Be Who You Already Are

Colossians 3:1-7

Translation [1]

1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, [2] ^A seek the things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.^B 2 Keep your mind on the ways of Christ [3] ,^C and do not pursue the desires of this earth. [4] 3 For you died and now your life has been hidden with Christ in God.^D 4 When Christ, who is your life, [5] ^E is finally revealed [6] you also will be revealed with him in glory.^F 5 Therefore, put to death the parts of you that seek after earthly things, [7] things such as sexual immorality, impurity, lustful passion, foul desires, evil, and greed which is actually idolatry.^G 6 On account of these things the God’s wrath comes on the disobedient. [8] 7 This is how you also conducted your life [9] when you were living among these people.^H

Comments

A. sunhgevrqhte tw'/ Cristw -- In verse 2:20 Paul [10] introduces a 1^st class conditional statement, assuming that what is said is in fact true. He argued that since they had died to the elemental spirits [11] of this world, they should not be living in such a way that reflected such a life. In 3:1, however, he contrasts the phrase “if you have died” with a new phrase, “if you have been raised”. The Colossian believers had died to the world, but they have been raised with Christ. The aorist sunhgevrqhte is not implying simply an eschatological resurrection, but rather that by becoming part of the body, they have already been raised with him, and are able to partake, at least in part, the bounty of the resurrected life. There is no need to work for the life which is promised, it has already been given.

This is not, however, implying that a literal resurrection has occurred. What Paul is claiming is the fact that the believers now have the ability to act and think in such a way that reflects the “risen” life. The manner of this bounty is the second part of this conditional statement which follows, commanding the believers to seek after those things which are from heaven, leading Dunn to say that this “is sufficient indication that what was in mind was a change of perspective, not (yet) a (complete) ontological change.” [12] Lincoln suggests that sunhgevrqhte along with ajpeqavnete in verse 20 suggests strongly a reference to Christian baptism. [13]

B. ou| oJ Cristov" ejstin ejn dexia'/ tou' qeou' kaqhvmeno" -- Although this sentence could read “where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” with kaqhvmeno"understood as a periphrastic participle, [14] a majority of commentators [15] feel that the word order indicates the need for a comma and a separate phrase. Harris suggests that Paul is making two distinct affirmations here. [16] The first is that Christ truly is in the place above, and the second is that he is seated at the right hand of God. These are not synonymous phrases which can be linked, but are rather making two claims concerning the person of Christ.

The phrase ejn dexia'/ tou' qeou' kaqhvmeno" does not imply that Paul and the other believers understood a literal throne above them. [17] Rather, the idea of Christ being seated at the right hand of God is one of the earliest testimonies of the church. It refers not only to a general concept about sharing power, but refers possibly more specifically to Psalms 110:1 which states: “The LORD says to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’”. The usage of this Psalm is found throughout the New Testament, [18] including in the teaching of Jesus himself. [19] Thus it was probably a common understanding which implied that Christ “was now reigning as king from the right hand of the Almighty, and would continue to do so until all opposing forces in the universe had submitted to him.” [20]

C. taV a[nw fronei'te – In this verse Paul is emphatically reiterating his prior comments. The 2^nd person plural present active imperative fronei'te expands and gives more force to the word zhtei'te which is found in verse 1. As Harris states it implies, “not merely to think but to have a settled way of understanding, to hold an opinion, to maintain an attitude.” [21] He continues by defining this as not being a preoccupation with heavenly ethereal “things” but rather as “cast of mind, a settled way of looking at things, a sustained devotion to and enactment of a life cause.” [22] Or as Lightfoot says, ‘You must not only seek heaven, you must also think heaven.” [23] It is a gnomic present, so it implies a general, timeless command to follow without regard to time limits. This is a general precept which the believers should always follow. [24] That which is above is where Christ now resides and believers are called to meditate on him and his ways. N.T. Wright feels that “the [things] above” are presented to us in more detail in Philippians 4:8 and 3:12ff, and are namely “the qualities of self-giving love.” [25] By commanding the believers to meditate on that which is above, in heaven, Paul is telling them essentially to meditate on Christ and his life and teachings. Wright continues his definition of this phrase by saying, “the command to aspire to the things of heaven is a command to meditate and dwell upon Christ’s sort of life, and on the fact that he is now enthroned as the Lord of the world.” [26] Rather than focusing on the things of the earth to bring them closer to heaven, [27] Paul seems to be encouraging them to focus on the things of heaven which will help them better fight their earthly passions. By focusing on earthly things, one continues to struggle, but if one’s focus is on Christ in heaven, all things will be worked out. [28]

