PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians
George Gillanders Findlay [1849-1919] · 232,046 words · 247 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 121
V crs. 13-15.-Tlie atoneme_nt and_ i~s blessed i·esults. "And you, being dead through your tres~ssos. and t~e nncir~umc1S1on of your flesh, you, I say, did he quicken to_s:ether with lum, havmg forgiven us all our trespasses." 'l'heso words add no new thoughts to the passage, but are a more detailed explanation of t…
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Vera. 16, 17.-0ondemnation of rilu,alislic observances and ascetic severities. The npostlo draws a practical inference from the view he had just given of the work of Obrist. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of a new moon, or of a sabbath <lay: which things are a sha…
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Vers. 18, 19.-.A warning against angel-worship. The apostle now notices the theological error of the false teachers, which was the interposition of angelic mediators between God and man. "Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worsbipping of angels, dwelling in the things he bath seen, vainly p…
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ground. God would resist it (Jas. iv. 7); men would not regard it (Prov. xi. 2); and they themselves would inherit nothing by it but folly (Prov. xiv. 8; 1 Tim. vi. 4). Even where real visions a.re vouchsafed, there is a temptation to self-elation, as in the case of the Apostle Paul (2 Cor. xii. 7). But, in the case of…
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death ~ sin (Rom. vi. 2)? (2) death to self (2 Cor. v. 14, 15); but (3) death to the ~aw (Rom. vu: 6; Gal. u. 14), (4?, dcat~ to the world (Gal. vi. 14), and (5) death ~rom _the rudime1;1ts o_f ~he ~o:ld (eh. 11. 20) .. 2._ '.!'he _inconsistency of thisfellow- shiJ! u,ith a mere "!t1taluttc nlzgion. (1) Such a re~1g…
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eer_v~ tho Spirit. (/3) There ma;y be a corrupt heart under an ascetic habit of body. Spmtual pnde may dwell there m power. 2. Its failure to aCCtYmplish it, chief end. ". But ~re no_t of any value against the inclulgence of the flesh." (1) This ascetic rigour 111 designed e.s a check upon sensual indulgence. There see…
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secured by the gospel is th~refore the simple morality of pleasing the indwelling Obrist. We mlly here follow the sainted Henry Martyn, who thus describes what the Christian walk is.. It is (1) to co~tinue to apply his ~lood for the cleansing of our consciences from guilt; ~2) to live _m ~epen~ence on lus _grace; (~) t…
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cision circumscribes lustful tendencies ancl keeps them within mechanical bounds. Whatever truth may be in this, it is certain that Jesus can so restrain uR by his indwelling and grace as to deliver us from the whole body of the sins of the flesh. V. OnnIST HAS ALSO OANCELLED THE OEREMONIES UPON 'l'HE CROSS, so THAT W…
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Vers. I-7.-Introduction to the polemical part of the Epistle. I. PERSONAL CON• rnnN. 1. Paul:s st1·iving. "For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, aud for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh." There is an advantage in the Revised translation, in carrying forward th…
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the ho.nd that could move them. But that was not enough; he wished to have influ- ence with them in impressing on them what his striving was, and so he writes; and, as he writes, feeling the difficulty that ar0se from their not having seen him in the flesh, he exclaims, "I would that ye knew how greatly I strive for …
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not the persuasiveness that comes from the truth. They were conscious of no basis of reality for their speech .. They tau$ht a system fo~ which there were not proors. They pretended b~ their sophm and ~osis to ?pen up hidden. things; but it was only pre- tence: Their_ fine phrases, the1_r plaus1~le representations, …
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Vera. 8-15.-Philosophy. I. FALSE PllILOSOPIIY. "Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit." It was a real danger (as the expression bears) against which the apostle warns tbe Colos- sians. He refers indefinitely to the teachers (any one), but he strikingly des…
