Verse 4 4.But when Christ, our life, shall appear. Here we have a choice consolation — that the coming of Christ will be the manifestation of our life. And, at the same time, he admonishes us how unreasonable were the disposition of the man, who should refuse to bear up (435) until that day. For if our life is shut up in Christ, it must be hid, until he shall appear read more
If, therefore, ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at God's right hand; mind the things above, not the things upon the earth ( Colossians 2:11-13 , Colossians 2:20 ; Romans 6:1-11 ; Ephesians 1:20-22 ; Philippians 3:20 ; Matthew 6:19 , Matthew 6:20 ; Luke 12:13-40 ). The apostle has already shown that when his readers, entering the gate of baptism, became Christians through faith in Christ, they died with him ( Colossians... read more
The heavenly life. Paul has been warning his Colossian converts against the superstitious interest in ceremonies which the false teachers tried to foster; and now he passes to the higher things and thoughts which should occupy the soul. He speaks of their resurrection with Christ if they are real converts, and of the consequent duty of living a heavenly life, which consists in setting one's heart upon heavenly things in contrast to the things which are upon the earth. He further shows that... read more
Our risen life. "If then ye were raised together with Christ." At this point the apostle leaves the polemical and begins the practical. Doctrine again forms the foundation for exhortation. As in combating asceticism he proceeded upon the fact that we were sharers with Christ in his death, so in presenting a substitute for asceticism, he proceeds upon the fact that we were sharers with him in his resurrection. Our being baptized with him extended, not only to our dying with him, but also to... read more
The Christian's higher life. Our text gives us a magnificent picture of the higher life of man, indicating the means of its beginning, the signs of its progress, and the hope of its perpetuity. I. THE EXPERIENCES OF THE BEGINNING OF THE HIGHER LIFE . These initial experiences are spoken of under the three allied figures of death, the hiding as of burial and resurrection. There is an experience: 1 . As of death. "Ye have died." The soul as it becomes Christian... read more
Present privileges: future glory. The apostle now proceeds to the application of the grand truths he has been expounding. Note in what a lofty strain he begins. As in the previous section he refutes practical errors by reminding of the sublimest doctrines, so here, before giving exhortations on special sins and duties, he seeks to lift the Colossians to the heights of that new spiritual, heavenly life it is their privilege to live. (Like a commander encouraging his troops in the field to... read more
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
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
Heavenly things the true object of Christian contemplation. "Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth; for ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God." We must not only seek things above, but think them. I. THE OBJECT OF CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATION . 1 . Not things upon the earth, because 2 . " Things there are above." (See hints on previous verse.) We ought to set our mind upon them, because II. THE DUTY ... read more
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John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Colossians 3:3
Verse 3 3.For ye are dead. No one can rise again with Christ, if he has not first died with him. Hence he draws an argument from rising again to dying, as from a consequent to an antecedent, (434) meaning that we must be dead to the world that we may live to Christ. Why has he taught, that we must seek those things that are above ? It is because the life of the pious is above. Why does he now teach, that the things which are on earth are to be left off? Because they are dead to the world.... read more