Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13

c. 386–397 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians (In epistulam ad Ephesios homiliae 1-24) 16

“Be ye kind,” saith he, for if, when the thorns are plucked up, the field remains idle, it will again bear unprofitable weeds. And therefore there is need to preoccupy its unoccupied and fallow state by the setting of good seeds and plants. He takes away “anger,” he puts in “kindness”; he takes away “bitterness,” he puts in “tender-heartedness”; he extirpates “malice” and “railing,” he plants “forgiveness” in their stead. For the expression, “forgiving one another,” is this; be disposed, he means, to forgive one another. And this forgiveness is greater than that which is shown in money-matters. For he indeed who forgives a debt of money to him that has borrowed of him, does, it is true, a noble and admirable deed, but then the kindness is confined to the body, though to himself indeed he repays a full recompense by that benefit which is spiritual and concerns the soul; whereas he who forgives trespasses will be benefiting alike his own soul, and the soul of him who receives the forgiveness. For by this way of acting, he not only renders himself, but the other also, more charitable. Because we do not so deeply touch the souls of those who have wronged us by revenging ourselves, as by pardoning them, and thus shaming them and putting them out of countenance.

c. 386–397 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians (In epistulam ad Ephesios homiliae 1-24) 14

“Be ye angry, and sin not.” It were good indeed never to be angry. Yet if ever any one should fall into passion, still let him not fall into so great a degree. “For let not the sun,” saith he, “go down upon your wrath.” Wouldest thou have thy fill of anger? One hour, or two, or three, is enough for thee; let not the sun depart, and leave you both at enmity. It was of God’s goodness that he rose: let him not depart, having shone on unworthy men. For if the Lord of His great goodness sent him, and hath Himself forgiven thee thy sins, and yet thou forgivest not thy neighbor, look, how great an evil is this!

1651–1677 · Thomas Manton, Works, vol. II Twenty Sermons, Sermon XVIII. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye

There is no man can wrong us as much as we trespass against God; and though we are but as the drop of the bucket, and the small dust of the balance, yet our great and many sins are freely forgiven to us; therefore it should prevail with us freely and easily to pardon one another. The scripture urgeth this. Oh, when we consider Christ’s example, how Christ hath forgiven us; when we consider the greatness of the wrongs which he pardons, sins that are of a scarlet and crimson dye, Isa. i. 18; when we consider our own baseness in comparison of him, Isa. xl. 22, ‘Who sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;’ and when we consider his omnipotency to right himself of the wrongs done to him, how he ‘can cast body and soul into hell fire;’ surely this should move us to forgive others. Yea, and it is not only a motive, but a rule. Forgive others, as God forgives us; what is that? Sincerely, not hypocritically; freely, not unwillingly; fully, not by halves; irrevocably, not for a time only; but as God forgives and casts all our sins into the depth of the sea, so should we forgive and pass by the sins of others.

1692 · Thomas Watson, The Lord's Prayer 5

He whose sins are forgiven is willing to forgive others who have offended him. ‘Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.’ Eph 4: 32. A hypocrite will read, come to church, give alms, build hospitals, but cannot forgive wrongs; he will rather want forgiveness from God than he will forgive his enemies. A pardoned soul argues thus: ‘Has God been so good to me to forgive me my sins, and shall I not imitate him in this?

c. 1714 · Samuel Rosewell, Commentary on Ephesians 4.17-32

Occasions of difference will happen among Christ's disciples; and therefore they must be placable, and ready to forgive, therein resembling God himself, who for Christ's sake hath forgiven them, and that more than they can forgive one another. Note, With God there is forgiveness; and he forgives sin for the sake of Jesus Christ, and on account of that atonement which he has made to divine justice. Note again, Those who are forgiven of God should be of a forgiving spirit, and should forgive even as God forgives, sincerely and heartily, readily and cheerfully, universally and for ever, upon the sinner's sincere repentance, as remembering that they pray, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

1820 · John Tillotson, Works, Volume 7 147

God hath been very merciful to us. Had it not been for the tender mercies of God to us, we had all of us, long since, been miserable. Now as we have received mercy from God, we should shew it to others. The apostle useth this as an argument why we should relieve those that are in misery and want, because we have had such experience of the mercy and love of God to us; (1 John iii. 16, 17.) “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, &c. how dwelleth the love of God in him?” That man hath no sense of the mercy of God abiding upon his heart, that is not merciful to his brother. And it is an argument why we should forgive one another; (Eph. iv. 32.) “Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Chap. v. 1.) “Be ye, therefore, followers of God, as dear children.” (Col. iii. 12, 13.) “Put on therefore (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

1820 · John Tillotson, Works, Volume 7 146

“Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted; forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love.” We cannot in any thing resemble God more than in goodness, and kindness, and mercy, and in a readiness to forgive those who have been injurious to us, and to be reconciled to them.

