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| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
Colossians 1-4 Listen 
What you need to know about Colosse (Colossae)
The following is taken from the Expositor's Bible Commentary:
Colosse was a small town situated on the south bank of the Lycus River in the interior of the Roman province of Asia (an area included in modern Turkey). Located about a hundred miles east of Ephesus, its nearest neighbors were Laodicea (ten miles away) and Hierapolis (thirteen miles away). Both of these cities, the more important of which was Laodicea, are named in the Epistle as having communities of Believers (cf. 2:1; 4:13). Colosse and Laodicea were probably evangelized during the time of Paul’s extended ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:10).
Colossians was written by Paul from prison around 62 A.D. We also see mention of a man named Epaphras (Colossians 1:7; 4:12), who apparently was with Paul in Rome when he wrote this book. He is also mentioned in the Epistle to Philemon (Philemon 23), where he is called by Paul his "fellow-prisoner." You will notice in verse 1 that Timothy was there as well.
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A very heavy greeting (Colossians 1:1-14)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 ¶ To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: ¶ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 ¶ We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,
8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
9 ¶ For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
We see Paul's standard greeting in verses 1-4. He declares his apostleship in verse 1 as he almost always does at the beginning of his letters (except Philippians). When Paul speaks of being an apostle, he is claiming that twelfth spot vacated by Judas Iscariot. In I Corinthians 9 (see notes), he gives a complete defense of his apostleship.
Paul consistently uses the word "saints" (verse 2) to describe those who have trusted Christ as Savior. The Greek word used there is actually an adjective ("hagios" means "holy" or "set apart"), but when used alone is rendered a noun. In other words, those who have been set apart for Heaven, having trusted Christ as their personal savior, are called "saints" i.e. "set apart ones."
The subject matter Paul deals with in Colossians specifically attacks the tenets of a first-century heresy known as "gnosticism." These gnostic teachers were perverters of established Christian doctrine by mixing a little truth with oriental mysticism and Judaism. After his greeting in verses 1-4, verses 5-14 are stocked with doctrine and expectations. Here he deals with salvation, Heaven, Holy Spirit guidance, Godly Christian living, and deliverance from evil - just to name a few. Pay particular attention to verse 5, "because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel." The Greek word for "hope" in every occurrence in the New Testament is "elpis." The Greek definition for "elpis" is a little different in expression from our English word "hope." While we use the word "hope" to sometimes express a good bit of uncertainty about a future event, "elpis" is a Greek expression meaning "confident expectation" with no uncertainty with regard to the future event. Now, read verse 5 again substituting "confident expectation" for "hope." Some of the cults try to maintain that the Bible nowhere says that Believers go to Heaven when they die. Verse 5 says they do! Incidentally, II Corinthians 5:1 (see notes) and I Peter 1:4 (see notes) also plainly say that a Believer goes to Heaven at death.
You will notice in verses 4-8 that Paul seems pleased with the spiritual health of the church there at Colosse - a report he had received regarding them from Epaphras (verses 7-8). He comments in verses 5-6 regarding the presence and influence of the "word of the truth of the gospel," to the extent that it has, at this point, permeated the entire world. The question arises from Paul's declaration in verse 6: Does Paul mean the Roman Empire or the whole face of the globe? The Greek word for "world" used here is "kosmos." That word is used in a number of contexts from simply referring to the "world order of things" to a reference to the globe. For example, Jesus said in John 15:18 (see notes), "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." Was Jesus talking about the whole globe there when John uses the Greek word "kosmos" to frame his comments? Well...no; John is conveying that Jesus is talking about the "world order." So you see, one must be careful not to read more into the usage of a word than was intended by the writer. It seems likely that Paul is referring to the extent that the "word of the truth of the gospel" has reached every region of the Roman Empire, a comment that he reinforces in verse 23 (see below).
