John Calvin Commentary Colossians 1

Paul an Apostle. I have already, in repeated instances, explained the design of such inscriptions. However, since the Colossians had never seen him, and on that account his authority was not yet so firmly established among them that his private name by itself would be sufficient, he states at the outset that he is an Apostle of Christ set apart by the will of God.

From this it followed that he did not act rashly in writing to people unknown to him, since he was discharging an embassy with which God had entrusted him. For he was not bound to one Church merely, but his Apostleship extended to all.

The term saints which he applies to them is more honorable, but in calling them faithful brethren, he allures them more willingly to listen to him. As for other things, they may be found explained in the previous Epistles.

We give thanks to God. He praises the faith and love of the Colossians, so that it may encourage them all the more to eagerness and steadfast perseverance. Furthermore, by showing that he has this kind of assurance about them, he gains their goodwill, so that they may be more favorably inclined and teachable for receiving his doctrine.

We must always note that he uses thanksgiving in place of congratulation. Through this, he teaches us that in all our joys we must readily recall the goodness of God, since everything that is pleasant and agreeable to us is a kindness bestowed by Him. Besides, he admonishes us by his example to acknowledge with gratitude not only those things which the Lord bestows upon us, but also those things which He bestows upon others.

But for what things does he give thanks to the Lord? For the faith and love of the Colossians. He acknowledges, therefore, that both are bestowed by God; otherwise, the gratitude would be feigned. And what do we have except through His generosity? If, however, even the smallest favors come to us from that source, how much more should this same acknowledgment be made in reference to those two gifts, in which our entire excellence consists?

To the God and Father. Understand the expression in this way—To God who is the Father of Christ. For it is not permissible for us to acknowledge any other God than Him who has manifested Himself to us in His Son. And this is the only key for opening the door to us, if we desire to have access to the true God. For this reason, also, He is a Father to us, because He has embraced us in His only begotten Son, and in Him also displays His paternal favor for us to contemplate.

Always for you. Some explain it in this way—We give thanks to God always for you, that is, continually. Others explain it to mean—Praying always for you. It may also be interpreted in this way: “Whenever we pray for you, we at the same time give thanks to God”; and this is the simple meaning: “We give thanks to God, and we at the same time pray.”

By this he suggests that the condition of believers is never perfect in this world, so that something is not always missing. For even the person who has begun admirably well may fall short in a hundred instances every day; and we must always be making progress while we are still on the journey. Let us therefore remember that we must rejoice in the favors we have already received, and give thanks to God for them in such a way that we also seek from Him perseverance and advancement.

Having heard of your faith. This was a means of stirring up his love towards them, and his concern for their welfare, when he heard that they were distinguished by faith and love. And, unquestionably, gifts of God that are so excellent ought to have such an effect upon us as to stir us up to love them wherever they appear. He uses the expression, faith in Christ, so that we may always bear in mind that Christ is the proper object of faith.

He uses the expression, love towards the saints, not with the intention of excluding others, but because, to the degree that anyone is joined to us in God, we ought to embrace him more closely with special affection. True love, therefore, will extend to mankind universally, because they all are our flesh, and created in the image of God (Genesis 9:6); but in terms of degrees, it will begin with those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).

For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. For the hope of eternal life will never be inactive in us without producing love in us. For it is necessary that the man who is fully persuaded that a treasure of life is laid up for him in heaven will aspire there, looking down upon this world. Meditation, however, on the heavenly life stirs up our affections both to the worship of God and to exercises of love.

The Sophists pervert this passage to extol the merits of works, as if the hope of salvation depended on works. The reasoning, however, is futile. For it does not follow that because hope stimulates us to aim at upright living, it is therefore founded on works, since nothing is more efficacious for this purpose than God’s unmerited goodness, which utterly overthrows all confidence in works.

