Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Bible Commentaries
Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament Bengel's Gnomon
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliographical Information
Bengel, Johann Albrecht. "Commentary on Colossians 4". Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jab/colossians-4.html. 1897.
Bengel, Johann Albrecht. "Commentary on Colossians 4". Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament. https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (46)New Testament (19)Individual Books (12)
Verse 1
Col 3:18 to Colossians 4:1 . Îá¼± Î³Ï Î½Î±á¿ÎºÎµÏ , κ . Ï . λ ., wives , etc.) Eph 5:22 to Ephesians 6:9 . á¼Î½ ÎÏ Ïίῳ , in the Lord ) These words are construed with á½ÏοÏάÏÏεÏθε , submit yourselves; comp. Ephesians 6:1 : or else with á½¡Ï á¼Î½á¿ÎºÎµÎ½ , as it is fit; comp. in this view Colossians 3:20 , unless á½ÏακοÏεÏε , obey , Colossians 3:20 , be there likewise construed with á¼Î½ ÎÏ Ïίῳ . It may be construed either way.
Verse 2
Colossians 4:2 . ΤῠÏÏοÏÎµÏ Ïá¿ , in prayer ) Ephesians 6:18 .
Verse 3
Colossians 4:3 . Ἡμῶν , for us ) Ch. Colossians 1:1 . á¼Î½Î¿Î¯Î¾á¿ θÏÏαν Ïοῦ λÏÎ³Î¿Ï , would open the [but Engl. Vers. not of the mouth; therefore, “ a door”] door of utterance ) i.e. the mouth , Ephesians 6:19 ; Micah 7:5 . A great opportunity is elsewhere called a door [and so Engl. Vers. here ], 1 Corinthians 16:9 . δÎδεμαι , ἵνα ÏανεÏÏÏÏ , I am in bonds, that I may make it manifest [29] ) a paradox; as in 2 Timothy 2:9 ; Philippians 1:12-13 .
[29] But Engl. Vers. puts a colon after bonds; so that ἵνα is thus connected with ÏÏοÏÎµÏ ÏÏμενοι , not δÎδεμαι . ED.
Verse 4
Colossians 4:4 . á½©Ï , as ) This depends on λαλá¿Ïαι , to speak , Colossians 4:3 .
Verse 5
Colossians 4:5 . á¼Î½ ÏοÏίᾳ , in wisdom ) Ephesians 5:15 , note.
Verse 6
Colossians 4:6 . ΠάνÏοÏε , always ) Supply ἤÏÏ , let it be . á¼Î½ ÏάÏιÏι ) joined with spiritual grace , Ephesians 4:29 . ἠλαÏι ) with the salt of wisdom.[ Lest there should be anything corrupt and tainted under it . V. g.] εἰδÎναι ) [ by your knowing how ]. The infinitive used as an ablative case.
Verse 7
Colossians 4:7 . Τὰ καÏʼ á¼Î¼á½² , the things concerning me ) Ephesians 6:21 .
Verse 8
Colossians 4:8 . Îνῷ Ïá½° ÏεÏá½¶ á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ ) γνῶÏε Ïá½° ÏεÏá½¶ ἡμῶν is found in Al. Colb. 7, etc. It has been transferred to this place from Ephesians 6:22 . See App. Crit. Exodus 2:0 . [30] on this passage. The two epistles [Ephesians and Colossians] truly have many points of resemblance to one another, but yet so as that the things that need to be changed are changed in each respectively (mutatis mutandis). And generally in parallelisms of this sort, which the officiousness of transcribers has mixed together [blending the parallel readings of two epistles into one], one reading in the one place, and another in the other, is the genuine reading. Tychicus, and through Tychicus (as it appears) Paul, was to learn the state of the Colossians (whence, instead of γνῷ [third person, viz. Tychicus], γνῶ [first person, viz. Paul] may be also read), just as he learned the state of the Thessalonians through Timothy; that of the Corinthians through Titus; that of the Philippians through Epaphroditus; and more especially did Paul wish to learn that of the Colossians, because he had a great ‘conflict’ on their account [ch. Col 2:1 ]. Moreover the knowledge of the Colossians concerning Paul is sufficiently indicated (marked), not only by the preceding words, as in the Epistle to the Ephesians, but also by those following, which are peculiar to this Epistle to the Colossians: ÏάνÏα á½Î¼á¿Î½ γνÏÏιοῦÏι Ïá½° ὧδε . [31]
[30] ÎνῶÏε Ïá½° ÏεÏá½¶ ἡμῶν is the reading of ABD corrected, ( Î ), G fg , and so Lachm. But γνῶ á½Î¼á¿¶Î½ in C Vulg. and Rec. Text, and so Tisch. ED.
[31] Therefore Beng. rejects the reading Î³Ï á¿¶Ïε Ïá½° ÏεÏá½¶ ἡμῶν . ED.
