ remonstrances and stir up their pastor.” if they see their pastor cold, and the pastor himself does not refuse to be admonished by the Church. For the ministers of the word are endowed with signal authority, but such at the same time as is not exempt from laws. Hence, it is necessary that they should shew themselves teachable if they would duly teach others. As to Paul’s calling attention again Paul had previously made mention of his bonds, in the 3rd verse of the chapter. — Ed. to his bonds, he intimates by this that he was in no slight degree afflicted. For he was mindful of human infirmity, and without doubt he felt some twinges of it in himself, inasmuch as he was so very urgent that all pious persons, should be mindful of his distresses. It is, however, no evidence of distrust, that he calls in from all quarters the helps that were appointed him by the Lord. The subscription, with his own hand, means, as we have seen elsewhere, that there were even then spurious epistles in circulation, so that it was necessary to provide against imposition. “Que des lors on faisoit courir des epistres a faux titre, et sous le nom des seruiteurs de Dieu: a laquelle meschancete il leur estoit force de remedier par quelque moyen;” — “That even then they put into circulation epistles under a false title, and in the name of the servants of God: to which wickedness he was under the necessity of employing a remedy by some means.”

END OF THE COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS.

THE AUTHOR’S DEDICATORY EPISTLE.

TO

MATURINUS CORDERIUS,

A MAN OF EMINENT PIETY AND LEARNING, PRINCIPAL OF THE COLLEGE OF LAUSANNE.

It is befitting that you should come in for a share in my labors, inasmuch as, under your auspices, having entered on a course of study, I made proficiency at least so far as to be prepared to profit in some degree the Church of God. When my father sent me, while yet a boy, to Paris, after I had simply tasted the first elements of the Latin tongue; Providence so ordered it that I had, for a short time, the privilege of having you as my instructor, See p. 16. that I might be taught by you the true method of learning, in such a way that I might be prepared afterwards to make somewhat better proficiency. For, after presiding over the first class with the highest renown, on observing that pupils who had been ambitiously trained up by the other masters, produced nothing but mere show, nothing of solidity, so that they required to be formed by you anew, tired of this annoyance, you that year descended to the fourth class. This, indeed, was what you had in view, but to me it was a singular kindness on the part of God that I happened to have an auspicious commencement of such a course of training. And although I was permitted to have the use of it only for a short time, from the circumstance that we were soon afterwards advanced higher by an injudicious man, who regulated our studies according to his own pleasure, or rather his caprice, yet I derived so much assistance afterwards from your training, that it is with good reason that I acknowledge myself indebted to you for such progress as has since been made. And this I was desirous to testify to posterity, that, if any advantage shall accrue to them from my writings, they shall know that it has in some degree originated with you.

Geneva, 17th February 1550.

ARGUMENT

ON

THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.

The greater part of this Epistle consists of exhortations. Paul had instructed the Thessalonians in the right faith. On hearing, however, that persecutions were raging there, “Ayant ouy qu’il y estoit suruenu des persecutions, et qu’elles continuoyent;” — “Having heard that there were some persecutions that had broken out there, and that they were still continuing.” he had sent Timothy with the view of animating them for the conflict, that they might not give way through fear, as human infirmity is apt to do. Having been afterwards informed by Timothy respecting their entire condition, he employs various arguments to confirm them in steadfastness of faith, as well as in patience, should they be called to endure anything for the testimony of the gospel. These things he treats of in the first three Chapters.

In the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, he exhorts them, in general terms, to holiness of life, afterwards he recommends mutual benevolence, and all offices that flow from it. Towards the end, however, he touches upon the question of the resurrection, and explains in what way we shall all be raised up from death. From this it is manifest, that there were some wicked or light-minded persons, who endeavored to unsettle their faith by unseasonably bringing forward many frivolous things. “En mettant en auant sur ce propos beaucoup de choses frivoles et curieuses;” — “By bringing forward upon this subject many frivolous and curious things.” Hence with the view of cutting off all pretext for foolish and needless disputations, he instructs them in few words as to the views which they should entertain.

In the Fifth Chapter he prohibits them, even more strictly, from inquiring as to times; but admonishes them to be ever on the watch, lest they should be taken unawares by Christ’s sudden and unexpected approach. From this he proceeds to employ various exhortations, and then concludes the Epistle.

COMMENTARY ON

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

CHAPTER 1

1 Thessalonians 1:1

1. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Paulus et Silvanus et Timotheus Ecclesiae Thessalonicensium, in Deo Patre, et Domino Iesu Christo, gratia vobis et pax a Deo Patre nostro, et Domino Iesu Christo.

CHAPTER 4

Col 4:1-18. Exhortations Continued. To Prayer: Wisdom in Relation to the Unconverted: As to the Bearers of the Epistle, Tychicus and Onesimus: Closing Salutations.

1. give--Greek "render": literally, "afford."

equal--that is, as the slaves owe their duties to you, so you equally owe to them your duties as masters. Compare "ye masters do the same things" (see on Ep 6:9). Alford translates, "fairness," "equity," which gives a large and liberal interpretation of justice in common matters (Phm 16).

knowing--(Col 3:24).

ye also--as well as they.

2. Continue--Greek, "Continue perseveringly," "persevere" (Ep 6:18), "watching thereunto"; here, "watch in the same," or "in it," that is, in prayer: watching against the indolence as to prayer, and in prayer, of our corrupt wills.

with thanksgiving--for everything, whether joyful, or sorrowful, mercies temporal and spiritual, national, family, and individual (1Co 14:17; Php 4:6; 1Th 5:18).

3. for us--myself and Timothy (Col 1:1).

a door of utterance--Translate, "a door for the word." Not as in Ep 6:19, where power of "utterance" is his petition. Here it is an opportunity for preaching the word, which would be best afforded by his release from prison (1Co 16:9; 2Co 2:12; Phm 22; Re 3:8).

to speak--so that we may speak.

the mystery of Christ--(Col 1:27).

for which ... also--on account of which I am (not only "an ambassador," Ep 6:20, but) ALSO in bonds.

4. Alford thinks that Paul asks their prayers for his release as if it were the "only" way by which he could "make it (the Gospel) manifest" as he ought. But while this is included in their subject of prayer, Php 1:12, 13, written somewhat later in his imprisonment, clearly shows that "a door for the word" could be opened, and was opened, for its manifestation, even while he remained imprisoned (compare 2Ti 2:9).

5. (See on Ep 5:15, 16.)

in wisdom--practical Christian prudence.

them ... without--Those not in the Christian brotherhood (1Co 5:12; 1Th 4:12). The brethren, through love, will make allowances for an indiscreet act or word of a brother; the world will make none. Therefore be the more on your guard in your intercourse with the latter, lest you be a stumbling-block to their conversion.

redeeming the time--The Greek expresses, buying up for yourselves, and buying off from worldly vanities the opportunity, whenever it is afforded you, of good to yourselves and others. "Forestall the opportunity, that is, to buy up an article out of the market, so as to make the largest profit from it" [Conybeare and Howson].

6. with grace--Greek, "IN grace" as its element (Col 3:16; Ep 4:29). Contrast the case of those "of the world" who "therefore speak of the world" (1Jo 4:5). Even the smallest leaf of the believer should be full of the sap of the Holy Spirit (Jr 17:7, 8). His conversation should be cheerful without levity, serious without gloom. Compare Lu 4:22; Joh 7:46, as to Jesus' speech.

seasoned with salt--that is, the savor of fresh and lively spiritual wisdom and earnestness, excluding all "corrupt communication," and also tasteless insipidity (Mt 5:13; Mr 9:50; Ep 4:29). Compare all the sacrifices seasoned with salt (Le 2:13). Not far from Colosse, in Phrygia, there was a salt lake, which gives to the image here the more appropriateness.

how ye ought to answer every man--(1Pe 3:15).

7. Tychicus--(See on Ep 6:2).

who is a beloved brother--rather, "the beloved brother"; the article "the" marks him as well known to them.

8. for the same purpose--Greek, "for this very purpose."

that he might know your estate--Translate, "that he may know your state": answering to Col 4:7. So one very old manuscript and Vulgate read. But the oldest manuscripts and the old Latin versions, "that YE may know OUR state." However, the latter reading seems likely to have crept in from Ep 6:22. Paul was the more anxious to know the state of the Colossians, on account of the seductions to which they were exposed from false teachers; owing to which he had "great conflict for" them (Col 2:1).

comfort your hearts--distressed as ye are by my imprisonment, as well as by your own trials.

9. Onesimus--the slave mentioned in the Epistle to Philemon (Phm 10, 16), "a brother beloved."

a faithful ... brother--rather, "the faithful brother," he being known to the Colossians as the slave of Philemon, their fellow townsman and fellow Christian.

one of you--belonging to your city.

They shall make known unto you all things--Greek, "all the things here." This substantial repetition of "all my state shall Tychicus declare unto you," strongly favors the reading of English Version in Col 4:8, "that he might (may) know your state," as it is unlikely the same thing should be stated thrice.

10. Aristarchus--a Macedonian of Thessalonica (Ac 27:2), who was dragged into the theater at Ephesus, during the tumult with Gaius, they being "Paul's companions in travel." He accompanied Paul to Asia (Ac 20:4), and subsequently (Ac 27:2) to Rome. He was now at Rome with Paul (compare Phm 23, 24). As he is here spoken of as Paul's "fellow prisoner," but in Phm 24 as Paul's "fellow laborer"; and vice versa, Epaphras in Phm 23, as his "fellow prisoner," but here (Col 1:7) "fellow servant," Meyer in Alford, conjectures that Paul's friends voluntarily shared his imprisonment by turns, Aristarchus being his fellow prisoner when he wrote to the Colossians, Epaphras when he wrote to Philemon. The Greek for "fellow prisoner" is literally, fellow captive, an image from prisoners taken in warfare, Christians being "fellow soldiers" (Php 2:25; Phm 2), whose warfare is "the good fight of faith."

Mark--John Mark (Ac 12:12, 25); the Evangelist according to tradition.

sister's son--rather, "cousin," or "kinsman to Barnabas"; the latter being the better known is introduced to designate Mark. The relationship naturally accounts for Barnabas' selection of Mark as his companion when otherwise qualified; and also for Mark's mother's house at Jerusalem being the place of resort of Christians there (Ac 12:12). The family belonged to Cyprus (Ac 4:36); this accounts for Barnabas' choice of Cyprus as the first station on their journey (Ac 13:4), and for Mark's accompanying them readily so far, it being the country of his family; and for Paul's rejecting him at the second journey for not having gone further than Perga, in Pamphylia, but having gone thence home to his mother at Jerusalem (Mt 10:37) on the first journey (Ac 13:13).

touching whom--namely, Mark.

ye received commandments--possibly before the writing of this Epistle; or the "commandments" were verbal by Tychicus, and accompanying this letter, since the past tense was used by the ancients (where we use the present) in relation to the time which it would be when the letter was read by the Colossians. Thus (Phm 19), "I have written," for "I write." The substance of them was, "If he come unto you, receive him." Paul's rejection of him on his second missionary journey, because he had turned back at Perga on the first journey (Ac 13:13; 15:37-39), had caused an alienation between himself and Barnabas. Christian love soon healed the breach; for here he implies his restored confidence in Mark, makes honorable allusion to Barnabas, and desires that those at Colosse who had regarded Mark in consequence of that past error with suspicion, should now "receive" him with kindness. Colosse is only about one hundred ten miles from Perga, and less than twenty from the confines of Pisidia, through which province Paul and Barnabas preached on their return during the same journey. Hence, though Paul had not personally visited the Colossian Church, they knew of the past unfaithfulness of Mark; and needed this recommendation of him, after the temporary cloud on him, so as to receive him, now that he was about to visit them as an evangelist. Again, in Paul's last imprisonment, he, for the last time, speaks of Mark (2Ti 4:11).

11. Justus--that is, righteous; a common name among the Jews; Hebrew, "tzadik" (Ac 1:23).

of the circumcision--This implies that Epaphras, Luke, and Demas (Col 4:12, 14) were not of the circumcision. This agrees with Luke's Gentile name (the same as Lucanus), and the Gentile aspect of his Gospel.

These only, &c.--namely, of the Jews. For the Jewish teachers were generally opposed to the apostle of the Gentiles (Php 1:15). Epaphras, &c., were also fellow laborers, but Gentiles.

unto--that is, in promoting the Gospel kingdom.

which have been--Greek, "which have been made," or "have become," that is, inasmuch as they have become a comfort to me. The Greek implies comfort in forensic dangers; a different Greek word expresses comfort in domestic affliction [Bengel].

12. Christ--The oldest manuscripts add "Jesus."

labouring fervently--As the Greek, is the same, translate, "striving earnestly" (see on Col 1:29 and Col 2:1), literally, "striving as in the agony of a contest."

in prayers--Translate as Greek, "in his prayers."

complete--The oldest manuscripts read, "fully assured." It is translated, "fully persuaded," Ro 4:21; 14:5. In the expression "perfect," he refers to what he has already said, Col 1:28; 2:2; 3:14. "Perfect" implies the attainment of the full maturity of a Christian. Bengel joins "in all the will of God" with "stand."

13. a great zeal--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate have "much labor."

for you--lest you should be seduced (Col 2:4); a motive why you should be anxious for yourselves.

them that are in Laodicea ... Hierapolis--churches probably founded by Epaphras, as the Church in Colosse was. Laodicea, called from Laodice, queen of Antiochus II, on the river Lycus, was, according to the subscription to First Timothy, "the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana" (1Ti 6:21). All the three cities were destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 62 [Tacitus, Annals, 14.27]. Hierapolis was six Roman miles north of Laodicea.

14. It is conjectured that Luke "the beloved physician" (the same as the Evangelist), may have first become connected with Paul in professionally attending on him in the sickness under which he labored in Phrygia and Galatia (in which latter place he was detained by sickness), in the early part of that journey wherein Luke first is found in his company (Ac 16:10; compare Note, see on Ga 4:13). Thus the allusion to his medical profession is appropriate in writing to men of Phrygia. Luke ministered to Paul in his last imprisonment (2Ti 4:11).

Demas--included among his "fellow laborers" (Phm 24), but afterwards a deserter from him through love of this world (2Ti 4:10). He alone has here no honorable or descriptive epithet attached to his name. Perhaps, already, his real character was betraying itself.

15. Nymphas--of Laodicea.

church ... in his house--So old manuscripts and Vulgate read. The oldest read, "THEIR house"; and one manuscript, "HER house," which makes Nymphas a woman.

16. the epistle from Laodicea--namely, the Epistle which I wrote to the Laodiceans, and which you will get from them on applying to them. Not the Epistle to the Ephesians. See Introduction to Ephesians and Introduction to Colossians. The Epistles from the apostles were publicly read in the church assemblies. Ignatius [Epistle to the Ephesians, 12], Polycarp [Epistle to the Philippians, 3.11,12], Clement [Epistle to the Corinthians, 1. 47], 1Th 5:27; Re 1:3, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear." Thus, they and the Gospels were put on a level with the Old Testament, which was similarly read (De 31:11). The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write, besides those extant, other Epistles which He saw necessary for that day, and for particular churches; and which were not so for the Church of all ages and places. It is possible that as the Epistle to the Colossians was to be read for the edification of other churches besides that of Colosse; so the Epistle to the Ephesians was to be read in various churches besides Ephesus, and that Laodicea was the last of such churches before Colosse, whence he might designate the Epistle to the Ephesians here as "the Epistle from Laodicea." But it is equally possible that the Epistle meant was one to the Laodiceans themselves.

17. say to Archippus--The Colossians (not merely the clergy, but the laymen) are directed, "Speak ye to Archippus." This proves that Scripture belongs to the laity as well as the clergy; and that laymen may profitably admonish the clergy in particular cases when they do so in meekness. Bengel suggests that Archippus was perhaps prevented from going to the Church assembly by weak health or age. The word, "fulfil," accords with his ministry being near its close (Col 1:25; compare Phm 2). However, "fulfil" may mean, as in 2Ti 4:5, "make full proof of thy ministry." "Give all diligence to follow it out fully"; a monition perhaps needed by Archippus.

in the Lord--The element in which every work of the Christian, and especially the Christian minister, is to be done (Col 4:7; 1Co 7:39; Php 4:2).

18. Paul's autograph salutation (so 1Co 16:21; 2Th 3:17), attesting that the preceding letter, though written by an amanuensis, is from himself.

Remember my bonds--Already in this chapter he had mentioned his "bonds" (Col 4:3), and again Col 4:10, an incentive why they should love and pray (Col 4:3) for him; and still more, that they should, in reverential obedience to his monitions in this Epistle, shrink from the false teaching herein stigmatized, remembering what a conflict (Col 2:1) he had in their behalf amidst his bonds. "When we read of his chains, we should not forget that they moved over the paper as he wrote; his [right] hand was chained to the [left hand of the] soldier who kept him" [Alford].

Grace be with you--Greek, "THE grace" which every Christian enjoys in some degree, and which flows from God in Christ by the Holy Ghost (Tit 3:15; He 13:25)

Masters, give unto your servants - This verse should have been added to the preceding, to which it properly belongs; and this chapter should have begun with Col 4:2.

That which is just and equal - As they are bondmen or slaves of whom the apostle speaks, we may at once see with what propriety this exhortation is given. The condition of slaves among the Greeks and Romans was wretched in the extreme; they could appeal to no law; and they could neither expect justice nor equity. The apostle, therefore, informs the proprietors of these slaves that they should act towards them both according to justice and equity; for God, their Master, required this of them, and would at last call them to account for their conduct in this respect. Justice and equity required that they should have proper food, proper raiment, due rest, and no more than moderate work. This is a lesson that all masters throughout the universe should carefully learn. Do not treat your servants as if God had made them of an inferior blood to yours.

Continue in prayer - This was the apostle's general advice to all; without this, neither wives, husbands, children, parents, servants, nor masters, could fulfill the duties which God, in their respective stations, required of them.

All might, power, and life come from God; his creatures are continually dependent upon him for all these: to earnest, persevering prayer, he has promised every supply; but he who prays not has no promise. How few wives feel it their duty to pray to God to give them grace to behave as wives! How few husbands pray for the grace suited to their situation, that they may be able to fulfill its duties! The like may be said of children, parents, servants, and masters. As every situation in life has its peculiar duties, trials, etc.; so to every situation there is peculiar grace appointed. No man can fulfill the duties of any station without the grace suited to that station. The grace suited to him, as a member of society in general, will not be sufficient for him as a husband, father, or master. Many proper marriages become unhappy in the end, because the parties have not earnestly besought God for the grace necessary for them as husbands and wives. This is the origin of family broils in general; and a proper attention to the apostle's advice would prevent them all.

Watch in the same - Be always on your guard; and when you have got the requisite grace by praying, take care of it, and bring it into its proper action by watchfulness; by which you will know when, and where, and how to apply it.

With thanksgiving - Being always grateful to God, who has called you into such a state of salvation, and affords you such abundant means and opportunities to glorify him.

Praying also for us - Let the success and spread of the Gospel be ever dear to you; and neglect not to pray fervently to God that it may have free course, run, and be glorified.

A door of utterance - Θυραν του λογου· The word θυρα, which commonly signifies a door, or such like entrance into a house or passage through a wall, is often used metaphorically for an entrance to any business, occasion or opportunity to commence or perform any particular work. So in Act 14:27 : The Door of faith is opened to the Gentiles; i.e. there is now an opportunity of preaching the Gospel to the nations of the earth. 1Cor 16:9 : A great and effectual Door is opened unto me; i.e. I have now a glorious opportunity of preaching the truth to the people of Ephesus. 2Cor 2:12 : When I came to Troas - a Door was opened unto me; I had a fine opportunity of preaching Christ crucified at that place. So, here, the θυρατου λογου, which we translate door of utterance, signifies an occasion, opportunity, or entrance, for the doctrine of the Gospel. The same metaphor is used by the best Latin writers. Cicero, xiii. Ep. 10: Amiciliae fores aperiuntur; the Doors of friendship are opened - there is now an opportunity of reconciliation. And Ovid, Amor. lib. iii., Eleg. xii. ver. 12: -

Janua per nostras est adaperta manus. "The gate is opened by our hands."

Of this use of the word among the Greek writers Schleusner gives several examples. See also Rev 3:8, where the word is used in the same sense. To multiply examples would be needless; the apostle excites them to pray, not that a door of utterance, i.e. a readiness and fluency of speech, may be given to him and his fellow laborers, but that they may have an opportunity of preaching the doctrine of Christ; and so the term λογος is to be understood here, as well as in many other places of the New Testament, in most of which we have either lost or obscured its meaning by translating it word instead of doctrine.

The mystery of Christ - The Gospel, which had been hidden from all former times, and which revealed that purpose long hidden in the Divine councils, that the Gentiles should be called to enjoy the same privileges with the Jews.

For which I am also in bonds - He was suffering under Jewish malice, and for preaching this very mystery; for they could not bear to hear announced, as from heaven, that the Gentiles, whom they considered eternally shut out from any participation of the Divine favor, should be made fellow heirs with them of the grace of life; much less could they bear to hear that they were about to be reprobated, and the Gentiles elected in their place. It was for asserting these things that they persecuted Paul at Jerusalem, so that to save his life he was obliged to appeal to Caesar; and being taken to Rome, he was detained a prisoner till his case was fully heard; and he was a prisoner at Rome on this very account when he wrote this Epistle to the Colossians. See the note on Col 1:24.

That I may make it manifest - It was a mystery, and he wished to make it manifest - to lay it open, and make all men see it.

Walk in wisdom - Act wisely and prudently in reference to them who are without - who yet continue unbelieving Gentiles or persecuting Jews.

The Church of Christ was considered an enclosure; a field, or vineyard, well hedged or walled. Those who were not members of it, were considered without; i.e. not under that especial protection and defense which the true followers of Christ had. This has been since called "The pale of the Church," from palus, a stake; or, as Dr. Johnson defines it, "A narrow piece of wood, joined above and below to a rail, to enclose grounds." As to be a Christian was essential to the salvation of the soul, so to be in the Church of Christ was essential to the being a Christian; therefore it was concluded that "there was no salvation out of the pale of the Church." Now this is true in all places where the doctrines of Christianity are preached; but when one description of people professing Christianity, with their own peculiar mode of worship and creed, arrogate to themselves, exclusive of all others, the title of The Church; and then, on the ground of a maxim which is true in itself, but falsely understood and applied by them, assert that, as they are The Church, and there is no Church besides, then you must be one of them, believe as they believe, and worship as they worship, or you will be infallibly damned; I say, when this is asserted, every man who feels he has an immortal spirit is called on to examine the pretensions of such spiritual monopolists. Now, as the Church of Christ is formed on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone, the doctrines of this Christian Church must be sought for in the sacred Scriptures. As to fathers, councils, and human authorities of all kinds, they are, in this question, lighter than vanity; the book of God alone must decide. The Church, which has been so hasty to condemn all others, and, by its own soi disant or self-constituted authority, to make itself the determiner of the fates of men, dealing out the mansions of glory to its partisans, and the abodes of endless misery to all those who are out of its antichristian and inhuman pale; this Church, I say, has been brought to this standard, and proved by the Scriptures to be fallen from the faith of God's elect, and to be most awfully and dangerously corrupt; and to be within its pale, of all others professing Christianity, would be the most likely means of endangering the final salvation of the soul. Yet even in it many sincere and upright persons may be found, who, in spirit and practice, belong to the true Church of Christ. Such persons are to be found of all religious persuasions, and in all sorts of Christian societies.

