3 For G1063 ye are dead, G599 and G2532 your G5216 life G2222 is hid G2928 with G4862 Christ G5547 in G1722 God. G2316
Wherefore G3767 if G1487 ye be dead G599 with G4862 Christ G5547 from G575 the rudiments G4747 of the world, G2889 why, G5101 as though G5613 living G2198 in G1722 the world, G2889 are ye subject to ordinances, G1379
God forbid. G3361 G1096 How G4459 shall we, that G3748 are dead G599 to sin, G266 live G2198 any longer G2089 therein? G1722 G846
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
For G1063 the law G3551 of the Spirit G4151 of life G2222 in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 hath made G1659 me G3165 free G1659 from G575 the law G3551 of sin G266 and G2532 death. G2288
For G1063 the love G26 of Christ G5547 constraineth G4912 us; G2248 because we thus G5124 judge, G2919 that G3754 if G1487 one G1520 died G599 for G5228 all, G3956 then G686 were G599 all G3956 dead: G599
Verily, G281 verily, G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 G3754 He that heareth G191 my G3450 word, G3056 and G2532 believeth G4100 on him that sent G3992 me, G3165 hath G2192 everlasting G166 life, G2222 and G2532 shall G2064 not G3756 come G2064 into G1519 condemnation; G2920 but G235 is passed G3327 from G1537 death G2288 unto G1519 life. G2222
But G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 drinketh G4095 of G1537 the water G5204 that G3739 I G1473 shall give G1325 him G846 shall G1372 never G1519 G165 G3364 thirst; G1372 but G235 the water G5204 that G3739 I shall give G1325 him G846 shall be G1096 in G1722 him G846 a well G4077 of water G5204 springing up G242 into G1519 everlasting G166 life. G2222
For G1063 God G2316 so G3779 loved G25 the world, G2889 that G5620 he gave G1325 his G846 only begotten G3439 Son, G5207 that G2443 whosoever G3956 believeth G4100 in G1519 him G846 should G622 not G3361 perish, G622 but G235 have G2192 everlasting G166 life. G2222
At G1722 that G1565 time G2540 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 because G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes. G3516
Who G5101 is he that condemneth? G2632 It is Christ G5547 that died, G599 yea G1161 rather, G3123 G2532 that is risen again, G1453 who G3739 is G2076 even G2532 at G1722 the right hand G1188 of God, G2316 who G3739 also G2532 maketh intercession G1793 for G5228 us. G2257 Who G5101 shall separate G5563 us G2248 from G575 the love G26 of Christ? G5547 shall tribulation, G2347 or G2228 distress, G4730 or G2228 persecution, G1375 or G2228 famine, G3042 or G2228 nakedness, G1132 or G2228 peril, G2794 or G2228 sword? G3162 As G2531 it is written, G1125 G3754 For thy G4675 sake G1752 we are killed G2289 all G3650 the day long; G2250 we are accounted G3049 as G5613 sheep G4263 for the slaughter. G4967 Nay, G235 in G1722 all G3956 these things G5125 we are more than conquerors G5245 through G1223 him that loved G25 us. G2248 For G1063 I am persuaded, G3982 that G3754 neither G3777 death, G2288 nor G3777 life, G2222 nor G3777 angels, G32 nor G3777 principalities, G746 nor G3777 powers, G1411 nor G3777 things present, G1764 nor G3777 things to come, G3195 Nor G3777 height, G5313 nor G3777 depth, G899 nor G3777 any G5100 other G2087 creature, G2937 shall be able G1410 to separate G5563 us G2248 from G575 the love G26 of God, G2316 which is in G1722 Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 our G2257 Lord. G2962
Yet G2089 a little while, G3397 and G2532 the world G2889 seeth G2334 me G3165 no more; G3765 but G1161 ye G5210 see G2334 me: G3165 because G3754 I G1473 live, G2198 ye G5210 shall live G2198 also. G2532
And I G2504 give G1325 unto them G846 eternal G166 life; G2222 and G2532 they shall G622 never G3364 G1519 G165 perish, G622 neither G2532 G3756 shall G726 any G5100 man pluck G726 them G846 out of G1537 my G3450 hand. G5495 My G3450 Father, G3962 which G3739 gave G1325 them me, G3427 is G2076 greater than G3187 all; G3956 and G2532 no G3762 man is able G1410 to pluck G726 them out of G1537 my G3450 Father's G3962 hand. G5495 I G1473 and G2532 my Father G3962 are G2070 one. G1520