Notice the emphasis on Godly Christian living in Paul's prayer for them beginning in verse 9. That prayer goes down at least through verse 12, but Paul segues into some doctrinal issues regarding Christ in the process of detailing his prayer for them.
Here are the components of the prayer Paul lifts up to God for these Colossians - that they might:
Here's where Paul's prayer does the doctrinal segue - between verses 12 and 13. Speaking of God (verse 12), here's what he does (verse 13), "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." Let's not sugar coat the life of unregenerate people. They need to be "delivered" from "the power of darkness" and moved into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. And what makes that move possible? There's your answer in verse 14, "in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." Redemption (from the "power of darkness") is made possible through the "blood" (sacrifice of Jesus on the cross) resulting in the "forgiveness of [our] sins." In other words, "redemption" (forgiveness of sins) is made possible only because Jesus cleansed us through his sacrificial blood.
Who exactly is Christ? (Colossians 1:15-24)
15 ¶ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 ¶ For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
21 ¶ And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 ¶ I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
Paul uses these verses to firmly establish the deity and preeminence of Christ. These 9 verses solidly identify Christ as God among us and without question, the head of each Believer and of the church.
Notice how plainly Paul expresses the exact identity of Jesus Christ:
For those gnostic teachers who sought to weaken the authority of Jesus, Paul plainly establishes that Jesus is God in the flesh. Incidentally, liberal scholars today still question the deity of our Savior.
Only Paul uses this Greek word "apokatallasso" for "reconcile" in verse 20 - twice here (verses 20 and 21) and again in Ephesians 2:16 (see notes). The word holds the connotation of patching up a previous rift - in Ephesians 2:16 (see notes) between Jews and Gentiles. Here in verses 20-21 we see that man left God, but the sacrifice of Christ on the cross made it possible for man to be reconciled back to God. Paul uses the same word without the "apo" prefix (making it "katalasso") in Romans 5:10 (see notes); I Corinthians 7:11 (see notes) and II Corinthians 5:18-20 (see notes), a word which has the same meaning. In each context (except I Corinthians 7:11) it is used to describe the reparation in relations between man and God by Jesus Christ through his sacrificial death because the Colossians (and us) before salvation were "alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works" (verse 21). Having already stated the method by which we were reconciled in verse 20 ("through the blood of His cross"), Paul restates it in slightly different words here in verse 22 ("In the body of His flesh through death").
Verse 22 continues with the goal of this reconciliation - not only redemption, but a lifestyle in this world that reflects that redemption. If you don't understand this, you'll misunderstand verse 23. So...let's frame verse 23 by looking at their lifestyle before salvation up in verse 21, "alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works." The unregenerate mind fostered "wicked works." Therefore, the goal of this reconciliation is "to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." Understand this: We are made "righteous" before God by trusting Jesus Christ as personal savior. Paul calls this "imputed" righteousness in Romans 4:24-25 (see notes). However, in this passage Paul has made clear with his reference to "wicked works" that he is talking, not about "imputed" righteousness, but righteous-looking lifestyles - lifestyles that are "holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." Verse 23 then goes on to explain how that lifestyle is maintained - by continuing "in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel" Believers need to stay focused on the main thing!
Now let's revisit an issue that we saw up in verse 6 (see above) as we look at the remainder of verse 23, "...the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister." Paul didn't use the word "world" (Greek: "kosmos") here as he did in verse 6 to describe this domain. The three words "to every creature" come from the Greek phrase ("en pase te ktisei"). The words "en pase" are commonly translated "in all," while "ktisei" can be translated "creature" or "creation." With the definite article ("te") preceding it, "in all the creation" perhaps lends a clearer understanding of what is meant here. Again, as in verse 6, Paul is likely conveying the thoroughness of the gospel penetration throughout the Roman Empire. If Paul were making a prophetic statement that every single person on the face of the globe had heard the gospel, one would think that Paul would have offered more explanation regarding this feat to his Colossian recipients. It would not appear that Paul is revealing a mystery here; if he were, I believe he would have said so.