Redeeming the time - See on Eph 5:16 (note).

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt - Let it be such as has a tendency to oppose and preserve from the corruption of sin. The rabbins say: "He who, in prayer, omits any word, should begin again at the beginning; for he who does not is like boiled pottage, in which there is no salt." Berachoth, fol. 34, 1. Let all your conversation be such as may tend to exemplify and recommend Christianity; let it not only be holy, but wise, gracious, and intelligent. A harsh method of proposing or defending the doctrines of Christianity only serves to repel men from those doctrines, and from the way of salvation. Salt, from its use in preserving food from corruption, and rendering it both savoury and wholesome, has always been made the emblem of wisdom. The word has been also used to express in composition or conversation what is terse, comprehensive, useful, elegant, and impressive. The term Attic salt has been used to express some of the principal beauties of the Greek tongue; of such beauties the Gospel of Christ has an endless store. See on Mat 5:13 (note), and Mar 9:50 (note).

How ye ought to answer every man - That your discourse may be so judiciously managed, that ye may discern how to treat the prejudices and meet the objections both of Jews and Gentiles.

All my state shall Tychicus - See the note on Eph 6:21. Tychicus well knew the apostle's zeal and perseverance in preaching the Gospel, his sufferings on that account, his success in converting both Jews and Gentiles, and the converts which were made in Caesar's household; he could give these to the Colossians in ample detail, and some of them it would not have been prudent to commit to writing.

That he might know your estate - Instead of ἱνα γνῳ τα περι ὑμων, that He may know Your affairs, ABD*FG, many others, with the Ethiopic, Itala, Theodoret, and Damascenus, read ἱνα γνωτε τα περι ἡμων, that Ye may know Our affairs; which is probably the true reading. Tychicus was sent to them, not to know their affairs, but with Onesimus, to carry this epistle and make the apostle's state known to them, and comfort their hearts by the good news which he brought. The next verse confirms this meaning.

With Onesimus - who is one of you - Onesimus was a native of some part of Phrygia, if not of Colosse itself; and being lately converted to the Christian faith by the instrumentality of the apostle, he would be able, on this account, to give them satisfactory information concerning the apostle's state, which would be doubly acceptable to them as he was their countryman. See the Epistle to Philemon.

All things which are done here - FG, the Vulgate, Itala, Jerome, and Bede, add here πραττομενα, what is done, which we have supplied in Italics in our translation. These brethren could give an account of the transactions at Rome, relative to the apostle and Christianity, which it might not be prudent for him to commit to writing. See on Col 4:7 (note). The reign of Nero was not only cruel, but suspicious, jealous, and dangerous.

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner - Concerning Aristarchus, see Act 19:29; Act 20:4; Act 27:2; and see the note on Act 27:2. Aristarchus and Epaphras are mentioned as saluters in this epistle, and in that to Philemon written at the same time; but here he is said to be a prisoner, and Epaphras not. In that to Philemon, Epaphras is called a prisoner, and Aristarchus not. One of them is wrong, though it is uncertain which; unless both were prisoners. See Wall's Crit. Notes. As Aristarchus had been a zealous and affectionate adherent to St. Paul, and followed him in all his journeys, ministering to him in prison, and assisting him in preaching the Gospel in Rome, he might have been imprisoned on this account. We need not suppose that both he and Epaphras were imprisoned at the same time; about the same time they might be imprisoned, but it might be so ordered by the providence of God that when Aristarchus was imprisoned Epaphras was at liberty, and while Epaphras was in prison Aristarchus was at liberty. This is a very possible and easily to be conceived case.

Marcus - See the account of this person, Act 15:39. Though there had been some difference between the apostle and this Mark, yet from this, and 2Tim 4:11, we find that they were fully reconciled, and that Mark was very useful to St. Paul in the work of the ministry.

Touching whom ye received commandments - What these were we cannot tell; it was some private communication which had been previously sent to the Colossian Church.

Jesus, which is called Justus - Jesus, Joshua, or Jehoshua, was his name among his countrymen the Jews; Justus was the name which he bore among the Greeks and Romans.

These only - That is, only Aristarchus, Marcus, and Jesus Justus, who were formerly Jews or proselytes; for οἱ οντες εκ περιτομης, they were of the circumcision, and assisted the apostle in preaching the Gospel. There were others who did preach Christianity, but they did it from envy and strife, in order to add affliction to the apostle's bonds. It is evident, therefore, that St. Peter was not now at Rome, else he certainly would have been mentioned in this list; for we cannot suppose that he was in the list of those who preached Christ in an exceptionable way, and from impure and unholy motives: indeed, there is no evidence that St. Peter ever saw Rome. And as it cannot be proved that he ever was bishop or pope of that city, the keystone of the triumphal arch of the pope of Rome is pulled out; this building, therefore, of his supremacy, cannot stand.

Epaphras, who is one of you - A native of some part of Phrygia, and probably of Colosse itself.

A servant of Christ - A minister of the Gospel.

Labouring fervently for you - Αγωνιζομενος· Agonizing; very properly expressed by our translators, labouring fervently.

That ye may stand perfect and complete - Ἱνα στητε τελειοι και πεπληρμενοι. That ye may stand firm, perfectly instructed, and fully persuaded of the truth of those doctrines which have been taught you as the revealed will of God: this I believe to be the meaning of the apostle.

Instead of πεπληρωμενοι, complete or filled up, almost all the MSS. of the Alexandrian rescension, which are considered the most authentic and correct, have πεπληροφορημενοι, that ye may be fully persuaded. The word πληροφορια signifies such a complete persuasion of the certainty of a thing, as leaves the mind which has it neither room nor inclination to doubt; and πληροφορεω, the verb, has the same meaning, viz., to be thus persuaded, or to persuade thus, by demonstrative argumentation and exhibition of unquestionable facts.

This is such a persuasion as the Spirit of God, by means of the Gospel, gives to every sincere and faithful man; and from which arises the solid happiness of the genuine Christian. They who argue against it, prove, at least, that they have not got it.

He hath a great zeal for you - Instead of ζηλον πολυν, much zeal, ABCD**, several others, with versions and fathers, read πολυν πονον, much labor; they are here nearly of the same meaning, though the latter appears to be the better and genuine reading.

Laodicea, and - Hierapolis - These were both cities of Phrygia, between which Colosse, or the city of Colassa, was situated. See Col 2:1. The latter was called Hierapolis, or the holy city, from the multitude of its temples. Apollo, Diana, Esculapius, and Hygeia, were all worshipped here, as appears by the coins of this city still extant.

Luke, the beloved physician - This is generally supposed to be the same with Luke the evangelist. See the preface to the notes on this gospel. Some, however, suppose them to be different persons; because, where it is evident that Luke the evangelist is meant, he never has more than his simple name Luke; and because the apostle is supposed to intend a different person here, he adds, ὁ ιατρος ὁ αγαπητος, the beloved physician. The word ιατρος signifies a healer, and must not be restricted to physician, in the sense in which we use that word; he was surgeon, physician, and dispenser of medicines, etc., for all these were frequently combined in the same person.

Salute - Nymphas, and the Church - in his house - This person, and his whole family, which probably was very numerous, appear to have received the Gospel; and it seems that, for their benefit and that of his neighbors, he had opened his house for the worship of God. In those primitive times there were no consecrated places, for it was supposed that the simple setting apart of any place for the worship of God was a sufficient consecration. See of those domestic churches, Rom 16:5 (note); 1Cor 16:19 (note)

Cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans - That is: Let a copy be taken, and sent to them, that it may be read there also. This appears to have been a regular custom in the apostolic Church.

That ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea - Some suppose that this was an epistle sent from Laodicea to the apostle, which he now sent by Aristarchus to the Colossians, that they might peruse it; that thereby they might see the propriety of sending a copy of his epistle to them, to the Laodicean Church. Many eminent critics are of this opinion, which appears to me to be both forced and far fetched. Others think that the Epistle to the Ephesians is the epistle in question, and that it was originally directed to them, and not to the Ephesians. See the notes on Eph 1:1, etc. But others, equally learned, think that there was an epistle, different from that to the Ephesians, sent by St. Paul to the Laodiceans, which is now lost. There was an epistle under this direction in the times of Theodoret and Jerome, for both of them mention it; but the latter mentions it as apocryphal, Legunt quidam et ad Laodicenses Epistolam, sed ab omnibus exploditur; "Some read an Epistle to the Laodiceans, but it is exploded by all." The seventh Ecumenic council, held in 787, states that the ancients allowed that there was an epistle with this direction, but that all the orthodox rejected it as supposititious.

An epistle ad Laodicenses is still extant in the Latin language, a very ancient copy of which is in the library Sancti Albani Andegavensis, St. Alban's of Anjou. Hutter has translated it into Greek, but his translation is of no authority. Calmet has published this epistle, with various readings from the above MS. I shall subjoin it at the end of this epistle, and give my opinion relative to its use and authenticity. A copy of this epistle stands in this place as a portion of Divine revelation in one of my own MSS. of the Vulgate.

Say to Archippus - Who this person was we cannot tell; there have been various conjectures concerning him; some think he was bishop, or overseer of the Church at Colosse, in the absence of Epaphras. Whatever he was, it has been supposed that he had been remiss in discharging the duties of his office; and hence this direction of the apostle, which appears here in the light of a reprehension. But if the same person be meant as in the Epistle to Philemon, Plm 1:2, whom St. Paul calls his fellow laborer and fellow soldier, it cannot be supposed that any reproof is here intended; for, as the Epistle to the Colossians, and that to Philemon, were evidently written about the end of the year 62, Archippus could not be a fellow laborer and fellow soldier of the apostle at Rome, and yet a delinquent at Colosse at the same time. It is more likely, therefore, that the words of the apostle convey no censure, but are rather intended to stir him up to farther diligence, and to encourage him in the work, seeing he had so much false doctrine and so many false teachers to contend with.

The salutation by the hand of me Paul - The preceding part of the epistle was written by a scribe, from the mouth of the apostle: this, and what follows, was written by the hand of St. Paul himself. A similar distinction we find, 1Cor 16:21, and in 2Thes 3:17; and this, it seems, was the means by which the apostle authenticated every epistle which he sent to the different Churches. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle, so I write.

Remember my bonds - See what proof ye have of the truth of the Gospel; I am in bonds on this account; I suffer patiently, yea, exult in the Lord Jesus, so perfectly am I upheld by the grace of the Gospel. Remember my bonds, and take courage. How eloquent were these concluding words! That such a man should be in bonds for the Gospel, was the fullest proof of the truth of the Gospel. A cunningly devised fable could not have imposed on Saul of Tarsus; he was fully satisfied of the truth of the doctrines of Christianity; he proclaimed them as truths from heaven; and for their sake cheerfully suffered the loss of all things. The bonds of such a man are a plenary proof of the truth of the doctrines for which he was bound.

Grace be with you - May you still possess the favor and blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ: the apostle ends, as he began, this epistle. Without the grace of Christ they could not have become a Church; without this grace they could not continue to be one.

Amen - This is omitted by the most ancient and correct MSS.

The subscriptions, as usual, are various and uncertain: -

The common Greek text has, To the Colossians, written from Rome by Tychicus and Onesimus.

The Epistle to the Colossians; written at Rome, and sent by the hand of Tychicus. Syriac.

To the Colossians. Ethiopic.

In the Vulgate there is no subscription.

The end of the epistle; and it was written from Rome, and sent by the hand of Tychicus and Onesimus. Praise be to God for ever and ever; and may his mercy be upon us. Amen. Arabic.

Written from Athens by Tychicus, and Onesimus, and Mark, his disciples. Coptic.

The MSS. are not less various than the versions:

To the Colossians. - That to the Colossians is completed; that to the Philippians begins. - That to the Colossians is finished; the First Epistle to the Thessalonians begins. - To the Colossians, from Rome. - Written to the Colossians from Rome. - Written from Rome by Tychicus, and Timotheus, and Onesimus. - Written by Paul and Timothy, and sent by Tychicus, and Onesimus.

That the epistle was written from Rome there is little cause to doubt: that Timothy might be the scribe is very probable, because it appears he was at Rome with the apostle in the same year in which this epistle was written. See Phi 2:19. And that it was sent by Tychicus and Onesimus, seems evident from the 8th and 9th verses of this chapter.

The common subscription has the consent of the greater number of the most recent and comparatively recent MSS., but this is not, in general, a proof of authenticity.

Just - According to your contract. Equitable - Even beyond the letter of your contract.

That God would open to us a door of utterance - That is, give us utterance, that we "may open our mouth boldly," Eph 6:19, and give us an opportunity of speaking, so that none may be able to hinder.

Let your speech be always with grace - Seasoned with the grace of God, as flesh is with salt.

Aristarchus my fellowprisoner - Such was Epaphras likewise for a time, Phm 1:23. Ye have received directions - Namely, by Tychicus, bringing this letter. The ancients adapted their language to the time of reading the letter; not, as we do, to the time when it was written. It is not improbable, they might have scrupled to receive him, without this fresh direction, after he had left St. Paul, and "departed from the work."

These - Three, Aristarchus, Marcus, and Justus. Of all the circumcision - That is, of all my Jewish fellowlabourers. Are the only fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God - That is, in preaching the gospel. Who have been a comfort to me - What, then, can we expect? that all our fellowworkers should be a comfort to us?

Perfect - Endued with every Christian grace. Filled - As no longer being babes, but grown up to the measure of the stature of Christ; being full of his light, grace, wisdom, holiness.

Luke, the physician - Such he had been, at least, if he was not then.

Nymphas - Probably an eminent Christian at Laodicea.

The epistle from Laodicea - Not to Laodicea. Perhaps some letter had been written to St. Paul from thence.

And say to Archippus - One of the pastors of that church. Take heed - It is the duty of the flock to try them that say they are apostles to reject the false, and to warn, as well as to receive, the real. The ministry - Not a lordship, but a service; a laborious and painful work; an obligation to do and suffer all things; to be the least, and the servant, of all. In the Lord - Christ by whom, and for whose sake, we receive the various gifts of the Holy Spirit.

1 MAsters , give unto your servants that which is just and equal , knowing that ye also have a master in heaven .

Having put Servants upon their duty, he doth here engage all those who have a just right over Servants to mind their own duty toward those under their command.

Though your extract or estate hath advanced you above them in humane Society, yet you have the same nature and infirmities that they have, and (as in the foregoing Verse) must appear with them before the same Judge and rewarder at the same tribunal. And the Apostle doth elsewhere, Eph. 6.9, require of Masters in their superiour Relation, what he doth of Servants in their inferiour one, to do the same thing, i. e. not the particular offices of their Servants, but according to general rules of right reason, which by the Law of God, Nature and Nations, that which is common to, and incumbent on all Relatives, Rom. 13.7, 8. Gal. 5.13. Eph. 6.8. As he doth here require Masters to do their Servants right, give to them that which is their due for Soul and Body, Gen. 18.19. Exod. 12.44. with respect to work that it be neither too much, nor too little, Prov. 12.10. & 29.21. to food, that it be convenient for nourishment, not luxury, Psal. 27.27. & 31.15. Luk. 12.42. & 15.17. wages, Exod. 2.21. Iam. 5.4. and recompence, Deut. 15.13.

Ye are likewise to give them that which is equal or equitable aswell as just, which implies you should not be cruel to them, or discourage them, as you expect they should serve you with good will, so you should govern them wisely, and be good and gentle to them, Psal. 101.2. 1 Pet. 2.18. who are faithfull, allowing them seasonable rest and refreshment, Deut. 15.14. not despising their prudent answers, Iob, 31.13.14. but shewing them [illegible: 1 letter]avour in sickness aswell as in health, 2 King. 5.5, 6. Prov. 14.35. Mat. 8.6.

And that upon this weighty reason intimated before, that he above whom you se[illegible: 1 letter]ve, will treat you as you do them; this you may be assured of, Eph. 6.8, 9. If you expect favour at his hands, when he comes to distribute rewards and punishments shew it now to your inferiours, who will then appear as your fellow servants, when you must give an account of your stewardship, Matt. 24.49. with Luk 16.2.

That this Verse doth refer to the foregoing Chapter, and that it was unadvisedly divided from it, is generally agreed.

2 Continue in prayer e, and watch in the same with thanksgiving .

Endeavouring to keep the heart in all fit seasons unto this, as an help to the precedent and subsequent duties, Psal. 5.3. Mark, 13.33, &c. Act. 12▪ 12. Rom. 12.12. 1 Thess. 5.17. I[illegible: 1 letter]m. 5.16. Rev. 3.2.

With acknowledgment of thanks for what we have already received, Psal. 116.12, 13. 1 Thess. 5.18.

Persev[illegible: 2 letters]e, or hold on strongly in Prayer with fervency, we are apt to grow sluggish and indisposed, and therefore have need of quickning to this duty, Luk. 18.1. Eph. 6.18.

3 Withall, praying also for us , that God would open unto us a door of utterance , to speak the mystery of Christ , for which I am also in bonds .

Not onely putting up petitions for themselves, but also interceding for Paul and others with him, especially Timothy ▪ mentioned in the salutation, ch. 1.1.7. Rom. 15.30. 2 Cor. 1.11. Phil. 1.19. 2 Thess. 3.1. Phil[illegible: 1 letter]m. v. 22.

That God would vouchsafe to us freedom of speech, see on Eph. 6.19.

Effectually to preach the mystery of Christ, see ch. 1.26, 27. & 2.2. Mat. 13.11. 1 Cor. 16.9. Eph. 1.9.

For which I am an Ambassadour in bonds, or in a chain, Eph. 6.20. i. e. with the Souldier that kept him in his own hired dwelling, Act. 28.16, 20, 30, 31.

4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak

That I manifest or open and clear it in due circumstances, as becomes an able Minister of Christ, Rom. 1.14. 1 Cor. 2.4. & 9.16. with 2. Tim. 2.15. & 4.2.

5 Walk in wisedom toward them that are without , redeeming the time .

Let your course of life be managed with all Christian prudence, that you may not any way disparage the Christian institution, 2 Sam, 12.14. Rom. 2.23.24▪ with 1 Tim. 6.4. with your innocency be wise as Serpents, Mat. 10.16. see Eph. 5.15. yet, whiles you become all things to all to gain some, 1 Cor. 9.20, 21, 22, 33. you must take heed of such a compliance, whereby you may wound your consciences, Exo[illegible: 1 letter] 34.15. Eph. 5.11. and, on the other side, of such a contempt of them without just cause as may provoke them to persecute you, Paul wa[illegible: 1 letter] wary in his reasoning with those who were not Christians, and would have others to be so, Act. 17.24, 25, &c. with 1 Cor. 5.12, 13. not denying any of them, whats due to them by divine and humane rights, Mat. 22.21. Rom. 13.7. 1 Pet. 2.13.

Considering they are not of the houshold of faith; Gal. 6, 10. as you profess to be, you should be more circumspect, that you do not give occasion of offence to them, 1 Tim. 5.14. as well as take care you be not infected with their practices, 1 Cor. 5, 6. but endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, Tit. 2.10.

Shewing your prudence, say some learned men, in gaining time by honest craft, to secure you from spiritual dangers to your Souls, or divert those who have power from persecutions. Taking the expression proverbially. And for that purpose cite a passage in the prophet from the Septuagint, Dan. 2.8. others and the most import of the original words take time for opportunity, or the fitness it hath for some good; and the participle, we render redeeming, to import either morally (not physically, which is impossible) a recalling or recovery of time past that is lost, by a double diligence in employing what remains; or a buying up the present time, i. e. parting with any thing for the improvement of it to our spiritual advantage; or a buying it out, i. e. a rescuing it (as it were) out of the hands of Satan, and the World, which by distracting cares and tempting pleasures do occasion often the mispence of it, see Ephes. 6.16.

Marginal references: 1 Thess. 4.12.

6 Let your speech be alway with grace , seasoned with salt , that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man .

Because discourse is the tenderest part of our converse with men, especially those without, and ought to be manag'd with the greatest circumspection; upon occasions in every fit season, in imitation of Christ who entertained those that did converse with him with gracious words, Luk. 4.22. you should endeavour so to speak when called, that the hearers may conceive your discourse doth proceed from a gracious spirit, or grace in the heart, c. 4.6. teaching your mouth, Prov. 15.23, 24. with meekness of wisedom, Iam. 3.13. using knowledge aright, Prov, 15.2. being in its tendency gracious, Eccles. 10.12. not ungratefull (as tinctur'd with gall or venome) but ministring grace to the hearers, Eph. 4.29.

Even as meat duly powdred with salt, (Mat. 5.13.) becomes acceptable to the discerning palate, so to the ear that trieth speech, fitly spoken words, (Prov. 25.11.) are of a gratefull savour cleansed from corruption, Iob. 33.3. Mark 9.50.

To this purpose chiefly in the main points of Christianity, that in a Gospel becoming manner, you may be able to give a reason of the hope that is in you (to those that ask you with meekness and fear, Mat. 7.6. 1 Pet. 3.15. courteousness and sincerity, Ephes. 4.25. free fro[illegible: 1 letter] those evils of speech he had before enjoyned them in this Epistle to put away, c. 3.8.

Marginal references: Chap. 3.16.

7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you , who is a beloved brother , and a faithfull minister , and fellow servant in the Lord .

The Apostle drawing to a conclusion, that he at so great distance might certifie them of his love to them, and care for them, doth here acquaint them that with this Epistle he was sending two persons of integrity for their satisfaction and his, viz. Tychicus an Asiatick their country Man and his fellow traveller, Act. 20.4. whom he sometimes sent to other, 2 Tim. 4.12. Tit. 3.12. who would give them to understand, what circumstances he was in, and all his affairs, see Eph. 6.21, 22.

Whom he recommends to them as being a good man, a Brother as Timothy, c. 1.1. and Epaphroditus, Phil. 2.25. beloved of the People.

And whom he had experimentally found to be a faithfull Deacon in the larger acceptation or Minister, i. e. of Jesus Christ and his messenger.

And owned as his Collegue or fellow Servant in the Lord, that they might more kindly receive him.

8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose , that he might know your estate , and comfort your hearts :

Who was Paul's Messenger to them as to let them know know it was with Paul, so to this end. (1)

That he might clearly understand how their matters stood (as, Eph. 6.22.) especially with respect to spirituals, c. 2.1.5.

