Article August 17, 1940 Issue

Bible Notes

[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in this column can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons.]

"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Col. 1:3)—As this rendering stands, it might be understood as bringing out a distinction between "God" and "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;" but a study of the original suggests that no such distinction was intended by the apostle. A number of the early manuscripts omit the word rendered "and" altogether; while if it is retained, it can justly be rendered "even."

"We heard ... of the love which ye have to all the saints" (Col. 1:4)—The Greek word here rendered "saints" means literally "holy ones," but in the first century of our era this was one of the names for the members of the Christian community. It may be added that in those days the Christians were also described as "the brethren" (Acts 14:2), "the elect" (Mark 13:22), or "the disciples" (Acts 11:26). In Colossians 1:4, Goodspeed offers the rendering "God's people."

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