1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Ephesians 4.32

All are liable to offend their brethren, as all are liable to offend God; all need forgiveness of one another, as we all need it of God. (3) there is no danger of carrying it too far. Let the rule be observed, "As God has forgiven you, so do you forgive others." Let a man recollect his own sins and follies; let him look over his life, and see how often he has offended God; let him remember that all has been forgiven; and then, fresh with this feeling, let him go and meet an offending brother, and say, "My brother, I forgive you. I do it frankly, fully, wholly. So Christ has forgiven me; so I forgive you.

1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Ephesians 4.32

As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you - As God, on account of what Christ has suffered and done, has pardoned you. He has done it: (1) "freely" - without merit on your part - when we were confessedly in the wrong. (2) "fully;" he has forgiven "every" offence. (3) "Liberally;" he has forgiven "many" offences, for our sins have been innumerable. This is to be the rule which we are to observe in forgiving others. We are to do it "freely, fully, liberally."

1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Ephesians 5.1

The word "therefore" - οὖν oun - connects this with the previous chapter, where he had been exhorting them to kindness, and to a spirit of forgiveness, and he here entreats them to imitate God, who was always kind and ready to forgive; compare Mat 5:44-47; As he forgives us Eph 4:32, we should be ready to forgive others; as he has borne with our faults, we should bear with theirs; as he is ever ready to hear our cry when we ask for mercy, we should be ready to hear others when they desire to be forgiven; and as he is never weary with doing us good, we should never be weary in benefiting them. As dear children - The meaning is, "as those children which are beloved follow the example of a father, so we, who are beloved of God, should follow his example." What a simple rule this is! And how much contention and strife would be avoided if it were followed! If every Christian who is angry, unforgiving, and unkind, would just ask himself the question, "How does God treat me?" it would save all the trouble and heart-burning which ever exists in the church.

1877 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 23 (1877) 1385

Jesus took upon Himself the transgressions of the second table of the Law, as well as of the first—and will you bring a suit against your brother for the sin which Jesus bore? Brothers and Sisters, you must forgive, for the blood has blotted out the record! Let these words of Scripture drop upon your hearts like gentle dew from Heaven—"Be you kind, one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you."

1878 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 24 (1878) 1448

No, that is not the text, if you look at it. It is “forgiving, one another.” One another! Ah, then that means that if you have to forgive to-day, it is very likely that you will yourself need to be forgiven to-morrow for it is “forgiving one another.” It is turn and turn about, a mutual operation, a co-operative service. In fact, it is a joint-stock business of mutual forgiveness, and members of Christian churches should take large shares in this concern. “Forgiving one another.” You forgive me, and I forgive you, and we forgive them, and they forgive us, and so a circle of unlimited forbearance and love goes round the world.

1883 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 29 (1883) 1725

Upon the word, "imitate," our discourse will hinge. The division into chapters is often most unfortunate and, in this case, it causes a break in a passage which, in its sense, is one and indivisible. The Apostle had said, "Be you kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. Be you therefore imitators of God, as dear children." He has forgiven you, therefore imitate Him.

1885 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 31 (1885) 1841

According to the text, those who have received pardon know that they have it, for Paul speaks positively—"Even as Christ forgave you"—as if it were a matter of fact well known among the people of God. There is a theory abroad that we may be forgiven and not know it—that Jesus may forgive and we may never discover it until we come to our dying moments. That is a wretched kind of Gospel! By the true Gospel we may know we are forgiven and be sure of it—surer than if we saw, written by the autograph of Christ, the words—"I have forgiven you."

