Chapter Three

Moral instructions to Christians in general (1–17). Instructions to members of the Christian family (18–25).

Colossians 3:1. Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; In the moral part of his epistle, the Apostle first says that true Christian life consists in detachment from all earthly things and in communion with God (Col 3:1-4). With this in view, Christians must free themselves from passions and adorn themselves with virtues that correspond to the nature of the new person (Col 3:5-17). Christians have been raised with Christ (see Rom 6:4 and Eph 2:6) to new life, and therefore all their thoughts must strive toward where Christ is, that is, toward heaven. – “At the right hand of God” – see Mark 16:19.

Colossians 3:2. Think about the things above, not about the things on earth. Christians must “think,” that is, be attached in their entire inner disposition to the world above. But this does not mean that the Apostle completely rejected the need to care for earthly things: later in the second half of the chapter, the Apostle teaches believers to be especially attentive to the duties imposed by earthly life, namely family life, and in general he did not deny that Christians could make use of and enjoy earthly goods (compare 1 Cor 6:12). Only these goods must in no way supplant the main concern of the Christian’s heart – concern for the eternal and heavenly.

Colossians 3:3. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God; Colossians 3:4. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Why cannot earthly things attract the mind of the believer especially? Because he has died to the sinful life that the earthly life normally displays (Rom 6:2). – “And your life” – that is, your true life, the future life to which you must now prepare yourselves while it “is hidden with Christ in God” or with God. Christ will come for the final judgment of the world – and then your true life will be revealed, life in glory.

Colossians 3:5. Therefore, put to death the parts of you that belong to the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry, Colossians 3:6. because of which the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient, Colossians 3:7. in which you also once walked when you lived among them. With this glorious future awaiting us in view, we must struggle against the passions, which become so intertwined with a person that they can even be called the earthly parts of him, that is, the parts of his earthly body. Of these passions, the Apostle first mentions the passions of the flesh (sexual immorality with the unclean fleshly dispositions lying at its foundation), and then the passion of the spirit – greed. “Sexual immorality” and “greed” are two vices most characteristic of the pagans: they, as one ancient writer said, were gravediggers who dug the grave for the ancient world. – The Apostle calls greed “idolatry” because “those who serve mammon have cut themselves off from serving God” (Chrysostom). – “Is coming” (έρχεται), that is, constantly goes, constantly manifests itself (compare Rom 1:18 “is revealed”). – “Those who are disobedient” – see Eph 2:2. – “In which,” that is, in the vices. – “Among them,” that is, among those who are disobedient.

Colossians 3:8. But now put away all of this: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouths; “Put away” – like useless dirty clothing. – “Anger, wrath” – see Eph 4:31.

Colossians 3:9. Do not lie to one another, since you have stripped off the old self with its practices “Do not lie” – see Eph 4:25. – “Since you have stripped off” … See Eph 4:22.

Colossians 3:10. and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its Creator, See Eph 4:24. – “In knowledge” – more correctly: “into knowledge.” The result of renewal is that a person becomes enriched with knowledge of God.

Colossians 3:11. where there is neither Greek nor Jew, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, nor free person, but Christ is all and in all. See Gal 3:28. In renewing himself, the Christian needs to forget about his national and social advantages: Christ alone should stand before him, as the highest model; all his interests should be focused on Christ.

Colossians 3:12. Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, “Therefore” – in view of the fact that you have removed the old clothing. – “Clothe yourselves” – that is, you need new clothing, and such can only be various Christian virtues. – “Chosen ones, holy, beloved” – see Eph 1:4.

Colossians 3:13. bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone has a complaint against another: just as Christ forgave you, so also do you. See Eph 4:2. – “Just as Christ forgave you” – of course on the cross, when he prayed for his enemies (Luke 23:34).

Colossians 3:14. And above all these, put on love, which is the bond that brings all virtue to perfection, – More correctly: “over all (the clothing mentioned above Col 3:12) put on love, which is the bond that gives perfection to all the clothing.” The Apostle compares Christian love to a belt that holds together all of a person’s garments and gives form to his appearance. Indeed, without love no virtues have meaning (compare 1 Cor 13:1 and following).

Colossians 3:15. and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful. The Apostle wishes Christians “the peace of God” or that which comes from God (compare Phil 4:7). This peace should “rule” in the heart of the Christian, that is, decide what we should choose in a doubtful case and thus help us attain the heavenly reward (βραβευέτω; compare Col 2:18). – “In one body” – compare Eph 4:4.

Colossians 3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom; teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. In the renewal of a person in Christianity, the word of Christ, or the Gospel of the kingdom of God, brings great benefit, and the Apostle advises his readers to turn to this true remedy as often as possible. When this word dwells in them abundantly, they will be able “with all wisdom” to admonish and teach one another (wisdom is necessary in this matter), and the means of this mutual teaching will serve them various works of Christian poetic inspiration (psalms… compare Eph 5:19). – “Singing with grace,” that is, with a particular Christian gracious disposition. The Apostle probably speaks here of gatherings of believers outside of worship services, when Christians could indeed edify one another: in worship services the responsibility for this edification lay with the leaders of the Church.

Colossians 3:17. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Besides, all the life of the believer should be sanctified by the guidance of the word of Christ, and Christians are obliged to do everything to the glory of God. According to John Chrysostom’s interpretation, one must invoke the name of the Lord at the beginning of every deed, in particular “we in our letters put forward the name of the Lord first, for where there is the name of the Lord, there everything is pleasing.”

Colossians 3:18. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. See Eph 5:22.

Colossians 3:19. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. See Eph 5:25.

Colossians 3:20. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord. See Eph 6:1.

Colossians 3:21. Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they may not lose heart. See Eph 6:4.

Colossians 3:22. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not with eye-service as people-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Colossians 3:23. And whatever you do, work from the soul, as for the Lord, not for human beings, Colossians 3:24. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward, for you are serving the Lord Christ. See Eph 6:5-8.

Colossians 3:25. For the one who acts wrongly will receive back what he has done wrongly: there is no partiality with Him. The Russian translation apparently applies this instruction to slaves: they should not act wrongly, because God will also repay them with justice, in spite of the fact that they were in a difficult position in life. But it is better to apply this verse to the instruction that follows to masters, because in the epistle to the Ephesians (Eph 6:9) these words are included in the instruction directed to masters. In Church Slavonic, therefore, the first expression of the verse ό γαρ άδικων is correctly rendered with the word “he who wrongs,” which can characterize only the relationship of a master to a slave, not a slave to a master.