Colossians 4:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He did not simply say, "buy," but "redeem the time," showing that by such conduct you acquire it for yourselves in another way. For it is extreme folly to invent various pretexts for quarrels and enmity.

Besides exposing yourselves needlessly and uselessly to dangers, another harm also follows from this: the Greeks do not join themselves to us. When you are among brethren, it is right to have no fear. But among strangers one must not act so.

Do you see how everywhere he calls the Greeks strangers? Therefore in the Epistle to Timothy he also said, "He must also have a good testimony from those who are outside" (1 Tim 3:7). Again he says, "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside."

They are outside because, although they live in the same world as we do, they are outside the kingdom and the Father's house. By calling them outsiders, the Apostle also gives encouragement to his own, as he said above: "Your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col 3:3).

Then, he says, you seek glory, honors, and everything else. But now do not seek them. Leave all these things to them.

Then, lest you think he is speaking of money, he adds, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." Let there be no pretense in it, he says. That would not be grace, nor would it be seasoned with salt.

For example, if you must render someone a service, and it is safe for salvation, do not refuse. If circumstances require courteous conversation, do not consider this flattery. Do everything that belongs to honor, without harm to piety.

Do you not see how Daniel served an impious man? Do you not see with what prudence the three youths dealt with the king? They showed courage and boldness, yet nothing insolent or offensive. Such behavior comes not from boldness, but from vainglory.

"That you may know," he says, "how you ought to answer each one." One must answer a ruler differently from a subject, and a rich man differently from a poor man.

Why so? Because among the rich and among rulers souls are weaker, more irascible, and more easily provoked. Restraint is needed there. Among the poor and those under authority, the soul is stronger and more collected. There greater freedom in speech may be allowed, with edification as the one goal.

One must honor one man more and another less, not because one is rich and another poor. Rather, because of weakness, one must deal patiently with the first, but not in the same way with the second.

For example, when you have no occasion, do not call a Greek impious, and do not become insulting. But if you are asked about the doctrine of the faith, answer that it is godless and impious.

When no one asks you and no one compels you to speak, you should not stir up enmity without cause. What necessity is there to arm people against yourself in vain?

Again, if you are instructing someone in the faith, say what concerns the matter, then be silent. If your word is seasoned with salt, even if it falls into an irritable soul, it will produce tender affection in it. Even if it falls into a harsh soul, it will soften its severity.

Be courteous and not crude. Yet do not be too yielding either. Have firmness joined with pleasantness. If you are severe beyond measure, you will do more harm than good. If you are overly gracious, you will cause more grief than joy.

Thus there must be measure in everything. Do not be harsh and gloomy, for this is unpleasant. Do not be excessively cheerful either, for through this one may fall into neglect and contempt.

Rather, take what is perfect in both and avoid their defects. Be like the bee, borrowing cheerfulness from one and dignity from the other. If a physician does not treat every body alike, much less should a teacher.

Yet the body can more easily bear medicine unsuited to it than the soul can bear a word. For example, a Greek comes and becomes your friend. Say nothing to him about this until he has become your friend fully. When he has, speak gradually.

Look at the speech Paul himself addressed to them, that is, to the Greeks, when he came to Athens. He did not say to them, "O lawless and impious men!" But what did he say? "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious" (Acts 17:22).

Yet again, he did not refuse to rebuke when that was needed. With great fervor he said to Elymas, "O full of all deceit and all villainy, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness" (Acts 13:10).

For just as it would have been foolish to revile the Athenians, so it would have been cowardice to leave Elymas unrebuked. Again, do you come to a ruler about some matter? Render him fitting honor.

“That you may know how you ought to answer each one.” One answers a rich man differently, and a poor man differently. The rich man’s soul, being weak, needs greater condescension.

The poor man’s soul is stronger, and therefore he can endure it if you treat him somewhat more severely.

When there is no necessity, do not call a Greek unclean and do not reproach him. If you are brought before a ruler, render him due honor.

But when you are asked about Greek beliefs, speak without fear, saying that they are unclean and ungodly. Thus Paul in Athens speaks kindly about paganism (Acts 17:22), showing what good there is in it.

Yet he rebuked Elymas directly, because he deserved it (Acts 13:10).

“That is, be cautious, giving no occasion to catch you. For this reason he added, ‘toward those who are outside,’ so that we may know that we need less caution toward our own members than toward strangers.

“Among brethren there is more forbearance and love. Yet caution is needed even here, and much more among strangers. To live among adversaries and enemies is not the same as to live among friends.

