The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 215

like St. Po.ul, "set for the defence of the (ver. 18), The pereonal references of this gospel," placed in the vo.n of the conflict section, though slight o.nd cursory, a.re oC o.go.inst heresy. They needed, therefore, "to peculiar value, bearing themselves the ho.ve o.11 their wits a.bout them," so o.s to strongest mo.rks of genuineness, and de- be o.ble, o.s occasion required, to mo.ke o.nswer cisively attesting the Pauline authorship of to ea.eh of their opponents and questioners, the Epu.tle. At the same time, we gather tho.t they might "contend" wisely as well from them several independent facts throw- as " earnestly for the faith." 1 Pet. iii. 15 ing light on St. Paul's position during his is e. commentary on this verse: the po.re.I• imprisonment, and on hiB relations to other lelism is the closer because tho.t Epistle we.a lending personages of the Church. addressed to Churches in Asia. Minor, where Ver. 7.-All that relates to me (literally, the debates out of which Gnosticism arose the things concerning me) Tychicus, the were beginning to be rife; and because, beloved brother and faithful mir.b~er and likewise, " the hope that was in them " fellow-servant (bondman), will make known was a. chief o~ject of the attack made on to you (Eph. vi. 21, 22; Titus iii. 12; 2 the Colossian believers (eh. i. 5, 23, 27; Tim. vi. 12; i. 8 ; 1 Thess. iii. 2; Phil. ii. ii. 18; iii. 15). 25). Tychicus appears first in Acts xx. 4, With this exhortation the Christian teach- where be is called an "Asian" (of the ing of the Epistle is concluded. In its third Roman province of Asia, of wliich Ephesus and practical part (eh. iii. 1-iv. 6) the was capita.I), a.long with Trophimus, who, in apostle has built up, on the foundation of Acts xxi. 29, is styled" the Ephesian." He the doctrine laid down in the first chapter, accompanied the apostle on his voyage to and in place of the attractive but fa.ls<:' o.nd Jerusalem (A.D. 58), with a number of others pernicious system denounced in the second, representing different Chnrches, and deputed, a lofty o.nd complete ideal of the Christian o.s Lightfoot thinks, in conformity with life. He ho.s led us from the contemplation the directions of 1 Cor. xvi. 3, 4, to convey of its " life of life " in the innermost the contributions raised for "the poor soin~ mystery of union with Christ o.nd of its o.t Jerusalem." Trophimus wo.s with St. glorious destiny in him (eh. iii. 1-4), Po.ul in Jerusalem (Acts :ui. 29), and so, through the soul's interior death-struggle probably, his colleague (the words, "as fo.r with its old corruptions (vers. 5-11) and its ns Asia.," in Acts x.x. 4, are of very doubtful investment with the graces of its new life authority). He is now with the apostle in (vers. 12-15), to the expression o.nd out- his imprisonment at Rome, a.bout to be sent ward acting of tho.t life in the mutual edifi- home with these two letters (comp. Eph. vi. cation of the Church (vers. 16, 17), in the 21, 22), o.nd in charge of Onesimus, on whose obedience and devotion of the family circle account the a.pestle sends e. private letter to (ver. 18-oh. iv. 1), in constant prayerful- Pbilemon. In the interval between the ness and sympathy with the ministers o.nd first (present) o.nd second imprisonment (2 suffering witnesses of Christ (vers. 2-4), Timothy), the apostle revisited the Asiatic and, lo.stly, in such converse with men of Churches (so we infer from 1 Tim. i. 3), o.nd the world, and in the midst of the distract- Tychicus rejoined him ; for we find St. Paul ing debate by which fo.ith is asso.iled, proposing to send him to Titus in Crete as sho.11 fittingly commend the Christian (Titus iii. 12), o.nd finally sending him from cause. Rome once more to Ephesus (2 Tim. vi. Vera. 7-18.-SEOTIONX. PERSONAL MEB- 12). Theso fo.cts sustain the high terms in SACEB AND GnEETINas. St. Po.ul concludes which he is here spoken of. "In the Lord" his letter, first, by introducing to the Colos- belongs both to "minister" and " fellow- sio.ns its bearer, 'l'ychious, a.long with whom servant." This languo.ge is o.lrnost identical he commends to them their own Onesimus, with that used of Epaphras in eh. i. 7 (see returning to his mo.ster (vers. 7-9); then, notes). Tychicus is "minister" (6111,covos), according to his custom, he conveys greet• not to Po.ul himself (Acts xix. 22 ; xiii. 5, ings from his vo.rious friends and helpers vir1JpET1Js), nor in the official sense of Phil. present with hirn at the time, in po.rticular i. 1, but "of Christ," "of the gospel," or from Mark, who wo.s likely to visit them, "the Church" (l Thess. iii. 2), os St. Paul o.nd from Epo.phro.s their owD devoted mi- himself (eh. i. 23, 25). He is "o. beloved nister(vers.10-14); thirdly, he sends greet- brother" to his fellow-believers, " o faithful ing to the neighbouring o.nd important minister " of the Lord Christ, o.ud "e. fellow- Church of Lo.odiceo., specially mentioning servant" with the o.postle (eh. i. 7; iv. 10: N ympho, with directions to excbonge letters Phil. ii. 25). with the Lo.odiceo.ns, and with a pointed Ver. 8.-Whom I have sent unto you for ,vo.rning to Arohippus, probo.bly e. Colossio.n, this very purpose, that ye may know how it having some ch1uge over tbo.t Church (vers. is with us (litero.lly, the things about U8), 15-17). Fino.Uy, he o.ppends, with his own o.nd that he may oomfort your hearts (Eph. hand, his upostolic greeting o.nd benediction vi. 22). The Received Text rends, by a  212 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSI.A.NB. [ea. 1v. 1-18.