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m11nda11e. "After the rudiments of the \l'Or!d." \Vhat was handed down had no high gcnPsis. YC'ry crudo were the first attempts to solve tho riddlo of the universe. Empcdocles taught that all things were formed out of the four elements fire air C'nrth, _an? water, by a process of mingling a_nd of _separation, set in…
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It seems moro natt1ml to interpret the circumcision of Christ ns the circumcision under- gone by Christ, and to take the time from that event. It is not unnatural to pass from tho spiritual circumcision described to tho circumcision of Christ so understood, unless its spiritual significance is left out. That event wa…
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element here that was so _prevalent in the East. They had committed personal trespass against a personal Lawgiver, and. thus were thrown into a stato of deadness. Their deadness thro~gh tres_Pal!ses )s. associated with the uncircumcision of their flesh. The_y had not the sign of c1rcumc1s1on on them. .And so they ha…
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ncnce frum the use of wine. The sacred times are classed according to their frequency. There were the thrco great annual feasts (extendincr each over a week) of the Passover Pentecost, 1111d Tabernacles. Every month comme;ced with a. celebration. And th~ weelcly sabbath (older than Jewish institutions) had its specia…
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in their own will, not iie reality. The way in which he makes it out is this: 'rhe angel-worshipper "dwells in the things which he bath seen." This must be held to be a ~eat ~lot o~ the ~evised translation. The mea~ing suggested is that the angel- "-orslupper 1s an mhab1tant of the world of sense. This is nothin" le…
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hero), \vhich a.re 11l1 rudimentary compared with tho perfect form of Christi:tnity. We l_ia\·e died to the worlrl (God-forsaking) and its ordinances, why then, as though livin_q in the world (ns though we had not died, as thou"h our former relations to the worlcl to wrre still maintaiued), should we snbject oursel…
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to be taken as an indicat.ion of soul-humiliation, In the same way, we have to deny ourselve~. The apostle even notes severe treatment of his body, "I buffet my body, and bring it mto bondage." But we are not wantonly to buffet the body ae though God had gh·cn it to be a pla::;ue to the spirit, or as though it were …
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Vers. S-15.-Tlie complete man. Tbe one thought around which we may let the many, varied, and some of them strange ideas of this paragraph gather, is the conception of the complete man. 'l'he words teach us- I. 'l'HAT 'l'HE COMPLETE MAN IS NOT LED AWAY DY ERROR m THOUGHT OR DY EVIL IN LIFE. Any one who is so led is inc…
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Vcrs. 20-23.-Tl,e O'l11"istia11's exemption from bondage to outwardness. "'l'he rudiments of the world,'' of which our text speaks, arc, according to Bishop Li;.ihtfoot, " 1he rudimcn tary elementary, ordinances and discipline of the mundane sphern;" or, according to Con;bearc, "the cl,ildish lessons ?f outward thi~gs.…
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the pole. Moreover, love will unlock many a truth. Pascal has said cc In order to love human things, it is necessary to know them; in order to know things 'that are Divine, it is necessary to love them." Jf we trust and love Christ we shall know him(" We have believed, and we ~now," etc.? John vi. 68, 69; observe th…
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prepares the way for wo.rnings. He shows them how deep is his interest and sympathy. He says all he can in their favour, as our Lord does to the Churches in Asia. 'l'he recogniLion of what is good in others is one of the best means of helping them to see nnd to strive against error. All right-minded Christians at Col…
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V-crs. 8-10.-Christ's f'ulness the (Jhristian's safeg=rd. While thus abidinu and walking in Christ (vers. 6, 7), the Colossiaus still needed the warning, "Be on° your gu~rd;" "Take heed," etc. In the words that follow we find- I. A SUGGESTIVE SKETCH OF THE FALSE TEACHING THAT ASSAILED THE CoLOSSIANS, 1. It came t'n…
