Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Argument
Note first: Some have thought, with Suidas, Zonaras, Glycas, and Eustathius, that the Colossians were Rhodians, so called from the Colossus of the Sun, which was at Rhodes. But it is certain that they are mistaken; for Colossae is a city of Phrygia, near Hierapolis and Laodicea, as Pliny teaches, book V, chapter 32; Herodotus, book VII; Strabo, book XII; and it fell by an earthquake under Nero together with Laodicea and Hierapolis, as Orosius narrates. Hence the Apostle here, chapter IV, verse 16, commands the Colossians to read the epistle of the Laodiceans, as neighbors, and vice versa. Colossae, says Theophylact, is a city of Phrygia, which is now called Chonae, where there was a famous apparition and memorial of St. Michael, as I shall say at chapter II, verse 18.
Note secondly: Paul had preached neither at Colossae nor at Laodicea; for chapter II, verse 1 sufficiently insinuates this. As therefore he writes to the Romans whom he had not yet seen, so he writes also to the Colossians whom he had not yet seen, says Chrysostom and Theophylact. The teacher of the Colossians therefore was Epaphras, for he taught them the faith of Christ, as is clear from chapter I, verse 7; to whom, when he was placed in chains at Rome with Paul, as he says in chapter IV, verse 13, Archippus succeeded, of whom in chapter IV, verse 17, he says: "Say to Archippus: See the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it."
Note thirdly, as to the matter and argument: In this epistle Paul attacks Simon Magus and his heretical followers, who, as at Ephesus, so at Colossae and elsewhere were spreading their virulent dogmas, and specifically taught that not Christ, but the angels were the mediators and reconcilers of our salvation with God, says Chrysostom and Ambrose, thinking it absurd to believe that the Son of God in the last times appeared in the flesh, since in the Old Testament God was wont to appear through angels, and to do and execute all His affairs among men through them. To this dogma they added many Jewish and Gentile observances, observing their days and times and foods; all of which, since they needed correction, says Theophylact, moved the Apostle to write this epistle, by which first he refutes this error about angels, and those observances. Then he gives precepts of life and morals to every kind of men; and finally he closes the epistle with salutations.
Note fourthly: This epistle is greatly akin in matter to the Epistle to the Ephesians: indeed it sometimes has nearly the same sentences word for word as that one; not because it was written at the same time and impetus: for that to the Ephesians was written in the prior year, when Timothy had not yet come to Rome; but this one later, as I shall now say; but because the same matter required almost the same sentences; and perhaps because, rereading the epistle he had given to the Ephesians, the Apostle had it in mind and from it dictated it no differently than to the Colossians: therefore this letter, equally with that one, is sublime and grandiloquent.
Note fifthly: It was written at Rome in chains, as is clear from chapter IV, verse 18, in the 4th year of his chains, which was the 60th year from Christ's birth. For Timothy (whom in the previous year he had called to him at Rome, as he said in the proem of the Epistle to the Philippians) had already arrived at Rome. Hence Paul also at the beginning of the epistle joins Timothy to himself as if greeting the Colossians together with him. It was sent through Tychicus and Onesimus, as the Greek, Syriac, and Complutensian Latin texts have at the end of the Epistle, and as is gathered from chapter IV, verses 7 and 9.