Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
If—"Assuming that," etc.: not otherwise shall ye be so presented at His appearing (Colossians 1:22).
grounded—Greek, "founded," "fixed on the foundation" (compare Note, see on Ephesians 3:17; Luke 6:48-49).
settled—"steadfast." "Grounded" respects the foundation on which believers rest; "settled," their own steadfastness (I Peter 5:10). I Corinthians 15:58 has the same Greek.
not moved away—by the false teachers.
the hope of the gospel— (Ephesians 1:18).
which ye have heard . . . which was preached to every creature . . . whereof I . . . am . . . a minister—Three arguments against their being "moved away from the Gospel": (1) Their having heard it; (2) The universality of the preaching of it; (3) Paul's ministry in it. For "to (Greek, 'in') every creature," the oldest manuscripts read, "in all creation." Compare "in all the world," Colossians 1:6; "all things . . . in earth," Colossians 1:20 (Mark 16:15): thus he implies that the Gospel from which he urges them not to be moved, has this mark of truth, namely, the universality of its announcement, which accords with the command and prophecy of Christ Himself (Matthew 24:14). By "was preached," he means not merely "is being preached," but has been actually, as an accomplished fact, preached. PLINY, not many years subsequently, in his famous letter to the Emperor Trajan [Epistles, Book X., Epistle 97], writes, "Many of every age, rank, and sex, are being brought to trial. For the contagion of that superstition [Christianity] has spread over not only cities, but villages and the country."
whereof I Paul am—rather as Greek, "was made a minister." Respect for me, the minister of this world-wide Gospel, should lead you not to be moved from it. Moreover (he implies), the Gospel which ye heard from Epaphras, your "minister" (Colossians 1:7), is the same of which "I was made a minister" (Colossians 1:25; Ephesians 3:7): if you be moved from it, ye will desert the teaching of the recognized ministers of the Gospel for unauthorized false teachers.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Colossians 1:23:
Acts 17:30
1 Corinthians 15:58
2 Corinthians 3:6
Ephesians 3:17
Colossians 1:5
Colossians 1:24
Colossians 1:25
1 Timothy 2:7
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