Colossians 4 · Robertson's Word Pictures
1That which is just and equal (to dikaion ka ten isoteta). Paul changes from to ison (like to dikaion, neuter singular adjective with article for abstract idea) to the abstract substantive isotes, old word, in N.T. only here and 2Co 8:13f . If employers always did this, there would be no labour problem.
A Master in heaven (Kurion en ourano). A wholesome reminder to the effect that he keeps his eye on the conduct of masters of men here towards their employees.
2Continue steadfastly (proskartereite). See Mr 3:9; Ac 2:42,46 for this interesting word from pros and karteros (strong), common in the Koine.
Watching (gregorountes). Present active participle of gregoreo, late present made on perfect active stem egregora with loss of e-, found first in Aristotle.
3Withal (ama). At the same time.
That God may open (ina o theos anoixe). Common use of ina and the subjunctive (aorist), the sub-final use so common in the N.T. as in the Koine.
A door for the word (thuran tou logou). Objective genitive, a door for preaching. It is comforting to other preachers to see the greatest of all preachers here asking prayer that he may be set free again to preach. He uses this figure elsewhere, once of a great and open door with many adversaries in Ephesus (1Co 16:9 ), once of an open door that he could not enter in Troas (2Co 2:12 ).
The mystery of Christ (to musterion tou Christou). The genitive of apposition, the mystery which is Christ ( 2:2), one that puts out of comparison the foolish "mysteries" of the Gnostics.
For which I am also in bonds (di' o ka dedema). Perfect passive indicative of deo. Paul is always conscious of this limitation, this chain. At bottom he is a prisoner because of his preaching to the Gentiles.
4As I ought to speak (os de me lalesa). Wonderful as Paul's preaching was to his hearers and seems to us, he was never satisfied with it. What preacher can be?
5Toward them that are without (pros tous exo). A Pauline phrase for those outside the churches (1Th 5:12; 1Co 5:12f. ). It takes wise walking to win them to Christ.
Redeeming the time (ton kairon exagorazomeno). We all have the same time. Paul goes into the open market and buys it up by using it rightly. See the same metaphor in Eph 5:16 .
6Seasoned with salt (alat ertumenos). The same verb artuo (old verb from airo, to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mr 9:50; Lu 14:34 . Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul's desire "that ye know how ye must answer each one" (eidena pos de umas en ekasto apokrinestha). Who does know?
7All my affairs (ta kat' eme panta). "All the things relating to me." The accusative case the object of gnorise. The same idiom in Ac 25:14; Php 1:2 .
Tychicus (Tuchikos). Mentioned also in Eph 6:21 as the bearer of that Epistle and with the same verb gnorise (future active of gnorizo) and with the same descriptive epithet as here (o agapetos adelphos ka pistos diakonos en Kurio, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord) except that here we have also ka sundoulos (and fellow-servant). Abbott suggests that Paul adds sundoulos because he had used it of Epaphras in 1:7. Perhaps pistos goes with both substantives and means faithful to Paul as well as to Christ.
8I have sent (epempsa). Epistolary aorist active indicative of pempo as in Eph 6:22 .
That ye may know (ina gnote). Second aorist (ingressive) active subjunctive of ginosko, "that ye may come to know." This the correct text, not gno (third singular).
Our estate (ta per emon). "The things concerning us."
May comfort (parakalese). First aorist active subjunctive. Proper rendering here and not "may exhort."
9Together with Onesimus (sun Onesimo). Co-bearer of the letter with Tychicus and praised on a par with him, runaway slave though he is.
Who is one of you (os estin ex umon). Said not as a reproach to Colossae for having such a man, but as a privilege to the church in Colossae to give a proper welcome to this returning converted slave and to treat him as a brother as Paul argues to Philemon.
10Aristarchus (Aristarchos). He was from Thessalonica and accompanied Paul to Jerusalem with the collection (Ac 19:29; 20:4 ) and started with Paul to Rome (Ac 27:2; Phm 1:24 ). Whether he has been with Paul all the time in Rome we do not know, but he is here now.
My fellow-prisoner (o sunaichmalotos mou). One of Paul's compounds, found elsewhere only in Lucian. Paul uses it of Epaphras in Phm 1:23 , but whether of actual voluntary imprisonment or of spiritual imprisonment like sunstratiotes (fellow-soldier) in Php 2:25; Phm 1:2 we do not know. Abbott argues for a literal imprisonment and it is possible that some of Paul's co-workers (sun-ergo) voluntarily shared imprisonment with him by turns.