“Let your struggle with them be only for the sake of the preaching. It must arise from no other cause.

“If you are at enmity with them over anything else, for example, if we do not pay taxes, or do not render proper honors, or are not humble, then we shall have no reward.

“They themselves will become worse, and their accusations will have the appearance of justice.”

According to the explanation of blessed Theodoret, the Apostle Paul speaks as if saying, “Let your word be pleasant, anointed, that is, grace-filled, having a tone that gladdens and rejoices.

“Yet let it not fall into indiscretion and lack of restraint, but let it also be disciplined. For this is what salt means, namely prudence.

“If food is unsalted, it is unpleasant. If it is over-salted, one cannot even put it in the mouth. In both cases it is not edible. So it is also with speech.”

“Teaching must be offered one way to an unbeliever and another to a believer, one way to the perfect and another to the imperfect, one way to the weak and another to the healthy” (blessed Theodoret).

“The Apostle teaches that speech about the faith should be begun in a suitable place and at a favorable time. Before those who rise up with fury, it is better to yield, withholding oneself for a time. In such a case, by yielding you conquer” (Ambrosiaster).

“Let each act so that, on the one hand, by his manner of action he does not provoke pagans against himself, and through himself against the whole Christian community.

“On the other hand, he must not miss an occasion to draw to the faith those who show a disposition toward it and may come to believe” (Bishop Theophan).

“Let your graciousness not go so far that it is used without discrimination. One may speak graciously, but one must do this with due propriety” (Chrysostom). “Adorn yourselves with spiritual prudence. Thus the Lord also commanded the Apostles to have salt in themselves (Mk 9:50), and He called them salt (cf. Mt 5:13)” (Blessed Theodoret).

“Let your speech be pleasant, having a joyful and cheering tone. Yet let it not fall into indiscrimination and unbridledness, but let it also be restrained. This is what salt means. Let it be neither excessively merry nor excessively severe.

Food, if it is not salted, is unpleasant. If it is oversalted, one cannot even put it in one’s mouth. In both cases it is inedible. So too is speech. Do you not see how Daniel heals an impious man by his word?

Do you not see how the three youths, while showing such courage and boldness, did not utter a single harsh or offensive word? For speech of this kind does not signify bold courage in hope in God, but vainglorious, self-confident audacity.”

“That ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.” He indicates where the qualities of speech mentioned before have their application, namely in meeting someone. When meeting, the first thing we do is speak to one another.

See to it, says the Apostle, that when beginning and conducting speech as indicated, from the soul and wise in content, you do not forget also to adapt it to the person with whom you begin to converse. “To answer” means not only to respond to a question, but in general to hold speech with someone and to someone.

“One must not speak in the same way to all, that is, to Greeks and to brethren. No, this would be great senselessness” (Chrysostom). “For teaching must be offered in one way to an unbeliever and in another to a believer. It must be offered in one way to the perfect and in another to the imperfect, in one way to the weak and in another to the healthy” (Blessed Theodoret).

“And in one way to the rich and in another to the poor. The soul of the rich man, being weak, has need of greater condescension. The soul of the poor man is stronger and can bear it if you treat him somewhat more severely.

Likewise, when there is no necessity, do not call a Greek unclean and do not reproach him. If you are brought before an authority, render him due honor. But when they ask you about Greek beliefs, speak without fear, saying that they are unclean and impious.

Yet even this must be according to circumstances. Saint Paul in Athens speaks favorably about paganism, setting forth what good there is in it. But he directly reproached Elymas, because he deserved it (see Acts 13:10)” (Blessed Theophylact).

On both these texts Ambrosiaster writes this: “Since it is necessary for us to move among unbelievers and converse with them because of worldly affairs. The Apostle commands the following for such occasions: that our conversation be with wisdom, so that pagans may not be scandalized and may not find in it occasion to slander our faith and be stirred up to persecute the faithful.

What need is there to speak with someone whom you know to be intractable, stubborn in mind, and ready to cause trouble? Therefore the Apostle suggests that speech about the faith should be begun in a suitable place and at a favorable time. If there is a contentious person among the listeners, it is better to be silent.

One must also conduct oneself differently with the powerful of this world, differently with people of middle condition, and differently with those of the lower class. If, when they rise up against the word of God, you restrain your boldness for a time, then you redeem the time.

But when the king is favorably disposed, then it is time to speak the word of God, drawing him to the good path with meekness. Before those who rise up with fury, it is better to yield, restraining boldness for a time. In such a case, by yielding you conquer.”