Colossians 3:14-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Colossians 3:12-17

The apostle proceeds to exhort to mutual love and compassion: Put on therefore bowels of mercy, Col. 3:12. We must not only put off anger and wrath (as Col. 3:8), but we must put on compassion and kindness; not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well; not only not do hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. I. The argument here used to enforce the exhortation is very affecting: Put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved. Observe, 1. Those who are holy are the elect of God; and those... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Colossians 3:14-17

3:14-17 On top of all these things, clothe yourselves with love which is the perfect bond; and let the peace of God be the decider of all things within your hearts, for it is to that peace you were called, so that you might be united in one body. May the word of Christ dwell richly in you with all wisdom. Continue to teach and to admonish each other with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you may be doing in word or in deed, do all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 3:14

And above all these things ,.... Bowels of mercies, kindness, &c.; put on charity , or brotherly love, for without this all is nothing; they will only be done in show and appearance, in mere guise and hypocrisy, if love is wanting; this actuates and exercises all the rest; it is only from this principle that true sympathy, real kindness, undisguised humility, and meekness, patient longsuffering, and forbearance, and hearty forgiveness proceeds: this is greater, and more excellent,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts ,.... By "the peace of God" is meant, either the peace believers have with God, which is his gift, and passes all understanding, and flows from a comfortable apprehension of interest in the blood, righteousness, and atonement of Christ; or rather that peace which does, or should subsist among the saints themselves, which God is the author of, calls for, and requires, and encourages in them. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and, Ethiopic versions, read,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:14

And above all these things - Επι πασι δε τουτοις· Upon all, over all; as the outer garment envelopes all the clothing, so let charity or love invest and encompass all the rest. Even bowels of mercy are to be set in motion by love; from love they derive all their feeling, and all their power and promptitude to action. Let this, therefore, be as the upper garment; the surtout that invests the whole man. Which is the bond of perfectness - Love to God and man is not only to cover all, but... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God - Instead of Θεου , God, Χριστου , Christ, is the reading of ABC*D*FG, several others, both the Syriac, the Arabic of Erpen, Coptic, Ethopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and Itala, with several of the fathers; on this evidence Griesbach has inserted it in the text. Rule in your hearts - Βραβευετω· Let the peace of Christ judge, decide, and govern in your hearts, as the brabeus , or judge, does in the Olympic contests. No heart is right with God where the peace of... 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

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

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