The New Man and the Rule of Love
He 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
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.
About this text
This commentary unravels a complex letter, explaining how early Christians struggled with faith in a world of conflicting beliefs.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 65 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.