Clarke Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary in 8 Volumes: Volume 7, Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

1. Auflage 2015
ISBN: 978-1-5183-2214-3
Verlag: Krill Press
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 89 Seiten

Adam Clarke was a 19th century British Methodist best known for his scholarly commentaries on the Bible, a multi-volume, comprehensive work.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Clarke, Adam

Leseproben

CHAPTER 1
.................. Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle. Usherian year of the world, 4066. Alexandrian era of the world, 5564. Antiochian era of the world, 5554. Constantinopolitan era of the world, 5570. Year of the Eusebian epocha of the Creation, 4290. Year of the Julian period, 4772. Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, 3822. Year of the Greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4421. Year from the Flood, according to Archbishop Usher, and the English Bible, 2410. Year of the Cali yuga, or Indian era of the Deluge, 3164. Year of the era of Iphitus, or since the first commencement of the Olympic games, 1002. Year of the Nabonassarean era, 809. Year of the era of the Seleucidae, 374. Year of the Spanish era, 100. Year of the Actiac or Actian era, 93. Year from the birth of Christ, 66. Year of the vulgar era of Christ’s nativity, 62. Year from the building of Rome, according to Varro, 814. Year of the CCXth Olympiad, 2. Jesus, high priest of the Jews. Common Golden Number, 6. Jewish Golden Number, 3. Year of the Solar Cycle, 15. Dominical Letter, C. Jewish Passover, April 10th. Easter Sunday, April 11th. Epact, or the moon’s age on the 22nd of March, or the Xth of the Calends of April, 25. Year of the reign of Nero Caesar, the sixth emperor of the Romans, 9. In the first year of Albinus, governor of the Jews. Year of Vologesus, king of the Parthians, 12. Year of Domitius Corbulo, governor of Syria, 3. Roman Consuls, P. Marius Celsus, and L. Asinius Gallus, from Jan. 1st to July 1st; and L. Annaeus Seneca, the philosopher, and Trebellius Maximus, for the remainder of the year. THE SALUTATION OF PAUL AND Timothy to the Church at Colosse, 1, 2. They give thanks to God for the good estate of that Church, and the wonderful progress of the Gospel in every place, 3-6; having received particulars of their state from Epaphroditus, which not only excited their gratitude, but led them to pray to God that they might walk worthy of the Gospel; and they give thanks to Him who had made them meet for an inheritance among the saints in light, 7-12. This state is described as a deliverance from the power of darkness, and being brought into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, 13, 14. The glorious character of Jesus Christ, and what He has done for mankind, 15-20. The salvation which the Colossians had received, and of which the apostle had been the minister and dispenser, 21-26. The sum and substance of the apostle’s preaching, and the manner in which he executed his ministry, 27-29. Notes on Chapter 1. Verse 1. Paul, an apostle-by the will of God— As the word apostolov, apostle, signifies one sent, an envoy or messenger, any person or persons may be the senders: but the word is particularly restrained to the messengers of the everlasting Gospel, sent immediately from God himself; and this is what St. Paul particularly remarks here when he calls himself an apostle by the will of God; signifying that he had derived his commission from an express volition or purpose of the Almighty. And Timotheus— Though Timothy is here joined in the salutation, yet he has never been understood as having any part in composing this epistle. He has been considered as the amanuensis or scribe of the apostle. Verse 2. To the saints— Those who professed Christianity. See the note on Ephesians 1:1. Which are at Colosse— Instead of en kolossaiv, at Colosse, or among the Colossians, ABC, and many other excellent MSS., with both the Syriac, Coptic, Slavonic, Origen, Gregory Nyssen, Amphilochus,Theodoret, Damascenus, Theophylact, and others, read en kolassaiv in Colassa, or among the Colassians; and this is most probably the true reading. That this city perished by an earthquake, a short time after the date of this epistle, we have the testimony of Eusebius. That which at present is supposed to occupy the site of this ancient city is called Konos. For other particulars see the preface to this epistle. {Colossians 1:1} Grace be unto you— See on Romans 1:7. And the Lord Jesus Christ.— This clause is omitted by many MSS., several versions, and some of the fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text, not, in my opinion, on sufficient evidence. Verse 3. We give thanks to God— Who is the author of all good; and from whom the grace, which has produced your conversion, has sprung by his mission of Christ Jesus. See the note on Ephesians 1:15, 16. Verse 4. Since we heard of your faith— This is very similar to Ephesians 1:15. And it is certain that the apostle seems to have considered the Church at Ephesus, and that at Colassa to have been nearly in the same state, as the two epistles are very similar in their doctrine and phraseology. Verse 6. Which is come unto you— The doctrine of the Gospel is represented as a traveler, whose object it is to visit the whole habitable earth; and, having commenced his journey in Judea, had proceeded through Syria and through different parts of Asia Minor, and had lately arrived at their city, every where proclaiming glad tidings of great joy to all people. As it is in all the world— So rapid is this traveler in his course, that he had already gone nearly through the whole of the countries under the Roman dominion; and will travel on till he has proclaimed his message to every people, and kindred, and nation, and tongue. In the beginning of the apostolic age, the word of the Lord had certainly free course, did run and was glorified. Since that time the population of the earth has increased greatly; and, to follow the metaphor, the traveler still continues in his great journey. It is, the glory of the present day that, by means of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Bibles are multiplied in all the languages of Europe; and by means of the Christian missionaries, Carey, Marshman, and Ward, whose zeal, constancy, and ability, have been rarely equalled, and perhaps never surpassed, the sacred writings have been, in the compass of a few years, translated into most of the written languages of India, in which they were not previously extant. In this labor they have been ably seconded by the Rev. Henry Martyn, one of the East India Company’s chaplains, who was taken to his great reward just when he had completed a pure and accurate version of the New Testament into Persian. The Rev. R. Morrison, at Canton, has had the honor to present the whole of the New Testament, in Chinese, to the immense population of that greatest empire of the earth. May that dark people receive it, and walk in the light of the Lord! And, by means of the Wesleyan missionaries, the sacred writings have been printed and widely circulated in the Singhalese and Indo-Portuguese, through the whole of the island of Ceylon, and the pure word of the Gospel has been preached there, and also on the whole continent of India, to the conversion of multitudes. Let every reader pray that all these noble attempts may be crowned with unlimited success, till the earth is filled both with the knowledge and glory of the Lord. Talia secla currite! Amen. And bringeth forth fruit— Wherever the pure Gospel of Christ is preached, it is the seed of the kingdom, and must be fruitful in all those who receive it by faith, in simplicity of heart. After karpoforoumenon, bringeth forth fruit, ABCD*EFG, many others, both the Syriac, Erpen’s Arabic, the Coptic, Sahidic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, and Itala, together with many of the fathers, add kai auxanomenon, and increaseth. It had not only brought forth fruit, but was multiplying its own kind; every fruit containing seed, and every seed producing thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. This reading is very important, and is undoubtedly genuine. The grace of God in truth— Ye were fruitful, and went on increasing in the salvation of God, from the time that ye heard and acknowledged this doctrine to be of God, to spring from the grace or benevolence of God; and received it in truth, sincerely and uprightly, as his greatest gift to man. Verse 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras-who is for you— Who this Epaphras was we cannot tell; only it is likely that he was a Colossian, and became, by the call and grace of Christ, a deacon of this Church, faithfully labouring with the apostle, to promote its best interests. Some think that he is the same with Epaphroditus, Epaphras being a contraction of that name, as Demas is of Demetrius; and it is remarkable that one of the Slavonic versions has Epaphroditus in this place. That he was a Colossian is evident from Colossians 4:12: Epaphras, who is...