The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 9

our Lord 1eB1ll ~rist. We; '.l'inwth~ an~ I very essence of this faith and brotherhood, (comp. I These. 1. 2; 2 These. 1. 3; 2 Cor. 1. S. "Faith in Christ," "believe in Christ," in 4, eto.). The Revised Te:i.:tomits "and" be- 01;1r English Bible, oommonly represent n tween "C'..-od" and" Father," following Laoh- different Greek preposition, ,ls (litera.Ily, mann,Westcottand Hort,and Lightfoot (who i7W! or unto Obrist); only in the pastoral llesitates), on endenco numerically slight, Epistles and in Eph. i 15-not in Gal. iii. 26 but sufficient ; especially 6S in every other (see Lightfoot) or Rom. iii. 25 (see Meyer or instance of this oombination the oonjunction Boet)--do we find, es here, 1r!CTTas lv Xp,o-T,ii. is present. "Father" is also without de- ln Christ faith rests, finding ita abiding finite article iu the better-attested (Re~ised) ground and element of life, In the Epistles reading. The words, "Father of our Lord of this period the Christian state appears Jesus Christ," bear, therefore, an explana- clliefly as "life in Christ," rather than as tory, qunsi-predicatfre force. St. Paul in the earlier letters, o.s "salvation thro1;gh wislles his renders to understand tho.t ho Christ" (comp. e.g. Rom. v. and Col~ii. 9- gixes thanks to God on their nccount dis- 15). The "love" of the Colossians 'evokes tinctly under this aspect, regarded as thanksgiving, as that which they have .. Father of Christ.." He has just spoken ,; toward all the saints;" for as the Church of •· our Father," and now adds. " Father e:i.:tended Christian love needed to be more of our Lord Jesus Christ," suggesting that it catholic (~er. 6; eh. iii. 11), and Colossio.n is in this relation that we 1.-now God o.s error in po.rticullll' tended to exclusiveness "our Father," the Author of grace and and caste-feeling(seo note on ver. 28). The peace, t:be Object of Christian thanksgfring. iteration of " all" in this Epistle is re- &i tile sovereign and e:i.:elusive mediation of m:nkable. Cllrist. the ruling idea of the wllole Epistle, Ver. 5.-(We give thanks) beoause of the is thrown into bold relief at the outset ; and, hope which is le.id up for you in the heavens in this ligllt, the unique omissions of vers. 2 ( eh. iii. 4; Eph. i. 12-14; Phil. iii. 20, 21 ; and 3 e:i.:plain and justify each other. This Rom. viii. 18-25; 1 Cor. xv. 50-58; 2 Cor. fatherhood embraces the entire Person 8lld v. 1-5; 1 Thess.iv.13-17; lPet.i.3--5; offices of the Son BB" our Lord Jesus Christ." Matt. vi. 20; xii.:. 21; Luke xii. 33; John PrayiD.g alwe.ya for you (ver. 9; eh. ii. 1-3; riv. 2, 3). "Hope" is objective-matter of Phil. i 4; Rom. i. 9). The apostle he.d hope, as in Gal. v. 5 ; Titus ii. 13 ; Heh. vi. known from the first of the existence of this 18. St. Paul speaks most of hea11en and Church ; and he.d already been in com- hea11enl,y things in the letters of this period. munication with it (see Introduction, § 2). Ver. 4 gives the nearest grammatical connec- He had, therefore, a general prayerful tion for this clause; and many recent com- interest in the Colossians (2 Cor. ri. 28), mentators, following Greek interpreters, that hos been quickened to joyful thanks- accordingly find here that which "evokes giving (eh. ii. 5; comp. I Thess. iii 6-10) and conditions" the Colosaia.ns' "love" by the arrival of Epaphras. ,; Always" (Meyer, Ellicott) or "faith and love" (De and "for yon "-either or both of the phrases Wette, Lightfoot). But this. construction -may be joined gro.mmatically to "we give we reject. For it makes the heavenly thanks " or to "praying: " the latter con- reward the reason of the Colossie.ns' present nection is preferable (SBe Alford or Ellicott); (faith and) love, reversing the true and similarly in Philem. 4; in Eph. i 16 the Pauline order of thought (Rom. v. 1-5; viii. turn of expn,ssion is di1ferent. 28-39; xv. 13; Eph. i: 13; comp. I John Ver. 4.-Rs.ving heard of your faith in iv. 17, 18); while, on the other hand, the Christ 1 esns, and of the love which ye heavenly hope is the lest and highest ground have (!iv fxer,, Revised Te:i.:t) toward all of the apostle's thanksgivings and en- the saint.a (Eph. i 15, R.V. ; Philem. 5, couragements, and the forfeiture or impair- R.V.; l These. iv. 9, 10; 1 John iii. 23; ing of it tile chief matter of Ilia fears and 2 Johu 4; 3 John3,4). "Havingheard"- warnings throughout the Epistles of this wore immediately from Epaphras (vers. 8, group ( eh. i. 12, 22, 23, 27, 28 ; ii. 18; iii. 4, !J ). :Kate the characteristic recurrence of 24; Eph.i.13,14;iil2; iii.6; iv.4; Phil. this word: he had heard of their faith and i. 6; ii. 16; iii. 11-21: comp. 1 Pet. i. 3, love, as they had heard be/ore the word of 4). It is better, therefore, with Bengel, truth ('l'f:r. 5); from the day they had heard Hofmann, Klopper, Conybeare, Ee.die, anil they 1ad bQme fruit (rnr. 6), aud l.Je, in others, from Athanasius downwards, to return, frum the day l,,e heard of it, h:id not refer ver. 5 as well as ver. 4 to the principal c:ca;,ed tr, pray for thEem (ver. 9); see note on verb, "we give thankB" (ver. 3). What the \ er. 8; and comp. l These. i. 5 and ii. 2 with apostle hears of "the faith and love" of iii. 6 (Greek). "In Christ Jesus" is the Colossian brethren moves him to give uttached to " faith " (as to "brethren " in thanks for " the hope which is in store fur ,·er. 2) 110 closely !1-B to form with it a single them in heaven." Of that hope this faith ldf:a; to be " in Christ J eoll.S " is of the aud love are to him a pledge and au eo.me11t, Oil, I, 1-29,] THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 3