There is, however, an instance of metonymy in the use of the term hope, as it is taken for the thing hoped for. For the hope that is in our hearts is the glory which we hope for in heaven. At the same time, when he says that there is a hope that is laid up for us in heaven, he means that believers ought to feel assured of the promise of eternal felicity, just as if they already had a treasure laid up in a particular place.

Of which you heard before. Since eternal salvation is a thing that surpasses the comprehension of our understanding, he therefore adds that the assurance of it had been brought to the Colossians by means of the gospel. At the same time, he says at the beginning that he is not bringing forward anything new, but that he merely intends to confirm them in the doctrine which they had previously received.

Erasmus has rendered: it the true word of the gospel. I am also well aware that, according to the Hebrew idiom, the genitive is often used by Paul in place of an epithet, but Paul’s words here are more emphatic. For he calls the gospel, κατ’ ἐξοχήν, (by way of eminence), the word of truth, in order to honor it, so that they may more steadfastly and firmly adhere to the revelation which they have derived from that source. Thus, the term gospel is introduced by way of apposition.

As also in all the world it brings forth fruit. This has a tendency both to confirm and to comfort the devout—to see the effect of the gospel far and wide in gathering many to Christ. The faith of it does not, it is true, depend on its success, as though we should believe it on the ground that many believe it.

Though the whole world should fail, though heaven itself should fall, the conscience of a devout person must not waver, because God, on whom it is founded, nevertheless remains true. This, however, does not prevent our faith from being confirmed whenever it perceives God’s excellence, which undoubtedly shows itself with more power in proportion to the number of people who are gained over to Christ.

In addition to this, in the multitude of the believers at that time, an accomplishment of the many predictions extending Christ's reign from the East to the West was observed. Is it a trivial or common aid to faith to see accomplished before our eyes what the Prophets long ago predicted about the extending of Christ's kingdom through all countries of the world? There is no believer who does not experience in himself what I am speaking of.

Paul accordingly aimed to encourage the Colossians further by this statement, so that by seeing the fruit and progress of the gospel in various places, they might embrace it with more eager zeal. Αὐξανόμενον, which I have rendered propagatur (is propagated), does not occur in some copies; but, because it suits the context better, I did not choose to omit it. It also appears from the commentaries of the ancients that this reading was always the more generally received.

Since the day ye heard it, and knew the grace. Here he praises them on account of their docility, because they immediately embraced sound doctrine; and he praises them on account of their constancy, because they persevered in it. It is also appropriate that the faith of the gospel is called the knowledge of God’s grace; for no one has ever tasted the gospel except the person who knew himself to be reconciled to God and took hold of the salvation that is offered in Christ.

In truth means truly and without pretense; for as he had previously declared that the gospel is undoubted truth, so he now adds that it had been purely administered to them, and that by Epaphras. For while all boast that they preach the gospel, and yet at the same time there are many evil workers (Philippians 3:2), through whose ignorance, ambition, or avarice its purity is adulterated, it is of great importance that faithful ministers should be distinguished from the less upright.

For it is not enough to hold the term gospel, unless we know that this is the true gospel—what was preached by Paul and Epaphras. Hence Paul confirms the doctrine of Epaphras by giving it his approval, to induce the Colossians to adhere to it and, by the same means, to call them back from those profligates who endeavored to introduce strange doctrines.

He at the same time dignifies Epaphras with a special distinction, so that he may have more authority among them. Lastly, he presents Epaphras to the Colossians in a favorable light by saying that Epaphras had testified to him of their love.

Paul everywhere makes it his particular aim, by his recommendation, to make those whom he knows serve Christ faithfully very dear to the Churches; just as, on the other hand, the ministers of Satan are wholly intent on alienating the minds of the simple from faithful pastors by unfavorable representations.

Love in the Spirit I take to mean spiritual love, according to the view of Chrysostom, with whom, however, I do not agree in the interpretation of the preceding words. Now, spiritual love is of such a nature that it has no regard for the world, but is consecrated to the service of piety and has, as it were, an internal root, while carnal friendships depend on external causes.