Matthew Poole and continuators on Colossians 3:8

8 But now you also put off all these , anger , wrath , malice , blasphemy , filthy c[illegible: 1 letter]mmunication out of your mouth .

Having minded them of their former condition under Paganism in a state of sin whiles they served various sensual lusts he doth here in their present circumstances under Christianity in a state of grace shew them that now they professed to walk as Children of light, Rom. 13.12. Eph. 5.8. with 1 Thess. 5.5, 8. they were more strongly obliged to lay aside those inordinate affections which were more spiritual, Eph. 4. 22. some of which he doth instance in, viz.

Anger whereby he doth not mean the passion it self, Eph. 4.26. with 31. but the inordinacy of it, being a vindictive appetite to hurt another unjustly for some affront conceived to be given or occasioned by him.

Wrath, indignation, Rom. 2.8. a sudden hasty and vehement commotion of the offended mind apprehending an injury when it shews it self in the countenance in a manner and measure unbecoming a Christian, as in them who with rage thrust Christ out of the City, Luk. 4.28, 29. with Eph. 4.31.

Malice is connoting, both the evil habit and the vitious act; now though this word be took oftentimes more generally, for that mischievous vitiosity and venome which runs through all the passions of the Soul reaching to all sins, 1 Cor. 5.8. & 14.20. yet here it seems to be taken more specially for a secret malignity of rooted anger and continued wrath remembring injuries, meditating revenge, and watching for an occasion to vent it, being much what the same with that which the Apostle in a parallel Epistle calls bitterness, Ephes. 4.31. compared with other places, Gen. 4.5. Rom. 1.29. Tit. 3.3. 1 Pet. 2.1.

After he had urged the laying aside of heart evils as the cause, he moves to the laying aside those of the tongue, viz. Blasphemy which in a like place we render evil speaking, Eph. 4.31. the original word according to the notation of it doth signifie the hurt of any ones good name; which when it respects God we do more strictly call Blasphemy. When it respects our neighbour though more largely it be so, or defamation, Rom. 3.8. 1 Cor. 4.13. Tit. 3.2. yet more strictly, if it be done secretly, it is detraction or backbiting; more openly reviling or slandering, Mat. 15.19. Mar. 7.22. 1 Tim. 6▪ 4.

Obscene discourse, dishonest talk should not come into the Christians mouth, c. 4.6. see on Eph. 4.29. & 5.4. wanton lewd and unclean speeches should not proceed from a Christians Tongue, 1 Cor. 15.33.