Fragments on Colossians
Fragmenta in epistulam ad Colossenses
The Error of Angel Worship and Legalism§1
1Many things of this epistle have a difficult understanding because many do not know the underlying premise of the letter and the purpose of the apostle. And the premise is this: those who believed from among the Greeks were being drawn by other Greeks into Greek practices, while those from the Jews were exhorting the Jews to keep the law, as if grace were incomplete without the law. And the word was to the Greeks regarding them that it is right to worship angels, calling their gods to be angels; for the God being great and unapproachable to men, through these angels as mediators, to provide the energies to those in need. And they say, even the Scriptures know the benefit of the angels; for God also set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of angels of God, and Michael, ruler of the Jews (Dan 12:1), and the ruler of Persia is another angel (Dan 10:13). And again: behold, the ruler of the Greeks comes, and Jacob (Gen 32:24): the angel who rescues me (Ex 23:20), and in the Acts concerning the apostle Peter: his angel, they say, is (Acts 12:23), and the Lord concerning the children: do not prevent them from coming to me, because their angels always look upon the face of my Father who is in the heavens (Matt 18:10). For from all these, those who believed and those who disbelieved, Jews and Greeks were being drawn together, asserting that the grace through the Lord Jesus is superfluous, since the angels from eternity who are being persuaded to approach God are sufficient, and they said all observations are incomplete, thereby neglecting the observations from the Jews and Greeks toward this, which is the purpose of the apostles of this letter in hand.
And it is worthy to state the premise found in the epistle; for differently among the many are many things toward the Colossians perceived because the premise is not fully known, nor is the purpose of the apostle.
Those who had believed from among the Greeks were also drawing in the still-Greek people into Greek observances, desiring to; and those Jews who believed were persuading others to keep the law, as if grace were incomplete without the law. Besides these, both Greeks and Jews were persuading the Colossians to pay attention to angels; the Greeks, saying that their gods are angels, because indeed the one God is immeasurable and great, not reachable by men, but through these angels, as mediators, he provides benefits to those receiving them; but the Jews said that God set boundaries of nations according to a number of God's angels; thus also Michael is the ruler of the Jews, and thus the ruler of Persia stood against me. And again: behold, the ruler of the Greeks was coming, just as Jacob wrestled with the angel; the angel who rescued me from my youth, and in the general Acts concerning Peter: it is his angel, and the Lord; see that you do not despise one of these little ones, because their angels see the face of my Father who is in the heavens.
For from all these, those who believed and those who did not believe, both Jews and Greeks were bringing together the error that it is superfluous for there to be angels from eternity, those who were persuading people to lead them away, the grace which is through the Lord Jesus Christ being superfluous. And it is also incomplete to neglect the observances both among the Greeks and among the Jews. Toward these things is the aim for Paul, and these things are corrected. Because of this he says, 'beginning' (Col 1:2); it is necessary to note that in a few verses he often remembers Christ; for the one being set aside, he constantly makes remembrance, impressing upon the souls the longing toward him (Col 1:5–6). Already he shows them that the hope laid up for the resurrection and the kingdom was not established by the administration of angels, but by the presence of our Savior Jesus Christ. By saying 'through the word of truth' he shows how it is not without danger to be perverted...
Greek · §1
Fragmenta in epistulam ad Kolossenses (in catenis) 314 Τὰ πολλὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ταύτης δυσχερῆ ἔχει τὴν κατανόησιν διὰ τὸ πολλοὺς μὴ γινώσκειν τὴν ὑπό315 θεσιν τοῦ γράμματος καὶ τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ ἀποστόλου. ἡ δὲ ὑπόθεσίς ἐστιν αὕτη. Οἱ ἀπὸ Ἑλλήνων πιστεύσαντες εἶχον τοὺς ἔτι Ἕλληνας ἀφέλκοντας αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς παρατηρήσεις τὰς Ἑλληνικάς, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ Ἰουδαίων τοὺς Ἰουδαίους παρακελεύοντας τὸν νόμον τηρεῖν, ὡς τῆς χάριτος ἀτελεστέρας οὔσης ἄνευ τοῦ νόμου. ὁ δὲ λόγος ἦν τοῖς Ἕλλησι πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅτι δίκαιον καὶ ἀγγέλοις προσκυνεῖν, τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῶν ἀγγέλους λέγοντες εἶναι· τὸν γὰρ θεὸν μέγαν ὄντα καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἀνέφικτον, διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τούτων ὥσπερ μεσιτῶν χορηγεῖν τὰς ἐνεργείας τοῖς δεομένοις. ἴσασι δέ, φασί, καὶ αἱ γραφαὶ τὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων ὠφέλειαν· καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατ' ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ, καὶ Μιχαὴλ ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ὁ ἄρχων τῆς Περσίδος ἕτερος ἄγγελος. καὶ πάλιν· ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄρχων τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἔρχεται, καὶ Ἰακώβ· ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ ῥυόμενός με, καὶ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι περὶ τοῦ ἀποστόλου Πέτρου· ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ, φασίν, ἔστιν, καὶ ὁ κύριος περὶ τῶν παιδίων· μὴ κωλύετε αὐτὰ ἔρχεσθαι πρός με, ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς βλέ316 πουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. ἀπὸ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων ὧν οἱ μὲν ἐπίστευον οἱ δὲ ἠπίστουν, συνήγοντο καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Ἕλληνες, φάσκοντες περιττὴν εἶναι τὴν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ χάριν ἀρκούντων τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἀπ' αἰῶνος τοὺς πειθομένους προσάγειν τῷ θεῷ ἀτελὲς δὲ ἔλεγον πάσας τὰς παρατηρήσεις παρορᾶν τὰς παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις καὶ Ἕλλησιν πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ σκοπὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων τῆς ἐν χερσὶν ἐπιστολῆς. 314,col2 Ἄξιον δὲ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν εἰπεῖν ἣν ἐκ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς εὕρομεν· ἑτέρως γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς 315,col2 νοεῖται πολλὰ τῆς πρὸς Kolοσσαεῖς διὰ τὸ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν μὴ πάνυ γινώσκεσθαι μηδὲ τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ ἀποστόλου. Οἱ ἀπὸ Ἑλλήνων πιστεύσαντες εἶχον καὶ τοὺς ἔτι Ἕλληνας ἀνθέλκειν εἰς τὰς παρατηρήσεις τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς βουλομένους, καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοὺς πιστεύσαντας πείθοντας τὸν νόμον τηρεῖν, ὡς τῆς χάριτος ἀτελεστέρας οὔσης ἄνευ τοῦ νόμου. πρὸς τούτοις καὶ Ἕλληνες καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι τοὺς Kolοσσαέας ἔπειθον ἀγγέλοις προσέχειν· Ἕλληνες μὲν τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῶν λέγοντες ἀγγέλους εἶναι, ὅτι τε ὁ μὲν θεὸς ἀχώρητος καὶ μέγας, οὐκ ἐφικτὸς ἀνθρώποις, διὰ δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων τούτων ὥσπερ μεσιτῶν χορηγεῖ τὰς εὐεργεσίας τοῖς δεχομένοις· οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατ' ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ· οὕτω καὶ Μιχαὴλ ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἄρχων Περσίδος ἀντέστη μοι. καὶ πάλιν· ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄρχων τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἤρχετο, ὡς καὶ ὁ Ἰακώβ· ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ ῥυόμενός με ἐκ νεότητός μου, καὶ ἐν ταῖς καθόλου Πράξεσι περὶ Πέτρου· ἄγγελος αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ κύριος· ὁρᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων, ὅτι οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν τὸ πρόσωπον 316,col2 ὁρῶσι τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. ἀπὸ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων ὧν τοῖς μὲν ἐπίστευον τοῖς δὲ ἠπίστουν, συνῆγον καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Ἕλληνες τὸ περιττὴν εἶναι τὴν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ χάριν ὄντων ἀγγέλων τῶν ἀπ' αἰῶνος τοὺς πειθομένους προσαγόντων. ἀτελὲς δὲ καὶ τὸ τὰς παρατηρήσεις παρορᾶν τάς τε παρ' Ἕλλησι καὶ παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις. πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ σκοπὸς τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ ταῦτα διορθοῦται. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀρχόμενός φησίν· Kol 1,2 Ἐπισημήνασθαι χρὴ διότι ἐν ὀλίγοις στίχοις πολλάκις τοῦ Χριστοῦ μέμνηται· τοῦ γὰρ ἀθετουμένου συνεχῶς ποιεῖται τὴν μνήμην ἐντυπῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τὸν εἰς αὐτὸν πόθον. Kol 1,5–6 Ἤδη αὐτοὺς ὑποδείκνυσιν, ὅτι τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην τῆς ἀναστάσεως καὶ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἀγγέλων διοίκησις κατώρθωσεν, ἀλλ' ἡ παρουσία τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. ∆ιὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας δείκνυσιν ὡς οὐκ ἀκίνδυνον παροφθῆναι τὸ
The Kingdom of the Son of His Love§2
2A true and unfalse gospel. This is so as to add to and confirm their faith in all the world; for he says that the gospel has reached not only to you, but already even to all the world, which is a sign of the power of Christ working in the preaching. It was not neglected, but it bears fruit and grows.
