Colossians 1

David Lipscomb Commentary On Colossians 1Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus—Paul did not always bring his apostolic authority to mind at the beginning of his epistles. To the Thessalonians he had not then adopted the prac­tice. In the joyous epistle to the Philippians, he had no need to urge his authority, for none among them ever questioned it. In that to Philemon, friendship is uppermost, and though he says, “ I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is befitting, yet for love’ s sake I rather beseech,” and did not command as an apostle, but besought him as a prisoner of Jesus Christ. In other epistles he puts his authority in the foreground as here, and its basis in the will of God is asserted with emphasis in the epistle to the Galatians, where he had to deal with more defiant opposi­tion than elsewhere encountered.through the will of God,—This is assertion of divine author­ity, a declaration of independence of all human teaching or appoint­ment, and a disclaimer of individual merit, or personal power. The weight to be attached to his words was due entirely to their being the words which God spoke through him.and Timothy our brother,—He associates Timothy with him in this epistle, as he usually did the faithful and prominent teachers with him.Colossians 1:2to the saints—The root idea of the word, which is an Old Testament word, is not moral purity, but separation to God.

The holy things of the old covenant were things apart from ordinary use to the service of God. For that reason on the high priest’ s mitre was written, “ HOLY TO JEHOVAH.” (Exodus 28:36). [So the solemn obligation on all Christians is to separate from the world and devote themselves to God.

We are Christians if we give ourselves up to God, in the surrender of our will and practical obedience of our lives— so far and not one step further. We are not merely bound to this consecration if we are Chris­tians, but we are not Christians unless we thus consecrate our­selves. The true consecration is the surrender of the will, which no man can do for us, and the one motive which will lead us selfish and stubborn men to bow our necks to that gentle yoke, and to come out of the misery of pleasing self into the peace of serving God, is drawn from the great love of him who de­voted himself to God and man “ who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14).]and faithful—They were faithful as well as saints. We are united to Christ by faith. The church is a family of believing men and women consecrated to the service of God.brethren—This points not merely to Christian love, but to common possession of a new life. If we are brethren, it is be­cause we have one father, because in us all there is one life.

The name proclaims that all Christians are born into the family through faith in Jesus Christ, and thereby partake of a common new life, which makes all its possessors children of God, and therefore brethren one of another. It is the expression of the real bond which gathers all believers into one family, and declares the mightiest privilege of the gospel that to “ as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13).in Christ—They were believers in him, “ baptized into Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:3), brethren in him.

That spiritual but most real union of Christians with their Lord is never far away from Paul’ s thoughts, and in the Ephesian epistle it is the very burden of the whole. To be “ in him” is to be “ made full” (Colossians 2:10); “ in him” is to be blessed “with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3); “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in him ye are made full” (Colossians 2:9-10). If we live in him, we live in purity and joy. And John says: “I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.” (Revelation 14:13).that are at Colossae—The epistle was addressed to the saints at Colossae, set apart to the service of God, sanctified by receiving the word of God as the rule of their life.Grace to you and peace from God our Father.—He gives the usual salutation in the form of a prayer. [Grace and peace are comprehensive words. In Christ grace is included in all God’ s gracious giving. It is the consummation of the unspeakable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15), and of all the blessings that come to man through Christ.

Peace is the harmony and satisfaction which comes into a life that has accepted God’ s grace, is reconciled to God, and rests in assurance of the forgiveness of sins.]Colossians 1:3 We give thanks—In all Paul’s epistles to churches, with the exception of that to the Galatians, the salutation is followed by thanksgiving. [It was ever his way to appreciate before crit­icizing. There was much in the condition of the Colossians for which he most heartily thanked God— their faith and love, strength­ened by their hope of the coming of the Lord; their personal acceptance of the world-wide gospel; their regard for Epaphras who had labored among them so faithfully for years, and who was then in Rome with a heart full of gratitude for their kind­ness.]to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,—He to whom Paul gives thanks is God, the divine person whom Jesus addressed as Father. (John 17:1; John 17:5; John 17:11; John 17:21; John 17:24-25). [The usual form is “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 11:31).

Paul did not hesitate to use “ God of our Lord Jesus Christ” as Jesus himself did to Mary Magdalene: “ I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.” (John 20:17). The use of Lord with Jesus Christ shows the high sense of the term here. Jesus Christ stands on the same plane with God the Father.]praying always for you,—Thanksgiving was a part of the apostle’ s prayers and doubtless both were closely united in his mind. He thanked God whenever he prayed for them, having heard of their faith and love. [It is probable that always belonged both to “ give thanks” and to “ praying.” ]Colossians 1:4having heard of your faith—This gratitude grew out of the good report he had heard about them from Epaphras. (Colossians 1:8). Whatever may be the force of the words, clearly here they har­monize with many indications that the Colossian church, though well known to Paul, was not known by personal knowledge.in Christ Jesus,—Their faith in Christ denotes that it moved in the sphere of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 1:13). It was more than fidelity; it was Christ-centered faith.and of the love which ye have toward all the saints,—Faith in Christ Jesus and love toward all the saints are inseparably connected— one produces the other.

The leading truth of Christ Jesus as the Son of God was his love to man, especially to those redeemed and purchased by his blood. No one can have a living faith in Christ without it sharing itself in love for man, especially those of the household of faith. [Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah brings fellowship with one another and disregards all bounds of race or nations, class or sex.

Their love for one another grew out of their faith and love for Christ “ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.” (1 John 3:14). By this same test the Colossians had given the proof of their faith.]Colossians 1:5because of the hope which is laid up for you—Paul gives thanks (connecting back with verses 3, 4) for the hope laid up in heaven of which they had learned through the gospel. The thing reserved in heaven for them, which they learned through the gospel, was eternal life, with its blessings and glories. Jesus came to bring life and immortality to light. He died on the cross to open the future to man, showing how little this short and sor­rowful life is compared with the future eternal life.in the heavens,—[The plural is a Hebrew conception, which probably originated in such language as: “ Behold, unto Jehovah thy God belongeth heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.” (Deuteronomy 10:14). Solomon in his prayer (1 Kings 8:27) used the same expression.

The rabbis spoke of two heavens, and Paul of the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2). It appears to be a superlative expression here, including all regions and spheres of the unseen world.]whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,—[This refers to the gospel not chiefly of graciousness and mercy, but rather as the revelation of eternal truths, itself changeless as the truth it reveals.

He was not teaching them anything new, but his purpose was to confirm them in the true doctrine which they had already received. The gospel was then winning its way over the hearts of sincere men and women. Hence the need of warning against the growth of the wild specu­lations of false teachers who had crept in among them.]Colossians 1:6which is come unto you;—The gospel had reached them and was abiding with them. [The success of the gospel at Colossae was a gratifying evidence, both of its inherent truthfulness and of its rapid progress in the Gentile world.]even as it is also in all the world—“ All the world” refers most likely to all parts of the Roman Empire. The gospel had gone into all divisions of it, yet not to every person. He says: “ The gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven.” (Colossians 1:23). This means that it had gone into all the different parts of the known world, or the Roman Empire. [To Paul, held as a prisoner at Rome, and with his messengers coming and going, and news reaching him from time to time of the advance of the cause of Christ, the strong expression “ all the world” was natural to him. From Rome “ all the world” is sur­veyed, just as what took place at Rome seemed to be “ proclaimed throughout the whole world.” (Romans 1:8). The readers then are assured that the gospel which has come to and remains with them is the same as in the whole world; they need have no fear that it was imperfect; it is the false teachers that are not in agree­ment with the universal gospel.]bearing fruit and increasing,—From the day they heard the gospel and knew the grace, mercy, and love of God in reality, it brought forth fruit in manifesting love to all the saints. Knowing what God had done for them inspired their hearts to do good for others. They showed the same spirit of devotion and sacrifice for others that Christ showed for them. Believing in Christ trans­ferred to their hearts the mind that was in him which led him to leave the Father’ s throne, take upon himself the form of a servant, and made subject to the death of the cross to redeem them from death. [The figure is borrowed from a fruit-bearing tree which both bears fruit and grows. (Matthew 7:17; Matthew 13:32; Luke 13:9).

