Homilies on Colossians

Ver. 25. “For he that does wrong,” he says, “shall receive again for the wrong that he has done.”

Here he confirms his former statements. For that his words may not appear to be those of flattery, “he shall receive,” he says, “the wrong he has done,” that is, he shall suffer punishment also, “for there is no respect of persons.” For what if you are a servant? It is no shame to you. And truly he might have said this to the masters, as he did in the Epistle to the Ephesians. But here he seems to me to be alluding to the Grecian masters. For, what if he is a Greek and thou a Christian? Not the persons but the actions are examined, so that even in this case you ought to serve with good will, and heartily.

Chap. iv. 1. “Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal.”

What is “just”? What is “equal”? To place them in plenty of everything, and not allow them to stand in need of others, but to recompense them for their labors. For, because I have said that they have their reward from God, do not thou therefore deprive them of it. And in another place he says, “forbearing threatening”, wishing to make them more gentle; for those were perfect men; that is, “with what measure you mete, it shall be measured unto you.” And the words, “there is no respect of persons,” are spoken with a view to these, but they are assigned to the others, in order that these may receive them. For when we have said to one person what is applicable to another, we have not corrected him so much, as the one who is in fault. “You also,” along with them, he says. He has here made the service common, for he says, “knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

Ver. 2. “Continue in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving.”

For, since continuing in prayers frequently makes persons listless, therefore he says, “watching,” that is, sober, not wandering. For the devil knows, he knows, how great a good prayer is; therefore he presses heavily. And Paul also knows how careless many are when they pray, wherefore he says, “continue” in prayer, as of somewhat laborious, “watching therein with thanksgiving.” For let this, he says, be your work, to give thanks in your prayers both for the seen and the unseen, and for His benefits to the willing and unwilling, and for the kingdom, and for hell, and for tribulation, and for refreshment. For thus is the custom of the Saints to pray, and to give thanks for the common benefits of all.

I know a certain holy man who prays thus. He used to say nothing before these words, but thus, “We give You thanks for all Your benefits bestowed upon us the unworthy, from the first day until the present, for what we know, and what we know not, for the seen, for the unseen, for those in deed, those in word, those with our wills, those against our wills, for all that have been bestowed upon the unworthy, even us; for tribulations, for refreshments, for hell, for punishment, for the kingdom of heaven. We beseech You to keep our soul holy, having a pure conscience; an end worthy of your lovingkindness. You that loved us so as to give Your Only-Begotten for us, grant us to become worthy of Your love; give us wisdom in Your word, and in Your fear. Only-Begotten Christ, inspire the strength that is from You. Thou that gavest The Only-Begotten for us, and hast sent Your Holy Spirit for the remission of our sins, if in anything we have wilfully or unwillingly transgressed, pardon, and impute it not. Remember all that call upon Your Name in truth; remember all that wish us well, or the contrary, for we are all men.” Then having added the Prayer of the Faithful, he there ended; having made that prayer, as a certain crowning part, and a binding together for all. For many benefits does God bestow upon us even against our wills; many also, yea more, without our knowledge even. For when we pray for one thing, and He does to us the reverse, it is plain that He does us good even when we know it not.

Ver. 3. “Withal praying for us also.” See his lowlymindedness; he sets himself after them.

“That God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.” He means an entrance, and boldness in speaking. Wonderful! The great athlete said not “that I may be freed from my bonds,” but being in bonds he exhorted others; and exhorted them for a great object, that himself might get boldness in speaking. Both the two are great, both the quality of the person, and of the thing. Wonderful! How great is the dignity! “The mystery,” he says, “of Christ.” He shows that nothing was more dearly desired by him than this, to speak. “For which I am also in bonds; that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” He means with much boldness of speech, and withholding nothing. His bonds display, not obscure him. With much boldness he means. Tell me, are you in bonds, and do you exhort others? Yea, my bonds give me the greater boldness; but I pray for God's furtherance, for I have heard the voice of Christ saying, “When they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak.” And see, how he has expressed himself in metaphor, “that God may open to us a door for the word”; (see, how unassuming he is; even in his bonds, how he expresses himself;) that is, that He would soften their hearts. Still he said not so; but, “that He would give us boldness”; out of lowlymindedness he thus spoke, and that which he had, he asks to receive.

He shows in this Epistle, why Christ came not in those times, in that he calls the former things “shadow, but the body,” says he, “is of Christ.” So that it was necessary they should be formed to habits under the shadow. At the same time also he exhibits the greatest proof of the love he bears to them; “in order that you,” he says, “may hear, for that reason, 'I am in bonds.'” Again he sets before us those bonds of his; which I so greatly love, which rouse up my heart, and always draw me into longing to see Paul bound, and in his bonds writing, and preaching, and baptizing, and catechizing. In his bonds he was referred to on behalf of the Churches everywhere; in his bonds he built up incalculably. Then was he rather at large. For hear him saying, “So that most of the brethren being confident through my bonds are more abundantly bold to speak the word without fear.” And again he makes the same avowal of himself, saying, “For when I am weak, then am I strong.” Wherefore he said also, “But the word of God is not bound.” He was bound with malefactors, with prisoners, with murderers; he, the teacher of the world, he that had ascended into the third heaven, that had heard the unspeakable words, was bound. But then was his course the swifter. He that was bound, was now loosed; he that was unbound, was bound. For he indeed was doing what he would; while the other prevented him not, nor accomplished his own purpose.

What are you about, O senseless one? Do you think he is a fleshly runner? Does he strive in our race-course? His course of life is in heaven; him that runs in heaven, things on earth cannot bind nor hold. Do you see not this sun? Enclose his beams with fetters! stay him from his course! You can not. Then neither can you Paul! Yea, much less this one than that, for this enjoys more of Providence than that, seeing he bears to us light, not such as that is, but the true.