The Colossians also, like the Laodiceans, are Asians; and they too had been forestalled by false apostles, nor did the Apostle himself come to them, but he corrects these also by an epistle. For they had heard the word from Archippus, who had also received a ministry among them. Therefore the Apostle, now bound, writes to them from Ephesus. And first of all he praises them for having heard of their great faith. Then he warns them not to be led astray by philosophy or the ceremonies of the Law. CHAPTER ONE. 'Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy a brother' — not by my own merits, but by the will of God. 'To those who are at Colossae' — that is, to the Church. 'To the holy and faithful brethren in Christ Jesus' — not in the flesh. 'Grace to you, and peace from God our Father.'
'We give thanks to God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, for your faith in Christ Jesus.' It is to be noted that he always puts grace first, by which we are saved without any merits of our own. 'And the love which you have toward all the saints' — without exception of acquaintance or person, in all men you love holiness alone. 'For the hope which is laid up for you' — not that you may be seen as saints by men. 'In heaven; of which you have heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel, which has come to you' — the word of eternal life. 'As it is also in the whole world, and bears fruit' — one thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, another a hundredfold. 'And grows, as it does also in you' — in the number of believers.
'From the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.' He knows the grace of God in truth who is not ungrateful for the grace of God, who ascribes nothing to his own merits, but gives glory to Him by whose gift is whatever he is. 'As you learned it from Epaphras, our most beloved fellow-servant' — who had expounded to them that everything they could do was God's. 'Who is a faithful minister of Christ Jesus for you' — faithfully bending himself in prayer for you, he ministers to the will of Christ. 'Who also has declared to us your love in the Spirit' — which you have in spiritual things. 'For this cause we also, from the day we heard it, do not cease praying for you and asking, that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will.'
For you cannot do it otherwise. Understanding which, the prophet said to the Lord: 'Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.' 'In all wisdom' — of the Law of God. 'And spiritual understanding' — which may make one both understanding and hearing spiritual. 'That you may walk.' He has expounded what he had said obscurely: how God gives the willing, and helps, and confirms, by inspiring, by teaching wisdom, and by giving understanding through His grace; by restoring the freedom of the will and confirming it by His daily grace: just as here he prays that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom, by which they may be able to walk worthily of God in all things.
'Worthily, pleasing God in all things, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.' He walks worthily of God who pleases Him in all things: that is, in every good work, so that the knowledge of God may increase, and its fruit. 'In all strength.' Strength is when one overcomes the inveterate habit of vices, or the weakness of the flesh in suffering. 'Strengthened according to the power' — that you also may likewise endure all things. 'Of His brightness, in all patience and long-suffering' — of glory. 'With joy giving thanks to God the Father' — not from necessity. 'Who has made us worthy' — let your calling gladden you more than sufferings sadden you. 'Unto the portion of the lot of the saints' — the 'lot' we frequently find in the Scriptures for 'inheritance.' 'In light.'
