The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 165

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 stewardship, if by a right "manage- ment of them we may become "lords" of the "many things" of the everlasting habitations (Matt.. xxv. 14-30; Luke xvi. 9-12; 1 Cor. vii. 31) ! But we must keep our thoughts and aims above the world, taking care not to be overcharged ,vith "cares and plrasures of this lifo" (Luke viii. 14; xxi. 34), "declaring plainly that we seek a country" (Hcb. xi. 14), turning earth at every step into" a scale to heaven," makin"' Christ all in all in family and social life, in business and in politics. 3. The Christia~ life -is, therefore, in its essence a mystery. "Your life is hid" (ver. 3). (1) "The world knoweth us not" (1 John iii. 1). As to the life of the children of this world, and of the Christian man so far as he is a man of the world, everything is plain. Tho principles and motives of the man of business, the politician, or the scientist are easily stated and generally intelligible. And the iufluences which govern the depraved, ungodly man are all too plain; " the works of the flesh are manifest" (Gal. v. 19). Bu~ the man whose "citize1rship is in heaven," who "walks by faith, not by sight," who is" looking for and basting unto the coming or the day of God," whose life it is to love and serve a Master who was c111cified eighteen hundred years ago, and whom he expects to see only after he himself is dead,-such a person is an enigma to natural men born only of this world; he is "judged of uo man" (1-Cor. ii. 14, 15). Political economy, experimental psychology with its "analysis of the human mind," fail to account for him; and the philosopher haply will pass him by as a pretence or an abnormity. He is like a planet deflected from its course by some unknown body out of telescopic reach, whose magnitude and position it is impossible scientifically to deter- mine. (2) Our life is hidden, because he who is our Life is hidden. "Ye see me no more," said Jesus ; and aga.in, " The world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also" (John xn. 10; xiv. 19). "Tl1erefo1·e the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not" (1 John iii. 1). Our life is wrapped up in One" whom we have not seen" (1 Pet. i 8, 9), with whom we can have no kind of sensible corn• munication; in a Ch1ist who indeed was "manifested in the flesh," but was scornfully disbelieved and put to death, "justified" only "in the Spirit," seen only" of angels" (1 Tim. iii 16). A mystery to the world, the Christian life is a mystery also to its possessor as respects the methods by which it is bestowed and sustained on God's part. "'l'be things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God," and though we receive this Spirit, "we know" but "in part" his operations (1 Cor. ii. 11 ; xiii. 12). "Thou hearest the mice thereof"-that is all (John iii. 8). There is a supernatural something that defies analysis and measurement in the experience of every Christian-a Divine life as distinct from the natural soul-life, as that is from mere animal vitality; and this is just the sovereign creative factor of bis religion, tho principle of his new birth and new manhood: his life is" hid in God." But while this life itself is hidden, itsfruits are not (ver. 5--ch. iv. 6; Eph. v. 8-14; Phil. ii. 15, 16; Titus ii. 11, 12; Matt. v.14-16; John xiii. 35; 1 Pet. ii. 9, 12, 15; iii. 1, 2, 15, 16). 4. But the mystery of the Christian life is to have its revelation. "When Christ shall be manifested, then shall ye also be manife.,terl with him, in glory" (ver. 4). This riddle of life must be solved (1 Cor. xiii. 12, R.V. margin); "the things shaken" must be removed," that tho things unshaken may remain" (Heb. xii. 27); appearance must give place to reality; "morlality" must be" swallowed up of life;" God has" wrought us for this very thing" (2 Cor. v. 4, 5). Fai1h is the virtue of education, and must have its reward in sight; if there is nothina to be seen, then 1hose are not" blessed," but only mistaken, "who have not seen ~nd yet have believed" (John xx. 21:i). Hope must be crowned with fruition, or it will "put us to shame" (Rom. v. 5). And love, content now _to" see him not" (1 Pet. i. 8), is only so content on the assurance that "we shall see him even as he iB" (1 John iii. 3; Acts i. 11; John xiv. 3). (1) Christ shall be manifested. He has pledged himself, both to his friends and to his foes, to return (John xiv. 3; Matt, xxvi. G:1, 64). That pledge be gave in the most public and solemn manner possible, in n~serli<m of his Dirine sonship and Mcssiahship. His second coming is tho goal of New 'l'estanwnt prophecy, and of the Church's hope and longin:.( through the ages (Matt. xxv. 19, 21; Acts iii. 21 ; xvii, 31; 1 '!'hess, i,v. 14-18; l'hil. iii. 20; 'ritus ii, 13; l:Ieb. CII, III, 1-25.] THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 161