Bearing refers to the faith, the love, the Christian virtues which the gospel produces in the internal and external life; increasing to the extension and multiplication of its adherents. (Acts 6:7; Acts 12:24; Acts 19:20).]as it doth in you also,—[This points to Colossae as part of the field in which the gospel was fruitful and growing, furnishing a proof of its efficiency.] When a man in truth and reality under­stands and knows this grace of God to man, it will bear fruit in his heart and life in doing good, showing love to others.since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;—[The Colossians had experienced the love of Christ and his gracious salvation and knew this truth not only in their reception, but as realities, but essentially different from the doctrines of the false teachers.]Colossians 1:7even as ye learned of Epaphras—Epaphras was appar­ently the founder of the Colossian church. He had remained in connection with it (Colossians 4:12), and seems to have come to Paul to inform him of the presence of false teachers whose doctrines were threatening its welfare.our beloved fellow-servant,—It is noticeable that he alone of all Paul’ s companions received the name fellow servant, which may perhaps point to some very special piece of service he had rendered to Paul.who is a faithful minister of Christ—The Colossians had learned the truth of Epaphras, who had been faithful in declaring to them the gospel of Christ.on our behalf,—In these words Paul endorses his teaching as a true representative of his own. [They further indicate that Epaphras was a messenger of Paul, sent possibly at the time when he was stationed at Ephesus, and when “ all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” (Acts 19:10). This explains the attitude of authority toward a church which he had not seen.]Colossians 1:8who also declared unto us your love—By this he means that Epaphras had come to Rome and there told Paul the story of the Colossian church. Consequently, from Epaphras the Colos­sians heard the good news of salvation, and Paul hears the report of the good work at Colossae from Epaphras.in the Spirit.—This implies genuine Christian love, which is “ the fruit of the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22). The love here would seem to be especially towards Paul, a part of the love “ toward all the saints.” (Colossians 1:4).Colossians 1:9 For this cause—This refers to the entire preceding para­graph, because of what had been heard respecting the Colossian church.we also, since the day we heard it,—The receipt of the intelligence produced immediate results and led to prayer.do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will—[To be so filled that every part of their being should be permeated, and thus controlled and elevated by an intelligent comprehension of the will of God.] At the time this was written the full will of God had not been revealed and collected. The preaching was done chiefly by men partially inspired, or gifted, and they were not able to teach the whole will of God. Even the apostles did not know it all at once. Some things were revealed to one that were not to another, and Paul and Barnabas had to go up to Jerusalem to the other apostles that they might have a decision from the whole body on the ques­tion of the circumcision of the Gentiles. Then there was disputing, conferring, and hearing what had been revealed to the different ones before the decision was reached. (Acts 15:1-29). There was then a care and anxiety that those taught by the less gifted should be taught the whole will of God.in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,—The combina­tion of wisdom and understanding is what we all need, and is that for which Paul prayed on behalf of the Colossians. [One may have intellectual attainments and his mind filled with learn­ing without being wise.

In the knowledge of God’ s will both wisdom and insight are required. He prays that amid such wis­dom and understanding they may be made full with a fullness embracing intelligent acquaintance with the will of God.

The progress does not consist in leaving behind old truths, but in profounder conception of what is contained in these truths. The law of the Christian life is continuous increase in the knowledge of the depths that lie in the old truths, and of their far-reaching applications. We are to grow in knowledge of the Christ by coming ever nearer to him, and learning more of the infinite meaning of our earliest lesson that he is the Son of God who died for us.]Colossians 1:10to walk—To know and do his will and to conform to the directions given is to walk worthy of him. So the principle is brought out here very distinctly, that the last result of knowledge of the divine will is an outward life regulated by the will of the Lord.worthily of the Lord—[We are to walk in a manner cor­responding to what the Lord is to us, and has done for us. There are other forms of the same thought in the following expressions: “ I therefore, . . . beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called” (Ephesians 4:1), “ that ye receive her in the Lord, worthily of the saints” (Romans 16:2), “ let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27), and “ to the end that ye should walk worthily of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). In all these passages there is the idea of a standard to which our practical life is to be conformed.]unto all pleasing,—To be holy, upright, truthful, full of mercy, and compassion is to please God.

This ennobles and exalts life. [No thought will so spur us to diligence and make all life solemn and grand as the thought that “ we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.” (2 Corinthians 5:9). Nothing will free one from being entangled with the things of this world as the ambition to “ please him who enrolled him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:4).]bearing fruit in every good work,—To be fruitful is to bear much fruit in every good work.

Good works are all to be tested and proved by the will of God as the perfect standard of all good. We grow as we learn and bear fruit. [Sometimes the loudest proclaimers of the truth are the poorest performers of it. Fruit bearing is more difficult than mere denunciation of error, but it is a more effective answer in the end. It is the best protection for those tempted by error. It is a sad situation if the “ most orthodox” have a bad reputation, not to say bad character.]and increasing in the knowledge of God;—To increase in the knowledge of God is to so increase in the knowledge of his will that we may understand better what good works are, and how they are to be performed. Everything that seems good to a man’ s own eyes is not good in the eyes of the Lord.

Hence what God orders is the only standard of good.Colossians 1:11strengthened with all power,—As one learns more of the truth and walks more faithfully in it, he is strengthened by the might of God. This strength from God comes through knowing and doing the will of God.

Jesus said: “ If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23). For the Father and Son to abide with him is to make him strong.according to the might of his glory,—This strikes one as unusual, but elsewhere says: “ Our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17).unto all patience and long-suffering with joy;—The strength that God gives by his glorious power is strength to be patient, to suffer long with joyfulness. The one made strong by God is able to withstand temptations and trials and sufferings with patience and joyfulness. [The ground of such joy is given by the apostle in these words: “ Insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’ s suf­ferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:13). This enabled the Christians to meet all their trials with a buoyant sense of mastery. Paul and Silas illustrated this at Philippi when, after having been beaten and thrust into prison, they sang praises unto God. (Acts 16:22-25). The possession of such power would render the Colossians impregnable against the follies and sinfulness of the false teachers.]Colossians 1:12giving thanks unto the Father,—Here Paul prays that the Colossian Christians may have the grace of gratitude for what God has done for them, and for the provisions of his grace in Christ, which is a part of the worthy walk for which he prays on their behalf.who made us meet—We have here the deepest grounds for thanksgiving, which are likewise the preparations for a true esti­mate of the worth of Christ who gives them.