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(Vers. 9, 10.) 1. The fulness of the Godhead dwelt in the eternal Word from tl,e beginning, '!'bis is ono of the s11perh11man truths revealed by God's Spirit and which eta.nds or falls with Christianity (John i. 1; 1 John i. 2). 2. That fulness now dwells in" the Man Ghrist Jesus," "the Word made flesh," "bodily." 'l'h…
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earth!_~ history w,1s typical as well ns causal. By union with him we are" crucified \\"it.Ii Christ," "dead to the Law,"" <lead with Christ," "buried with !Jim," "risen with him,"" sitting with him in the hc:wenly places." If the apostle here makes nn allusion to water baptism, which was symbolic of the higher bapt…
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. I. Tm: mFLUE~<;E 01!' UNfUST ~UD!lMENTB. The aposile has here in view the prac- tical error of ~uda1zrng ntuahsts: fhey ha<l received from Moses regulations respecting meats and drinks and feast,, which they endeavoured to enforce on Gentile converts as necessary to salvation (Acts xv. 1). If they did not always p…
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lax and perilous, If we are" holding fast the Head," we must acknowledo-e him as tho Imnge of God, in whom" ~welleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," ;s the Author nnd tho End of all creat101:1, as the Lord of the world and the supremo Ruler of his Church, as the great Reconciler between God and man by the bloo…
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Ver. 3.-0hrist the Treasury of wisrlom. I. WISDOM Is A TREASURE FOR THE GREATEST TREASURY. St. Paul agrees with Solomon. Both exalt wisdom. It is a mistake to suppose that the gospel discourages knowledge and sets a premium on folly. It dis- regards worldly wisdom just because it brings a higher wisdom. It uses what…
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Ver. 9.-Thefull divinity of <Jltrist. The Gnostic error which St. Paul seems to be opposing was twofold. It dcuicd that all the fulness of the Go~hea~ resided in Christ, teachi.no- that, while the bicrhest effluence of that fulness was Ill him, other effluences which ~ompleted it were distributed through the angels,…
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l. C-0NSIDERATION FOR THE SCRUPLES OF THE WEAK MUST DE DISTINGUISIIED FROM YIELDING TO THE TYRANNY OF THE DIGOTED. 1. It is weak brethren whom St. Paul spares in his Epi~tle ~o the Corinthians. . Dut, when writing to the Colossians, he ~ui no such people m new, but a very different class-censorious, birroted enemies…
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EXPOSITION. supremaey of Christ, tT,e unity of the Chris- CHAPTER ID. tian brotherhood, and the sacredness of the Vere. 1-17.-SECTION VII. Tim TRUE natural constitution o.f human life, which CHBISTUN LIFE. The apostle, having de- were threatened by the rise of Gnosticism livered his attack on the system of error in-…
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Christ," t1.ie one object of their thought nnd The apostle says, "in God'' (" in heaven," enrl0R i-onr. So they will master the flesh by Phil. iii. 19), to emphnsize tho foot. of the ri.,ing above ;1, instead of fighting it on its union of Christ with God, or perhaps to own ground by C'C'rC'monial rite and nsC'ctio …
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(Rom. viii. 0-11, 29, 30; xii. 2; 2 Cor. iii. •Synonyms'). Neither of these wor<ls is 18; John xvii. 22-26; 1 John iv. 17). etymologically, or invariably, evil in sense. The text uni change from "your" to "our" The degradation of such terms in all lan- is doubtful (see note on eh. ii. 18). Ob- guages is e. sad evidence…
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r>r in O11,'ncc of hi~ lifo is fre'luent in tile in its orip;innl sense, inclnclcs injurious spcr.ch New Tcslarnvul... of nny kin<l, oithor ngainst mnn or God (~ce Yer. 7.-In which also ye walked once, Ilom. iii. 8; xiv. 1G; l Cor. x. U0; 'l'itus iii. when you wera living in these (things) (Eph. 2). Al,rxpbs in alux…
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Ver.10.-And having put on the new (man), nnd so far u.s these distinctions are set asicle. whioh is being renewed unto (full) know- The "new man" knows nothing of them ledge, after (the) image of him that oreated 'fhe enmily between Greek and Jew bein? him (Eph. iv. 23, 24; ii. 15; Ilom. vi. 4; removed, ti,e miilice an…