And the hope laid up for the resurrection and the kingdom was not established by the administration of angels, but by the presence of Jesus Christ. And the gospel of the one present among you, he says, is not a falsehood, so that it might be nullified; nor did it reach only to you alone, but to all people. And although it did not reach everyone, it was not bypassed, but it is bearing fruit and growing.
Epaphras is presented as being one of the saints and having instructed them, so that they might more attend to his teaching (Col 1:7). And what was the will of God? To know you and to realize that it is not possible for you to be saved through angels but through Jesus Christ (Col 1:9). How then do we come to knowledge? In spiritual wisdom, not worldly.
Above all, it brought patience along with long-suffering (Col 1:11); for patience without long-suffering does not stand, and without joy, patience has no reward. And it is necessary above all in these things to have joy; for not the one who grieves over afflictions for Christ, but the one who rejoices over them receives a reward from God. And what is the reward? The adoption, the inheritance, the fellowship with the angels.
And before the flood and after the flood, and before the law and in the law, the angels served God toward your salvation (Col 1:13–14). But God did not transfer us into his kingdom, but now through our Lord, his only-begotten, his kingdom is given to us. And the title of the Son of his love—not that Christ is the Son of the love of God, but just as certain sons of disobedience and other sons of hell, and the devil is a son of destruction, and another son of this was named, who joined himself to him and added himself, being not a son by nature but by the familiarity of manner—in this way also the Savior was called the Son of the love of God, because he is not only a Son of God by nature but also by the genuineness of love; for the Father loves the Son, he says, and has given all to him.
That the Father delivered us into his hands; or that having loved us, he suffered on our behalf. Thus it must be read: into the kingdom of the love of his Son.
And before the flood and after the flood, before the law and in the law, there were angels ministering to God for our salvation, but they did not establish us. But now God, through the administration of the Lord, has transferred us into his kingdom. Whom he loved: for indeed he loves angels as servants, but Christ as a Son. Therefore he did not lead you into the kingdom of the angels, but into the kingdom of the Son of his love. We are under the heir, not under the slaves.
Thus he says 'Son of love', because he is loved as a son, not because he is of the love of God; for neither are the sons of this disobedience sons by nature, nor are the sons of this Gehenna children, nor is the devil a son by nature of destruction, nor is the adversary a son of sin; likewise, the Lord is not a son of love. But since we are loved slaves, and the Son is loved as a son, he said: of the Son of his love.
Thus: he transferred us into the kingdom of the love of his Son. Because the Son, having loved us, suffered on our behalf so that he might make us worthy of his kingdom, for this reason he says: he transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; for having the unchanging relation toward the one begotten, according to the loving and benefiting of sinners, he is the icon of the Father.
He intends to say that he was before: for if he were not before all, how would all things be created in him? And in him he said all things are being created, so that, having turned away from hoping in angels, we might have hope in Christ; and the 'in him' is instead of 'through him'. These things are said toward the Jews, so that they might not think from then on that he is of that which came into being in the flesh with them. All things were created through him and unto him. Instead of the cause of creation turning toward him, he said 'into him', meaning that nothing of the created things is outside him, but all things are contained by him. And all things consist in him; that is, through him, or instead of being in his will and power to hold all things together according to the mystery that is hidden in God, the one who created all things. In order to show you that he also is before all, he has said that also...