The grounds of thanksgiving are but various aspects of the one great blessing of salvation. The language points distinctly to a definite past act by which the Father at a definite time made us “ meet,” delivered, and translated us by a definite act in the past, but is continuously and progressively possessed at present.

Paul and those associated with him labored under the commission, given by the Lord after his resurrection (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16), which made all who heard and obeyed the gospel (Romans 1:16) “ meet” to be partakers of the inheritance.to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints—The word inheritance and the word saints, which never throws off its Old Testament reference, and which has here its usual New Testa­ment meaning of set apart to the service of God, recall the divi­sion of Canaan among the Israelites. Similarly the Lord said to Saul of Tarsus: “ I send thee [to the Gentiles] to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:17-18). Compare: “ And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families” (Numbers 33:54), where lot is the instrument of allotment, and 32: 19; Joshua 17:6, where it is an allotted portion of the land, and “ Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inherit­ance, according as Jehovah thy God spake unto him.” (Deuteronomy 10:9). The inheritance of the saints includes the whole portion of spiritual blessing of God’ s family on earth.in light;—[Light is characteristic of everything pertaining to the inheritance of the saints. Their eternal home will be a world of light, as God is light and dwells in light. (1 John 1:5; 1 Timothy 6:16; Revelation 21:24). And the glory of that splendor will illumine their path on earth. (2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 5:8).

Since the inheritance of the saints is both a present possession and a future enjoyment, the words in light must have the same double refer­ence. The sons of God are already heirs (Romans 8:16-17), and therefore in the light, and the light in which they walk is an earnest of their share of the allotment of blessing which belongs to the faithful children of God in heaven.]Colossians 1:13who delivered us out of the power of darkness,—As light is of God, darkness is of the evil one.

He who is under the rule of the evil one is under the power of darkness. God has deliv­ered Christians from the power of darkness, from the service and dominion of the evil one.and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;—The kingdom of the Son of his love is the church or rule he has established here on earth. It is in contrast with the power of darkness. All out of the kingdom are tinder the power of dark­ness. To translate is to carry over or cross the line. He has carried us across the line that separates the power of darkness from the kingdom of light.Colossians 1:14in whom we have our redemption,—To redeem is to rescue or deliver from enthrallment from which one cannot deliver himself.

Jesus with his own blood paid the redemption and de­livered those who would accept it from the enthrallment of the evil one.the forgiveness of our sins:—The redemption is of Jesus. It can be enjoyed in him as his servant, and it is the forgiveness or deliverance from sin.Colossians 1:15who is the image of the invisible God,—Those who would behold God may see him reflected in the face of the Son, for as Jesus said to Philip: “ He that hath seen me hath seen the Fa­ther.” (John 14:9).

The same thought is expressed in the fol­lowing: “ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4). And again, man is called “ the image and glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 11:7). Jesus is the idea and expression of God. God is invisible to man as even Moses learned when he asked to see the glory of God pass by. (Exodus 33:19-23). God dwells in the light unapproachable, whom no one has seen or can see. (1 Timothy 6:16). But we see God in Christ. (John 14:9). God is like Christ. In the face of Jesus Christ God has given the light of the knowledge of his glory. (2 Corinthians 4:6).the firstborn of all creation;—In respect to all creation he occupies the relation of priority.

From this it follows that over all creation he occupies the relation of supremacy, such as is accorded to the “ firstborn,” and as such as is pre-eminently due to “ the firstborn of all creation,” because he is in his higher nature Maker and Head of all created being, representing and revealing in this way the perception of the invisible God. From this essential conception, by a natural contrast, the thought passes on to distinction from, and priority to, all created being. Exactly in this same order of conception, it is said: “ God . . . hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2), and “ all things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made” (John 1:3). [The passage before us indicates the same thought in the words “ firstborn of all creation,” and works it out in the verses following. In tracing the Messianic line of promise, it is always prominent that, while the Messiah is always true man, “ the seed of Abraham,” “ the son of David,” yet on him are attributed attributes too high for any created being as is indicated by the prophet: “ For unto us a child is bom, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Ever­lasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his govern­ment and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7). He is declared to be Immanuel, “ God with us” (Matthew 1:23), and his kingdom a visible manifestation of God. Hence the thought con­tained in the word “ firstborn” is not only sovereignty, “ the highest of the kings of the earth” (Psalms 89:27) but also likeness to God and priority to all created being.]Colossians 1:16for in him were all things created,—This certainly means that Jesus is the Creator of the whole universe.

All the laws and purposes which guide the creation and government of the universe reside in him. He stands at the head above all created things.

God the Father is represented as originating and pro­viding all things; the Word as creating; the Spirit as organizing, giving law, and guiding forward to the accomplishment of the ends.in the heavens and upon the earth,—The heavens refer to the material heavens around the earth. [According to this division the heavens include all the universe except the earth, and include all the heavenly bodies and their inhabitants. The declaration, then, is that all things that are in the worlds above us were the work of his creative power. The earth includes all the animals, plants, minerals, waters— in fact all the earth con­tains.]things visible and things invisible,—This includes the whole under a new principle of division. The visible includes all persons and things within reach of the human eye; the invisible includes all objects beyond its reach.whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;—This list is meant to be exhaustive that no portion of the celes­tial hierarchy may be exempted from essential dependence on Christ. Paul makes no attempt to give the real rank of these orders.all things have been created through him,—“ All things” is solemnly repeated, but beside the fact of creation we have here the permanent result— have been created and continue to be. This result has him as its end.and unto him;—He is the end of creation, containing the reason in himself, why creation is at all, and why it is as it is. [He is the medium and instrument of the divine energy, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

All things come from and through him, and tend to him. (Romans 11:36).]Colossians 1:17and he is before all things,—He and he only is; all else is created. This refers to the “ I am” of eternal existence, as claimed by himself: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abra­ham was bom, I am.” (John 8:58).and in him all things consist.—In him all things stand to­gether as united parts of one whole.

Just as in the bosom of the Son all things sprang into being, so in him as their compassing element all things find their bond of union and their orderly arrangement into one whole. [The emphasis rests on the word Head. The fullness of Paul’ s statement here, taken in connec­tion with 2: 18, 19, indicates that the Colossian church was in danger from false teaching respecting the relation of Christ to the creation, especially to the angels.]Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:—The church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. The individual Christians are members of that body, all moved and directed by the Head. [The same is taught in the following: “ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’ s sake, which is the church.” (Colossians 1:24). The plain statement is that the church is the body of Christ. The same thing is said in the following: “ And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23). Everyone therefore who belongs to Christ necessarily be­longs to the church.

To be out of the church is to be out of Christ. To be in Christ is to be in the church.]who is the beginning,—He is the beginning of the new life to us— the first fruits from the dead. “ But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of them that are asleep. . . .

But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; then they that are Christ’ s, at his coming” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23), and the one “ who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).the firstborn from the dead;—The same title is given him by the apostle John. (Revelation 1:5). He was the first raised from the dead to die no more. Some had been restored to fleshly life. “ But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of them that are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20). He was the Head, above all, and was the leader of all. “ He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.” (Ephesians 4:10). In the Scriptures the resurrection is called a birth. Of course this and to be “ born of water” and of the Spirit are both figurative births.

Birth is the beginning of a new life and separate existence. When a child is born of his mother, it is the beginning of a new and separate life.