And (2) chear up their spirits (as the, Ephes. 6.22.) that under the temptations of Satan, and tyranny of persecutors abroad or at home they might not be discouraged, 2 Cor. 4.17.

9 With Onesimus a faithfull and beloved brother, who is one of you . They shall make known unto you all things which are done here .

With Onesimus whom he adjoyns to Tychicus. Some because of his following commendation think him to be another person different from the fugitive Servant of Philemon, but the most comparing the description here, with the circumstances in the Epistle Philemon, v. 10, 16. &c. conclude him to be the very same, taking Philemon for a Colossian.

There, as here, being expresly called a beloved Brother yea and which may answer to faithfull, Paul's spiritual Son, who (whatever he had been) would be profitable and a benefit to Philemon, whom Paul would have to receive him as his own bowels. And that which might commend him to the Colossians was that he was one of that City, or the same birth with themselves.

These two persons of Credit (upon the Apostles Testimony) in their different circumstances, might as joint witnesses, give them a full and certain account how things went with the Church, and particularly with Paul now a Prisoner at Rome.

Marginal references: Philem. v. 10.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you , a[illegible: 1 letter]d Marcus sisters son to Barnabas (touching whom ye received commandments; If he come unto you receive him .)

Here he doth wi[illegible: 1 letter]h prosperity to them, Luk. 10.5. in the name of others beginning with those of the circumcision, viz. Aristarchus a Thessalonian of Macedonia who had been his fellow traveller, Act. 19.29. & 20.4. & 27.2. yea and now his fellow prisoner, and fellow labourer, Philem. 24.

And Iohn Mark who was Nephew to Barnabas, Acts. 12.12. & 13.13. and having sometime displeased Paul by his departure and accompanying his Uncle Barnabas. Act. 15.37, 39. yet afterwards repented, and was reconciled to Paul, Philem. 24. 2 Tim. 4.11. being profitable to him for the ministry as an evangelist.

Concerning this same Mark, Paul had given orders to them, as well as to other Churches, (who otherwise, likely, might be prejudiced against him, for leaving Paul and his company in Pamphilia, Act. 13.13.) that if he came amongst them, they should entertain him kindly, who as Peter's spiritual Son, 1 Pet. [illegible: 1 letter].13. did elsewhere also salute those who were scattered. Some conceive from the commandments, here they had received that Barnabas had wrote to the Colossians in commendation of his Cousin Mark.

11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision . These onely are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God , which have been a comfort unto me .

A third person of those who had been Iews mentioned in this salutation is Iesus sirnamed Iustus (probably from his just conversation) whether the same with him mentioned in Luke's History of the Acts, c. 18.7. is not evident. The Greeks use Iesus for the Hebrew Iosua, Heb. 4.8. it being common with them, to more than one. However the Christians since the Resurrection of Christ out of reverence to their Lord and Master, (who is God as well as Man) have foreborn to call their Children by the name of Jesus.

These three alone, i. e. of the Iews (as for Timothy, his Father was a Greek or Gentile, Acts. 16.1, 3. and others were Gentiles, Act. 28.23.) were assistant to him at Rome (where it seems Peter was not) in expounding, and preaching the Gospel, enlarging the King [illegible: 1 letter]om of Grace in converting of Souls, Mat. 4.23. Mar. 4.11.

The carrying on of which work, did administer matter of great consolation, to him in his bonds.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you a servant of Christ, saluteth you , always labouring fervently for you in prayers , that ye may stand perfect, and complete in all the will of God .

After he had given them the good wishes of some of the Iews; he doth here give the like from some of the Gentiles, beginning with Epaphras, whom he had before commended, ch. 1.7, 8. and doth here recommend him as born and bred amongst them, devoted to their service, in being the Servant of Christ, as▪ Paul separated to the Preaching of the Gospel, Rom. 1.1. yea a Fellow-prisoner with the Apostle upon that account, Philem. v. 23.

And as it became such an one faithfull in his office, not diverted by distance of place, or length of time, was night and day contending zealously with prayers to God for their spiritual, temporal and eternal welfare, as Rom. 15.30.

that they might attain a sufficient perfection in all that which God would have them reach to, see on ch. 1.28, 29. Phil. 3.15. The distance 'twixt Coloss and Philippi, &c. render it improbable, whatever a learned Man conceits, that Epaphras should be the same with Epaphroditus.

Marginal references: Or, striving.; Or, filled.

13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you , and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis .

For saith the Apostle; though I am not privy to his secret prayers, yet I can bear him witness, and do give him mine own testimony, that he hath a most ardent and special affection for you Christians at Coloss.

Yea, and for those also in your neighbour Cities, see the Argument, and ch. 2.1. viz. Laodicea the last of the seven Churches, to whom excellent Epistles were written, recorded by Iohn the Divine, Rev. 1.11. & 3.14. and Hierapolis, or the Holy City, about six Miles distant from the former, say Geographers.

14 Luke the beloved physician , and Demas greet you .

Whether this Luke was the same with him that penned the Gospel and the Acts, because the Apostle here gives him no higher a commendation, some doubt? But others, and the most, conclude that as Matthew from a publican, became an Apostle, and others from fishers of fishes, fishers of men, so Luke from a Physician of the body, became a Physician of Souls, and that this was the very person who was Paul's perpetual and individual compantion in his Travels, 2 Tim. 4.11. Philem. 24. considering from his style he was an excellent Graecian (very fit for a Physician) and made use of proper medical terms, Act. 15.39. & 17.16. and here the Apostle calls him beloved as he had done Tychicus, v. 7. and elsewhere his fellow labourer who onely of those that were not Prisoners stuck to him, 2 Tim. 4.11. some think it to be Luke whose praises are celebrated in the Gospel or Evangelical Churches, 2 Cor. 8.18. the others would have that to be Barnabas, or some other; his practising of Physick was no more inconsistent with being an Evangelist than Paul's Tent-making with being an Apostle, 2 Thess. 3.8.

He adds a third in this Salutation from others, and that is Demas who hitherto did persevere, and that as one of his fellow labourers, Philem. 24. Though it should seem afterwards when the persecution grew hotter, he did for some worldly respect, leave Paul, and depart unto Thessalonica, 2 Tim. 4.10.

15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea , and Nymphas , and the church which is in his house .

Having saluted the Colossians, in the names of others, circumcised, and uncircumcised, he desires them in his own name to salute the Christians in the Church at Laodicea.

And some pious man called Nymphas probably living either in the Countrey near the City of Laodicea; or some eminent Christian of chiefnote in the City. The masculine Article adjoyned shews this Person to be a male and not a female (as some have inconsiderately reckoned.

And the company of believers either of his own family or neighbourhood, who did under his protection or inspection meet to worship God according to his appointment, Rom. 16.1, 5, 1 Cor. 16. 15, 19.

16 And when this epistle is read amongst you , cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans : and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea .

The Apostle takes it for granted, that, when this Epistle came to their hands, 'twould be publickly read in a solemn Assembly of the Church, or Brethren convened to that purpose, as elsewhere usual: For indeed he doth strictly enjoin and adjure the Thessalonians, under the penalty of the Lord's displeasure, that the Epistle or Letter which he wrote unto them should be read unto all the Brethren, 1 Thess. 5.27. It being an indispensable duty of Christ's Disciples to search the Scripture[illegible: 1 letter], Ioh. 5.39. and there solemnly to read them in the Assembly for the edification of all Ministers and People, old and young, Deut. 17.19. Psal. 1.2. & 119. 9. Mark, 13.37. Act. 13.15. & 17.11, 12. & 18.26, 27, 28. Rom. 15.4. 1 Tim. 4.13, 15.

Hence (as it follows) the Apostle (who it's likely had not an opportunity at Rome, to have a Copy of it transcribed) chargeth them at Colosse, to see or take care after the reading of this same Epistle amongst themselves, that a Copy of it being prepared for that purpose, it might, as from him, be also solemnly read or rehearsed in a publick assembly of the Christians at Laodicea.

And he further chargeth those to whom he wrote at Colosse that they should take care, that the Epistle (as we rightly with the generality of Ancients and moderns render it) from Laodicea, be read amongst them. The Aethiopio version (as we have it thence in the Latin) reads send it to Laodicea, that the Laodiceans also may read it, in the House or Congregation of Christians there. The vulgar Latin, that ye likewise may read the Laodicean Epistle, or the Epistle of the Laodiceans. Whence some of old, and of late would have it thought, that St. Paul wrote a distinct Epistle to the Laodiceans. In favour of this opinion some bad man out of this Epistle to the Colossians and that to the Ephesians patch'd up and forg'd a short, but gross and trifling Epistle, and fathered it on the Apostle, though very dissonant from his Character and style, whereupon it hath been rejected as spurious and Apochryphal by the learned Fathers, and the second Council of Nice; and since by the learned on all hands; except some few of the Papists; and except Quakers, who printed a Translation of it, and plead for it. Some Papists urge this, to argue that the Church gives the Scripture Authority amongst Christians. But though she is bound to preserve the Books of divine Authority, it doth not belong to her, to Authenticate them, or prescribe them as the ru[illegible: 1 letter]e of Faith, that were no less than to outrage the Majesty of the Authour, others alledge it, as being lost, and thereupon would infer the Canon of holy scriptures to be defective. But supposing, yet not granting, that Paul had written an Epistle to the Laodiceans which had not come down to us, it were altogether inconsequent that the Canon of scriptures, we have, doth not contain all things necessary to Salvation. Some still harping on the vulgar Translation of the Laodicean Epistle (though that in common speech might argue they wrote it rather than received it) would fancy that 'twas the Epistle Paul wrote to the Ephesians; but Tertullian did brand the Impostour Marcian for changing the title of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. Others conceit, it may be understood of Paul's Epistle to Philemon whom Paul calls his fellow-labourer▪ likely exercising his ministry in the neighbour City of Laodicea which was sent by Onesimus, for the sake of Onesimus (who was a Colossian) was to be read at Colosse, others because Luke is mentioned, v. 14. that it was an Epistle of his, to the Laodiceans, but of that there's no evidence. Neither is it probable that Paul would in this Epistle to the Colossians have saluted the Laodiceans, had he written a distinct Epistle to them. Wherefore 'tis most rational to understand it, not of an Epistle of Paul written to the Laodiceans, but as our Bibles, according to an Authentick Copy, have with the Greek Fathers, faithfully translated, and represented it, written from Laodicea. Some conjecture it to be the first Epistle of Iohn which they conceive was written from the City of Laodicea. Others think it was the first Epistle to Timothy, from the inscription or subscription of a long time put at the end of it, as if written from Laodicea. But against that it may be excepted; there is no mention of Pacatiana, in the writers of the first age: but onely in after times, dividing the Roman Empire into provinces, and some say this was first mentioned in the Ecclesiastical records in the V. Synod at Constantinople. Further there be several passages in the Epistle it self do intimate that it was written from some place in Macedonia, if we consult, c. 1.3. with 3.14. & 4.13. not from Laodicea. Some think it to be meant of the Epistle from Laodicea, wherein they would answer the Colossians, how probably I determine not. Wherefo[illegible: 1 letter]e 'tis most probable that the Epistle was written from Laodicea, to Paul at Rome; either by the Church there, or some of her Officers, which (likely he in straits of time enclosed and) he would have read, as helpfull to the Edification of the Colossians, for the better clearing of some passages in this Epistle to them, wherein he had obviated such errours as he might hear seducers were attempti[illegible: 1 letter]g to disseminate amongst them.

17 And say to Archippus , Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received, in the Lord that thou fulfill it .

He also enjoyns them to advice or advertise Archippus whom he doth elsewhere call his fellow-souldier, i. e. Minister in the Gospel, Philem. 2. on his, and Timotheus his behalf

To see to or be mindfull of the nature of that excellent ministry he had undertaken, Rom. 11.13. Eph. 3.7. 1 Tim. 4.6. yea and to be more heedfull, Act. 20.28, 29. 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2.

Considering the Authority of the Lord Jesus in whose name he had been called to it, and entrusted with it, Mat. 9. 38. Phil. 1.17▪ 1 Tim. 5.1, 21.

Having been Collegue to Epaphras, or in his absence newly received into this sacred charge to encourage him to a faithfull discharge of his duty therein to fill up all the parts of his office, and leave none of them unperformed, see c. 1.25. 1 Cor. 9.16, 17. 1 Tim. 4.16. with 2 Tim. 4, 5.

18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul . Remember my bonds. Grace be with you Amen .

The Apostle having them on his heart, and here (as elsewhere) likely having used an Amanuensis to pen the Body of his Epistle, to prevent fraud and forgery he dot subscribe his Salutation and Apostolical Benediction with his own hand which was well known, Rom. 16.22. 1 Cor. 16.21. Gal. 6.11. Philem. 19. 2 Thess. 2.2. & 3.17.

Importuning them to be very mindfull of his imprisonment in their prayers, v. 3. Heb. 13.3. imitating his constancy and patience if called to suffer see, Phil. 1.14. his suffering[illegible: 1 letter] being an excellent seal to the truth of his Gospel, and his ardent affection to them and other Gentiles, for whose sake he was in bonds.

Then earnestly praying that the special grace and favour of God the Father in the [illegible: 2 letters]rd Jesus Christ might be ever present with them, see Rom. 16.24. 1 Cor. 16.23, 24. Phil. 4.23.

In Testimony of the reality of his desire, and assurance to be heard, he concludes (as elsewhere) with Amen.

Relative Duties. (a. d. 62.)

1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

The apostle proceeds with the duty of masters to their servants, which might have been joined to the foregoing chapter, and is a part of that discourse. Here observe, 1. Justice is required of them: Give unto your servants that which is just and equal (v. 1), not only strict justice, but equity and kindness. Be faithful to your promises to them, and perform your agreements; not defrauding them of their dues, nor keeping back by fraud the hire of the labourers, Jam. v. 4. Require no more of them than they are able to perform; and do not lay unreasonable burdens upon them, and beyond their strength. Provide for them what is fit, supply proper food and physic, and allow them such liberties as may fit them the better for cheerful service and make it the easier to them, and this though they be employed in the meanest and lowest offices, and of another country and a different religion from yourselves. 2. A good reason for this regard: "Knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. You who are masters of others have a Master yourself, and are servants of another Lord. You are not lords of yourselves, and are accountable to one above you. Deal with your servants as you expect God should deal with you, and as those who believe they must give an account. You are both servants of the same Lord in the different relations in which you stand, and are equally accountable to him at last. Knowing that your Master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him," Eph. vi. 9.

Apostolic Exhortations. (a. d. 62.)

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

If this be considered as connected with the foregoing verse, then we may observe that it is part of the duty which masters owe their servants to pray with them, and to pray daily with them, or continue in prayer. They must not only do justly and kindly by them, but act a Christian and religious part, and be concerned for their souls as well as their bodies: "As parts of your charge, and under your influence, be concerned for the blessing of God upon them, as well as the success of your affairs in their hands." And this is the duty of every one—to continue in prayer. "Keep up your constant times of prayer, without being diverted from it by other business; keep your hearts close to the duty, without wandering or deadness, and even to the end of it: Watching the same." Christians should lay hold of all opportunities for prayer, and choose the fittest seasons, which are least liable to disturbance from other things, and keep their minds lively in the duty, and in suitable frames.—With thanksgiving, or solemn acknowledgment of the mercies received. Thanksgiving must have a part in every prayer.—Withal praying also for us, v. 3. The people must pray particularly for their ministers, and bear them upon their hearts at all times at the throne of grace. As if he had said, "Do not forget us, whenever you pray for yourselves," Eph. vi. 19; 1 Thess. v. 25; Heb. xiii. 18. That God would open to us a door of utterance, that is, either afford opportunity to preach the gospel (so he says, a great door and effectual is opened to me, 1 Cor. xvi. 9), or else give me ability and courage, and enable me with freedom and faithfulness; so Eph. vi. 19, And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; that is, either the deepest doctrines of the gospel with plainness, of which Christ is the principal subject (he calls it the mystery of the gospel, Eph. vi. 19), or else he means the preaching of the gospel to the Gentile world, which he calls the mystery hidden from ages (ch. i. 26) and the mystery of Christ, Eph. iii. 4. For this he was now in bonds. He was a prisoner at Rome, by the violent opposition of the malicious Jews. He would have them pray for him, that he might not be discouraged in his work, nor driven from it by his sufferings: "That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak, v. 4. That I may make this mystery known to those who have not heard of it, and make it plain to their understanding, in such a manner as I ought to do." He had been particular in telling them what he prayed for on their behalf, ch. i. Here he tells them particularly what he would have them pray for on his behalf. Paul knew as well as any man how to speak; and yet he begged their prayers for him, that he might be taught to speak. The best and most eminent Christians need the prayers of meaner Christians, and are not above asking them. The chief speakers need prayer, that God would give them a door of utterance, and that they may speak as they ought to speak.

Apostolic Exhortations. (a. d. 62.)

5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

The apostle exhorts them further to a prudent and decent conduct towards all those with whom they conversed, towards the heathen world, or those out of the Christian church among whom they lived (v. 5): Walk in wisdom towards those who are without. Be careful, in all your converse with them, to get no hurt by them, or contract any of their customs; for evil communications corrupt good manners; and to do not hurt to them, or increase their prejudices against religion, and give them an occasion of dislike. Yea, do them all the good you can, and by all the fittest means and in the proper seasons recommend religion to them.—Redeeming the time; that is, either "improving every opportunity of doing them good, and making the best use of your time in proper duty" (diligence in redeeming time very much recommends religion to the good opinion of others), or else "walking cautiously and with circumspections, to give them no advantage against you, nor expose yourselves to their malice and ill-will," Eph. v. 15, 16. Walk circumspectly, redeeming the time, because the days are evil, that is, dangerous, or times of trouble and suffering. And towards others, or those who are within as well as those who are without, "Let your speech be always with grace, v. 6. Let all your discourse be as becomes Christians, suitable to your profession—savoury, discreet, seasonable." Though it be not always of grace, it must be always with grace; and, though the matter of our discourse be that which is common, yet there must be an air of piety upon it and it must be in a Christian manner seasoned with salt. Grace is the salt which seasons our discourse, makes it savoury, and keeps it from corrupting. That you may know how to answer every man. One answer is proper for one man, and another for another man Prov. xxvi. 4, 5. We have need of a great deal of wisdom and grace to give proper answers to every man, particularly in answering the questions and objections of adversaries against our religion, giving the reasons of our faith, and showing the unreasonableness of their exceptions and cavils to the best advantage for our cause and least prejudice to ourselves. Be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, 1 Pet. iii. 15.

Various Salutations. (a. d. 62.)

7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: 8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; 9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. 10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;) 11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. 15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. 16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. 18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

In the close of this epistle the apostle does several of his friends the honour to leave their names upon record, with some testimony of his respect, which will be spoken of wherever the gospel comes, and last to the end of the world.

I. Concerning Tychicus, v. 7. By him this epistle was sent; and he does not give them an account in writing of his present state, because Tychicus would do it by word of mouth more fully and particularly. He knew they would be glad to hear how it fared with him. The churches cannot but be concerned for good ministers and desirous to know their state. He gives him this character, A beloved brother and faithful minister. Paul, though a great apostle, owns a faithful minister for a brother and a beloved brother. Faithfulness in any one is truly lovely, and renders him worthy our affection and esteem. And a fellow-servant in the Lord. Ministers are servants to Christ, and fellow-servants to one another. They have one Lord, though they have different stations and capacities of service. Observe, It adds much to the beauty and strength of the gospel ministry when ministers are thus loving and condescending one to another, and by all just means support and advance one another's reputation. Paul sent him not only to tell them of his affairs, but to bring him an account of theirs: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts, v. 8. He was willing to hear from them as they could be to hear from him, and thought himself as much obliged to sympathize with them as he thought them obliged to sympathize with him. It is a great comfort, under the troubles and difficulties of life, to have the mutual concern of fellow-christians.

II. Concerning Onesimus (v. 9): With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. He was sent back from Rome along with Tychicus. This was he whom Paul had begotten in his bonds, Philem. 10. He had been servant to Philemon, and was a member, if not a minister, of their church. He was converted at Rome, whither he had fled from his master's service; and was now sent back, it is probable, with the epistle to Philemon, to introduce him again into his master's family. Observe, Though he was a poor servant, and had been a bad man, yet, being now a convert, Paul calls him a faithful and beloved brother. The meanest circumstance of life, and greatest wickedness of former life, make no difference in the spiritual relation among sincere Christians: they partake of the same privileges, and are entitles to the same regards. The righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ is unto all and upon all those that believe; for there is no difference (Rom. iii. 22): and there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, for you are all one in Christ Jesus, Gal. iii. 28. Perhaps this was some time after he was converted and sent back to Philemon, and by this time he had entered into the ministry, because Paul calls him a brother.

III. Aristarchus, a fellow-prisoner. Those who join in services and sufferings should be thereby engaged to one another in holy love. Paul had a particular affection for his fellow-servants and his fellow-prisoners.

IV. Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas. This is supposed to be the same who wrote the gospel which bears his name. If he come unto you receive him. Paul had a quarrel with Barnabas upon the account of this Mark, who was his nephew, and thought not good to take him with them, because he departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work, Acts xv. 38. He would not take Mark with him, but took Silas, because Mark had deserted them; and yet Paul is not only reconciled to him himself, but recommends him to the respect of the churches, and gives a great example of a truly Christian forgiving spirit. If men have been guilty of a fault, it must not be always remembered against them. We must forget as well as forgive. If a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, Gal. vi. 1.

V. Here is one who is called Jesus, which is the Greek name for the Hebrew Joshua. If Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterwards have spoken of another day, Heb. iv. 8. Who is called Justus. It is probable that he changed his name for that of Justus, in honour to the name of the Redeemer. Or else Jesus was his Jewish name, for he was of the circumcision; and Justus his Roman or Latin name. These are my fellow-labourers unto the kingdom of God, who have been a comfort unto me. Observe, What comfort the apostle had in the communion of saints and ministers! One is his fellow-servant, another his fellow-prisoner, and all his fellow-workers, who were working out their own salvation and endeavouring to promote the salvation of others. Good ministers take great comfort in those who are their fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God. Their friendship and converse together are a great refreshment under the sufferings and difficulties in their way.

