Which observances are indeed (as it was before intimated vv. 4. and 8.) set off by some specious fair shows; as, that they are voluntary services or freewill offerings to God; that there is great humility in them, (as in that of worshipping angels, ver. 18;) that they are a great austerity and punishing of the body; that they are quite contrary to the placing any honour in the satisfying the desires of the flesh, though it be by conjugal enjoyments: (but for all this, are but specious, and not real services, have nothing of true worship in them.) ¹⁷ being supplied, ἐπιχορηγούμενον. ¹⁸ elements: see note [b]. ¹⁹ come not near: see note [i]. ²⁰ to corruption by the abuse of them, εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει. ²¹ austerity to, ἀφειδίᾳ. [i] will-worship] The word ἐθελοθρησκεία, voluntary worship, is not elsewhere used in the New Testament; and being not at all to be found among the Greek translators or apocryphal writers of the Old, and by other later writers taken particularly from this one place, it will be worthy our inquiry how it is used here, whether in an ill or a good sense; and that will be done best by a full view of the whole place. The occasion of the apostle's discourse here is, the dogmatizing of some, ver. 20, that is, teaching some things to be forbidden by God which were not now forbidden by him, (nor by any under God which had authority to command,) and so by their ἐντάλματα, commands or precepts, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, (their own heretical fancies,) Matt. xv. 9. The matter of these dogmata is here HAMMOND ANNOTT. VOL. II. R And a minister of his church, appointed immediately by God to bear his word, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and particularly to you, (to whom, by Epaphras, I have done so, ver. 7.) and to leave no place (whither I can come by myself or others) without preaching the gospel to them. [e] fulfil the word] Πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον, to fulfil his word, is a phrase which we meet with 1 Macc. ii. 55, spoken of Joshua, that for fulfilling the word he was made a judge in Israel: where, as the word signifies the will and pleasure of God revealed to him, so πληρῶσαι, to fulfil it, is to perform it in a very eminent manner. But in this place ὁ λόγος being by the context confined to another notion, the preaching or publishing the gospel of Christ peculiarly, πληροῦν τὸν λόγον Θεοῦ, to fulfil the word of God, will be, to fulfil that preaching, that is, to proceed as far in the preaching of it as by all his diligence and care, by himself and others, he could do, and so belongs to the preaching it to these Colossians, to whom, being out of his way, he yet had sent Epaphras, ver. 7. Thus we have a like phrase Rom. xv. 19. πληρῶσαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, to fill up the preaching or gospel of Christ, that is, to preach it from city to city, from Jerusalem as far as to Illyricum. That gospel, I mean, or revelation of the will of God, which was not revealed so clearly in former ages, but kept under shadows and dark prefigurations, but now is freely preached to all that receive the faith of Christ: God being willing to exhibit to such (and no longer to keep close) this illustrious mercy of his to the Gentiles, so long concealed, viz. Christ preached, the gospel revealed to these, and in it hope of pardon and of bliss afforded them upon reformation of their former lives, and receiving and practising the commands of Christ. Whose doctrine we now publish to the world, his precepts of divine purity and his glorious promises, first preaching the fundamental heads of the truth of Christ, and then superstructing all further knowledge of Christian duties, and this to Gentiles as well as Jews, that by this means we may bring in servants to God, as many as possibly we can, to serve him in all that holiness of life that Christ Jesus himself exemplified and prescribed. Of which number I am one who endure some travail and toil, and withal some persecutions and afflictions, (see note [b] 1 Thess. ii,) according to the measure of that grace which he hath effectually bestowed upon me to the end. If therefore ye believe the resurrection of Christ, and the advantages which come to you by it, (among which is that Christian liberty from those abolished Judaical observations, ch. ii. 21,) and if ye be, after the example of Christ, truly risen also, become Christians indeed, there are then other cares much more material for you to be concerned in, the study and practice of a divine celestial life, such (for kind, though not degree) as Christ now lives, being by his resurrection placed next in glory to his Father in heaven. Let this celestial purity be the copy for you to transcribe, and not these terrestrial grosser observances. For ye by your baptism have vowed to put off your former life; and the life which now remains for you to live is that which Christ lives in heaven; a life of purity here, and of glory hereafter. And if you live that first pure Christian life, after your divine pattern, then this ye may be sure of, that when Christ comes to judge the world, all that shall be found so like unto him shall by him be received into the glory which he himself enjoys. This may therefore engage you to subdue and bring down all those vicious affections that are in your members, and that savour and desire nothing but earthly things: I mean, adultery, fornication, and all sorts of unnatural filthiness, such as is so ordinary among idol-worshippers, the foulest parts of it admitted into their religions: (see note [i] Rom. i, and note [i] 1 Cor. v.) Those sins which have always brought God's judgments down upon the heathens. Of which sins ye formerly were guilty, when ye