Greek · §2
εὐαγγέλιον ἀληθὲς ὂν καὶ ἀψευδές. ∆ιὰ τοῦ προσθεῖναι καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν βεβαιοῖ· οὐ γὰρ 317 μόνον φησὶν μέχρις ὑμῶν ἔφθασε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ εἰς πάντα τὸν κόσμον, ὅπερ σημεῖον τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμεώς ἐστι τῆς ἐνεργούσης ἐν τῷ κηρύγματι. Οὐ γὰρ ἠμελήθη, ἀλλὰ καρποφορεῖ καὶ αὔξεται. 316,col2 Τὴν ἐλπίδα δὲ τὴν ἀποκειμένην τῆς ἀναστάσεως καὶ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἀγγέλων διοίκησις κατώρθωσεν, ἀλλὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσία. Καὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον δὲ τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, φησίν, οὐκ ἔστι ψεῦδος, ἵνα παροφθῇ· οὐδὲ εἰς μόνους ὑμᾶς ἔφθασεν, ἀλλ' εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους. καὶ οὐκ ἔφθασε μέν, παρηκούσθη δέ, ἀλλ' ἔστι καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον. 317 Kol 1,7 Συνίστησι τὸν Ἐπαφρᾶν ἕνα ὄντα τῶν ἁγίων καὶ κατηχήσοντα αὐτούς, ἵνα μᾶλλον αὐτοῦ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ προσέχωσιν. Kol 1,9 Τί δὲ ἦν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ; τὸ ἐπιγνῶναι ὑμᾶς καὶ εἰδέναι ὅτι οὐ δι' ἀγγέλων σωθῆναι ὑμᾶς δυνατὸν ἀλλὰ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. πῶς οὖν ἐπιγνωσόμεθα; ἐν σοφίᾳ πνευματικῇ, οὐ κοσμικῇ. Kol 1,11 Μάλιστα ἐπήγαγεν τῇ ὑπομονῇ τὴν μακροθυμίαν· ὑπομονὴ γὰρ ἄνευ μακροθυμίας οὐχ ἵσταται καὶ ἄνευ χαρᾶς ὑπομονὴ μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχει. δεῖ δὲ μάλιστα ἐν τούτοις καὶ χαρᾶς· οὐ γὰρ ὁ λυπούμενος ἐπὶ ταῖς θλίψεσι ταῖς διὰ Χριστόν, ἀλλ' ὁ χαίρων ἐπ' αὐταῖς ὑποδέχεται παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν μισθόν. τίς δὲ ὁ μισθός; ἡ υἱοθεσία, ἡ κληρονομία, ἡ μετ' ἀγγέλων διαγωγή. Kol 1,13–14 Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ καὶ μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμόν, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ διηκόνουν οἱ ἄγγελοι τῷ θεῷ πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν σωτηρίαν. ἀλλ' οὐκ μετέστησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ νῦν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ, ἡ βασιλεία 318 αὐτοῦ ἡμῖν δεδώρηται. τὸ δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ, οὐχ ὅτι τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ υἱός ἐστι ὁ Χριστός, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ υἱοὶ τῆς ἀπειθείας τινὲς καὶ υἱοὶ γεέννης ἕτεροι καὶ υἱὸς ἀπωλείας ὁ διάβολος καὶ ἄλλος υἱὸς τούτου ὠνομάσθη ᾧ προσέδραμε καὶ προσέθετο, οὐ φύσει ὢν υἱὸς ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ τρόπου οἰκειότητι, οὕτω καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ υἱὸς τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ προσηγορεύθη, ὅτι οὐ μόνον τῇ φύσει υἱὸς θεοῦ ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ τῆς ἀγάπης γνησιότητι· ἀγαπᾶ γάρ, φησίν, τὸν υἱὸν ὁ πατήρ, καὶ πάντα δέδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ· ἢ ὅτι ἀγαπήσας ἡμᾶς ἔπαθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. οὕτω δὲ ἀναγνωστέον· εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. 317,col2 Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ καὶ μετὰ κατακλυσμόν, πρὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ᾖσαν ἄγγελοι ὑπηρετούμενοι τῷ θεῷ πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν κατώρθωσαν. νυνὶ δὲ ὁ θεὸς διὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας τοῦ κυρίου μετέστησεν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ. ὃν ἠγάπησεν· 318,col2 ἀγγέλους μὲν γὰρ ὡς λειτουργοὺς ἀγαπᾷ, Χριστὸν δὲ ὡς υἱόν. οὐκ ἤγαγεν οὖν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ. ὑπὸ τὸν κληρονόμον ἐσμέν, οὐχ ὑπὸ τοὺς οἰκέτας. υἱὸν οὖν ἀγάπης λέγει, ἐπειδὴ ὡς υἱὸς ἀγαπᾶται, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς ἀπειθείας ταύτης υἱοὶ φύσει, οὐδὲ οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς γεέννης ταύτης τέκνα, οὐδὲ υἱὸς φύσει ἀπωλείας ὁ διάβολος, οὐδὲ υἱὸς ἁμαρτίας ὁ ἀντικείμενος· οὕτως οὐδὲ τῆς ἀγάπης υἱὸς ὁ κύριος. ἀλλ' ἐπειδή εἰσιν ἀγαπώμενοι δοῦλοι, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς ὡς υἱὸς ἀγαπᾶται, εἶπεν· τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ. –Η οὕτως· μετέστησεν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. ἐπειδὴ ἀγαπήσας ἡμᾶς ὁ υἱὸς ἔπαθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ καταξιώσῃ ἡμᾶς, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· μετέστησεν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ· τὸ γὰρ ἀπαράλλακτον ἔχων πρὸς τὸν γεγεννηκότα κατὰ τὸ ἀγαπῆσαι καὶ εὐεργετῆσαι τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς, εἰκών ἐστι τοῦ πατρός. 319 Kol 1,15–17 Βούλεται εἰπεῖν ὅτι προῆν· εἰ γὰρ μὴ προῆν πάντων, πῶς τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ κτίζεται; ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ εἶπε κτίζεσθαι τὰ πάντα, ἵνα ἀποστάντες τοῦ ἐλπίζειν εἰς ἀγγέλους ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν εἰς Χριστόν· τὸ δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀντὶ τοῦ δι' αὐτοῦ. ταῦτα δὲ εἴρηται πρὸς Ἰουδαίους, ἵνα μὴ ἐκ τότε νομίσωσιν εἶναι ἐξ οὗ γέγονεν ἐν σώματι μετ' αὐτῶν. τὰ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται. ἀντὶ τοῦ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀνατρέχει τῆς κτίσεως ἡ αἰτία· ἢ εἰς αὐτὸν εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐδὲν τῶν κτισθέντων ἔξω αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὑπ' αὐτοῦ περιέχεται. καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν· ἤτοι δι' αὐτοῦ, ἢ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐν βουλήσει αὐτοῦ καὶ δυνάμει διακρατεῖν τὰ πάντα κατὰ τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι. Ἵνα σοι δείξῃ ὅτι καὶ πρὸ πάντων ἐστίν, εἴρηκεν ὅτι καὶ
The Firstborn and the Head of the Church§3
3Having been born firstborn of all creation. And by the inference, this shows it more, saying that all things were created in him. For if he was not before all things, how were all things created in him? So that the term 'firstborn' is not strictly applied, since it is contrary to 'only-begotten'; for by nature the only-begotten is the only one of the Father, but the firstborn is he who has other brothers, of whom he is first. It is not possible to take both terms in the strict sense.
But he said that all things were created in him, so that, turning away from hoping in angels, we might have our hopes in Christ. And Paul has this as the reason for his theology, to show him as the Creator of all creation. And what is said 'in him' is instead 'through him'. Just as he said him to be the firstborn of all creation, being before the creation (Col 1:15-17), so he is firstborn from the dead, having risen before all other dead unto incorruption (Col 1:18). For no one would say that the risen dead will all be brothers of Christ, and for this reason it is said toward the end: for the majority are sinners and ungodly. So also in the present text, time passes just as it does here. So that he might become first in all things.
In all, in what way? According to the economy; for first in obedience, first in baptism, first in citizenship, first in suffering, first from the dead, so that it is fitting for him to be first in all, having become the beginning to those who follow. And he is the head of the body, the church. Creator indeed of creation, but also Creator of our return. So that he might become first in all things himself. For if he is head of the church and firstborn from the dead, and first in citizenship, and first in sufferings, and first in obedience, and first in baptism: he himself is first in all according to the economy.
