Homilies on Colossians — Homily 1

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

[[Colossians 1.1]], 2

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossæ: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father.

Holy indeed are all the Epistles of Paul: but some advantage have those which he sent after he was in bonds: those, for instance, to the Ephesians and Philemon: that to Timothy, that to the Philippians, and the one before us: for this also was sent when he was a prisoner, since he writes in it thus: for which I am also in bonds: that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. [[Colossians 4.3]]-4 But this Epistle appears to have been written after that to the Romans. For the one to the Romans he wrote before he had seen them, but this Epistle, after; and near upon the close of his preaching. And it is evident from hence; that in the Epistle to Philemon he says, Being such an one as Paul the aged Philemon 9, and makes request for Onesimus; but in this he sends Onesimus himself, as he says, With Onesimus the faithful and beloved brother [[Colossians 4.9]]: calling him faithful, and beloved, and brother. Wherefore also he boldly says in this Epistle, from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven. [[Colossians 1.23]] For it had now been preached for a long time. I think then that the Epistle to Timothy was written after this; and when he was now come to the very end of his life, for there he says, for I am already being offered [[2 Timothy 4.6]]; this is later however than that to the Philippians, for in that Epistle he was just entering upon his imprisonment at Rome.

But why do I say that these Epistles have some advantage over the rest in this respect, because he writes while in bonds? As if a champion were to write in the midst of carnage and victory; so also in truth did he. For himself too was aware that this was a great thing, for writing to Philemon he says, Whom I have begotten in my bonds. Philemon 10 And this he said, that we should not be dispirited when in adversity, but even rejoice. At this place was Philemon with these (Colossians). For in the Epistle to him he says, And to Archippus our fellow-soldier Philemon 2; and in this, Say to Archippus. [[Colossians 4.17]] This man seems to me to have been charged with some office in the Church.

But he had not seen either these people, or the Romans, or the Hebrews, when he wrote to them. That this is true of the others, he shows in many places; with regard to the Colossians, hear him saying, And as many as have not seen my face in the flesh [[Colossians 2.1]]-5: and again, Though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit. So great a thing did he know his presence everywhere to be. And always, even though he be absent, he makes himself present. So, when he punishes the fornicator, look how he places himself on the tribunal; for, he says, I verily being absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as