Critical NOTES, and a practical IMPROVEMENT of each SECTION,

OT

A

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

TO THE

PARAPHRASE and NOTES

C

On the EPISTLE to the

COLO OSSIAN S.

OLOSSE was a large populous City of Phrygia, in Afia Minor, and ftood not far from Laodicea: But though it appears from this Epiftle, that a Chriftian. Church was established in it, we have no Account, by whom, or what Time it was founded. Some have concluded from Chap. ii. 1. that St. Paul had never been there himself; but though perhaps nothing can be certainly inferred from that Paffage in Relation to it, yet there is great Reafon to believe, that if the Apostle had been perfonally concerned in the firft preaching of the Gospel there, fo important a Fact would not have been entirely omitted in the Hiftory of the Acts. It is not however at all improbable, but they might be converted while Paul refided at Ephefus, efpecially confidering that he spent no lefs than three Years in that City, and preached with fo much Succefs, that St. Luke tells us, (Act. xix. 20.) that all they who dwelt in Afia heard the Word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

As to the Date of this Epiftle, little need be added here, after what has been already obferved in the Introduction to the Ephefians, (pag. 114.) It appears highly probable, for Reafons there given, that it was wrote at the fame Time with that to the Ephefians, and they were both fent together by Tychicus and Onefimus, towards the Clofe of Paul's firft Imprisonment at Rome, which was about the

002

Year

292

A General Introduction
Year of our Lord 63, or the ninth of the Emperor Nero. (Comp.
Chap. iv. 3, 7, 9. See alfo Vol. iii. § 60. Not. (g), pag. 435.)

The Coloffians appear, from feveral Paffages in this Epiftle, to
have borne an honourable Character for their Piety, and the Zeal
they discovered for the Gofpel; but we find, from the Cautions.
the Apoftle gives them in the fecond Chapter, that they were in fome
Danger of being drawn afide by the Subtleties of the Heathen Phi-
lofophers, and the Infinuations of fome Jewish Zealots, who in-
fifted upon
the Neceffity of conforming to the Ceremonies of the
Mofaic Law. Accordingly the grand Defign of this Epiftle is to
excite the Coloffians by the moft perfuafive Arguments to a Temper
and Behaviour worthy their facred Character, and to fecure them
from the Influence of thofe Pagan Sophifts, or Jewish Bigots, who
would feduce them from the Purity of the Chriftian Faith.

In Pursuance of this general Plan, the Apoftle having joined Ti-
mothy's Name with his own in the Infcription of the Epiftle, be-
gins with expreffing his Thankfulness to GOD for calling them into
his Church, and giving them a Share in the important Bleflings of
the Gospel; at the fame Time declaring the great Satisfaction with
which he heard of their Faith and Love, and affuring them of
his conftant Prayers, that they might receive larger Supplies of
Divine Wisdom and Grace, to enable them to walk worthy of
their high Character and Hopes as Chriftians. Chap. i. 1-14-
And to make them more fenfible of the Excellence of this new
Difpenfation, into which they were admitted, he reprefents to
them in very fublime Terms the Dignity of our Saviour's Perfon,
as the Image of GOD, the Creator of all Things, and the Head of
the Church; whofe Death GoD was pleafed to appoint as the
Means of abolishing the Obligation of the Mofaic Law, which fe-
parated between the Jews and Gentiles, and of reconciling Sinners
to himself. Ver. 15,-23. From this View of the Excellency of
Chrift's Perfon, and the Riches of Redeeming Grace, the Apoftle
takes Occafion to exprefs the Chearfulness with which he fuffered
in the Caufe of the Gospel, and his earneft Solicitude to fulfil his
Miniftry among Manner; affuring
them that he felt the moft tender Concern both for them, and the
other Chriftians in their Neighbourhood, that they might be efta-
blished in their Adherence to the Chriftian Faith. Ver. 24, to the
End. Chap. ii. 1,-7.

them in the moft fuccessful

Having given thefe general Exhortations, the Apoftle proceeds to caution the Coloffians against fuffering their Minds to be corrupted

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