This has the sequence toward him being the head of the church. And he said 'fullness' referring to the church, which is rightly and already said of him because the church is being filled with the Holy Spirit. He says, however, that Christ was pleased that all the fullness should dwell in him, and thus through himself to reconcile and to unify all things to himself. In the epistle to the Ephesians, he was showing that the church is called the fullness of God (Eph 1:23). Therefore God was pleased with the fullness of himself, that is, the church being filled...
the rectifications for the world
Greek · §3
πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως γεγεννημένος. καὶ τῇ ἐπαγωγῇ πλέον τοῦτο δείκνυσιν, λέγων ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα. εἰ δὲ μὴ ἦν πρὸ πάντων, πῶς ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἐκτίζετο; ὥστε τὸ πρωτότοκος οὐ κυρίως εἴληπται, ἐπεὶ ἐναντίον ἐστὶ τῷ μονογενεῖ· φύσει γὰρ μὲν μονογενής ἐστιν ὁ μόνος πατρί, πρωτότοκος δὲ ὁ ἔχων ἄλλους ἀδελφοὺς ὧν ἐστι πρῶτος. καὶ ἑκάτερα λαμβάνεσθαι κυρίως οὐκ ἐγχωρεῖ. ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ εἶπεν ἐκτίσθαι τὰ πάντα, ἵνα ἀποστάντες τοῦ ἐλπίζειν εἰς ἀγγέλους, τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχωμεν ἐν Χριστῷ. καὶ ταύτην ἔχει τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς θεολογίας ὁ Παῦλος καὶ τοῦ δημιουργὸν αὐτὸν δεῖξαι πάσης κτίσεως. τὸ δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀντὶ τοῦ δι' αὐτοῦ λέγεται. Kol 1,18 Ὥσπερ πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως ἔλεγεν αὐτὸν πρὸ τῆς κτίσεως ὄντα, οὕτως πρωτότοκον ἐκ νεκρῶν πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων νεκρῶν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ἀναστάντα. οὐ γὰρ ἄν τις εἴποι ὅτι ἀναστάντες οἱ νεκροὶ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες ἔσονται τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ τέλος εἴρηται· οἱ γὰρ πλείους ἁμαρτωλοὶ καὶ ἀσεβεῖς. ὥστε καὶ ἐν τῷ προκειμένῳ ὁ χρόνος παρέλκει ὡς καὶ ἐνταῦθα. Ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσι πρωτεύων. ἐν πᾶσι, ποίοις; τοῖς κατ' οἰκονομίαν· πρῶτος γὰρ ἐν ὑπακοῇ, πρῶτος ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, πρῶτος ἐν πολιτείᾳ, πρῶτος 3ἐν πάθει, πρῶτος ἐκ νεκρῶν, ὥστε εἰκότως ἐν πᾶσι πρωτεύειν, τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἀρχὴ γεγονώς. 319,col2 Καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος, τῆς ἐκκλησίας. δημιουργὸς μὲν τῆς 320,col2 κτίσεως, δημιουργὸς δὲ καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐπιστροφῆς. Ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων. εἰ γὰρ κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐν πολιτείᾳ πρῶτος, καὶ ἐν παθήμασι πρῶτος, καὶ ἐν ὑπακοῇ πρῶτος, καὶ ἐν βαπτίσματι πρῶτος· ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύει κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν. Kol 1,19– Τοῦτο τὴν ἀKolουθίαν ἔχει πρὸς τὸ αὐτός ἐστι κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. πλήρωμα δὲ εἶπε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καλῶς καὶ ἤδη αὐτῷ εἴρηται διὰ τὸ πεπληρῶσθαι αὐτὴν πνεύματος ἁγίου. φησὶ δὲ ὅτι ηὐδόκησεν ὁ Χριστὸς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικεῖν καὶ οὕτω δι' ἑαυτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι καὶ ἑνωποιῆσαι τὰ πάντα εἰς ἑαυτόν. Ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους ἐδείκνυεν ὅτι πλήρωμα θεοῦ ἡ ἐκκλησία λέγεται. ηὐδόκησεν οὖν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πλήρωμα ἑαυτοῦ, τοῦτ' ἔστι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν πεπληρωμένην αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ οἷα ἐν κεφαλῇ ἰδίᾳ οἰκῆσαι, τοῦτ' ἔστιν αὐτῷ στοιχεῖν καὶ αὐτοῦ ἐξῆφθαι, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀγγέλων–ηὐδόκησε γὰρ δι' αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι πάντα, οὐ δι' ἀγγέλων– καὶ γὰρ τὰ ὑπὲρ τοῦ κόσμου κατορθώματα διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Kol 1,21–22 Καὶ διὰ τοιούτου αὐτοὺς διδάσκει ὅτι οὐκ ἄγγελοι αὐτοὺς καταλλάξουσι τῷ θεῷ ἀλλ' ὁ υἱός· φησὶ γάρ· ἀποκατήλλαξεν ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. 321 Kol 1,23 Οὐ μέχρις ὑμῶν μόνον ἔφθασε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην· ἀλλ' οὐδεὶς οὐδαμοῦ μετακεκίνηται, ἀλλὰ μένουσι πάντες ἑδραῖοι. διὸ καὶ τὰ νῦν ἀσφαλίζεσθε. Kol 1,24 Εἴ τι, φησίν, ὑστέρημα πρὸς τὸ παθεῖν, ἀλλ' ἀναπληρῶ τὰ ὑπολειπόμενα τῶν θλίψεων διὰ τὸν Χριστόν, χαίρω πάσχων ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. διὰ τί δὲ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν; ὅτι διὰ τὸ κηρύττειν αὐτοῖς ἔπασχεν. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος, τῆς ἐκκλησίας, αἱ διὰ τῶν ἐπανισταμένων τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπεγειρόμεναι θλίψεις τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, Χριστοῦ θλίψεις καὶ μάλα εἰκότως ὀνομάζονται, ὁ ταῖς θλίψεσι ταύταις ἐνευδοκιμῶν καὶ ἐναθλῶν οὐκ ἔξω σκοποῦ φήσειεν ἀνταναπληροῦν τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Kol 1,26–27 Μυστήριον μέν ἐστιν ἡ οἰκονομία καὶ ἡ ἐνανθρώπησις τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δόξα δὲ τοῦ μυστηρίου ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ ἐκ νεκρῶν, πλοῦτος δὲ ὁ πολὺς ἔλεος ὁ ἐκ τῆς ἀφέσεως τοῦ βαπτίσματος, καὶ δωρεῖται τοῖς βαπτιζομένοις τὴν ἀναγέννησιν. τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου; μὴ πτωχοί, φησί, γένησθε προστασίαις ἀγγέλων ὑποτρέχοντες. Πλοῦτος ἡμῖν, φησί, Χριστὸς ἐδόθη. μὴ γενώμεθα πτωχοὶ εἰς ἀγγέλων προστασίας τραπέντες. Kol 2,3 Εἰ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ εἰσιν ἀπόκρυφοι τῆς γνώσεως θησαυροί, δῆλον ὡς οὐ δι' ἀγγέλων μετασχεῖν αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Kol 2,6–7 Εἰ καὶ τὸ περιπατῆσαι τῷ ἐρριζῶσθαι ἐναντίον εἶναι δοκεῖ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ προκειμένῳ οὐκ ἐναντίον ἐστίν· δηλοῖ γὰρ ἡμῖν πᾶσι τὸ 322 ἐρριζῶσθαι τὸ ἀσάλευτον τῆς πίστεως, τὸ δὲ ἐν Χριστῷ περιπατεῖν τὸ ἐναργῶς τῇ αὐτῇ πολιτείᾳ κατ' ἴχνος βαδίζειν Χριστοῦ. Kol 2,9–10 Τὴν ἐκκλησίαν λέγει ἅτε δὴ πεπληρωμένην τῆς θεότητος τοῦ πατρός. ὁ δὲ νοῦς ἐστι τοιοῦτος· ἡ ἐκκλησία πλήρης ἐστίν, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ δὲ κατοικεῖ σωματικῶς, τοῦτ'
The Abolition of the Law and the Triumph of Christ§4
4you are filled in him, instead of being filled through him
Circumcision is for the Jew, but sin is for soul and body. He remained in that way entirely. He calls the circumcision of the flesh sin.