And G1161 this G5124 is G2076 the Father's G3962 will G2307 which G3588 hath sent G3992 me, G3165 that G2443 of all G3956 which G3739 he hath given G1325 me G3427 I should lose G622 nothing, G3361 G1537 G846 but G235 should raise G450 it G846 up again G450 at G1722 the last G2078 day. G2250 And G1161 this G5124 is G2076 the will G2307 of him that sent G3992 me, G3165 that G2443 every one G3956 which G3588 seeth G2334 the Son, G5207 and G2532 believeth G4100 on G1519 him, G846 may have G2192 everlasting G166 life: G2222 and G2532 I G1473 will raise G450 him G846 up G450 at the last G2078 day. G2250
And G2532 ye will G2309 not G3756 come G2064 to G4314 me, G3165 that G2443 ye might have G2192 life. G2222
That G2443 as G5618 sin G266 hath reigned G936 unto G1722 death, G2288 even G2532 so G3779 might G936 grace G5485 reign G936 through G1223 righteousness G1343 unto G1519 eternal G166 life G2222 by G1223 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 our G2257 Lord. G2962
He that hath G2192 an ear, G3775 let him hear G191 what G5101 the Spirit G4151 saith G3004 unto the churches; G1577 To him G846 that overcometh G3528 will I give G1325 to eat G5315 of G575 the hidden G2928 manna, G3131 and G2532 will give G1325 him G846 a white G3022 stone, G5586 and G2532 in G1909 the stone G5586 a new G2537 name G3686 written, G1125 which G3739 no man G3762 knoweth G1097 saving G1508 he that receiveth G2983 it.
Beloved, G27 now G3568 are we G2070 the sons G5043 of God, G2316 and G2532 it doth G5319 not yet G3768 appear G5319 what G5101 we shall be: G2071 but G1161 we know G1492 that, G3754 when G1437 he shall appear, G5319 we shall be G2071 like G3664 him; G846 for G3754 we shall see G3700 him G846 as G2531 he is. G2076
But G235 let it be the hidden G2927 man G444 of the heart, G2588 in G1722 that which is not corruptible, G862 even the ornament of a meek G4239 and G2532 quiet G2272 spirit, G4151 which G3739 is G2076 in the sight G1799 of God G2316 of great price. G4185
Blessed G2128 be the God G2316 and G2532 Father G3962 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 which G3588 according to G2596 his G846 abundant G4183 mercy G1656 hath begotten G313 us G2248 again G313 unto G1519 a lively G2198 hope G1680 by G1223 the resurrection G386 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 from G1537 the dead, G3498 To G1519 an inheritance G2817 incorruptible, G862 and G2532 undefiled, G283 and G2532 that fadeth not away, G263 reserved G5083 in G1722 heaven G3772 for G1519 you, G5209 Who G3588 are kept G5432 by G1722 the power G1411 of God G2316 through G1223 faith G4102 unto G1519 salvation G4991 ready G2092 to be revealed G601 in G1722 the last G2078 time. G2540
Wherefore G3606 he is able G1410 also G2532 to save them G4982 to G1519 the uttermost G3838 that come G4334 unto God G2316 by G1223 him, G846 seeing he ever G3842 liveth G2198 to G1519 make intercession G1793 for G5228 them. G846
For G1223 the hope G1680 which G3588 is laid up G606 for you G5213 in G1722 heaven, G3772 whereof G3739 ye heard before G4257 in G1722 the word G3056 of the truth G225 of the gospel; G2098
And G2532 so G3779 it is written, G1125 The first G4413 man G444 Adam G76 was made G1096 G1519 a living G2198 soul; G5590 the last G2078 Adam G76 was made G1519 a quickening G2227 spirit. G4151
But G1161 the natural G5591 man G444 receiveth G1209 not G3756 the things G3588 of the Spirit G4151 of God: G2316 for G1063 they are G2076 foolishness G3472 unto him: G846 neither G2532 G3756 can G1410 he know G1097 them, because G3754 they are spiritually G4153 discerned. G350
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!