Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
Colossians 4:10-13
10. Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth 10. Salutat vos Aristarchus, concaptivus
you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, meus, et Marcus, cognatus Barnabae, de quo
(touching whom ye received commandments: if accepistis mandata si venerit ad vos, ut suscipiatis
he come unto you, receive him;)
ipsum.
11. And Jesus, which is called Justus, who 11. Et Iesus qui dicitur Iustus, qui sunt ex
are of the circumcision. These only are my circumcisione, hi soli cooperarii in regnum Dei,
fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which qui mihi fuerunt solatio.
have been a comfort unto me.
12. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of 12. Salutat vos Epaphras, qui est ex vobis
Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently servus Christi, semper decertans pro vobis in
for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and precationibus, ut stetis perfecti et completi in
complete in all the will of God.
omni voluntate Dei.
13. For I bear him record, that he hath a great 13. Testimonium enim illi reddo, quod
zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and multum studium vestri habeat, et eorum qui sunt
them in Hierapolis.
Laodiceae et Hierapoli.
10. Fellow-prisoner. From this it appears that there were others that were associated with Paul,
477 after he was brought to Rome. It is also probable that his enemies exerted themselves, in the
outset, to deter all pious persons from giving him help, by threatening them with the like danger,
and that this for a time had the desired effect; but that afterwards some, gathering up courage,
despised everything that was held out to them in the way of terror.
That ye receive him. Some manuscripts have receive in the imperative mood; but it is a mistake,
for he expresses the nature of the charge which the Colossians had received — that it was a
commendation of either Barnabas, or of Marcus. The latter is the more probable. In the Greek it is
the infinitive mood, 478 but it may be rendered in the way I have done. Let us, however, observe,
that they were careful in furnishing attestations, that they might distinguish good men from false
brethren — from pretenders, from impostors, and multitudes of vagrants. The same care is more
than simply necessary at the present day, both because good teachers are coldly received, and
because credulous and foolish men lay themselves too open to be deceived by impostors.
11. These only are fellow-workers, — that is, of the circumcision; for he afterwards names
others, but they were of the uncircumcision. He means, therefore, that there were few Jews at Rome
who shewed themselves to be helpers to the gospel, nay more, that the whole nation was opposed
to Christ. At the same time, by workers he means those only who were endowed with gifts that
were necessary for promoting the gospel. But where was Peter at that time? Unquestionably, he
has either been shamefully passed over here, and not without injustice, or else those speak falsely
who maintain that he was then at Rome. Farther, he calls the gospel the kingdom of God, for it is
477 “D’autres furent mis prisonniers auec sainct Paul;” — “Some others were made prisoners along with St. Paul.”
478 Excipite δέξασθε, vel δέξασθαι, ut excipiatis, si conjungas cum ἐλάβετε, ut habet Syrus interpres, ut exprimatur quod fuerit
illud mandatum;” — “Receive ye, δέξασθε, or δέξασθαι, that ye may receive, if you connect it with ἐλάβετε, (ye received,) as
the Syrian interpreter has it, so as to express what the charge was.” — Beza. — Ed.
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John Calvin