VI. Epaphras (v. 12), the same with Epaphroditus. He is one of you, one of your church; he salutes you, or sends his service to you, and his best affections and wishes. Always labouring fervently for you in prayers. Epaphras had learned of Paul to be much in prayer for his friends. Observe, 1. In what manner he prayed for them. He laboured in prayer, laboured fervently, and always laboured fervently for them. Those who would succeed in prayer must take pains in prayer; and we must be earnest in prayer, not only for ourselves, but for others also. It is the effectual fervent prayer which is the prevailing prayer, and availeth much (Jam. v. 16), and Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain, v. 17. 2. What is the matter of this prayer: That you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Observe, To stand perfect and complete in the will of God is what we should earnestly desire both for ourselves and others. We must stand complete in all the will of God; in the will of his precepts by a universal obedience, and in the will of his providence by a cheerful submission to it: and we stand perfect and complete in both by constancy and perseverance unto the end. The apostle was witness for Epaphras that he had a great zeal for them: "I bear him record; I can testify for him that he has a great concern for you, and that all he does for you proceeds from a warm desire for your good." And his zeal extended to all about them: to those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis. He had a great concern for the Christian interest in the neighbouring places, as well as among them.

VII. Luke is another here mentioned, whom he calls the beloved physician. This is he who wrote the Gospel and Acts, and was Paul's companion. Observe, He was both a physician and an evangelist. Christ himself both taught and healed, and was the great physician as well as prophet of the church. He was the beloved physician; one who recommended himself more than ordinary to the affections of his friends. Skill in physic is a useful accomplishment in a minister and may be improved to more extensive usefulness and greater esteem among Christians.

VIII. Demas. Whether this was written before the second epistle to Timothy or after is not certain. There we read (2 Tim. iv. 10), Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. Some have thought that this epistle was written after; and then it is an evidence that, though Demas forsook Paul, yet he did not forsake Christ; or he forsook him but for a time, and recovered himself again, and Paul forgave him and owned him as a brother. But others think more probably that this epistle was written before the other; this in anno 62, that in 66, and then it is an evidence how considerable a man Demas was, who yet afterwards revolted. Many who have made a great figure in profession, and gained a great name among Christians, have yet shamefully apostatized: They went forth from us, because they were not of us, 1 John ii. 19.

IX. The brethren in Laodicea are here mentioned, as living in the neighbourhood of Colosse: and Paul sends salutations to them, and orders that this epistle should be read in the church of the Laodiceans (v. 16), that a copy of it should be sent thither, to be read publicly in their congregation. And some think Paul sent another epistle at this time to Laodicea, and ordered them to send for that from Laodicea, and read it in their church: And that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. If so, that epistle is now lost, and did not belong to the canon; for all the epistles which the apostles ever wrote were not preserved, any more than the words and actions of our blessed Lord. There are many other things which Jesus did, which if they should be written every one, I suppose the world itself could not contain the books which would be written, John xxi. 25. But some think it was the epistle to the Ephesians, which is still extant.

X. Nymphas is mentioned (v. 15) as one who lived at Colosse, and had a church in his house; that is, either a religious family, where the several parts of worship were daily performed; or some part of the congregation met there, when they had no public places of worship allowed, and they were forced to assemble in private houses for fear of their enemies. The disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews (John xx. 19), and the apostle preached in his own lodging and hired house, Acts xxviii. 23, 30. In the former sense it showed his exemplary piety; in the latter his zeal and public spirit.

XI. Concerning Archippus, who was one of their ministers at Colosse. They are bidden to admonish him to mind his work as a minister, to take heed to it, and to fulfil it—to be diligent and careful of all the parts of it, and to persevere in it unto the end. They must attend to the main design of their ministry, without troubling themselves or the people with things foreign to it, or of less moment. Observe, (1.) The ministry we have received is a great honour; for it is received in the Lord, and is by his appointment and command. (2.) Those who have received it must fulfil it, or do the full duty of it. Those betray their trust, and will have a sad account at last, who do this work of the Lord negligently. (3.) The people may put their ministers in mind of their duty, and excite them to it: Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry, though no doubt with decency and respect, not from pride and conceit.

XII. Concerning himself (v. 18): The salutation of me Paul. Remember my bonds. He had a scribe to write all the rest of the epistle, but these words he wrote with his own hand: Remember my bonds. He does not say, "Remember I am a prisoner, and send me supply;" but, "Remember I am in bonds as the apostle of the Gentiles, and let this confirm your faith in the gospel of Christ:" it adds weight to this exhortation: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy, Eph. iv. 1. "Grace be with you. The favour of God, and all good, the blessed fruits and effects of it, be with you, and be your portion."

CHAP. IV. Verſe 1. That which is juſt and equall]

SEe they muſt, both to the well chuſing, and the well uſing of their ſervants.

Ye alſo have a master] Eccl. 5 8. There be higher then they: and wherein they deal proudly, God is above them, Exod. 18.11.

Verſe 2. Continue in praier] Conſtant and inſtant in it, wait upon it, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. lay all aſide for it (as the word ſignifieth, Act. 6.2.) while praier ſtands ſtill, the trade of godlineſſe ſtands ſtill.

And watch in the ſame] Againſt dulneſſe of ſpirit, drowſineſſe of body, ſatanicall ſuggeſtions, ſecular diſtractions, &c.

With thanksgiving] Have your thanks ready, for you are ſure to ſpeed.

Verſe 3. Withall, praying alſo for us] See the Note on Eph. 6.19 By the word a door is opened into heaven.

Verſe 4. As I ought to speak] As every ſound is not muſick: ſo neither is every pulpit-diſcourſe a Sermon.

Verſe 5. Walk in wiſdom] Neither giving offence careleſly, nor taking offence cauſ[illegible: 1 letter]eſly.

Redeeming the time] Opportunities are headlong, and muſt be timouſly laid hold on, or all's loſt. See the Note on Eph. 5.16. It is ſaid of Hooper the Martyr, that he was ſpare of diet, ſparer of words, and ſpareſt of time.Act. and Mon. fol. 1366. Ibid 1[illegible: 1 letter]74. Ibid 1457. Latime[illegible: 1 letter] roſe uſually at two of the clock in a morning to his ſtudy. Bradford ſlept not commonly above four hours in the night: and in his bed, till ſleep came, his book went not out of his hand. He counted that hour not well ſpent, wherein he did not ſome good, either with his pen, tongue or ſtudy. Theſe Worthies well weighed what a modern Writer hath well obſerved, That they that loſe time are the greateſt loſers and waſtfulleſt Prodigals. For of all other poſſeſſions two may be had together, but two moments of time (much leſſe two opportunities of time) cannot be poſſeſt together.

Verſe 6. Seaſoned with ſale] Of mortification and diſcretion, even our common communication muſt be ſo ſeaſoned: as we pouder moſt thoſe meats that be moſt apt to putrifie, and as upon our uncomely parts, we put the more comelineſſe.

Verſe 7. All my ſtate ſhall Tychicus] See the Note on Eph. 6.21.

Verſe 8. And comfort your hearts] See the Note on Eph. 6.22.

Verſe 9. With Oneſimus, a faith full] Once unprofitable, but now profitable, faithfull and beloved.Philoſophia non [illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 letter]ed abſcond[illegible: 1 letter]t. DE Elta & jejun cap. 12. Plato went thrice to Sicily to convert Dionyſius, and loſt his labour. Polemo of a drunkard, by hearing Xenocrates, became a Philoſopher. But Ambroſe faith well of him, Sireſipuit à vino, f[illegible: 1 letter]it ſemper tamen temulentus ſacrilegio, If he repented of his drunkenneſſe, yet he continued drunk with ſuperſtition. Pauls convert proved better, a faithfull preacher, and a beloved brother.

Verſe 10 Marcus, ſisters ſon to Barnabas] Hence Barnabas ſtood ſo ſtiff for him againſt Paul his faithfull fellow traveller, Act. 15.37. See the Note there. Naturall affection ſwaies over much with ſome good men, as it did with Eli, and perhaps with Samuel, 1 Sam. 8.1, 3.

Verſe 11. Theſe only are my fellow-workers] S. Paul complains of fickle and falſe friends, that forſook him in his diſtreſſe, as Demas, 2 Tim. 4 16.2 Tim. 4.0 that like Jobs friends proved miſerable comforters, and as the brooks of Tema, which in a moiſture ſwell, in a drought fail: Or as the river Novanus in Lombardy, that at every Mid-ſummer Solstice ſw[illegible: 1 letter]lle[illegible: 1 letter]h and runneth over the banks, but in mid-winter is clean dry. Howbeit Marcus, Aristarchus, Oneſimus, Oneſiphorus, and ſome few others ſtuck to him. A great mercy: Optimum ſolatium, ſodalitium.

Verſe 12. Epaphras, who is one of you] See Chap. 1.7. and the Note there.

That ye may ſtand perfect] In his abſence eſpecially: for then the devil is moſt buſie, as he was with the people, when Moſes was but a while in the Mount, Exod. 32.

Verſe 13. And them that are in Laodicea] A Miniſter muſt be like the Sun, that ſhineth not only within it's own o[illegible: 1 letter]b, but i[illegible: 1 letter]lightneth all round about it, and within the reach of it.

Verſe 14. And Demas] he will needs be one, and is, but without any title of honour, as the reſt. He began to be ſuſpected: and he afterwards proved an utter apoſtate, and (as Dorotheus ſaith) an Idol-Prieſt at Theſſalonica.

Verſe 15. Salute the brethren] Chriſtianity is no enemy to courteſie. It removes not, but rectifies it.

The brethren which are in Laodicea] There God had his remnant, there Chriſt was Amen, the faithfull and true witneſſe, and there there were ſuch, as by a new creation of God, were begotten again, even among to car[illegible: 2 letters]ſſ[illegible: 1 letter] a multitude, Revol. 3.14. There remain in Conſtantinople at this day above 20. Churches of Chriſtians: and in Theſſalonica above 30. beſides very many Churches abroad in the province, &c. Breerw. Enquir Chytrae de ſtatu Eccleſiar. The whole countrey of Aſia the leſſe, wherein ſtood Coloſſe, Laodicea and H[illegible: 1 letter]erapolis, is now under the power and ſuperſtition of the Turk: yet no doubt God hath his remnant there.

Verſe 16. Reade the Epiſtle from Laodicea] Other good books then muſt be read, as well as the Scriptures; yet not idle pamphlets and love-toies. Theſe ſhould be burnt, as thoſe curious books were, Act. 19.

Verſe 17. And ſay to Archippus] Archippus was a Paſtour of the Laodicean Church; So that before S. Johns time in Pathmos they began to cool.

That thou fulfill it] By preaching the Word in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, &c. and ſo doing the work of an Evangeliſt, fulfilling his Miniſtery, 2 Tim. 4.2, 5. This to do, the people were to excite their Paſtour: yet with all due reſpect and reverence to his office, 1 Tim. 5.1. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. An Elder muſt not be laſhed or jerked with the ſcourge of the tongue, as a puny, but intreated as a father.

Verſe 18. Remember my bonds] To pray for me, and miniſter to me, &c. This he here inſerteth as his laſt charge, that they may the better remember and practiſe it. Something we ſhould leave with thoſe we love that may ſtick by them, and ſtand them in ſtead when we are gone, or have done with them.

Masters, give unto your servants, etc. Eph 6:9. That which is just and equal. What they ought to have; what is fairly their due. The apostle here, probably, refers to bondmen or slaves--and the propriety of this rule is apparent. Such persons were subject to their masters' control; their time and services were at their disposal, and they could not enforce their just and equal claims by an appeal to the laws. They were, therefore, dependent on the equity and kindness of their masters. There can be no doubt that not a few who were converted to the Christian faith were held to involuntary servitude, 1Cor 7; and it is as clear that the apostles did not design to make a violent disruption of these bonds, or to lead the slaves to rise and murder their masters. 1Timm 6:1, also 1Timm 6:2-4. But it is equally clear that they meant to represent slavery as a hard and undesirable condition; that they intended to instruct the slaves to embrace the earliest opportunity to be free which was presented, 1Cor 7:21; and that they meant to suggest such considerations, and to lay down such principles, as would lead masters to emancipate their slaves, and thus ultimately to abolish it. Among these principles are such as these.

(1.) That all men were of one and the same blood, Acts 17:26.

(2.) That they were all redeemed by the same Saviour, and were brethren, 1Timm 6:2; Phm 1:16.

If redeemed; if they were "brethren", if they were heirs of glory, they were not "chattels," or "things": and how could a Christian conscientiously hold or regard them as property?

(3.) That they were to "render them that which was just and equal." What would follow from this if fairly applied? What would be just and equal to a man in those circumstances? Would it not be

(a.) to compensate him fairly for his labour--to furnish him an adequate remuneration for what he had earned? But this would strike a blow at the root of slavery--for one of the elementary principles of it is, that there must be "unrequited labour;" that is, the slave must earn as much more than he receives as will do his part in maintaining the master in idleness, for it is of the very essence of the system that he is to be maintained in indolence by the slaves which he owns --or just so far as he owns a slave. If he were disposed to earn his own living, he would not need the labour of slaves. No man ever yet became the permanent owner of a slave from benevolence to him, or because he desired to pay him fully for his work, or because he meant himself to work in order to maintain his slave in indolence.

(b.) If a man should in fact render to his slaves "that which is just and equal," would he not restore them to freedom? Have they not been deprived of their liberty by injustice, and would not "justice" restore it? What has the slave done to forfeit his liberty? If he should make him "equal" in rights to himself, or to what he is by nature, would he not emancipate him? Has he not been reduced to his present condition by withholding that which is "equal?" Has he "equal" rights, and "equal" privileges with other men? Has he not been cut off from them by denying him the equality to which he is entitled in the arrangements of God's government? Can he be held at all without violating all the just notions of equality? Though, therefore, it may be true that this passage only enjoins the rendering of that which was "just" and "equal" in their condition as slaves, yet it contains a principle which would "lay the axe at the root" of slavery, and would lead a conscientious Christian to the feeling that his slaves ought to be free. These principles actually effected the freedom of slaves in the Roman empire in a few centuries after Christianity was introduced, and they are destined to effect it yet all over the world.

Knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Eph 6:9.

(a) "Masters" Eph 6:9

Continue in prayer. That is, do not neglect it; observe it at all stated times; maintain the spirit of prayer, and embrace all proper occasions to engage in it. Comp. Lk 18:1; Eph 6:18; 1Thes 5:17.

And watch in the same with thanksgiving. Watch for favourable opportunities; watch that your mind may be in a right frame when you pray; and watch, that when your mind is in a right frame you may not neglect to pray. Eph 6:1; Eph 6:8; Php 4:6.

(*) "Continue" "Persevere" (b) "in prayer" Lk 18:1 (c) "watch" Mk 13:33

Withal. With all the supplications which you offer for other persons and things; or at the same time that you pray for them.

Praying also for us. Eph 6:19,20. Comp. 2Cor 1:11, Php 1:19, Heb 13:18,19.

That God would open unto us a door of utterance. To preach the gospel. He earnestly desired to have liberty to: preach the gospel, and asked them to pray that this might be restored to him. Eph 6:19.

To speak the mystery of Christ. Called, in Eph 6:19, the "mystery of the gospel. Eph 6:19.

For which I am also in bonds. A prisoner at Rome, Eph 6:20.

(+) "praying" "praying at the same time" (d) "open unto us" 2Thes 3:1

That I may make it manifest, etc. Eph 1:20.

(++) "manifest" "so that I may show it"

Walk in wisdom. That is, conduct upright and honest. Deal with them on the strictest principles of integrity, so that they may not have occasion to reproach the religion which you profess.

Toward them that are without. Without the pale of the church, or who, are not professing Christians. 1Cor 5:12. They were surrounded by heathens, as Christians now are by men of the world. The injunction is one that requires us to act with prudence and propriety (ενσοφια) towards them; and there is, perhaps, not a more important direction in the New Testament than this. Among the reasons for this are the following:

(1.) Men of the world judge of religion, not from the profession, but from the life of its friends.

(2.) They judge of religion, not from preaching, or from books, or from the conduct of its Founder and his apostles, but from what they see in the daily walk and conversation of the members of the church.

(3.) They understand the nature of religion so well as to know when its friends are or are not consistent with their profession.

(4.) They set a much higher value on honesty and integrity than they do on the doctrines and duties of religion; and if the professed friends of religion are destitute of the principle of truth and honesty, they think they have nothing of any value. They may be very devout on the Sabbath; very regular at prayer-meetings; very strict, in the observance of rites and ceremonies--but all these are of little worth in the estimation of the world, unless attended with an upright life.

(5.) No professing Christian can possibly do good to others who does not live an upright life. If you have cheated a man out of never so small a sum, it is vain that you talk to him about the salvation of his soul; if you have failed to pay him a debt when it was due, or to finish a piece of work when you promised it, or to tell him the exact truth in conversation, it is vain for you to endeavour to induce him to be a Christian. He will feel, if he does not say-- and he might very properly say--that he wants no religion which will not make a man honest.

(6.) No man will attempt to do much good to others whose own life is not upright. He will be sensible of the inconsistency, and will feel that he cannot do it with any sense of propriety; and the honour of religion, therefore, and the salvation of our fellow-men, demand that, in all our intercourse with others, we should lead lives of the strictest integrity.

Redeeming the time. Eph 5:16.

(e) "wisdom" Ps 90:12, Eph 5:15,16

Let your speech. Your conversation. In the previous verse the apostle had given a general direction that our conduct towards those who are not professing Christians should be wise and prudent; he here gives a particular direction in regard to our conversation.

Be alway with grace. Imbued with the spirit of religion. It should be such as religion is fitted to produce; such as to show that the grace of God is in our hearts. Bloomfield supposes that this means "courteous and agreeable, not morose and melancholy." But though this may be included, and though the rule here laid down would lead to that, it cannot be all that is intended. It rather means that our conversation should be such as to show that we are governed by the principles of religion, and that there is unfeigned piety in the heart. This will indeed make us mild, courteous, agreeable, and urbane in our conversation; but it will do more than this. It will imbue our discourse with the spirit of religion, so as to show hat the soul is under the influence of love to the Redeemer.

Seasoned with salt. Salt, among the Greeks, was the emblem of wit. Here the meaning seems to be, that our conversation should be seasoned with piety or grace in a way similar to that in which we employ salt in our food. It makes it wholesome and palatable. So with our conversation. If it be not imbued with the spirit of piety, it is flat, insipid, unprofitable, injurious. The spirit of piety will make it what it should be--useful, agreeable, beneficial to mankind. This does not mean that our conversation is to be always, strictly speaking, religious --wherever we may be--any more than our food should be mere salt; but it means that, whatever be the topic, the spirit of piety should be diffused through it--as the salt in our food should properly season it all, whatever the article of food may be.

That ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. He imbued with the spirit of piety, that you may not utter anything that would be rash and foolish, but be prepared to answer any one who may question you about your religion in a way that will show that you understand its nature, and that will tend to edification. This remark may be extended farther. It may be understood as meaning also, "be imbued with the spirit of religion, and you will be able to answer man appropriately on any subject. If he asks you about the evidence of the nature of religion, you will be able to reply to him; if he converses with you on the common topics of the day, you will be able to answer him in a mild, kind, affable spirit; if he asks you of things of which you are ignorant--if he introduces some topic of science with which you are not acquainted, you will not be ashamed to confess your ignorance, and to seek instruction; if he addresses you in a haughty, insolent, and overbearing manner, you will be able to repress the risings of your temper, and to answer him with gentleness and kindness." Comp. Lk 2:46.

(&) "speech" "words" (f) "seasoned with salt" Mk 9:50

All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you. See these verses explained in the Notes, Eph 6:21, Eph 6:22.

Col 4:7.

(*) "estate" "no definition given"

With Onesimus. Who had been formerly a servant of Philemon, an inhabitant of Colosse. Phm 1:10. Onesimus had probably been recently converted; and Paul felt towards him the warm attachment of a brother, Phm 1:16. In what way he became acquainted with him is unknown. A more full account of him will be found in the Notes on the epistle to Philemon.

Who is one of you. That is, either who is from your city, or one of your own people and nation. It is clear from this, that Onesimus was from Phrygia, and probably from the city of Colosse itself. It would seem, also, that he was of a higher rank than is designated by the word "slave" now. He was, indeed, a "servant" δουλος --of Philemon; but would the apostle have addressed the Colossians, and said that he was "one of them," if he had occupied precisely the condition which is now denoted by the word slave? Would a minister of the gospel now in the Northern States, who should send a letter by a runaway slave to a community of masters at the South, say of him that he was "one of them?" Would it be kindly received, or produce a good impression, if he did? There is reason, therefore, to think that Onesimus was not a slave in the proper sense, but that he might have been a respectable youth, who had bound himself to service for a term of years, Comp. Phm 1:18.

They shall make known unto you all things which are done here. Relating to Paul himself, and the state of the church in Rome. As the epistle which Paul sent was designed not only for them, but to be a part of the volume of revealed truth, he wrote only those things which would be of permanent interest. Other matters he left for those who carried the epistle to communicate. It would also serve to give Tychius and Onesimus more respectability in view of the church at Colosse, if he referred the church to them for information on important points.

(b) "a faithful" Phm 1:10

Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner. Aristarchus was of Thessalonica, and is mentioned in Acts 19:29, 20:4, as Paul's companion in his travels. In Acts 27:2, it is said that he accompanied him in his voyage to Rome, and from the passage before us it appears that he was there imprisoned with him. As he held the same sentiments as Paul, and was united with him in his travels and labours, it was natural that he should be treated in the same manner. He, together with Gaius, had been seized in the tumult at Ephesus, and treated with violence; but he adhered to the apostle in all his troubles, and attended him in all his perils. Nothing further is certainly known of him, though the Greeks say that he was bishop of Assamea in Syria, and was beheaded with Paul at Rome, under Nero." Calmet.

And Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas. John Mark, in relation to whom Paul and Barnabas had formerly disagreed so much as to cause a separation between Barnabas and Paul. The ground of the disagreement was, that Barnabas wished to take him, probably on account of relationship, with them in their travels; Paul was unwilling to take him, because he had, on one occasion, departed from them. Acts 15:37; Acts 15:38; Acts 15:39. They afterward became reconciled, and Paul mentions Mark here with affection. He sent for him when he sent Tychicus to Ephesus, and it seems that he had come to him in obedience to his request, 2Ti 4:11. Mark had probably become more decided, and Paul did not harbour unkind and unforgiving feelings towards any one.

Touching whom ye received commandments. What these directions were, and how they were communicated, whether verbally or by writing, is now unknown. It was, not improbably, on some occasion when Paul was with them. He refers to it here in order that they might know distinctly whom he meant.

If he come unto you, receive him. In Phm 1:24, Mark is mentioned as a "fellow-labourer" of Paul. It would seem probable, therefore, that he was not a prisoner. Paul here intimates that he was about to leave Rome, and he enjoins it on the Colossians to receive him kindly. This injunction may have been necessary, as the Colossians may have been aware of the breach between him and Paul, and may have been disposed to regard him with suspicion. Paul retained no malice, and now commended in the warmest manner, one from whom he was formerly constrained to separate.

