Colossians 1:1-14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Colossians 1:1-2

I. The inscription of this epistle is much the same with the rest; only it is observable that, 1. He calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. An apostle is a prime-minister in the kingdom of Christ, immediately called by Christ, and extraordinarily qualified; his work was peculiarly to plant the Christian church, and confirm the Christian doctrine. He attributes this not to his own merit, strength, or sufficiency; but to the free grace and good-will of God. He thought... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Colossians 1:3-8

Here he proceeds to the body of the epistle, and begins with thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them, though he had no personal acquaintance with them, and knew their state and character only by the reports of others. I. He gave thanks to God for them, that they had embraced the gospel of Christ, and given proofs of their fidelity to him. Observe, In his prayers for them he gave thanks for them. Thanksgiving ought to be a part of every prayer; and whatever is the matter of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Colossians 1:9-11

The apostle proceeds in these verses to pray for them. He heard that they were good, and he prayed that they might be better. He was constant in this prayer: We do not cease to pray for you. It may be he could hear of them but seldom, but he constantly prayed for them.?And desire that you may be filled with the knowledge, etc. Observe what it is that he begs of God for them, I. That they might be knowing intelligent Christians: filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Colossians 1:12-29

Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the great work of our redemption by Christ. It comes in here not as the matter of a sermon, but as the matter of a thanksgiving; for our salvation by Christ furnishes us with abundant matter of thanksgiving in every view of it: Giving thanks unto the Father, Col. 1:12. He does not discourse of the work of redemption in the natural order of it; for then he would speak of the purchase of it first, and afterwards of the application of it.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 1:1

1:1 This is a letter from Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and from Timothy, the brother, to the dedicated people of God and faithful brothers in Christ who are in Colosse. A dedicated Christian cannot write a single sentence without making clear the great beliefs which underlie all his thought. Paul had never actually been in Colosse and so he has to begin by making clear what right he has to send a letter to the Colossians. He does that in one word; he is an apostle.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 1:2-8

1:2-8 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you in our prayers; for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all God's dedicated people, because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. Of that hope you have already heard in the true word of the gospel, which has come to you, just as in all the world it is bearing fruit and increasing, just as it did among you too, from that day on... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 1:2-8

Colossians 1:6-8 are a kind of summary of what the gospel is and does. Paul has much to say of the hope, to which the Colossians have already listened and which they have already accepted. (i) The gospel is good news of God. Its message is of a God who is a Friend and Lover of the souls of men. First and foremost, the gospel sets us in a right relationship with God. (ii) The gospel is truth. All previous religions could be entitled "guesses about God." The Christian gospel gives a man... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 1:9-11

1:9-11 That, in fact, is why, from the day we heard about it, we do not cease to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with an ever-growing knowledge of his will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may conduct yourselves worthily of the Lord, and in such a way as to be altogether pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the fuller knowledge of God. May you continue to be strengthened with all strength according to his glorious power, so... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 1:9-11

What we might call the asking part of Paul's prayer ends with a prayer for three great qualities. He prays that his Colossian friends may possess all fortitude, patience and joy. Fortitude and patience are two great Greek words which often keep company. Fortitude is hupomone ( Greek #5281 ) and patience is makrothumia ( Greek #3115 ). There is a distinction between these two words. It would not be true to say that Greek always rigidly observes this distinction, but it is there when... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 1:12-14

1:12-14 May you give thanks to the Father, who enabled us to obtain our share of the inheritance of God's dedicated people in the Kingdom of light; for he rescued us from the power of darkness, and brought us over into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. Paul turns to grateful thanksgiving for the benefits which the Christian has received in Christ. There are two key ideas here. (i) God has given to the Colossians a share in the... read more

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