2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, who are at Colosse. May virtuous dispositions be to you, and happiness temporal and eternal (see Rom. i. 7. notes 3, 4.) from God the Father of Jews and Gentiles, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom God dispenses these blessings to mankind.

3 We Paul and Timothy, give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for your faith and love. This we do always when we pray for you;

4 Having heard by Epaphras, (chap. i. 7.—9. iv. 12.) of the firmness of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the warmth of the love which ye bear to all who profess the Christian religion. See Ephes. i. 15. note 2.

5 Whom ye willingly relieve in their distresses, with your worldly goods, Through the hope of far better goods which are laid up for you in the heavens of which hope, ye have formerly heard in the true preaching of the gospel by me. See Pref. sect. 1.

6 Which gospel subsists among you, as it does likewise in the most celebrated Gentile nations, and is bringing forth the good fruit of faith and love, even as it does among you, from the day ye heard and embraced the gospel of God, as preached by me

in truth.

Ver. 4.-1. Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. The apostle did not mean his having heard of the conversion of the Colossians, but of their persevering in the belief of the great doctrine of the gospel, that men are saved by faith without obedience to the law of Moses. Sec Pref. sect. 1. paragr. 3. Now, as some had been seduced by the false teachers from this true faith, Pref. sect. 2. paragr. 4. the apostle does not speak of the whole

7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ:

8 Who also declared unto

7 Καθως και εμαθετε απο Επαφρα του αγαπητου συνδουλου ημων, ός εςι πιςος ὑπὲρ ύμων διακονος του Χριςου.

8 Ὁ και δηλώσας ἡμιν

us your love in the Spirit. την ύμων αγαπην εν πνευμα

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding:

τι.

9 Δια τουτο και ήμεις, αφ' ἧς ἡμερας ηκουσαμεν, ου παυ ομεθα ὑπερ μων προσευ χομενοι, και αιτουμενοι, ἵνα την επιγνωσιν πληρώθητε του θελήματος αυτού, εν πάση σοφία και συνεσει πνευματική,

body of the saints at Colosse, but of the faithful brethren there; that is, of those who had persevered in the truth, by rejecting all Jewish mixtures.

2. Love, which ye have to all the saints. The word all, is emphatica here, and implies, that the faithful brethren at Colosse, loved not only the Gentile but the Jewish believers, although the latter differed from them in some points of faith and practice, respecting the Mosaic rites. See Ephes. i. 15. note 2.

Ver. 5.1. Through the hope which is laid up for you. Here, hope is put for eternal life, the object of the Colossians' hope.—If the sense given in the commentary is not admitted, the meaning may be, that the Colossians loved the saints on account of their entertaining the same hope of eternal life with themselves.

Ver. 6. 1. Which is present among you, as also in all the world. Παρτ τῷ κόσμῳ. In this clause, the word κοσμο, translated world, signifies the Roman empire: a sense which it has in other passages, particularly, Luke ii. 1. There went out a decree from Casar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed In like manner, evcry nation under heaven, Acts ii. 5. significs, those nations only with whom the Jews had some communication. So also Cyrus, in his decree concerning the Jews, says, Ezra i. 2. The Lord Gol of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth. Thus understood, the apostle's affirmation is no hyperbole. For at the time the epistle to the Colossians was written, A. D. 61. the gospel had been preached and received in most of the countries within the Roman empire, and had produced a great change in the manners of those who received it.-As the word παροντΘ, present, is commonly applied to things having life, it is here used metaphorically.

7 As ye also learned IT from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ, (p) with respect to you. 2

8 Who likewise hath signified to us your love in spirit. 1

9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard THESE THINGS, do not cease praying (see 1 Thess. v. 17. note,) for you, and requesting that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, through all wisdom and spiritual understanding,

7 As ye also learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who, having taught you the same doctrine with me, is a faithfal minister of Christ with respect to you.

8 This worthy person, besides declaring your faith and love to the saints, (ver. 4.) likewise hath signified to us your fervent spiritual love to me.

9 For this reason, that ye have great faith, and love, and sincere affection to me, we also from the day we heard these things, (ver. 4.) do not cease praying for you, and requesting that ye may be filled by God with the knowledge of his will, concerning the salvation of mankind by faith, (Ephes. i. 5. 9. 11.) and that through an high degree of wisdom and understanding in spiritual matters, given to you,

2. And is bringing forth fruit. Some MSS. following the Vulgate, add, uni aukavoμevov, and increasing; is daily spreading itself.-The apostle made this observation to confirm the Colossians in the faith of the gospel, which by its rapid progress, and happy influence in reforming mankind, was plainly declared to be from God.

3. Acknowledged the grace of God. Here, as in Tit. ii. 11. 1 Pet. v. 12. The grace of God signifies the gospel.-In writing to Gentiles, the apostle with great propriety, termed the gospel the grace of God, for this among other reasons, that therein God declared his gracions intention of making the Gentiles heirs of the heavenly country by faith, equally with the Jews, without requiring them to obey the law of Moses, ver. 12.-This doctrine in other passages, is called the truth; and, the truth of the gospel. Wherefore, their bearing and acknowledging the grace of God in truth, means their hearing and acknowledging the true doctrine of the gospel, concerning the salvation of the Gentiles by faith.