(c) "Aristarchus" Acts 27:2 (d) "Marcus" Acts 15:37 (++) "touching" "respecting"

And Jesus which is called Justus. The name Jesus was probably that which he bore among the Jews. Justus is a Roman name, and was probably that by which he was known among the Romans. It was not uncommon thus to assume another name when one went among a foreign people. Comp. Acts 13:9.

Who are of the circumcision. Jews, or Jewish Christians. Nothing more is knows of Justus.

These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God. The word "only," here, probably refers to the fact that they only of all the Jews Who were at Rome assisted Paul in his work. Epaphras and Luke were also with him at Rome, and doubtless aided him.

Which have been a comfort unto me. The more so because they were Jews. The other Jews in Rome stood aloof, and doubtless endeavoured to augment the trials of the apostle. Comp. Acts 28:23-29.

(&) "fellow-workers" "Labourers"

Epaphras. Col 1:7.

Always labouring fervently for you in prayers. Marg., "or, striving." Gr., agonizing. The word denotes the intense desire which he had for their salvation; his fervent, earnest pleading for their welfare.

That ye may stand perfect and complete. Marg., as in Greek, filled. The desire was, that they might maintain their Christian principles unadulterated by the nature of philosophy and error, and completely perform the will of God in every respect. This is the expression of a pious wish in regard to them, without any affirmation that any had been absolutely perfect, or that they would be perfect in this world. It is, however, a command of God that we should be perfect, (see Mt 5:48;) and it is the highest wish of benevolence in reference to any one, that he may be complete in moral character, and may do all the will of God. 2Cor 13:9.

(1) "labouring" "serving" (e) "fervently" Jas 5:16 (f) "stand perfect" Mt 5:48 (2) "complete" "filled affairs"

For I bear him record. Paul had had abundant opportunity to know what were his feelings in regard to these churches.

A great zeal for you. A great desire to promote your welfare.

And them that are in Laodicea. Laodicea was the capital of Phrygia, and not far from Colosse. There was a church there. See the Introduction, and Col 4:16.

And them in Hierapolis. This was also a city in Phrygia, and not far from Laodicea and Colosse. It was situated under a hill to the north, and had on the south a large plain about five miles over. On the south of that plain, and opposite to Hierapolis, was Laodicea, with the river Lycus running in between them, nearer to Laodicea than to Hierapolis. This place is now called by the Turks Pambuck-Kulasi, or the Cotton-Tower, on account of the white cliffs which lie round about it. It is now utterly forsaken and desolate, but the ruins are so magnificent as to show that it was once one of the most splendid cities in the East. It was celebrated for the hot springs in its vicinity; and, on account of the numerous temples erected there, it received the name of Hierapolis, or the holy city. The principal deity worshipped there was Apollo. See Travels by T. Smith, B. D. 1678. Comp. Col 4:16. From the allusion to it here it would seem that there were Christians there in the time of Paul, though there is no mention of a church there. It is nowhere else mentioned in the New Testament.

(|) "record" "witness"

Luke, the beloved physician. This was undoubtedly the author of the gospel which bears his name, and of the Acts of the Apostles. He is mentioned as the travelling companion of Paul in Acts 16:10, and appears to have accompanied him afterwards until his imprisonment at Rome. See 2Ti 4:11. From verse 11 of this chapter, it is evident that he was not by birth a Jew, but was probably a proselyte. He is supposed to have been a native of Cyrene, and to have died in Achaia, soon after the martyrdom of Paul, at the advanced age of eighty-four. See Rob. Cal. Art. Luke. He is here mentioned as a physician; and in his Gospel, and in the Acts, there are incidental evidences that he was acquainted with the science of medicine, and that he observed the events which he has recorded with the eye of one who practised the healing art. It is easy to imagine that the presence of a physician might have been of important service to the apostle Paul in his travels, and that his acquaintance with the art of healing may have aided not a little in the furtherance of the gospel. The miraculous power of healing, possessed by the Saviour and his apostles, contributed much to the success of their preaching; for the power of alleviating pain of body, of restoring to health by miracles, would not only be an evidence of the Divine origin of their mission--a credential that they were sent from God--but would dispose those who had received such important benefits to listen attentively to the message of salvation. One of the best qualifications in missionaries in modern times, in order to gain access to the heathen, is an acquaintance with the healing art.

And Demas. Demas is mentioned in two other places, Phm 1:24, and 2Ti 4:10. He is here spoken of with commendation as one in whom the apostle had confidence. Afterwards, when troubles thickened, he was not found proof to the trials which threatened him in Rome, and forsook the apostle and went to Thessalonica. He did this under the influence of the "love of this present world," or of life evidently unwilling to lay down his life in the cause for which Paul suffered. 2Ti 4:10. His departure, and that of the others on whom Paul relied in Rome, was one of the severest trials which he was called there to endure. 2Ti 4:16.

(a) "Luke" 2Ti 4:10,11

Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea. Col 2:1.

And Nymphas. This person is nowhere else mentioned, and nothing more is known of him.

And the church which is in his house. Rom 16:5.

And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans. Laodicea was near to Colosse, and the church there was evidently exposed to the same dangers from philosophy and false teachers as that at Colosse. The counsels in this epistle, therefore, would be equally applicable to both. In 1Thes 5:27, the apostle also charges those to whom that epistle was addressed to see that it be "read unto all the holy brethren." It is evident that the apostles designed that the letters which they addressed to the churches should be read also by others, and should become the permanent source of instruction to the friends of Christ. Laodicea, here referred to, was the seat of one of the "Seven churches" of Asia, (Rev 3:14;) was a city of Phrygia, and was its capital. It was situated on the river Lycus, (hence called λαοδικειαεπιλυκω --Laodicea on the Lycus,) and stood at the south-western angle of Phrygia. Its early name appears to have been Diospolis, changed subsequently to Rhoas. The name Laodicea was given to it by Antiochus Theos, in honour of his wife, Laodice. Under the Romans it became a very flourishing commercial city. It was often damaged by earthquakes, but was restored by the Roman emperors. It is supposed to have been destroyed during the inroad of Timur Leng, A.D. 1402. The ruins are called by the Turks Eski Hissar. These ruins, and the ruins of Hierapolis, were visited by Mr. Riggs, an American missionary, in 1842, who thus speaks of them: "These spots, so interesting to the Christian, are now utterly desolate. The threatening expressed in Rev 3:16 has been fulfilled, and Laodicea is but a name. In the midst of one of the finest plains of Asia Minor, it is entirely without inhabitant. Sardis, in like manner, whose church had a name to live, but was dead, is now an utter desolation. Its soil is turned up by the plough, or overgrown by rank weeds; while in Philadelphia, since the clay when our Saviour commended those who had there "kept the word of his patience," there has never ceased to be a nominally Christian church. The ruins of Laodicea and Hierapolis are very extensive. The stadium of the former city, and the gymnasia and theatres of both, are the most complete which I have anywhere seen. Hierapolis is remarkable also for the so-called frozen cascades, a natural curiosity, in its kind probably not surpassed for beauty and extent in the world. It consists of a deposit of carbonate of lime, white as the driven snow, assuming, when closely examined, various forms, and covering nearly the whole southern and western declivities of the elevation on which the city was built. It is visible for many miles, and has procured for the place the name, by which alone Hierapolis is known among the Turks, of the Cotton Castle." The engraving on the preceding page will illustrate the ruins of Laodicea.

And that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. In regard to this epistle, see Introduction, & 6.

(c) "epistle" 1Thes 5:27

And say to Archippus. Archippus is mentioned also in Phm 1:2. He is not elsewhere referred to in the New Testament, and nothing further is known of him.

Take heed to the ministry, etc. The Greek here is, τηνδιακονιαν meaning the office of ministering in Divine things; but it is not certain precisely what office he held there. It seems probable, from the language which the apostle applies to him--"the ministry"--(comp. Acts 1:17,25, 6:4, 20:24, 21:19, Rom 11:13, 1Cor 12:5, 2Cor 3:7-9, 4:1, 5:18; 2Cor 6:3, Eph 4:12) that he was not a deacon, properly so called, but that he was a preacher of the word. In Phm 1:2, he is mentioned by Paul as his "fellow-soldier," and it is evident that the apostle meant to speak of him with honour. There is no evidence, as has been supposed by some, that he intended to imply, by what he said, that he had been remiss in the performance of his duties; but the apostle doubtless meant to encourage him, and to excite him to increased ardour and zeal in the work of the Lord. Comp. Acts 20:28. It is always proper to caution even the most faithful and self-denying servants of the Lord to "take heed," or see to it, that they perform their duties with fidelity. The office of the ministry is such, and the temptations to unfaithfulness are so great, that we need constant watchfulness.

That thou fulfil it. That there be nothing wanting, or lacking, in any of the departments of labour which you are called to perform.

(d) "Archippus" Phm 1:2 (e) "heed" 1Timm 4:14

The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Probably the rest of the epistle was written by an amanuensis. As was his custom, Paul affixed his own hand to it in the form of a salutation. Comp 1Cor 16:21; 2Thes 3:17.

Remember my bonds. Also evidently written by his own hand, to make the injunction more impressive. Comp. Heb 13:3. The meaning is that they should not forget him in his confinement. They should remember that he was suffering on their account, Col 1:24, and that he was entitled to every expression of sympathy and love.

Grace be with you. Rom 16:20.

The subscription to this epistle is undoubtedly correct. See the Introduction.

(f) "salutation" 2Thes 3:17 (g) "remember my bonds" Heb 13:3,25

End of Barnes Notes on Colossians

Our apostle concluded the foregoing chapter with an exhortation to servants, to discharge their duty with all fidelity to their masters, remembering, that whatever wrong is done by them, shall, sooner or later, be revenged by God; he begins this chapter with advice to masters, to give unto their servants that which is just and equal; that which is just, or that which is according to compact and agreement, either explicitly or implicitly made; as work, wages, food, cloathing, and all fitting accommodations; also that which is faithfully, to serve their masters cheerfully, not exercising a magisterial, much less a tyrannical power over them; and the argument to enforce it is strong, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven; remembering they have one above them, from whom they must expect the like.

Learn hence, That justice is to be observed towards poor servants, and that there are several offices of humanity and charity which are due unto them by the command of God:

Such are these, 1. That we look upon them not barely as servants, but as brethren, partakers of the same common nature, and capable of the same grace with ourselves, consequently not to treat them as vile persons.

2. That we wink at some of their miscarriages which are not apparently sinful, and do not punish every transgression committed by them: He must keep no servant that will have a servant with no faults.

3. That we do not rule with rigour, without giving some reason for what commands seem hard and difficult, and that we permit them to plead their cause, and to defend their right, provided they do it with humility, no contradicting, or refusing to execute the command of their master.

4. That to well-deserving servants we give something above their wages, allowing them all fitting encouragement whilst they are with us; and when they go away, not suffering them to go empty from us. Thus doing, masters will give unto their servants that which is just and equal: But how ordinary is it for them that are a little above others, to forget there is one above them?

Observe here, 1. The duty exhorted to, and that is prayer; a transcendent privilege, as well as an important duty.

Observe, 2. The manner of the duty, and how it must be performed, with constancy and perseverance.

1. Continue in prayer, that is, continue instant in prayer; not that every other duty is to be neglected, that we may always perform this, but we are always to keep our heart in a praying frame, and be found in the practice of the duty at all fitting seasons; we are then said to do a thing continually, when we do it seasonably: what a man does out of conscience, he will do with perseverance. Nature will have her good moods, but grace is steady.

2. Watchfulness in prayer is here directed to, Watch in the same; particularly, we ought to watch for the duty, in the duty, and after the duty: to watch for the fittest praying season, to watch our hearts in our affections flag; to watch after the duty, that our hearts be not lifted up by any assistances received in the duty; nor be too much dejected, upon the score of those infirmities that mingle themselves with our prayers; but direct the eye of our faith to Christ as our intercessor, who pleads for the gracious acceptance both of our persons and services, notwithstanding the imperfections of them both.

Observe, lastly, What must always accompany prayer for mercies we want, namely, thanksgiving for mercies received: Watch in the same with thanksgiving. There is no such effectual way of begging, as thanksgiving; God is offended, when we are loud and clamorous in asking favours, but dumb and tongue-tied in returning thanks: Need will make us beggars, but grace only thanksgivers.

Our apostle having directed the Colossians to the duty of prayer in general, here he requests an interest in their prayers for himself, and all the ministers of Christ in particular.

Whence observe, 1. That the ministers of Jesus Christ are, and ought in an especial manner to be remembered in the saints' prayers.

Observe, 2. The mercies he desires may be prayed for, on his behalf, namely, utterance and boldness: Ministers depend upon God, as for other ministerial gifts, so particularly for the gift of utterance, and it is their people's duty to be earnest and instant with God for the same: And as for utterance in delivering their message, so for boldness in suffering for it, when called to it.

No prayers can be too much to strengthen the hands, and encourage the hearts of the ministers of Christ unto an holy boldness, who suffer persecution for what they preach; therefore is St. Paul so earnest here with the Colossians, as he was before with the Ephesians, Eph 6:18 and with the Romans, Rom 15:30 desiring them to strive together in their prayers for him:

Where, by the way, remark, That the apostle thus passionately desiring the living saints to pray for him, but never desiring once the prayers and intercessions of the saints departed, nor of the Virgin Mary, is an evidence that he approved not of their prayers, nor looked upon them as mediators and intercessors with God then, as the church of Rome does now.

By them without, are meant the Heathen, who are yet without the pale of the visible church; to walk in wisdom toward them, is a duty of great latitude, but imports particularly here, an endeavour to the uttermost to promote their conversion and salvation, by begetting in them a due veneration for the gospel, and a love and liking to the Christian religion.

Learn hence, That private Christians, by walking wisely before them that are yet unconverted effectually to Christianity, may be exceedingly helpful to promote the entertainment of the gospel amongst them. They may pray, and pray in faith, for their conversion, and the further spreading of the gospel, in order to that end. The ardent devotions and the holy conversations of private Christians are excellent means to recommend the gospel and the Christian religion, and to represent them as most amiable and desirable.

Having in the former part of the verse, directed the Colossians to walk wisely before the unconverted Gentiles that were among them, in this latter part of the verse, he advises them to redeem every opportunity, for gaining over those infidels to the Christian religion. A Christian that knows the worth of time, will redeem it, will improve it for the soul, for the benefit of his own soul, and for the advantage of others: How this is done, see the note on Eph 1:16.

Direction is here given to all Christians for the right government of the tongue, and well ordering of the speech, that it be not corrupt and rotten, filthy or frothy, vain and unprofitable, but mild and courteous, savoury and gracious, wise and discreet.

Note here, 1. That we are not left at random in our ordinary discourse, to let our tongue run riot and talk what we please, without any regard to the edification of others.

Note, 2. That there ought to be both a gracefulness and grace in our speech, some savour of piety, someting that may testify there is grace wrought in ourselves, and tends to the working of grace in others.

Note, 3. That our speech may be thus savoury at all times, it must be seasoned with salt.

1. With the salt of truth: There must be an agreement betwixt the thing and our words, without falsehood; and an agreement betwixt our tongue and our hearts, without dissimulation.

2. With the salt of wisdom and prudence; this will teach us the time when, the manner how, and the measure how much to speak; those words must needs be unsavoury, that have neither truth nor prudence in them.

The people wondered of old at the gracious words which came our of Christ's mouth; and we may justly wonder at the graceless words which come out of the mouths of many that are called Christians.

Observe here, 1. That although St. Paul had now with him but a few friends at Rome to comfort him in his bonds, yet he spares two of them to visit and comfort these Colossians. See the public spirit of our apostle, who preferred the common good of the church at Colosse, before his own comfort at Rome.

Observe, 2. The persons whom St. Paul sent to them, Tychicus and Onesimus, whom he styles brethren, faithful brethren, beloved brethren: Nothing endears persons so much to one another, as religion and the grace of God. These ties are stronger than those of nature: No such love as likeness occasions, especially likeness to God.

Observe, 3. The design and end of St. Paul's sending these two persons to them, namely,

1. To make known unto them all things done at Rome:

Mark, All things, without exception, both his doings and sufferings, both in public and private, the apostle was ashamed of neither. Happy it is, when the conversation of Christ's ministers is such, both in public and private, that they need not be ashamed to have it known, or that the church may understand it.

2. That he might comfort their hearts: But how could Tychicus and Onesimus do this?

1. By making known to them the true cause of his sufferings, that it was for the gospel's sake.

2. To keep them from discouragement at the report of his sufferings, that they might not be offended at his chain, nor sink under the burden of immoderate sorrow upon his account.

3. To comfort their hearts with the report of that holy joy and cheerfulness which the apostle had in his own spirit, under the present burden of his sufferings. See the note on Eph 6:22.

Our apostle coming now to the conclusion of his excellent letter, sendeth (as his manner was) particular salutations to those he wrote to. These salutations were both from others and himself. Here we have three of St. Pauls companions sending salutations to the church at Colosse, namely, Aristrachus, a fellow prisoner; Mark, sister's son to Barnabas, who, though he did desert St. Paul and Barnabas, and went not with them to the work, yet returning to is duty, he is recommended to the church's reception; and Jesus, who was called Justus, possibly from his just conversation. Jesus is the same with Joshua, signifying a Saviour: However, we do not find that any Christians, since their Lord's resurrection, did ever give their children the name of Jesus, out of a due reverence to their Lord and Master, who is God-man, blessed for evermore.

Now we learn, That neither distance of place, nor length of time, ought to cool that love and good-will, that hearty and sincere affection, which Christians should bear to one another.

Note farther, That, as in the large catalogue of salutations which St. Paul wrote to the saints at Rome, Rom 16:1-27 in which particular persons are mentioned, St. Peter's name is not once named: So here, in this catalogue of salutations sent from Rome, no mention is made of Peter's name neither; doubtless had he been now at Rome, he had sent salutations as well as the rest; here are salutations from Aristrachus, Mark, and others, none from Peter. Behold here the weak ground which the Pope builds his pretended supremacy and headship upon, namely, that he is St. Peter's successor, who was bishop of Rome; nor is there any word in scripture to prove that he ever was at Rome when St. Paul wrote this epistle, there being only these, he says, whom he mentions, who are his fellow-labourers unto the kingdom of God.

Our apostle next mentions the particular salutation sent from Rome to the church at Colosse by Epaphras, who is described from his country; he is one of you, that is, a citizen of Colosse; by his office, a servant of Christ, that is, a minister of the gospel; by his fervour of affection towards these Colossians, evidenced by his prayers for them, he labours fervently for you in his prayers.

The word signifies to strive as in an agony, pointing out our ministerial duty to us, not only to preach unto, and to pray with, but fervently to pray for our people. God forgave our forgetfulness of, our backwardness to, our remissness in, this part of our duty. Too seldom do we bear our people upon our hearts, when we go in and out before the Lord: Oh! how far are we from praying ourselves into an agony for them, when our petitions freeze within our lips, which we put up for our own souls!

One thing might here be noted further concerning Epaphras, he was minister of (some think bishop of) Colosse; yet was he born there, he is one of you, that is, of your city. Now, Christ tells us, a minister is in hazard to meet with disrespect in his own country, he is usually of no honour there: However, Epaphras being called to the work of God in the place where he was born embraces it, and God give him reputation with the people for his faithfulness in his place.

Observe, lastly, What was the subject matter of Epaphras's prayer for his people at Colosse, namely, That they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God: it is the desire and prayer, the care and endeavour of every faithful minister of Christ, that his people may stand fast in their obedience, in universal obedience, in perfect and complete obedience to the will, the whole will of God, in all things; yet one thing more is observable in Epaphras, he had not only a great zeal for his own people at Colosse, but for them at Laodicea and Hierapolis, which were neighbouring churches.

Learn thence, That the ministers of Christ are to look upon themsleves, as ministers of the whole church; and although they take care of a particular congregation, yet is it their duty to desire and endeavour, that all Christians within the reach of their ministerial labours, may find some special benefit and advantage by them. Epaphras had a fervent zeal for the churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis, as well as at Colosse, and it was his commendation that he had so.

Still the apostle is sending salutations from Rome to the Colossians.

1. From St. Luke, who, of a physician for the body, becomes a physician for the soul, as Matthew of a publican, became a preacher. Luke well deserved the title here given him of beloved, in that he undertook the ministry at a time when civil authority did allow no maintenance for ministers, and when his employment as a physician would probably have advantaged him much more. Luke, the beloved physician, greets you.

2. Demas also, who when persecution grew hot, his affections grew cold; yet now he sends salutations with the rest to the church at Colosse. St. Paul complains of his forsaking of him, 2Tim 4:10 for the sake of this present world. Let no professor judge of himself by his external profession, by his performance of outward duties, by his associating himself with the people of God, nay, by his sufferings with the servants of God, (Demas did all this,) but by their sincere love to Christ and persevering faithfulness in the trying hour of temptation; we know not what we are till sufferings appear.

Our apostle had sent the salutations of others to them before, he sends his own now.

1. Generally to all the Christian brethren which were in Laodicea, to whom he directs this epistle to be read in the next verse. Now, to prepare them to hear it with greater attention, he sends salutations particularly to them, Salute the brethren in Laodicea. No particular people must desire or expect to monopolize and engross the whole of a minister's affections to themselves; but as he is the minister of the catholic church, so it is both his duty and desire, that all particular churches, yea, individual Christians, should share in his affectionate love towards them, in his care and concern for them. He salutes Nymphas in particular, a person perhaps very eminent for piety and charity, as may be gathered from the following words, And the church which is in his house.

By which, 1. Understand his family and houshold, who were so piously instructed, so religiously governed, so devoutly disposed, as if they had been a church.

Learn thence, That masters of families should train up their houshold in religion and godliness, instructing, reproving, exhorting, all that are under their care, that their house may deserve the name of a church; The church which is in his house.

2. Some by the church in his house, understand a material house, or some particular room in his house, which he had given to a certain number of Christians for a place of public worship. Although the church, in the apostle's time, had not the countenance of civil authority, to provide either places for worship, or maintenance for ministers; yet such fervour of zeal was found in the breasts of Christians, that then, such as were of ability, wanted not for inclination to contribute largely and freely unto both; charity moved to give more then, than force of law can compel and constrain now; Nymphas gives his house to be a place of public worship to the church. See the learned Mr. Mede on 1Cor 11:22.

Here St. Paul directs to the reading of this epistle themselves, which the Spirit of God had directed him to write unto them, Let this epistle be read amongst you. All holy scripture is to be read and perused by every private Christian; the same Spirit that did indite the scriptures, requires the reading and understanding of them.

And further, St. Paul desires this epistle, being read amongst the Colossians, should next be read in the church at Laodicea; who being their neighbours, received the same poison or errors from the false teachers, crept in amongst them, and consequently directed to some particular church or person, recorded in scripture, was of universal use to them, and may be now, to all particular persons and societies.

