“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ — 'Work heartily' (ergon latreuo, serve/work) is whole-hearted. 'As for the Lord' (hōs tō kyriō) redirects service: masters are servants' proxies. 'From the Lord you will receive the inheritance' (aparche klēronomia) promises eschatological reward. 'You are serving the Lord Christ' makes the slave's lowliest work priestly service to Christ. This is radical spiritualization of slavery without abolition.
Church Fathers on Colossians 3:23
Why does he not give these commands everywhere, and in all the Epistles, but only here, and in that to the Ephesians, and that to Timothy, and that to Titus? Because probably there were dissensions in these cities; or probably they were correct in other respects, so that it was expedient they should hear about these things. Rather, however, what he says to these, he says to all. Now in these things also this Epistle bears great resemblance to that to the Ephesians, either…
Read all 2 entries in the readerNicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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