In verse 24, Paul says that he rejoices in his sufferings for the Colossians. He expands that to include the "body" (of Christ) which he defines as the "church" (Greek: "ekklesia"). The "body of Christ" is interchangeably referred to in the New Testament as the "church."
Paul describes his ministry (Colossians 1:25-29)
25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
Paul discusses his calling from God - what he's preaching and doing among the Gentiles. The Greek word for "mystery" in verse 26 is "musterion." As you can see "mystery" is a near transliteration of the Greek word which literally means, "that which cannot be known by the natural mind." So what is this mystery message Paul is so diligently preaching to the Gentiles? It's found in verse 27, "...Christ in you, the hope of glory:" That was a foreign concept (a mystery) to the Old Testament Jews, but was revealed to Paul and shared with us. In a general sense, the word means "that which was hidden previously."
Notice verse 25, "of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God." There's that word "stewardship" (Greek: "oikonomia" means "management") again, used by Paul to describe his revelation of the gospel of grace (previously a mystery) which has been extended to all Believers. He says that in verse 26, "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints." He also used the Greek word "oikonomia" in Ephesians 3:2 (see notes), but there it is translated "dispensation" in the NKJV instead of stewardship. The KJV translates it "dispensation" in both instances. In light of his plain speaking on the matter, it's difficult to reject the notion that Paul was clearly dispensational in his view of God's economy through the ages.
In verses 27-29 Paul commits himself fully to the ministration of the preaching of this dispensational truth, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Paul's goal is "that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." The Greek word for "perfect" here is "teleios," which means mature.
There are a lot of logical but wrong philosophies about Christ (Colossians 2:1-6)
1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 ¶ Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 ¶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
We see the distress Paul senses in verse 1 regarding the spreading of false teaching, in Colosse as well as other places, including Laodicea. His reference in verse 2 to "the knowledge of the mystery of God" was defined back in 1:26 (see above). In that mystery "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (verse 3). Then comes the treachery in verse 4; he's been laying the groundwork up to this point for dealing with this treachery, and here it is, those who would "deceive you with persuasive words." After commending their stedfastness and faith in verse 5, he digs right in. The Judaizers and Gnostics of Paul's day are undoubtedly the target for these remarks as we will see later in this chapter. Verse 6 is particularly meaningful here, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." In other words: you're saved by faith AND kept by faith.
Fully embrace your life in Christ (Colossians 2:7-15)
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 ¶ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
11 ¶ In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
These heretics (then and now) would add a level of law keeping to one's faith, were they allowed to do so. Verse 7 says in essence, "Hang on to the principles of your faith. Don't allow them to redefine it!" I particularly like verse 8, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." The Greek word for "cheat" ("sulagogeo") is used only once in the New Testament. In other literature it is used in the context of the "spoil" taken in battle. In this context Paul is warning them to protect their minds against becoming the "spoil" of non-scriptural philosophies and empty (Greek: "kenos") deceptive teachings. The world is saturated with philosophies (then and now) that attack one's faith in Christ. It is vital that you, as a Believer, fully understand your relationship to Christ so that the modern-day philosophers won't be able to make you feel insufficient in your faith for lack of meeting their man-made expectations for you.
Verse 9 absolutely sets the record straight that Jesus Christ is fully God in the flesh, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." That verse leads me to embrace the scriptural term "Godhead" to describe the relationship of Jesus to God and the Holy Spirit rather than the oft-used term "trinity." When you use Paul's words to describe it, you are less likely to be misunderstood. Verse 10 goes on to say "And you are complete in him..." That's great news! However, there were those who did not see that as the complete package; that's also the problem today. Paul then deals with a couple of the unscriptural addenda added to one's faith back then, the first being circumcision. Notice how Paul expresses it in verse 11, "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands..." No physical ritual of circumcision is necessary, as was established at the Jerusalem Council back in Acts 15 (see notes). Spiritual circumcision consists of trusting Jesus Christ as one's savior. That's all that is necessary. The picture (only a picture) represented by water baptism is presented in verse 12 with the final result in verse 13, "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses." That baptismal picture is beautifully outlined in Romans 6:1-14 (see notes).
