John Chrysostom

"Of which I was made," saith he, "a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me to youward, to fulfill the word of God." "The dispensation." Either he means, He so willed that after His own departure we should succeed to the dispensation, in order that ye might not feel as deserted, (for it is Himself that suffers, Himself that is ambassador;) or he means this, namely, me who was more than all a persecutor, for this end He permitted to persecute, that in my preaching I might gain belief; or by "dispensation" he …

Homily on Colossians 4 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He says: I am a servant, and of myself I do nothing. But if I am a servant, how then do you put forward the angels as servants? By the words "according to the dispensation of God," he either says that the Lord, having ascended into heaven, sent us to preach so that you would not be abandoned and fall into despair; or he says: He permitted me to persecute the Church chiefly so that I would become worthy of trust in preaching. Or else: He did not seek works or virtue, but faith and baptism. …

Commentary on Colossians ↗

Ignatius of Antioch

Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. "Where is the wise man? where the disputer? " Where is the boasting of those who are styled prudent? For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost. He was born and baptized, that by His passion He might purify the water.

Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, of which I became a minister, he shows the greatness of his ministry in three ways: first, from its origin; in the second place, from the end to which it is directed (v. 25b); and thirdly, from its purpose (v. 28). But someone could say: "Is his a great ministry?" He answers: Yes, because I became a minister because it was given to me according to the divine office. This can be explained in two ways. …

Commentary on Colossians ↗