The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 142

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 the order of the words), and then all the controversies of Christendom need not shake us (2 Tim. i. 12). 2. Intelligent fai/.h. "'l'~e full assurance ?f understanding," etc.. Lo_ve a~ a mere sentiment may degenerate mto a weak toleration of any error that disguises itself in the garb of love. Or, under the plea of jealousy for truth aud love for souls, it may be depraved into an intolerant bigotry. Love must be a means to an end (John viii. 31, 32). There aro hidJ.en treasures of truth in Christ cc the Truth," which need manly intelligence inspired by childlike love and trust (Ps. xxv. 9; Matt. xi. 25). 3. Steadfast consistency. (Vera. 6 7 ; see next sketch.) We are thus reminded of three chief preservatives against enor...! a warm heart, a clear judgment, a clean conscience (Eph. iv. 14, 15). II. How ST. PAUL SOUGHT TO ALLAY HIS ANXIETIES. 1. He strives/or the Oolossians in prayer. Like his ancestors Abraham, Jacob, and Moses, and his brother Epaphras (eh. iv. 12), he knew what it was to strive, to wrestle in prayer. No doubt like his Master, he was sometimes "in an agony of prayer." Gather up Paul's referen~es to his intercessions, and illnstra_te from the lives of others who have been mighty in prayer; e.g. John Welsh, the mimster of Ayr, and son-in-law of John Knox, of whom it is sairl that he used always to sleep with a plaid upon his bed, that he might wrap it round him if he rose in the night to pray. Sometimes his weeping would awaken his wife, ancl when she asked the reason, he would reply," 0 woman, I have the souls of three thousand to answer for, and I know not how it is with many of them." 2. He points them to Christ. (Ver. 3.) With an allusion to the false teachers who boasted access to some secret knowledge and wisdom into which they could initiate their disciples, Paul assures them that all tlie richest treasures of a wisdom they had not yet attained to were concealed and could be discovered in Christ himself (like pearls at the bottom of the ocean). The truth is even wider than the application the apostle gives of it. As all things were made "by him and for him" and "consist in him," so all branches of knowlerlge have a relation to him and find their truest meaning in him. (1) He is tbe Key to history. Its treasures are not unlocked until God's education of the world in its history is connected with the advent of Christ (John i. 3, 4, 9, 10; Gal. iv. 4). (2) He is the Interpreter of science, which may reveal many of its secrets to a. godless inves- tigator, bnt reserves its choicest treasures for those who can see in them his handy- work. (3) The philosophy of mind and of morals is best understood if Christ be known. We see in him ideal human nature and the power which can recover men from that injury to human nature which philosophy no kss than theology must recognize. "\Ve learn the supremacy of conscience, the dignity and value of the soul, and the fad of a life beyond death. (4) Christ is the Essence of true theology. A knowledge of Divine things apart from Jesus Christ is, at the best, most imperfect and unsatisfactory (1 Cor. i. 20, 21). But Christ is Light, 'l'ruth, Revelation, God (Luke x. 22; John i. 18; xiv. 9). 5. Christ is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God unto salvation. In him we are made "wise unto salvation," and this pearl of great price is the most precious of all the treasures which can be found in him (1 Cor. i. 30, 31). He aloue can satisfy the hunger of the soul, and thus fortify it against the errors of thoso who would beguile with "enticing worJ.s" which are "not after Christ."-E. S. P. Vers. 4-7.-0ongralulations and counsels. "\Ve have seen that the heresy that was threatening the Colossian Church was twofold in its character. Its propagators " had a falBe conception in theology and they bad a falso basis of morals." 'l'hcse two errors were closely connected together, and seem to have sprung from the prevalent idea that matter was the abode of evil and therefore opposed to God. It was the plausibility uf these false doctrines that made the apostle so anxious. Ilut be had the firmest couviction that the Christ be proclaimed could satisfy every reasonablo want a.nd aspiration of the inquirin" spirit. '£ho words," This I say," etc. (ver. 4) look back over vers. 1-3, and remin°d them both of his anxieties and his convictions. Ilut at ]•resent the leaven bad not spread in the Church, so that the apotltle can address to t,!,en1- l. CoNGl!ATtJLATJONS ON THEIR &TEADFABTNESS. (Ver. 5.) St. Paul thus most wisely en. u. 1-23.J 'l'ilU: EPISTLE 'l'O 'l'llE COLOSSIANS. 137