you hold the head, the body? For even if the power of the angels has the principle of harmony joining 326 two members or more. But yet from the head comes the benefit to all, to angels as angels, to archangels as archangels, to visible things as visible things. Suppose for me that the heaven is the head of the world, the sun and moon are its eyes, and so, putting together each part of the world in the order of members, you will find one body of the universe. And just as soul is in body and body of soul, so are the invisible powers in the visible things. But of all these the head is most sovereign, from which the benefit comes to the whole body, being supplied, clearly, from the head. Col 2,-22 If for this reason, he says, you die with Christ, so as not to worship nor live among the elements of this world, why do you put up with those who lay down dogmas for you according to the way of life of this world, as if living according to it? Why, as though living in the world, are you subject to regulations: “Do not taste, do not touch, do not handle,” which are all things that perish with use? These things are set forth as Greek dogmas; for these men in their own error command not to handle nor to taste any living thing. For all these things were given to men for consumption, that is, for the purpose of destroying and consuming them in their use and the force of life. Therefore do not handle the things given by God according to their own commandments and their teachings. Col 2,23 Instead of these things to fear—I mean “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”—which seem to have some reason, since it is characteristic of those who practice humility and severity to the body by abstaining from foods and not honoring their own flesh with indulgence. But although self-control is good, the second part is impious; for not only do they abstain as being superior to the belly, but also as not being obliged to harm living things, which were given for consumption in the use of life, and they wish to be more merciful than God towards irrational creatures. 327 Col 3,3 Our life is hidden, meaning the blessedness of eternal life which will be revealed to all, when the glory of Christ is also revealed in his second coming. Col 3,5 Just as he often calls sin “flesh,” so also now, enumerating members of the flesh, he speaks of fornication and impurity and the rest; for these are members of sin. Col 3,9-10 He calls the mindset of sin the old man, and its members evil deeds; but the new man he calls the spiritual mindset, and its members good deeds. He calls sin “flesh,” whose members he also enumerates. And having described the man composed of these members, he exhorts to put off the old man with his deeds; so that the old man is the mindset of sin, and its members are the acts of sins. And just as there is an old man, so there is also a new, that is, the spiritual mindset; and its members are good deeds, as he also enumerates, speaking of kindness, long-suffering and the rest. Col3,11 This is similar to “that He may be all in all.” What he says is something like this: that in all who mind the things of God, God may work all things. For when you mind and do the things of Christ, it is he who is doing them through you and is in you. It is similar: “that God may be all in all”; not heaven in heaven, nor earth in earth. But what he says is something like this: when you mind and do His things, it is God who is doing them through you, and He is in you by making you do what seems good to Him. 328 Col 3,14 Without love preceding, none of the necessary things is perfected; for then we both refrain from doing evil to one another and take care to do good, when we love one another. Col 3,15 Let not those who deceive you, he says, disqualify you, but let the peace of Christ rule in you so as to be united with Christ; and be thankful. To whom? Clearly to Christ who called you, and do not run after angels. Let not the deceivers disqualify you, but let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, that is, by being united to Christ and minding his things. Then again an exhortation. Col 4,1 While the slaves serve you, he says, with goodwill, you also who are

