think, that both letters were written in the second year of the apostle's confinement, and towards the end of that year, answering to A. D. 61. when the apostle had a profpect of being soon released. The letter to the Coloffians was not fent by Epaphras their own paftor. That good man, from the time of his arrival in Rome, had exerted himself so ftrenuoufly in the cause of Christ, that he became obnoxious to the magiftrates, and was imprisoned, Philem. ver. 23. The apostle, therefore, fent this letter by Tychicus, and Onefimus a flave who had run away from his master Philemon, but whom the apostle converted in Rome, and fent bank to Coloffe. Because Tychicus, the bearer of the apostle's letter to the Coloffians, carried likewife his letter to the EpheGans, Ephef. vi. 21, 22. and because there is a remarkable agreement in the fentiments and language of both epiftles, many have conjectured that they were written about the fame time. See Pref. to the Ephef. fect. 5. This too was Locke's opinion, who says, They seem to be writ at the very same time in the same run "and warmth of thoughts, fo that the very fame expreffions, 66 yet fresh in his mind, are repeated in many places: The ❝form, phrase, matter, and all the parts quite through of these "two epiftles, do fo perfectly correfpond, that one cannot be "mistaken in thinking one of them very fit to give light to the "other."-But though this obfervation be just in general, it will not hold in every inftance. For in comparing some of the fimilar paffages of the two epiftles, we must not fancy, because the expreffions are the fame, or nearly the fame in both, that their meaning is precifely the fame. The different circumstances of the churches to which these letters were addreffed, and the different views which the apoftle had in writing to them, occafioned him, in fome inftances, to affix different meanings to the fame expreffions. The falfe teachers moulded their errors into different forms, fuiting them, as was obferved above, to the characters and prejudices of the perfons whom they wished to perfuade. And therefore, in confuting them, the apoftle was obliged to give his arguments a new turn; fo that although in words, fome paffages may be the fame in different epiftles, they are not the fame in fenfe. Of this we have an example in the infcriptions Ii3 infcriptions of the epiftles to the Ephefians and to the Coloffians; where, in the former, we have, TOIS άYIDIS TOIS 8019 ev Epeow, nai τοις πισοις εν Χρισῳ Ιησε: and in the latter, τοις εν Κολοσσαις ἁγίοις, και πιςοις αδελφοις εν Χριστ. For, in the epiftle to the Ephefians, the phrafe και τοις πιςοις εν Χρισῳ Ιησε, fignifies, to the believers in Christ Jesus; namely, who were in the province of Asia, as distinguished from the faints who were in Ephefus. Whereas the fame phrase, in the epistle to the Coloffians, fignifies, to the faithful brethren in Chrift; as is plain from the clause, Tois !? Κολοσσαις, which is connected both with αγιοις, and with πισοις άδελφοις εν Χρισῳ. The reafon is, if τοις πιςοις αδελφοις εν Χρισια in the inscription to the Coloffians, is tranflated, to the believing brethren in Chrift, it will be of the fame import with 7015 2015, to the faints. For other examples, fee Col. ii. 13. note 2. and ver. 14. note 2.-Wherefore, a proper attention to the above obfervation is neceffary, in many instances, to our understanding the true meaning of the apostle Paul's writings. COLOSSIANS. COLOSSIANS. CHAP. I. View and Illuftration of the Doctrines and Difcoveries contained in this Chapter. E' FFECTUALLY to filence the falfe teachers, who endeavoured to feduce the Coloffian brethren to Judaism, the apostle began the doctrinal part of this epiftle with confuting their leading error; the error for the fake of which all the reft were introduced; namely, that the inftitutions of Mofes, but especially the Levitical facrifices were ftill neceffary, because there were no propitiatory facrifices in the gofpel. This falfe and most destructive doctrine the apoftle exploded, by fhewing that they who are tranflated into the kingdom of God's beloved Son, have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of fin; confequently, that in the gospel difpenfation, God hath appointed a propitiatory facrifice of real efficacy; namely, the facrifice of the blood of Chrift, to which believers can have fure recourse for pardon, and have no need of any other propitiatory facrifice whatever, ver. 13, 14.--But, left the Coloffians might have been told by the Judaizers, that the pardon of the fins of the whole world, was an effect too great to be ascribed to the once fhedding of Chrift's blood, the apoftle obferved, that the atonement made by that one facrifice, is perfectly fufficient for the taking away the fins of all who believe, because the superemi nent dignity of Chrift, enhanced the merit of his death.Chrift's dignity the apoftle defcribed in a magnificence of language fuggefted by the grandeur of the subject. He is the image of the invisible God, and the Lord of the whole creation, ver. 15.-for he created all things in the heavens, and upon the earth, vifible and invifible, ver. 16.—and by him all things are upheld, ver. 17.