The opening word “if” (ei) here has the sense of “since.” Having been raised with Christ to a newness of life, believers should focus on the things above, where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. This would call for them to have noble thoughts, not being preoccupied with matters limited to the earthly sphere of life, such as regulations respecting food and drink. Their minds should be on the things above, the things outside the earthly sphere, as their Lord is above and their hope is to be united with him. (3:1, 2)

Paul again reminded the Colossians that they had “died,” ceasing to be the persons they once were as humans without God and any dependable hope. Theirs was now a life “hidden with Christ in God.” As a life “hidden with Christ,” it is intimately bound up with him. Believers are part of Christ’s body and, through him, have received a newness of life as beloved children of God. By reason of the Son’s oneness with the Father, this new life is “in God” as its ultimate source. (3:3)

With reference to the manifestation of Christ, manuscripts vary in referring to God’s Son as “your life” or “our life.” On account of Christ, believers enjoy a newness of life. He is their life. Through him they have come into possession of this life, and for him they live. At his manifestation, they are assured of being united with him and revealed in the transcendent glory of incorruptible or imperishable bodies in the sinless state. (3:4; compare 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.)

In view of the indescribable splendor in which believers are destined to share, their conduct should be a reflection of their hope. Paul urged the Colossians to deaden their earthly body members, forcibly restraining them from engaging in divinely disapproved practices. He then listed sexual immorality, uncleanness or impure, defiling conduct (likely of a sexual nature), passion or lust, evil or corrupt desires, and covetousness. The Greek word for “covetousness” (pleonexía) denotes an inordinate desire for more than would be one’s rightful due or possession and may also be defined as meaning “greediness” or “insatiability.” It is an addiction for wanting more. The apostle referred to it as being idolatry. The object of the insatiable craving becomes the individual’s exclusive focus and thus an idol, and the greedy desire for the object is an idolatrous fixation. God’s wrath or his retributive judgment is certain to be directed against any kind of moral corruption. According to many ancient manuscripts, God’s wrath is to come “upon the sons of disobedience” or upon those who choose to live contrary to his ways. (3:5, 6; see the Notes section.)

Before accepting the message about God’s Son, the Colossians had “walked” or conducted themselves as morally corrupt persons. Continuing to direct his words to the Colossians, Paul added, “you lived in these,” meaning either that they lived the kind of life typical of the moral wrongs he had mentioned or that they lived among those who practiced such things and conducted themselves as they did. As persons whose lives were bound up with God’s Son, they needed to rid themselves of the attitudes, speech, and actions associated with their past conduct. The Colossian believers were to banish anger or a bad temper, fury or a tendency to flare up in rage, depravity or vice, defamatory or blasphemous speech, and filthy language. As members of the body of Christ, they were to speak the truth to one another and not be guilty of speaking lies to fellow believers. (Compare Ephesians 4:25.) Like a garment that is taken off, the “old man” or old self and all associated corrupt attitudes, words, and actions needed to be stripped away. Believers should then clothe themselves with the “new man” or the new self. That new self is “renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” This is indicative of continual growth in ever closer conformity to the image of God. He is the “creator” of the new self, effecting the growth and transformation by means of his spirit. (3:7-10) The process of remaking, reshaping, or molding, with ever-increasing knowledge in view, continues throughout the believer’s earthly sojourn. The apostle did not specify whether this knowledge relates to knowing God (a progressive growth in one’s personal relationship with him) or the ever-increasing knowledge of what constitutes a life that honors him and his beloved Son. (See additional comments on verse 10 in the Notes section.)

As children of God enjoying a newness of life, the old distinctions (“Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, Sythian, slave [regarded as a thing and not a person in the Roman world] and freeman”) that divided people one from another had been abolished. The Greek word for “foreigner” is bárbaros and basically denotes one whose speech would be unintelligible to the native populace, or one who did not speak Greek and would have been regarded as uncultured. The Sythians were known for being extremely fierce and cruel. In the case of believers, social, cultural, and class differences no longer matter, “but Christ [is] all and in all.” For the believer whose hope and life is intimately bound up with him, Christ is everything. As the head, his guidance and influence are at work in all the members of his body and so he is “in all.” (3:11)

The Colossian believers were “chosen of God” to be his people. They were “holy” because of having been pardoned of their sins on the basis of their faith in Christ and were beloved of God as his adopted children. In keeping with their changed status, they needed to be fittingly attired with traits reflective of their newness of life. In a cruel world where pity was woefully lacking, Paul admonished the Colossians to clothe themselves with affectionate compassion, kindness, humility (often reflected in a readiness to serve others), gentleness or considerateness, and patience or forbearance. Although forgiven of their sins, believers are still subject to the pressures exerted by their flawed condition as humans. Therefore, as Paul admonished the Colossians, they needed to be tolerant or patient with one another and forgiving whenever there might be an occasion for complaint. As the Lord (according to other manuscripts, Christ or God) has lovingly pardoned believers, so should they. Upon all the noble attributes he mentioned, Paul urged the Colossians to put on love, for love is the strongest unifying force. The apostle referred to love as the “bond of perfection” or the perfect bond. (3:12-14)

The “peace of Christ” would be the inner tranquility of which he is the source. For the “peace of Christ” to serve as the arbiter, umpire, or controlling element in the heart would mean that the deep inner self would be in a state of calmness stemming from the assurance of Christ’s abiding guidance, care, concern, and aid. The “peace of Christ” banishes internal feelings of undue disquietude, alarm, or foreboding. In one body, believers, as individual members thereof, were called to the enjoy this peace, and Paul encouraged the Colossians to continue to be thankful. They had good reason to be grateful for all the blessings they had received and continued to enjoy upon accepting the glad tidings about God’s Son. (3:15; see the Notes section.)