Of the knowledge of God, from ignorance. 'Who has rescued us from the power of darkness' — because whoever is overcome by another is that one's slave. It is to be noted that He Himself rescued us, not our own strength or nature, by which we were children of wrath. 'And has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love' — from the kingdom of error and death, that we might be beloved and sons. 'In whom we have redemption' — through His blood. 'And the remission of sins' — redeemed by His blood, through baptism He remitted sins. 'Who is the image of the invisible God' — according to His humanity without sin; for according to His divinity He is not the image but the truth. Through this image the Lord showed the Father to Philip. This image is truth, this image is justice, not mute, because it is the Word of God;
not insensible, because it is wisdom; not empty, because it is power; not void, because it is the fullness of life; not dead, because it is the resurrection. Image, equality, and likeness are to be distinguished: for where there is image, there is straightway likeness, but not straightway equality. Where there is equality, there is straightway likeness, but not straightway image. Where there is likeness, there is not straightway image, not straightway equality: as in a mirror there is the image of a man, because it is expressed from him; there is also necessarily likeness, but not equality, because many things are lacking to the image which nonetheless are present in the thing from which it is expressed. Where there is equality, there is straightway likeness, but not straightway image, as in two equal eggs, because there is equality, there is also likeness;
for whatever things are present in the one are present also in the other; yet there is no image, because neither is expressed from the other. Where there is likeness, there is not straightway image, not straightway equality: for indeed every egg is like every egg, insofar as it is an egg; but a partridge's egg, although insofar as it is an egg it is like a hen's egg, is nevertheless not the image of it, because it is not expressed from it; nor is it equal, because it is smaller, and of another kind of animal. But when it is said 'not straightway,' it is understood that it can sometimes be. There can therefore be an image in which there is also equality: as in parents and children, image and equality and likeness would be found, if the interval of time were absent;
for from the parent is expressed the likeness of the son, so that it is rightly called an image; and it can be so great that it may rightly even be called equality, except that the parent preceded in time. From which it is understood that sometimes a thing has not only likeness but even image with equality, as is manifest in the above example. Sometimes too there can be likeness and equality, although there is no image, as was said of two equal eggs. There can also be likeness and image, although there is no equality, as we showed in the mirror. And there can be likeness where there is both equality and image, as we mentioned concerning children, except for the time by which parents precede. For thus we call one syllable equal to a syllable,
although one precedes and the other follows. But in God, because the condition of time is absent — for God cannot rightly be seen to have begotten the Son in time, through whom He created times — it follows that He is not only His image, because He is from Him, and His likeness, because He is His image; but also equality so great that not even the interval of time is any hindrance. Again, otherwise: Why, since an image has likeness in paintings, do men not wish them to be dissimilar? Yet Arius contends for a dissimilar one, and wishes that the Father should beget one dissimilar to Himself. 'The firstborn of every creature' — of every rational creature.
First made according to the flesh, he says 'firstborn,' not 'first created,' so that He may be believed both begotten by nature and first for perpetuity; or certainly 'firstborn from the dead.' 'For in Him were created all things in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.' 'In Him,' because He is always the same, as Jude says: 'Jesus delivered His people out of the land of Egypt.' And, 'No one has ascended into heaven, save He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.' 'All things were created through Him and in Him' — and through Him all things were made, and what was made, in Him is life. 'And He is before all' — creatures. 'And all things consist in Him' — they live.
'And He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.' In this way He is the head of the Church. 'That in all things He might hold the primacy' — therefore He rose first. 'Because in Him it pleased that all the fullness of the divinity should dwell.' For in no other has divinity so dwelt. For in others grace was in part, in Him nature perfect. 'Bodily.' For divinity is not a body.
But because he calls the sacraments of the Old Testament the shadow of things to come, on account of the comparison of shadows, he said that the fullness of the divinity dwells 'bodily' in Christ, in that all the things which were prefigured in those shadows are fulfilled in Him, and thus in a certain manner He is the body of those shadows, that is, He is the truth of those figures and significations. Again, otherwise: 'Perfectly,' as if he said 'summarily.' 'And through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself' — earthly things to heavenly, which had been separated from them by the contrariety of life; whence the Lord teaches us to pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven. 'Making peace through the blood of His cross, whether the things in heaven or the things on earth' — through which men have been amended.
'And you, though you were once alienated and enemies in mind by evil works.' He has expounded our enmities with God and His ministers. 'Yet now He has reconciled you in the body of His flesh through death' — in which you were all baptized. 'To present you holy and immaculate' — lest you make His benefit void, and again become enemies. 'And blameless.' Consider how perfect he wishes each believer to be. 'Before Him' — not before men. 'If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and stable and immovable.' Then you will be able to be immaculate, if the examples of men do not deceive you, but you firmly believe the things to come. 'From the hope of the Gospel, which you have heard.'
The hope of the Gospel none can hope for save those who live according to it. 'Which was preached in the whole creation which is under heaven.' It is to be noted that every man is called 'all creation.' 'Of which I Paul am made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you.' He suffers for us, that he may build up. But for us too Christ suffered first. 'And I fill up those things that are lacking of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh, for His body' — for Christ was brought to death by the Jews alone; therefore for His Church, and among the Gentiles, Christ began His passion but did not complete it. But in His body, that is, in the Church, it is now being filled up. 'Which is the Church, of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me toward you.'