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nnd snbmit to the reconciling unity of his iv. 11). A heart of pity, kindness, lowliness kingd,,ru (Eph. i. 10). of mind, meekness, long-suffering (Eph. iv. y,,r. 12.-Put on, therefore, as eleot of l, 2, 32-v. 2; Phil. ii. 1-4; Gal. v. 22; l God, holy, [and] beloved (vers. 9, 14; Eph. iv. Co1·. xiii. 4 ; Titus iii. …
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eepecinlly CIB shown in his dealing with the In Eph. it. 8 we have the "bond of peace" sine of men before the coming of Christ (see next verse). Love is the bonrl in the (Rom. ii. 4 : iii. 26: comp. Aote xvii. 80). o.ctive sense, as that wherewith the con• Long-suffering mny be shown toward.a o.11 stituents of e. Chris…
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• Cntonn '). "The peace of Christ" dwelling name of Christ is omphnsized in so many within the hen.rt is to be the security of the ways (comp. 1 'l'hcss. i. 8; 2 These. iii. 1). Colossian believer agaiust the throats of false The apostle, it may bo, alludes prim1\l'ily to teachers: "They seek to rob you of your the …
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tho SpiriL" (Eph. v.18)-" songs of a spiritual Jesus" (Rom. i. 8; vii. 25), by whom we nntu.ro, inspirctl by tho Holy Uhoat" (comp. have access to the Father (Eph. ii. 18; iii. "spiritual wistlom," eh, i. 9). Such songs 12; Rom. v. I, 2; Heh. x. 19-22) and would echo the varied sentiments nntl cx- rccei rn from him all…
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v~r. 19.-io husbands, love yo11r wives, case of tho runaway slave Ouesimue (oh. iv and be not bit"ter a.g&inst them (Eph. v. :i5 9; Epistle to Philemon). "Servo.nt" is -31 ; l Pet. iii. 7). "Love" is a:ya,rdw, the aov>.os, bondman, as in eh. i. 1 o.nd commonly word which expresses 1he highest spiritual in St. Paul. …
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Ver. 2!1.-Wb.atever ye be doing, work iii. 6 ; v. 5; Ilom. viii. 17; Gal. iii. 20 ; l (theroin) from (the) soul, as to the Lord, and Cor. vi. 9, 10; xv. 50; Titus iii. 7; 1 Pet. not to men (ver. 17; Eph. vl. 6, 7; l Cor. i. 4), which the o.postle has so often under vii. 21-23). (On the first cla.uee, see ver. other ter…
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The ,crb "show " ( ,ra.p•x«r6•, a.,.-lford, render) equity, as realized by the Christian con- is middle in Toico, and, as in Luke vii. 4 and se10usness, was sure in com·ao of ti we to Titus ii. 7, implies spontaneity-" show on bring about legal eqnality. Knowing that; your pr.rt," "of yourselves." TI> lilrca.,ov ye …
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told that onr GoJ is" a magnified, nou-natural Man," and that our notions are grossly "anthropomorphic." We cannot believe that the Power which is infinitely greater than ourselves is less than a Person. "That which may be known of God is" so far 'manifest in ourselves" (Rom. i. 19), that what we find there of highest…
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J T. 1 (3).) (2) Yet this minding of the things above involves no dispamgement of the ,ntcre.sts_ and claims of secular life. For this pre~ent is the pathway to that future. Jlow seriously important, how carefully to bo studied and appraised how dili(Tently to he improved, are the "few things" of onr earthly steward…
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ix. 28; 1 Pet, i. 7; 1 John ii. 28; Rev. i. 7; xxii. 20, etc.). It is the consnmmation of human history, the denouement of the great time-drama," the one far-off Divine event, to which the whole creation moves." But he waits till "the gospel of the kinrrdom is preached to nil the nations,"" till his enemies be made …
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lc,nce. There he marks it out as peculiar from all other sins in being a sin against a man's own body, and an especial insult and outrage to the Holy Spirit who claims the lrnman body for his temple (1 Cor. vi. 13-20: comp. 1 'l'hess. iv. 2-8). Thero are too many evidences in the state of modern society, both in hig…
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11nother." For II man to deceive his neighbour by word or deed, is as if the eyes should conspire to trick the ear or misguide the band. The ancients condemned falsehood between men of the same community, but generally regarded it as a lawful weapon to use against enemies or strangers; although the Stoics, with thei…
