Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Quotes

“the synoptic Gospels, “kingdom of God” is Jesus’ term for the visible sovereignty of God over the whole world, which has begun with his coming, is extended in the Church, and will be fully realized at the end of time.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Pet 3:15). And Jesus calls his disciples to be a community of salt and light (Matt 5:13).”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“Note that, in this letter, as in Paul generally, love is always more than spontaneous attraction; it is a deliberate Christian choice to care for the other (see 1:4; 2:2; 3:14), and such love is animated by the Holy Spirit (see 1:8).”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“In saying that “here” these divisions “are not,” Paul is not denying that cultural identities and social distinctions exist; rather, he is asserting that here, in the body of Christ, these distinctions are transcended and the persons they label are united in Christ, who is all and in all. There is no difference in spiritual status among Christians. Writing”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“biblical”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“sense”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (NRSV). Even though the practitioners of the “philosophy” are presumably baptized Christians, they have not appropriated into their living what they received objectively. Their minds, inflated with pride at their supposed special knowledge, in fact remain unrenewed. By practicing a *syncretistic Christianity, they have lost their grip on their “head,” the risen Christ.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“says the same thing in Rom 6:3–11, especially in 6:4: “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live”—literally, “walk”—“in newness of life.” In the early Church, when baptism was practiced by”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“Paul insists that there is no Christian teaching reserved for an elite. God’s life-transforming word is for every member of his people.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“precisely to be communicated to others, not to be kept secret. And in contrast to our usual modern meaning, a biblical mystery is precisely not a puzzle but a clarification, a revelation, though it always remains more than we can comprehend.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“In a biblical context, “†mystery” refers to something in God’s plan that was previously hidden but is now revealed (see sidebar). Paul”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The goal of being presented to God fully perfected requires a Christian response to God’s initiatives of creation and redemption, celebrated in verses 15–20 and applied to the Colossians in verses 21–22. Hence the proviso of verse 23: provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The verb for making peace occurs only here in the New Testament, although its noun counterpart (“peacemakers”) appears in the seventh Beatitude (Matt 5:9).6 In a biblical context, “peace” means not only the absence of conflict but also the fullness of well-being and harmony in relationships. Whereas disciples are called to be peacemakers in Matthew, here in Colossians God himself is celebrated as the source of all peacemaking.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“a biblical context, “peace” means not only the absence of conflict but also the fullness of well-being and harmony in relationships. Whereas disciples are called”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“As the whole created world shares in the estrangement and disorder caused by human sin, so it will share in Christ’s redemption and be restored to its full beauty, harmony, and magnificence (see Rom 8:20–”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“As man, Christ has emerged triumphant over all cosmic powers and even over death itself. The perspective”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“Jesus’ resurrection marks the beginning of a new creation.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“to a particular moment in history, the new beginning of the resurrection of the incarnate Son, Jesus, on the third day after his crucifixion.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The Son is “before all” as the mediator through whom all things were created, and he is also “before all” in the sense that he possesses God-given preeminence of honor. And the Son continues to give order to the universe and uphold all things in existence: in him all things hold together. Creation was not just an initial event that set the world in motion but also a divine work that continues throughout all time.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The Son is “before all” as the mediator through whom all things were created, and he is also “before all” in the sense that he possesses God-given preeminence of honor. And”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“What Paul says of the Son’s role in creation is parallel to what the prologue of John says of the eternal Word: “All things came to be through him. . . . He was in the world and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him” (John 1:3, 10).”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“and for him, introduces a new thought, that the eternal Son is also the goal of all creation. Apart”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“God’s people are under the protection of the archangel Michael, while the affairs of other nations are affected by principalities opposed to God and his people. These spiritual beings were linked with the pagan gods that the Gentiles worshiped (Exod 12:12; Deut 32:17; 1 Cor 10:20). The Pauline Letters presume this”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The similarity of contexts between Col 1:16 and Eph 1:21 implies that both refer to the invisible created ruling forces in the universe.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“old”). The phrase whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers is best understood as an elaboration of “the invisible.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The visible and the invisible is not simply another way of saying “in heaven and on earth” but another way of looking at all creation, this time distinguishing sensible objects (“the visible”: the physical universe, including the sun, moon, and stars; the perceptible persons, places, and things that reside on earth; and the elements—earth, air, fire, water) from spiritual entities (“the invisible”).”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“BC (some 13.7 billion years, astronomers tell us). The Son was not himself created. He is “firstborn” of all creation because of his status as agent of all creation from the beginning—as we say in the Nicene Creed, “begotten, not made.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“The firstborn’s preeminence consists in being the one through whom the Father created everything from the beginning.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“Thus Paul’s focus is primarily on Jesus’ faithfulness as shown in his obedience to the Father, especially in his self-emptying humility celebrated in the hymn. Only secondarily does Paul focus on his own faith in Christ, mentioned in the final phrase “depending on faith.” This interpretation fits with Paul’s earlier reference to the “righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (1:11).”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS

“reality it is “God” who is working (energeō) among them. God both moves them from within to “desire” his will and empowers them to “work” (energeō) at carrying it out.”
― Dennis Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture): A Catholic Bible Commentary on the New Testament by Trusted Biblical Scholars | CCSS