By the gift of the Holy Spirit, and of evangelical doctrine, which you are commanded to dispense. 'That I may fulfil the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations' — that through me the preaching may be fulfilled. 'But now is made manifest to His saints' — at the time when He willed to reveal it. 'To whom God willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles' — because the same God, rich unto all, did as He willed, since His will is just. 'Which is Christ in you' — He Himself is the mystery which has been made manifest to the Gentiles. 'The hope of glory, whom we preach' — to you, through whom you hope for future glory. 'Warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom.'
Jew and Greek, slave and free. And this too is to be noted, that he wishes to present all men perfect, according to that perfection of which he elsewhere says: 'As many as are perfect, let us be thus minded'; though he had earlier said, 'Brethren, I do not reckon myself to have apprehended,' and the rest. But there is a certain imperfect perfection, so that a man may know that he is not perfect in this life. 'That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus' — said by synecdoche, the whole for the part. 'Wherein I also labour, striving according to His working, which He works in me in power' — of signs. CHAPTER II. 'For I would have you know what solicitude I have for you, and for those who are at Laodicea' — an agony.
'And for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be comforted, being instructed in charity, and unto all the riches of the fullness of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.' Because if they had seen me, and had more fully known my charity toward them and the riches of the mystery of God, they would both prove the greater affection of my presence, and be taught the abundance of reasoning by me, who properly learned from Christ. 'In whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge' — which lay hidden, although they were in the letters of the Law, as Isaiah says, 'In the treasures is our salvation'; Christ came, wisdom and knowledge from the Lord. These are the sevenfold treasures of the graces of the Holy Spirit. 'Hidden.'
Which were covered from Moses by the veil. 'This I say, that no one may deceive you by loftiness of words.' Therefore I say it would have been better that I should instruct you in person; but nonetheless I have briefly comprised it, that all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge is in Him, so that any word or opinion which is apart from Him you should not only not admire, but even reckon it foolishness. 'For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit.' He had this grace, that though placed elsewhere, he might know what was being done elsewhere: just as Elisha saw in spirit Gehazi running after Naaman. 'Rejoicing, and beholding your order.' Both I see and I desire, being present, to fulfil all that is lacking. 'And the firm foundation of your faith which is in Christ.'
The supplement is to believe God to be true, and man to be true, one person in two substances; for this is the foundation of the faith, which suffices you for life, even though for the time being you may have somewhat less of knowledge. 'As therefore you have received Christ Jesus our Lord, so walk in Him, rooted' — believing Him to be God and man. 'And built up in Him' — according to the strong vigour of the foundation, may the building grow up. 'And confirmed in the faith, as also you have been taught' — of things to come. 'Abounding in Him in thanksgiving' — always increasing in Him, and rendering thanks more abundantly for His gifts. 'See that no one deceive you through philosophy and vain fallacy.'
He argues against the philosophers, whose every debate concerns the elements and visible creatures, and who reckon the power of God from natural things, saying that nothing can come into being from nothing; that the soul either has no beginning or is mortal; that a virgin cannot give birth; and that it is foolish to believe that God should be born of a man, die, and rise again. 'According to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world.' That is, according to seduction. 'And not according to Christ.' Whoever is wise according to Christ is soundly wise. 'For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead' — all the fullness of the divine power dwells in his body — 'bodily, and you are in him' — substantially and really. 'Filled' — he who is the head of every principality and power.
If you are taught the knowledge of him who gave a beginning even to the invisible creation, what can those confer upon you who understand nothing beyond what they see? 'In whom also you are circumcised with a circumcision not made by hand.' Here now he rebukes the Jews and false apostles, lest you be seduced even by them. 'In the stripping off of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Jesus Christ' — through which you have stripped off the whole old man. 'Buried together with him' — dead together with him — 'in baptism.' This is the circumcision of Christ. 'In whom also you have risen again through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.' You have risen into a new life, believing and understanding that this is his work. 'And you, when you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh.'