κεφαλὴν κρατεῖς τὸ σῶμα; κἂν γὰρ ἁρμονίας ἔχῃ λόγον συναπτούσης 326 δύο μέλη ἢ πλείονα τῶν ἀγγέλων ἡ δύναμις. ἀλλ' οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔρχεται εἰς πάντας ἡ ὠφέλεια, εἰς ἀγγέλους ὡς ἀγγέλους, εἰς ἀρχαγγέλους ὡς ἀρχαγγέλους, εἰς τὰ ὁρατὰ ὡς ὁρατά. θές μοι τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀντὶ κεφαλῆς εἶναι τῷ κόσμῳ, ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμῶν ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην, καὶ οὕτως ἕκαστον μέρος τοῦ κόσμου ἐν μελῶν τάξει συντιθείς, εὑρήσεις ἓν σῶμα τοῦ παντός. καὶ καθάπερ ψυχὴ ἐν σώματι καὶ σῶμα ψυχῆς, οὕτω τὰς ἀοράτους δυνάμεις ἐν τοῖς ὁρατοῖς. πάντων δὲ τούτων κυριωτέρα ἡ κεφαλή, ἀφ' ἧς ἡ ὠφέλεια εἰς ὅλον ἔρχεται τὸ σῶμα, ἐπιχορηγουμένη δηλονότι ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς. Kol 2,-22 Εἰ διὰ τοῦτο, φησίν, ἀποθνῄσκετε σὺν Χριστῷ, ὥστε μὴ τοῖς στοιχείοις τοῦ κόσμου τούτου προσκυνεῖν μήτε ἐμπολιτεύεσθαι, τί ἀνέχεσθε τῶν δογματιζόντων ὑμῖν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πολιτείαν ὡς κατ' αὐτὴν ζῶντες; τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε· μὴ γεύσῃ, μὴ θίγῃς, μὴ ἅψῃ· ἅ ἐστι πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ καταχρήσει; ταῦτα ὡς δόγματα Ἑλληνικὰ ἐκτίθεται· παραγγέλλουσι γὰρ οὗτοι ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ πλάνῃ μηδὲ ἅπτεσθαι μηδὲ γεύεσθαι παντὸς ἐμψύχου. πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ἐδόθη τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰς φθοράν, οἷον ἐπὶ τῷ φθείρειν αὐτὰ καὶ καταναλίσκειν ἐν τῇ ἀποχρήσει καὶ τῇ βίᾳ τοῦ βίου. μὴ οὖν ἅψῃ τῶν δοθέντων παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὰ αὐτῶν ἐντάλματα καὶ τὰς διδασκαλίας αὐτῶν. Kol 2,23 Ἀντὶ τοῦ ταῦτα φοβοῦ-λέγω δὴ τὸ μὴ ἅψῃ, μὴ γεύσῃ, μηδὲ θίγῃς-λόγον τινὰ ἔχειν δοκοῦντα, ἐπειδὴ ταπεινοφρονούντων ἐστὶ καὶ ἀφειδούντων σώματος τῷ ἐγκρατεύεσθαι ἀπὸ βρωμάτων καὶ μὴ τιμᾶν τῇ πλησμονῇ τὴν ἰδίαν σάρκα. ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐγκρατείας καλόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ δεύτερον ἀσεβές· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὡς κρείττους γαστρὸς ἀπέχονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς οὐκ ὀφείλοντες ἀδικεῖν τὰ ἔμψυχα, ἃ ἐδόθη εἰς φθορὰν τῇ τοῦ βίου ἀποχρήσει, καὶ μᾶλλον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐλεήμονες παρὰ τὰ ἄλογα εἶναι βούλονται. 327 Kol 3,3 Ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν κέκρυπται, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἡ μακαριότης τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ἥτις πᾶσι φανερωθήσεται, ὅταν καὶ ἡ δόξα τοῦ Χριστοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ. Kol 3,5 Ὥσπερ πολλάκις σάρκα καλεῖ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, οὕτω καὶ μέλη τῆς σαρκὸς νῦν καταριθμῶν πορνείαν λέγει καὶ ἀκαθαρσίαν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· ταῦτα γὰρ μέλη τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Kol 3,9-10 Παλαιὸν μὲν ἄνθρωπον λέγει τὸ φρόνημα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, μέλη δὲ τὰς πονηρὰς πράξεις· νέον δὲ ἄνθρωπον τὸ φρόνημα τὸ πνευματικόν, καὶ μέλη αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις. Σάρκα καλεῖ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἧς καὶ τὰ μέλη καταριθμεῖ. καὶ ἀριθμήσας τὸν ἐκ τούτων τῶν μελῶν συνεστῶτα ἄνθρωπον, παρακελεύεται ἀπεκδύσασθαι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ· ὥστε ὁ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπός ἐστι τὸ φρόνημα τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, μέλη δὲ αὐτοῦ αἱ πράξεις τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. καὶ ὥσπερ ἐστὶ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος, οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ νέος τοῦτ' ἔστι τὸ φρόνημα τὸ πνευματικόν· καὶ μέλη αὐτοῦ αἱ ἀγαθαὶ πράξεις, ὡς καὶ ἀριθμεῖ λέγων χρηστότητα, μακροθυμίαν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Kol3,11 Τοῦτο ὅμοιόν ἐστι τῷ ἵνα ᾖ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. ὃ δέ φησιν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ἵνα ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς φρονοῦσι τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ πάντα ὁ θεὸς ἐνεργῇ. ὅταν γὰρ τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ φρονῇς καὶ ποιῇς, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ποιῶν διὰ σοῦ καὶ ἔστιν ἐν σοί. Ὅμοιόν ἐστιν· ἵνα ᾖ ὁ θεὸς τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν· οὐκ οὐρανὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐδὲ γῆ ἐν γῇ. ἀλλ' ὅ φησιν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ὅταν τὰ τούτου φρονῇς καὶ ποιῇς, θεός ἐστιν ὁ ποιῶν διὰ σοῦ, καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν σοὶ τῷ ποιεῖν σε ἃ ἐκείνῳ δοκεῖ. 328 Kol 3,14 Ἀγάπης μὴ προηγουμένης οὐδὲν τῶν δεόντων τελειοῦται· τότε γὰρ καὶ τοῦ κακῶς ποιεῖν ἀλλήλους ἀπεχόμεθα καὶ τοῦ εὖ ποιεῖν φροντίζομεν, ὅταν ἀλλήλους ἀγαπῶμεν. Kol 3,15 Μὴ οἱ πλανῶντες ὑμᾶς, φησί, καταβραβευέτωσαν, ἀλλ' ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ ἡνῶσθαι Χριστῷ· καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε. τίνι; δηλονότι τῷ καλέσαντι ὑμᾶς Χριστῷ, καὶ μὴ ἀγγέλοις ὑποτρέχητε. Μὴ οἱ πλανῶντες καταβραβευέτωσαν, ἀλλ' ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, τοῦτ' ἔστι τῷ ἡνῶσθαι Χριστῷ καὶ τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονεῖν. εἶτα πάλιν προτροπή. Kol 4,1 Τῶν δούλων ὑμῖν, φησί, μετ' εὐνοίας ὑπηρετούντων, καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