This shall now be proved even by the apostle, when he says: "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is unto all the world." For if, even at that time, the tradition of the gospel had spread everywhere, how much more now! Now, if it is our gospel which has spread everywhere, rather than any heretical gospel, much less Marcion's, which only dates from the reign of Antoninus, then ours will be the gospel of the apostles.
For he who covets for himself these things so great and excellent, withdraws and severs himself on this account from all the world, that he may go and live a life divine and heavenly, like the holy angels, in work pure and holy, and "in the holiness of the Spirit of God," [2 Thessalonians 2:13] and that he may serve God Almighty through Jesus Christ for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. On this account he severs himself from all the appetites of the body. And not only does he excuse himself from this command, "Be fruitful, and multiply," but he longs for the "hope promised" and prepared "and laid up in heaven" [Colossians 1:5] by God, who has declared with His mouth, and He does not lie, that it is "better than sons and daughters," [Isaiah 56:4-5] and that He will give to virgins a notable place in the house of God, which is something "better than sons and daughters," and better than the place of those who have passed a wedded life in sanctity, and whose "bed has not been defiled." [Hebrews 13:4] For God will give to virgins the kingdom of heaven, as to the holy angels, by reason of this great and noble profession.
He speaks of the good things to come. This is with a view to their temptations, that they should not seek their rest here. For lest any should say, "And where is the good of their love toward the saints, if they themselves are in affliction?" he says, "We rejoice that you are securing for yourselves a noble reception in heaven." "Because of the hope," he says, "which is laid up." He shows its secureness. "Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth." Here the expression is as if he would chide them, as having changed from it when they had long held it.
"Whereof," says he, "ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel." And he bears witness to its truth. With good reason, for in it there is nothing false.
"Of the Gospel." He does not say, "of the preaching," but he calls it the "Gospel," continually reminding them of God's benefits. And having first praised them, he next reminds them of these.
[Paul] speaks of the good things to come. He has in view their temptations. They should not seek their rest here…. “Because of the hope,” he says, “which is laid up.” He shows how secure this hope is.
Paul shows them that the governance of angels does not fulfill the hope laid before us of the resurrection and the kingdom. These happen by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. .
Bodily discipline performed in stillness purifies the body of the matter within it. But the discipline of the mind humbles the soul, filters out her crass notions of things that perish and draws her from the state where the thoughts are passionately engrossed and toward the state where they are moved by her divine vision…. This divine, contemplative vision of heavenly things comes to us precisely when, engaged in bodily and mental discipline, we are the recipients of an unutterably pristine glory that separates [us] from this world and our thoughts of it. By this we are thoroughly convinced of our hope which is laid up for us and we stand in full assurance of its state.
[AD 220] Tertullian on Colossians 1:5