Verse 10
Colossians 4:10 . Î£Ï Î½Î±Î¹ÏμάλÏÏÏÏ Î¼Î¿Ï , my fellow-prisoner ) This was the state of Aristarchus (viz. that of a prisoner ), not so Epaphras, Colossians 4:12 : but it is Epaphras, not Aristarchus, that is spoken of as his ‘fellow-prisoner’ in Philem. 123, Philemon 1:24 . Perhaps Epaphras, when he came to Rome, was imprisoned, and presently after liberated. Paul might have so called Aristarchus, because he had been formerly imprisoned. á½ á¼Î½ÎµÏÎ¹á½¸Ï ÎαÏνάβα , [ sister’s son , Engl. Vers.] kinsman to Barnabas ) Barnabas was better known than Mark; therefore the latter is designated from the former. ÏεÏá½¶ οὠ, concerning whom ) namely Mark; the οὠrefers to the nominative, not to the oblique case, of Barnabas [though ÎαÏνάβα immediately precedes]. á¼Î»Î¬Î²ÎµÏε ) ye have received . Tychicus and Onesimus seem to have borne these commandments to the Colossians, along with this epistle. Ye have received , he says, not, you will receive; for the ancients suited their language to the time when the epistle was read, not to the time when it was written, as we should do. Thus, I have written , for I write , Philemon 1:19 . á¼Î½ÏÎ¿Î»á½°Ï , commandments ) These are put in antithesis to the writing. á¼á½°Î½ , if ) This is the sum of those commandments .
Verse 11
Colossians 4:11 . Îá¼± á½Î½ÏÎµÏ , who are ) namely, Aristarchus, Marcus, Jesus. μÏνοι , alone ) of the circumcision. ÏαÏηγοÏία ) The propriety of the word should be observed; what ÏαÏÎ±Î¼Ï Î¸Î¯Î± is in domestic sorrow, ÏαÏηγοÏία is in forensic danger. [32]
[32] Inasmuch as ΠαÏÎ±Î¼Ï Î¸Î¯Î± comes from μÏÎ¸Î¿Ï , word of advice: ΠαÏηγοÏία , from á¼Î³ÏÏα , the forum , á¼Î³Î¿ÏεÏÏ . ED.
Verse 12
Colossians 4:12 . ΤÎλειοι καὶ ÏεÏληÏÏμÎνοι , perfect and complete ) This is introduced from the former discussion. [33] á¼Î½ ÏανÏá½¶ , in all ) Construe with, ye may stand .
[33] Ch. Colossians 1:28 , Colossians 2:2 , Colossians 3:14 . ED.
Verse 13
Colossians 4:13 . Îá½°Ï , for ) The reason (ætiologia: see Append.) is properly in, he hath . The verb, I bear him record , is modal. [34] ζá¿Î»Î¿Î½ , zeal ) lest you should be seduced, ch. Colossians 2:4 : comp. 2 Corinthians 11:2 .
[34] Expression of feeling; opposed to categorical. See Append, on ‘modus,’ ‘modalis.’ ED.
Verse 14
Colossians 4:14 . ὠἰαÏÏá½¸Ï , the physician ) He is so called, either because he had practised, or was practising, medicine. He calls him Luke, as being sufficiently known to Timothy by his name alone, in 2 Timothy 4:11 . He calls him the physician here, as being unknown to the Colossians. ÎÎ·Î¼á¾¶Ï , Demas ) He alone is put without any descriptive epithet; comp. 2 Timothy 4:10 : but perhaps the reason for this was, that Demas wrote the epistle under the dictation of Paul.
Verse 15
Colossians 4:15 . ÎÏ Î¼Ïᾶν , Nymphas ) of Laodicea, as may be collected from this passage. The house of Philemon was open to the congregations of believing Colossians, Philemon 1:2 .
Verse 16
Colossians 4:16 . á¼Î½Î±Î³Î½ÏÏθῠ, shall be read ) publicly, in the church . Comp. 1 Thessalonians 5:27 ; Revelation 1:3 ; Deuteronomy 31:11 . ἡ á¼ÏιÏÏολὴ , the epistle ) this very one. ÏοιήÏαÏε , cause ) So also 1 Thess. as above. Ïὴν á¼Îº ÎÎ±Î¿Î´Î¹ÎºÎµÎ¯Î±Ï , the one from Laodicea ) Mill is of opinion that the Epistle to the Ephesians is intended, which was to be got from Laodicea, and to be brought to Colosse. It is certainly not without a reason that Paul mentions the town from which the epistle was to be procured, rather than those to whom he sent it.
Verse 17
Colossians 4:17 . Îá¼´ÏαÏε , say ) Speak ye, in my name, as witnesses. This was more affecting than if he had addressed Archippus himself. And perhaps Archippus, a minister, was prevented from going to the public assembly by weak health or old age. For that he was near the end of his career, may be inferred from the word fulfil , Philemon 1:2 . Moreover it is not the different overseers of the Church, but the Church itself, which is commanded to speak to Archippus . Therefore the epistle was directed to the Church, although its subject is very sublime. [ Why then are laymen, as they are called, to be prevented from reading the Scriptures? V. g.] ἣν ÏαÏÎÎ»Î±Î²ÎµÏ , which thou hast received ) by a mediate calling [ i.e. through the mediate instrumentality of men, who ordained him]; for there does not follow, from the Lord , but in the Lord .
Verse 18
Colossians 4:18 . á½ á¼ÏÏαÏÎ¼á½¸Ï , the salutation ) Paul adds this verse with his own hand, acknowledging that all which goes before, proceeded from himself. μνημονεÏεÏε , be mindful ) especially in prayer, Colossians 4:3 .