11 Where G3699 there is G1762 neither G3756 Greek G1672 nor G2532 Jew, G2453 circumcision G4061 nor G2532 uncircumcision, G203 Barbarian, G915 Scythian, G4658 bond G1401 nor free: G1658 but G235 Christ G5547 is all, G3956 and G2532 in G1722 all. G3956
For G1063 there is G2076 no G3756 difference G1293 between G5037 the Jew G2453 and G2532 the Greek: G1672 for G1063 the same G846 Lord G2962 over all G3956 is rich G4147 unto G1519 all G3956 that call upon G1941 him. G846
For G1063 G2532 by G1722 one G1520 Spirit G4151 are G907 we G2249 all G3956 baptized G907 into G1519 one G1520 body, G4983 whether G1535 we be Jews G2453 or G1535 Gentiles, G1672 whether G1535 we be bond G1401 or G1535 free; G1658 and G2532 have been G4222 all G3956 made to drink G4222 into G1519 one G1520 Spirit. G4151
Which G3748 is G2076 his G846 body, G4983 the fulness G4138 of him that filleth G4137 all G3956 in G1722 all. G3956
There is G1762 neither G3756 Jew G2453 nor G3761 Greek, G1672 there is G1762 neither G3756 bond G1401 nor G3761 free, G1658 there is G1762 neither G3756 male G730 nor G2532 female: G2338 for G1063 ye G5210 are G2075 all G3956 one G1520 in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus. G2424 And G1161 if G1487 ye G5210 be Christ's, G5547 then G686 are ye G2075 Abraham's G11 seed, G4690 and G2532 heirs G2818 according G2596 to the promise. G1860
That the Gentiles G1484 should be G1511 fellowheirs, G4789 and G2532 of the same body, G4954 and G2532 partakers G4830 of his G846 promise G1860 in G1722 Christ G5547 by G1223 the gospel: G2098
G3739 Even G2532 us, G2248 whom G3739 he hath called, G2564 not G3756 of G1537 the Jews G2453 only, G3440 but G235 also G2532 of G1537 the Gentiles? G1484 As he saith G3004 also G2532 in G1722 Osee, G5617 I will call G2564 them my G3450 people, G2992 which were not G3756 my G3450 people; G2992 and G2532 her beloved, G25 which was G25 not G3756 beloved. G25 And G2532 it shall come to pass, G2071 that in G1722 the place G5117 where G3757 G3739 it was said G4483 unto them, G846 Ye G5210 are not G3756 my G3450 people; G2992 there G1563 shall they be called G2564 the children G5207 of the living G2198 God. G2316
And G1161 if G1487 Christ G5547 be in G1722 you, G5213 the body G4983 G3303 is dead G3498 because G1223 of sin; G266 but G1161 the Spirit G4151 is life G2222 because G1223 of righteousness. G1343 But G1161 if G1487 the Spirit G4151 of him that raised up G1453 Jesus G2424 from G1537 the dead G3498 dwell G3611 in G1722 you, G5213 he that raised up G1453 Christ G5547 from G1537 the dead G3498 shall G2227 also G2532 quicken G2227 your G5216 mortal G2349 bodies G4983 by G1223 his G846 Spirit G4151 that dwelleth G1774 G1774 in G1722 you. G5213
What G5101 shall we say G2046 then? G3767 That G3754 the Gentiles, G1484 which G3588 followed G1377 not G3361 after righteousness, G1343 have attained G2638 to righteousness, G1343 even G1161 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 faith. G4102 But G1161 Israel, G2474 which followed G1377 after the law G3551 of righteousness, G1343 hath G5348 not G3756 attained G5348 to G1519 the law G3551 of righteousness. G1343
And G1161 that the Gentiles G1484 might glorify G1392 God G2316 for G5228 his mercy; G1656 as G2531 it is written, G1125 For G1223 this G5124 cause G1223 I will confess G1843 to thee G4671 among G1722 the Gentiles, G1484 and G2532 sing G5567 unto thy G4675 name. G3686 And G2532 again G3825 he saith, G3004 Rejoice, ye G2165 Gentiles, G1484 with G3326 his G846 people. G2992 And G2532 again, G3825 Praise G134 the Lord, G2962 all G3956 ye G134 Gentiles; G1484 and G2532 laud G1867 him, G846 all ye G3956 people. G2992 And G2532 again, G3825 Esaias G2268 saith, G3004 There shall be G2071 a root G4491 of Jesse, G2421 and G2532 he that shall rise G450 to reign over G757 the Gentiles; G1484 in G1909 him G846 shall G1679 the Gentiles G1484 trust. G1679 Now G1161 the God G2316 of hope G1680 fill G4137 you G5209 with all G3956 joy G5479 and G2532 peace G1515 in G1722 believing, G4100 that G1519 ye G5209 may abound G4052 in G1722 hope, G1680 through G1722 the power G1411 of the Holy G40 Ghost. G4151