D. ajpeqavnete gaVr kaiV hJ zwhV uJmw'n kevkruptai suVn tw'/ Cristw'/ ejn tw'/ qew'/

Obviously Paul is not intending to mean that the believers have died a literal death, rather he is again emphasizing that their former natures and patterns of life are now behind them. The gaVr here is a connection between this statement and the previous ones. They must keep their focus on things above because they have died to their old ways, there is no road back. The 2^nd person plural aorist active indicative ajpeqavnete infers that this is not a process which is happening, but rather an event that has already occurred in the lives of the believers. Dunn states, “The aorist is simply a powerful metaphor for the fact that when they believed in Christ in baptism they were putting their previous way of life to death and having it buried out of sight.” [29] They are not dying to their sin, slowly overcoming their earthly perspectives, rather they have already died in respect to that former way of life and thinking. They have been freed to live in a new way. This new life is not completely revealed, however.

This new life has been given to them, but is bound totally up with their relationship with the risen Lord. They cannot simply accept the gift of this new life and go on their way, instead they are still intimately bound with Christ, in whom their life is hidden. The word kevkruptai is a perfect passive, meaning the event has already occurred, by the work of Christ not themselves, but the status of this is still continuing. The idea of hiddenness can take several meanings. Dunn calls this the “hiddenness of the divine mystery”. [30] He means by this that the new life enjoyed by believers is not one which is readily apparent, those who do not believe with them will not understand their way of life, but this way is the true path toward God in history and wisdom. [31] Schweizer understands this “hiddenness” as being a call to keeping in the faith. The resurrection has happened, but so far only in faith, and thus they need to be aware of this call to faithfulness on their behalf and the declaration of faithfulness on the behalf of God, who will bring this work to completion. [32] To be hidden “with Christ” [33] is more than an association, it is an intimate connection, or as Harris puts it a “symbiosis with the risen, heavenly life of Christ.” [34]

The idea of this “hiddenness” being with Christ ejn tw'/ qew' is not a common phrase in Pauline letters. However, in Ephesians 3:9 Paul is explaining his own mission by telling the Ephesians that he is “to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.” Along with Christ, now, the believers are part of this mystery, part of this plan. The idea of “in” God can be connected with the kevkruptai, as a dative of sphere, [35] in which case the phrase can be understood as meaning “hidden in the sphere of God.”. It can also be connected with the suVn tw'/ Cristw', with the idea being conveyed that Christ has his being in the life of God, and we with him. [36] Having died to the old life, the believer is now the possessor of a new life, but not in isolation. Rather, having come to this new life the believer is now intimately connected with Christ and is now found in the life that God himself bestows. This is not from the efforts of the believer, but rather the gift of this new life allows for new ability for the believer to take hold of this new way of being. This new way of being is not, however, yet fully revealed in all of its forms.

E. hJ zwhV uJmw'n

The life of the believer is not simply hidden with Christ as an association, the fact is that the life Christ indeed is now fully the life of the believer in a full sense. To live, as Paul writes in Philippians 1:21, is Christ. Life has its very source and being in Christ now. Harris writes, “It ‘is’ Christ, not in the sense that Christ’s risen life in heaven can be equated with believers’ spiritual life on earth or that the Church is the resurrection body of Christ, but in the sense that Christ is the source, center, and goal of the individual and corporate lives of believers.” [37] As members of the body of Christ, we have an intimate connection in which our very being now derives its sustenance from the head, Christ. Life is now, for the believer, inseparable from a life with Christ. Harris finds this phrase hJ zwhV uJmw'n as being in epexegetical apposition with oJ CristoV", identifying with and expanding on the meaning of the term. There is no life apart from Christ for the believer, and the wholeness of life is found to be in Christ.