When the law was given, which condemns those who transgress (Col 2:14–15), all the people of Israel, standing, cried out, and they consented to those things being said, accepting them; and the consent became like a handwritten document. This, then, the handwritten document, the consent toward the law, Christ erased with his own dogmas; for he demonstrated according to the observances of the law, as regarding uncleanness, that it is not the things entering but the things exiting that defile a man, and regarding the keeping of the Sabbath, that he healed in the Sabbath; and one will find many other such things. Previously, therefore, he abolished the punishments of the law against sinners by the dogmas of sin, giving forgiveness of sins and repentance unto salvation. And since the people said 'Amen' in the curses, it was cast as a sub-script to the handwritten document.
Having stripped off the rulers and the authorities, he demonstrated in boldness, triumphing in the cross (Col 2:15). Since through the stripping off and the laying aside of the flesh he brought down the opposing powers, having stripped off the rulers and the authorities, he boldly demonstrated, triumphing over them in it. For even until the cross and even death, our Lord was being revealed as being both God and Son of God, and with miracles he struck, but with the body he was covered; therefore also the Satan tempted him, desiring to learn if he is the one being proclaimed by the prophets, so that if he might learn that he is, he might obstruct the economy. But the evil one did not prevail, for he was not able to learn; so finally Christ was revealed.
And since he was crucified and died and was buried and rose and fulfilled all the things of the economy, he stripped off the hiddenness, and with a bare head he showed the divinity existing with the body. First, indeed, the resurrection from the dead was a work of God, then the ascent into the heavens, then the energy through the servants and the other saints in his name. Having stripped off the hiddenness, he demonstrated the opposing authorities in boldness. And what is the demonstration of these? That they are weaker than the...
Greek · §4
ἔστιν ὡς σῶμα ἡνωμένον κεφαλῇ, καὶ πανταχοῦ κεφαλὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὸν Χριστὸν λέγει. καὶ ἐστὲ ἐν αὐτῷ πεπληρωμένοι, ἀντὶ τοῦ δι' αὐτοῦ πεπληρωμένοι. πεπληρωμένοι δὲ τίνος; δηλονότι τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος. ὅς ἐστι κεφαλὴ πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας. οὐ μόνον, φησί, τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐστὶ κεφαλή–τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἴδιον–ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσης ἀοράτου δυνάμεως, ἐπεὶ καὶ δημιουργὸς αὐτῆς ἐστιν. Τὴν ἐκκλησίαν λέγει πεπληρωμένην ὑπὸ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ, καθὼς ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν· τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι πληρουμένου. τὸ δὲ σωματικῶς ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἐν κεφαλῇ σῶμα. πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἐπήγαγεν· ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ ἐκκλησία; Kol 2,11 Τοῦτ' ἔστι περιτεμὼν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῆς σαρκὸς διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐζωοποίησεν ἑαυτῷ. ὥστε τὸ ἐν Χριστῷ βάπτισμα περιτομὴ πνευματική· περικόπτει γὰρ τῶν πιστευόντων τὰς ἁμαρτίας. Kol 2,12–13 ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἡ περιαίρεσις καὶ ἡ περιτομὴ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. συνταφέντες αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνηγέρθητε. οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ κοινωνεῖν αὐτῷ τοῦ θανάτου ὁμολογοῦσι διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος· κοινωνήσαντες δὲ αὐτῷ τοῦ θανάτου, ἀKolούθως καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀπολαύσουσιν. ἔστι δὲ διπλοῦς ὁ τῆς ἀναστάσεως λόγος· ὁ μὲν γὰρ εἷς πνευματικός, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος σωματικός. ἀναστήσεται μὲν γὰρ πᾶσα σὰρξ ἀνθρώπων διὰ τὴν Χριστοῦ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν, ἀλλ' ὅσοι μὲν οὐκ ἐβαπτίσθησαν ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ' ἐναπέθανον αὐτῶν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, οὗτοι τῆς μὲν κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως μεθέξουσιν, τῆς δὲ ἀπολυτρώσεως καὶ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας οὐκ 323 ἀπολαύσουσιν. ὅσοι δὲ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθησαν, οὗτοι καὶ πρὸ τῆς κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως ἑτέρας ἀναστάσεως δωρεὰν ἐκέρδαναν· ἤδη γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ θανάτου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐξανέστησαν. διὸ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνηγέρθητε, οὐκ «ἐν ᾧ συνεγερθήσεσθε». οἱ οὖν ἐγερθέντες ἀπὸ τοῦ θανάτου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν πῶς ἔτι πολιτεύσονται ὡς πάλιν ἀποθανούμενοι; οὐκοῦν μάτην ἀνέστησαν; εἰ δὲ ὡς ἀεὶ ζήσοντες, οὐκ ἄρα κατὰ σάρκα διαζῶσι ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς δουλεύοντες, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα πολιτεύσονται. σῶμα ἁμαρτίας καλεῖ τὰς πράξεις τὰς ἀτόπους· αὗται γὰρ διὰ σώματος τελοῦνται. περιτομὴ οὖν Χριστοῦ τὸ βάπτισμα· περιαιρεῖ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν ἀκροβυστίαν. ὡς περιττὸν δὲ ἀκροβυστία Ἰουδαίῳ, οὕτως ἁμαρτία ψυχῇ καὶ σώματι. διόλου δὲ τῇ τροπῇ παρέμεινεν. ἀκροβυστίαν δὲ σαρκὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν λέγει. Kol 2,14–15 Ὅτε ἐδόθη ὁ νόμος ὁ καταρώμενος τοὺς παραβαίνοντας, πᾶς ὁ λαὸς Ἰσραὴλ ἑστὼς ἐβόα, καὶ συγκατετίθετο τοῖς λεγομένοις καταδεχόμενος αὐτά, καὶ ἡ συγκατάθεσις ὥσπερ χειρόγραφον γέγονεν. τοῦτο οὖν τὸ χειρόγραφον, τὴν συγκατάθεσιν τὴν πρὸς τὸν νόμον, ἐξήλειψε τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ δόγμασιν ὁ Χριστός· ἐδογμάτισε γὰρ κατὰ τῶν ἐπιτηρήσεων τοῦ νόμου, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν βρωμάτων ὅτι οὐ τὰ εἰσερχόμενα ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐξερχόμενα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τηρήσεως τοῦ σαββάτου, ὅτι ἐν τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν· καὶ ἕτερα τοιαῦτα πολλά τις ἐπιτηρήσας εὑρήσει. προηγουμένως οὖν τοῦ νόμου τὰς τιμωρίας τὰς κατὰ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τοῖς δόγμασι τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατήργησεν, δοὺς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐν ταῖς κατάραις ὁ λαὸς ἔλεγε τὸ ἀμήν, ὥσπερ ὑπόγραφον χειρόγραφον ἐβλήθη. Ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παρρησίᾳ, 324 θριαμβεύσας ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ. ἐπειδὴ διὰ τῆς ἀπεκδύσεως καὶ τῆς ἀποθέσεως τῆς σαρκὸς τὰς ἐναντίας δυνάμεις καθεῖλεν, ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παρρησίᾳ, θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ. μέχρι γὰρ τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θανάτου ἐλάνθανεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ὅτι καὶ θεὸς ἦν καὶ θεοῦ υἱός, καὶ ταῖς μὲν θαυματουργίαις ἔπληττεν, τῷ δὲ σώματι ἐκαλύπτετο· διὸ καὶ ἐπείρασεν αὐτὸν ὁ σατανᾶς, βουλόμενος μαθεῖν εἰ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν κηρυττόμενος, ἵνα εἰ μάθῃ ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν, ἐμποδίσῃ τὴν οἰκονομίαν. ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἤνυεν ὁ πονηρός, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠδυνήθη μαθεῖν· τέως οὖν ἐλάνθανεν ὁ Χριστός. ἐπειδὴ δὲ προσηλώθη καὶ ἀπέθανε καὶ ἐτάφη καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ πάντα τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἐπλήρωσεν, ἀπεξεδύσατο μὲν τὸ λανθάνειν, γυμνῇ δὲ τῇ κεφαλῇ ὁρᾶν τὴν θεότητα μετὰ τοῦ σώματος οὖσαν ἐδείκνυεν. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἦν ἔργον θεοῦ ἡ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασις, εἶτα ἡ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἄνοδος, ἔπειτα ἡ διὰ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἐνέργεια. ἀπεκδυσάμενος οὖν τὸ λανθάνειν ἐν παρρησίᾳ τὰς ἐναντίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐξουσίας. καὶ τίς τούτων ὁ δειγματισμός; ὅτι ἀσθενέστεροι τῶν
The Abolition of the Handwriten Debt§5
5They have become men, because they are being trampled and played with in the name of the Lord. Others took 'having stripped off' instead of 'having stripped off'.
How did the handwriting that was against us erase itself? When the law was given, which condemns those transgressing, all the people of Israel cried out, accepting and agreeing; so then the agreement became a handwriting. Therefore, the handwriting was erased by the dogmas. By which ones? Those that free from the citizenship according to the law, but provide the citizenship in grace. Since he lived as a citizen on our behalf, loosening the disobedience and canceling sin, he was also led forward and bore our sins. By destroying these, he erased the diabolical power; instead of saying he stripped off the rulers and the authorities, he demonstrated it having stripped off, and through this stripping, he triumphed and exemplified the opposing powers. In himself, therefore, he stripped those off, and he triumphed through those things which he suffered and overcame.
Therefore let no one judge you (Col 2:16-18a). It teaches that the law is abolished, having erased the handwriting against us of Christ. And it teaches that also the evil one has fallen, of the Lord having stripped off and having exemplified the rulers and the authorities. It commands therefore not to obey any longer these things which have been abolished through the energy of Christ; so that neither, he says, let the Jews persuade you to keep the things that are under the law. For those were a shadow of the body of Christ, which is the church (Col 2:17). The shadow indeed runs ahead of the body, but it does not have standing by itself. Therefore he says: do not obey the law. But also, let no one lead you Greeks into worshiping angels or the elements of this world; for they enter into things which they have not seen with their own mind and with their own reason, being overthrown. Therefore, 'let no one judge you' is said concerning the Jews, and 'let no one condemn you' concerning the Greeks. He says: let no one encroach upon you, for he is already conquering and contending against the evil one. That which is a shadow of the things to come, but the body is Christ (Col 2:18).
Greek · §5
ἀνθρώπων γεγόνασιν, ὅτι πατοῦνται, ὅτι ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἐμπαίζονται ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου. ἄλλοι δὲ τὸ ἀπεκδυσάμενος ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐκδύσας ἐξέλαβον. 323,col2 Τὸ καθ' ἡμῶν δὲ χειρόγραφον πῶς ἐξήλειψεν; ὅτε ἐδόθη ὁ νόμος ὁ καταρώμενος τοὺς παραβαίνοντας, πᾶς ὁ λαὸς Ἰσραὴλ ἐπεβόησεν δεχόμενος καὶ συντιθέμενος· ὥσπερ οὖν χειρόγραφον ἡ συγκατάθεσις γέγονεν. τοῦτο οὖν τὸ χειρόγραφον ἐξήλειψε τοῖς δόγμασιν. ποίοις; τοῖς ἀπαλλάττουσι μὲν τῆς κατὰ νόμον πολιτείας, παρέχουσι δὲ τὴν ἐν χάριτι πολιτείαν. Ἐπειδὴ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπολιτεύσατο, τὴν παρακοὴν λύων καὶ τὴν 324,col2 ἁμαρτίαν ἀναιρῶν, προσηνέχθη καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν ἐβάστασεν. ταύτας δὲ ἀπολλὺς καθεῖλε τὴν δύναμιν τὴν διαβολικήν, ἀντὶ τοῦ εἰπεῖν ἐκδύσας τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἀπεκδυσάμενος, καὶ διὰ ταύτης τῆς ἐκδύσεως θριαμβεύσας καὶ παραδειγματίσας τὰς ἀντικειμένας δυνάμεις. ἐν ἑαυτῷ οὖν ἐκείνας ἀπεξεδύσατο, καὶ ἐκείνας ἐθριάμβευσεν δι' ὧν ἔπαθεν καὶ κατώρθωσεν. Kol 2,16–18α Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω. διδάσκει ὅτι ὁ νόμος κατήργηται, ἐξαλείψαντος τὸ καθ' ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. διδάσκει δὲ ὅτι καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς καταπέπτωκεν ἀπεκδυσαμένου τοῦ κυρίου καὶ παραδειγματίσαντος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας. παραγγέλλει λοιπὸν μηκέτι τούτοις ὑπακούειν τοῖς καταργηθεῖσι διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐνεργείας· ὥστε μήτε Ἰουδαίοις, φησίν, ἀναπείθουσιν ὑμᾶς φυλάττειν τὰ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὑπάγεσθε. σκιὰ γὰρ ἦν ἐκεῖνα τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία. ἡ δὲ σκιὰ προτρέχει μὲν τοῦ σώματος, ὑπό325 στασιν δὲ δι' ἑαυτῆς οὐκ ἔχει. διό φησιν· νόμῳ μὴ ὑπακούετε. ἀλλὰ μὴν μηδὲ Ἕλλησι μετάγουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὸ προσκυνεῖν ἀγγέλοις ἢ τοῖς στοιχείοις τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· ἐμβατεύουσι γὰρ ἃ μὴ ἑωράκασιν ἀπ' ἰδίου νοὸς καὶ ἀπ' ἰδίου λογισμοῦ καθαιρόμενοι. τὸ οὖν μή τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω περὶ Ἰουδαίων εἴρηται, τὸ δὲ μή τις ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω περὶ Ἑλλήνων. φησὶ δέ· μηδεὶς ὑμῖν ἐπιβουλευέτω νικῶσιν ἤδη καὶ καταγωνιζομένοις τὸν πονηρόν. 324,col2 Ἅ ἐστι σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων, τὸ δὲ σῶμα Χριστοῦ. 325,col2 ὅτε
The Shadow and the Body§6
6These things happened, he says, being a shadow of the things that were to come; and the shadow runs ahead of the body. Since therefore the shadow is the legal requirements, what is the body? The Christ is not a shadow. Therefore, having come the body, the shadow is superfluous.