That G3704 no G3361 G3956 flesh G4561 should glory G2744 in his presence. G1799 G846 But G1161 of G1537 him G846 are G2075 ye G5210 in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus, G2424 who G3739 of G575 God G2316 is made G1096 unto us G2254 G5037 wisdom, G4678 and righteousness, G1343 and G2532 sanctification, G38 and G2532 redemption: G629
Therefore G5620 let G2744 no man G3367 glory G2744 in G1722 men. G444 For G1063 all things G3956 are G2076 yours; G5216 Whether G1535 Paul, G3972 or G1535 Apollos, G625 or G1535 Cephas, G2786 or G1535 the world, G2889 or G1535 life, G2222 or G1535 death, G2288 or G1535 things present, G1764 or G1535 things to come; G3195 all G3956 are G2076 yours; G5216 And G1161 ye G5210 are Christ's; G5547 and G1161 Christ G5547 is God's. G2316
Art thou called G2564 being a servant? G1401 care G3199 G4671 not G3361 for it: G3199 but G235 if G1499 thou mayest G1410 be made G1096 free, G1658 use G5530 it rather. G3123 For G1063 he that is called G2564 in G1722 the Lord, G2962 being a servant, G1401 is G2076 the Lord's G2962 freeman: G558 likewise G3668 also G2532 he that is called, G2564 being free, G1658 is G2076 Christ's G5547 servant. G1401
Therefore G3767 if G3362 I know G1492 not G3362 the meaning G1411 of the voice, G5456 I shall be G2071 unto him that speaketh G2980 a barbarian, G915 and G2532 he that speaketh G2980 shall be a barbarian G915 unto G1722 me. G1698
I am crucified G4957 with Christ: G5547 nevertheless G1161 I live; G2198 yet not G3765 I, G1473 but G1161 Christ G5547 liveth G2198 in G1722 me: G1698 and G1161 the life which G3739 I G2198 now G3568 live G2198 in G1722 the flesh G4561 I live G2198 by G1722 the faith G4102 of the Son G5207 of God, G2316 who G3588 loved G25 me, G3165 and G2532 gave G3860 himself G1438 for G5228 me. G1700
But G1161 God forbid G3361 G1096 that I G1698 should glory, G2744 save G1508 in G1722 the cross G4716 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 by G1223 whom G3739 the world G2889 is crucified G4717 unto me, G1698 and I G2504 unto the world. G2889 For G1063 in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 neither G3777 circumcision G4061 availeth G2480 any thing, G5100 nor G3777 uncircumcision, G203 but G235 a new G2537 creature. G2937
That Christ G5547 may dwell G2730 in G1722 your G5216 hearts G2588 by G1223 faith; G4102 that G2443 ye, being rooted G4492 and G2532 grounded G2311 in G1722 love, G26
But G235 what things G3748 were G2258 gain G2771 to me, G3427 those G5023 I counted G2233 loss G2209 for G1223 Christ. G5547 Yea G235 doubtless, G3304 and G2532 I count G2233 all things G3956 but loss G2209 for G1511 G1223 the excellency G5242 of the knowledge G1108 of Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 my G3450 Lord: G2962 for G1223 whom G3739 I have suffered the loss G2210 of all things, G3956 and G2532 do count G2233 them G1511 but dung, G4657 that G2443 I may win G2770 Christ, G5547 And G2532 be found G2147 in G1722 him, G846 not G3361 having G2192 mine own G1699 righteousness, G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 the law, G3551 but G235 that which G3588 is through G1223 the faith G4102 of Christ, G5547 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 God G2316 by G1909 faith: G4102
And G2532 ye are G2075 complete G4137 in G1722 him, G846 which G3739 is G2076 the head G2776 of all G3956 principality G746 and G2532 power: G1849
And G2532 this G3778 is G2076 the record, G3141 that G3754 God G2316 hath given G1325 to us G2254 eternal G166 life, G2222 and G2532 this G3778 life G2222 is G2076 in G1722 his G846 Son. G5207 He that hath G2192 the Son G5207 hath G2192 life; G2222 and he that hath G2192 not G3361 the Son G5207 of God G2316 hath G2192 not G3756 life. G2222
And G1161 we know G1492 that G3754 the Son G5207 of God G2316 is come, G2240 and G2532 hath given G1325 us G2254 an understanding, G1271 that G2443 we may know G1097 him that is true, G228 and G2532 we are G2070 in G1722 him that is true, G228 even in G1722 his G846 Son G5207 Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547 This G3778 is G2076 the true G228 God, G2316 and G2532 eternal G166 life. G2222
