THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS - Chapter 3 - Verse 14

Verse 14. And above all these things. Over, or upon all these things. Comp. See Barnes "Eph 6:16".

Charity. Love. See Barnes "1 Co 13:1".

Which is the bond of perfectness. The bond of all perfection; the thing which will unite all other things, and make them complete. Comp. the parallel place in Eph 4:3. The idea seems to be, that love will bind all the other graces fast together, and render the whole system complete. Without love, though there might be other graces and virtues, there would be a want of harmony and compactness in our Christian graces—and this was necessary to unite and complete the whole. There is great beauty in the expression, and it contains most important truth. If it were possible to conceive that the other graces could exist among a Christian people, yet there would be a sad incompleteness, a painful want of harmony and union, if love were not the reigning principle. Nor faith, nor zeal, nor prophecy, nor the power of speaking with the tongue of angels, would answer the purpose. See this sentiment expressed in 1 Co 13, and the effect of love more fully explained in the Notes on that chapter.

{a} "put on charity" 1 Pe 4:3 {*} "charity" "love" {b} "the bond" 1 Co 13:2,8,13