The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1934-01-11
THE
EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS

The Epistle to the Colossians was
written from Rome by the Apostle
Paul, probably between so and 65 A.
D. 1t was addressed to the Church at
Colosse, a city of Asia Minor, lying
approximately rs miles inland,
The Epistle is message of good
will, whose general purpose is to ex-
hort and edify believers. 1t also has
special significance on the side of doc
trine. Certain errors have been re-
ported to Paul, and he now seeks to
counteract their influence since these
heresies tend, in his judgment, to OBJ
scure the divine glory of Christ. He
is deeply conscious of the menace
growing out of mixture of Judaistic
teaching, combined with the vagaries
of oriental philosophical speculation,
and would turn the Colossians from
the following of their mirages to the
true light which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world.
This Epistle may be thought Of as
complementary to the Epistle to the
Ephesians, as in the latter Paul dwells
on the thought the Church as the body
of Christ, while in Colossians he
emphasizes Christ as the head of the
Church.
He warns against trusting in world
ly wisdom, and takes his readers back
to David's position, wherein the Royal
Poet declares that "The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom"
Paul declares the Godhead of Christ
and his participation in creation. He
also affirms that Christ is the Image
of God, and that only through Him
are we brought to perfection. Col, l.:
1918.
Paul prays that the Church might
be filed with wisdom, fruitful in
good works, and strengthened with
divine power. He also offers praise
and thanksgiving for the spiritual
inheritance of the Church, the great
deliverence, and redemption from sins,
wrought by Jesus Christ. He then
tells of our Lords pre-eminence, his
divine fullness, his reconciling work,
and the mystery of his indwelling in
believers.
As good shepherd of the flock of
Christ should always be, Paul was
deeply concerned about the state of
the Church. He desired to see the
members united together in love, hav-
ing a fuller understanding Of the
spiritual mysteries of the Father and
-laa p. Christ.
In Chapter he points out the perils
of worldly philosophy and legalism and
contracts the transcendant glory of
Christ and the power of his spiritual
ordinances with those of the cere-
monial system, showing that the liber
ating power of the cross Of Christ
abolishes the old ceremonialism, and
gives to the believer a new freedom.
Chapter exhorts to heavenly as
pirations and affections, to the sub
jugation of feshly lusts and desires,
and the putting on of Christian graces
and virtues. Verses STA "But now
We also put off all these: anger, wrath,
malice, blasphemy, filthy communi-
cations out of your mouth. Lie not
one to another, seeing that We have
put off the old man with his deeds
and have not put on the new man,
which is renewed in knowledge after
the image of him that created him:
when there is neither Greek nor Jew,
circumcision nor uncircumcision, Bar
barian, Scythian, bond nor free; but
Christ is all, and in all. Put on, there
fore, as the elect of God, holy and be-
loved, affections of mercies, kindness,
humbleness of mind, meekness, long
suffering; forbearing one another, and
forgiving one another, if any man
have quarrel against any; even as
Christ also forgave you, so also do
ye. And above all these things put on
charity (Love) which is the bond Of
perfectness.
Chapters 8 and 4 may also be
thought of as the family section. Here
the duties of various members Of the
Christian household are discussed, in
Guiding wives, husbands, children,
fathers, servants and masters. The
Epistle closes with simple benedic-
tion, "Grace be with you, Amen"
THE EPISTLE TO THE