Whosoever G3956 transgresseth, G3845 and G2532 abideth G3306 not G3361 in G1722 the doctrine G1322 of Christ, G5547 hath G2192 not G3756 God. G2316 He that abideth G3306 in G1722 the doctrine G1322 of Christ, G5547 he G3778 hath G2192 both G2532 the Father G3962 and G2532 the Son. G5207
He that eateth G5176 my G3450 flesh, G4561 and G2532 drinketh G4095 my G3450 blood, G129 dwelleth G3306 in G1722 me, G1698 and I G2504 in G1722 him. G846 As G2531 the living G2198 Father G3962 hath sent G649 me, G3165 and I G2504 live G2198 by G1223 the Father: G3962 so G2532 he that eateth G5176 me, G3165 even he G2548 shall live G2198 by G1223 me. G1691
In that day H3117 shall there be a highway H4546 out of Egypt H4714 to Assyria, H804 and the Assyrian H804 shall come H935 into Egypt, H4714 and the Egyptian H4714 into Assyria, H804 and the Egyptians H4714 shall serve H5647 with the Assyrians. H804 In that day H3117 shall Israel H3478 be the third H7992 with Egypt H4714 and with Assyria, H804 even a blessing H1293 in the midst H7130 of the land: H776 Whom the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 shall bless, H1288 saying, H559 Blessed H1288 be Egypt H4714 my people, H5971 and Assyria H804 the work H4639 of my hands, H3027 and Israel H3478 mine inheritance. H5159
And he said, H559 It is a light thing H7043 that thou shouldest be my servant H5650 to raise up H6965 the tribes H7626 of Jacob, H3290 and to restore H7725 the preserved H5341 H5336 of Israel: H3478 I will also give H5414 thee for a light H216 to the Gentiles, H1471 that thou mayest be my salvation H3444 unto the end H7097 of the earth. H776
The LORD H3068 hath made bare H2834 his holy H6944 arm H2220 in the eyes H5869 of all the nations; H1471 and all the ends H657 of the earth H776 shall see H7200 the salvation H3444 of our God. H430
For I know their works H4639 and their thoughts: H4284 it shall come, H935 that I will gather H6908 all nations H1471 and tongues; H3956 and they shall come, H935 and see H7200 my glory. H3519 And I will set H7760 a sign H226 among them, and I will send H7971 those that escape H6412 of them unto the nations, H1471 to Tarshish, H8659 Pul, H6322 and Lud, H3865 that draw H4900 the bow, H7198 to Tubal, H8422 and Javan, H3120 to the isles H339 afar off, H7350 that have not heard H8085 my fame, H8088 neither have seen H7200 my glory; H3519 and they shall declare H5046 my glory H3519 among the Gentiles. H1471 And they shall bring H935 all your brethren H251 for an offering H4503 unto the LORD H3068 out of all nations H1471 upon horses, H5483 and in chariots, H7393 and in litters, H6632 and upon mules, H6505 and upon swift beasts, H3753 to my holy H6944 mountain H2022 Jerusalem, H3389 saith H559 the LORD, H3068 as the children H1121 of Israel H3478 bring H935 an offering H4503 in a clean H2889 vessel H3627 into the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 And I will also take H3947 of them for priests H3548 and for Levites, H3881 saith H559 the LORD. H3068 For as the new H2319 heavens H8064 and the new H2319 earth, H776 which I will make, H6213 shall remain H5975 before H6440 me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 so shall your seed H2233 and your name H8034 remain. H5975
O LORD, H3068 my strength, H5797 and my fortress, H4581 and my refuge H4498 in the day H3117 of affliction, H6869 the Gentiles H1471 shall come H935 unto thee from the ends H657 of the earth, H776 and shall say, H559 Surely our fathers H1 have inherited H5157 lies, H8267 vanity, H1892 and things wherein there is no profit. H3276
And many H7227 nations H1471 shall come, H1980 and say, H559 Come, H3212 and let us go up H5927 to the mountain H2022 of the LORD, H3068 and to the house H1004 of the God H430 of Jacob; H3290 and he will teach H3384 us of his ways, H1870 and we will walk H3212 in his paths: H734 for the law H8451 shall go forth H3318 of Zion, H6726 and the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 from Jerusalem. H3389
And many H7227 nations H1471 shall be joined H3867 to the LORD H3068 in that day, H3117 and shall be my people: H5971 and I will dwell H7931 in the midst H8432 of thee, and thou shalt know H3045 that the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 hath sent H7971 me unto thee.
Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come H935 people, H5971 and the inhabitants H3427 of many H7227 cities: H5892 And the inhabitants H3427 of one H259 city shall go H1980 to another, H259 saying, H559 Let us go H3212 speedily H1980 to pray H2470 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and to seek H1245 the LORD H3068 of hosts: H6635 I will go H3212 also. Yea, many H7227 people H5971 and strong H6099 nations H1471 shall come H935 to seek H1245 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 in Jerusalem, H3389 and to pray H2470 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 In those days H3117 it shall come to pass, that ten H6235 men H582 shall take hold H2388 out of all languages H3956 of the nations, H1471 even shall take hold H2388 of the skirt H3671 of him that is a Jew, H376 H3064 saying, H559 We will go H3212 with you: for we have heard H8085 that God H430 is with you.
For from the rising H4217 of the sun H8121 even unto the going down H3996 of the same my name H8034 shall be great H1419 among the Gentiles; H1471 and in every place H4725 incense H6999 shall be offered H5066 unto my name, H8034 and a pure H2889 offering: H4503 for my name H8034 shall be great H1419 among the heathen, H1471 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
Behold G2400 my G3450 servant, G3816 whom G3739 I have chosen; G140 my G3450 beloved, G27 in G1519 whom G3739 my G3450 soul G5590 is well pleased: G2106 I will put G5087 my G3450 spirit G4151 upon G1909 him, G846 and G2532 he shall shew G518 judgment G2920 to the Gentiles. G1484 He shall G2051 not G3756 strive, G2051 nor G3761 cry; G2905 neither G3761 shall any man G5100 hear G191 his G846 voice G5456 in G1722 the streets. G4113 A bruised G4937 reed G2563 shall he G2608 not G3756 break, G2608 and G2532 smoking G5188 flax G3043 shall he G4570 not G3756 quench, G4570 till G2193 G302 he send forth G1544 judgment G2920 unto G1519 victory. G3534 And G2532 in G1722 his G846 name G3686 shall G1679 the Gentiles G1484 trust. G1679
Jesus G2424 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 If G1437 a man G5100 love G25 me, G3165 he will keep G5083 my G3450 words: G3056 and G2532 my G3450 Father G3962 will love G25 him, G846 and G2532 we will come G2064 unto G4314 him, G846 and G2532 make G4160 our abode G3438 with G3844 him. G846
I G1473 am G1510 the vine, G288 ye G5210 are the branches: G2814 He that abideth G3306 in G1722 me, G1698 and I G2504 in G1722 him, G846 the same G3778 bringeth forth G5342 much G4183 fruit: G2590 for G3754 without G5565 me G1700 ye can G1410 do G4160 nothing. G3756 G3762
I G1473 in G1722 them, G846 and G2532 thou G4771 in G1722 me, G1698 that G2443 they may be G5600 made perfect G5048 in G1519 one; G1520 and G2532 that G2443 the world G2889 may know G1097 that G3754 thou G4771 hast sent G649 me, G3165 and G2532 hast loved G25 them, G846 as G2531 thou hast loved G25 me. G1691
Then G1161 Peter G4074 opened G455 his mouth, G4750 and said, G2036 Of G1909 a truth G225 I perceive G2638 that G3754 God G2316 is G2076 no G3756 respecter of persons: G4381 But G235 in G1722 every G3956 nation G1484 he that feareth G5399 him, G846 and G2532 worketh G2038 righteousness, G1343 is G2076 accepted G1184 with him. G846
Then G1161 Paul G3972 and G2532 Barnabas G921 waxed bold, G3955 and said, G2036 It was G2258 necessary G316 that the word G3056 of God G2316 should G2980 first G4412 have been spoken G2980 to you: G5213 but G1161 seeing G1894 ye put G683 it G846 from you, G683 and G2532 judge G2919 yourselves G1438 unworthy G3756 G514 of everlasting G166 life, G2222 lo, G2400 we turn G4762 to G1519 the Gentiles. G1484 For G1063 so G3779 hath G1781 the Lord G2962 commanded G1781 us, G2254 saying, I have set G5087 thee G4571 to be G1519 a light G5457 of the Gentiles, G1484 that thou G4571 shouldest be G1511 for G1519 salvation G4991 unto G2193 the ends G2078 of the earth. G1093 And G1161 when the Gentiles G1484 heard this, G191 they were glad, G5463 and G2532 glorified G1392 the word G3056 of the Lord: G2962 and G2532 as many as G3745 were G2258 ordained G5021 to G1519 eternal G166 life G2222 believed. G4100