Birth does not give life; it introduces into a new state. When a man passes out of a state of sin into the life of Jesus Christ, the be­ginning of this new life is called a birth; when he is raised from the dead and begins a new and separate life in eternity, it is called a birth from the grave.that in all things he might have the preeminence.—[That he and none other, the very one who rose, might become the first in rank; the word occurring only here in the New Testament. This is God’ s purpose, partially fulfilled already, to be entirely fulfilled at his coming. The central place Paul assigns to the person of Christ is the proper place in all Christian thought.]Colossians 1:19 For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell;—After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus said to his disciples: “ All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18). John said: “ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). Paul says: “ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9).

From these passages it is evident that God committed all authority to his Son Jesus Christ in redemption and the salvation of the world. (Matthew 28:18-20).Colossians 1:20and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross;—Jesus shed his blood that God “ might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26). His blood was shed for the remission of sins, as the following shows: “ If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7). [It is not God who needs to be reconciled, but the universe that is alienated from God.

God’ s attitude and plan are set forth by Jesus, who said: “ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso­ever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). God gave his Son for the world of sinners while they were hostile to him. (Romans 5:8). Here Paul glories in the grand scope of Christ’ s work of reconciliation of a universe out of harmony with God. It was God who planned the recon­ciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) that is carried out by the Son (Ephesians 2:16).]through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.—By or through Jesus who reconciled every­thing to him by the blood shed on the cross. “ But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconcilia­tion.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). God invites man to enter into Christ. There they meet and are reconciled in Christ.

He said this was done by Christ, even of things on the earth and in the heavens.Colossians 1:21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind—He warns the Colossians not to forget their state of estrangement as heathen Gentiles. He wishes them to appre­ciate their sad condition when they were so long estranged from God.

To the Ephesians he says: “ Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, . . . were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:11-12).in your evil works,—Paul himself gives the best comment on these words in the following graphic description of paganism: “ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all un­godliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness. . . . Professing themselves to be wise, they be­ came fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four­footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all un­righteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them.” (Romans 1:18-32).Colossians 1:22yet now hath he reconciled—Christ came into the world in a body of flesh that he might reconcile lost man to God, and cleanse him from sin.in the body of his flesh through death,—While Christ came in a body of flesh and blood to save man from sin, there is a definite historical event involved in the death of Christ on the cross, and though the reconciliation is not effective with any given individual till he accepts the terms of reconciliation through Christ, God has thereby laid the foundation for the complete reconciliation which becomes effective when the sinner becomes obedient to the terms of pardon.to present you holy and without blemish and unreprovable before him:—To the end that he might bring them to such a state of holiness that they would be holy and without blame, and not deserving reproof in the sight of God.

His object was to redeem man from sin and lead him to so live that in the judgment he would be held blameless before God. [As all animals offered in sacrifice to God were to be without blemish, so should those who are unreservedly devoted to God, for it is the aim of holiness which God’ s claim stamps on all objects claimed by him.]Colossians 1:23if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and sted­fast,—Paul wished them to take no chance with plausible false teachers who were pleading with them that the gospel which they had heard from Epaphras needed additions.and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard,—[They had heard the gospel, hence there was no ex­cuse for their being moved away from the hope it presented. The expression points to a possible danger threatening them, thus preparing for the warning to follow.]which was preached in all creation under heaven;—It seems strange that at that time the gospel had been preached among all the nations, but if we consider the earnest character of the Christians, who gloried in persecution and death for Christ’ s sake, it will not seem so strange.

The greatest hindrance to the gospel in our day is the lukewarm and indifferent character of pro­fessed Christians. Personal consecration and devotion are the great needs to spread the gospel abroad. [The motive of Paul here is at once to emphasize the universality of the gospel, which had been offered without reserve to all alike, hence he warns the Colossians not to be led by false teachers into a course contrary to the gospel. The great message of God’ s love in Jesus Christ commends itself to us because it can go into any part of the world, and there upon all kinds of people work its wonders, as is shown by the mission work in all parts of the world today.]whereof I Paul was made a minister.—He did not hesitate to magnify his office as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He proclaimed unhesitatingly the universal supremacy of Christ and the subordination to him of all principalities and powers, and that all life and all powers are mediated through him and are subject to his supreme will. He claimed for him the control of life in all its manifold departments and in every sphere, visible and invisible, and places in his hand the government of the world and the direction of every power that makes for the progress of humanity. Paul’ s message is as modem and pertinent as when he sent it to the Colossians. [There are those today who challenge the competency of Paul as an interpreter of Christ.

We should listen to no words which make Christ’ s dominion and sovereignty, and his sole and all sufficient work on the cross, less mighty as the only power that knits heaven and earth together,]Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,—At the time of writing the epistle Paul was a prisoner in chains, and suffering much for them. Because he insisted that the Gentiles should be received into the church without circumcision the Jews persecuted him and pressed the case against him with such bitter­ness that he was finally sent to Rome where he suffered much affliction.

Therefore he could say, “ for your sake.” [The oppo­sition and affliction Paul endured for the cause of Christ were like those which Christ endured, and he submitted to them as a servant of Christ, and by faith bore them to advance the cause of Christ among men. All this was occasioned by his rendering obedience to the glorified Lord.]and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ—Christ suffered to save men, but Paul insists that man must suffer with him for his own salvation and the salvation of his fellow men. In redeeming man Christ did for man only what man could not do for himself. He could suffer persecution and self-denial to save himself and others. Paul did this and so filled up what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ.in my flesh for his body’ s sake, which is the church;—The affliction which Paul suffered was for the sake of his body, the church. When Christ breathed his last, all sufferings needful for the complete establishment of the kingdom of God on earth had not yet been endured.

For the full realization of the purpose of God it was needful, not only that Christ should die for the sins of the world, but that the gospel should be preached to all nations. This involved, owing to the wickedness of men, hard­ships and afflictions to those who proclaimed the message.

These sufferings and afflictions Paul willingly endured in order to save men. Consequently, just as the life on earth of the servants of Christ is in some sense an extension of his life on earth among men— for in them he lives (Galatians 2:20)— so the sufferings of Paul were in a similar sense a continuation of the sufferings of Christ. This is in dose harmony with, and further emphasizes, Paul’s constant teaching that Christ’ s servants share all that Christ is and has and does (Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 3:10). But this by no means suggests that Paul’ s sufferings were in any sense propitiatory or that Christ’ s sufferings were not so. For the one point in common here mentioned and made conspicuous by repeti­tion is suffering on behalf of another. We should note the infinite dignity here given to sufferings endured for the spread of the gospel.

These Christ condescends to join with his own afflictions while in the body and of his mysterious agony on the cross as endured for the benefit of the church which he recognizes as his own body.Colossians 1:25whereof I was made a minister,—Paul was a minister of the church according to or through the duties God laid on him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, to fulfill the word of the Lord Jesus spoken to him at the time of his conversion, telling him the mission to which he had called him: “ To this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inherit­ance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16-18).according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward,—[This clause is explanatory of Paul’ s position as a minister of Christ and of his church. For that reason he had a spiritual function in it committed to him by God, and because of that very fact it was a joy for him to suffer for its welfare.]to fulfil the word of God,—To achieve the full aim of the gospel, by proclaiming everywhere to Jew and Gentile salvation through faith in Christ, and by leading man to accept it on Christ’ s own terms. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).Colossians 1:26even the mystery which hath been hid—The hidden pur­pose of God in the gospel, which could not have become known without his revelation.

