Colossesi 3:6 Commento

I. The apostle exhorts us to set our hearts upon heaven and take them off from this world (Col 3:1-4). II. He exhorts to the mortification of sin, in the various instances of it (Col 3:5-11). III. He earnestly presses to mutual love and compassion (Col 3:12-17). And concludes with exhortations to relative duties, of wives and husbands, parents and children, masters and servants (Col 3:18-25).

INTRODUCTION TO COLOSSIANS 3 This chapter contains exhortations to several duties, some more general, which relate to all Christians, and others more particular, which belong to saints in such and such a state of life. The apostle begins with an exhortation to seek things heavenly, and not earthly, and to set the affections on the one, and not on the other: the arguments used to enforce it are taken from the saints being risen with Christ; from Christ being in heaven at the Father's right hand; from their being dead to sin, the law, and the world; from their having life in Christ safe and secure; yea, from Christ being their life, and their appearance with him in glory, Col 3:1. And next he proceeds to an exhortation to the mortification of sin, and the deeds of it, which he urges from the wrath of God coming upon men for these things, and from the consideration of their former state and condition, expressed by walking and living in them, Col 3:5, and by a metaphor taken from the putting off and on of garments, he exhorts to the putting off of the old man, with his deeds, several of which are mentioned, Col 3:8, and to the putting on of the new man, and to the exercise of various graces, as mercy, meekness, forbearance, forgiveness, charity, and peace, Col 3:10. And then he proceeds to exhort to such duties as relate to the word and worship of God; as that the word of Christ should have an abiding place in them, and that they should teach and instruct one another by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and do all they did in a religious way, in the name of Christ, with thankfulness to God by him, Col 3:16. And closes the chapter with the duties of wives to their husbands, and of husbands to their wives, and of children to their parents, and of parents to their children, and of servants to their masters, Col 3:18.

For which things' sake,.... Those sins above mentioned, Col 3:5, the wrath of God; the effects of it in temporal judgments, and eternal ruin and destruction, the wrath to come, which all are deserving of, and there is only deliverance from by Christ: cometh upon the children of disobedience: who are disobedient both to the law of God, and Gospel of Christ: who are unbelievers in him, are rebellious and gainsaying, reject his calls, the persuasions of his ministers, set at nought his counsel, and will have none of his reproof. There have been already instances of God's displeasure at sin, his indignation against it, and his judgments on account of it: his wrath is revealed from heaven, and it will come down from thence on disobedient and rebellious sinners, and that suddenly, and with great power, like a mighty torrent, that there will be no standing before it. This is a reason why such who have life in Christ should mortify, repress, and abstain from the above sins; for though this regards sinners, and ungodly persons, yet the effects of God's wrath on such show how much such sins are displeasing to him, and detested by him, and therefore to be avoided by the saints.

"For which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience." By many things he had been withdrawing them; by the benefits which are already given, by the evils to come from which we had been delivered, being who, and wherefore; and all those considerations, as, for instance, who we were, and in what circumstances, and that we were delivered therefrom, how, and in what manner, and on what terms. These were enough to turn one away, but this one is of greater force than all; unpleasant indeed to speak of, not however to disservice, but even serviceable. "For which things' sake cometh," he saith, "the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience." He said not, "upon you," but, "upon the sons of disobedience."

"For which things' sake cometh," he saith, "the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience." Sons of disobedience, he calls them, to deprive them of excuse, and to show that it was because they would not be obedient, that they were in that condition.

The wrath to come often punishes such people even in the present age. He calls them "sons of disobedience," depriving them of all leniency and showing that they remain in their passions not out of ignorance but out of obstinacy (εξ απείθειας), to which they have so given themselves over that they have, as it were, adopted themselves to it, receiving from it their distinctive and characteristic features.

Then when Paul says, on account of these the wrath of God is coming, he gives the reason why these sins should be avoided. There are two reasons: the first applies to all; the second applies especially to them. The first is God's punishment, because on account of carnal sins the wrath of God, that is, God's punishment, is coming upon the children of despair, that is, sinners. Such sinners despair of God because lust is the offspring of despair, since many people abandon themselves entirely to things of the flesh because they have despaired of spiritual things. Or, he says children of despair, because of themselves there is no hope for their correction. And so the wrath of God is coming, as in the flood (Gen 6, 7), and on the people of Sodom.

The apostle exhorts the Colossians to heavenly-mindedness after the example of Christ, that they may be prepared to appear with him in glory, Col 3:1-4. Exhorts them also to mortify their members, and calls to their remembrance their former state, Col 3:5-7. Shows how completely they were changed from that state, and gives them various directions relative to truth, compassion, meekness, long-suffering, forgiveness, charity, Col 3:8-14. Shows that they are called to unity and holiness; and commands them to have the doctrine of Christ dwelling richly in them; and how they should teach and admonish each other, and do every thing, in the name of the Lord Jesus, Col 3:15-17. The relative duties of wives, Col 3:18. Of husbands, Col 3:19. Of children, Col 3:20. Of fathers, Col 3:21. Of servants, Col 3:22. He concludes by showing that he that does wrong shall be treated accordingly, for God is no respecter of persons, Col 3:23-25.

The wrath of God cometh - God is angry with such persons, and he inflicts on them the punishment which they deserve.

EXHORTATIONS TO HEAVENLY AIMS, AS OPPOSED TO EARTHLY, ON THE GROUND OF UNION TO THE RISEN SAVIOUR; TO MORTIFY AND PUT OFF THE OLD MAN, AND TO PUT ON THE NEW; IN CHARITY, HUMILITY, WORDS OF EDIFICATION, THANKFULNESS; RELATIVE DUTIES. (Col. 3:1-25) If . . . then--The connection with Col 2:18, Col 2:23, is, he had condemned the "fleshly mind" and the "satiating to the full the flesh"; in contrast to this he now says, "If then ye have been once for all raised up (Greek, aorist tense) together with Christ" (namely, at your conversion and baptism, Rom 6:4). seek those things . . . above-- (Mat 6:33; Phi 3:20). sitteth--rather, as Greek, "Where Christ is, sitting on the right of God" (Eph 1:20). The Head being quickened, the members are also quickened with Him. Where the Head is, there the members must be. The contrast is between the believer's former state, alive to the world but dead to God, and his present state, dead to the world but alive to God; and between the earthly abode of the unbeliever and the heavenly abode of the believer (Co1 15:47-48). We are already seated there in Him as our Head; and hereafter shall be seated by Him, as the Bestower of our bliss. As Elisha (Kg2 2:2) said to Elijah when about to ascend, "As the Lord liveth . . . I will not leave thee"; so we must follow the ascended Saviour with the wings of our meditations and the chariots of our affections. We should trample upon and subdue our lusts that our conversation may correspond to our Saviour's condition; that where the eyes of apostles were forced to leave Him, thither our thoughts may follow Him (Mat 6:21; Joh 12:32) [PEARSON]. Of ourselves we can no more ascend than a bar of iron lift itself up' from the earth. But the love of Christ is a powerful magnet to draw us up (Eph 2:5-6). The design of the Gospel is not merely to give rules, but mainly to supply motives to holiness.

(See on Eph 5:6.)