Mark (Markos). Once rejected by Paul for his defection in the work (Ac 15:36-39 ), but now cordially commended because he had made good again.
The cousin of Barnabas (o anepsios Barnaba). It was used for "nephew" very late, clearly "cousin" here and common so in the papyri. This kinship explains the interest of Barnabas in Mark (Ac 12:25; 13:5; 15:36-39 ).
If he come unto you, receive him (ean elthe pros umas dexasthe auton). This third class conditional sentence (ean and second aorist active subjunctive of erchoma) gives the substance of the commands (entolas) about Mark already sent, how we do not know. But Paul's commendation of Mark is hearty and unreserved as he does later in 2Ti 4:11 . The verb dechoma is the usual one for hospitable reception (Mt 10:14; Joh 4:45 ) like prosdechoma (Php 2:29 ) and upodechoma (Lu 10:38 ).
11Jesus which is called Justus (Iesous o legomenos Ioustos). Another illustration of the frequency of the name Jesus (Joshua). The surname Justus is the Latin Justus for the Greek Dikaios and the Hebrew Zadok and very common as a surname among the Jews. The name appears for two others in the N.T. (Ac 1:23; 18:7 ).
Who are of the circumcision (o ontes ek peritomes). Jewish Christians certainly, but not necessarily Judaizers like those so termed in Ac 11:3 (o ek peritomes. Cf. Ac 35:1,5 ).
These only (outo mono). "Of the circumcision" (Jews) he means.
A comfort unto me (mo paregoria). Ethical dative of personal interest. Paregoria is an old word (here only in N.T.) from paregoreo, to make an address) and means solace, relief. A medical term. Curiously enough our word paregoric comes from it (paregorikos).
12Epaphras who is one of you (Epaphras o ex umon). See 1:7 for previous mention of this brother who had brought Paul news from Colossae.
Always striving for you (pantote agonizomenos uper emon). See 1:29 of Paul.
That ye may stand (ina stathete). Final clause, first aorist passive subjunctive (according to Aleph B) rather than the usual second aorist active subjunctives (stete) of istem (according to A C D).
Fully assured (peplerophoremeno). Perfect passive participle of plerophoreo, late compound, for which see Lu 1:1; Ro 14:5 .
13And for them in Hierapolis (ka ton en Hiera Pole). The third of the three cities in the Lycus Valley which had not seen Paul's face ( 2:1). It was across the valley from Laodicea. Probably Epaphras had evangelized all three cities and all were in peril from the Gnostics.
14Luke, the beloved physician (Loukas o iatros o agapetos). Mentioned also in Phm 1:24; 2Ti 4:11 . The author of the Gospel and the Acts. Both Mark and Luke are with Paul at this time, possibly also with copies of their Gospels with them. The article here (repeated) may mean "my beloved physician." It would seem certain that Luke looked after Paul's health and that Paul loved him. Paul was Luke's hero, but it was not a one-sided affection. It is beautiful to see preacher and physician warm friends in the community.
Demas (Demas). Just his name here (a contraction of Demetrius), but in 2Ti 4:10 he is mentioned as one who deserted Paul.
15Nymphas (Numphan). That is masculine, if autou (his) is genuine (D E K L) after kat' oikon, but Numpha (feminine) if autes (her) is read (B 67). Aleph A C P read auton (their), perhaps including adelphous (brethren) and so locating this church (ekklesia) in Laodicea. It was not till the third century that separate buildings were used for church worship. See Ro 16:5 for Prisca and Aquila. It is not possible to tell whether it is "her" or "his" house here.
16When this epistle hath been read among you (otan anagnosthe par' umin e epistole). Indefinite temporal clause with otan (ote an) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of anaginosko. The epistle was read in public to the church (Re 1:3 ).
Cause that (poiesate ina). Same idiom in Joh 11:37; Re 13:15 . Old Greek preferred opos for this idiom. See 1Th 5:27 for injunction for public reading of the Epistle.
That ye also read (ka umeis anagnote). Second aorist active subjunctive of anaginosko, to read.
And the epistle from Laodicea (ka ten ek Laodikias). The most likely meaning is that the so-called Epistle to the Ephesians was a circular letter to various churches in the province of Asia, one copy going to Laodicea and to be passed on to Colossae as the Colossian letter was to be sent on to Laodicea. This was done usually by copying and keeping the original. See Eph 1:1 for further discussion of this matter.
17Take heed (blepe). Keep an eye on.