Being revealed it is no longer a mystery, in the sense of a secret or even a difficult thing, but only as a matter which required a revelation from God to make it known. It is God’ s eternal purpose to save men through Christ without reference to whether Jew or Gentile, on the condition of faith, in the manner described in the gospel.for ages and generations:—Besides the ages of the world, the generations of men living in them are brought into special prominence and thus the concealment from the beginning of human history until the gospel was proclaimed through Christ.but now hath it been manifested to his saints,—It was made known by Paul and others who proclaimed the gospel.Colossians 1:27to whom God was pleased to make known—It was God’ s will and grace, through no merits of the saints, to make known to them the riches of his glorious mystery among the Gentiles.what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles,—God was minded to make known how abundant is the splendor with which, in the great day, those initiated on earth into the gospel privileges and blessings will be enriched. [The conception of the inclusion of all Gentile people of the whole world in the hitherto undisclosed plan of God was so inspiring to Paul that he accumulates phrase on phrase to enhance the great­ness of the blessings in Christ bestowed by God on the Gentiles.]which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:—Christ within man is the only hope of glory. This alone qualifies him for the glory that is with God. Without being fitted and qualified in character for that glory none can attain to it, none could enjoy it if it were attained. Christ Jesus as he lived here on earth is the perfect pattern of the life fitted to attain and enjoy that glory with God. Christ within us makes us like Christ in life, like him in fidelity to God and his will.

Like him in cherishing humility, love, goodwill, and kindness to man. Like him in seeking happi­ness by denying self to make others happy.

Like him in repressing evil thoughts and desires within our own souls, and cherishing those who are pure and true and good. Like him in practicing the principles that dwelt in his own breast. Faith is the means given us by which to lift our souls up to Christ that he may dwell in and work through us. But unless he dwells in our heart through faith, reproducing in our lives the life of the Son of God, our faith is vain, we are yet in our sins, we are without God and without hope in the world.Colossians 1:28whom we proclaim,—He declared the whole counsel of God that he might be free from the blood of all men. To the Ephesian elders he said: “ Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26-27).admonishing every man and teaching every man—[This solemn emphasis has reference to the universality of the gospel, whose counsels of perfection are not, as the false teachers would have it, for a privileged inner circle of votaries, but for every one without exception who comes to Jesus Christ; and to the fact that in this universality the individual is never lost sight of or merged in the community; each soul, each life, as if there were no others, is to be perfect in Christ.]in all wisdom,—[In the whole field of that wisdom which is not a mere mass of knowledge, but the principles and secrets of a life of faith and love.

The point is that every believer may and should learn every secret of grace. There are no spiritual secrets behind the gospel.]that we may present every man perfect in Christ;—Paul gave them all the teachings God gave him, that he might purify and perfect their hearts and present every man, at the judgment, perfect in Christ Jesus; but I do not believe the emotion and temp­tation to sin can be purged out of any one without suffering in the flesh unto death.

Christ was not made perfect until he had suffered. Of him it is said: “ Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation.” (Hebrews 5:8-9; see also 2: 9, 10). If it required the sufferings of the cross that Jesus the Son of God might learn obedience and be made perfect, that he might become the author of eternal salvation, it does not seem possible that man, frail and sinful, should be made perfect without suffering. The apostle says: “ Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.” (1 Peter 4:1). Jesus possessed the sinful emotions within him until they were purged out by suffering. I do not believe the emotion and temptation to sin is purged out without suffering in the flesh unto death.

A person who claims that he is equal or surpasses Jesus in the elements of his character that lead to freedom from sinful desires and impulses is hardly worthy of notice. Yet there was a perfection to which Jesus attained and cherished during his life— his heart was perfect toward God.

He desired with a perfect heart to do the will of God, which was sufficiently strong to hold in check the sinful emotions of the flesh, so that he committed no sin. Man may approximate this perfection of heart. The heart may be brought to sincerely desire to do the will of God, but does not attain the degree of power over the flesh so as never to sin in thought, word, or deed. To do this would be for man in human nature to equal Jesus with his divine nature. The thought and claim of sinless perfection in human beings savors of presump­tion, the worst of all sins before God. The claim of being sinless by those who really know very little of what constitutes true Christianity is well calculated to bring the religion of Jesus Christ into contempt with thinking people.While this is true, it is right for every Christian to keep before him the example of the sinless life of Jesus, and the perfection of the heart in its sincere and earnest desire to do the will of God, and strive to emulate them.

The passage under consideration brings before us the diligent effort on the part of Paul to so admonish and teach believers in Christ that they will finally be so perfect in Christ that they will be accepted of God. A perfec­tion of heart— a sincere desire to do the will of God in all things— is to be cultivated and striven for.

Its attainment is gradual, and it is doubtful if it can ever be said to be perfect while in the flesh. As the heart approximates this perfection, it seeks to bring the flesh in subjection, but the sinful emotions and desires are purged out only through the suffering and weakness that end in death. [The emphatic repetition, every man . . . every man . . . every man, makes conspicuous the universality of Paul’ s aim. Every one he meets is to him a possibility of another fully-developed trophy presented in the final triumph. Consequently, every man is an object for the discipline and teaching needed to make this possibility actual. It also carries a solemn individual appeal to those thus warned and taught.]Colossians 1:29whereunto I labor also, striving according to his work­ing,—[Paul underwent labor, like an athlete in the contest for masteries, even to the point of weariness, in order to present every man perfect in Christ. He often referred to the difficulties of his work as the following show: “ We waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2). “ For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10). “ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7).]which worketh in me mightily.—[The power worked in him mightily because Christ was his life. (Ephesians 6:10).

This power is accessible to all who surrender themselves unreservedly to Christ He did not always have his own way, but he had learned to do without his way, so that no one could rob him of his glory in Christ. He led the victorious life because he let Christ rule and reign in his heart.

The power of Christ in Paul was not because he walked in his own wisdom, but because of his con­forming his will to the will of Christ. In a real sense, therefore, the Christian is a reproduction of Christ. A small dynamo can retain its energy if continually replenished. Christians themselves are spiritual dynamos, but they must be in constant union with Christ the source of life and energy. The constant inflow of power from Christ enabled Paul to be a continuous supply of energy for others.] Verse 1 PAUL’S LETTER TO THE Colossians 1 This is one of the most important chapters in the Holy Writ, because of the Christology which reaches a climax of surpassing importance in Colossians 1:28. It begins with the usual Pauline greetings (Colossians 1:1-2) and occasions of thanksgiving for the Colossians (Colossians 1:3-8); next comes a profound paragraph on the preeminence of the Son of God (Colossians 1:9-23), and then the superb mention of the mystery and the secret of human perfection to be achieved “in Christ” (Colossians 1:24-29). Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother. (Colossians 1:1) Paul, an apostle … It is not necessary to refer to Paul as “Saint Paul,” for such a title actually downgrades him. All Christians are “saints,” but not all are apostles. “Apostle” was the high title given by Christ himself to his chosen representatives, and it carries with it the idea of plenary authority. A second reason for using the title “Apostle Paul” is that it is the title used by himself, and therefore the one preferred by himself. Still a third reason is that it emphasizes the truth that Paul was Christ’s representative, not the representative of the church. He was not an apostle appointed by ecclesiastical authority, but a plenary representative of Christ, chosen and appointed by divine authority.

