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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:11

Verse 11 11.Where there is neither Jew. He has added this intentionally, that he may again draw away the Colossians from ceremonies. For the meaning of the statement is this, that Christian perfection does not stand in need of those outward observances, nay, that they are things that are altogether at variance with it. For under the distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision, of Jew and Greek, he includes, by synecdoche, (441) all outward things. The terms that follow, barbarian, Scythian,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:12

Verse 12 13.Put on therefore. As he has enumerated some parts of the old man, so he now also enumerates some parts of the new. “Then, ” says he, “will it appear that ye are renewed by Christ, when ye are merciful and kind. For these are the effects and evidences of renovation.” Hence the exhortation depends on the second clause, and, accordingly, he keeps up the metaphor in the word rendered put on He mentions, first, bowels of mercy, by which expression he means an earnest affection, with... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:14

Verse 14 14.On account of all these things. The rendering that has been given by others, “super omnia haec,” (above all these things,) instead of insuper , (over and above,) is, in my opinion, meagre. It would be more suitable to render it, Before all these things. I have chosen, however, the more ordinary signification of the word ἐπί. For as all the things that he has hitherto enumerated flow from love, he now on good grounds exhorts the Colossians to cherish love among themselves, for the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:15

Verse 15 15.And the peace of God. He gives the name of the peace of God to that which God has established among us, as will appear from what follows. He would have it reign in our hearts. (445) He employs, however, a very appropriate metaphor; for as among wrestlers, (446) he who has vanquished all the others carries off the palm, so he would have the peace of God be superior to all carnal affections, which often hurry us on to contentions, disagreements, quarrels, secret grudges. He... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:16

Verse 16 16.Let the word of Christ dwell. He would have the doctrine of the gospel be familiarly known by them. Hence we may infer by what spirit those are actuated in the present day, who cruelly (449) interdict the Christian people from making use of it, and furiously vociferate, that no pestilence is more to be dreaded, than that the reading of the Scriptures should be thrown open to the common people. For, unquestionably, Paul here addresses men and women of all ranks; nor would he simply... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:17

Verse 17 17. And whatsoever ye do. We have already explained these things, and what goes before, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, where the same things are said almost word for word. As he had already begun to discourse in reference to different parts of the Christian life, and had simply touched upon a few precepts, it would have been too tedious a thing to follow out the rest one by one, he therefore concludes in a summary way, that life must be regulated in such a manner, that whatever we... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:1-17

SECTION VII . THE TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE . The apostle, having delivered his attack on the system of error inculcated at Colossae, now passes from the controversial to the more practical purport of his letter. There is no break, however, in the current of his thought; for throughout this chapter he urges the pursuit of a practical Christian life in a sense and in a manner silently opposed to the tendencies of Gnosticizing error. How much more congenial was the task to which he now... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:1-17

The true Christian life. From above only can we be raised. There is no salvation in mere antipathy. Disgust at the vanities of life, repulsion from earthly things, will of itself never lift us beyond them; it needs the superior influence of heavenly things to do that. This the Colossian errorists did not rightly understand; or they could not have made ceremonial purifications and bodily austerities the way of holiness, the means of reaching spiritual perfection. "Touch not, taste not" ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:5-11

Mortification after death. Paul, having spoken of our death to earthly things and of our heavenly life, speaks next of mortification as succeeding death. It seems at first sight strange, yet, when analyzed, it is seen to convey most important truth. To quote from Coder's 'Etudes Bibliques:' "When this apostle [Paul] wishes to teach us how one may attempt to die to sin and to live to God, see how he expresses himself: 'Reckon that you are dead to sin and living unto God in Jesus Christ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:5-11

Dying before rising. There is an alternating between dying and rising. Having carried out the idea of rising, the apostle goes back to the idea of dying; and, before this paragraph is concluded, he goes back to the idea of rising. I. MORTIFYING OF OUR MEMBERS WITH REFERENCE TO TWO SINS . "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth." It is not a ground of condemnation that our members are upon the earth. The idea is simply the members through which we... read more

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