Thou hast received in the Lord (parelabes en Kurio). Second aorist active indicative of paralambano, the verb used by Paul of getting his message from the Lord (1Co 15:3 ). Clearly Archippus had a call "in the Lord" as every preacher should have.
That thou fulfil it (ina auten plerois). Present active subjunctive of pleroo, "that thou keep on filling it full." It is a life-time job.
18Of me Paul with mine own hand (te eme cheir Paulou). More precisely, "with the hand of me Paul." The genitive Paulou is in apposition with the idea in the possessive pronoun eme, which is itself in the instrumental case agreeing with cheir. So also 2Th 3:17; 1Co 16:21 .
My bonds (mou ton desmon). Genitive case with mnemoneuete (remember). The chain (en aluse Eph 6:20 ) clanked afresh as Paul took the pen to sign the salutation. He was not likely to forget it himself
FIRST THESSALONIANS
FROM CORINTH A.D. 50 TO 51
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION
We cannot say that this is Paul's first letter to a church, for in 2Th 2:2 he speaks of some as palming off letters as his and in 2Th 3:17 he says that he appends his own signature to every letter after dictating it to an amanuensis (Ro 16:22 ). We know of one lost letter (1Co 5:11 ) and perhaps another (2Co 2:3 ). But this is the earliest one that has come down to us and it may even be the earliest New Testament book, unless the Epistle of James antedates it or even Mark's Gospel. We know, as already shown, that Paul was in Corinth and that Timothy and Silas had just arrived from Thessalonica (1Th 3:6; Ac 18:5 ). They had brought supplies from the Macedonian churches to supply Paul's need (2Co 11:9 ), as the church in Philippi did once and again while Paul was in Thessalonica (Php 4:15f. ). Before Timothy and Silas came to Corinth Paul had to work steadily at his trade as tent-maker with Aquila and Priscilla (Ac 18:3 ) and could only preach in the synagogue on sabbaths, but the rich stores from Macedonia released his hands and "Paul devoted himself to the word" (suneicheto to logo Paulos). He gave himself wholly to preaching now. But Timothy and Silas brought news of serious trouble in the church in Thessalonica. Some of the disciples there had misunderstood Paul's preaching about the second coming of Christ and had quit work and were making a decided disturbance on the subject. Undoubtedly Paul had touched upon eschatological matters while in Thessalonica. The Jewish leaders at Thessalonica charged it against Paul and Silas to the politarchs that they had preached another king, Jesus, in place of Caesar. Paul had preached Jesus as King of the spiritual kingdom which the Jews misrepresented to the politarchs as treason against Caesar as the Sanhedrin had done to Pilate about Jesus. Clearly Paul had said also that Jesus was going to come again according to his own promise before his ascension. Some asserted that Paul said Jesus was going to come right away and drew their own inferences for idleness and fanaticism as some do today. Strange as it may seem, there are scholars today who say that Paul did believe and say that Jesus was going to come back right away. They say this in spite of 2Th 2:1f. where Paul denies having ever said it. Undoubtedly Paul hoped for the early return of Jesus as most of the early Christians did, but that is a very different thing from setting a time for his coming. It is open to us all to hope for the speedy return of Christ, but times and seasons are with God and not with us. It is not open to us to excuse our negligence and idleness as Christians because of such a hope. That hope should serve as a spur to increased activity for Christ in order to hasten his coming. So Paul writes this group of Epistles to correct gross misapprehension and misrepresentation of his preaching about last things (eschatology). It is a rare preacher who has never been misunderstood or misrepresented.
There are excellent commentaries on the Thessalonian Epistles .
On the Greek text one may note those by
Dibelius, Handbuch zum N.T. Zweite Auflage (1925); Dobschutz, Meyer-Kommentar (1909); Ellicott, Crit. and Grammat. Comm. (1884); Findlay, Cambridge Gk. Test. (1904); Frame, Intern. Critical Comm. (1912); Lightfoot, Notes on Epistles of Paul (1895); Mayer, Die Thessalonischerbriefe (1908); Milligan, St. Paul's Epistles to the Thess. (1908); Moffatt, Expos. Gk. Test. (1910); Plummer, First Thess. (1908), Second Thess. (1908); Wohlenberg, Zahn-Komm. 2 aufl. (1908).
On the English text note those by
Adeney, New Century Bible (1907); Denney, Expos. Bible (1892); Findlay, Cambridge Bible (1891); Hutchinson, Lectures on I & II Thess. (1883).
1 Thessalonians 1