For not only the uncircumcised, but the circumcised likewise, were subject to eternal death. Since therefore you were doubly unworthy, you have been made partakers among the sons. 'He quickened you together with him, forgiving you all trespasses, blotting out what was against us' — by taking away the causes of the death of sin. 'The handwriting of the decree' — cancelling it — 'which was contrary to us.' Some say the handwriting is as it were a record of sins written down before God, whence he himself says in the Song: 'Are not these things gathered together with me, and sealed up in my treasures?' And in Jeremiah: 'The sin of Judah is written with a pen of adamant.' These, then, were blotted out on the cross, for by forgiving sins he also abolishes the memory of transgressions.
'Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree. And this he took out of the way, fastening it to the cross.' Not only did he put sins to death on the cross, but he also bestowed incorruption and rewards through an undeserved death. 'Stripping off the principalities and powers' — that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, by offering himself for those guilty of death. 'He led them forth confidently' — taking sins upon himself, and absolving sinners while he fastened those sins to the cross. 'Openly triumphing over them' — publicly crucified. 'In himself.'
Despising the shame, not by killing but by dying, not by using force but by enduring, so that with all pride broken he might give us an example of overcoming. 'Let no one therefore judge you in food or in drink.' In this, then, there is no judgment, because since it was a shadow, it ceased when the body came, nor is there need of the image when the truth is present. 'Or in respect of a feast day' — the Kalends, or the new moon — 'or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths.' The new moon bore the figure of the new or second life; the sabbath, the rest of the life to come. 'Which are a shadow of things to come.' It was the shadow of the law; the body is of Christ. 'But the body is of Christ.' The things that are now present were then things to come.
'Let no one seduce you, delighting in humility and the religion of angels, walking in things he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the sense of his flesh.' Let no one be proud with feigned humility, in that he lies about seeing angels and so vainly exalts himself above other men, speaking visions out of his own heart. 'And not holding the head' — not believing in Christ, the head of all the saints. 'From whom the whole body' — the Church — 'supplied through joints and bands' — for the members are joined from the head down to the feet. Whoever therefore is outside this body, however much he boasts, does not live, since he has neither head nor life. 'And knit together, grows unto the increase of God' — unto the increase of that body which is united to God. 'If you have died with Christ to the elements of this world.'
The elements of this world can also be defined as avarice and the ambition for honors, and other worldly things. 'Why yet, as though living in the world' — nor did he wish us to have even a likeness of those who live in the world — 'do you make decrees?' Like those who do not believe in things to come. 'Touch not, taste not, handle not' — by the touch, taste, and handling of those who abuse things in their lusts and love them in place of eternal things. 'All which things perish with the very use.' From the parts of the world consider its condition, whose members too must needs be corrupted, so that at last the whole is dissolved. Therefore its elements ought neither to be worshiped, as being mortal, nor loved in place of eternal things.
'According to the precepts and doctrines of men, which things indeed have a show of wisdom in superstition and humility, and in not sparing the body, not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.' Some understand this to be said against those who believed from among the Jews and said that the ceremonies of the law ought to be observed; and therefore he calls them the doctrines of men, because they understand the precepts carnally, saying that what is forbidden in the law ought not to be eaten. But all those observances, though they may seem to present some wisdom prescribed by the law, are nevertheless in superstition, in some show of honoring God, because they are for the fulfilling of a carnal desire for observance.
Others understand this whole chapter in such a way as to say that the Apostle wished to call us back from the reasonings about the elements, to which we were being persuaded by the philosophers — reasonings which, though they seem reasonable, ought not to lead us through their good points into evil. Even men, taught by nature, handed down that the world was one day to be dissolved, and therefore they venerated the one God, whom alone they had understood to be eternal — though superstitiously, yet humbly — and they said that the body should not be spared, nor the flesh burdened with satiety, since it too was to die. CHAPTER III. 'If then you have risen with Christ.' Consequently he says that we first died together, then rose again, and he exhorts us not only to die to earth but also to live to heaven.
'Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Relish the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth.' Aspire to nothing earthly, seek nothing mortal; pursue heavenly wisdom, not earthly. 'For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.' You are dead to the earthly life, by the manner of life of the heavenly homeland. 'For when Christ, your life, shall appear.' For since we are the sons of God, it does not yet appear what we shall be; but this alone we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him. 'Then you also shall appear with him in glory.' Do not therefore now seek your glory here. 'Mortify therefore' — fulfill your profession — 'your members, which are upon the earth.'
The members of the vices, which are ours because they are from us; or he names 'members' the evil use of our members (as he is wont). 'Fornication, uncleanness, lust.' All incontinence can be called uncleanness, and lust. 'Evil concupiscence.' For there is also a good desire, whence Daniel was called a man of desires. 'And avarice, which is the service of idols.' For while we serve those metals of which idols are made, and venerate gold in place of God — since he who serves God alone venerates the one ineffable likeness. 'For which things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of unbelief' — upon Sodom and upon those who perished in the flood. From past things, then, future things are to be feared; or upon those who were unbelieving in the desert.
It is to be noted what we were before the grace of Christ. 'Among whom you also walked at one time, when you lived in them.' Do not now walk in them, lest you seem to have believed in vain. 'But now put off, you also, all these: wrath, indignation' — which remained to us from Adam, that is, the vices that follow. 'Malice.' Malice is to inflict on another what you do not wish to suffer. 'Blasphemy' — against God or his image. 'Filthy speech out of your mouth.' For since this lack of discipline does not befit even the sons of men more honorably reared, how much more the sons of God? 'Do not lie to one another.' The sons of truth ought not to lie, since falsehood is of the devil. 'Stripping off the old man with his deeds' — original sins, or the delight of the flesh.
'And putting on the new man' — Christ, and the virtues that are from him. 'Him who is renewed unto knowledge according to the image of him who created him.' When one has come to know of what sort is he whose image he is, he ought, as far as he can, to strive to be made like by his own help. 'Where there is neither male and female, Gentile and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian and Scythian, slave and free.' With God, sex, or condition, or race, or province gains nothing; but only the manner of life together with right faith is required. 'But Christ is all in all.' All you who have been baptized have put on Christ. Put on yourselves therefore, as the elect of God. Putting off those things, put on these.
'Holy and beloved, put on the bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, patience.' Because he had said 'members,' he therefore named these 'bowels.' 'Bearing with one another' — after the example of Christ, who bore our infirmities, both spiritual and bodily. 'And forgiving one another' — being indulgent to each other, as Christ forgave all, even his persecutors. 'If any man has a complaint against another' — do not exact small things from fellow-servants, lest you repay what has been forgiven you. 'As the Lord also has forgiven you, so do you also.' Here he sets forth how we ought to forgive one another: if he forgave who was able to take vengeance, how much more you, whose vengeance is either small or none! 'But above all these things have charity.'
Above all these things is charity, because whomever we love we bear with, though we do not love everyone whom we bear with. But we ought to love all for God's sake. 'Which is the bond of perfection.' Charity glues together many members into one body. 'And the peace of Christ' — of Christ, not of the world, which loves only those who love it — 'let it exult in your hearts, unto which you are also called in one body.' Not in a feigned and serene face, or with a deceitful mouth. 'And be thankful.' That is, do not be made like the law, which repays in kind, but like grace, which pardons even enemies and prays for them. 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly.'
Here too it is shown that even the laity ought to have the word of Christ not only sufficiently but even abundantly, and to admonish and teach one another. 'In all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another' — that it may be brought forth wisely and reasonably. 'In psalms' — of David; 'hymns' — of the three children; 'canticles' — of Moses and all the prophets; 'spiritual' — not carnal, after the manner of the world. 'Singing in grace.' We never read of singing without a voice. 'In your hearts to God' — that you may sing not only with the mouth but also in the heart, that the heart may agree with the voice, or that you may understand what you sing. 'Whatever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.'