In saying that we indeed are humble, but God is great and surpassing being healed by us. Since therefore until Him we do not reach, through His angels we are being led to Him and being brought to Him. And more highly he was saying: He who is head of every rule and authority, and now he says: Why are you returning to the elements and angels, having abandoned the head of these, which is Christ? Since they were saying that God is great, He is ungraspable, He is invisible, and we do not reach there. Because of this, since we do not make room for the Great One, through the angels we are being brought. And this is humility, he says.
From there he showed the aim which we speak of, that because of some to exhort by means of angels to be brought, because of this he was moved. (Col 2:19) It is necessary, he says, to have the head; for God the Word is the head of all. What therefore, having left the head, do you hold the body? For even if it has a reason of harmony joining two members or more, the power is of the angels. But therefore from the head comes to all the benefit, to angels as angels, to archangels as archangels, to the visible things as visible things. Set for me the heaven to be instead of a head to the world, instead of eyes the sun and the moon, and thus having arranged each part of the world in a growing order, you will find one body of the all. And just as soul is in a body and body of a soul, so the invisible powers are in the visible things. And of all these the head is more masterful, from which the benefit comes to the whole body, being supplied, it is evident, from the head.
If because of this, he says, you die with Christ, so as not to [the elements of the...]
Greek · §6
ἐγένετο ταῦτα, φησί, σκιὰ ἦν τῶν μελλόντων· ἡ δὲ σκιὰ προτρέχει τοῦ σώματος. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἡ σκιὰ τὰ νόμιμα, τί τὸ σῶμα; οὐ σκιὰ τὰ Χριστοῦ. ἐλθόντος οὖν τοῦ σώματος, περιττὴ ἡ σκιά. Kol 2,18β Ποία ταπεινοφροσύνη; ἐν τῷ λέγειν ὅτι ἡμεῖς μὲν ταπεινοί ἐσμεν, ὁ δὲ θεὸς μέγας καὶ ὑπερβαίνων τὸ ὑφ' ἡμῶν θεραπεύεσθαι. ἐπεὶ οὖν μέχρις αὐτοῦ οὐ φθάνομεν, διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ ἐξιλεούμεθα αὐτὸν καὶ προσαγόμεθα αὐτῷ. καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ ἔλεγεν· ὅς ἐστι κεφαλὴ πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας, καὶ νῦν φησιν· διὰ τί ἐπὶ τὰ στοιχεῖα καὶ ἀγγέλους ἔρχεσθε, καταλελοιπότες τούτων τὴν κεφαλήν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός; Ἐπειδὴ ἔλεγον ὅτι ὁ θεὸς μέγας ἐστίν, ἀκατάληπτός ἐστιν, ἀόρατός ἐστιν, καὶ οὐ φθάνομεν ἐκεῖ. διὰ τοῦτο ἐπειδὴ οὐ χωροῦμεν τὸν μέγαν, διὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων προσαγόμεθα. καὶ ταύτην ταπεινοφροσύνην φησίν. Kol 2,19 Ἐντεῦθεν ἔδειξε τὸν σκοπὸν ὃν λέγομεν, ὅτι διὰ τὸ τινὰς παραινεῖν δι' ἀγγέλων προσάγεσθαι, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκινήθη. δεῖ, φησί, τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔχεσθαι· κεφαλὴ γάρ ἐστι τοῦ παντὸς ὁ θεὸς λόγος. τί οὖν ἀφεὶς τὴν κεφαλὴν κρατεῖς τὸ σῶμα; κἂν γὰρ ἁρμονίας ἔχῃ λόγον συναπτούσης 326 δύο μέλη ἢ πλείονα τῶν ἀγγέλων ἡ δύναμις. ἀλλ' οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔρχεται εἰς πάντας ἡ ὠφέλεια, εἰς ἀγγέλους ὡς ἀγγέλους, εἰς ἀρχαγγέλους ὡς ἀρχαγγέλους, εἰς τὰ ὁρατὰ ὡς ὁρατά. θές μοι τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀντὶ κεφαλῆς εἶναι τῷ κόσμῳ, ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμῶν ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην, καὶ οὕτως ἕκαστον μέρος τοῦ κόσμου ἐν μελῶν τάξει συντιθείς, εὑρήσεις ἓν σῶμα τοῦ παντός. καὶ καθάπερ ψυχὴ ἐν σώματι καὶ σῶμα ψυχῆς, οὕτω τὰς ἀοράτους δυνάμεις ἐν τοῖς ὁρατοῖς. πάντων δὲ τούτων κυριωτέρα ἡ κεφαλή, ἀφ' ἧς ἡ ὠφέλεια εἰς ὅλον ἔρχεται τὸ σῶμα, ἐπιχορηγουμένη δηλονότι ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς. Kol 2,–22 Εἰ διὰ τοῦτο, φησίν, ἀποθνῄσκετε σὺν Χριστῷ, ὥστε μὴ τοῖς στοιχείοις τοῦ
False Asceticism and the Flesh§7
7Regarding not worshiping nor living as a resident in this world, why do you tolerate those who dogmatize to you according to the lifestyle of this world as if living according to it? Why, as living in the world, are you dogmatized: 'do not taste, do not touch, do not handle'; are all these things for destruction through their use? These things are set forth as Greek dogmas; for these people command, in their own plan, not even to touch or taste anything that lives. For all these things were given to men for destruction, such as to corrupt them and consume them in their use and in the violence of life. Therefore, do not touch the things given by God according to their own commandments and their teachings.
Instead of fearing these things—I am indeed speaking of 'do not handle, do not taste, do not touch' (Col 2:23)—there seems to be some logic, since they are of the low-minded and are stingy with the body, to restrain it from filth and not to honor the flesh through gluttony. But even if self-control is beautiful, the second part is impious; for they do not only abstain as if from a superior stomach, but also as if they were not obligated to wrong living things, which were given for destruction in the use of life, and rather they wish to be merciful to God contrary to reason.
Our life is hidden (Col 3:3), instead of the blessedness of the eternal life which will be revealed to all when also the glory of Christ is revealed in his second coming. Just as often sin is called the flesh (Col 3:5), so also, enumerating now the members of the flesh, he speaks of fornication and uncleanness and the following; for these are the members of sin. He calls the sinful mindset the old man, and the evil deeds the members (Col 3:9-10); but the spiritual mindset is the new man, and his members are the good deeds. He calls sin the flesh, of which also the members...
