Colossians chapter 3

vs 13

I wish it were as easy as it is written here. Paul is right, though - our model of forgiveness should be based on the model that God used to forgive us. How can we hold anything against anyone? We should put up with each other because God has called us together

vs 14

Love is the binding force of these traits which Paul has named. It doesn't matter how compassionate and kind and gentle you are if there is no love. And it's not 'Awwwww' love (sentimental) or 'Woo!' love (erotic), it's love like God loves us, and it's actually a command. So it is something you can do.

vs 15

This doesn't just mean peace as in 'no war'. Peace is not just the absence of war, like darkness is the absence of light. It is harmony, mutual security and safety. That is, it is not just empty tolerance, but a positive working together to create something good.

Being thankful goes without saying, but Paul saying it makes it so much more powerful.

vs 16

I think the TNIV is more correct here - that the teaching and admonishing is going on via the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Psalmos literally means the twanging of a musical instrument, but also refers to pious songs. Humnos apparently comes from the root word hudeo which meant to celebrate - but the word itself seems to mean sacred spiritual song. Pneumatikos means 'of or pertaining to the spirit' (with all the varied meanings of spirit) and ode means song. Why is a humnos different from an ode? Well, a psalmos seems to be differentiated by musical instrument involvement, humnos seems to be in some sort of religious pattern. Ode might be the musical equivalent of 'other'.

The notion of thanks continues here - God should be thanked even in our singing - even when we are singing to each other to admonish!

vs 17

Just in case you were thinking that there might be some thing that you should or should not do that isn't covered in Paul's list, he adds this verse. Notice that thankfulness runs a direct path through this passage.

Notice also that Paul's division is word and deed - and if you look at the passage as a whole, you might see the wdDW (deed word DEED WORD) parallelism - between evil deeds and evil words, then good deeds and good words.

vs 18

Yeah!

vs 19

Oh... right. I guess we should do that too.

vs 20

Everything? Or is Paul being a little hyperbolic here.

I think if you look at the nature of these short, pithy sentences, you will see that they take the model of proverbial wisdom, which means you aren't meant to think of them as rules standing for all time in every situation, but as general rules which are for the most part in your benefit.

vs 21

Take this one for example - sometimes your children will become embittered no matter how much you try not to discourage them. You just do the best you can not to accentuate it.

vs 22

I think the TNIV made a mistake using an idiomatic phrase like 'curry favour'. "Win favour" was far better.

I think the link between the command to children and parents and slaves and masters shows us just how different slavery is from employment. Employees should follow their masters in all things to do with work - but slaves were all work all the time, because you were owned. There is no need to listen to your employer's commands about what you should do when you get home.

vs 23

This is akin to verse 17. You can see how important Paul thinks this idea is - that God is at the centre of whatever we are doing.

vs 24

Ahh, now here is one of the spots in the NT where a reward for good works is hinted at. I personally think there is going to be a reward for good works - for Christians, anyway. I don't think it's got anything to do with your salvation - it is more a reward to a faithful servant who has done their job well.

Some would disagree with me, especially because of the word 'inheritance'. Fair enough.

vs 25

They might also disagree with me because this verse talks about a punishment for wrongs. The 'and there is no favourtism' is significant - because if everyone is punished for wrongs, does that include Christians, who are under God's grace? Does it mean there are non-salvation specific punishments for wrongdoing? Or is it talking about punishments in the here and now for not following wisdom? It's an interesting question.