Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Colossians: Chapter 3].
dox•i\ (in glory). Not to respond to this high appeal is to be
like Bunyan's man with the muck-rake.
3:5 {Mortify} (\nekr•sate\). First aorist active imperative of
\nekro•\, late verb, to put to death, to treat as dead. Latin
Vulgate _mortifico_, but "mortify" is coming with us to mean
putrify. Paul boldly applies the metaphor of death (2:20; 3:3)
pictured in baptism (2:12) to the actual life of the Christian.
He is not to go to the other Gnostic extreme of license on the
plea that the soul is not affected by the deeds of the body.
Paul's idea is that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
(1Co 6:19). He mentions some of these "members upon the earth"
like fornication (\porneian\), uncleanness (\akatharsian\),
passion (\pathos\), evil desire (\epithumian kak•n\),
covetousness (\pleonexian\) "the which is idolatry" (\h•tis estin
eid•lolatria\). See the longer list of the works of the flesh in
Gal 5:19-21, though covetousness is not there named, but it is
in Eph 4:19; 5:5.
3:6 {Cometh the wrath of God} (\erchetai h• org• tou theou\).
Paul does not regard these sins of the flesh as matters of
indifference, far otherwise. Many old MSS. do not have "upon the
sons of disobedience," genuine words in Eph 5:6.
3:7 {Walked aforetime} (\periepat•sate pote\). First aorist
(constative) indicative referring to their previous pagan state.
{When ye lived} (\hote ez•te\). Imperfect active indicative of
\za•\, to live, "ye used to live" (customary action). Sharp
distinction in the tenses.
3:8 {But now} (\nuni de\). Emphatic form of \nun\ in decided
contrast (to \pote\ in verse 7) in the resurrection life of
2:12; 3:1. {Put ye also away} (\apothesthe kai humeis\). Second
aorist middle imperative of old verb \apotith•mi\, to put away,
lay aside like old clothes. This metaphor of clothing Paul now
uses with several verbs (\apothesthe\ here, \apekdusamenoi\ in
verse 9, \endusamenoi\ in verse 10, \endusasthe\ in verse
12). {All these} (\ta panta\). The whole bunch of filthy rags
(anger \org•n\, wrath \thumon\, malice \kakian\, railing
\blasph•mian\, shameful speaking \aischrologian\). See somewhat
similar lists of vices in Col 3:5; Ga 5:20; Eph 4:29-31. These
words have all been discussed except \aischrologian\, an old word
for low and obscene speech which occurs here only in the N.T. It
is made from \aischrologos\ (\aischros\ as in 1Co 11:6 and that
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/COL3.RWP.html (2 of 9) [28/08/2004 09:23:44 a.m.]