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master and slave (Phi\em. 16, 17), met at the same table of the Lord, mingled as eqnale in the same Christian society, distinguished only by the measure of\, grace" and "spiritual gifts" bestowed on each (Roru. xii. 6; 1 Cor. xii. 7-11). And the records of the :first three Christian centuries show bow faithfully, on…
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innocent child (Matt. xviii. 1-4). And the Christian man who in the spirit of this love can" possess his soul in patience" through all the strenuous endeavours and painful collisions and vexing wrongs of life, wears" the girdle of perfectness," and has attained the perfect Christian temper. 2, Christ's peace guards. (V…
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Ver. 18-ch. iv. 1-Sect. 8. The CJhristian view of family duties. Certain general considerations bearing on the famlly and social constitution of life mlly be drawn from the teaching of this section. 1. We note that the apostle brings each of the three primary relationships of which he speaks into connection with "th…
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(Matt. v. 27, 28; Marie vii. 20-23; 1 Thess. iv. 3-8; 1 Gor. vi. U-20). 'l'hc degree of honour and reverence in which it is held in any society largely dete1mincs the clegree of soundness in its moral condition. Where the opposite vices prevail, whether secretly or openly practised, genern\ moral corruption and decay s…
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Home's in,incible strength. 2. On the other hand, the father must beware lest his authority should wear a nredless aspect of severity. His ri.,.hteous clesire to "command his children and his household after him" (Gen. xviii. 19), and his anxious sense of responsibility, may occasion this, if not relieved by more ge…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver.1.-Theobligations of the risen life. We have here a transition to the practical part of this Epistle. "If ye then were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God." I. Oua BESUllRECTION WITH CHRIST. "'We are not only "dead wi…
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Ver. 4.-The believer's fi:nal manifestation with CJhrist. "When Christ, who i~ onr Life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." The believer's life will not be always bidden, any more than the believer's Lord. 'l'Lerc will be a period of manifestation for both. This marks the last …
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which are upon the cnrth; fornicntion, uncleanness, lustfulness, evil desire, and cove- tousness, which is idolatry." I. Tim NATURE AND DUTY OF M0ilTJFI0ATION. 1. Its nature. It is to resist the solicitations of sin, to suppress its first motions, to weaken its power. (1) It is a ~radual process-it is" to crucify the …
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viii. 5). Sins of impurity are the sins of youth as the sin of covetousness is the sin of old age. III. ARGUMENTS TO ENCOURAGE UB TO THIS DCTY OP lllORTIPIOATION. u For which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: in the which ye nlso walked aforetime, when ye lived iu these things." 1. …
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the negative and the positive aspects of the great spiritual change effected in con- version. I. TnE NEGATIVE ABPE0T OP C0NVEBBION, "Ye have put off the old man with his <leeds." 1. The old man is the old unconverted self, strong in his deeds of sin. His deeds are catalogued among the " works of the flesh" (Gal. v. 22…
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.' ers. 12-14.-~he duty of put~i1:7.on all ~he chamctel'istic qualities of the new man. "e must not only cease to do enl m puttmg off the old man we" must learn to do well." "Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved ~ heart of compassion kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering." ' ' I. 'l'HE ODLIGA.TI…
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is his legacy to the C~urc~ (John xiv. 27), It is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. v. 22). (3) He proclaims 1t-" that pub!Jsheth peace" (Isa. Iii. 7). 2. The sphere or element of its exercise. "To the which also ye were called in one body." As "God bath called us in yea~e" (1 Cor. vii. 15), we. are to realize our …
1,742 wordsSource & rights
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.