Col 1:6, 23, Tit 1:11 | JFB | e4.org | 6. Which is come unto you — Greek, "Which is present among you," that is, which has come to, and remains with, you. He speaks of the word as a living person present among them. as it is in all the world — virtually, as it was by this time preached in the leading parts of the then known world; potentially, as Christ's command was that the Gospel should be preached to all nations, and not be limited, as the law was, to the Jews ( ). However, the true reading, and that of the oldest manuscripts, is that which omits the following "and," thus (the " it is " of English Version is not in the original Greek ): "As in all the world it is bringing forth fruit and growing (so the oldest manuscripts read; English Version omits 'and growing,' without good authority), even as it doth in you also." Then what is asserted is not that the Gospel has been preached in all the world, but that it is bearing fruits of righteousness, and (like a tree growing at the same time that it is bearing fruit ) growing in numbers of its converts in, or throughout, all the world. heard of it —rather, "heard it. " and knew —rather, "came to know"; became fully experimentally acquainted with. the grace of God in truth —that is, in its truth, and with true knowledge [ALFORD ].

‏ Colossians 1:6

6. Which is come unto you—Greek, "Which is present among you," that is, which has come to, and remains with, you. He speaks of the word as a living person present among them.

as it is in all the world—virtually, as it was by this time preached in the leading parts of the then known world; potentially, as Christ's command was that the Gospel should be preached to all nations, and not be limited, as the law was, to the Jews (Mt 13:38; 24:14; 28:19). However, the true reading, and that of the oldest manuscripts, is that which omits the following "and," thus (the "it is" of English Version is not in the original Greek): "As in all the world it is bringing forth fruit and growing (so the oldest manuscripts read; English Version omits 'and growing,' without good authority), even as it doth in you also." Then what is asserted is not that the Gospel has been preached in all the world, but that it is bearing fruits of righteousness, and (like a tree growing at the same time that it is bearing fruit) growing in numbers of its converts in, or throughout, all the world.

heard of it—rather, "heard it."

and knew—rather, "came to know"; became fully experimentally acquainted with.

the grace of God in truth—that is, in its truth, and with true knowledge [ALFORD].

‏ Colossians 1:23

23. If—"Assuming that," &c.: not otherwise shall ye be so presented at His appearing (Col 1:22).

grounded—Greek, "founded," "fixed on the foundation" (compare Note, see on Eph 3:17; Lu 6:48, 49).

settled—"steadfast." "Grounded" respects the foundation on which believers rest; "settled," their own steadfastness (1Pe 5:10). 1Co 15:58 has the same Greek.

not moved away—by the false teachers.

the hope of the gospel— (Eph 1:18).

which ye have heard . . . which was preached to every creature . . . whereof I . . . am . . . a minister—Three arguments against their being "moved away from the Gospel": (1) Their having heard it; (2) The universality of the preaching of it; (3) Paul's ministry in it. For "to (Greek, 'in') every creature," the oldest manuscripts read, "in all creation." Compare "in all the world," Col 1:6; "all things . . . in earth," Col 1:20 (Mr 16:15): thus he implies that the Gospel from which he urges them not to be moved, has this mark of truth, namely, the universality of its announcement, which accords with the command and prophecy of Christ Himself (Mt 24:14). By "was preached," he means not merely "is being preached," but has been actually, as an accomplished fact, preached. PLINY, not many years subsequently, in his famous letter to the Emperor Trajan [Epistles, Book X., Epistle 97], writes, "Many of every age, rank, and sex, are being brought to trial. For the contagion of that superstition [Christianity] has spread over not only cities, but villages and the country."

whereof I Paul am—rather as Greek, "was made a minister." Respect for me, the minister of this world-wide Gospel, should lead you not to be moved from it. Moreover (he implies), the Gospel which ye heard from Epaphras, your "minister" (Col 1:7), is the same of which "I was made a minister" (Col 1:25; Eph 3:7): if you be moved from it, ye will desert the teaching of the recognized ministers of the Gospel for unauthorized false teachers.

‏ Titus 1:11

11. mouths . . . stopped—literally, "muzzled," "bridled" as an unruly beast (compare Ps 32:9).

who—Greek, "(seeing that they are) such men as"; or "inasmuch as they" [ELLICOTT].

subvert . . . houses—"overthrowing" their "faith" (2Ti 2:18). "They are the devil's levers by which he subverts the houses of God" [THEOPHYLACT].

for filthy lucre— (1Ti 3:3, 8; 6:5).