-The apoftle having thus defcribed the original dignity of Chrift as God's beloved Son, for the purpose of difplaying the merit of his death, proceeded to fpeak of the ho Ii 4 nour nour and power which he received, in the human nature, as the reward of his death; whereby he hath fhewed in a confpicuous light, the folly of those who endeavoured to perfuade the Coloffians, to prefer the mediation of angels to the mediation of Chrift. He is the head of the body, even of the church, and the beginning or author thereof. He is also the first born or Lord of the dead; having died to raise them again to life, ver. 18.This greatness, both in the natural and moral world, he hath received from his Father, that he may unite angels and men in one great community under himself as their head, in order that they may be happy in their fubjection to God, and in the fociety of one another, to all eternity. For, faith the apostle, it pleased the Father, that in him all the fulness of perfection and power fhould conftantly abide, ver. 19.—and through the exercise of his authority and power, by him to unite all things under him as head, having made peace between them by the blood of his crofs, ver. 20.Even the idolatrous Gentiles, notwithstanding their former wickedness, he hath thus united, ver. 21.—in one body with the Jews, in his church, through the death of his Son, to render them holy and unblameable in Christ's fight, at the last day, ver. 22.-To be in that manner presented before Chrift, the apostle told the Coloffians would be their happy lot, fince they were continuing firm in the faith of the gofpel doctrine, which, because of its efficacy to fanctify finners, was preached to every creature under heaven; of which gospel Paul was made a minifter by Chrift himself, ver. 23. But left his imprisonment, for having preached falvation to the believing Gentiles, equally with the Jews, through the death of Christ although they did not obey the law of Mofes, might OLD TRANSLATION. CHAP I. I Paul an GREEK TEXT. I Παυλο αποςολα apoftle of Jefus Chrift by Ιησε Χρισε, δια θελήματος the will of God, and Timotheus our brother. Θεε, και Τιμοθεος ο αδελ φας, Ver. 1.-1. Paul an apofile of Jefus Chrift, &c. To convince the Coloffians, that all the things contained in this epiftle were dictated by the Spirit of God, Paul began it with affuring them, not only that he was an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, but that he was made an apostle by the will of God the Father; an honour which none of the false teachers could claim might have led the Coloffians to fufpect the truth of his doctrine, the apostle told them, that he rejoiced in the afflictions he was enduring for them; that is, for maintaining their title to falvation; and that thefe afflictions were exprefsly appointed to him by Chrift, for the purpose of building his body, which is his church, ver. 24.-Of which church, he told them a fecond time, he was made a minister, or apoftle, to build it by fully publishing God's determination to fave the believing Gentiles, ver. 25.-Then he informed them, that this determination was a mystery or fecret, which, during the Mofaic difpenfation, was kept hid both from the Jews and from the Gentiles; but was now difcovered to fuch of the Jews as God thought fit to employ in publishing it to the world, ver. 26.-To these preachers, God was pleased to make known by revelation, the greatness of the glory of this mystery concerning the Gentiles; that is, the glorious excellence of that part of his plan which relates to the Gentiles; namely, That Jefus Chrift, to them also, is the author of the hope of a glorious refurrection to eternal life, as well as to the Jews, ver. 27.-Him, therefore, all the inspired Chriftian teachers preach as the only Saviour of the world, exhorting every man to receive him as Saviour, and teaching every man with all wisdom, the true doctrines of religion, that at the day of judgment, they may prefent every man perfect, both in refpect of holinefs and pardon, ver. 28.-And to accomplish that glorious end, Paul himfelf laboured with the utmost vigour in preaching Jefus Chrift the hope of glory to believers of all nations, and in defending that doctrine with fuccefs, in proportion to the fupernatural gifts bestowed upon him as an apostle, ver. 29. NEW TRANSLATION. CHAP. I. 1 Paul an apostle of Jefus Chrift by the will of God, and Timothy OUR brother.' COMMENTARY. CHAP. I. 1 Paul, made an apoftle of Jefus Chrift by the appointment of God, (fee Galat. chap. i. Illuft.) and Timothy, who, though not an apostle, is our brother in the ministry, 2. And Timothy our brother. Timothy's early piety, his excellent endowments, his approved faithfulness, and his affectionate labours in the gofpel with the apoftle, well known to moft, if not to all the Gentile churches, rendering him highly worthy of their regard, Paul allowed him to join in writing feveral of the letters which he addreffed to these churches: Not however to add any thing to his own authority, but rather to add to Timothy's influence; for which purpose alfo he calls him here, his brother, rather than his fon. See Pref. to i Theff. fect. 2. about the middle. Ver. 2. |