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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 4:16

And when this epistle is read amongst you , Which the apostle was now writing, and sent unto them; and which was to be read publicly, before the whole church; being sent not to any particular person, or persons, but to the whole body, and for their general good and instruction: cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans ; his will was, that after it had been read to the church at Colosse, it should be sent, or at least a copy of it, to the church of the Laodiceans, in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 4:17

And say to Archippus ,.... A name common among the Grecians. This person the apostle calls his fellow soldier, in Philemon 1:2 and who was now the minister of the Gospel at Colosse, his fellow minister, or co-pastor Epaphras, being at Rome, and a prisoner there; though by some he is said to be the first bishop of the Laodiceans, but it seems most likely that he now resided at Colosse, and was their minister: who being negligent in his office, they are called upon to say unto him, take... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 4:18

The salutation by the hand of me Paul ,.... After his amanuensis had finished the epistle, he added his usual salutation to it with his own hand, to prevent all counterfeits and impositions, and that the churches to whom he wrote might be sure of the genuineness of his epistles; but before he added it to it, he either wrote with his own hand, or ordered to be written the following words, remember my bonds ; this he says, partly that they might be animated to abide by the Gospel, for... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:13

He hath a great zeal for you - Instead of ζηλον πολυν , much zeal, ABCD**, several others, with versions and fathers, read πολυν πονον , much labor; they are here nearly of the same meaning, though the latter appears to be the better and genuine reading. Laodicea, and - Hierapolis - These were both cities of Phrygia, between which Colosse, or the city of Colassa, was situated. See Colossians 2:1 . The latter was called Hierapolis, or the holy city, from the multitude of its... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:14

Luke, the beloved physician - This is generally supposed to be the same with Luke the evangelist. See the preface to the notes on this gospel. Some, however, suppose them to be different persons; because, where it is evident that Luke the evangelist is meant, he never has more than his simple name Luke; and because the apostle is supposed to intend a different person here, he adds, ὁ ιατρος ὁ αγαπητος , the beloved physician. The word ιατρος signifies a healer, and must not be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:15

Salute - Nymphas, and the Church - in his house - This person, and his whole family, which probably was very numerous, appear to have received the Gospel; and it seems that, for their benefit and that of his neighbors, he had opened his house for the worship of God. In those primitive times there were no consecrated places, for it was supposed that the simple setting apart of any place for the worship of God was a sufficient consecration. See of those domestic churches, Romans 16:5 ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:16

Cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans - That is: Let a copy be taken, and sent to them, that it may be read there also. This appears to have been a regular custom in the apostolic Church. That ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea - Some suppose that this was an epistle sent from Laodicea to the apostle, which he now sent by Aristarchus to the Colossians, that they might peruse it; that thereby they might see the propriety of sending a copy of his epistle to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:17

Say to Archippus - Who this person was we cannot tell; there have been various conjectures concerning him; some think he was bishop, or overseer of the Church at Colosse, in the absence of Epaphras. Whatever he was, it has been supposed that he had been remiss in discharging the duties of his office; and hence this direction of the apostle, which appears here in the light of a reprehension. But if the same person be meant as in the Epistle to Philemon, Philemon 1:2 , whom St. Paul calls... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:18

The salutation by the hand of me Paul - The preceding part of the epistle was written by a scribe, from the mouth of the apostle: this, and what follows, was written by the hand of St. Paul himself. A similar distinction we find, 1 Corinthians 16:21 , and in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 ; and this, it seems, was the means by which the apostle authenticated every epistle which he sent to the different Churches. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle, so I... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 4:14

Verse 14 14.Luke saluteth you. I do not agree with those who understand this to be Luke the Evangelist; for I am of opinion that he was too well known to stand in need of such a designation, and he would have been signalized by a more magnificent eulogium. He would, undoubtedly, have called him his fellow-helper, or at least his companion and participant in his conflicts. I rather conjecture that he was absent at that time, and that it is another of the same name that is called a physician, to... read more

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