F. o{tan oJ CristoV" fanerwqh'/tovte kaiV uJmei'" suVn aujtw'/ fanerwqhvsesqe ejn dovxh/.

Because our life is Christ, when he is fully revealed in his glory so too will we be revealed with him. Christ is not only the life of the believer, by being found in him the believer has a hope which connects to the future. [38] When Christ is fanerwqh'/tovte, revealed or manifested, to the world, that which has been hidden will be exposed for all to see. The idea of a “cosmic Christology” will no longer be a matter of faith, it will be an accepted reality by all, whether or not they had associated with the revealed Christ. Paul here is briefly relating the importance of the present life and attitudes with a future event. The timing of this event is not known, hence his use of o{tan, but at one point in time Christ will be revealed for who he truly is. For the most part in the Pauline letters, fanerow is used in reference to the Gospel, to the present revelation of Christ in this world. [39] We find here, however, Paul distinctly pointing to the fact that this revelation is not fully disclosed, what we know in part through faith will be revealed in full at a later time, what was hidden will be made known to all. [40] Because those who believe in him also are intimately bonded with him, [41] when Christ is revealed so too will the reality of the lives of those who have had faith in him be shown for what they are.

The quality of this revelation is described with the phrase ejn dovxh. Christ and those whose life is found in him, which was hidden from view, will be revealed in a spectacular way. The dative here can be understood as attendant circumstances, with the meaning “attended by glory”, or a dative of manner describing how the manifesting will be revealed, [42] it can also be a local dative with the meaning “manifesting in the realm (or sphere) of Glory.” [43] The question is to what or to whom is this glory primarily referring. It is most likely the glory of Christ, the reality of his being and nature, which is being made known in all of its fullness, and the believer is thus included in this glory. [44]

G. Nekrwvsate ou\n taV mevlh taV ejpiV th'" gh'", porneivan ajkaqarsivan pavqo" ejpiqumivan kakhvn, kaiV thVn pleonexivan, h{ti" ejstiVn eijdwlolatriva

At this point Paul is changing the focus. Having established in the prior sections the theological bases for the Christian life, with the ou\n he is now showing what response is required. Because of their status suVn tw'/ Cristw' the Colossian believers now must respond with their own efforts. These are not in order to earn the benefits of heaven or to work on their own to fight the passions of this present life, but rather because they have already died to this world, and no longer are bound by the sinful pursuits of this life, and have in fact been raised to a new life with Christ, their efforts and work is a response to their new situation. Their efforts and moral pursuits are not in order to find life with Christ, but rather are based on the fact that they already have found this new life, and can in fact overcome those parts of this present life which are in contrast with the new life which is hidden with Christ in God.

The imperative nekrwvsate is a strong command telling the Colossian believers that because they have died to the world and its demands, [45] they must now be responsible to manifest this death by no longer acting in such a way that indicates their old life. This word is not very common in the New Testament, with this verse being the only time the active verb is used. [46] It implies, however, a medical reference to the atrophying of a part of the body through sickness or old age. [47] This “putting to death” is a process in which the believer progressively destroys those parts which are no longer part of the new life with Christ. [48] As Martin puts it the new life “involves a determined resolve to have done with former ways of behavior.” [49]

What exactly is it that Paul is commanding the Colossian believers to put to death? Literally he is saying “Put to death the body parts which are upon the earth.” This is not, as Wall points out, a call to castration or bodily mutilation, [50] nor especially as Lincoln points out a call to asceticism or bodily deprivation of any kind. [51] Rather, the word taV mevlh is not simply referring to the actual physical parts of the body. [52] Dunn does, however, understands this word as having a certain level of concreteness which infers the “means by which the body actually engages with other entities.” [53] He continues by broadly defining this word as “the person’s interaction with the wider world as through organs and limbs.” The BAGD states that there “is no fixed boundary between parts of the body as taken literally or figuratively” and thus suggests that this verse should be translated as “put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth.” [54] They are to put these parts to death because their nature itself as a whole no longer belongs to the earth. They are, as Bruce puts it, simply being called “to be what they are”. [55]

