Colossians 2:6 - Exposition

As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him ( Philippians 1:27 ; Philippians 2:9-11 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 ; 1 Corinthians 15:1 , 1 Corinthians 15:2 ; Galatians 3:2-4 ; Galatians 5:1 ; Hebrews 3:6 ; Hebrews 4:14 ; Hebrews 10:23 ; John 7:17 ; John 15:5-10 ; Romans 3:11 ). Such a walk will be consistent with their previous steadfastness, and will lead them to larger spiritual attainments ( Colossians 1:10 ; see note). "Ye received" reminds the Colossians of what they had received (compare" ye were taught," verse 7 and Colossians 1:7 ) rather than of the way of their receiving it. "Christ Jesus the Lord," is literally, the Christ Jesus, the Lord— an expression found besides only in Ephesians 3:11 (Revised Text). The prefixed article points out Christ Jesus in his full style and title as the Person whom the Colossians had received, and received as the Lord. "The Lord" has a predicative force, as in 1 Corinthians 12:3 (R.V.); 2 Corinthians 4:5 ; Philippians 2:11 . "Jesus is Lord" was the testing watchword applied in the discerning of spirits; "Jesus Christ is Lord" is to be the final confession of a reconciled universe; and "Christ Jesus is Lord" is the rule of faith that guides all conduct and tests all doctrine within the Church (comp. Philippians 2:19 ; Romans 16:18 ). It is "a summary of the whole Christian confession" (Meyer). To vindicate this lordship, on which the Colossian error trenched so seriously, is the main object of the Epistle ( Colossians 1:13-20 ). We must not, therefore, with Alford, Lightfoot, Hofmann, analyze "the Christ Jesus:" "Ye received the Christ, (namely) Jesus, who is the Lord." The writer has already used "Christ Jesus" as a single proper name at the outset ( Colossians 1:1 , Colossians 1:4 ); and it was the lordship of Christ Jesus, not the Messiahship of Jesus, that was now in question. In Acts 18:5 , Acts 18:28 the situation is entirely different. In the following clause, "in him" is emphatic, as in Acts 18:7 (compare the predominant αὐτός of Colossians 1:16-22 ; Colossians 2:9-15 ). Hence the contradiction of figure, "walk, rooted, and builded up," does not obtrude itself. (On "walk," see note, Colossians 1:10 ; and on "in Christ" in this connection, see notes, Colossians 1:4 ; Colossians 2:10 ; and comp. Romans 6:3-11 ; Romans 8:1 ; 2 Corinthians 5:17 ; John 15:1-7 .)