Fathers

Colossians 3

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If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

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What the Fathers say

Colossians 3:5

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Mortify therefore your members," he saith, "which are upon the earth." What sayest thou? Was it not thou that saidst, "Ye are buried; ye are buried together with Him; ye are circumcised: we have put off the body of the sins of the flesh"; how then again sayest thou, "Mortify"? Art thou sporting? Dost thou thus discourse, as though those things were in us? …

Homily on Colossians 8 ↗

Athanasius of Alexandria

But the saints, and they who truly practise virtue, "mortify their members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passions, evil concupiscence;" and, as the result of this, are pure and without spot, confiding in the promise of our Saviour, who said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." These, having become dead to the world, and renounced the merchandise of the world, gain an honourable death; for, "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." They are also able, preserving the …

Letter 7 (For 335) ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He did not say "cast off," but "put to death," so that they might no longer rise again. By "earthly members" he probably means our bodily members: if they do not contribute to the acquisition of heavenly things, then they are earthly, but if heavenly things are accomplished through them, then they are no longer earthly, just as we ourselves become, as it were, not of the earth if we neither see nor hear anything evil. …

Commentary on Colossians ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

In a general way all that is of the devil savors of enmity to God, and what is of the devil is idolatry, since all idols are subject to him. Yet Paul elsewhere lays down the law in express and unmistakable terms, saying: "Mortify your members, which are upon the earth, laying aside fornication, uncleanness, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which are idolatry, for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh." Idolatry is not confined to casting incense upon an altar with finger and thumb, or to pouring libations of wine out of a …

Letter 14. To Heliodorus, Monk. ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Next (v. 5), Paul puts order into their actions: first, by restraining them from sin; secondly, by teaching them about good habits (v. 12). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he starts with a warning; secondly, he explains it (v. 9b). The first is divided into two parts: first, he forbids carnal vices; secondly, he gives his reason (v. 6). With respect to the first he does two things: first, he lays down a general prohibition; secondly, he goes into detail about it (v. 5). …

Commentary on Colossians ↗

Bonaventure

All perverse valuations of worldly natures are prohibited. Now every perverse valuation of creatures proceeds either by reason of sublimity, or by reason of sufficiency, or by reason of delight. In the first way it is the idolatry of the proud; in the second way it is the idolatry of the avaricious; in the third way it is the idolatry of the lascivious. Against the second the Apostle says: Avarice is the servitude of idols.

Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 2 ↗