Ver. 7.-1. Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant. From the epistle to Philemon, ver. 23, which was sent at the same time with this letter, it appears that Epaphras was in prison at Rome when the apostle wrote. But he did not choose to mention that circumstance, in a letter directed to the whole church of the Colossians, lest it might have grieved them too much.-Concerning Epaphras, see Philem. ver. 23. note.

2. Who is a faithful minister of Christ with respect to you. The apostle gave this Lonourable testimony to Epaphras, that the Colossians might

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ;

11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

1ο Περιπατησαι μας αξιως του ως του Κυρίου εις πάσαν αρεσκειαν εν παντι εργω αγαθῷ καρποφορουντες και αυξανόμενοι εις την επίγνω σιν του Θεου

11 Εν πάση δυναμει δυ ναμούμενοι κατα το κρατος της δόξης αυτού, εις πασαν ὑπομονην και μετα χαρας.

μακροθυμίαν

12 Ευχαριςούντες τῷ πα τρι τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ἡμας εις την μεριδα του κλήρου των ἁγιων εν τῷ φωτι.

not suffer themselves to be drawn away from the doctrine which they had learned from him.

Ver. 8.-1. Hath signified to us your love in spirit. According to Grotius, this means, your love to me on account of the gifts of the spirit which I communicated to you: According to Peirce, it is, your love to me on a spiritual account: According to Whitby, it is your love wrought in you by the Spirit. Others think the phrase is a common Hebraism for great love. See Ess. iv. 56.

Ver. 10.-1. The Lord. Some MSS. mentioned by Mill, with the Syriac, Vulgate, and Ethiopic versions, read here, τ8 Θε8, of God.

Ver. 11.1. According to his glorious power. The preposition κατά, with the accusative, may be rendered, by, or through. Here the glorious power of Christ is spoken of: but in the parallel passage, Ephes. iii. 16. the apostle speaks of the Father's power; That according to the riches of his glory, he would grant unto you to be exceedingly strengthened, sia, by bis Spirit.

2. All patience and long suffering. The Greek commentators observe, that patience is exercised towards them who are out of the church, and whom we of have no right to punish; but long suffering is exercised towards persons our own society, whom we can punish.

Ver. 12. 1. Who maketb us fit for a portion, &c. Ικανώσαντι ήμας εἰς την μερίδα τα κληρο. This is an allusion to the partition of the land of Canaan, into so many μερίδες, portions, which were distributed to the Israelites by lot. And as the land of Canaan, the inheritance of the natural seed of Abraham, was a type of the inheritance of the spiritual seed, the allusion to the division of that land among the natural seed, is introduced with propriety, in the account which the apostle gives of the admission of the Gen

10 IN ORDER THAT (περιπατησαι ύμας) ye may walk worthy of the Lord' to all pleasing, bringing forth fruit by every good work, and increasing (s) in the knowledge of God:

11 Being strengthened with all strength, (xara) according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joy.

12 We give thanks to the Father, who maketh us fit for a portion of the inheritance of the saints in the light; 3

TO

10 (sup. is To) In order that ye may walk worthy of the Lord Christ, so as to please him in all things, bringing forth fruit suitable to your knowledge, by performing continually every good work, and even increasing in the knowledge of the will of God, (ver. 9.)

11 Being for this purpose, strengthened greatly according to Christ's glorious power, so as to bear every evil befalling you, with the greatest patience and long suffering, nay with joy, knowing the happy issue of your sufferings.

12 Also, We do not cease (ver. 9.) to give thanks to the Father, who by faith and holiness maketh us Gentiles fit for receiving a portion of the inheritance, which belongs to the Jews who dwell in the light of the gospel;

tiles, to share with the Jews in all the privileges of the gospel.-In this thanksgiving, the apostle insinuated to the Colossians, that their sharing in the blessings which belonged to the Jews, was a strong motive to induce them to bear their afflictions with patience and joy.

2. The inheritance of the saints. This inheritance comprehends, not only the heavenly country of which Canaan was the type, but all the privileges of the gospel bestowed on believers, to fit them for the enjoyment of the heavenly country.

3. Saints in the light. So the apostle called the converted Jews living in the light of the gospel, and enjoying all the privileges mentioned ver. 13. For Christ the author of the gospel, is the true light which lighteth every man who cometh into the world, John i. 9. Hence the gospel as coming from him, is termed the true light, 1 John ii. 8. Whereas heathenish idolatry, is called darkness, Acts xxvi. 17, 18.-See 1 John i. 5. note 3.-Besides it was as proper to call men living under the gospel dispensation, saints in light, as in the following verse to call idolaters, men under the power of darkness. In other passages also, the word light signifies the gospel dispensation, Ephes. v. 8. Now ye are light in the Lord. 1 Thess. v. 5. All ye are sons of the light. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Light of the glorious gospel. See Rom. xiii. 2. note 1. and Col. i. 26. where such of the Jews as were made apostles, prophets, and inspired teachers, are called his saints: And Ephes. iv. 12. saints perfected for the work of the ministry.