For the “word” or message of Christ to dwell richly in the Colossians would signify its having become part of them in all its wealth or fullness, guiding or influencing their thoughts, speech, and conduct. There is a possibility that “richly” is to be linked with the words “in all wisdom.” This could mean that believers come into possession of a wealth of wisdom when the message about God’s Son becomes part of their deep inner selves. It seems preferable, however, to regard “in all wisdom” as applying to teaching. Numerous translations convey this significance. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another.” (NAB) “Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom.” (NJB) “Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other.” (CEV) The “wisdom” that would be the basis for teaching and admonishing, advising, or instructing would have its source in the “word of Christ.” (3:16; see the Notes section.)

The words “singing in your hearts to God” (or “Lord,” according to the reading of other manuscripts) probably are to be understood to mean that out of appreciation or gratitude in their hearts or their deep inner selves, the Colossians were to sing. They would sing psalms (compositions contained in the book of Psalms), hymns (praises directed to God), and spiritual songs (compositions dealing with spiritual matters). The mention of hymns and spiritual songs indicates that numerous Christian compositions already existed. (3:16)

Doing all things, whether in word or in deed, in the “name of the Lord Jesus” would denote letting one’s speech and action be of a nature that would honor Jesus Christ as Lord. Believers would never forget their being accountable and indebted to him, for he is the one who died for them. The Father is the ultimate source of all the joys and blessings in which believers share. Appropriately, therefore, they would thank “God the Father” through Christ, thereby appreciatively acknowledging that their standing as God’s children and all the blessings associated therewith have been made possible through the Son. (3:17; see the Notes section.)

The approved relationship with God and Christ calls for the fulfillment of social duties. For wives, it meant respecting the headship of their husbands, submitting themselves to them. Such submission would involve cooperating with their husbands in caring well for the home and the family. In carrying out their responsibilities, wives would conduct themselves toward their husbands in a manner befitting their relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. (3:18)

Husbands should love their wives, imitating Christ’s example of love for his disciples. (Compare Ephesians 5:25-31.) In the event problems or disagreements cropped up, husbands were to avoid becoming embittered toward their wives. Their heeding Paul’s admonition would promote a peaceful home atmosphere, not one repeatedly marred by harsh words and actions. (3:19)

The obedience of children to their parents in everything that could rightfully be required of them also had a spiritual reason. “This is pleasing in the Lord.” Exemplary obedience pleases the Lord Jesus Christ and honors him, and it is the right course for all those who are “in the Lord” or at one with him. (3:20)

Paul urged fathers not to irritate their children, which would be the effect of harsh and unreasonable demands, inconsistent treatment of children for infractions, and displays of favoritism. Words and actions that irritate or provoke children could cause them to become dispirited or discouraged, depriving them of joy, a wholesome sense of well-being, and the motivation to be cooperative. (3:21)

Paul urged slaves to be exemplary in obeying their human masters in everything pertaining to their duties. Unlike slaves who rendered “eye service” or worked only when they were being watched and just enough not to incur displeasure, Christian slaves were not to labor merely to curry favor but to do so sincerely, from the heart, out of reverential regard for the Lord Jesus Christ. In whatever they did, they were to put their all into it or their whole “soul,” working as for the Lord Jesus Christ and not simply for men. Their serving would be with the knowledge or awareness that he would reward them with the inheritance, having them share in the inheritance of everything that he had been granted. Emphasizing the aspect about whom they were serving, Paul added, “Slave for the Lord Christ.” (3:22-24)

Whereas human masters might be unjust, the Son of God would never treat anyone unfairly. Wrongdoers would be repaid in kind, and the Lord Jesus Christ would not show favoritism or partiality. Therefore, Christian slaves could serve conscientiously, honoring him by their exemplary labors and confidently looking to him to right all injustices. (3:25)

Notes:

In verse 6, P46 (from about 200) and fourth-century Codex Vaticanus do not include the words, “upon the sons of disobedience.”

In verse 10, the context is not sufficient to establish the precise meaning of the words “renewed into knowledge” (anakainoúmenon eis epígnosin). This has given rise to a variety of renderings: “moulded afresh unto personal knowledge” (Rotherham), “molded into full knowledge” (Weymouth), and “brought to know God” (REB).

In verse 15, “peace of Christ” has good manuscript support. Other manuscripts read “peace of God.”

In verse 16, the expression “word of Christ” has strong manuscript support. Other manuscripts read “word of God” or “word of the Lord.”

Instead of “God [the] Father” (verse 17), other manuscripts read “God and Father” and “Father and God.”