Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Colossians 3:7
In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
7. In the which ] “ things,” mentioned just above. Otherwise we may render, “ among whom ” (R. V. margin); i.e. among “the children of disobedience.” If those words are not retained in the text, this latter rendering of course falls.
walked ] The same verb is rendered (by A. V.) in the parallel, Eph 2:3, “ had our conversation,” that is, our action and intercourse in life. The metaphor “ walk ” in such a sense is common in St Paul. See above on Col 1:10. With this searching appeal to memory cp. 1Co 6:11; Eph 2:2; Eph 4:22; Eph 5:8; Tit 3:3; 1Pe 4:3.
sometime ] “ Sumtyme,” Wyclif; antique English for “ once on a time.” So “ sometimes ” in the A. V. of Eph 2:13. In Eph 2:3 (parallel here) the A.V. renders the same Greek, “ in times past.”
lived ] Not merely “ existed,” or “ dwelt,” but found what seemed “ life.” See on Col 2:20 above. From the “ life ” issues the “ walk,” as Lightfoot points out. “He argues from the withdrawal of the cause to the withdrawal of the effect” (Calvin).
in them ] Far better, with mss. &c., in these things (R. V.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In the which – In all which evil passions.
Ye also walked sometime – You formerly lived. These were the common vices of the pagan; Eph 5:8, note; 1Co 6:10-11, notes; compare Rom 1:24-32, notes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. In the which ye also walked sometime] When ye were in your unconverted state, ye served divers lusts and pleasures. See Clarke on Ro 7:5, and “Eph 2:2“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In the which; some render it, amongst whom; but, alas! They lived amongst such disobedient ones still; therefore we do better render it in which, i.e. sins or vices.
Ye, the now believing Colossians, also walked some time; had heretofore practised and exercised; and had not only been infected with the venom of them, in descending from polluted parents, but lived in them, were servants to them, Rom 6:17,19, while in a sensual course of life they were carried away with them, 1Co 12:2, before their conversion, when they did live and reign in their mortal bodies, Col 1:21; 1Co 6:11; Eph 2:3,11,12; 5:8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. sometime“once.”
walked . . . when ye lived inthemThese sins were the very element in which ye “lived“(before ye became once for all dead with Christ to them); no wonder,then, that ye “walked” in them. Compare on theopposite side, “living in the Spirit,” having as itslegitimate consequence, “walking in the Spirit” (Ga5:25). The “living” comes first in both cases, thewalking follows.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In the which ye also walked some time,…. Either in or among the children of disobedience, Col 3:6, or rather in the afore mentioned sins, Col 3:5. Sin is a road or path, in which sinners walk a way of their own, or of their own choosing and approving, though a dark and crooked one, and which leads to destruction: walking herein denotes a continued series of sinning, a persisting in it, a progress therein, a proceeding from evil to evil, taking pleasure, and going on securely in it; and which is the case and state of God’s elect before conversion, which is a turning of them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and out of the ways of sin, into the paths of righteousness, when the course of their walk, of their lives and conversations, is altered; and which is suggested here, and made use of as another reason for the mortification of the deeds of the body of sin, taken from their former state, and their deliverance out of it; and therefore the time past of their lives, when they walked in these things, should suffice, and they should now cease from sin, from a series and course of sinning:
when ye lived in them; in sins, and were dead in them; for to be dead in sin, and to live in sin, is the same thing; living in sin is the death of sin. To live in sin is to live after the flesh, after the dictates of corrupt nature, to live a sinful course of life; it is for a man to give up himself to sin, be wholly bent upon it, take delight in it, and make it his work and business. This had been the case of these believers, but now they were dead to sin, and it became them to live no longer therein, but to mortify it by denying it, and abstaining from it, and living soberly, righteously, and godly.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Walked aforetime ( ). First aorist (constative) indicative referring to their previous pagan state.
When ye lived ( ). Imperfect active indicative of , to live, “ye used to live” (customary action). Sharp distinction in the tenses.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
In the which [ ] . The omission of upon the children, etc., necessitates the reference to which things (ver. 6) Otherwise we might render among whom.
Walked – lived. Walked, referring to their practice, lived, to their condition. Their conduct and their condition agreed. Compare Gal 5:25.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “In the which ye also walked sometime” (en hotis kai humeis periepatesate pote) “in which (things) ye then walked,” or pursued a daily course of life in those things of moral and physical uncleanness, Rom 6:19-20; Rom 7:15; Tit 3:3.
