Teks -- Colossians 1:3 (NET)

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Church

1:3 We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Col 1:3 - God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ( tōi theōi patri tou kuriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou ).

Correct text without kai (and) as in Col 3:17, though usually "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"(2Co 1:3; 2Co 11:31; Rom 15:6; 1Pe 1:3; Rev 1:6). In Col 1:2 we have the only instance in the opening benediction of an epistle when the name of "Jesus Christ"is not joined with "God our Father."

Robertson: Col 1:3 - Always

Always ( pantote ).

Amphibolous position between eucharistoumen (we give thanks) and proseuchomenoi (praying). Can go with either.

Vincent: Col 1:3 - And the Father

And the Father

Some of the best texts omit and . So Rev. The form with and is the more common. Compare Col 3:17.

Vincent: Col 1:3 - Praying always for you

Praying always for you

Rather connect always with we give thanks , and render we give thanks for you always , praying , or in our prayers . According to the Greek order, praying for you (as Rev. and A.V.), would make for you unduly emphatic.

Wesley: Col 1:3 - We give thanks

There is a near resemblance between this epistle, and those to the Ephesians and Philippians.

JFB: Col 1:3

Thanksgiving for the "faith, hope, and love" of the Colossians. So in the twin Epistle sent at the same time and by the same bearer, Tychicus (Eph 1:15-16).

JFB: Col 1:3 - We

I and Timothy.

JFB: Col 1:3 - and the Father

So some of the oldest manuscripts read. But others better omit the "and," which probably crept in from Eph 1:3.

JFB: Col 1:3 - praying always for you

With thanksgiving (Phi 4:6). See Col 1:4.

Clarke: Col 1:3 - We give thanks to God

We give thanks to God - Who is the author of all good; and from whom the grace, which has produced your conversion, has sprung by his mission of Christ Jesus. See the note on Eph 1:15, Eph 1:16 (note).

Calvin: Col 1:3 - We give thanks to God // To the God and Father // Always for you,

3.We give thanks to God He praises the faith and love of the Colossians, that it may encourage them the more to alacrity and constancy of perseverance. Farther, by shewing that he has a persuasion of this kind respecting them, he procures their friendly regards, that they may be the more favourably inclined and teachable for receiving his doctrine. We must always take notice that he makes use of thanksgiving in place of congratulation, by which he teaches us, that in all our joys we must readily call to remembrance the goodness of God, inasmuch as everything that is pleasant and agreeable to us is a kindness conferred by him. Besides, he admonishes us, by his example, to acknowledge with gratitude not merely those things which the Lord confers upon us, but also those things which he confers upon others.

But for what things does he give thanks to the Lord? For the faith and love of the Colossians. He acknowledges, therefore, that both are conferred by God: otherwise the gratitude were pretended. And what have we otherwise than through his liberality? If, however, even the smallest favors come to us from that source, how much more ought this same acknowledgment to be made in reference to those two gifts, in which the entire sum of our excellence consists?

To the God and Father ²⁷⁹ Understand the expression thus — To God who is the Father of Christ. For it is not lawful for us to acknowledge any other God than him who has manifested himself to us in his Son. And this is the only key for opening the door to us, if we are desirous to have access to the true God. For on this account, also, is he a Father to us, because he has embraced us in his only begotten Son, and in him also sets forth his paternal favor for our contemplation.

Always for you, Some explain it thus — We give thanks to God always for you, that is, continually. Others explain it to mean — Praying always for you. It may also be interpreted in this way, “Whenever we pray for you, we at the same time give thanks to God;” and this is the simple meaning, “We give thanks to God, and we at the same time pray.” By this he intimates, that the condition of believers is never in this world perfect, so as not to have, invariably, something wanting. For even the man who has begun admirably well, may fall short in a hundred instances every day; and we must ever be making progress while we are as yet on the way. Let us therefore bear in mind that we must rejoice in the favors that we have already received, and give thanks to God for them in such a manner, as to seek at the same time from him perseverance and advancement.

TSK: Col 1:3 - give // praying

give : Rom 1:8, Rom 1:9; 1Co 1:4; Eph 1:15; Phi 1:3-5, Phi 4:6; 1Th 1:2

praying : Col 1:9, Col 1:13; Eph 3:14-19; Phi 1:9-11; 1Th 3:10-13; 2Th 2:16, 2Th 2:17; 2Ti 1:3

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Col 1:3 - We give thanks to God // And the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ // Praying always for you

We give thanks to God: See Poole on "Phi 1:3". He doth here take in Timothy and others, in acknowledging of God’ s grace to them, which might express his great good-will to them.

And the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ describing God, to whom they render thanks both absolutely and relatively, as the Father of Jesus Christ, according to both natures: See Poole on "2Co 1:3" , and See Poole on "Eph 1:3" .

Praying always for you always when they did address themselves to God by prayer making mention of them, as he also wrote to the Philippians: See Poole on "Phi 1:3,4" .

Gill: Col 1:3 - We give thanks to God // and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ // praying always for you

We give thanks to God,.... Meaning himself and Timothy. This is the beginning of the epistle, which is introduced with a thanksgiving to God; to whom praise and thankfulness are always due as a Creator and preserver, as the author of all good things, as the Father of mercies, temporal and spiritual, and as the covenant God and Father of his people through Christ: wherefore it follows,

and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the sense of which either is, that God the Father, who is the object of praise and thanksgiving, is both the God of Christ, and the Father of Christ, the God of Christ, as Christ is man, and the Father of Christ, as Christ is God; or the latter is exegetical of the former, and may be rendered thus, "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ": and very properly are thanks given to him under this character, because it is as he is the Father of Christ that he blesses his people with all spiritual blessings; and because he is their God, as well as his God; and their Father, as well as his Father, though in a different sense, his by nature, theirs by adoption. Moreover, as all their blessings come from God, as the Father of Christ, and through Christ, and for his sake, so it is very proper that thanks should be returned unto him under that character; and through Christ, by whom alone such sacrifices of praise are acceptable to God: it is added,

praying always for you; which, as it is expressive of the constant discharge of the duty of prayer, and the continual remembrance of these saints in it, and shows the affection the apostle had for them; so it points out the time when, and the way and manner in which Paul and Timothy gave thanks to God on account of them; it was when they were at the throne of grace, and in their frequent prayers to God; thankfulness for mercies received, both by ourselves and others, being a branch of the duty of prayer.