conversed among the heathens, and followed their idol-worships. But now that you are Christians ye are obliged to put off all, not only these forenamed, but of the other sort of affections, all sudden inflammation of anger, all rising of it to any height, all continuance of it upon you, till it be improved into malice; and for the tongue, let not that be guilty of any unsavoury, unclean, or reproachful discourse. ¹ passion, πᾶβος. speaking, βλασφημίαν. ² inordinate lusting, πλεονεξίαν. Never suggest or say any false thing to the injury of another, (see note [b] Acts v,) for this is a principal part of that heathen course which ye have renounced; Quite contrary to that state of renovation which ye have undertaken, and which consists in the practice of all Christian virtues after the image of God, who is all truth. [a] in knowledge] What εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν signifies here is somewhat uncertain. If the preposition εἰς be taken by an Hebraism for. ἐν, in or by, then it denotes the means of working our renovation, the knowledge of the gospel, in which our pattern is set, according to which we are to form our lives for the future; and this is generally expressed by ἐπίγνωσις ἀληθείας, the acknowledgment of the truth, 1 Tim. ii. 4. Tit. i. 1. Heb. x. 26. But it is possible also that εἰς being taken in the proper notion of it, ἐπίγνωσις may be set in opposition, or by way of superaddition, to γνῶσις, knowledge, which the Gnostics boasted of, and from whence they had their name, and with it joined all vicious corrupt practices; whereupon he requires his Colossians to forsake those sins, and to be renewed to that which the Gnostics have not attained to, εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν, to acknowledgment or discerning, that is, the experimental, practical knowledge of God's goodness to us in regenerating (which is more than the first creating) us after his own image, to live according to the divine pattern which he hath set us. With whom, as there is no partiality or difference put between men, but all of all sorts, even the worst sorts, are accepted by Christ, so ought it be with us toward all men, of what quality soever, we must shew all manner of fidelity, without any falseness or injustice (ver. 9.) toward them. See therefore that ye practise (as becomes those who are prized and valued by God, that have the gifts of his Spirit poured out for the converting and sanctifying of you, and thereby are obliged to all that is most excellent) the highest degrees of Christian kindness and liberality, that ye think very meanly of yourselves, be very mild, hard to be provoked with injuries, never thinking of revenge, Shewing that readiness to be reconciled to them that have wronged you, that ye have found, and which it extremely concerns you to find, in Christ toward you. And over all put on that excellent Christian grace of charity, that love of others, founded in Christ's love to you, and to all others, even his enemies, which will keep you united one to another in an indissoluble bond, much more perfectly than any other obligation can do, or, which is the obligation to all mercifulness, whether in giving or forgiving. [b] bond of perfectness] Σύνδεσμος τελειότητος, bond of perfectness, may be, by an hypallage, the most perfect bond. But it may be also bond of perfectness in that notion that perfect, Matt. v. 48, is all one with merciful, Luke vi. 36; for so the Christian charity, that is a transcript of Christ's love to us, is a conspiration or meeting together (so σύνδεσμος may signify, see note [e] on Acts viii.) of all mercifulness, or else an obligation to it. And let Christian peace and union (see note [c] peace of God rule—] Βραβείον, as it is an agonistical word for the ἐπινίειος ἀμοιβή, the reward of the conqueror, hath been already spoken of. Hence the βραβενταί are the διοικηταί ἀγώνος, they that adjudge and give this reward to those to whom it belongs, the rulers or administrators of the combat, and they that decide all controversies about it. Hence is the word used for διαλλακτής, saith Phavorinus, an umpire Let the doctrine of the gospel continue and abide in you, and bring forth abundant fruit in all And whatsoever ye do or speak, let it be with acknowledgment of the great mercies of Christ to you, that hath enabled you to do whatever it is; and for this mercy reached out in him, let God the Father have the honour and thanks. Let the wives pay fitting subjection to their husbands, and count it their Christian duty to do so. And upon the same account let the husbands be kind to their wives, and not provoke them by unkind behaviour. So again, children are by their Christianity so far from being set free from their obedience to their parents in any matter, that they are by that very relation obliged to it. The parents, on the other side, are taught their duty toward their children, not to rate or brawl with them, nor to reprove them causelessly, lest that be a discouragement to them. Servants, of what sort soever, must pay obedience to those which, according to the laws of men, have the rule over them, and not pretend any liberty from Christ to do otherwise; and their obedience must be performed sincerely for conscience sake to God, and not only in those things whereto the master's eye can reach. And in all your services do heartily and willingly what is required of you, without complaining or murmuring, knowing that your obedience to your masters is a duty to God; From whom consequently you shall receive your reward, that portion which belongs to you; for Christ is a master that will not suffer any service performed on his command to be unrewarded. As, on the other side, he that doth any thing amiss against the law of Christ, whether servant