2) “When ye lived in them” (hote ezete en toutois) when ye lived An these things” surrounded by and were a part of these sinful, lustful, impure things, 1Pe 4:3; Eph 2:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7. In which ye walked. Erasmus mistakingly refers this to men, rendering it, “ inter quos ,” (“among whom, ”) for there can be no doubt that Paul had in view the vices, in which he, says that the Colossians had walked, during the time that they lived in them. For living and walking differ from each other, as power does from action. Living holds the first place: walking comes afterwards, as in Gal 5:25,
If ye live in the SPIRIT, WALK also in the Spirit.
By these words he intimates, that it were an unseemly thing that they should addict themselves any more to the vices, to which they had died through Christ. See the sixth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. It is an argument from a withdrawment of the cause to a withdrawment of the effect.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
7. wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; 8. but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:
Translation and Paraphrase
7. In these (sins) ye (Colossians) also once walked when ye were living in them;
8. But now (in sharp contrast to your former walk in sins) you (must) put (them) all away (from yourself, like dirty clothes. These include things like) an angry disposition, (fits of) rage, a desire to harm people, hurtful speaking, (and) obscene speech.
Notes
1.
The past life and the present life of Christians should usually present a conspicuous contrast. It may not do this in the case of those brought up in God-fearing homes, but in the case of the Colossians it surely did. The but now in Col. 3:8 makes a sharp contrast with the past life.
Paul reminds them that they had once walked and lived in their sins. Now they should put them all away, once for all.
2.
The word wherein (KJV, in the which) at the start of Col. 3:7 may refer back grammatically either to sons of disobedience or to the sinful things mentioned in Col. 3:5-6.
We prefer to think that it refers to the sinful things. It seems too apparent to need stating, that formerly Christians walked and lived among the sons of disobedience.
3.
We not only once walked in these thingsfornication, covetousness, evil desires, etc.but we lived in them, in the sense of interest, motive, and congenial attitude.
4.
Paul by his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ commands us to put away now all such evil things. We are to put them away decisively, once for all (this is indicated by the aorist tense). Note that we are to put them ALL away.
5.
To the sins listed in Col. 3:5 Paul here adds several more of like character. (See notes on Col. 3:5-6).
(1) Anger (Gr. orge). This is chronic anger, anger maintained as a basic part of our normal attitude. (Eph. 4:31).
(2) Wrath (Gr. thumos). This is sudden anger, anger boiling over into rage and then subsiding.
(3) Malice (Gr. kakia). This is the desire to injure and hurt people; a vicious disposition; ill will; wickedness that is not ashamed to break the laws. (1Pe. 2:16; Rom. 1:29; Tit. 3:3).
(4) Railing (KJV, blasphemy; Gr. blasphemia). This is hurtful, injurious speech, directed towards either man or God, though we sometimes falsely limit it to that toward God only. Any type of slander or reviling is here forbidden. (Mat. 12:31; Mat. 15:19; Eph. 4:31; 1Ti. 6:4; Jud. 1:9).
(5) Shameful speaking (KJV, filthy communication; Gr. aischrologia). This is foul speaking, low and obscene speaking. Eph. 5:4). Many in our generation are demanding their rights to say anything, anywhere, anytime, regardless of its offensiveness to people. As Christians we must not take this attitude. We put away all shameful speaking out of our mouth, and out of our hearts too, although the latter may take longer.
6.
The sins listed in Col. 3:8 may seem like little sins. They are often practiced by those of professed faith. These offences may not look great to us, but they are. Little sins are just as sinful in Gods eyes as the ones that involve damage to people or property, which we call big sins.
7.
The Christian character is an unsinning character. See 1Jn. 1:8; 1Jn. 3:6-9. This thought will raise our ideals and accomplishments.
Study and Review
21.
What does the wherein (KJV, which things sake) at the start of Col. 3:7 refer to?
22.
Differentiate (if possible) between anger and wrath. (3.8)
23.
What is railing (KJV, blasphemy)?
24.
What does shameful speaking (KJV, filthy communication) deal with? (Col. 3:8)
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(7) In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived (were living) in them.The former condition of heathenism was that in which they were living, with contagion of evil on every side. But St. Paul is not content without noting their own active participationye walked in them. (Comp. Eph. 4:17-20.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Ye also walked They had once been alive to these things, and freely practised them, as did the mass of heathens around them. But they had now become alive to God, and had put off those sins.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘In the which you also walked previously, when you lived in these things.’