Verse 14 is very important to understand, "having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." It is clear that Paul is talking about the Law of Moses here. What does he mean when he refers to the Law of Moses? What exactly is the Believer's responsibility regarding the Law? This is an important foundational lesson. Paul declares in II Corinthians 3:7-11 (see notes) that the "Law of Moses" was "passing away" (not my words, but Paul's). It is important to understand that this was the mission of Jesus Christ as seen in Matthew 5:17-18 (see notes) when he said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." If you're still fuzzy about what is meant here, click here to read what the New Testament teaches regarding the Believer's responsibility with regard to the Mosaic Law.
The precise meaning of verse 15 is disputed among scholars. The foes here are "principalities and powers." The Greek words are "arche" (also translated "rulers") and "exousia" (also translated "authorities"). Are these human or supernatural foes? Does it matter? Christ "disarmed" them and triumphed over them. However, based upon context before and after this verse, I'm inclined to prefer the notion that Jesus Christ by his death, burial and resurrection, triumphed over those who would put artificial requirements on spirituality. Those are the people he's warning against in verses 1-14 and continues to do so in verse 16-23. Therefore, I'm going with "people in authority" here for the foes of verse 15.
What about those rituals and traditions (Colossians 2:16-23)
16 ¶ So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
20 ¶ Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—
21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
The Jews were way into doing, doing, doing. It was what defined an observant Jew. Understandably, they had a difficult time shaking the habit that had characterized their lives. To them, this was the way to honor God. They could not abide with the concept that Gentiles could honor God any other way. Therefore, these Judaizers would insist that the believing Gentiles comply with their "doings." A hybrid religion of Judaism/Christianity was being taught to the Gentiles, which did no justice to Judaism or Christianity. Paul warns against this.
Perhaps this is a good time to point out that a hybrid doctrine of Christian living is still being taught today in many fundamental churches. Carefully-selected portions of the Old Testament law (the ones they like) are extracted and applied as standards of Christian living. The Judaizers of the New Testament did so because they were in a transitional period between law and grace; they were Jews who believed and were still wrestling with the place of the Mosaic Law in their Christian lives. Today there really is no excuse. Few of us were practicing Orthodox Jews prior to salvation. This chapter particularly points out that legalism counteracts grace. The Law of Moses equals Judaism, and Judaism equals the Law of Moses. Paul takes great care in separating the two in his writings to the churches. Today, our law is from within because we have an indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Thus, Romans 8:2 (see notes) says, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." I literally have God's law written on my heart. That's the law that I am to obey - not the Old Testament Law of Moses. It's a simple concept, but very difficult for many Believers to grasp. Now...make no mistake about it; that's exactly what Paul is saying in verse 16, "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths." This verse is a direct reference to the unscriptural mandate that Believers be required to keep the Old Testament law. It's ironic; with all the clarity contained in these verses (16-23), many fundamental preachers today still seem confused about Law keeping. They obviously don't keep the mandates of the Law of Moses including the Sabbath specifications, but they continue to promote it as an addendum to faith in Christ. As a matter of fact, look at the outcome of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 (see notes). You will notice that these Jewish Christian leaders did not set forth a requirement that the newly-saved Gentiles be subjected to the Law of Moses. Yet, of the top ten (commandments) virtually none of those who preach the importance of keeping the Mosaic Law actually take any measures to keep #4, Sabbath keeping. Under Moses, it was a death sentence to violate that one. If you want to know more, click here to read the details regarding Sabbath keeping.
