(15) The peace of God.--The true reading is the peace of Christ--that which He gives (John 14:27), that which He is (see Ephesians 2:14). The ordinary reading is, no doubt, borrowed from Philippians 4:7. This verse forms a link between the preceding exhortation to love of man, and the following exhortation to a loving and thankful service of God. The "peace of Christ" is the sense of unity in Him, with our fellow-men and with God. We are "called to it in one Body," of which He is the Head. (Comp. the fuller treatment of this subject in Ephesians 2:14-22; where, in accordance with the whole character of that Epistle, the unity "in one Body," here only alluded to, is worked out in vividness and detail.)

Verse 15. - And let the peace of Christ be umpire in your hearts (Colossians 1:14, 20-22; Colossians 2:18; Ephesians 2:13-18; Romans 5:1, 10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Acts 10:36; Hebrews 13:20; Philippians 3:14). "Of God," the reading of the Received Text, is borrowed from Philippians 4:7, where, however, "in Christ Jesus" follows (comp. ver. 13 b, and Ephesians 4:32). "The peace of Christ" is that which he effects in reconciling men to God, and to himself as their Lord (ver. 13 b; Colossians 1:20, see note; Romans 5:1). Here is the source of inner tranquillity and health of soul (see note on "peace," Colossians 1:2; Romans 8:6-9; John 16:33); and of the outward union and harmony of the Church, the body of Christ (Ephesians 2:16; Ephesians 4:2, 3; Romans 14:15-19; Romans 15:7). In John 14:27, on the other hand, Christ's peace, his "legacy," is that which he possessed and exemplified - an idea foreign to this context. This "peace" is to "act as umpire" in the Christian's heart. The compound κατα βρὰ-βεύω ("act as umpire against you") has already been used in Colossians 2:18 (see note; also Philippians 3:14, cognate βραβεῖον) of the false teacher who, in condemning the faith of the Colossian Christians as insufficient for the attaining of "perfectness" (ver. 14) without angel worship, etc., virtually took away their prize and judged them "unworthy of eternal life." The Greek commentators seem, therefore, to be right, as against most moderns (but see Klopper on the other side), in retaining the primary sense of the verb instead of generalizing it into "rule" or the like. It stands in precise antithesis, both of sense and sound, to Colossians 2:18: "Let not the deceivers decide against you, but let the peace of Christ decide in your hearts" (Cramer's 'Catena'). "The peace of Christ" dwelling within the heart is to be the security of the Colossian believer against the threats of false teachers: "They seek to rob you of your prize; let this assure you of it." Present, conscious peace with God is a warrant of the Christian's hope of everlasting life (Romans 5:1-11; Romans 8:31-39; Romans 15:13; Ephesians 1:13, 14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Titus 3:7). This assurance is identical with "the witness of the Spirit" (Romans 8:15, 16; Galatians 4:6, 7; Ephesians 1:13, 14). The apostle argued in Colossians 1:4, 5 from the present faith and love of his readers to "the hope laid up for them in heaven;" here he bids them find in the peace which Christ has brought to their souls the earnest of their future bliss. It is but a generalizing of the same idea when he speaks in Philippians 4:7 of "the peace of God" as "garrisoning the heart and thoughts" against fear and doubt. Unto which also ye were called, in one body (Colossians 1:12, 18; Colossians 2:2; Ephesians 4:14-18, 1-6; Philippians 1:27, 28; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13; Romans 12:5). So this "peace" is to be at once their inward safeguard, and the ground of their outward union. They are to stand together in its defence (Philippians 1:27, 28). Error, which blights the Church's hope, destroys her unity. So the maintenance of that "one hope of our calling," assured by a Divine peace within the soul, unites all Christian hearts in a common cause (compare the connection of vers. 18 and 19 in Colossians 2.). With St. Paul, the peace of God's children with him and with each other is so essentially one that he speaks almost indistinguishably of both (Ephesians 2:15, 16; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:16). He adds, and be ye thankful (Colossians 1:3-5, 12; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 3:17; Colossians 4:2; Ephesians 5:20); viz. "for this assurance of your future blessedness afforded by the peace of Christ within your hearts, with its outward evidence in your Christian unity." The apostle gave thanks for them on like grounds (Colossians 1:3-5: comp. 1:12-14). The command to give thanks prevails in this Epistle, as that to rejoice in Philippians. "Be" is the Greek γίνομαι ("become"); so in Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 5:1, 17. It implies "striving after an aim as not yet realized" (Meyer: comp. John 15:8) - rather, therefore, "to be in act," "to prove" or "show one's self thankful" (see Grimm's 'Lexicon;' and comp. Romans 3:4; Luke 10:36).

3:12-17 We must not only do no hurt to any, but do what good we can to all. Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts; it is of his working in all who are his. Thanksgiving to God, helps to make us agreeable to all men. The gospel is the word of Christ. Many have the word, but it dwells in them poorly; it has no power over them. The soul prospers, when we are full of the Scriptures and of the grace of Christ. But when we sing psalms, we must be affected with what we sing. Whatever we are employed about, let us do every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in believing dependence on him. Those who do all in Christ's name, will never want matter of thanksgiving to God, even the Father.And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,.... By "the peace of God" is meant, either the peace believers have with God, which is his gift, and passes all understanding, and flows from a comfortable apprehension of interest in the blood, righteousness, and atonement of Christ; or rather that peace which does, or should subsist among the saints themselves, which God is the author of, calls for, and requires, and encourages in them. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and, Ethiopic versions, read, "the peace of Christ"; and so the Alexandrian copy, and some others. This may be said to "reign" in their hearts, when it is the governing principle there; when it restrains the turbulent passions of anger, wrath, and revenge, allays undue heats, moderates the spirits, and composes differences. The metaphor is taken from the judge in the Olympic games, who was the umpire, the moderator, and who determined whose the victory was, and to whom the crown belonged; the apostle would have no other umpire among the saints than the peace of God: and the arguments he uses follow,

to the which also you are called in one body; the saints in their effectual calling are called to peace by God, who is the God of peace; by Christ, who is the Prince of peace; and by the Spirit, whose fruit is peace; and through the Gospel, which is the Gospel of peace, and into a Gospel state, which lies in peace, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghost: and they are not only called to this, but they are called "in one body"; though they are many members, yet they are but one body; and therefore ought to be in peace, and that should bear the sway in them, seeing it is unnatural for members of the same body to quarrel with each other.

And be ye thankful; which intends either gratitude to men, to fellow creatures, for any service or kindness done by them, especially to the saints, the members of the same body, who are placed in a subservience, and in order to be useful to each other; or else to God, for all spiritual blessings in Christ, and particularly the peace he gives, for the effectual calling, and a place in the body, the church; and "to Christ", as the Syriac version reads, for all those graces which come from him, and strength to exercise them, and for himself, and an interest in him, who is all in all; and a grateful spirit, both for spiritual and temporal mercies, is a very becoming and beautiful one, and is another part of the ornament of a Christian: this last is added to make way for what follows.