Colossians 1:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how manifold the gift is. He freed us when we lay at the bottom. He not only freed us, but also transferred us into the Kingdom.

"Who delivered us." He did not say "cast out," but "delivered," ἐρρύσατο, "tore away." On the one hand, this shows our wretched state and their captivity. On the other, it shows the unhindered power of God.

"And transferred us," he says, as one might transfer a soldier from place to place. He did not say "carried over" or "moved," because these expressions would indicate transference but not passage.

Rather, he said "transferred," so that this was both our work and His.

"Into the Kingdom of His beloved Son." He did not simply say, "into the Kingdom of heaven," but gave the word greater weight by calling the Kingdom of heaven the Kingdom of the Son.

There is no praise greater than this, as he also says elsewhere: "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim 2:12).

He deemed us worthy, he says, of the same thing as the Son. To this he also added "beloved." Enemies darkened by gloom He suddenly transferred to the place where the Son is, clothing them with equal honor with Him.

He was not satisfied with this alone. To show the greatness of the gift, he did not consider it enough to say "Kingdom," but added "of the Son." Nor was this enough; he joined to it "beloved."

He did not even stop there, but showed the divine dignity of His nature.

He did not say, "brought out," but "delivered," showing that we languished like captives.

"And transferred us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son."

To free us from darkness is a great thing, but to bring us into the Kingdom is far greater. And not simply this, but that we should reign with the beloved Son, we who were enemies and were in darkness.

Concerning this he also says elsewhere: "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim 2:12).

He did not say "carried over," for then everything would belong to the one who carried. Rather, he said "transferred," so that here something belongs also to us.

By this expression he shows that for the power of God this is as easy as for someone to transfer a soldier from one place to another.

We too make the most saving passage when we pass from the devil to Christ, and from this perishable world to His most enduring Kingdom. We pass to God, who abides forever, so that we certainly may not pass away together with this passing world.

The Apostle speaks of this grace granted to us when he praises God, "who delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son."

"And into the abyss," John says, "he shut him" (Rev 20:3). He certainly shut the devil into the abyss, signifying by this word the countless multitude of the ungodly, whose hearts are too immeasurable in malice against the Church of God.

By the imposition of restraint and confinement in the abyss, the devil is held back and removed from deceiving those nations belonging to Christ. Before, he deceived them or held them in his power.

For God chose them before the foundation of the world, to snatch them from the power of darkness and bring them into the Kingdom of His beloved Son, as the Apostle says (cf. Eph 1:4).

On the one hand, this shows our misery and the strength of our captivity. On the other, it shows the ease and readiness with which the power of God accomplished this (Saint Chrysostom).

How did God the Father tear us away from such power? By sending His Only-begotten Son, and through Him arranging such a divine economy of salvation that destroyed the works of the devil.

On what does the devil's power over us rest? On sin. By His death the Lord blotted out all our sins, and everyone who believes in Him receives the forgiveness of his sins.

Yet within remains the sinful power, which as a law leads to sins. The believer is given the grace of the Spirit, which cuts down this power of sin.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus frees him from the law of sin, so that he should no longer be enslaved to sin (cf. Rom 8:2; Rom 6:6).

Thus, according to the divine economy of our salvation, the reins of the dark power are torn from the devil's hands. He has nothing with which to seize us, no instrument for violence.

"And transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love."

This is accomplished in one act. Such is the divine economy: in delivering from the dark power, it at the same time brings into the radiant Kingdom of the Son. Or, by bringing into this Kingdom, it delivers from that power.

"Having delivered us from darkness, He deemed us worthy of the Kingdom of the Son" (blessed Theodoret).

"Therefore God showed His love for mankind not only by freeing us from darkness. To be freed from darkness is certainly a great thing. But to be brought into the Kingdom is still greater.

See how manifold the gift is! 'And He transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love.' He did not simply say, 'into the Kingdom of heaven,' but gave the word greater weight by calling the Kingdom of heaven the Kingdom of the Son.

There is no praise greater than this, as he also says elsewhere: 'If we endure, we shall also reign with Him' (2 Tim 2:12). He deemed us worthy, he says, of the very thing of which He deemed the Son worthy.

And not this only, but he added: 'beloved.' Enemies darkened by gloom He suddenly transferred to the place where the Son is, clothing them with equal honor with Him.

Thus, to show the greatness of the gift, he did not consider it enough to say, 'into the Kingdom,' but added, 'of the Son.' And even this was not enough; he added, 'beloved'" (Saint Chrysostom).

"Son of love" means true Son, Son by nature, of the same nature. For God is love (1 Jn 4:16). The essence of God is love.

The Son of love is the Son of the Father's essence, of the same essence, consubstantial. For this reason the Son is wholly love and is beloved by God the Father.

"The Apostle called the Master Christ the Son of love, teaching that He is beloved by the Father not as a creature and servant, but as Son. He is the beloved Son, that is, the true Son.

So God also named Isaac, saying, 'Take your beloved son' (cf. Gen 22:2), that is, your true son, the son of your nature, who is dearer to you than others" (blessed Theodoret).