Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy, a brother,

“"Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God." It were well also to say, what from considering this Epistle we have found to be its occasion and subject. What then is it? They used to approach God through angels; they held many Jewish and Grecian observances. These things then he is correcting. Wherefore in the very outset he says, "Through the will of God." So here again he hath used the expression "through." "And Timothy the brother," he saith; of course then he too was an Apostle, and probably also known to them. "To the saints which are at Colossae." This was a city of Phrygia, as is plain from Laodicea's being near to it. "And faithful brethren in Christ." Whence, saith he art thou made a saint? Tell me. Whence art thou called faithful? Is it not because thou wert sanctified through death? Is it not because thou hast faith in Christ? Whence art thou made a brother? for neither in deed, nor in word, nor in achievement didst thou show thyself faithful. Tell me, whence is it that thou hast been entrusted with so great mysteries? Is it not because of Christ? "Grace to you and peace from God our Father." Whence cometh grace to you? Whence peace? "From God," saith he, "our Father." Although he useth not in this place the name of Christ. I will ask those who speak disparagingly of the Spirit, Whence is God the Father of servants? Who wrought these mighty achievements? Who made thee a saint? Who faithful? Who a son of God? He who made thee worthy to be trusted, the same is also the cause of thy being entrusted with all. For we are called faithful, not only because we have faith, but also because we are entrusted of God with mysteries which not even angels knew before us. However, to Paul it was indifferent whether or not to put it thus.”

“He was guarding the camp with his sword, etc. 1 Mac. 3:3. These words fit the subject matter of this epistle to the Colossians, because the whole condition of this life is in the warfare of those who fight, whose dwellings are called camps. Job 7:1: The life of man upon earth is a warfare. Therefore the dwellings of the faithful are figured under the name of camps. Whence the Church bears the likeness of a camp. Gen. 32:2: These are the camps of God. This camp is attacked in three ways. By some, as it were besieging it, who openly rise up against the Church. Apoc. 20:8: They went up over the breadth of the earth, and went round about the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. By others it is deceived secretly, as by heretics. Rom.: by sweet speeches and blessings they seduce the hearts of men, etc. 2 Tim. 3:13: But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, erring, and driving into error. By some, namely domestic ones, through the various corruptions of sins which come from the corruption of the flesh. Gal. 5:17: the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. Eph., last chapter: our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, etc. The prelates of the Church are its leaders, Ps. 67:28: the princes of Judah their leaders, whose office it is to fortify the camp of the Church against all the aforesaid things. Against sins indeed, through exhortations. Is. 58:1: declare to my people their wicked doings, and to the house of Jacob their sins. Against heretics, through sound doctrine. 1 Tim. 1: embracing the faithful word which is according to doctrine, etc. Against persecutors, by example, namely by patiently enduring. Thus Paul protected with the spiritual sword, because in his epistles he rebuked sins, refuted heresies, and encouraged to patience. Concerning the first, Eph. 5:3: but fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be so much as named among you, etc. Concerning the second, Titus 3:10: a man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid, etc. Concerning the third, it is evident throughout the whole of 2 Cor. 11 how he encouraged to patience. And thus two things are touched upon in the words proposed, namely the condition of the Church, when it says camp, and the zeal of the apostle, there, he protected. Now in a camp there ought to be vigilance to avoid evils. Deut. 23:14: that thy camp may be holy, and nothing of filthiness may appear in it. Likewise, order toward the leader and toward itself. Cant. 7:1: what wilt thou see in the Sunamite, but the companies of camps? Gen. 32:2: these are the camps of God. Likewise, terror toward enemies. Cant. 6:3: terrible as an ordered battle-line of camps. But the apostle was solicitous concerning protection like a shepherd, whose office it is to guide the sheep diligently lest they go astray. John 10:4: he goeth before them, etc. And thus the apostle did. Phil. 3: be ye imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. Likewise, to feed abundantly, lest they fail. 1 Pet. 5:2: feed the flock of the Lord that is among you, etc. And thus the apostle did. 1 Cor. 1:2: as to little ones, I gave you milk. Likewise, to defend powerfully, lest they perish. Ecclus. 7:6: seek not to be made a judge, unless thou be able by strength to break through iniquities. 1 Kings 17:34: thy servant kept his father's flock, and there came a lion, or a bear, etc. And therefore it is said that the apostle was guarding the camp, that is, the Church of God, with the sword, which is the word of God, as is said Eph. 6: for the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword, etc. Thus, then, the subject matter of this epistle is this: because in the epistle to the Ephesians he shows the manner of ecclesiastical unity; in the epistle to the Philippians he shows its progress and its preservation; but in this one he deals with its preservation against heretics, who had corrupted them by seducing them, etc.”