Delivering G1807 thee G4571 from G1537 the people, G2992 and G2532 from the Gentiles, G1484 unto G1519 whom G3739 now G3568 I send G649 thee, G4571 To open G455 their G846 eyes, G3788 and to turn G1994 them from G575 darkness G4655 to G1519 light, G5457 and G2532 from the power G1849 of Satan G4567 unto G1909 God, G2316 that they G846 may receive G2983 forgiveness G859 of sins, G266 and G2532 inheritance G2819 among G1722 them which are sanctified G37 by faith G4102 that is in G1519 me. G1691
And G1161 when G5613 the barbarians G915 saw G1492 the venomous beast G2342 hang G2910 on G1537 his G846 hand, G5495 they said G3004 among G4314 themselves, G240 No doubt G3843 this G3778 man G444 is G2076 a murderer, G5406 whom, G3739 though he hath escaped G1295 G1537 the sea, G2281 yet vengeance G1349 suffereth G1439 not G3756 to live. G2198
Is he G2228 the God G2316 of the Jews G2453 only? G3440 is he not G3780 also G1161 G2532 of the Gentiles? G1484 Yes, G3483 of the Gentiles G1484 also: G2532
How G4459 was it G3049 then G3767 reckoned? G3049 when he was G5607 in G1722 circumcision, G4061 or G2228 in G1722 uncircumcision? G203 Not G3756 in G1722 circumcision, G4061 but G235 in G1722 uncircumcision. G203 And G2532 he received G2983 the sign G4592 of circumcision, G4061 a seal G4973 of the righteousness G1343 of the faith G4102 which G3588 he had yet being G1722 uncircumcised: G203 that G1519 he G846 might be G1511 the father G3962 of all G3956 them that believe, G4100 though G1223 they be not circumcised; G203 that G1519 righteousness G1343 might be imputed G3049 unto them G846 also: G2532
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Colossians 3
Commentary on Colossians 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
Col 3:1-4
The apostle, having described our privileges by Christ in the former part of the epistle, and our discharge from the yoke of the ceremonial law, comes here to press upon us our duty as inferred thence. Though we are made free from the obligation of the ceremonial law, it does not therefore follow that we may live as we list. We must walk the more closely with God in all the instances of evangelical obedience. He begins with exhorting them to set their hearts on heaven, and take them off from this world: If you then have risen with Christ. It is our privilege that we have risen with Christ; that is, have benefit by the resurrection of Christ, and by virtue of our union and communion with him are justified and sanctified, and shall be glorified. Hence he infers that we must seek those things which are above. We must mind the concerns of another world more than the concerns of this. We must make heaven our scope and aim, seek the favour of God above, keep up our communion with the upper world by faith, and hope, and holy love, and make it our constant care and business to secure our title to and qualifications for the heavenly bliss. And the reason is because Christ sits at the right hand of God. He who is our best friend and our head is advanced to the highest dignity and honour in heaven, and has gone before to secure to us the heavenly happiness; and therefore we should seek and secure what he has purchased at so vast an expense, and is taking so much care about. We must live such a life as Christ lived here on earth and lives now in heaven, according to our capacities.
