Colossians iv. 5, 6
“Walk in wisdom toward
them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always
with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer
each one.”
Christ said to His disciples, that doth Paul also now advise. And
what did Christ say? “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the
midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves.” (Matt. x. 16.) That is, be upon your
guard, giving them no handle against you. For therefore it is added, “towards them that are without,” in order that we may know that against our own members we have no need of so much caution as against those without. For where brethren are, there are both many allowances and kindnesses. There is indeed need of caution even here; but much more without, for it is not the same to be amongst enemies and foes, and amongst friends.
Then because he had alarmed
them, see how again he encourages them; “Redeeming,” he
saith, “the time”: that is, the present time is short. Now
this he said, not wishing them to be crafty, nor hypocrites, (for this
is not a part of wisdom, but of senselessness,) but what? In matters
wherein they harm you not, he means, give them no handle; as he says
also, when writing to the Romans, “Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, honor to whom honor.” (Rom. xiii. 7.) On account of the Preaching alone have thou war, he saith, let this war have none other origin. For though they were to become our foes for other causes besides, yet neither shall we have a reward, and they will become worse, and will seem to have just complaints against us. For instance, if we pay not the tribute, if we render not the honors that are due, if we be not lowly. Seest thou not Paul, how submissive he is, where he was not likely to harm the Preaching. For hear him saying to Agrippa, “I think myself happy, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews.” (Acts xxvi. 2, 3.) But had he thought it his duty to insult the ruler, he would have spoiled everything. And hear too those of blessed Peter’s company, how gently they answer the Jews, saying, “we must obey God rather than men.” (Acts v. 29.) And yet men who had renounced their own lives, might both have insulted, and have done anything whatever; but for this object they had renounced their lives, not that they might win vainglory, (for that way had been vainglorious,) but that they might preach and speak all things with boldness. That other course marks want of moderation.
“Let your speech be always
with grace, seasoned with salt”; that is, that this graciousness
may not lapse into indifferentism. For it is possible to be simply
agreeable, it is possible also to be so with due seemliness. “That ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.” So that one ought not to discourse alike to all, Greeks, I mean, and Brethren. By no means, for this were the very extreme of senselessness.
Ver. 7. “All my affairs shall Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord.”
Admirable! how great is the
wisdom of Paul! Observe, he doth not put everything into his Epistles, but only things necessary and urgent. In the first place, being desirous of not drawing them out to a length; and secondly, to make his messenger more respected, by his having also somewhat to relate; thirdly, showing his own affection towards him; for he would not else have entrusted these communications to him. Then, there were things which ought not to be declared in writing. “The beloved brother,” he saith. If beloved, he knew all, and he concealed nothing from him. “And faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord.” If “faithful,” he will speak no falsehood; if “a fellow-servant,” he hath shared his trials, so that he has brought together from all sides the grounds of trustworthiness.
Ver. 8. “Whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose.”