1885 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 31 (1885) 1841

Some people offer forgiveness in an ungracious way. They make it appear that they are coming down from such awful heights when they forgive a fellow mortal. In great dignity they march down in state from their own splendid innocence to the poor Brother who has done them a wrong—as good as saying, "I will condescend to do this, though it is an awful stoop for such an angelic being as I am." You never feel that about the Christ, for He places His pardon down so low that He seems to say, "Receive My mercy, I beg you to receive it." He speaks as if He were favored by a sinner's accepting His forgiveness! He humbles Himself and never scalds a sinner with scornful pity.

1902 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 48 (1902) 2763

And be you kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. That is, very freely, very often, very abundantly, very thoroughly, very heartily—"even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you," so also do you.

c. 398–404 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on Colossians (In epistulam ad Colossenses homiliae 1-12) 8

“Forbearing,” he saith, “one another,” that is, passing things over. And see, how he has shown it to be nothing, by calling it a “complaint,” and saying, “even as Christ forgave you.” Great is the example! and thus he always does; he exhorts them after Christ. “Complaint,” he calls it. In these words indeed he showed it to be a petty matter; but when he has set before us the example, he has persuaded us that even if we had serious charges to bring, we ought to forgive. For the expression, “Even as Christ,” signifies this, and not this only, but also with all the heart; and not this alone, but that they ought even to love. For Christ being brought into the midst, bringeth in all these things, both that even if the matters be great, and even if we have not been the first to injure, even if we be of great, they of small account, even if they are sure to insult us afterwards, we ought to lay down our lives for them, (for the words, “even as,” demand this;) and that not even at death only ought one to stop, but if possible, to go on even after death.

c. 406–421 · Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John (In Iohannis Evangelium Tractatus CXXIV) 58.5

For of this also the Lord gave us the example. For if He who neither has, nor had, nor will have any sin, prays for our sins, how much more ought we to pray for one another’s in turn! And if He forgives us, whom we have nothing to forgive; how much more ought we, who are unable to live here without sin, to forgive one another! For what else does the Lord apparently intimate in the profound significance of this sacramental sign, when He says, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you;” but what the apostle declares in the plainest terms, “Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”? Let us therefore forgive one another his faults, and pray for one another’s faults, and thus in a manner be washing one another’s feet.

c. 1714 · William Harris, Commentary on Colossians 3.12-17

A readiness to forgive injuries: Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any. While we are in this world, where there is so much corruption in our hearts, and so much occasion of difference and contention, quarrels will sometimes happen, even among the elect of God, who are holy and beloved, as Paul and Barnabas had a sharp contention, which parted them asunder one from the other (Acts xv. 39), and Paul and Peter, Gal. ii. 14. But it is our duty to forgive one another in such cases; not to bear any grudge, but put up with the affront and pass it by. And the reason is: Even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. The consideration that we are forgiven by Christ so many offences is a good reason why we should forgive others. It is an argument of the divinity of Christ that he had power on earth to forgive sins; and it is a branch of his example which we are obliged to follow, if we ourselves would be forgiven.

1754 · John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on Colossians 3.13

Forbearing one another - If anything is now wrong. And forgiving one another - What is past.

1834 · Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible: Colossians 3.13

Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye - Learn here that Christ has power to forgive sin; compare the Mat 9:6 note; Act 5:31 note. Christ forgave us: (1) freely - he did not hesitate or delay when we asked him; (2) entirely - he pardoned all our offences; (3) forever - he did it so as to remember our sins no more, and to treat us ever onward as if we had not sinned.

1885 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 31 (1885) 1841

"Even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." I have heard it said, "If you pass by every wanton offense and take no notice of it, you will come to be despised and regarded as a person of mean spirit—your honor demands vindication." When Christ forgave you, did His honor suffer by that forgiveness? You transgressed most wickedly and yet He forgave you—do you regard Him as less honorable because of that readiness to pass by offenses? Far from it—it is His Glory to forgive!

1885 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 31 (1885) 1841

The Father has made of you a special choice! In you His Holy Spirit has worked a special work and you possess, within your souls, the special joy of living in the love of God! "Elect of God, holy and beloved"—it is as you enjoy these three things that you will find it easy to carry out the precept which is now set before you, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you."

1885 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 31 (1885) 1841

Notice, however, in the text, that this precept concerning the imitation of Christ in forgiveness is universally applicable. The text is not long, but see how unqualified is its range. "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a quarrel against any." You see it is not put that superiors are to forgive inferiors, or, on the other hand, that the less are to forgive the greater—but the circle of the command includes the whole! It is, "forbearing one another."

