Colossians 3:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here it is fitting to ask: why, after calling the corrupt life members, man, and body, does he again call the same thing virtuous?

And if sins and man are one and the same, how does he say, "with his deeds"?

He once spoke of the old man and showed that this is not the man, but something else, because freedom in man is more important than essence.

The former is more truly man than the latter. Essence does not cast into Gehenna, nor does it bring into the Kingdom of God. Freedom alone does this.

We love or hate someone not because he is a man, but because he is such and such a man.

Therefore, if the body is essence, and essence in neither case is subject to responsibility, how does he call the body evil?

Of what, then, does he say, "with his deeds"? He speaks of freedom with its deeds.

He calls him old because he wishes to show his vileness, ugliness, and weakness.

"Do not lie to one another." You have put on Christ, who said, "I am the truth" (Jn 14:6).

How then can you now clothe yourselves in another form of clothing, the form of falsehood?

Then it will be evident that you are casting off that form, as though a uniform, which characterizes you by the mark of truth.

"Having put off the old man with his deeds." Why, after calling the corrupt life members, body, and man, does he again call the same thing virtuous?

It is to show that freedom in man is more important than essence, and that we are named more by it than by essence.

For Scripture calls men horses, dogs, and foxes when by their will they have become like animals of this kind.

Therefore it is said, "created according to God" (Eph 4:24), so that people should not think that renewal takes place according to some creature. And it is then said, "according to the image of God," so that they may understand that this renewal occurs where the image of God is, that is, in the mind.

Do not seek anything in outward gold or bodily adornment. Rather, imagine a garment worthy to adorn the one created according to the image of the Creator, as the Apostle says: "having put off the old man with his deeds, and having put on the new. Who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him." And whoever has put on mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering (Col 3:12) is clothed inwardly and adorned according to the inner man.

We say that the human soul is a true and perfect soul, making itself known through every activity.

If something else participates in life, we call it animate by a customary inexact way of speaking. We do not mean that there is a perfect soul in it.

Rather, some parts of psychic activity are noticeable in it. Therefore Paul, advising those who wish to listen to attain perfection, also sets forth the way to receive what is desired.

He says that one must put off the old man and put on the new, who is renewed according to the image of Him who created him.

But let us all return to that same Godlike grace in which God created man in the beginning, saying, "Let Us make man according to Our image and according to Our likeness" (Gen 1:26).

Just as the fullness of the Godhead did not suffer the Cross, but our weakness did, so later the Son will be subjected to the Father (1 Cor 15:28) in the participation of our nature.

This is so that the scandals of the flesh may be subdued. Then, for us and for our heart, all things would be not wealth, ambition, or desire, but God.

This happens if, in everything, as far as we can receive it, we live according to His image and likeness.

Therefore this gift passes from the particular to the universal, for in His flesh He tamed the nature of all human flesh.

Thus, according to the Apostle, "as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (1 Cor 15:49).

By the "old man" he meant the former manner of life. For he says, "in which you also once walked, when you lived in them." This old man you put off in Baptism.

Therefore, without delay after entering the church, you took off your robe. This meant "having put off the old man with his deeds." After taking off the robe you were naked, and in this also you imitated Christ, Who was stripped on the Cross. Through this nakedness He disarmed principalities and powers and boldly triumphed over them on the Cross (Col 2:14-15).

When the Apostle says, "Put off the old man" (Col 3:9), he means a complete man, whose eyes correspond to eyes, head to head, ears to ears, hands to hands, and feet to feet.

For the evil one defiled and drew to himself the whole old man, defiled, unclean, hostile to God, and disobedient to God's law.

He drew him into sin itself, so that he would no longer look as a man ought, but would see wickedly and hear wickedly.

His feet hastened to evil, his hands committed lawlessness, and his heart devised wickedness.

The old man has stripped off the perfect man and wears the garment of the kingdom of darkness.

It is the garment of blasphemy, unbelief, fearlessness, vainglory, pride, love of money, desire, and other garments of the kingdom of darkness, unclean and filthy rags.

This is what the enemy sought: through Adam's transgression to wound and darken the inner man, the ruling mind that sees God.

When the heavenly good things became inaccessible to its eyes, they then opened to vices and passions.

When blessed Paul learned of disciples who neglected the commandments and had not overcome the passions, yet desired the blessedness found in contemplation of the mysteries, which is possible after purification, he said to them: first put off the old man of the passions. Then desire to put on the new man, renewed by the knowledge of the mysteries according to the likeness of the Creator. Do not desire that vision of mine and of the other apostles, which was effectively accomplished by grace.

See verse 7 and verse 9: "Having put off the old man with his deeds."

The Apostle called the will of man "man," taking the principal part of him. He did not mean his essence.

Thus he called the will that has given itself over to evil deeds the old man, as weakened and disordered, like people who have reached deep old age.

He called the will that performs virtuous works new or young, as strong and firm, like people in the flourishing age of youth.

Here, after calling the evil will the old man, he also reveals the properties of such an allegorical man.

In place of the soul he put evil desire. In place of the heart, anger and fury. In place of the generative members, fornication, uncleanness, and passion.

The first phrase, “lie not,” continues the indication of what must be put off. The second, “having put off,” together with what is said in the next verse, provides a motive for fulfilling the proposed commandments.

“Lie not one to another,” εις αλληλους, may be understood as “before one another,” or “do not speak falsehood to one another.” This is like the Epistle to the Ephesians: “Putting away falsehood, speak truth every man to his neighbor” (Eph 4:25). There, as here, this commandment is drawn from putting off the old man and putting on the new.