Colossians 3

Colossians 3 transitions from the foundational theology of Christ's preeminence to the practical implications of that theology for the believer's daily life. It argues that because the Christian is united to the resurrected Christ, their life must be characterized by the removal of the old sinful nature and the adoption of a new life that reflects Christ's character in every human relationship.

• The passage opens by establishing the believer's positional reality: being raised with Christ necessitates a heavenly mindset and orientation (vv. 1-4).
• Paul issues a call to mortify (dead-to-life) the earthly, sinful behaviors of the past (vv. 5-9).
• He describes the replacement of the 'old man' with the 'new man,' which is being renewed into the image of God (vv. 10-14).
• The passage concludes with instructions on corporate worship and household duties, all governed by the overarching command to act in the name of the Lord Jesus (vv. 15-25).

• The contrast between 'things above' and 'things on the earth.'
• The list of vices to be put off (fornication, uncleanness, etc.) vs. virtues to be put on (mercy, kindness, etc.).
• The 'household codes' covering wives/husbands, children/parents, and servants/masters.
• The repetitive phrase 'in the Lord' or 'to the Lord' as the motivation for every duty.

This chapter is essential for understanding the inseparable link between Christian doctrine and Christian ethics. It clarifies that spiritual growth is not merely internal but must be worked out through tangible conduct in family and work life, anchored by the truth that 'Christ is all, and in all' (v. 11).

Because the believer is hidden with Christ, their daily behavior—ranging from private thoughts to public relationships—must reflect His holiness and authority.

The chapter moves from the indicative (who we are in Christ) to the imperative (how we must live because of who we are). It begins with the vertical focus on God and moves to the horizontal focus on neighbor and family.

• When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (v. 4)
• Of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance (v. 24)

• Seek those things which are above (v. 1)
• Set your affection on things above (v. 2)
• Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth (v. 5)
• Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication (v. 8)
• Lie not one to another (v. 9)
• Put on the new man (v. 10)
• Put on... bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering (v. 12)
• Let the peace of God rule in your hearts (v. 15)
• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (v. 16)
• Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands (v. 18)
• Husbands, love your wives (v. 19)
• Children, obey your parents (v. 20)
• Fathers, provoke not your children to anger (v. 21)
• Servants, obey in all things your masters (v. 22)

• For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience (v. 6)
• He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done (v. 25)

• Colossae was a city in Lycus Valley, Asia Minor, facing syncretistic pressures that blended elements of Jewish legalism and early Gnosticism.
• The household codes (vv. 18-25) were a standard feature in Hellenistic moral philosophy, but Paul adapts them to subvert the absolute authority of the Roman paterfamilias by placing all members under the authority of Christ.

• In the first-century Roman world, slaves were viewed as property. Paul's command to slaves to work 'as to the Lord' (v. 23) radicalized their status, affirming their dignity and service before God regardless of their social master.

• This chapter follows the Christology of Colossians 1-2, which established that Christ is the image of the invisible God and head over all rule and authority. Chapter 3 applies this supremacy to personal conduct.

• The theme of 'putting off the old man' and 'putting on the new man' (v. 9-10) parallels the baptismal imagery in Romans 6:4-6, where the believer is united with Christ in death and resurrection.
• The mention of 'the image of him that created him' (v. 10) alludes to Genesis 1:26-27, indicating that salvation is a restoration of the divine image marred by the Fall.

• The reference to 'image' (εἰκών) in verse 10 functions as a deliberate echo of the creation account in Genesis, identifying the 'new man' as the restoration of human dignity originally intended by God.

• συνεγείρω (synegeírō) [G4891]: To rouse from death in company with. This implies that the believer's resurrection is not merely a future hope but a present spiritual reality.
• φρονέω (phronéō) [G5426]: To exercise the mind, to be mentally disposed. It suggests an active, continuous mental set, not a passive feeling.
• νεκρόω (nekróō) [G3499]: To deaden or put to death. It conveys a violent, decisive break with sin rather than a gentle cessation.
• ἐπιθυμία (epithymía) [G1939]: A longing or craving. In the context of verse 5, it specifically designates an illicit or forbidden desire.
• Matthew Henry observes that mortification is a necessary duty: 'It is necessary to mortify sins, because if we do not kill them, they will kill us.' He reflects on the Reformed perspective that this is a work of grace, not mere self-effort.

• The shift from 'the wrath of God' (v. 6) to the active 'putting off' (v. 8) shows that the Christian life involves both the avoidance of judgment and the active pursuit of holiness.
• Verse 11 destroys all sociological hierarchies (Greek, Jew, Barbarian, Scythian, slave, free), declaring that Christ is the only social identifier that matters.

• The phrase 'elect of God' (v. 12) is central to historical debates on predestination. Reformed scholars often cite this as evidence of God's sovereign initiative in choosing those who are 'holy and beloved,' whereas other traditions emphasize the corporate aspect of the Church as the 'called out' covenant community.