1885 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 31 (1885) 1841

Let us, as penitents, adore the pardoning Savior, seeing He has power to forgive sins and has cleansed the myriads of His redeemed from all their iniquities. But, Brothers and Sisters, while this gives glory to Christ, what a weight is lent to the precept, since it is supported by the example and the authority of our Divine Lord—"Even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." What a model is set before us! How perfect is that spirit of love which we are to manifest! Even as Christ forgave us, we are bid to forgive others. What nobler pattern could have been chosen? Surely He that trifles with this precept, or thinks it one that is left to our option—to obey or to neglect—cannot rightly know the dignity of the Christ in whose pierced hands this Law is held forth before our eyes!

1896 · Andrew Murray, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness VI. Humility in Daily Life

Amid what are considered the temptations to impatience and touchiness, to hard thoughts and sharp words, which come from the failings and sins of fellow-Christians, the humble man carries the oft-repeated injunction in his heart, and shows it in his life, 'Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as the Lord forgave you.' He has learnt that in putting on the Lord Jesus he has put on the heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and long-suffering. Jesus has taken the place of self, and it is not an impossibility to forgive as Jesus forgave. His humility does not consist merely in thoughts or words of self-depreciation, but, as Paul puts it, in 'a heart of humility,' encompassed by compassion and kindness, meekness and long-suffering,—the sweet and lowly gentleness recognised as the mark of the Lamb of God.

1897 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 43 (1897) 2501

The image of God is Christ Jesus, for He is the express image of His Father's Glory. He that has seen Christ has seen the Father and, inasmuch as Christ enters into all Believers and makes them like Himself, the image of God is thereby restored in all Believers. So, note again that because Christ dwells in him, every Believer becomes a copy of Christ Read the 13th verse— "Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a quarrel against another, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." Is not that beautiful—Christ in every Believer—that Christ the image of God, and that Christian the image of Christ so that, just as Jesus freely forgave, so does every Christian freely forgive! Do you find it difficult to forgive one who has wronged you? Then you will find it difficult to get to Heaven! If you cannot enter Heaven unless you are like Christ, how can you be like Christ unless you can freely forgive? This seems a grand opportunity for you to stand on the same platform with Christ and, in some respects, to do the works of Christ when, having been slighted, ungratefully treated, misrepresented, slandered and injured, you can say, "I as freely forgive you as the Lord Jesus Christ forgave me." This is the token and evidence that Christ is in you—when you become imitators of Christ as dear children!

1900 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 46 (1900) 2679

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man has a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. Hear this, Beloved, I pray you! Especially those of you who have hot tempers and have fallen out with one another. "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." Remember how much Christ has forgiven you and show a forbearing and forgiving spirit to others.

1902 · Alexander Maclaren, The Expositor's Bible: Colossians 20

The great pattern and motive of forgiveness is next set forth. We are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us; and that “as” may be applied either as meaning “in like manner,” or as meaning “because.” The Revised Version, with many others, adopts the various reading of “the Lord,” instead of “Christ,” which has the advantage of recalling the parable that was no doubt in Paul’s mind, about the servant who, having been forgiven by his “Lord” all his great debt, took his fellow-servant by the throat and squeezed the last farthing out of him. The great transcendent act of God’s mercy brought to us by Christ’s cross is sometimes, as in the parallel passage in Ephesians, spoken of as “God for Christ’s sake forgiving us,” and sometimes as here, Christ is represented as forgiving.

1903 · Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons, Volume 49 (1903) 2838

Never harbor any resentment for a single moment, Beloved. "Even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." Do you think that Christ's blood and righteousness are not sufficient to cover those unkind words of your brother, or that ungenerous action of your son, or that slanderous speech of your neighbor? Go and put all offenses against yourself where God has put all offenses against Himself! It is a dreadful thing to hear a man talking about God having forgiven him ten thousand talents and then to see him take his brother by the throat, saying, "Pay me what you owe!" Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespass." This spirit of forgiveness would keep us always in a state of love—and this is exactly what the Lord Jesus aims at.

1930–1933 · A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament: Colossians 3.13

Some MSS. read Χριστος for Κυριος. But Christ's forgiveness of us is here made the reason for our forgiveness of others. See Mt 6:12,14f. where our forgiveness of others is made by Jesus a prerequisite to our obtaining forgiveness from God.