Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
Mortify, therefore, you members - · Put them to death: the verb is used metaphorically to signify, to deprive a thing of its power, to destroy its strength. Use no member of your body to sin against God; keep all under dominion; and never permit the beast to run away with the man. To gratify any sensual appetite is to give it the very food and nourishment by which it lives, thrives, and is active. However the body may suffer by excessive sensual indulgences, the appetite increases with the indulgence. Deny yourselves, and let reason rule; and the animal will not get the ascendency over the rational man. See the notes on Romans 6:11, etc.
Inordinate affection - · Unnatural and degrading passion; bestial lusts. See Romans 1:26, Romans 1:27; and the notes there.
Evil concupiscence - . As signifies strong and vehement desire of any kind, it is here joined with , evil, to show the sense more particularly in which the apostle uses it.
Covetousness, which is idolatry - For the covetous man makes his money his god. Now, it is the prerogative of God to confer happiness; every godly man seeks his happiness in God; the covetous man seeks that in his money which God alone can give; therefore his covetousness is properly idolatry. It is true his idol is of gold and silver, but his idolatry is not the less criminal on that account.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Colossians 3:8
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