Greek · §7
κόσμου τούτου προσκυνεῖν μήτε ἐμπολιτεύεσθαι, τί ἀνέχεσθε τῶν δογματιζόντων ὑμῖν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πολιτείαν ὡς κατ' αὐτὴν ζῶντες; τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε· μὴ γεύσῃ, μὴ θίγῃς, μὴ ἅψῃ· ἅ ἐστι πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ καταχρήσει; ταῦτα ὡς δόγματα Ἑλληνικὰ ἐκτίθεται· παραγγέλλουσι γὰρ οὗτοι ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πλάνῃ μηδὲ ἅπτεσθαι μηδὲ γεύεσθαι παντὸς ἐμψύχου. πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ἐδόθη τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰς φθοράν, οἷον ἐπὶ τῷ φθείρειν αὐτὰ καὶ καταναλίσκειν ἐν τῇ ἀποχρήσει καὶ τῇ βίᾳ τοῦ βίου. μὴ οὖν ἅψῃ τῶν δοθέντων παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὰ αὐτῶν ἐντάλματα καὶ τὰς διδασκαλίας αὐτῶν. Kol 2,23 Ἀντὶ τοῦ ταῦτα φοβοῦ–λέγω δὴ τὸ μὴ ἅψῃ, μὴ γεύσῃ, μηδὲ θίγῃς–λόγον τινὰ ἔχειν δοκοῦντα, ἐπειδὴ ταπεινοφρονούντων ἐστὶ καὶ ἀφειδούντων σώματος τῷ ἐγκρατεύεσθαι ἀπὸ βρωμάτων καὶ μὴ τιμᾶν τῇ πλησμονῇ τὴν ἰδίαν σάρκα. ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐγκρατείας καλόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ δεύτερον ἀσεβές· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὡς κρείττους γαστρὸς ἀπέχονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς οὐκ ὀφείλοντες ἀδικεῖν τὰ ἔμψυχα, ἃ ἐδόθη εἰς φθορὰν τῇ τοῦ βίου ἀποχρήσει, καὶ μᾶλλον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐλεήμονες παρὰ τὰ ἄλογα εἶναι βούλονται. 327 Kol 3,3 Ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν κέκρυπται, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἡ μακαριότης τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἥτις πᾶσι φανερωθήσεται, ὅταν καὶ ἡ δόξα τοῦ Χριστοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ. Kol 3,5 Ὥσπερ πολλάκις σάρκα καλεῖ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, οὕτω καὶ μέλη τῆς σαρκὸς νῦν καταριθμῶν πορνείαν λέγει καὶ ἀκαθαρσίαν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· ταῦτα γὰρ μέλη τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Kol 3,9–10 Παλαιὸν μὲν ἄνθρωπον λέγει τὸ φρόνημα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, μέλη δὲ τὰς πονηρὰς πράξεις· νέον δὲ ἄνθρωπον τὸ φρόνημα τὸ πνευματικόν, καὶ μέλη αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις. Σάρκα καλεῖ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἧς καὶ τὰ μέλη
The New Man and the Rule of Love§8
8He enumerates. And having counted the man composed of these members, he exhorts to strip off the old man along with his practices; so that the old man is the mindset of sin, and his members are the practices of sins. And just as there is an old man, so there is also a new man, that is, the spiritual mindset; and his members are the good practices, as he enumerates, saying kindness, patience, and the following. Col 3:11 This is similar to the statement that all things may be in all (Col 3:11). And what he says is such: that in all those who think the things of God, God may work all things. For when you think the things of Christ and do them, he is the one doing through you and is in you. It is similar: that God may be all things in all; not heaven in heaven, nor earth in earth. But what he says is such: when you think and do these things, God is the one doing through you, and he is in you to do in you what he intends.
Col 3:14 If love does not precede, nothing of the required things is perfected; for then we both refrain from doing evil to one another and we care for doing good, when we love one another. Col 3:15 Let not those who mislead you be awarded, he says, but let the peace of Christ be the umpire in you unto being united to Christ; and become thankful. To whom? Evidently to him who called you in Christ, and do not run to angels. Let not those who mislead be awarded, but let the peace of Christ be the umpire in your hearts, that is, to be united to Christ and to think the things of him. Then again an exhortation. Col 4:1 To the slaves, he says, serving with goodwill, and you masters, according to what is just and equal, repay them with the proper care. Therefore, equality according to goodwill.
Greek · §8
καταριθμεῖ. καὶ ἀριθμήσας τὸν ἐκ τούτων τῶν μελῶν συνεστῶτα ἄνθρωπον, παρακελεύεται ἀπεκδύσασθαι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ· ὥστε ὁ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπός ἐστι τὸ φρόνημα τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, μέλη δὲ αὐτοῦ αἱ πράξεις τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. καὶ ὥσπερ ἐστὶ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος, οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ νέος τοῦτ' ἔστι τὸ φρόνημα τὸ πνευματικόν· καὶ μέλη αὐτοῦ αἱ ἀγαθαὶ πράξεις, ὡς καὶ ἀριθμεῖ λέγων χρηστότητα, μακροθυμίαν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Kol3,11 Τοῦτο ὅμοιόν ἐστι τῷ ἵνα ᾖ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. ὃ δέ φησιν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ἵνα ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς φρονοῦσι τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ πάντα ὁ θεὸς ἐνεργῇ. ὅταν γὰρ τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ φρονῇς καὶ ποιῇς, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ποιῶν διὰ σοῦ καὶ ἔστιν ἐν σοί. Ὅμοιόν ἐστιν· ἵνα ᾖ ὁ θεὸς τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν· οὐκ οὐρανὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐδὲ γῆ ἐν γῇ. ἀλλ' ὅ φησιν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ὅταν τὰ τούτου φρονῇς καὶ ποιῇς, θεός ἐστιν ὁ ποιῶν διὰ σοῦ, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν σοὶ τῷ ποιεῖν σε ἃ ἐκείνῳ δοκεῖ. 328 Kol 3,14 Ἀγάπης μὴ προηγουμένης οὐδὲν τῶν δεόντων τελειοῦται· τότε γὰρ καὶ τοῦ κακῶς ποιεῖν ἀλλήλους ἀπεχόμεθα καὶ τοῦ εὖ ποιεῖν φροντίζομεν, ὅταν ἀλλήλους ἀγαπῶμεν. Kol 3,15 Μὴ οἱ πλανῶντες ὑμᾶς, φησί, καταβραβευέτωσαν, ἀλλ' ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ ἡνῶσθαι Χριστῷ· καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε. τίνι; δηλονότι τῷ καλέσαντι ὑμᾶς Χριστῷ, καὶ μὴ ἀγγέλοις ὑποτρέχητε. Μὴ οἱ πλανῶντες καταβραβευέτωσαν, ἀλλ' ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, τοῦτ' ἔστι τῷ ἡνῶσθαι Χριστῷ καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονεῖν. εἶτα πάλιν προτροπή. Kol 4,1 Τῶν δούλων ὑμῖν, φησί, μετ' εὐνοίας ὑπηρετούντων, καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ δεσπόται κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ ἶσον αὐτοὺς ἀμείβεσθε ἐν τῇ προσηκούσῃ κηδεμονίᾳ. τὴν ἰσότητα οὖν κατὰ τὴν εὔνοιαν.