Ver. 12. Bowels of mercies.—R.V. “a heart of compassion.” A case of concrete for abstract. The physical effect of pity lies at the bottom of the phrase.

Ver. 13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another.—Literally it would be, “Bearing with one another, and dealing graciously with yourselves”; for not only the verbs but the pronouns also change with a delicate shade of meaning. Forbearance, like a peace-making angel, passes to and fro between the incensed parties. Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.—The pattern of all graciousness is Christ. See His parable (Matt. xviii. 33).

Ver. 14. Above all these things put on charity.—Reminding us of the exalted place which the queenly virtue holds in St. Paul’s triad. As the outermost dress of an Oriental was perhaps that which was most serviceable, so whatever else is put on, “above everything” love must be remembered. Which is the bond of perfectness.—“That in which all the virtues are so bound together that perfection is the result and not one of them is wanting to that perfection” (Grimm).

Ver. 15. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.—R.V. margin, “arbitrate.” We met the verb for “rule” in ch. ii. 18, but with a prefix “against.” “Let the peace of God be umpire,” says the apostle, in every case of uncertainty and hesitation. He who slept on Galilee’s stormy waters had but to say, “Peace! Be still!” and there was a great calm. He said, “My peace I leave with you”; and reckless of consequences the men who received it amazed the authorities by the boldness of their question, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye” (Acts iv. 19).

Ver. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.—The word for “dwell in” is the same which assures the believer of an indwelling power which shall quicken the mortal body, and which describes the Divine act of grace. “I will dwell in them.” In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.—See on Eph. v. 18, 19. The same composition may be either psalm, hymn, or spiritual song. The first may be a technical word, as in Luke xxiv. 44. It indicates a song accompanied by a stringed instrument. A hymn is a song in praise of some one, exalting the character and attributes. The third term is the most comprehensive, and to it, with good reason, St. Paul prefixes “spiritual.” Bacchanalian songs were common enough about Colossæ with their noisy, unhallowed mirth. St. Paul, like St. James, would not object to his readers being merry if the spiritual joys—

"From out their hearts arise
And speak and sparkle in their eyes
And vibrate on their tongues."

Ver. 18. As it is fit in the Lord.—See Eph. v. 22. The feeling of propriety St. Paul emphasises here and limits it “in the Lord.”

Ver. 19. Be not bitter against them.—As love in its most degraded form might alternate with paroxysms of anger, St. Paul uses the nobler word for Christian love which casts out hatred as well as fear.

Ver. 20. For this is well-pleasing.—Eph. vi. 1: “This is right.” What in Ephesians is regarded as an equitable due from child to parent is here looked at in another light. The best commentary is Luke ii. 51, 52. The child Jesus was subject to his parents and increased in favour with God.

Ver. 21. Fathers, provoke not your children.—The word for “provoke” is not the same as in Eph. vi. 4. There the word is “do not exasperate.” Here it is “do not irritate.” The difficulty of discriminating between them may perhaps show how near the original words are in meaning. “Irritation is the first consequence of being too exacting with children, and irritation leads to moroseness” (Lightfoot). Lest they be discouraged.—Broken-spirited. It is a sad sight to see a man for whom the stress of life has been too much, but to see a child cowed and dejected—the world has no sadder spectacle.