Thus, the medieval conceit that the Holy Scriptures belonged to the church and were in some sense the property of it and therefore subject to their exclusive interpretation is defeated and destroyed by the apostolic title itself. Of course, it was medievalism that downgraded Paul from “apostle” to “saint,” thus putting him on a parity with any deceased Christian. It is high time to restore the Biblical emphasis and speak of “Paul the apostle of Christ.” Timothy our brother … The Greek has “Timothy the brother,” and by this word Paul dissociated Timothy from any responsibility or authority for the letter to the Colossians, Paul being the exclusive author of it in the sense of its teachings pertaining to him alone. As Barry noted, “In a special epistle like this, Timothy would be joined with Paul, as usual; but in a general epistle to the churches of Asia, the apostle alone would rightly speak."[1] Despite this view, it is incorrect to think of Timothy’s name, in any sense, being joined with that of Paul, except as a courtesy in places where Timothy was known. Another error is that of denying “apostle” as any kind of title. Guthrie said, “Apostle is no formal title, but a claim to divine authority."[2] On the contrary, “Apostle” is indeed a title, bestowed by the Saviour himself (Luke 6:13). Although of Greek origin, the word “apostle” was most certainly known by our Lord, and its use in Luke’s gospel is not anachronistic. See my Commentary on Luke, Luke 6:13, for more on this. [1] Alfred Barry, Ellicott’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. III, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 96. [2] Donald Guthrie, New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1141. Verse 2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.The saints and faithful brethren … Hendriksen pointed out that “The definite article the is omitted before brethren,"[3] indicating that not two classes, but only one class is addressed. As Wesley put it, “Saints refers to their union with God … brethren refers to their union with fellow-Christians."[4]In Christ … at Colossae … Hayes commented thus: They were in Christ as surely as they were in Colossae. They had their residence in Colossae and walked about in Colossae; but they had received Jesus in their hearts as Lord, and they also walked in him as they went about their business day by day.[5]As Barclay said, “Wherever a Christian is, he is in Christ."[6] That is why outward circumstances cannot destroy a Christian. No matter what happens in his environment, to his property, or even to his body, he, through it all, remains safe in Christ Jesus. Although specifically addressed to the Christians in Colossae, this letter was also intended for the nearby congregations at Laodicea (Colossians 4:16), and in fact for the Christians of all times and places. [3] William Hendriksen, Colossians and Philemon (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 44. [4] John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (Napierville, Illinois: Alec. R. Allenson, Inc., 1950), in loco. [5] D. A. Hayes, Paul and His Epistles (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1959, Reprint from Copyright Edition, 1915), p. 369. [6] William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), p. 104. Verse 3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints.Some commentators have supposed that Paul copied his habit of beginning his letters with prayers of thanksgiving from the stylized letters of that period, each containing an expression of thanks to some pagan deity; but strong agreement is felt with Ashby who declared that Paul’s prayers were “no merely conventional opening.” The omission of such prayers in Galatians and 2Corinthians indicates that they were included only when the progress of the converts was a real cause for thanksgiving."[7]Faith … hope … love … make up Paul’s famed triad, found in these two verses and the verse following, and reminding one of 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 13:3, etc. Hendriksen observed that Paul’s letter to Titus also omitted the prayer of thanksgiving; thus it is correct to say that “In all of Paul’s epistles, with the exception of Galatians and Titus, the opening salutation is followed, either immediately or very shortly, by a thanksgiving and/or doxology."[8]Having heard of your faith … This is interpreted to mean that Paul did not have first-hand knowledge of the Colossians, but such an interpretation is probably incorrect. As Macknight said, “It was Paul’s custom when absent from the churches which he had planted to make inquiry as to their state."[9] Thus it is very possible that Paul here referred to their continuing in the faith and not to their being converted. Colossae was a Phrygian city; and the New Testament emphatically declares that Paul “went throughout Phrygia” (Acts 16:6). Your faith in Christ Jesus … It is refreshing to find a scholar such as Ashby firmly declaring what is undoubtedly true in this passage, as well as in a great many other New Testament Scriptures, namely, that: Christ is the sphere in which this faith works rather than its object; in other words “faith” derives its significance from their position “in Christ."[10]“Faith” that saves the Christian is not a subjective trust/faith in his heart, but a faith properly exercised by one who is “in Christ.” “Faith in Christ,” properly understood, usually means the Christian’s fidelity to God as he continues to walk “in Christ.” Paul’s strong word for this was “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5; Romans 16:26). DID PAUL CONVERT THE ? Although disputed by some, this question was answered affirmatively by Macknight. Here is a summary of his argument:[11]; Colossians 1:4 does not mean that Paul did not convert the Colossians; because Paul used this same language when addressing both churches and individuals for whom the apostle was undoubtedly the instrument of their conversion (Philemon 1:1:5,19; 1 Thessalonians 3:6; Ephesians 1:15). Just as emphatically, Colossians 1:7 and Colossians 2:1 cannot mean that Paul did not convert them. See notes on those verses. Positively: (1) Paul stated that on “your account,” that is, the account of the Colossians, he had been made a minister; and this implies that when Paul was in Phrygia he preached to them. (2) Paul’s recommendation of Epaphras to them has the ring of coming from one who, in some sense, was responsible both for them and Epaphras. (3) Paul wrote the salutation with his own hand, as he did to other churches where he was acquainted and they knew his handwriting. (4) “Even as ye have been taught” (Colossians 2:6) declares that Paul had the most intimate knowledge of their teaching, and this argues that he himself had done it. Whether or not one agrees with this reasoning, it seems to be convincing enough. [7] Ernest G. Ashby, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 483. [8] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 46. [9] James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles with Commentary, Vol. III (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 479. [10] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 483. [11] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 480-482. Verse 5 Because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.Because of the hope … This clause makes “hope” the pinnacle and summit of the famed triad of faith, hope and love, just as love is designated in 1 Corinthians 13:13. Of course, such a cavalier treatment of “faith” is deplored by the scholars. As Hendriksen put it: Some have experienced difficulty with the fact that Paul here in Colossians 1:4-5 in which he follows sequence B, seems to be saying that the faith of the Colossians and their love are based on hope. Note the words “by reason of the hope."[12]It is clear enough that Paul did not here merely “seem to be saying,” but that he emphatically affirmed that the Christian’s faith and love are derived from and founded upon the hope of the gospel. The New Testament unequivocally states that we are “saved by hope” (Romans 8:24, margin); and here the reason for such a truth appears. Both faith and love are “by reason of hope.” See more on this in my Commentary on Romans, Romans 8:24. In the heavens … “This appears to be a superlative expression here, including all regions and spheres of the unseen world."[13] The plural “heavens” is a Hebrew conception, probably founded upon such passages as Deuteronomy, 1 Kings 8:27; the rabbis spoke of two heavens; Paul of three (2 Corinthians 12:2). The truth of the gospel … “This expression (as in Galatians 2:14) is emphatic … it refers to a revelation of eternal truth, itself as changeless as the truth revealed."[14] The holy gospel was at that point in time winning its supremacy over all civilized thought and it was particularly needful to warn the Colossians against the sudden growth of wild speculations, as contrasted with the unchanging, eternal truths of the gospel. [12] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 49. [13] David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles, Vol. IV (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1964), p. 251. [14] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 96. Verse 6 Which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth.In all the world … “is not to be understood as hyperbole."[15] Hendriksen supplied the following quotations: Justin Martyr: There is no people, Greek or barbarians, or of any other race … however ignorant … whether they dwell in tents or wander about in covered wagons, among whom prayers and thanksgivings are not offered in the name of the crucified Jesus to the Father and Creator of all things. Tertullian: We are but of yesterday, and yet we already fill your cities, islands, camps, your palace, senate, forum. We have left you only your temples.[16]There are likewise numerous hints in the New Testament of the widespread acceptance of Christianity. “All those of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10); “The word of the Lord grew and increased mightily” (Acts 19:20); “In every place your faith in God has gone forth” (1Â Thessalonians 1:8); “The gospel has become clear throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest” (Philippians 1:12 f). [15] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 484. [16] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 51. Verse 7 Even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf.It was Macknight’s opinion that the word “also” in Colossians 1:8 properly modifies “from Epaphras” and that this verse becomes a denial of what it is usually quoted as affirming, that Paul did not convert the Colossians. He said: The Colossians had learned the true doctrine of the gospel, not from the apostle alone, but they had learned it from Epaphras also.[17]The sequential arrangement of clauses and phrases has a tremendous bearing upon their meaning; and as long as the learned dispute about the proper arrangement in a given verse, all options as to the meaning of it should remain open. ENDNOTE: [17] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 480. Verse 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.“This is the only explicit reference to the Holy Spirit in the letter to the Colossians."[18] Paul declared that “love” was the first fruit of the Holy Spirit; and thus this verse is a testimony to the Spirit’s work in the hearts of the Colossians (Galatians 5:22). ENDNOTE: [18] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 484. Verse 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.In this and verses following the limitless aspirations of Paul’s prayers for fellow-Christians is observable. Note the unlimited nature of this request: He asks that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom … unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God![19]It should be particularly observed that the knowledge here prayed for is the knowledge of God’s will, as Barry expressed it, “Not speculation as the the nature of God, or emanations from Deity, or even as to reasons of God’s mysterious counsels."[20] Above everything else people need to know what the will of God is, and having learned it, to do it to the best of their ability. [19] D. A. Hayes, op. cit., p. 358. [20] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 98. Verse 10 To walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.See under Colossians 1:9 for comments on the unlimited nature of this great Pauline prayer. In every good work … Nothing could be plainer in the word of God than the fact of good works being required of those who hope to enter heaven. Furthermore, it is absolutely incorrect to seek the elimination of this requirement by declaring that “Paul attaches high value to good works viewed as the fruit, not the root, of grace."[21] Paul himself emphatically made good works a prior condition of eternal redemption, even for those already saved by the blood of Christ, a truth which is clearly visible in this verse. Paul said: We must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2Â Corinthians 5:10). God will render to every man according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life; but to them that are factious and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: for there is no respect of persons with God (Romans 2:6-11). Reference is here made to the discussion of the above scriptures in the notes in this series of commentaries. See my Commentary on 1,2 Corinthians , 2Â Corinthians 5:10, and my Commentary on Romans, Romans 2:6. Paul did not teach that people, in any sense, earn salvation, or that perfection in keeping all God’s commandments must be attained; but despite this, those who work evil will be lost, regardless of how much they profess to “believe” in the Lord. [21] William Hendriksen, op. cid, p. 58. Verse 11 Strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy.All power … all patience … See under Colossians 1:9 for comment on the unlimited nature of the apostle’s prayers for Christians. According to the might of his glory … Hendriksen has a vivid comment on this thus: When a multimillionaire gives “of’ his wealth to some good cause he may be giving very little; but when he donates “in accordance with” his riches, the amount will be substantial. Thus the strengthening of the Christian “according to” the might of God’s glory is beyond all calculation. Verse 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.Who made us meet … This is rendered “qualified us” in RSV, which is a definite improvement over the rendition in the English Revised Version (1885). HOW GOD PEOPLE TO BE SAVEDI. People must hear the truth to be saved; and it is God who sends out preachers to all the world that people may hear it. See Romans 10:14 ff. II. People’s hearts must be open to receive the truth; and that all-important event is produced by the word of God which opens people’s hearts. “Lydia … heard us, whose heart the Lord opened to give heed to the things which were spoken” (Acts 16:14 ff). III. Belief enters into qualification for salvation; and, as Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). IV. Repentance also figures in salvation (see Luke 13:3 Luke 13:5); but it is God who “grants” repentance. “To the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). V. Confession of Christ is one of the prior conditions of salvation (Matthew 10:32-33); but it is God who reveals the great truth which people confess. Thus when Peter confessed Christ (Matthew 16:16), Jesus responded by telling him and all the apostles that “flesh and blood had not revealed it to him” but that “the Father in heaven” had done so! Thus it is God who does the qualifying when one confesses the Saviour. VI. One is baptized “into Christ”; and after Pentecost, salvation is not promised in the New Testament to any unbaptized person whomsoever. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). But, when one is baptized, is he thus attempting to earn his salvation, or does his obedience of this command deny that salvation is of grace? Indeed no! Here again, it is God who does the baptizing! Note this: Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples) (John 4:1-2). It is still like that today. When one accepts the gospel and is baptized by one of the Lord’s disciples, it is still Jesus (God) who is making and baptizing the convert. Thus God qualifies people to be partakers of the inheritance of eternal life by preaching to them, causing them to hear, opening their hearts, thus causing them to believe, revealing Christ through the sacred word, granting them (along with all other Gentiles) repentance unto life, and by baptizing them into Christ! Now, what about that person who simply will not allow God to do all this for him? The simple and obvious answer is that God will disqualify him! “It is God who makes worthy those who in themselves art not worthy, and thus enables them to have a share in the inheritance."[22] God would indeed make all people worthy, if people would permit it; but God having given people the freedom of choice and the freedom of their will, the result is that some men “will not believe”; others “will not repent or confess”; and others will not “arise and be baptized.” Inheritance of the saints in light … Most commentators find in this an allusion to the allotment of the share of the land of Canaan to each of the tribes of Israel in the Old Testament. Thus Hendriksen: The Lord provided for Israel an earthly inheritance, which was distributed to the various tribes and smaller units of national life by lot (Genesis 31:14; Numbers 18:20; Joshua 13:16 Joshua 14:2 Joshua 16:1, etc.); so he had provided for the Colossians an allotment or share in the better inheritance.[23][22] Ibid., p. 60. [23] Ibid. Verse 13 Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.Out of the power of darkness … This is the power of Satan, the kingdom of evil, or the realm of the lost. Throughout the New Testament, the unsaved portion of humanity are represented as subjects of an evil ruler, a heartless tyrant who keeps them captive; and the idea of release from captivity is inherent in the words Paul chose here. “The word translated' is a word properly applied to the transplanting of races.[24]"Josephus uses it of the deportation of the Israelites by the Assyrian king."[25] By the use of the same word here, Paul declared the defeat of the evil kingdom, the vanquishing of its ruler Satan, the release of his captives and the transplanting of them into a wholly new and marvelously better environment. "Out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of his love!" Note the past tense of the verb "translated." This affirms the existence of God's kingdom at the time Paul wrote; indeed, the Colossians had already been translated into it. Throughout the New Testament, after the day of Pentecost, references to the kingdom of God are consistently in the past tense; whereas, before Pentecost, they are consistently in the future tense, thus indicating Pentecost as the occasion of the establishment of God's kingdom upon the earth. For excursus on this, see my Commentary on Hebrews,Hebrews 12 under "The Church and the Kingdom Began at the Same Time." [24] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 99. [25] G. G. Findlay, Colossians in The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 19 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 6. Verse 14 In whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of sins.In whom ... This is the characteristic Pauline expression focusing all blessing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of Christ there is nothing; in him is eternal life. Out of Christ there is condemnation; in him is redemption. Out of Christ there is guilt; in him is forgiveness, pardon and salvation. The holy Scriptures repeatedly declare that "we are baptized into Christ" (<a href="/bible/parallel/ROM/6/3" class="green-link">Romans 6:3</a>); and this truth is repeated here because so many seem unaware of it. Findlay quoted Lightfoot as seeing in this passage Paul's refutation of a Gnostic claim that "redemption" consisted of being initiated into Gnostic "mysteries"; but, as stated in the introduction, this is highly speculative. Findlay went on to point out that one of the most prolific writers of that age, Philo, "who speaks the language of the Jewish philosophic mysticism of the first century, has no such usage"[26] of the word redemption. ENDNOTE: [26] Ibid., p. 7.. Verse 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.Image of the invisible God ... The first impression of reading this verse is that the terms "image" and "firstborn" accord Jesus Christ a status below that of absolute deity; but the very next verse emphatically forbids any such inadequate interpretation of this verse. Image of the invisible God ... John B. Nielson is absolutely correct in the declaration that in these words, "Paul is saying that Jesus Christ is none other than God Himself."[27] He even went further and said that "'firstborn' is equivalent to only begotten,’ and is a Jewish technical term meaning `uncreated’[28] Why, then did Paul use these particular words here? Image … God created Adam in his own image (Genesis 1:27); but Adam promptly sinned and fell from that image; but, by these words here, Paul compels us to see in Jesus a second Adam who was indeed God’s image. Christ was man as God created him to be in the person of Adam. Christ was (and IS) also God, but the emphasis here is upon his perfect manhood. Again, there is in this passage a strong suggestion linking Paul with the authorship of Hebrews where Hebrews 1:3 corresponds exactly to what is said here. Paul applied the same title to Christ in 2Â Corinthians 4:4. Barclay also stressed the connection this passage has with the creation narrative. By using the word “image,” which is the same as that in Genesis, Paul in effect says, Look at Jesus. He shows you not only what God is; he also shows you what man was meant to be. Here is manhood as God designed it. Jesus is the perfect manifestation of God and the perfect manifestation of man.[29]Firstborn of all creation … Of course, this verse was the major platform of Arianism, the great heresy that denied the deity of Christ. From this they alleged that Jesus Christ was only a creature, understanding “firstborn” in the sense of being first in a temporal sequence; but there is overwhelming evidence that Paul did not so use that word in this passage.