Much controversy has arisen in the church about this epistle from Laodicea; some have affirmed that it was written by St. Paul to the Laodiceans, but lost; from whence they would infer, that the canon of the scripture is not entire: But supposing it were so, yet it follows not but that we have all things necessary to salvation in the holy scriptures.

It is very probable that St. Paul himself, and several other apostles, wrote more epistles than are in the Bible: What then? We have what the wisdom of God thought fit to hand down to us, and what is sufficient to make the serious reader of it wise unto salvation. Surely Almighty God was not bound to bring down all that they wrote to us, but only what his own wisdom saw fit and necessary for us. Others understand it of an epistle from Laodicea to St. Paul, and that he answered it fully in this epistle to the Colossians, and sending it back, desired the Colossians might read it, for better clearing of some passages in this epistle to them.

Lastly, Some understand it of the epistle ot the Ephesians, Ephesus being the metropolis, or the chief city of Laodicea; and accordingly some called the epistle to the Ephesians, the epistle to the Laodiceans: The truth is, there is a very great affinity betwixt the epistle to the Ephesians, and this to the Colossians; the doctrines, exhortations, and many expressions are the very same; so that it is no wonder if he desired they should be both read at Colosse, to let them see that he wrote the same doctrine to other churches which he had done to them.

This Archippus is, with good reason, supposed to be the minister at Colosse, in the room of Epaphras, now with St. Paul at Rome. Some think, that in the absence of Epaphras, he was grown somewhat remiss and slack in his ministerial duty; he directs therefore the Colossians to admonish him to the exercise of greater diligence in discharging all the parts of his trust committed by Christ unto him, Say unto Archippus, Take heed, &c.

Observe here, A double charge, 1. A charge of message, Say unto Archippus: The Colossians must say it. St. Paul could have wrote a private letter to him; but they must excite him, yea, say to him to his face, not of him behind his back: It is the people's duty to stir up their ministers to the faithful performance of their duty; the fire of our ministerial zeal doth not burn so bright, but we may need our people's bellows to inflame it; but this must be done with prudence by the people, in a way of exhortation, not by the way of exprobation; so stir up your minister to his duty, that you forget not your own.

Observe, 2. The charge of an office, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received of the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Here note, 1. A duty enjoined, to fulfil the ministry: But what is that?

Negatively, not to secure the success of our ministry, we may deliver our own souls, though our people's be not delivered; the nurse is not charged with the life of the child, but with the care of the child; she shall be paid whether it live or die: Nor is it absolutely to perform every part of our ministerial duty without the least deficiency; no, we rejoice in the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have done our duty:

Positively, to fulfil the ministry, is to perform all the parts of our duty with care and faithfulness, persevere in diligence, particularly, public preaching and private inspection. A non-preaching minister is no minister, a breastless nurse, a murderer of souls, a bell without a clapper, a cryer without a voice; yet doth not his work lye all in the pulpit, but the greatest part out of it: he is styled a watchman: For what? because he is to watch one hour with his people in a week? No, surely, but because he is to watch over them, and converse with them all the week, upon occasion. Is not the physician to visit his patient, as well as to prescribe his physic? Doth the husbandman cast his seed into the ground, and never come into his fields to see whether it comes up, or how it grows? Verily, our people are great gainers by them too. We may gain more experimental knowledge by an afternoon's visiting our people, than by a week's study.

Note, 2. The means here directed to, for the fulfilling of the ministry, Take heed to the ministry; What doth that import?

1. Take heed to thy study; ministerial abilities are not rained down like manna upon us. The apostles did not study indeed, but one reason was, they had no time to study, they were itinerary preachers.

2. Take heed to thy doctrine, that it be the pure word of God, and delivered purely; not only in opposition to error, but in opposition to levity.

3. Take heed, that is, to thy life and practice, that we may tread out the steps before our people, which they are to take towards heaven.

Note, 3. The motive to stir us all up to the fulfilling our ministerial trust: We have received it: There is the importance of a special favour, and also the importance of a strict account; what we have received, we must give an account for.

2. We have received it of or from the Lord; this implies assistance, that God has called us to it, will assist us in it: Lo, I am with you always to the end of the world; with you to assist, with you to succeed, with you to reward. Let Archippus then, every one in the work of Christ, take heed to the ministry which he has received of the Lord, that he fulfil it.

Here our apostle closes his epistle with a general salutation under his own hand, intimating thereby, that he had wrote the whole with his own hands.

He begs them to remember his bonds; that is,

1. To sympathize with him in his bonds.

2. To pray for him in his bonds.

3. To receive the word of God, which he had written to them in his bonds.

4. To prepare for sufferings themselves, his bonds being but the fore-runners of their bonds.

Thus it is the people's duty to remember the pious ministers in their bonds. He adds, Grace be with you, wishing them an abiding interest in the special favour of God, with a multiplied increase of all spiritual blessings flowing from thence; increase of all grace to enable them to glorify God on earth, and to prepare them for glory with God in heaven. Amen.

ἠδίκησεν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολημψία. IV. ^1Οἱ κύριοι, τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα τοῖς δούλοις παρέχεσθε, εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔχετε Κύριον ἐν οὐρανῷ. § 4 ὁ Κύριος ἀπροσωπολήμπτως κρινεῖ τὸν κόσμου· ἕκαστος, καθὼς ἐποίησεν, κομιεῖται. In the parallel passage Ephes. vi. 8, the form is certainly κομίσεται: here it is more doubtful, the authorities being more equally divided between κομιεῖται and κομίσεται. See however the note on γνωρίσουσιν iv. 9. προσωπολημψία] On this word see the note Gal. ii. 6. This προσωπολημψία, though generally found on the side of rank and power, may also be exercised in favour of the opposite; Levit. xix. 15 οὐ λήψῃ πρόσωπον πτωχοῦ οὐδὲ μὴ θαυμάσῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου. There would be a tendency in the mind of the slave to assume that, because the προσωπολημψία of man was on the side of the master, there must be a corresponding προσωπολημψία of God on the side of the slave. This assumption is corrected by St Paul. IV. 1. τὴν ἰσότητα] ‘_equity_’, ‘_fairness_’; comp. Plut. _Sol. et Popl. Comp._ 3 νόμων ἰσότητα παρεχόντων. Somewhat similarly Lysias _Or. Fun._ 77 (speaking of death) οὔτε γὰρ τοὺς πονηροὺς ὑπερορᾷ οὔτε τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς θαυμάζει, ἀλλ’ _ἴσον ἑαυτὸν παρέχει_ πᾶσιν. It seems a mistake to suppose that ἰσότης here has anything to do with the treatment of slaves _as equals_ (comp. Philem. 16). When connected with τὸ δίκαιον, the word naturally suggests an even-handed, impartial treatment, and is equivalent to the Latin _æquitas_: comp. Arist. _Top._ vi. 5 (p. 143) ὁ τὴν δικαιοσύνην (λέγων) ἕξιν ἰσότητος ποιητικὴν ἢ διανεμητικὴν τοῦ ἴσου, Philo _de Creat. Princ._ 14 (II. p. 373) ἔστι γὰρ ἰσότης ... μήτηρ δικαιοσύνης, Clem. Alex. _Strom._ vi. 6 (p. 764) μετὰ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἰσότητος τῆς πρὸς τοὺς επιστρέφοντας. Thus in Arist. _Eth. Nic._ v. 1 τὸ δίκαιον and τὸ ἴσον are regarded as synonymes, and in Plut. _Mor._ p. 719 the relation of ἰσότης to δικαίοτης is discussed. The word here is used in the same sense in which the adjective occurs in the common expressions ἴσος δικαστής, ἴσος ἀκροατής, etc. Philo, describing the Essene condemnation of slavery, says, _Omn. prob. lib._ 12 (II. p. 457) καταγινώσκουσί τε τῶν δεσποτῶν, οὐ μόνον ὡς ἀδίκων, ἰσότητα λυμαινομένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἀσεβῶν κ.τ.λ., but he possibly does mean ‘equality’ rather than ‘equity.’ παρέχεσθε] ‘_exhibit on your part_.’ The middle παρέχεσθαι, ‘to afford from oneself,’ will take different shades of meaning according to the context, as ‘to furnish one’s _quota_’ (e.g. Herod. viii. 1, 2) or ‘to put forward one’s _representative_’ (esp. of witnesses, e.g. Plato _Apol._ 19 D). Here the idea is ‘reciprocation’, the master’s duty as corresponding to the slave’s. ἔχετε Κύριον] as Ephes. vi. 9; comp. 1 Cor. vii. 22 ὁ ἐλεύθερος κληθὲις δοῦλός ἐστιν Χριστοῦ.

^2Τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτερεῖτε, γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ· ^3προσευχόμενοι ἅμα καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς ἀνοίξῃ ἡμῖν θύραν τοῦ λόγου, λαλῆσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι’ ὃ καὶ δέδεμαι· ^4ἵνα φανερώσω 2–6. ‘Be earnest and unceasing in prayer; keep your hearts and minds awake while praying: remember also (as I have so often told you) that thanksgiving is the goal and crown of prayer. Meanwhile in your petitions forget not us—myself Paul—my fellow-labourer Timothy—your evangelist Epaphras—all the teachers of the Gospel; but pray that God may open a door for the preaching of the word, to the end that we may proclaim the free offer of grace to the Gentiles—that great mystery of Christ for which I am now a prisoner in bonds. So shall I declare it fearlessly, as I am bound to proclaim it. Walk wisely and discreetly in all your dealings with unbelievers; allow no opportunity to slip through your hands, but buy up every passing moment. Let your language be always pervaded with grace and seasoned with salt. So will you know how to give a fit answer to each man, as the occasion demands.’ 2. προσκαρτερεῖτε] ‘_cling closely to_’, ‘_remain constant to_’ (comp. Mark iii. 9, Acts viii. 13, x. 7), and so ‘continue stedfast in’. This word occurs again with τῇ προσευχῇ, ταῖς προσευχαῖς, Acts i. 14, ii. 42, vi. 4, Rom. xii. 12. The construction is with a simple dative both in the New Testament (ll. cc.) and in classical writers, except where it stands absolutely (Acts ii. 46, Rom. xiii. 6). The injunction here corresponds to the ἀδιαλέιπτως προσεύχεσθε of 1 Thess. v. 17. γρηγοροῦντες] Long continuance in prayer is apt to produce listlessness. Hence the additional charge that the heart must be _awake_, if the prayer is to have any value. The word is not to be taken literally here, but metaphorically. In Matt. xxvi. 41 etc., γρηγορεῖτε καὶ προσεύχεσθε, the idea is not quite the same. ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ] as the crown of all prayer; see the notes on i. 12, ii. 7. 3. ἡμῶν] ‘_us_’, ‘the Apostles and preachers of the Gospel’, with reference more especially to Timothy (i. 1) and Epaphras (iv. 12, 13). Where the Apostle speaks of himself alone, he uses the singular (ver. 3, 4 δέδεμαι, φανερώσω). Indeed there is no reason to think that St Paul ever uses an ‘epistolary’ plural, referring to himself solely: see the note on 1 Thess. iii. 1. ἵνα κ.τ.λ.] On the sense of ἵνα after προσεύχεσθαι etc., see the note on i. 9. θύραν τοῦ λόγου] ‘_a door_ of admission _for the word_’, i.e. ‘an opportunity of preaching the Gospel’, as 1 Cor. xvi. 9 θύρα γάρ μοι ἀνέῳγεν μεγάλη καὶ ἐνεργής, 2 Cor. ii. 12 θύρας μοι ἀνεῳγμένης ἐν Κυρίῳ: comp. Plut. _Mor._ p. 674 D ὥσπερ πύλης ἀνοιχθέισης, οὐκ ἀντέσχον ... συνεισιοῦσι παντοδαποῖς ἀκρόαμασιν. Similarly )έισοδος is used in 1 Thess. i. 9, ii. 1. The converse application of the metaphor appears in Acts xiv. 27 ἤνοιξεν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν θύραν πίστεως, where the door is opened not to the teachers, but to the recipients of the Gospel. According to another interpretation (suggested by Ephes. vi. 19 ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίζει τοῦ στόματος μου) it is explained ‘the door of our speech’, i.e. ‘our mouth’: comp. Ps. cxli (cxl). 3, Mic. vii. 5, Ecclus. xxviii. 25. But the parallel passages do not favour this sense, nor will the words themselves admit it. In that case for ἡμῖν θύραν τοῦ λόγου we should require τὴν θύραν τῶν λόγωυ [ἡμῶν]. ‘The word’ here is ‘the Gospel’, as frequently. λαλῆσαι ‘_so as to speak_’, the infinitive of the consequence, like εἰδέναι ver. 6 ; see Winer § xliv, p. 400. τὸ μυστήριον κ.τ.λ. i.e. the doctrine of the free admission of the Gentiles. For the leading idea which St Paul in these epistles attaches to ‘the mystery’ of the Gospel, see the note on i. 26. δι’ ὅ St Paul might have been still at large, if he had been content to preach a Judaic Gospel. It was because he contended for Gentile liberty, and thus offended Jewish prejudices, that he found himself a prisoner. See Acts xxi. 28, xxii. 21, 22, xxiv. 5, 6, xxv. 6, 8. The other reading, δι’ ὅν, destroys the point of the sentence. καὶ δέδεμαι 2 Tim. ii. 9 μέχρι δεσμῶν, Philem. 9 νυνὶ δὲ καὶ δέσμιος. 4. ἵνα φανερώσω κ.τ.λ. This is best taken as dependent on the previous clause ἵνα ὁ Θεός ... τοῦ Χριστοῦ. For instances of a double ἵνα, where the second is not coordinated with, but subordinated to, the first, see the note on Gal. iii. 14. The immediate purport of the Colossians’ prayers must be that the Apostle should have all opportunities of preaching the Gospel: the ulterior object, that he should use these opportunities boldly.

αὐτό, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι. ^5ἐν σοφίᾳ περιπατεῖτε πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω, τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι· ^6ὁ λόγος 5. ἐν σοφίᾳ] Matt. x. 16 γίνεσθε οὖν φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις. τοὺς ἔξω] ‘_those without the pale_’ of the Church, the unbelievers; as in 1 Cor. v. 12, 13, 1 Thess. iv. 12. So οἱ ἔξωθεν, 1 Tim. iii. 7. The believers on the other hand are οἱ ἔσω, 1 Cor. v. 12. This mode of speaking was derived from the Jews, who called the heathen החיצונים (Schöttgen on 1 Cor. _l.c._), translated οἱ ἐκτός Ecclus. Prol. and οἱ ἔξωθεν Joseph. _Ant._ xv. 9. 2. ἐξαγοραζόμενοι κ.τ.λ. ‘_buying up the opportunity for yourselves_, letting no opportunity slip you, of saying and doing what may further the cause of God’: comp. Ephes. v. 16. The expression occurs also in Dan. ii. 8 οἶδα ὅτι καιρὸν ὑμεῖς ἐξαγοράζετε, i.e. ‘are eager to gain time’. Somewhat similar are the phrases τὸν χρόνον κερδαίνειν, τὸ παρὸν κερδαίνειν. In much the same sense Ignatius says, _Polyc._ 3 τοὺς καιρὸυς καταμάνθανε. For this sense of ἐξαγοράζω ‘coemo’ (closely allied in meaning to συναγοράζω), see Polyb. iii. 42. 2 ἐξηγόρασε παρ’ αὐτῶν τά τε μονόξυλα πλοῖα πάντα κ.τ.λ., Plut. _Vit. Crass._ 2. More commonly the word signifies ‘to redeem’ (see the note on Gal. iii. 13), and some would assign this sense to it here; but no appropriate meaning is thus obtained. In Mart. _Polyc._ 2 διὰ μιᾶς ὥρας τὴν αἴωνιον κόλασιν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι it means ‘buying off’, a sense in which ἐξωνεῖσθαι occurs several times. The reason for the injunction is added in Ephes. v. 16, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν: the prevailing evil of the times makes the opportunities for good more precious. 6. ἐν χάριτι] ‘_with grace, favour_’, i.e. ‘acceptableness’, ‘pleasingness’; comp. Eccles. x. 12 λόγοι στόματος σοφοῦ χάρις, Ps. xliv (xlv). 3 ἐξεχύθη χάρις ἐν χέιλεσί σου, Eccles. xxi. 16 ἐπὶ χέιλους συνετοῦ ἑυρεθήσεται χάρις. In classical writers χάρις λόγων is a still more common connexion; e.g. Demosth. _c. Phil._ i. 38, Dionys. Hal. _de Lys._ §§ 10, 11, Plut. _Vit. Mar._ 44.

ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι, ὑμᾶς πῶς δεῖ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι. ^7Τὰ κατ ἐμὲ πάντα γνωρίσει ὑμῖν Τύχικος ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἅλατι] comp. Mark ix. 50 ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας ἄναλον γένηται, ἐν τίνι αὐτὸ _)αρτυσετε_· ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἅλα. The salt has a twofold purpose. (1) It gives a flavour to the discourse and recommends it to the palate: comp. Job vi. 6 εἰ βρωθήσεται ἄρτος ἄνευ ἁλός· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστι γεῦμα ἐν ῥήμασι κενοῖς; in which passage the first clause was rendered by Symmachus μήτι βρωθήσεται _ἀνάρτυτον_ τῷ μὴ ἔχειν ἅλα; This is the primary idea of the metaphor here, as the word ἠρτυμένος seems to show. (2) It preserves from corruption and renders wholesome; Ign. _Magn._ 10 ἁλίσθητε ἐν αὐτῷ ἵνα μὴ διαφθαρῇ τις ἐν ὑμῖν, ἐπὲι ἀπὸ τῆς ὀσμῆς ἐλεγχθήσεσθε. Hence the Pythagorean saying, Diog. Laert. viii. I. 35 οἱ ἅλες πᾶν σώζουσιν ὅ τι καὶ παραλάβωσι. It may be inferred that this secondary application of the metaphor was present to the Apostle’s mind here, because in the parallel epistle, Ephes. iv. 29, he says πᾶς λόγος _σαπρὸς_ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ἐκπορεύεσθω κ.τ.λ. In the first application the opposite to ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος would be μωρός ‘_insipid_’ (Luke xiv. 34); in the second, σαπρός ‘_corrupt_’. Heathen writers also insisted that discourse should be ‘seasoned with salt’; e.g. Cic. _de Orat._ i. 34 ‘facetiarum quidam lepos quo, tanquam sale, perspergatur omnis oratio’. They likewise dwelt on the connexion between χάρις and ἅλες; e.g. Plut. _Mor._ p. 514 F χάριν τινὰ παρασκευάζοντες ἀλλήλοις, ὥσπερ ἁλσὶ τοῖς λόγοις ἐφηδύνουσι τὴν διατριβήν, p. 697 D (comp. p. 685 A) οἱ πολλοὶ χάριτας καλοῦσιν [τὸν ἅλα], ὅτι ἐπὶ τὰ πλεῖστα μιγνύμενος εὐάρμοστα τῇ γεύσει καὶ προσφιλῆ ποιεῖ καὶ κεχαρισμένα, p. 669 A ἡ δὲ τῶν ἁλῶν δύναμις ... χάριν αὐτῷ καὶ ἡδονὴν προστίθησι, Dion. Chrys. _Or._ xviii. § 13. Their notion of ‘salt’ however was wit, and generally the kind of wit which degenerated into the εὐτραπελία denounced by St Paul in Ephes. v. 4 (see the note there). The form ἅλας is common in the LXX and Greek Testament. Otherwise it is rare: see Buttmann _Gramm._ I. p. 220, and comp. Plut. _Mor._ 668 F. εἰδέναι] ‘_so as to know_’; see the note on λαλῆσαι ver. 3. ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ] ‘Not only must your conversation be opportune as regards the time; it must also be appropriate as regards the person’. The Apostle’s precept was enforced by his own example, for he made it a rule to become τοῖς πᾶσιν πάντα, ἵνα πάντως τινὰς σώσῃ (1 Cor. ix. 22). 7–9. ‘You will learn everything about me from Tychicus, the beloved brother who has ministered to me and served with me faithfully in the Lord. This indeed was my purpose in sending him to you: that you might be informed how matters stand with me, and that he might cheer your hearts and strengthen your resolves by the tidings. Onesimus will accompany him—a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of yourselves, a Colossian. These two will inform you of all that is going on here.’ 7. Τὰ κατ’ ἐμὲ πάντα] ‘_all that relates to me_’; see the note on Phil. i. 12, and comp. Bion in Diog. Laert. iv. 47. So Acts xxv. 14 τὰ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον. γνωρίσει] On this word see the note Phil. i. 22. Τύχικος] Tychicus was charged by St Paul at this same time with a more extended mission. He was entrusted with copies of the circular letter, which he was enjoined to deliver in the principal churches of proconsular Asia (see above, p. 37, and the introduction to the Epistle to the Ephesians). This mission would bring him to Laodicea, which was one of these great centres of Christianity (see p. 8); and, as Colossæ was only a few miles distant, the Apostle would naturally engage him to pay a visit to the Colossians. At the same time the presence of an authorised delegate of St Paul, as Tychicus was known to be, would serve to recommend Onesimus, who owing to his former conduct stood in every need of such a recommendation. The two names Τύχικος and Ὀνήσιμος occur in proximity in Phrygian inscriptions found at Altentash (Bennisoa?) Boeckh 3857r sqq. appx. Tychicus was a native of proconsular Asia (Acts xx. 4) and perhaps of Ephesus (2 Tim. iv. 12: see _Philippians_ p. 11). He is found with St Paul at three different epochs in his life. (1) He accompanied him when on his way eastward at the close of the third missionary journey A.D. 58 (Acts xx. 4), and probably like Trophimus (Acts xxi. 29) went with him to Jerusalem (for the words ἄχρι τῆς Ἀσίας must be struck out in Acts xx. 4). It is probable indeed that Tychicus, together with others mentioned among the Apostle’s numerous retinue on this occasion, was a delegate appointed by his own church according to the Apostle’s injunctions (1 Cor. xvi. 3, 4) to bear the contributions of his brethren to the poor Christians of Judæa; and if so, he may possibly be the person commended as the brother οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν (2 Cor. viii. 18): but this will depend on the interpretation of the best supported reading in Acts xx. 5 οὗτοι δὲ προσελθόντες ἔμενον ἡμᾶς ἐν Τρωάδι. (2) We find Tychicus again in St Paul’s company at the time with which we are immediately concerned, when this epistle was written, probably towards the end of the first Roman captivity A.D. 62, 63 (see _Philippians_ p. 31 sq.). (3) Once more, at the close of St Paul’s life (about A.D. 67), he appears again to have associated himself with the Apostle, when his name is mentioned in connexion with a mission to Crete (Tit. iii. 12) and another to Ephesus (2 Tim. iv. 12). For the legends respecting him, which are slight and insignificant, see _Act. Sanct. Boll._ April. 29 (III. p. 619). Tychicus is not so common a name as some others which occur in the New Testament, e.g. Onesimus, Trophimus; but it is found occasionally in inscriptions belonging to Asia Minor, e.g. Boeckh _C. I._ 2918, 3665, [3857 c], 3857 r, (comp. 3865 i, etc.); and persons bearing it are commemorated on the coins of both Magnesia ad Mæandrum (Mionnet III. p. 153 sq., _Suppl._ VI. p. 236) and Magnesia ad Sipylum (_ib._ IV. p. 70). The name occurs also in Roman inscriptions; e.g. Muratori, pp. DCCCCXVII, MCCCXCIV, MMLV. Along with several other proper names similarly formed, this word is commonly accentuated Τυχικός (Chandler _Greek Accentuation_ § 255), and so it stands in all the critical Seditions, though according to rule (Winer § vi. p. 58) it should be Τύχικος.