These sins and attitudes had once been theirs, as they had also been of the Jews (Mar 7:20-23). This was how they had once lived their lives. But having been raised to the spiritual realm they no longer live among these things. They live in a totally different environment, the heavenlies. And because of this they must be even more particular about their behaviour.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Col 3:7. In the which ye also walked Amongst whom ye also once walked, [partaking in all their enormities,] when ye lived among them. Doddridge. Mr. Peirce paraphrases the verse as follows: “Among which children of disobedience you also some time had your conversation, when, being unconverted, you lived in the commission of those sins.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Col 3:7 . Transition to the following exhortation; and how touching through the effect of the contrast!
] is, with the reading in Col 3:6 , necessarily to be referred to the . .: among whom ye also walked once , by which is meant, not external association (which in fact was not cancelled by conversion, 1Co 5:10 ), but the fellowship of moral conduct . But, even with the reading in Col 3:6 , is to be taken (comp. Eph 2:2 f.) as inter quos (Vatablus, Rosenmller, de Wette, Schenkel, Bleek), and not to be referred, as it commonly is (Chrysostom, however, seems to understand it as masculine) to the vices named in Col 3:5 , because the relative most naturally attaches itself to what immediately precedes, in order to continue the discourse, and because, if refer to the sins, then once more asserts substantially the same thing, so that the discourse gains nothing in thoughtfulness through the two verbs, as in Gal 5:25 , but is unduly amplified. The distinctions which in this case have been attempted between and still make the one or the other appear as self-evident. See e.g . Calvin: vivere and ambulare are distinguished from each other like potentia (comp. Grotius: “moveri”) and actus , the former preceding and the latter following; Beza (and Estius): vivere denotes naturae habitum , ambulare, ipsam; Bhr (comp. Olshausen and Reiche): the former refers more to the disposition, the latter to the outward conduct; Hofmann: the state of life ( ), with which the conduct in detail ( .) harmonized.
] stands emphatically and pregnantly first: when ye lived in these, i.e . when ye were alive therein, inasmuch as the of Col 3:3 had not yet set in in your case, the requirement of the in Col 3:5 was still strange to you, and these disgraceful things formed the element and sphere of activity of your life . On , to be alive , in contrast to the being dead, comp. Rom 7:9 ; 2Co 13:4 ; also Col 2:20 ; [145] is neuter , grouping together demonstratively, and setting forth contemptuously, the states of vice spoken of. According to Flatt, Bhmer, and Huther, it is masculine : “then, when ye belonged to the children of disobedience, ” so that (Col 2:20 ) and (2Co 1:11 ) would have to be compared. In opposition to this view it may be urged that , in this sense, would be a very meaningless and superfluous more precise designation of the , whereas, according to the view above adopted, it is thoughtful and characteristic. [146]
On the change from the merely historical aorist to the descriptive imperfect , lending a lively colour to the representation, and claiming the closer attention of the reader who had passed more rapidly over the ., comp. Khner, II. 1, p. 133, and Reisig, ad Soph. O. C . p. 254 f.
[145] With the Recepta any other reference than that, which has, is excluded; hence the origin of .
[146] Hence not to be attributed, with Holtzmann, to the tautological style of the author, in remembrance of 1Co 6:11 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Ver. 7. When ye lived in them ] Man’s life is a walk, and each action a step either to heaven or hell.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Col 3:7 . : in which vices. If . . . be retained, the probable translation is “in whom”. Lightfoot thinks in any case the reference to the vices is to be preferred, the chief reason being that Paul could not blame his readers for living among the Gentiles. But, as Meyer points out, . implies participation in conduct. : you as well as those who still practise these vices. : a Hebraistic metaphor expressing moral conduct. : “ye were living in them,” i.e. , in these vices. The reference is to their pre-Christian state, in which sin was the atmosphere of their lives. The change of tense should be noticed.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
lived. See App-170.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Col 3:7. , in which ye lived) as if in your essential first principle, origin, [i.e. these sins were the very air which you breathed from your birth, they were your] native element. Comp. Gal 5:25, on the spiritual life.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Col 3:7
Col 3:7
wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things;-He reminds them that they walked in these things while they knew not God, and were given over to idolatry. [They formerly lived in the sins just mentioned. They then went along a path trodden by those whose character was derived from and determined by the principle of rebellion against God.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Col 2:13, Rom 6:19, Rom 6:20, Rom 7:5, 1Co 6:11, Eph 2:2, Tit 3:3, 1Pe 4:3, 1Pe 4:4
Reciprocal: Rom 11:30 – as ye Eph 4:22 – former 1Pe 4:2 – no
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Col 3:7.) . The relative may be either masculine or neuter, as it is referred to , or to the of the previous verse. Each construction has been vindicated. With Olshausen and Bhr, we prefer the neuter, not only because is usually employed in connection with things, and not persons, but because the believers in Colosse are said, in the next clause, to have lived in them, and in the 8th verse, to have thrown them all off. Calvin says-male Erasmus vertit, inter quos. Meyer prefers the masculine in this first clause, but is obliged to change the gender in reference to in the second clause. In which lusts ye too once walked; walked having, of course, its common tropical meaning. But that period was now over-a new era had dawned; and their walk was in a widely different sphere, one in which, by the assistance of the Spirit, they copied the example of Jesus, and sought, and were acquiring a growing preparation for the purity and bliss of heaven.