As Guthrie said, “Firstborn must be understood in the sense of supreme rather than in the temporal sense of born before."[30] Barclay affirmed that the time sense in this world is hardly in the Greek word at all, and that here, “It is not used in a time sense at all, but in the sense of special honor. Firstborn is a title of the Messiah."[31] Dummelow pointed out that, just as so frequently in the English, words have different meanings, firstborn has two, that of time sequence and that of supremacy over.[32] Obviously it is the latter meaning which Paul meant here. As a matter of fact, the other meaning was by far the most unusual. David Lipscomb interpreted the word to mean in this place “Over all creation, Christ occupies the relation of supremacy such as is accorded the firstborn; and such is preeminently due to the `firstborn of all creation’."[33] Thus, the two words, image and firstborn, stand for Christ’s perfect manhood and perfect deity. This verse (Colossians 1:15) is the beginning of one of the most important paragraphs in the New Testament; and, as Hendriksen said, “Before attempting a study of the separate parts, the passage should be seen in its entirety."[34] We are further indebted to Hendriksen for the following parallel arrangement which enables the reader, at a glance to see the correspondence between the two major sections: THE OF THE LORD JESUS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRISTA. IN . IN 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.18 He is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, That in all things he might have the pre-eminence,16 For in him were created all things in the heavens and on the earth, Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities, All things through him and with a view to him have been created;19 For in him he (God) was pleased to have all the fullness dwell. The visible and the invisible,17 And he is before all things and all things hold together in him.20 And through him to reconcile all things to himself, Having made peace through the blood of his cross, Through him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.Now, admittedly, this is a very carefully thought-out paragraph, or sentence of 137 words, and the organization of it is obvious; but for another Pauline paragraph manifesting these same qualities see Paul’s long salutation in Romans and the analysis and discussion of it in my Commentary on Romans, Romans 1:8 ff. We reject out of hand the allegation that this marvelous paragraph is some kind of hymn or liturgical chant used in worship services of the early church. Such a view is not supported by any evidence whatever except in the imagination of scholars; and it is based upon several very tenuous and unsure premises: (1) that Paul would need to reach into the current hymnology of his day for accurate expression of the nature and essence of the being of Christ Jesus; (2) that the great Christology of this passage had “developed” in the early church.