Paul continues in verse 5 by expanding on what these earthly parts might be. The listing of vices was a common practice in the ancient world in all types of writings, Christian, Jewish and Pagan. Dunn points out two distinctives of this particular list: 1) the focus on sexual sins, and 2) the strongly Jewish character of this list, especially in its specific association with idolatry. [56] The flow of the list begins with a more specific sin and slowly broadens into more general sinful manners of living. [57] Paul is not being exhaustive in this list, [58] rather he may be specifically pointing to a particular area of weakness for the Colossian believers, or for Gentile Christians in general. Essentially Paul is pointing out that the sexual sins are at their source being caused by an unnatural greed (at least as far as their new nature is concerned), and greed is at its root idolatry, the seeking after something other than and in place of God. Rather than seeking after the new life and satisfaction of being found with Christ, there is a tendency to find the more immediate satisfaction which comes from more “earthly” pursuits. While the believers were advised earlier to not pursue fleshly “mortification” or ascetism, [59] the goal of overcoming the flesh has not changed simply because of their new life. Rather, the command to fight these temptations has become even more emphatic because these are no longer part of who they really are. [60] The phrase h{ti" ejstiVn eijdwlolatriva may mean a simple description of thVn pleonexivan, with the h{ti" being used as taking the place of a simple relative pronoun. It may also be emphasizing a characteristic quality with the meaning “which, by its very nature is idolatry”, [61] or it might be understood causally with the meaning, “inasmuch as”. [62]

H. ejn oi|" kaiV uJmei'" periepathvsatev pote, o{te ejzh'te ejn touvtoi":

Although Paul is literally writing, “in these ways you also walked”, the idea of walking in Paul tends to not be literal but rather figurative for how one is living life. [63] The general use in this way is always more exactly defined as to how a person is walking, whether in a good or bad way. [64] The aorist periepathvsatev points to the fact that this is what the believers used to be bound to the traits and vices mentioned in verse 7, and because of which they were under the wrath of God discussed in verse 6, though they are no longer bound to these sins, and are no longer under the wrath of God, but are rather with Christ in God. They used to live in such a way when they were ejzh'te ejn touvtoi". Paul is using a word, ejzh'te, which essentially implies the same meaning as periepathvsate, although Harris would make a slight distinction with periepathvsate implying more “actual conduct” and ejzh'te implying more to a general lifestyle. [65] The exact reference which touvtoi" is referring back to is unclear. It could be either a plural masculine or neuter demonstrative pronoun. If the original text did indeed include the phrase ejpiV touV" uiJouV" th'" ajpeiqeiva" in verse 6, [66] then the masculine plural demonstrative pronoun would seem to most directly relate to the touV" uiJouV", and the phrase should read, “among such people.” [67] However, if the reading is not original the pronoun is probably referring back to the previous list of vices and sins, and thus should be rendered “when you lived in such practices (or in these sins).” [68] Either way, the verse is making reference to a former way and pattern of life which the believers held prior to finding themselves the bearers of a new life. These ways of walking and living are in fact what the believers are now dead to, and must now completely wipe away as they are truly with Christ in God.

Summary

Paul begins this section by making an assumption. He is not writing to people who have not

already responded to the Gospel, but rather to a community of believers whose lives have already been

renewed by Christ. In 2:20 he discusses what it meant to be dead, not literally, but dead to their old way

of life, dead to the perspectives and attitudes of this sinful world. Having found faith in Christ, the

believers are now truly raised with Christ, symbolized in their baptism. Because of this new life, this

spiritual resurrection, they are urged to respond to their newfound abilities, namely to seek the things that

are part of this life, the things which are above in heaven. For just as Christ ascended to heaven and is

now seated at the right hand of God the Father, identifying with him in power and privilege, so too must

the Colossian believers ascend in their own perspectives and goals to this same place.