. , and not , on the evidence of A, B, C, D1, E1, though has in its favour D, E2, F, G, J, K. Flatt, Bhmer, Huther, and others, take to be masculine; an exegesis which does not give any tolerable meaning. In there is an allusion by contrast to the . They once lived in such sins. Life is here used in a spiritual, and not in its physical sense, as in 1Th 3:8. Other instances may be found in the classics-possemne vivere, says Cicero, nisi in litteris viverem?Libanius describes Alexander as ; Aelian (Hist. Var. 3.13) speaks of a people so fond of wine- ; and we have the phrase -they who enjoy life. They had felt supreme enjoyment in such indulgences. So much had they been engrossed with them, and such fancied gratification did they find in them, that they might be said to live in them. The difference of meaning between the two verbs has been variously understood, but there needs no special definition. They once walked in such lusts, when they lived in them; that is, they were utterly addicted to them, for they believed that life or happiness was to be found in them. Calvin says the verbs differ, as do potentia et actus.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Col 3:7. The Colossians were once living in sin but are now disciples of Christ, having been baptized into Him. The words walked and lived are used in the same sense, showing that a man’s walk is classified by the way he lives.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Col 3:7. Among whom, or, in which. The former rendering is preferable, if the longer reading be retained in Col 3:6 : among these sons of disobedience. Comp. Eph 2:2-3, where similar expressions occur, and the same general thought In which would point to the sins enumerated (Col 3:5).
Ye also, like the other Gentiles, once walked, this describes their conduct; when ye lived in these things refers to their continued life and character. There is no doubt that in these things is the correct reading and rendering. The distinction between the two verbs prevents tautology, if in which be accepted as the correct explanation in the first clause. But the other seems preferable, if the longer reading is retained in Col 3:6.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Changing Clothes
Since the Colossian brethren were dead to the world in Christ, Paul said they should put sin out of their lives. Anger and wrath both describe passions aroused when one is insulted or otherwise hurt by someone else’s actions or statements. Apparently, one refers to short term and the other sustained anger. Malice is ill will which may result from anger and leads to the desire to injure. Blasphemy means “to speak against”. Christians should not slander anyone and especially not God. Filthy language especially describes suggestive stories and cursing which should also be eliminated from the lives of Christians. One can lie by telling something that is not true or failing to tell the truth. That latter deceives people by allowing them to draw false conclusions from what has been left unsaid. Since members of Christ’s body have stripped off the old clothing of sin, all these things should be cast out of their newly cleansed lives.
In place of the old clothing of sin, Christ’s followers put on the new man in baptism. Their renewing is an ongoing process through growth in knowledge of Christ. The goal is to grow more and more like the Lord and the Father ( 1Pe 2:21 ; Joh 14:9 ). The new creature is in Christ where there is no distinction between people. The Jews divided the world into Jew and Gentile, or circumcision and uncircumcision. The Greeks divided it into Greeks and Barbarians, who Weed says, were despised by Jew and Greek. Of course, there was also a social distinction between slaves and free men. All of these distinctions are meaningless in Christ, where the redeemed are many members but one body. Christ loves all categories of people and is in all those people who come to Him for salvation ( Col 3:7-11 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Verse 7
Sometime; formerly.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
“In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.”
The Colossians were living in a society where these things were probably more prevalent than we encounter, but most of us would have to admit that in our unsaved days we too were involved in some of these problems mentioned in the text.