A PARAPHRASE Ο Ν The Epiftle of St. PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS The PREFACE. T appears from several (Chap. ii. 1.) Paffages xviii. 23. this Epiftle; wherein he expreffeth his great Satisfaction at their Conftancy in their Profeffion, and confirms them in it, against the Infinuations of each of thofe Adverfaries. It was written at the fame Time and Place with those to the Ephefians and Philippians (viz. during his Confinement at Rome) and in the fame Strain of Expreffions. For a clearer Notion whereof the Reader may please to fee, and compare this with, the Preface to the Ephefians. CHA P. I. The CONTENTS. The Title. He congratulates their Converfion, and feddy Adherence to the Chriftian Religion. Prays for their Continuance in it. Declares it to have ever been the gracious Purpofe of God to bestow on them (the Believing Gentiles) the Bleffings of Chrift's Religion, as well as on the Jewish Nation; and Himself, the Apofile efpecially Commiffioned to preach it to them and the rest of the Gentile World. P of Jefus Chrift, and Timotheus our Acts ix. AUL an Apoftle 1 & 2. PAUL, called by the ex- 4. D. 62. Coloffe: Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jefus Christ. 3 We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, praying always for you: 4 Since 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gofpel: 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bring eth forth fruit, as it doth alio in you, fince the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth. 7 As ye alfo learned of Epaphras our dear fellow-fervant, who is for you a faith ful minifter of Christ, 8 Who alfo decla red unto us your love in the Spirit. Profeffors of it (without partial Diftinction between fuch as receive Circumcifion, and fuch as do not receive it) and ever praying for your Perfeverance in it. 5 & 6. Bleffing God, I fay, for the Hope and full Affurance you now have of the heavenly Happinefs promifed in that Gospel of Chrift, which is now preached to fo confiderable a Part of the Gentile World, and embraced by you in particular, with fuch good Effects on your Lives and Principles, from your very first Conversion to it by Epaphras my dear Fellowfervant in Chrift. 7 & 8. Whom I fent to Coloffe for that Work, and who like a trusty Minifter of Chrift, has fully performed it; and given me a most comfortable Account of your Love to Chrift, and great Charity to all his Members, according to the true Spirit of the Gospel Religion. 9. Since my hearing whereof, I have continually made it an Article of my moft hearty Prayers, That God would give you a ftill larger Knowledge of his true Religion, and bestow on you greater Gifts of his Holy Spirit for that Purpose, and bring you to the perfect Understanding of its fpiritual and excellent Nature. 10. That you may conftantly improve in Chriftian Principles, and in * Ver. 4. Since we heard of your Faith all τὴν πίςιν ὑμῶν, your Fidelity or Steddinefs, viz. to the Chriftian Religion, without the Obfervance of the Ceremonial Law. Lord unto all pleafing, all fuch Practices as are truly pleafing A. D. 62. being fruitful in every and acceptable to God. good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God: 11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-fuffering with joyfulness: 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light: 11. And, by his great and powerful Affiftance, may fuffer all the Hardships your Religion brings on you, not only with perfect Patience, but with Joy and Satisfaction. 12. Giving all Praise and Glory to God the Father, for vouchsafing you, Gentile Chriftians, the Promife of inheriting the Happiness of Heaven, and of glorified Saints; as the Jews had formerly of the promised Land of Canaan. 13 Who hath deli- 13. In order to which, he has vered * us from the now, by the Revelation of the power of darkness, Gofpel-Doctrine, deliver'd you * and hath tranflated from your heathenifh State of us into the kingdom Darknets, Ignorance, and Vice; of his dear Son. wherein you were fo miferably fubject to the Power and Delufions of the Devil; and has made you Members of the Church of Chrift, the Meffiah, his dear and only Son. 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of fins : 14. By the Sacrifice of whofe Death, you and all the Gentile World, as well as the Jews, are put into a State of Pardon and eternal Salvation. 15 Who is the 15. And well may his Death image of the invifible extend to an Attonement for the God, the firft-born of Sins of all Mankind, who is the every creature +. Son of God, the exprefs Image of the invifible Father, and was before all Creatures, even the Lord and Governour of all things. H 2 16 & 17. * Delivered us: Making himself, as it were, one of the Gen tile Converts, as his ufual Method is. See Ephef. i. 2, 3. + Ver. 15. The firft-born of every Creature. For the true Original Meaning of this Phrafe porórox. See my Note on Gen. xlix. 3. A. D. 62. 16 For by him were 18 And he is the eminence. 16 & 17. For by Him were all things created in Heaven and | Earth, Angels and Archangels, all Degrees of Spirits above, as well as of Men here below, even the whole vifible and invifible World : before all which He had an Exiftence with the Father, by whose Power he created them all at first, and ftill governs and preferves them. 18. And this glorious Meffiah is now the Lord and Head of the Chriftian Church, which has the noble Privilege of being his Spiritual Body; and, by his Resurrection from the Dead, has given us, his Members, the first and most abso lute Affurance of our Resurrection to an immortal Life, by him ‡ who is the Lord both of the Dead and of the Living, Rom. xiv. 9. 19 For it pleased 19. It having pleafed God the the Father, that in Father thus to inveft him with him should all fulness the Fulness of Divine Power and dwell; Wisdom, for the Creation of all things, and for the Redemption, Government and Prefervation of his whole Church, viz. by uniting both Jews and Gentiles into one Body under Him, the great Saviour and Head of all. 20. And In Heaven and in Earth. See Ephef. i. 10. Note there. Ephef. i. 20, 21, 22. Auros, He the fame emphatically. I Пpa poroton in rav vexpav. The firft-born from the dead, i. e. Either is declared and proved to be the Lord and Governour of the Church by his Refurrection: Or elfe, The Lord that fhould fo first rife from the Dead as to give others a perfect Affurance of their Resurrection, according to Acts xxvi. 23. I have expreffed both Senfes. See Ephef. i. 10-20, 21, 22. |