They are to do more than simply seek, however. If they seek they truly will find, and they must continue to dwell on this new life, with its subsequent practices and perspectives. They must maintain this new attitude, looking at the present life with the new worldview which a “heavenly” perspective can offer. This perspective is essentially that of Christ. Rather than holding on to the priorities, values, and understandings which the world around them teaches, the believers are emphatically urged to meditate fully on Christ, and his life and teachings. In doing this they will discover qualities of love, and peace, and joy. By focusing on the things of this earth, whether through asceticism or through hedonism, a person finds themselves struggling against the spiral of death and destruction. The ascetic lifestyle, with its rules and regulations, mentioned in chapter 2, is not able to overcome the natural tendencies of this present life. Rather, the only way to combat this nature is simply to change natures, and through faith in Christ, the believers have already been given this new nature.

For truly they have already died to the old nature and now are able to live and act and think in such a way which allows them to adopt a Christ-like attitude and perspective on life. This new life has given them a new relationship with God. Just as Christ is now situated in proximity with God, so too is the believer also there with him, with a new life and new freedom which those apart from Christ cannot find. This new life is inseparable, however, from Christ. For it is itself hidden with Christ. This hiddenness implies a security which believers can depend on, as well as a hope which someday will grant them enormous joy. The security is that with Christ, the believer is now in a new relationship with God, they are actually with Christ in God, and are no longer subject to the wrath and punishment which God metes out to those who are separated from him.

The hope is described in verse 4. Because our life is now intimately, even symbiotically, tied to the life of Christ our attitudes and very being are transformed into a dependence on him in all things. We can with Paul truly say, “To live is Christ”. This implies not simply a new perspective or focus, or even a distinct manner of life, rather it implies a depth of identification which metamorphosizes into a completely new being. It is because of the metamorphosis that we can look forward to the hope and promise which will one day come. This hope and promise tells us that one day Christ will be fully revealed, that what was once hidden will be made clear to everyone with or without faith. Because of our identification with Christ, the believers will likewise be revealed as ones fully renewed by Christ. This revelation, because of who Christ is, will be one of total glory and honor for all. The efforts and work which are still required of us will be given meaning and reward if we stay diligent.

It is for these reasons, the already accomplished renewal, with its complete identification with Christ, that the believers must be aware that this transformation has already occurred, but has not yet fully been manifested. Because of the nature of this world, and their own status in it, they still have efforts to make and parts to play. Although the renewal has happened, the lives of each believer does not fully reflect this transformed life. Rather, there are aspects and dangers which must be watched for, avoided, and overcome. The believers are already able to take part in this new life, so Paul urges them further to live in such a way that reflects this new life within them. They are called essentially to be what they already are, beings with a new life in Christ which allows them to reflect Christ in all things and live as Christ lives. In this passage Paul focuses primarily on the dangers of sexual sin, with its many temptations. This is not a simple battle to fight, however, for the sources of sexual misbehavior has many levels, and each must be fought and avoided.

At its essence, these sins are seeking after things which have not been given to the believers by God, and continually seek after those things without satisfaction. This greed is essentially idolatry, because by focusing on meeting these desires, the person is no longer seeking God, but is rather placing something ahead of God. This is something God will not stand for. Idolatrous behavior is the reason why God’s wrath will come upon humanity. Because they have not properly credited God and foolishly pursue other avenues of satisfaction, they are disobedient to their original calling to be true worshippers of God. The sins listed are evidence of this disobedience, and the believers are reminded that they too were lost in these sins, and thus were facing the wrath of God along with those with whom they participated in these shameful deeds. Their new life, however, has given them something more. With Christ they are able to enjoy the fruits of this new life, now and in the future. Although it will take effort and watchfulness, the life which is found with Christ in God will be revealed to be one of glory, a glory which far surpasses any temporary struggle or temptation.