ἀδελφὸς καὶ πιστὸς δίακονος καὶ σύνδουλος ἐν Κυρίῳ· ^8ὃν ἔπεμψα πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ἵνα καὶ πιστὸς κ.τ.λ.] The connexion of the words is not quite obvious. It seems best however to take ἐν Κυρίῳ as referring to the whole clause πιστὸς δίακονος καὶ σύνδουλος rather than to σύνδουλος alone: for (1) The two substantives are thus bound together by the preceding πιστός and the following ἐν Κυρίῳ in a natural way: (2) The attachment of ἐν Κυρίῳ to πιστὸς δίακονος is suggested by the parallel passage Ephes. vi. 21 Τύχικος ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς καὶ πιστὸς δίακονος ἐν Κυρίῳ. The question of connecting ἐν Κυρίῳ with ἀδελπὅς as well need not be entertained, since the idea of ἀδελπὅς, ‘a Christian brother’, is complete in itself: see the note on Phil. i. 14. The adjective πιστός will here have its passive sense, ‘trustworthy, stedfast’, as also in ver. 9: see _Galatians_ p. 154 sq. δίακονος] ‘_minister_’, but to whom? To the churches, or to St Paul himself? The following σύνδουλος suggests the latter as the prominent idea here. So in Acts xix. 22 Timothy and Erastus are described as δύο τῶν διακονούντων αὐτῷ. Tychicus himself also was one of several who ministered to St Paul about that same time (Acts xx. 4). It is not probable however, that δίακονος has here its strict official sense, ‘a deacon’, as in Rom. xvi. 1, Phil. i. 1, 1 Tim. iii. 8, 12. σύνδουλος] The word does not occur elsewhere in St Paul, except in i. 7, where it is said of Epaphras. It is probably owing to the fact of St Paul’s applying the term in both these passages to persons whom he calls δίακονοι, that σύνδουλος seems to have been adopted as a customary form of address in the early Church on the part of a bishop, when speaking of a deacon. In Ignatian letters for instance, the term is never used except of deacons; _Ephes._ 2, _Magn._ 2, _Philad._ 4, _Smyrn._ 12. Where the martyr has occasion to speak of a bishop or a presbyter some other designation is used instead. 8. ἔπεμψα] ‘_I send_,’ or ‘_I have sent_,’ ἔπεμψα being the epistolary aorist; see the note on ἔγραψα, Gal. vi. 11. Tychicus appears to have accompanied the letter itself. For similar instances of the epistolary ἔπεμψα, ἐπέστειλα, etc., see 2 Cor. viii. 18, 22, ix. 3, Ephes. vi. 22, Phil. ii. 25, 28, Philem. 11, Hebr. xiii. 22, Polyc. _Phil._ 13.

γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν καὶ παρακαλέσῃ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ^9σὺν Ὀνησίμῳ τῷ πιστῷ καὶ ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ, ὅς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν. πάντα ὑμῖν γνωρίσουσιν τὰ ὧδε. γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν] This must be preferred to the received reading, γνῷ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, for two independent reasons. (1) The preponderance of ancient authority is decidedly in its favour. (2) The emphatic εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἵνα seems imperatively to demand it. St Paul in the context twice states the object of Tychicus’ visit to be that the Colossians might be informed about the Apostle’s own doings, τὰ κατ’ ἐμὲ πάντα γνωρίσει ὑμῖν (ver. 7), and πάντα ὑμῖν γνωρίσουσιν τὰ ὧδε. He could hardly therefore have described ‘the very purpose’ of his mission in the same breath as something quite different. It is urged indeed, that this is a scribe’s alteration to bring the passage into accordance with Ephes. vi. 21. But against this it may fairly be argued that, on any hypothesis as regards the authorship and relation of the two letters, this strange variation from γνῶτε τὰ περὶ ἡμῶν to γνῷ τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν in the author himself is improbable. On the other hand a transcriber was under a great temptation to substitute γνῷ for γνῶτε owing to the following παρακαλέση, and this temptation would become almost irresistible, if by any chance περὶ ὑμῶν had been written for περὶ ἡμῶν in the copy before him, as we find to be the case in some MSS. See the detached note on various readings. παρακαλέσῃ κ.τ.λ.] i.e. ‘encourage you to persevere by his tidings and exhortations’. The phrase occurs again, Ephes. vi. 22, 2 Thess, ii. 17: see above ii. 2. The prominent idea in all these passages is not comfort or consolation but perseverance in the right way. 9. σὺν Ὀνησίμῳ] See above, p. 33, and the introduction to the Epistle to Philemon. τῷ πιστῷ κ.τ.λ.] The man whom the Colossians had only known hitherto, if they knew him at all, as a worthless runaway slave, is thus commended to them as no more a slave but a brother, no more dishonest and faithless but trustworthy, no more an object of contempt but of love; comp. Philem. 11, 16. γνωρίσουσιν] This form has rather better support from the MSS than γνωριοῦσιν: see also above, iii. 25. On the Attic future from verbs in -ιζω in the Greek Testament generally see Winer § xiii. p. 88, A. Buttmann p. 32 sq. Is there any decisive instance of these Attic forms in St Paul, except in quotations from the LXX (e.g. Rom. x. 19, xv. 12)? 10–14. ‘I send you greeting from Aristarchus who is a fellow-prisoner with me; from Marcus, Barnabas’ cousin, concerning whom I have already sent you directions, that you welcome him heartily, if he pays you a visit; and from Jesus, surnamed Justus; all three Hebrew converts. They alone of their fellow-countrymen have worked loyally with me in spreading the kingdom of God; and their stedfastness has indeed been a comfort to me in the hour of trial. Greeting also from Epaphras, your fellow-townsman, a true servant of Christ, who is ever wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, that ye may stand firm in the faith, perfectly instructed and fully convinced in every will and purpose of God. I bear testimony to the earnestness with which he labours for you and the brethren of Laodicea and those of Hierapolis. Greeting also from Luke the physician, my very dear friend, and from Demas.’

^{10}Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἀρίσταρχος ὁ συναιχμάλωτός 10. The salutations to Philemon are sent from the same persons as to the Colossians, except that in the former case the name of Jesus Justus is omitted. Ἀρίσταρχος] the Thessalonian. He had started with St Paul on his voyage from Jerusalem to Rome, but probably had parted from the Apostle at Myra (see _Philippians_ p. 33 sq.). If so, he must have rejoined him at Rome at a later date. On this Aristarchus see _Philippians_ p. 10 and the introduction to the Epistles to the Thessalonians. He would be well known in proconsular Asia, which he had visited from time to time; Acts xix. 29, xx. 4, xxvii. 2. συναιχμάλωτός μου] In Philem. 23 this honourable title is withheld from Aristarchus and given to Epaphras. In Rom. xvi. 7 St Paul’s kinsmen, Andronicus and Junias, are so called. On the possibility of its referring to a spiritual captivity or subjection see _Philippians_ p. 11. In favour of this meaning it may be urged, that, though St Paul as a prisoner was truly a δέσμιος, he was not strictly an αἰχμάλωτος ‘a prisoner of war’; nor could he have called himself so, except by a confusion of the actual and metaphorical. If on the other hand συναιχμάλωτος refers to a physical captivity, it cannot easily be explained by any known fact. The incident in Acts xix. 29 is hardly adequate. The most probable solution would be, that his relations with St Paul in Rome excited suspicion and led to a temporary confinement. Another possible hypothesis is that he voluntarily shared the Apostle’s captivity by living with him. Μάρκος] doubtless John Mark, who had been associated with St Paul in his earlier missionary work; Acts xii. 25, xv. 37 sq. This commendatory notice is especially interesting as being the first mention of him since the separation some twelve years before, Acts xv. 39. In the later years of the Apostle’s life he entirely effaced the unfavourable impression left by his earlier desertion; 2 Tim. iv. 11 ἔστιν γάρ μοι εὔχρηστος εἰς διακονίαν. This notice is likewise important in two other respects. (1) Mark appears here as commended to a church of proconsular _Asia_, and intending to visit those parts. To the churches of this same region he sends a salutation in 1 Pet. v. 13; and in this district apparently also he is found some few years later than the present time, 2 Tim. iv. 11. (2) Mark is now residing at _Rome_. His connexion with the metropolis appears also from 1 Pet. v. 13, if Βαβυλῶν there (as seems most probable) be rightly interpreted of Rome; and early tradition speaks of his Gospel as having been written for the Romans (Iren. iii. 1. 1; comp. Papias in Euseb. _H.E._ iii. 39).

μου, καὶ Μάρκος ὁ ἀνεψιὸς Βαρνάβα, περὶ οὗ ἐλάβετε ὁ ἀνεψιὸς] ‘_the cousin_’. The term ἀνεψιοί is applied to cousins german, the children whether of two brothers or of two sisters or of a brother and sister, as it is carefully defined in Pollux iii. 28. This writer adds that αὐτανέψιοι means neither more nor less than ἀνεψιοί. As a synonyme we find ἐξάδελφος, which however is condemned as a vulgarism; Phryn. p. 306 (ed. Lobeck). Many instances of ἀνεψιοί are found in different authors of various ages (e.g. Herod, vii. 5, 82, ix. 10, Thucyd. i. 132, Plato _Charm._ 154 B, _Gorg._ 471 B, Andoc. _de Myst._ § 47, Isæus _Hagn. Her._ § 8 sq., Demosth. _c. Macart._ § 24, 27, etc., Dion. Hal. _A. R._ i. 79, Plut. _Vit. Thes._ 7, _Vit. Cæs._ 1, _Vit. Brut._ 13, Lucian _Dial. Mort._ xxix. 1, Hegesipp. in Euseb. _H.E._ iv. 22), where the relationship is directly defined or already known, and there is no wavering as to the meaning. This sense also it has in the LXX, Num. xxxvi. 11. In very late writers however (e.g. Io. Malalas _Chron._ xvii. p. 424, Io. Damasc. _adv. Const. Cab._ 12, II. p. 621; but in Theodt. _H.E._ v. 39, which is also quoted by E. A. Sophocles _Gr. Lex._ s.v. for this meaning, the text is doubtful) the word comes to be used for a nephew, properly ἀδελφιδοῦς; and to this later use the rendering of our English versions must be traced. The German translations also (Luther and the Zürich) have ‘Neffe’. The earliest of the ancient versions (Latin, Syriac, Egyptian) seem all to translate it correctly; not so in every case apparently the later. There is no reason to suppose that St Paul would or could have used it in any other than its proper sense. St Mark’s relationship with Barnabas may have been through his mother Mary, who is mentioned Acts xii. 12. The incidental notice here explains why Barnabas should have taken a more favourable view of Mark’s defection than St Paul, Acts xv. 37–39. The notices in this passage and in 2 Tim. iv. 11 show that Mark had recovered the Apostle’s good opinion. The studious recommendation of St Mark in both passages indicates a desire to efface the unfavourable impression of the past. The name of Mark occurs in five different relations, as (1) The early disciple, John Mark, Acts xii. 12, 25, xv. 39; (2) The later companion of St Paul, here and Philem. 24, 2 Tim. iv. 11; (3) The companion and ‘son’ of St Peter, 1 Pet. v. 13; (4) The evangelist; (5) The bishop of Alexandria. Out of these notices some writers get three or even four distinct persons (see the note of Cotelier on _Apost. Const._ ii. 57). Even Tillemont (_Mem. Eccl._ II. p. 89 sq., 503 sq.) assumes two Marks, supposing (1) (2) to refer to one person, and (3) (4) (5) to another. His main reason is that he cannot reconcile the notices of the first with the tradition (Euseb. _H.E._ ii. 15, 16) that St Mark the evangelist accompanied St Peter to Rome in A. D. 43, having first preached the Gospel in Alexandria (p. 515). To most persons however this early date of St Peter’s visit to Rome will appear quite irreconcilable with the notices in the Apostolic writings, and therefore with them Tillemont’s argument will carry no weight. But in fact Eusebius does not say, either that St Mark went _with_ St Peter to Rome, or that he had preached in Alexandria _before_ this. The Scriptural notices suggest that the same Mark is intended in all the occurrences of the name, for they are connected together by personal links (Peter, Paul, Barnabas); and the earliest forms of tradition likewise identify them. Βαρνάβα] On the affectionate tone of St Paul’s language, whenever he mentions Barnabas after the collision at Antioch (Gal. ii. 11 sq.) and the separation of missionary spheres (Acts xv. 39), see the note on Gal. ii. 13. It has been inferred from the reference here, that inasmuch as Mark has rejoined St Paul, Barnabas must have died before this epistle was written (about A. D. 63); and this has been used as an argument against the genuineness of the letter bearing his name (Hefele _Sendschr. d. Apost. Barnab._ p. 29 sq.); but this argument is somewhat precarious. From 1 Cor. ix. 6 we may infer that he was still living, A. D. 57. The notices bearing on the biography of Barnabas are collected and discussed by Hefele, p. 1 sq. ἐλάβετε ἐντολάς] These injunctions must have been communicated previously either by letter or by word of mouth: for it cannot be a question here of an epistolary aorist. The natural inference is, that they were sent by St Paul himself, and not by any one else, e.g. by St Peter or St Barnabas, as some have suggested. Thus the notice points to earlier communications between the Apostle and Colossæ. But what was their tenour? It seems best to suppose that this is given in the next clause ἐὰν ἔλθῃ κ.τ.λ. By an abrupt change to the _oratio recta_ the injunction is repeated as it was delivered; comp. Ps. cv (civ). 15 ἤλεγξεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν βασιλεῖς· μὴ ἅψησθε κ.τ.λ. After verbs signifying ‘to command, charge, etc.’, there is a tendency to pass from the oblique to the direct; e.g. Luke v. 14, Acts i. 4, xxiii. 22. The reading δέξασθαι gives the right sense, but can hardly be correct. If this construction be not accepted, it is vain to speculate what may have been the tenour of the injunction.

ἐντολάς, Ἐὰν ἔλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, δέξασθε αὐτόν, ^{11}καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Ἰοῦστος, οἱ ὄντες ἐκ περιτομῆς· οὗτοι μόνοι συνεργοὶ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, οἵτινες 11. καὶ Ἰησοῦς] He is not mentioned elsewhere. Even in the Epistle to Philemon his name is omitted. Probably he was not a man of any prominence in the Church, but his personal devotion to the Apostle prompted this honourable mention. For the story which makes him bishop of Eleutheropolis in Palestine, see Le Quien _Oriens Christ._ in III. p. 633. Ἰοῦστος] A common name or surname of Jews and proselytes, denoting obedience and devotion to the law. It is applied to two persons in the New Testament, besides this Jesus; (1) Joseph Barsabbas, Acts i. 23; (2) A proselyte at Corinth, Acts xviii. 7. It occurs twice in the list of early Jewish Christian bishops of Jerusalem, in Euseb. _H.E._ iii. 35, iv. 5. It was borne by a Jew of Tiberias who wrote the history of the Jewish war (Joseph. _Vit._ §§ 9, 65), and by a son of the historian Josephus himself (_ib._ § 1). It occurs in the rabbinical writings (יוסטא or יוסטי, Schöttgen on Acts. i. 23, Zunz _Judennamen_ p. 20), and in monumental inscriptions from Jewish cemeteries in various places (Boeckh _C. I._ no. 9922, 9925; _Revue Archéologique_ 1860, II. p. 348; Garrucci _Dissertazioni Archeologiche_ II. p. 182). So also the corresponding female name Justa (Garrucci _l.c._ p. 180). In _Clem. Hom._ ii. 19, iii. 73, iv. 1, xiii. 7, the Syrophœnician woman of the Gospels is named Ἰοῦστα, doubtless because she is represented in this Judaizing romance as a proselytess προσήλυτος xiii. 7) who strictly observes the Mosaic ordinances ( τὴν νόμιμον ἀναδεξαμένη πολιτείαν ii. 20), and is contrasted with the heathen ‘dogs’ ( τὰ ἔθνη ἐοικότα κυσίν ii. 19) who disregard them. In some cases Justus might be the only name of the person, as a Latin rendering of the Hebrew Zadok; while in others, as here and in Acts i. 23, it is a surname. Its Greek equivalent, ὁ δίκαιος, is the recognised epithet of James the Lord’s brother: see _Galatians_, p. 348. οἱ ὄντες κ.τ.λ.] i.e. ‘converts from Judaism’ (see the note Gal. ii. 12), or perhaps ‘belonging to the Circumcision’; but in this latter case περιτομῆς, though without the article, must be used in a concrete sense, like τῆς περιτομῆς, for ‘the Jews’. Of Mark and of Jesus the fact is plain from their name or their connexions. Of Aristarchus we could not have inferred a Jewish origin, independently of this direct statement. μόνοι] i.e. of the Jewish Christians in Rome. On this antagonism of the converts from the Circumcision in the metropolis, see _Philippians_ p. 16 sq. The words however must not be closely pressed, as if absolutely no Jewish Christian besides had remained friendly; they will only imply that among the more prominent members of the body the Apostle can only name these three as stedfast in their allegiance: comp. Phil. ii. 20 οὐδένα ἔχω ἰσόψυχον ... οἱ πάντες γὰρ κ.τ.λ. (with the note).

ἐγενήθησάν μοι παρηγορία. ^{12}ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἐπαφρᾶς ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν, δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, πάντοτε ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα σταθῆτε τέλειοι τὴν βασιλείαν κ.τ.λ.] See the note on i. 13. οἵτινες κ.τ.λ.] ‘_men whom I found_ etc.’; comp. Acts xxviii. 15 οὓς ἰδὼν ὁ Παῦλος εὐχαριστήσας τῷ Θεῷ ἔλαβεν θάρσος, and see _Philippians_ p. 17. For οἵτινες, not specifying the individuals, but referring them to their class characteristics, see the notes on Gal. iv. 24, v. 19, Phil. iii. 7, iv. 3. παρηγορία] ‘_encouragement_’, ‘_comfort_’. The range of meaning in this word is even wider than in παραμυθία or παράκλησις (see the note Phil. ii. 1). The verb παρηγορεῖν denotes either (1) ‘to exhort, encourage’ (Herod. v. 104, Apoll. Rhod. ii. 64); (2) ‘to dissuade’ (Herod. ix. 54, 55); (3) ‘to appease’, ‘quiet’ (Plut. _Vit. Pomp._ 13, _Mor._ p. 737 C); or (4) ‘to console, comfort’ (Æsch. _Eum._ 507). The word however, and its derivates παρηγορία, παρηγόρημα, παρηγορικός, παρηγορητικός, were used especially as medical terms, in the sense of ‘assuaging’, ‘alleviating’; e.g. Hippocr. pp. 392, 393, 394, Galen XIV. p. 335, 446, Plut. _Mor._ pp. 43 D, 142 D; and perhaps owing to this usage, the idea of consolation, comfort, is on the whole predominant in the word; e.g. Plut. _Mor._ p. 56 A τὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀτυχήμασι παρηγοπίας, p. 118 A τοῖς ἀφαιρουμένοις τὰς λύπας διὰ τῆς γενναίας καὶ σεμνῆς παρηγορίας, _Vit. Cim._ 4 ἐπὶ παρηγορίᾳ τοῦ πένθους. In Plut. _Mor._ p. 599 B παρηγορία and συνηγορία are contrasted, as the right and wrong method of dealing with the sorrows of the exile; and the former is said to be the part of men παρῥησιαζομένων καὶ διδασκόντων ὅτι τὸ λυπεῖσθαι καὶ ταπεινοῦν ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ παντὶ μὲν ἄχρηστόν ἐστι κ.τ.λ. 12. Ἐπαφρᾶς] His full name would be Epaphroditus, but he is always called by the shortened form Epaphras, and must not be confused with the Philippian Epaphroditus (see _Philippians_ p. 60), who also was with St Paul at one period of his Roman captivity. Of Epaphras, as the evangelist of Colossæ, and perhaps of the neighbouring towns, see above, pp. 29 sq., 34 sq. ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν] ‘_who belongs to you_’, ‘_who is one of you_’, i.e. a native, or at least an inhabitant, of Colossæ, as in the case of Onesimus ver. 9; comp. Acts iv. 6, xxi. 8, Rom. xvi. 10, 11, 1 Cor. xii. 16, Phil. iv. 22, etc. δοῦλος Χ. Ἰ.] This title, which the Apostle uses several times of himself, is not elsewhere conferred on any other individual, except once on Timothy (Phil. i. 1), and probably points to exceptional services in the cause of the Gospel on the part of Epaphras. ἀγωνιζόμενος] ‘_wrestling_’; comp. Rom. xv. 30 συναγωνίσασθαί μοι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς. See also the great ἀγωνία of prayer in Luke xxii. 44. Comp. Justin _Apol._ ii. 13 (p. 51 B) καὶ εὐχόμενος καὶ παμμάχως ἀγωνιζόμενος. See also i. 29, ii. 1, with the notes. σταθῆτε] ‘_stand fast_’, doubtless the correct reading rather than στῆτε which the received text has; comp. Matt. ii. 9, xxvii. 11, where also the received text substitutes the weaker word.

