Colossians 4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. We should not forget that we, too, are m some sort "the prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ," and ought to wear our bonds patiently in remembrance of Him. I saw lately in a sketch of the philosopher Morse, a simple incident that may help here to illustrate my meaning. In his early painting days, Morse went into the studio of Benjamin West, with whom he was a special favourite. That great artist was then engaged upon his famous picture of Christ Rejected, and after carefully examining his visitor's hands, he said to him, "Let me tie you with this cord, and place you there while I paint in the hands of the Saviour." So he stood still until the work was done, bound, as it were, in the Saviour's stead. I can fancy that a strange thrill would pass through Morse's breast as he thought of being, in any lowliest manner, identified thus directly with the Lord. But that was only in a picture. In the sternly real life of every day, however, we are each in some way bound by a chain in the Redeemer's stead, as representing Him on earth; let us see to it, therefore, that we wear it as meekly and as bravely as He wore that wherewith for our sakes He was fastened to the lictor's stake. Thus again we come to that cross whereon for us the Saviour died, and find in it a motive strong enough to induce us to bear anything, or do anything. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. WEB: The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. |
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