[1] Letters indicate points which will be commented on in the next section.

[2] Dative of association

[3] Lit. “the things above.”

[4] Lit. “the things upon this earth.”

[5] Lit. “your life”. Some strong witnesses have hmwn instead of umwn, including B D¹ H and others. Dunn argues that the hmwn is the original reading, with even early copyists altering the word in order to agree with the consistent second person plural usage. He argues it was a “Pauline characteristic to move awkwardly from second to first person to ensure that his readers did not think that what was said applied exclusively to them.” J.D.G Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 202 n. 3. Metzger, however, gives support to umwn with a ‘B’ rating, saying that the Committee “was impressed by the considerably stronger manuscript evidence that supports umwn, including P⁴⁶ and good representatives of both the Alexandrian and the Western text-types.” Bruce Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the New Testament 2^nd ed. (Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 1994), 557. As Dunn points out because of the mix and diversity of the witnesses there is about an even division between commentators and translations concerning which specific word is used.

[6] “finally” is added in order to understand the use of the subjunctive fanerwqh here

[7] Lit. “the members which are upon the earth.”

[8] Lit. “upon the sons of disobedience”. The phrase ejpiV touV" uiJouV" th'" ajpeiqeiva" is bracketed in the UBS 4^th ed, and given a C rating by the Committee. Strong textual evidence including P⁴⁶ B cop^sa eth^ro and others omit the phrase. It can be argued that the phrase was an early emendation by copyists who matched the phrase with Eph. 5:6. However, Metzger, 557 gives three reasons why the phrase should be kept: 1) the widespread testimony supporting the longer reading (including a A C D^vid G H and many others); 2) “the inconcinnity produced by the shorter reading with the following en oi"; 3) the impression that kai umei" in verse 7 assumes a previous mention of unbelieving Gentiles.

[9] Lit. “in which you also walked”.

[10] Questions of authorship are outside the scope of this paper. Paul will be used to signify the author, without claiming necessarily that Paul the Apostle himself was wholly or partly responsible for this letter.

[11] Greek “tw'n stoiceivwn”. The proper and complex task of translating this word is not within the bounds of this paper.

[12] Dunn, 203.

[13] Andrew T. Lincoln, “Colossians,” in New Interpreters Bible (Vol. XI; Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991), 637. Cf. 1:11ff.

[14] The NIV and NAB translate it this way.

[15] Dunn, 202 states estin is “introducing a more established description.” Cf. Eduard Schweizer, The Letter to the Colossians, trans. Andrew Chester (Minneapolis: Augsberg, 1982), 171; FF Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984), 131;

[16] Murray J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 137.

[17] See Bruce, 133.

[18] Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Acts 2:33-35; 5:31; 7:55-56; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Pet. 3:22; Rev. 3:21.

[19] Mark 12:35-37; 14:61-62 and parallels.

[20] Bruce, 133. See also Richard Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, New American Commentary, vol.32. (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991), 280ff. Melick feels that there are two meaning associated with this: 1)a position of power and 2)a position of privilege

[21] Harris, 205.

[22] ibid.

[23] JB Lightfoot, The Epistles of St. Paul to Colossians and to Philemon, Alister McGrath and JI Packer, eds. (Wheaton: Crossway, 1997), 207.

[24] See Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 523 and 525.

[25] NT Wright, Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 131.

[26] Wright, 132.

[27] See 2:16ff.

[28] See Lincoln, 638 where he states that Paul “turns the tables on the philosophy by employing spatial and cosmic concepts to point to the sufficiency of Christ.” Or as Dunn, 206 puts it, “The alternative commended is not to abandon a heavenly perspective, but to maintain one which results in a less earthly outcome, to foster and follow a way of living and of practicing religion which always and again takes its starting point from the true reality in heaven.”

[29] Dunn, 206.

[30] Dunn, 207.

[31] Martin, however, disagrees with this view. He alludes to the Greek idiom in which death is called being “hidden in the earth”, but does not offer a fuller idea of what he believes this to mean, possibly understanding the complexity of trying to pin down what ejn might mean. Ralph Martin, Colossians and Philemon, New Century Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973), 102. See also Wallace, 372ff.

