Joh 12:19, Col 1:6, 23 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 19. Prevail nothing . All your efforts are ineffectual to stop the progress of his opinions, and to prevent the people from believing on him. The world . As we should say, "Everybody--all the city has gone out." The fact that he met with such success induced them to hasten their design of putting him to death, . (r) "Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing"

John 12:19

Verse 19. Prevail nothing. All your efforts are ineffectual to stop the progress of his opinions, and to prevent the people from believing on him.

The world. As we should say, "Everybody--all the city has gone out." The fact that he met with such success induced them to hasten their design of putting him to death, Jn 11:53.

(r) "Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing" Jn 11:47,48

Colossians 1:6

Verse 6. Which is come unto you. It has not been confined to the Jews, or limited to the narrow country where it was first preached, but has been sent abroad to the Gentile world. The object of the apostle here seems to be, to excite in them a sense of gratitude that the gospel had been sent to them. It was owing entirely to the goodness of God in sending them the gospel that they had this hope of eternal life.

As it is in all the world. It is confined to no place or people, but is designed to be a universal religion. It offers the same blessedness ill heaven to all. Col 1:23.

And bringing forth fruit. The fruits of righteousness or good living. 2Cor 9:10. The meaning is, that the gospel was not without effect wherever it was preached. The same results were observable everywhere else as in Colosse, that it produced most salutary influences on the hearts and lives of those who received it. On the nature of the "fruits" of religion, Gall 5:22. Gall 5:23.

Since the day ye heard of it. It has constantly been producing these fruits since you first heard it preached.

And knew the grace of God in truth. Since the time ye knew the true grace of God; since you became acquainted with the real benevolence which God has manifested in the gospel. The meaning is, that ever since they had heard the gospel it had been producing among them abundantly its appropriate fruit, and that the same thing had also characterized it wherever it had been dispensed.

(f) "all the world" Col 1:23 (g) "forth fruit" Jn 15:16 (h) "ye heard of it" Romm 10:17 (i) "the grace" Tit 2:11,12 (k) "in truth" Jn 4:23

Colossians 1:23

Verse 23. If ye continue in the faith. In the belief of the gospel, and in holy living. If this were done, they would be presented unblamable before God; if not, they would not be. The meaning is, that it will be impossible to be saved unless we continue to lead lives becoming the gospel.

Grounded. On a firm foundation. Eph 3:17, where the same word occurs.

And settled. Gr., firm; as a building is that is founded on a rock. Mt 7:25.

And be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel. By the arts of philosophy, and the allurements of sin.

Which was preached to every creature which is under heaven. It cannot be supposed that it was literally true that every creature under heaven had actually heard the gospel. But this may mean,

(1.) that it was designed to be preached to every creature, or that the commission to make it known embraced every one, and that, so far as the provisions of the gospel are concerned, it may be said that it was a system proclaimed to all mankind. See Mk 16:15. If a vast army, or the inhabitants of a distant province, were in rebellion against a government, and a proclamation of pardon were issued, it would not be improper to say that it was made to every one of them, though, as a matter of fact, it might not be true that every one in the remote parts of the army or province had actually heard of it.

(2.) The gospel, in the time of Paul, seems to have been so extensively preached, that it might be said that it was proclaimed to everybody. All known countries appear to have been visited; and so zealous and laborious had been the heralds of salvation, that it might be said that the message had been proclaimed to all the world. Col 1:6. Comp. Mt 24:14.

Whereof I Paul am made a minister. Eph 3:1 and Eph 3:2-7. Paul here pursues the same train of thought which he does in the epistle to the Ephesians, where, having shown the exalted nature of the Redeemer, and the design of the gospel, he adverts to his own labours and sufferings in making it known. The object seems to be, to show that he regarded it as the highest honour to be thus entrusted with the message of mercy to mankind, and considered it as a privilege to suffer in that cause.