Colossians 1:8 - Exposition

Who also showed us your love in (the) Spirit ( 2 Corinthians 7:7 ; 2 Corinthians 8:7 ; 1 Thessalonians 3:6 ; Philippians 4:10 ); i.e. your love to us. Timothy and myself, especially if we read "in our behalf" in Colossians 1:7 : so, many interprefers, from Chrysostom to Klopper. Epaphras had conveyed the blessings of the gospel from St. Paul to the Colossians, and they now send back the grateful assurance of their love by the same channel (comp, note on "having heard," verse 4, and parallel passages). This was a choice fruit of the gospel in them (comp. Philippians 4:10 , Philippians 4:15-18 ), and such a reference to it gives a kindly conclusion to the thanksgiving. Ellicott and others understand here brotherly love in general— a somewhat pointless repetition of verse 4. Meyer, reading "on your behalf" in verse 7. more suitably suggests the Colossians' love to Epaphras in return for his services to them. The Spirit is the ruling element of the Colossians' love ( Galatians 5:22 ) Love-in-the-Sprat forms a single compound phrase, like "faith-in-Christ-Jesus" (verse 4). The one Spirit dwells alike in all the members of Christ's body, however sundered by place or circumstance ( Ephesians 4:1-4 ), and makes them one in love to each other as to him ( John 13:34 , John 13:35 ; 1 John 3:23 , 1 John 3:24 ). "Spirit" occurs besides in this Epistle only in Colossians 2:5 (but see "spiritual," Colossians 2:9 ), and some find in Colossians 2:1 , Colossians 2:5 the explanation of this phrase ( sc. "a love formed in absence, without personal intercourse:" but this is forced, and doubtful in point of grammar).