“I. The inscription of this epistle is much the same with the rest; only it is observable that, 1. He calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. An apostle is a prime-minister in the kingdom of Christ, immediately called by Christ, and extraordinarily qualified; his work was peculiarly to plant the Christian church, and confirm the Christian doctrine. He attributes this not to his own merit, strength, or sufficiency; but to the free grace and good-will of God. He thought himself engaged to do his utmost, as an apostle, because he was made so by the will of God. 2. He joins Timothy in commission with himself, which is another instance of his humility; and, though he elsewhere calls him his son (Ti2 2:1), yet here he calls him his brother, which is an example to the elder and more eminent ministers to look upon the younger and more obscure as their brethren, and to treat them accordingly with kindness and respect. 3. He calls the Christians at Colosse saints, and faithful brethren in Christ. As all good ministers, so all good Christians, are brethren one to another, who stand in a near relation and owe a mutual love. Towards God they must be saints, consecrated to his honour and sanctified by his grace, bearing his image and aiming at his glory. And in both these, as saints to God and as brethren to one another, they must be faithful. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the Christian life, and is the crown and glory of them all. II. The apostolical benediction is the same as usual: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. He wishes them grace and peace, the free favour of God and all the blessed fruits of it; every kind of spiritual blessings, and that from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; jointly from both, and distinctly from each; as in the former epistle.”

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,.... The apostle puts his name to this epistle, by which he was known in the Gentile world, as he usually does in all his epistles; and styles himself "an apostle", as he was, having seen Christ in person, and received his commission, doctrine, and qualifications immediately from him, with a power of doing miracles to confirm the truth of his mission. This he chose to make mention of, partly because the false teachers everywhere insinuated that he was not an apostle; and partly to give the greater sanction and authority, and command the greater regard and credit to what he should say; as well as to excuse his freedom in writing to them whom he had never seen, since he was an apostle of the Gentiles, and so to them; see Rom 11:13; he calls himself an apostle "of Jesus Christ"; not of men, he was not sent out by men, but by Christ, who appeared to him, made him a minister of his, gave him his Gospel by revelation, abundantly qualified him for the work, sent him forth unto the Gentiles, in whose name he went as an ambassador and messenger of his, and whom he preached, and by whom he was greatly succeeded, to the conversion of many souls, who were seals of his apostleship in every place, Co1 9:2, into which office he came by the will of God; not by the will of men, for he derived no authority and power, nor received any doctrine from men; nor by his own will, of his own head, by any usurpation of his; he did not take this office upon him of himself, but was invested with it, according to the secret will and purpose of God, from everlasting, who had ordained and appointed him to this service, and according to his will of command made known to him in time, when he told him what he should do, and openly separated, and sent him forth to do the work he had called him to; and which arose not from any merits or worthiness of the apostle, but from the sovereign good will and pleasure, free grace and favour, of God, to which the apostle continually ascribes it in all his epistles: and Timotheus our brother; who joined with the apostle in this epistle, and whom he calls a "brother"; partly because of the Christian relation he stood in to him, and them, they being all brethren, children of the same Father, partakers of the same grace of regeneration, belonging to the same family, and so should own and love one another as brethren; and partly and chiefly because of his being a brother, companion, fellow soldier, and a fellow labourer in the Gospel. He mentions him, either because he was known unto them, or that he might be so; and to show the agreement there was between them in the doctrine of Christ, which might have the greater weight with them to abide in it.”

“Paul, an apostle - by the will of God - As the word αποστολος, apostle, signifies one sent, an envoy or messenger, any person or persons may be the senders: but the word is particularly restrained to the messengers of the everlasting Gospel, sent immediately from God himself; and this is what St. Paul particularly remarks here when he calls himself an apostle by the will of God; signifying that he had derived his commission from an express volition or purpose of the Almighty. And Timotheus - Though Timothy is here joined in the salutation, yet he has never been understood as having any part in composing this epistle. He has been considered as the amanuensis or scribe of the apostle.”