Colossians 1:1-13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ ,.... The apostle puts his name to this epistle, by which he was known in the Gentile world, as he usually does in all his epistles; and styles himself "an apostle", as he was, having seen Christ in person, and received his commission, doctrine, and qualifications immediately from him, with a power of doing miracles to confirm the truth of his mission. This he chose to make mention of, partly because the false teachers everywhere insinuated that he was not an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:2

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ ,.... This is the inscription of the epistle, in which the persons wrote unto are described as "saints", or holy men; not by birth, for all are unholy and unclean by nature; nor by baptism, for that neither takes away sin, nor gives grace; nor merely externally, by an outward reformation; but by separation, being by an act of eternal election set apart for God, for holiness, and happiness; and by imputation, Christ being made sanctification to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:3

We give thanks to God ,.... Meaning himself and Timothy. This is the beginning of the epistle, which is introduced with a thanksgiving to God; to whom praise and thankfulness are always due as a Creator and preserver, as the author of all good things, as the Father of mercies, temporal and spiritual, and as the covenant God and Father of his people through Christ: wherefore it follows, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ; the sense of which either is, that God the Father, who is the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:4

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus ,.... This expresses the matter of their thankfulness, or what it was they gave thanks to God for, their faith in Christ; by which is not only meant their hearty assent to the whole doctrine of faith, concerning the person, offices, and grace of Christ, their soundness and steadfastness in it, and their sincere and constant profession of it; but the grace of faith in them, the operation of the Spirit of God in their souls, which had not Moses, nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:5

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven ,.... These words may be considered either in connection with the foregoing, and express the reason or motive which encouraged these saints to believe in Christ, and to go on believing in him, and hold fast the profession of their faith in him, and to love the saints, and show it upon all occasions, and in every case; because of the rich treasure of glory and happiness in reserve for them in heaven, which they were hoping and waiting for; this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:6

Which is come unto you ,.... That is, the Gospel, which came to them from God, from heaven, from Christ, out of Jerusalem, from whence the word of the Lord was to come, by the ministers of the Gospel, who being sent, came to Colosse, and there preached it; and so the Syriac version renders the words הי דאתכרזת , "which is preached unto you". And a wonderful instance of the free grace of God this was; they did not seek, inquire for, and go after the Gospel, but it came to them; and so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:7

As ye also learned of Epaphras ,.... To know the grace of God, believe the truth of the Gospel, and to own and profess it sincerely, Our dear fellow servant ; a "servant" of Christ he was, and a "fellow" servant of the apostles, jointly engaged with them in preaching the Gospel; which character, as it greatly commends Epaphras, and shows him to be a very considerable preacher of the word, so it expresses the great humility and condescension of the apostle, in putting him upon a level... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:8

Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. Not only their love to God, and Christ, and to all the saints, which is before mentioned, but their love to the apostle; though they had only heard of him, and of his great capacity for, and faithfulness and usefulness in preaching of the Gospel, which had greatly endeared him to them. This, he says, was in the Spirit; it was spiritual love, to distinguish it from a carnal and worldly one; they loved him for the spiritual grace that was in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:9

For this cause we also ,.... Not merely for their love to the apostle, and the rest that were with him; which sense is too much contracted, and carries some appearance of meanness and selfishness; but because of their faith in Christ, their love to all the saints, and the good hope they had of eternal happiness; and because they had heard the Gospel, and truly knew it, and sincerely professed it: therefore, since the day we heard it , do not cease to pray for you, and to desire ; which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:10

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord ,.... The Vulgate Latin version reads, "of God"; to which the Ethiopic version agrees; but rather the Lord Jesus Christ seems to be designed: and to "walk worthy" of him, is to walk by faith in him; to walk after his Spirit, and according to his word, and in his ordinances; to have the conversation as becomes his Gospel, and worthy of that calling wherewith the saints are called by grace to the obtaining of his kingdom and glory. The apostle prays that... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:10

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