[32] Schweizer 176.

[33] Gk. suVn tw'/ Cristw'

[34] Harris, 139. Robert Wall, Colossians and Philemon (Downers Grove: IVP, 1993), 96 and FF Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984), 136ff. understands in this an argument against the need for the believers to become Jewish as Christians. There is no need to follow the old law if their life is now already hidden with Christ in God.

[35] See Wallace 153ff.

[36] Harris, 139.

[37] Harris, 140. This implies more than what Dunn, 208 calls a “focus on Christ”. It is more than just a change of perspective Paul is talking about, it is an ontological change. Dunn continues his argument, however by calling this an “identification” with Christ which in “practice amounts to the complete submission of the believers’ selves to Christ as their Lord.”

[38] See Bruce, 136.

[39] Cf. Rom. 1:19; 3:21; 16;26; 2 Cor 4:10, 11; and previously in Colossians at 1:26.

[40] Cf. 1 Cor 4:5; 2 Cor 5:10

[41] Again the Gk. suVn implies more than an association, but rather an intimate personal union. See Wallace, 377ff. for a discussion of the Pauline usage of suVn and meta.

[42] See Wallace 161ff.

[43] Wallace153ff. See also Harris, 141 for other possible usages.

[44] Harris, 141. Harris points out that the glory could also be referring to God’s glory (cf. Rom 5:2) or the glory of the believers (“you will be revealed in all your glory”).

[45] See 1:20 and 3:3.

[46] The perfect passive participle usage is found in Rom 4:19 and Heb 11:12, both in reference to Abraham being near death, or as good as dead.

[47] Dunn, 212.

[48] Cf. Rom 6. See also Melick, 287. However, if the word is translated “reckon as dead” as suggested by Bruce, 140 the idea of personal responsibility is lessened. However, considering the nature of the command, in this context (esp. 3:8) it is more likely the active definition which is calling for participation in this “killing off”.

[49] Martin, 103.

[50] Wall, 137.

[51] Lincoln, 642. He contrasts here the view of the so-called advocates of the “philosophy” which insisted on regulations dealing with people’s “members on earth”, which are dependent on the lower, material realm. He finds Paul intentionally twisting this view with his comments.

[52] Dunn, 212, “the term is not confined to physical parts; Aristotle, for example speaks of the melo" aisqanomenon, ‘the organ of perception/understanding”.

[53] ibid.

[54] Walter Bauer, William F. Arndt, F. Gingrich, and Frederick Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2^nd ed (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 501. See also Melick 288ff. and Schweizer, 182ff. for a broader understanding of the possible non-Christian antecedents to this idea.

[55] Bruce, 142.

[56] Dunn, 213ff. See Bruce, 143ff; Dunn, 214ff; Melick, 289ff. for detailed definitions and backgrounds of the various words Paul uses in this list. Cf. Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25.

[57] Wall, 139ff. understands this flow as being best explained by “reading the list backwards as a chronology of sexual sin.” Thus, “sexual immorality is the byproduct of evil desires which more specifically are lust. This process from lust to sexual immorality has its source in greed.”

[58] He even adds to it in verse 8.

[59] 2:20ff.

[60] See Schweizer, 182 for an excellent background study of the concepts discussed in this verse.

[61] I translated it with this understanding.

[62] Harris, 147. See also BAGD, 586ff;

[63] This use of the word occurs 30 times in the Pauline corpus (e.g. Rom 8:4; Eph 2:10). Outside of Paul this is usage is found only 10 times, primarily in the Epistles of John.

[64] See BAGD, 649.

[65] Harris, 149.

[66] See n. 8.

[67] Dunn, 217 writes this “confirms that individual conduct is socially determined to a considerable degree: they lived that way because that was the pattern of behavior for most Gentile societies.

[68] Bruce, 139. Harris, 148. Also NRSV and NIV, and most commentators. NJB translates this as “when you were living among such people.”