toward master, or master toward servant, shall not escape punishment by being a Christian, God shall You that are masters, deal justly and indifferently with your servants; require no more than they are able to perform; give them what is fit for them; reward the more diligent with more kindness; and the same dealing that you desire to receive from God do you shew to them. Have your daily, constant, frequent hours of prayer, and use all diligence to have your hearts intent upon that performance, and with petitions for supply of your wants join your thankful acknowledgments for what ye have received. And let this be one constant request in your prayers, that God will give me plentiful opportunities and liberty publicly to preach the gospel, which, contrary to the expectation of the world, is now sent to the Gentiles, (for the preaching to whom I am in bonds at this time;) And that I may do it in such a manner as is my duty to do. Behave yourselves with all Christian circumspection in respect of the heathens among whom ye live; that ye neither be corrupted by their sensual baits, nor give them any matter of scandal or aversion to the faith; but considering the danger of your present condition, apply yourselves to it as circumspectly and as prudently as ye can: (see note [c] Ephes. v.) Let your discourse be always gracious, pure and Christian, (see note [c] Ephes. v.) or cheerful and merry; but then, as it is such on one side, so must it be also savoury, discreet and seasonable; seasoned with prudence that may make it wholesome to the hearers, accommodating it dexterously and skilfully to every man's condition and capacity and wants. All things wherein I am concerned shall be declared to you by Tychicus, one that is employed by me as an assistant, and intrusted (for his approved fidelity) in preaching the gospel to those I cannot come to: ¹ afford right and equality, τὸ βίωσιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα παρέχωθε. ³ Or, speak with boldness: for the King's MS. reads ἐν ταρρησίᾳ. me, τὰ κατ' ἐμὶ πάντα. ² on it, ἐν αὐτῇ. ⁴ All that concerns T 2 Whom I have therefore sent to you, that he might make you a relation of all that concerns me, and comfort you by doing so. (who hath been recommended to you, (probably by letters from Barnabas,) to which also I desire to add mine, and request you to treat him with all respect when he comes unto you;) Which Mark, and Jesus, called by the Romans Justus, are Jews, and are the only men that have here of late at Rome assisted me in any work of the gospel, and from whom I have received great comfort and advantage. Epaphras, that preached the gospel among you, ch. i. 7, and is now elsewhere performing service to Christ, wishes you all happiness; and daily prays earnestly to Christ for you, that ye may continue undefiled from the seduction of heretics, and grow to a full maturity of Christian knowledge and practice. And I can testify for him, that he is extremely kind, and industrious for your good; and not for yours only, but for those two other cities of Phrygia, in the converting of which he was made use of, Laodicea and Hierapolis. meets together in his house. [a] from Laodicea] If the right reading in this place be τὴν ἐκ Λαοδικείας, that from Laodicea, then the meaning of it may be, That Epistle which the Laodiceans have received, do you, when you send them a copy of this, require a copy of, and when you have received it, read it in your assembly. But if τὴν Λαοδικείας, without ἐκ, be the truer reading, then it must be rendered that of Laodicea, noting again some epistle sent to them, and in their possession, according to that of the civil law, L. si Epistolam, D. de Acquir. Rer. Domin. Literæ ejus sunt cujus tabellario sunt traditæ, multo magis ubi sunt redditæ, "An epistle is his to whose messenger it is delivered, especially when it is received by him." And so which way soever it is, it refers to some epistle sent to the Laodiceans, which Tertullian against Marcion seems to affirm of that Epistle which is now inscribed to the Ephesians, that a copy of it was written to the Laodiceans, which, if it were done by St. Paul, is yet very reasonable to imagine to be sent from Ephesus to them. For Ephesus being the chief metropolis of Asia, and Laodicea being a church within that circuit, as appears Rev. i. 11, as the Epistle written to the Corinthians belonged to all the churches of Achaia, 2 Cor. i. 1; and so no doubt was copied out and communicated to them, and as the letter from the council of Jerusalem to the church of Antioch did belong also to all Syria and Cilicia, and was by Paul communicated to all the churches thereof, Acts xvi. 4, and as the Epistles to the Thessalonians are said to belong also to Philippi, another metropolis of Macedonia, (and thereupon Polycarp, in his Epistle to the Philippians, mentions ἐπιστολαί, epistles in the plural, which Paul had sent to them, whereas there is but one now known to be inscribed to the Philippians,) and lastly, as here the Epistle to the Colossians is expressly directed to be communicated to the Laodiceans, and this to be sent from Laodicea to Colossæ, so there is no difficulty to conceive that the Epistle to the Ephesians was by them communicated (as by Paul meant) to the Laodiceans also, and so may fitly be called ἡ Λαοδικείας, the Epistle of Laodicea, or which the church of Laodicea had received. [b] Archippus] It is the opinion of some that Epaphras was at this time bishop of Colossæ, but imprisoned at Rome with Paul, and that Archippus did now in his absence supply his place. That Epaphras was about this time prisoner at Rome, is concluded probably by Philem. 23, where he calls him συναιχμάλωτον, his fellow-prisoner, (for that that Epistle to Philemon and this were written from Rome about the