“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all — the catalog breaks down ethnic, religious, and social categories: Greek/Jew (ethnic), circumcised/uncircumcised (religious), barbarian/Scythian (cultural—Scythians were considered wild), slave/free (social). All distinctions dissolve. 'Christ is all, and in all' (ta panta kai en pasin Christos) shows Christ transcends and includes all: he is the unity.
Church Fathers on Colossians 3:11
“Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman: but Christ is all, and in all.” Lo! Here is a third encomium of this “man.” With him, there is no difference admitted either of nation, or of rank, or of ancestry, seeing he has nothing of externals, nor needs them; for all external things are such as these, “circumcision, and uncircumcision, bondman, freeman, Greek,” that is, proselyte, “and Jew,” from his…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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