Colossians 4:6 - Exposition

(Let) your speech (literally, word ) (be) always with grace, seasoned with salt ( Ephesians 4:29 , Ephesians 4:31 ; Ephesians 5:3 , Ephesians 5:4 ; Titus 2:8 ; Matthew 12:34-37 ; Luke 4:22 ; Psalms 45:2 ). "Word" ( λόγος ) has its common acceptation, as in Colossians 3:17 ; Colossians 2:23 ; Titus 2:8 ; 2 Timothy 2:17 ; James 3:2 . "With grace" ( ἐν χάριτι ) gives the pervading element of Christian speech; as "in wisdom," of Christian behaviour ( James 3:5 ). "Grace," here without the article, is not, as in Colossians 3:16 , where the article should probably be read, "the (Divine) grace," but a property of speech itself, "gracefulness" the kindly, winning pleasantness which makes the talk of a good and thoughtful man attractive: comp. Psalms 45:2 ( Psalms 44:3 , LXX ); Ecclesiastes 10:12 ( LXX ); Sir. 21:16. "Salt" is the "wholesome point and pertinency" (Ellicott) seasoning conversation, while grace sweetens it. The clause which follows indicates that "salt" denotes here, as commonly in Greek (instance the phrase, "Attic salt"), an intellectual rather than a moral quality of speech. In Ephesians 4:29 the connection is different, and the application more general. That you may know how you ought to answer each one ( Ephesians 4:4 ; 1 Peter 3:15 ; Philippians 1:27 , Philippians 1:28 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:17 ). The Colossians were to pray for the apostle that he might "speak the mystery of Christ... as he ought to speak;" and he bids them seek for themselves the same gift of παρρησία , liberty of speech and readiness to "every good word." For their faith was assailed by persuasive sophistry ( Colossians 2:4 , Colossians 2:8 , Colossians 2:23 ) and by brew-beating dogmatism ( Colossians 2:16 , Colossians 2:18 , Colossians 2:20 , Colossians 2:21 ). They were, like St. Paul, "set for the defence of the gospel," placed in the van of the conflict against heresy. They needed, therefore, "to have all their wits about them," so as to be able, as occasion required, to make answer to each of their opponents and questioners, that they might "contend" wisely as well as "earnestly for the faith." 1 Peter 3:15 is a commentary on this verse: the parallelism is the closer because that Epistle was addressed to Churches in Asia Minor, where the debates out of which Gnosticism arose were beginning to be rife; and because, likewise, "the hope that was in them" was a chief object of the attack made on the Colossian believers ( Colossians 1:5 , Colossians 1:23 , Colossians 1:27 ; Colossians 2:18 ; Colossians 3:15 ).

With this exhortation the Christian teaching of the Epistle is concluded. In its third and practical part (Col 3:1-4:6) the apostle has built up, on the foundation of the doctrine laid down in the first chapter, and in place of the attractive but false and pernicious system denounced in the second, a lofty and complete ideal of the Christian life. He has led us from the contemplation of its "life of life" in the innermost mystery of union with Christ and of its glorious destiny in him ( Colossians 3:1-4 ), through the soul's interior death-struggle with its old corruptions ( 1 Peter 3:5-11 ) and its investment with the graces of its new life ( 1 Peter 3:12-15 ), to the expression and outward acting of that life in the mutual edification of the Church ( 1 Peter 3:16 , 1 Peter 3:17 ), in the obedience and devotion of the family circle ( 1 Peter 3:18 ), in constant prayerfulness and sympathy with the ministers and suffering witnesses of Christ ( 1 Peter 3:2-4 ), and, lastly, in such converse with men of the world, and in the midst of the distracting debate by which faith is assailed, as shall fittingly commend the Christian cause.