Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
Chapter
Colossians 3:1-4
Colossians 3:1-4
1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
1. Ergo si consurrexistis cum Christo, quae sursum sunt quaerite, ubi Christus est in dextera Dei sedens:
2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 2. Quae sursum sunt cogitate, non quae super terram. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 3. Mortui enim estis, et vita nostra abscondita est cum Christo in Deo. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
4. Ubi autem Christus apparuerit, vita vestra, tunc etiam vos cum ipso apparebitis in gloria.
To those fruitless exercises which the false apostles urged, 600 as though perfection consisted in them, he opposes those true exercises in which it becomes Christians to employ themselves; and this has no slight bearing upon the point in hand; for when we see what God would have us do, we afterwards easily despise the inventions of men. When we perceive, too, that what God recommends to us is much more lofty and excellent than what men inculcate, our alacrity of mind increases for following God, so as to disregard men. Paul here exhorts the Colossians to meditation upon the heavenly life. And what as to his opponents? They were desirous to retain their childish rudiments. This doctrine, therefore, makes the ceremonies be the more lightly esteemed. Hence it is manifest that Paul, in this passage, exhorts in such a manner as to confirm the foregoing doctrine; for, in describing solid piety and holiness of life, his aim is, that those vain shows of human traditions may vanish. 601 At the same time, he anticipates an objection with which the false apostles might assail him. What then? ``Wouldst thou rather have men be idle than addict themselves to such exercises, of whatever sort they may be?'' When, therefore, he bids Christians apply themselves to exercises of a greatly superior kind, he cuts off the handle for this calumny; nay more, he loads them with no small odium, on the ground
600"Recommandoyent estroittement;" — "Urgently recommended." 601"S'en aillent en fumee;" — "May vanish into smoke."