Here's the fear that many have. They are afraid that, without the hammer of the Old Testament Mosaic Law, people will feel they can get away with sin. Every mandate the Believer needs concerning life in Christ is found in the New Testament. As a matter of fact, let's take a look at chapter 3 and see that Paul is careful to point out the attributes of Godly Christian living.
So...what about those practices of verse 16; what are they good for? Paul says the same thing here in verse 17 that he says in Hebrews 10:1 (see notes); they served as shadows leading up to their fulfillment in Christ.
We are not given any details about the heresy being practiced in verse 18. It would appear that Paul is critical of those who have developed a doctrine that Believers are not worthy to appeal directly to God and must, therefore, worship angels instead. That heresy came from "his fleshly mind." To practice such cuts one off from the "Head" (verse 19) of the body of Christ, thus missing out on "increase that is from God."
Paul then asks this question in verse 20, "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations?" He lists a few in verse 21 and categorizes them in verse 22 as "according to the commandments and doctrines of men." It would appear that here we see this hybrid doctrine of the Gnostics...with a little Law of Moses mixed in. He sums up this ritualistic worship in verse 23, "These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." Notice the "appearance of wisdom" - not real wisdom. The "self-imposed religion" comes from a single Greek word, "ethelothreskeia" meaning "religion thought up by oneself." This addresses the practice of self deprivation in the course of practicing a man-made religion - but they looked very pious doing so.
Put to death; put off; put on (Colossians 3:1-17)
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 ¶ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 ¶ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
12 ¶ Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Notice how Paul frames this next discussion in verse 1, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand [see notes on Psalm 110] of God." That's a natural transition from the erroneous practices seen in verses 16-23. Immediately we are reminded of Paul's words in Philippians 4:8 (see notes), "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." It could not be any clearer. The Believer should be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God as stated in verses 1-4. In doing so, our thinking will be managed according to Philippians 4:8 (see notes). Let's briefly look at Paul's emphases in verses 1-4. Believers are pictured in verse 1 as having been resurrected in Christ, a picture of our relationship with Christ typified by water baptism, referenced in 2:12 (see above) and fully developed in Romans 6:1-14 (see notes). Verse 2 emphasizes that Believers should set their affections toward eternal rewards. Then, as also pictured in water baptism, Believers are shown to be dead to the world and now in Christ's care in verse 3...and looking for the rapture in verse 4 (see I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and I Corinthians 15:51-58 for details on the rapture). Then we find lists in verses 5-14; everybody loves a list.
Paul gives us three lists as guides for Christian conduct in this passage.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth (verse 5):
These are actions - mostly of a sexual nature.
In verse 6 we are told, "Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience." We see Paul deal with this concept exhaustively in Romans 1:18-32 (see notes). Even among lost people, God has demonstrated that he has no tolerance for depraved conduct. In Leviticus 18:19-30 (see notes) we are told that the nations which had previously occupied Canaan were "vomited out" of the land because of these wicked practices, primarily with regard to sexual perversion. He refers to their unregenerate lifestyle in this context in verse 7, a reference to their before-salvation practices.
Put off all these (verses 8-9):
These are words and one's outward expressions. It would appear that Paul means to differentiate these "put off" actions from the "put to death" actions of verse 5.
Put on these (verses 12-14):
These positive responses come as a result of Holy Spirit leadership. In one's relationship with others, these qualities are those that manifest themselves in Believers as they are led by the Holy Spirit. These are similar to the "fruit of the Spirit" found in Galatians 5:22-23 (see notes).
Paul then adds in verse 15 that Believers should let the "peace of God rule in your hearts." I'd say that's a pretty comprehensive list; wouldn't you? As a matter of fact, in essence, it exceeds the mandates of the Old Testament Mosaic Law.
And here's the primary reason we should gather as Believers, found in Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Look! I need your fellowship and you need mine. You can't get that from television or radio.
