Colossians 3:18-4:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:18-19

Husbands and wives. Notice the honour given to marriage by Moses ( Genesis 2:23 , Genesis 2:24 ), and still more by Christ ( Matthew 5:31 , Matthew 5:32 ; Matthew 19:3-9 ) and his apostles ( Ephesians 5:22-33 ; 1 Timothy 4:3 ; 1 Timothy 5:14 ; Hebrews 13:4 , etc.). Christianity a gospel of great joy to the world's suffering women. But blessings rest upon law. The nearer marriage is brought to God the more sacred its duties become. In Colossians 3:18 , Colossians 3:19 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:18-19

Husbands and wives. (See on Ephesians 5:22 , Ephesians 5:23 .)—W.F.A. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Colossians 3:18-21

The Christian view of family life. The spirit which was abroad in the early Colossian Church was at once so ascetic and so pietistic that it undervalued home, depreciated family ties, despised human relationships. We have heard Paul boldly meet this spirit with the great doctrine that Christ is the Fulness of all things, Sustainer of all, Mediator of all, King of all, End of all. Here, and in preceding paragraphs, he is meeting detailed developments of that evil spirit by detailed precepts... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Colossians 3:18

Wives, submit yourselves ... - Notes on the parallel passage in Ephesians 5:21-24. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Colossians 3:18-25

Colossians 3:18-25. Wives, submit yourselves Or be subject; to your own husbands Whether they be Christians or heathen. See on Ephesians 5:22. As it is fit Both in regard of God’s command, and the evil that would arise from the neglect of this duty; in the Lord In obedience to the Lord, and in all lawful things. Husbands, love your wives As yourselves, and as Christ loved the church: see Ephesians 5:25; Ephesians 5:28. And be not bitter Harsh and rigorous, either in spirit, word,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Colossians 3:18-25

Life in the home and in society (3:18-4:6)Harmony in the home depends on the husband’s showing understanding love to his wife, and the wife’s showing loyal submission to her husband (18-19). Children are to be obedient to their parents, but parents must treat their children with understanding and not be harsh or unreasonable (20-21). When slaves work for their masters as if they were working for the Lord Christ, they will produce work of good quality. Masters, on their part, must reward their... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Colossians 3:18

submit. See Ephesians 5:22 . husbands. App-123 . fit . See Ephesians 5:4 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Colossians 3:18

Wives be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.This begins Paul's instructions on certain reciprocal relationships, that of wives and husbands being treated first. See extensive teaching on this in Ephesians 5:22-33, where Paul elaborated it. The glorious difference between the Christian conception of duty and that prevalent in the world of Paul's day lies in the fact that obligations, even the sacred obligations in marriage, are "reciprocal" obligations. The duty is never... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Colossians 3:18

18. unto your own husbands—The oldest manuscripts omit "own," which crept in from :-. as it is fit in the Lord—Greek, "was fit," implying that there was at Colosse some degree of failure in fulfilling this duty, "as it was your duty to have done as disciples of the Lord." read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Colossians 3:18

Paul did not say all women should be subject to all men, only that wives should be to their own husbands."The exhortation should not be weakened in translation in deference to modern sensibilities (cf. again 1 Corinthians 14:34 . . .). But neither should its significance be exaggerated; ’subjection’ means ’subordination,’ not ’subjugation’ . . ." [Note: Ibid., p. 247. Cf. Ralph P. Martin, Colossians and Philemon, p. 119; and W. Schrage, The Ethics of the New Testament, p. 253.] This subjection... read more

Group of Brands