works on New Testament Theology and on Paulinism may be consulted. Everling’s Die paulinische Angelologie und Damonologie is the best work on a subject of great importance for the correct understanding of the Epistle. Lueken’s Michael (1898) may also be mentioned. H. St. John Thackeray's The Relation of St. Paul to Contemporary Fewish Thought, published since this commentary went to press, contains a useful chapter on angelology. G. Ο. Martin’s commentary in the Century Bible appeared too late to be used in any way.
Note.—The text of the Epistle here printed is a critically revised text, and that on which the commentary is based. The abbreviations in the notes need no explanation. The commentary was finished in September, 1898; references to later literature have been sparingly introduced in proof. The author may be permitted to add that his chief concern has been to expound the thought, since it was desirable, in view of the limits assigned, to concentrate attention mainly on one side of exegesis, and in the English commentaries on the Epistle the philological side is already amply represented. It has therefore been necessary to assume much in the way of philological results in order to gain space for the elucidation of the thought.
I. 1. ΠΑΥΛΟΣ ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ, Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς 2. τοῖς ἐν Κολοσσαῖς 2
8.2 ΟΟΥ. 1. τ΄ καὶ Eph. i. 1;
Phil. 1. 1,
ἃ ἁγίοις καὶ ἢ πιστοῖς | Y b 2 Cor, vi.
ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ - χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ ° Θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν." 5.
1 Κολασσαεις:
Ln., Tr., W.H., R.V. with AB*KP, Κολοσσαεις:
6111: αγ,
with
Ἔν WS.
gBcDFG, probably by assimilation to Κολοσσαις (i. 2). 2 Κολοσσαις: T., W.H., R.V., Ws. with SBDEFGL. Κολασσαις: Ln., Tr. with
KP 17, by assimilation to title.
3So-T., Tr., W.H., R.V., Ws. with BDEKL 17.
και Κυριου Inoov Χριστου:
added by T.R. [Ln.] with S,ACFG and most MSS. by assimilation to Pauline usage.
CHAPTER I.—Vvy. τ, 2. SALUTATION oF PAUL AND TIMOTHY TO THE CHRIS- TIANS OF CoLoss&.—Ver. I. ἀπόστολος . . » διὰ θελ. Θεοῦ. The reference to his apostleship is not due to any attack on his apostolic authority or teaching, as in the case of the Epistles to the Galatians or Corinthians, but, as in the Epistle to the Romans, tothe fact that he was unknown to those to whom he was writing. Simi- larly reference is made to it in the Epistle to the Ephesians, the letter being sent to Churches, to some of which, probably, Paul was. unknown. In writing to the Macedonian Churches it is not men- tioned, for they had been founded by him and remained loyal.—Tu.d0eos : included in the salutations in Thess., 2 Cor., Phil. and Philm. He would be known by name to the Colossians as Paul’s com- panion, but probably not personally. Ramsay’s conjecture (also put forward by Valroger) that he may have founded the Church is unsupported and improbable (see ver. 7), while Ewald’s view that he wrote the bulk of the Epistle, after con- sultation with Paul, has nothing to recom- mend it, and is open to serious objections. 6 ἀδελφός is added to balance ἀπόστολος,
and has no reference, as Chrysostom thought, to Timothy’s official position.
Ver. 2. Paul does not address the Church as a Church. This has been explained by the fact that he stood in no official relation to the community, and therefore addressed individuals. But he does not mention the Church in Philip- pians, though he had founded it. The omission may be accidental; but he seems to have changed his custom in his later Epistles, since it occurs in all his letters to Churches from Romans down- wards.—aylors may be an adjective (so ΚΙ., Weiss and others), but more pro- bably a substantive (so Mey., EIL, Lightf., Ol., Sod., Haupt, Abb.), since Paul seems not to use it in the plural in an adjectival sense, except in Eph. iii. 5, and in the salutations of 2 Cor., Eph. and Phil. it is certainly a substantive. Like ἀδελφοῖς it may be joined with ἐν X., but should more probably be taken by itself. The saints are those who are set apart for God, as belonging to His holy people, the Israel of God (Gal. vi. 16); the privi- leges of the chosen nation under the Old Covenant being transferred to Christians under the New.—morois: not to be taken