Regarding husbands, wives, children, fathers and slaves (Colossians 3:18-4:1)
18 ¶ Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 ¶ Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
20 ¶ Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
21 ¶ Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 ¶ Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
4:1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
These admonitions are similar to those found in Ephesians 5:22-6:9 (see notes). Believers should be ever conscious of how they relate to others as a matter of testimony.
These relationships are specified as follows:
Slavery during the first century was a legal reality and had been for centuries in the Roman empire and the empires that preceded it. These slaves under Roman rule were not entire races, but rather certain people from within each race who were in bondage as slaves. So, how might one end up being a slave during that era? Derived form extra-biblical historical documents, here are a few ways: If you were born to a slave, you were born a slave and remained such unless your master gave you your freedom. Promiscuity was rampant during that era. It was common that unwanted babies would be left out on the side of the road to suffer death by exposure - especially girls. Slave traders would harvest these unwanted babies and hire someone to raise them until they could be sold as slaves. Even though most of these babies were unwanted females, they would be raised to become productive in supplying male and female slaves to their owners. It is also true that a debtor could lose his freedom and be forced into slavery as a result. Additionally, sometimes slaves were formerly prisoners of war. The first two scenarios listed were probably the primary sources for the greatest number of slaves in Roman society during that era.
Paul deals with the proper relationship between slaves and their owners. He had no power to change laws governing slavery, so he simply dealt in this chapter with how slaves should properly respond to their masters and how masters should relate to their slaves. Some have questioned why Paul did not condemn slavery altogether in this passage. Keep in mind two issues at hand: First, when raised as a slave from birth, Roman society would have been economically intolerant of one who had acquired his freedom in most circumstances. This was the lifestyle to which they were accustomed. The security of a benevolent slave owner was preferred by many over freedom. Second of all, Paul's ministry was not one of government reform. His was a ministry of reconciliation to God. Here was a man writing to people from prison, enduring his own version of false imprisonment. So, understand that these verses represent Paul's instructions to Believers who were slaves and to slave owners.
Paul also deals with the subject of the proper treatment of slaves in Ephesians 6:5-9 (see notes).
A continual consciousness of who we are (Colossians 4:2-6)
2 ¶ Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 ¶ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Paul encourages us to continually be in communication with God in prayer and thanksgiving to God (verse 2). The Greek verb for "continue" in that verse is "proskartereo." It's the same word used in Acts 6:4 (see notes) with regard to the Apostles when they tell the folks in Jerusalem, "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Paul uses the same word to describe a Believer's proper attitude toward prayer in Romans 12:12 (see notes), "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer." Paul could not say it more simply than he does in I Thessalonians 5:17 (see notes), "Pray without ceasing."
He lists three action items for these Believers:
To put it simply, verses 5 and 6 emphasize the importance of continually being conscious of how we are viewed by non Believers.
Final greetings (Colossians 4:7-18)
7 ¶ Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me.
8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts,
9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.
10 ¶ Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),
11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me.
12 ¶ Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13 For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.
14 Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.
15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.
16 ¶ Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
17 And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”
18 ¶ This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
These are the final words of greeting to Believers that Paul usually includes at the end of his letters. The "Tychicus" mentioned in verse 7 was one of the disciples that accompanied Paul on a portion of his third missionary journey. He appears in Acts 20:4 (see notes). The "Marcus" of verse 10 is likely the "John Mark" of Acts 12 (see notes), listed here as a cousin to Barnabas, Paul's one-time fellow traveler in the ministry first seen in Acts 4 (see notes). We see in verse 14 that Luke is with Paul at the time of this writing. Some think the Laodicean letter of verse 16 is the Ephesian epistle.
We are left with the impression that those mentioned through verse 11 are of the "circumcision" i.e. Jews, while those mentioned from verse 12 on are Gentiles. That suggests that Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, was a Gentile. Demas is mentioned here as present with Paul, but seems to have abandoned Paul when he is mentioned in II Timothy 4:10 (see notes).
We see in verse 18 that Paul used a transcriber for this letter, with the exception of the salutation.