καὶ πεπληροφορημένοι ἐν παντὶ θελήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ. ^{13}μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτῷ ὅτι ἔχει πολὺν πόνον ὑπὲρ πεπληροφορημένοι] ‘_fully persuaded_’. The verb πληροφορεῖν has several senses. (1) ‘To fulfil, accomplish’; 2 Tim. iv. 5 τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον, _ib._ ver. 17 τὸ κήρυγμα πληροφορηθῇ, _Clem. Hom._ xix. 24 πεπληροφορημένον νῦν ἤδη τριῶν ἡμερῶν. So perhaps Hermas _Sim._ 2 πληροφοροῦσι τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῶν ... πληροφοροῦσι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν, though it is a little difficult to carry the same sense into the latter clause, where the word seems to signify rather ‘to satisfy’. (2)‘To persuade fully, to convince’; Rom. iv. 21 πληροφορηθὲις ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστιν καὶ ποιῆσαι, xiv. 5 ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοὶ πληροφορέισθω, Clem. Rom. 42 πληροφορηθέυτες διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως κ.τ.λ., Ign. _Magn._ 8 εἰς τὸ πληροφορηθῆναι τοὺς ἀπειθοῦντας, _ib._ 11 πεπληροφορῆσθαι ἐν τῇ γεννὴσει κ.τ.λ., _Philad._ inscr. ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ πεπληροφορημένη ἐν παντὶ ἐλέει, _Smyrn._ 1 πεπληροφορημένους εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν, _Mart. Ign._ 7 πληροφορῆσαι τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῖς προγεγονόσιν, _Clem. Hom._ Ep. ad Iac. 10 πεπληροφορημένος ὅτι ἐκ Θεοῦ δικαίου, _ib._ xix. 24 συνετιθέμην ὡς πληροφορούμενος. So too LXX Eccles. viii. 11 ἐπληροφορήθη καρδία τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν. (3) ‘To fill’; Rom. xv. 13 πληροφορήσαι ὑμᾶς πάσης χαρᾶς (a doubtful v. l.), Clem. Rom. 54 τίς πεπληροφορημένος ἀγάπης; _Test. xii Patr._ Dan 2 τῇ πλεονεξίᾳ ἐπληροφορήθην τῆς ἀναιρέσεως αὐτοῦ, where it means ‘I was filled with’, i.e. ‘I was fully bent on’, a sense closely allied to the last. From this account it will be seen that there is in the usage of the word no justification for translating it ‘most surely believed’ in Luke i. 1 τῶν πεπληροφορημένων ἐν ἡμῖν πραγμάτων, and it should therefore be rendered ‘fulfilled, accomplished’. The word is almost exclusively biblical and ecclesiastical; and it seems clear that the passage from Ctesias in Photius (_Bibl._ 72) πολλοῖς λόγοις καὶ ὅρκοις πληροφορήσαντες Μεγάβυζον is not quoted with verbal exactness. In Isocr. _Trapez._ § 8 the word is now expunged from the text on the authority of the MSS. For the substantive πληροφορία see the note on ii. 2 above. The reading of the received text here, πεπληρωμένοι, must be rejected as of inferior authority. ἐν παντὶ κ.τ.λ.] ‘_in every thing willed by God_’; comp. 1 Kings ix. 11. So the plural τὰ θελήματα in Acts xiii. 22, Ephes. ii. 3, and several times in the LXX. The words are best connected directly with πεπληροφορημένοι. The passages quoted in the last note amply illustrate this construction. The preposition may denote (1) The abode of the conviction, as Rom. xiv. 5 ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοΐ; or (2) The object of the conviction, as Ign. _Magn._ II ἐν τῇ γεννήσει, _Philad._ inscr. ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει; or (3) The atmosphere, the surroundings, of the conviction, as _Philad._ inscr. ἐν παντὶ )ελέει. This last seems to be its sense here. The connexion σταθῆτε ... ἐν, though legitimate in itself (Rom. v. 2, 1 Cor. xv. 1), is not favoured by the order of the words here. 13. πολὺν πόνον] ‘_much toil_’, both inward and outward, though from the connexion the former notion seems to predominate, as in ἀγῶνα ii. 1; comp. Plat. _Phædr._ p. 247 B πόνος τε καὶ ἀγὼν ἔσχατος ψυχῇ πρόκειται. Of the two variations which transcribers have substituted for the correct reading, ζῆλον emphasizes the former idea and κόπον the latter. The true reading is more expressive than either. The word πόνος however is very rare in the New Testament (occurring only Rev. xvi. 10, 11, xxi. 4, besides this passage), and was therefore liable to be changed. καὶ τῶν κ.τ.λ.] The neighbouring cities are taken in their geographical order, commencing from Colossæ; see above, p. 2. Epaphras, though a Colossian, may have been the evangelist of the two larger cities also.

ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικίᾳ καὶ τῶν ἐν Ἱεραπόλει. ^{14}ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Λουκᾶς ὁ ἰατρὸς ὁ ἀγαπητός, καὶ Δημᾶς. Λαοδικίᾳ] This form has not the same overwhelming preponderance of authority in its favour here and in vv. 15, 16, as in ii. 1, but is probably correct in all these places. It is quite possible however, that the same person would write Λαοδικια and Λαοδικεια indifferently. Even the form Λαοδικηα is found in Mionnet, Suppl. VII. p. 581. Another variation is the contraction of Λαοδ- into Λαδ-; e.g. Λαδικηνός, which occurs frequently in the edict of Diocletian. 14. Λουκᾶς] St Luke had travelled with St Paul on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts xxi. 1 sq.). He had also accompanied him two years later from Jerusalem to Rome (Acts xxvii. 2 sq.). And now again, probably after another interval of two years (see _Philippians_ p. 31 sq.), we find him in the Apostle’s company. It is not probable that he remained with St Paul in the meanwhile (_Philippians_ p. 35), and this will account for his name not occurring in the Epistle to the Philippians. He was at the Apostle’s side again in his second captivity (2 Tim. iv. 11). Lucas is doubtless a contraction of Lucanus. Several Old Latin MSS write out the name _Lucanus_ in the superscription and subscription to the Gospel, just as elsewhere Apollos is written in full Apollonius. On the frequent occurrence of this name Lucanus in inscriptions see _Ephem. Epigr._ II. p. 28 (1874). The shortened form Lucas however seems to be rare. He is here distinguished from οἱ ὄντες ἐκ περιτομῆς (ver. 11). This alone is fatal to his identification (mentioned as a tradition by Origen _ad loc._) with the Lucius, St Paul’s ‘kinsman’ (i.e. a Jew; see _Philippians_ pp. 17, 171, 173), who sends a salutation from Corinth to Rome (Rom. xvi. 21). It is equally fatal to the somewhat later tradition that he was one of the seventy (_Dial. c. Marc._ § 1 in Orig. _Op._ I. p. 806, ed. De la Rue; Epiphan. _Hær._ li. 11). The identification with Lucius of Cyrene (Acts xiii. 13) is possible but not probable. Though the example of Patrobius for Patrobas (Rom. xvi. 14) shows that such a contraction is not out of the question, yet probability and testimony alike point to Lucanus, as the longer form of the Evangelist’s name. ὁ ἰατρὸς] Indications of medical knowledge have been traced both in the third Gospel and in the Acts; see on this point Smith’s _Voyage and Shipwreck of St Paul_ p. 6 sq. (ed. 2). It has been observed also, that St Luke’s first appearance in company with St Paul (Acts xvi. 10) nearly synchronizes with an attack of the Apostle’s constitutional malady (Gal. iv. 13, 14); so that he may have joined him partly in a professional capacity. This conjecture is perhaps borne out by the personal feeling which breathes in the following ὁ ἀγαπητός. But whatever may be thought of these points, there is no ground for questioning the ancient belief (Iren. iii. 14. 1 sq.) that the physician is also the Evangelist. St Paul’s motive in specifying him as the physician may not have been to distinguish him from any other bearing the same name, but to emphasize his own obligations to his medical knowledge. The name in this form does not appear to have been common. The tradition that St Luke was a painter is quite late (Niceph. Call. ii. 43). It is worthy of notice that the two Evangelists are mentioned together in this context, as also in Philem. 24, 2 Tim. iv. 11. ὁ ἀγαπητός] ‘_the beloved one_’, not to be closely connected with ὁ ἰατρός, for ὁ ἀγαπητός is complete in itself; comp. Philem. 1, Rom. xvi. 12 (comp. vv. 5, 8, 9), 3 Joh. 1. For the form compare the expression in the Gospels, Matt. iii. 17, etc. ὁ ὑίος μου, ὁ ἀγαπητός κ.τ.λ.; where a comparison of Is. xlii. 1, as quoted in Matt. xii. 18, seems to show that ὁ ἀγαπητός κ.τ.λ. forms a distinct clause from ὁ ὑίος μου. Δημᾶς] On the probability that this person was a Thessalonian (2 Tim. iv. 10) and that his name was Demetrius, see the introduction to the Epistles to the Thessalonians. He appears in close connexion with St Luke in Philem. 24, as here. In 2 Tim. iv. 10 their conduct is placed in direct contrast, Δημᾶς με ἐγκατέλιπεν ... Λοῦκας ἐστὶν μόνος μετ’ ἐμοῦ. There is perhaps a foreshadowing of this contrast in the language here. While Luke is described with special tenderness as ὁ ἰατρός, ὁ ἀγαπητός, Demas alone is dismissed with a bare mention and without any epithet of commendation.

^{15}Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐν Λαοδικίᾳ ἀδελφὸυς καὶ Νυμφᾶν καὶ τὴν κατ’ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν. ^{16}Καὶ ὅταν 15–17. ‘Greet from me the brethren who are in Laodicea, especially Nymphas, and the church which assembles in their house. And when this letter has been read among you, take care that it is read also in the Church of the Laodiceans, and be sure that ye also read the letter which I have sent to Laodicea, and which ye will get from them. Moreover give this message from me to Archippus; Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received from me in Christ, and discharge it fully and faithfully.’ 15. Νυμφᾶν] as the context shows, an inhabitant of Laodicea. The name in full would probably be Nymphodorus, as Artemas (Tit. iii. 12) for Artemidorus, Zenas (Tit. iii. 13) for Zenodorus, Theudas (Acts v. 36) for Theodorus, Olympas (Rom. xvi. 15) for Olympiodorus, and probably Hermas (Rom. xvi. 14) for Hermodorus (see _Philippians_ p. 174). Other names in ας occurring in the New Testament and representing different terminations are Amplias (Ampliatus, a _v. l._), Antipas (Antipater), Demas (Demetrius?), Epaphras (Epaphroditus), Lucas (Lucanus), Parmenas (Parmenides), Patrobas (Patrobius), Silas (Sylvanus), Stephanas (Stephanephorus), and perhaps Junias (Junianus, Rom. xvi. 7). For a collection of names with this contraction, found in different places, see Chandler _Greek Accentuation_ § 34; comp. Lobeck _Pathol._ p. 505 sq. Some remarkable instances are found in the inscriptions; e.g. Ἀσκλᾶς, Δημοσθᾶς, Διομᾶς, Ἑρμογᾶς, Νικομᾶς, Ὀνησᾶς, Τροφᾶς, etc.; see esp. Boeckh _C. I._ III. pp. 1072, 1097. The name Nymphodorus is found not unfrequently; e.g. Herod. vii. 137, Thuc. ii. 29, Athen. i. p. 19 F, vi. p. 265 C, Mionnet _Suppl._ VI. p. 88, Boeckh _C. I._ no. 158, etc. The contracted form Νυμφᾶς however is very rare, though it appears to occur in a Spartan inscription, Boeckh _C. I._ no. 1240 )Έυτυχος Νυνφᾶ. In Murat. MDXXXV. 6, is an inscription to one _Nu. Aquilius Nymphas_, a freedman, where the dative is _Nymphadi_. Other names from which Nymphas might be contracted are Nymphius, Nymphicus, Nymphidius, Nymphodotus, the first and last being the most common. Those, who read αὐτῆς in the following clause, take it as a woman’s name (Νύμφαν, not Νυμφᾶν); and the name Nymphe, Nympha, Nympa, etc., occurs from time to time in Latin inscriptions; e.g. _Inscr. Hisp._ 1099, 1783, 3763, _Inscr. As. Prov. etc._ 525, Murator. CMXXIV. 1, MCLIX. 8, MCCXCV. 9, MDXCI. 3. But a Doric form of the Greek name here seems in the highest degree improbable. τὴν κατ’ οἶκον κ.τ.λ.] The same expression is used of Prisca and Aquila both at Rome (Rom. xvi. 5) and at Ephesus (1 Cor. xvi. 19), and also of Philemon, whether at Colossæ or at Laodicea is somewhat uncertain (Philem. 2); comp. Acts xii. 12 τὴν οἰκίαν τῆς Μαρίας ... ὁῦ ἦσαν ἱκανοὶ συνηθροισμένοι καὶ προσευχόμενοι, and see _Philippians_ p. 56. Perhaps similar gatherings may be implied by the expressions in Rom. xvi. 14, 15 τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφούς, τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους (Probst _Kirchliche Disciplin_ p. 182, 1873). See also _Act. Mart. Justin._ § 3 (II. p. 262 ed. Otto), _Clem. Recogn._ x. 71 ‘Theophilus ... domus suæ ingentem basilicam ecclesiæ nomine consecraret’ (where the word ‘basilica’ was probably introduced by the translator Ruffinus). Of the same kind must have been the ‘collegium quod est in domo Sergiæ Paulinæ’ (de Rossi _Roma Sotteranea_ I. p. 209); for the Christians were first recognised by the Roman government as ‘collegia’ or burial clubs, and protected by this recognition doubtless held their meetings for religious worship. There is no clear example of a separate building set apart for Christian worship within the limits of the Roman empire before the third century, though apartments in private houses might be specially devoted to this purpose. This, I think, appears as a negative result from the passages collected in Bingham VIII. I. 13 and Probst p. 181 sq. with a different view. Hence the places of Christian assembly were not commonly called ναοί till quite late (Ignat. _Magn._ 7 is not really an exception), but οἶκοι Θεοῦ, οἶκοι ἐκκλησιῶν, οἶκοι εὐκτήριοι, and the like (Euseb. _H.E._ vii. 30, viii. 13, ix. 9, etc.). αὐτῶν] The difficulty of this reading has led to the two corrections, αὐτοῦ and αὐτῆς, of which the former appears in the received text and the latter is supported by one or two very ancient authorities. Of these alternative readings however, αὐτοῦ is condemned by its simplicity, and αὐτῆς has arisen from the form Νυμφαν, which _prima facie_ would look like a woman’s name, and yet hardly can be so. We should require to know more of the circumstances to feel any confidence in explaining αὐτῶν. A simple explanation is that αὐτῶν denotes ‘Nymphas and his friends’, by a transition which is common in classical writers; e.g. Xen. _Anab._ iii. 3. 7 προσῄει μὲν (Μιθριδάτης) ... πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας· ἐπὲι δ’ ἐγγὺς _ἐγένοντο_ κ.τ.λ., iv. 5. 33 ἐπὲι δ’ ἦλθον πρὸς Χειρίσοφον, κατελάμβανον καὶ _)εκέινους_ σκηνοῦντας: see also Kühner _Gramm._ § 371 (II. p. 77), Bernhardy _Syntax_ p. 288. Or perhaps τοὺς ἐν Λαοδικίᾳ ἀδελφούς may refer not to the whole body of the Laodicean Church, but to a family of Colossian Christians established in Laodicea. Under any circumstances this ἐκκλησία is only a section of ἡ Λαοδικέων ἐκκλησία mentioned in ver. 16. On the authorities for the various readings see the detached note.

ἀναγνωσθῇ παρ’ ὑμῖν ἡ ἐπιστολή, ποιήσατε ἵνα καὶ 16. ἡ ἐπιστολή] ‘_the letter_’, which has just been concluded, for these salutations have the character of a postscript; comp. Rom. xvi. 22 Τέρτιος ὁ γράψας τὴν ἐπιστολήν, 2 Thess. iii. 14 διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, _Mart. Polyc._ 20 τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διαπέμψασθε. Such examples however do not countenance the explanation which refers ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ in 1 Cor. v. 9 to the First Epistle itself, occurring (as it does) in the middle of the letter (comp. 2 Cor. vii. 8). ποιήσατε ἵνα] ‘_cause that_’; so John xi. 37, Apoc. xiii. 15. In such cases the ἵνα is passing away from its earlier sense of _design_ to its later sense of _result_. A corresponding classical expression is ποιεῖν ὡς or ὅπως, e.g. Xen. _Cyr._ vi. 3. 18. A similar charge is given in 1 Thess. v. 27. The precaution here is probably suggested by the distastefulness of the Apostle’s warnings, which might lead to the suppression of the letter.

ἐν τῇ Λαοδικέων ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀναγνωσθῇ, καὶ τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικίας ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀναγνῶτε. ^{17}Καὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ, Βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν Κυρίῳ, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς. τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικίας] i.e. ‘the letter left at Laodicea, which you will procure thence’. For this abridged expression compare Luke xi. 13 ὁ πατὴρ _ὁ ἐξ_ οὐρανοῦ δώσει πνεῦμα ἅγιον, xvi. 26 (v. l.) μηδὲ _ὁι ἐκεῖθεν_ πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαπερῶσιν, Susann. 26 ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν τὴν κραυγὴν ἐν τῷ παραδέισῳ _ὁι ἐκ_ τῆς οἰκίας, εἰσεπήδησαν κ.τ.λ. For instances of this proleptic use of the preposition in classical writers, where it is extremely common, see Kühner _Gr._ § 448 (II. p. 474), Jelf _Gr._ § 647, Matthiæ _Gr._ § 596: e.g. Plat. _Apol._ 32 B τοὺς οὐκ ἀνελομένους τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ναυμαχίας, Xen. _Cyr._ vii. 2. 5 ἁρπασόμενοι τὰ ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν, Isocr. _Paneg._ § 187 τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν τὴν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας εἰς τὴν )Ευρώπην διακομίσαιμεν. There are good reasons for the belief that St Paul here alludes to the so-called Epistle to the Ephesians, which was in fact a circular letter addressed to the principal churches of proconsular Asia (see above p. 37, and the introduction to the Epistle to the Ephesians). Tychicus was obliged to pass through Laodicea on his way to Colossæ, and would leave a copy there, before the Colossian letter was delivered. For other opinions respecting this ‘letter from Laodicea’ see the detached note. ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς κ.τ.λ.] ‘see _that ye also read_’. At first sight it might seem as though this ἵνα also were governed by ποίησατε, like the former; but, inasmuch as ποίησατε would be somewhat awkward in this connexion, it is perhaps better to treat the second clause as independent and elliptical, (βλέπετἐ ἵνα κ.τ.λ. This is suggested also by the position of τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικίας before ἵνα; comp. Gal. ii. 10 μόνον τῶν πτωχῶν ἵνα μνημονεύωμεν (with the note). Ellipses before ἵνα are frequent; e.g. John ix. 3, 2 Cor. viii. 13, 2 Thess. iii. 9, 1 Joh. ii. 19. 17. Κὰι )έιπατε] Why does not the Apostle address himself directly to Archippus? It might be answered that he probably thought the warning would come with greater emphasis, when delivered by the voice of the Church. Or the simpler explanation perhaps is, that Archippus was not resident at Colossæ but at Laodicea: see the introduction to the Epistle to Philemon. On this warning itself see above, p. 42. Βλέπε] ‘_look to_’, as 2 Joh. 8 βλέπετε ἑαυτοὺς ἵνα μὴ κ.τ.λ. More commonly it has the accusative of the thing to be avoided; see Phil. iii. 2 (with the note). τὴν διακονίαν] From the stress which is laid upon it, the διακονία here would seem to refer, as in the case of Timothy cited below, to some higher function than the diaconate properly so called. In Acts xii. 25 the same phrase, πληροῦν τὴν διακονίαν, is used of a temporary ministration, the collection and conveyance of the alms for the poor of Jerusalem (Acts xi. 29); but the solemnity of the warning here points to a continuous office, rather than an immediate service. παρέλαβες] i.e. probably παρ’ ἐμοῦ. The word suggests, though it does not necessarily imply, a mediate rather than a direct reception: see the note Gal. i. 12. Archippus received the charge immediately from St Paul, though ultimately from Christ. ‘Non enim sequitur’, writes Bengel, ‘_a Domino_ (1 Cor. xi. 23), sed _in Domino_’. πληροῖς] ‘_fulfil_’, i.e. ‘_discharge fully_’; comp. 2 Tim. iv. 5 τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον.

^{18}Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου. Μνημονεύετέ μου τῶν δεσμῶν. Ἡ χάρις μεθ’ ὑμῶν. 18. ‘I add this salutation with my own hand, signing it with my name Paul. Be mindful of my bonds. God’s grace be with you.’ Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς κ.τ.λ.] The letter was evidently written by an amanuensis (comp. Rom. xvi. 22). The final salutation alone, with the accompanying sentence μνημονεύετε κ.τ.λ., was in the Apostle’s own handwriting. This seems to have been the Apostle’s general practice, even where he does not call attention to his own signature. In 2 Thess. iii. 17 sq., 1 Cor. xvi. 21, as here, he directs his readers’ notice to the fact, but in other epistles he is silent. In some cases however he writes much more than the final sentence. Thus the whole letter to Philemon is apparently in his own handwriting (see ver. 19), and in the Epistle to the Galatians he writes a long paragraph at the close (see the note on vi. 11). τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου] The same phrase occurs in 2 Thess. iii. 17, 1 Cor. xvi. 21. For the construction comp. e.g. Philo _Leg. ad Cai._ 8 (II. p. 554) ἐμόν ἐστι τοῦ Μάκρωνος ἐργον Γάϊος, and see Kühner § 406 (II. p. 242), Jelf § 467. τῶν δεσμῶν] His bonds establish an additional claim to a hearing. He who is suffering for Christ has a right to speak on behalf of Christ. The appeal is similar in Ephes. iii. 1 τούτου χάριν ἐγὼ Παῦλος ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χ. Ἰ., which is resumed again (after a long digression) in iv. 1 παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι κ.τ.λ. (comp. vi. 20 ὑπὲρ ὁῦ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει). So too Philem. 9 τοιοῦτος ὢν ὡς Παῦλος ... δέσμιος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ. These passages seem to show that the appeal here is not for himself, but for his teaching—not for sympathy with his sufferings but for obedience to the Gospel. His bonds were not his own; they were τὰ δεσμὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου (Philem. 13). In Heb. x. 34 the right reading is not τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου, but τοῖς δεσμίοις συνεπαθήσατε (comp. xiii. 3). Somewhat similar is the appeal to his στίγματα in Gal. vi. 17, ‘Henceforth let no man trouble me.’ See the notes on Philem. 10, 13. Ἡ χάρις κ.τ.λ.] This very short form of the final benediction appears only here and in 1 Tim. vi. 21, 2 Tim. iv. 22. In Tit. iii. 15 πάντων is inserted, and so in Heb. xiii. 25. In Ephes. vi. 24 the form so far agrees with the examples quoted, that ἡ χάρις is used absolutely, though the end is lengthened out. In all the earlier epistles ἡ χάρις is defined by the addition of τοῦ Κυρίου [ἡμῶν] Ἰησοῦ [Χριστοῦ]; 1 Thess. v. 28, 2 Thess. iii. 18, 1 Cor. xvi. 23, 2 Cor. xiii. 13, Gal. vi. 18, Rom. xvi. 20, [24], Phil. iv. 23. Thus the absolute ἡ χάρις in the final benediction may be taken as a chronological note. A similar phenomenon has been already observed (τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις) in the opening addresses: see the note on i. 2.