Col 3:5-7
The apostle exhorts the Colossians to the mortification of sin, the great hindrance to seeking the things which are above. Since it is our duty to set our affections upon heavenly things, it is our duty to mortify our members which are upon the earth, and which naturally incline us to the things of the world: "Mortify them, that is, subdue the vicious habits of mind which prevailed in your Gentile state. Kill them, suppress them, as you do weeds or vermin which spread and destroy all about them, or as you kill an enemy who fights against you and wounds you.'-Your members which are upon the earth; either the members of the body, which are the earthly part of us, and were curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth (Ps. 139:15), or the corrupt affections of the mind, which lead us to earthly things, the members of the body of death, Rom. 7:24. He specifies,
Col 3:8-11
As we are to mortify inordinate appetites, so we are to mortify inordinate passions (v. 8): But now you also put off all these, anger wrath, malice; for these are contrary to the design of the gospel, as well as grosser impurities; and, though they are more spiritual wickedness, have not less malignity in them. The gospel religion introduces a change of the higher as well as the lower powers of the soul, and supports the dominion of right reason and conscience over appetite and passion. Anger and wrath are bad, but malice is worse, because it is more rooted and deliberate; it is anger heightened and settled. And, as the corrupt principles in the heart must be cut off, so the product of them in the tongue; as blasphemy, which seems there to mean, not so much speaking ill of God as speaking ill of men, giving ill language to them, or raising ill reports of them, and injuring their good name by any evil arts,-filthy communication, that is, all lewd and wanton discourse, which comes from a polluted mind in the speaker and propagates the same defilements in the hearers,-and lying: Lie not one to another (v. 9), for it is contrary both to the law of truth and the law of love, it is both unjust and unkind, and naturally tends to destroy all faith and friendship among mankind. Lying makes us like the devil (who is the father of lies), and is a prime part of the devil's image upon our souls; and therefore we are cautioned against this sin by this general reason: Seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, v. 10. The consideration that we have by profession put away sin and espoused the cause and interest of Christ, that we have renounced all sin and stand engaged to Christ, should fortify us against this sin of lying. Those who have put off the old man have put it off with its deeds; and those who have put on the new man must put on all its deeds-not only espouse good principles but act them in a good conversation. The new man is said to be renewed in knowledge, because an ignorant soul cannot be a good soul. Without knowledge the heart cannot be good, Prov. 19:2. The grace of God works upon the will and affections by renewing the understanding. Light is the first thing in the new creation, as it was in the first: after the image of him who created him. It was the honour of man in innocence that he was made after the image of God; but that image was defaced and lost by sin, and is renewed by sanctifying grace: so that a renewed soul is something like what Adam was in the day he was created. In the privilege and duty of sanctification there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, v. 11. There is now no difference arising from different country or different condition and circumstance of life: it is as much the duty of the one as of the other to be holy, and as much the privilege of the one as of the other to receive from God the grace to be so. Christ came to take down all partition-walls, that all might stand on the same level before God, both in duty and privilege. And for this reason, because Christ is all in all. Christ is a Christian's all, his only Lord and Saviour, and all his hope and happiness. And to those who are sanctified, one as well as another and whatever they are in other respects, he is all in all, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: he is all in all things to them.
Col 3:12-17
The apostle proceeds to exhort to mutual love and compassion: Put on therefore bowels of mercy, v. 12. We must not only put off anger and wrath (as v. 8), but we must put on compassion and kindness; not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well; not only not do hurt to any, but do what good we can to all.
Col 3:18-25
The apostle concludes the chapter with exhortations to relative duties, as before in the epistle to the Ephesians. The epistles which are most taken up in displaying the glory of divine grace, and magnifying the Lord Jesus, are the most particular and distinct in pressing the duties of the several relations. We must never separate the privileges and duties of the gospel religion.
It is probable that the apostle has a particular respect, in all these instances of duty, to the case mentioned 1 Co. 7 of relations of a different religion, as a Christian and heathen, a Jewish convert and an uncircumcised Gentile, where there was room to doubt whether they were bound to fulfil the proper duties of their several relations to such persons. And, if it hold in such cases, it is much stronger upon Christians one towards another, and where both are of the same religion. And how happy would the gospel religion make the world, if it every where prevailed; and how much would it influence every state of things and every relation of life!