On the contrary, far from having developed any such exalted conception of Christ, those early churches were in danger of being carried away into the worship of angels, etc. If the brethren at Colossae were singing these words already when Paul wrote, there would have been no temptation to gnosticism, and no need for Paul to have written them. Of course, what some have in mind, through making a hymn out of this passage, is to make it easier for them to deny that Paul wrote it, or that it is indeed authoritative Scripture. This remarkable paragraph has every mark of Pauline authorship, being a similar careful work, comparable to Romans 1:1-7. As G. Campbell Morgan expressed it: It is here that Paul set forth the glories of the person of the Redeemer in a passage that is unique for its revealing beauty. He summarized the whole truth concerning the glories of the person of Christ in his declaration that “It was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell."[35]Before leaving Colossians 1:15, one other expression should be noted: Who is … not “who was” etc. Three times in these verses (Colossians 1:15 Colossians 1:17-18), this imperative IS used with reference to Christ, strongly suggesting the great “I AM’s” of the Gospels and of Exo 3:6 Exodus 3:14. See the comment in my Commentary on Mark 6:50. [27] G. Campbell Morgan, An Exposition of the Holy Bible (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1959), p. 379. [28] Ibid. [29] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 118. [30] Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1144. [31] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 118. [32] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 981. [33] David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 259. [34] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 70. [35] G. Campbell Morgan, An Exposition of the Holy Bible (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1959), p. 496. Verse 16 For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him and unto him.If indeed, as generally supposed, the Colossians were being drawn away into various philosophies and speculations involving the worship of angels, spirits, demons, and the supposition that certain emanations from God were responsible for the creation itself, this verse was the divine thunderbolt that cleared the atmosphere and let the light of God shine in. Hayes’ quotation of Farrar regarding what Paul did in this passage is as follows?[36]To / Paul opposed: A cumbersome ritualism – A spiritual service Inflating speculations – A sublime reality Hampering ordinances – A manly self-discipline Esoteric exclusiveness – A universal gospel Theological cliques – An equal brotherhood Barren systems – A new life All their problems – Christ as the answer This verse affirms the deity of Christ as effectively as any in the New Testament. As the Creator of all things, how could he be anything less? By this the apostle declares that the invisible beings of the world above us, however lofty their names or mighty their powers, are Christ’s creatures as much as the lowliest objects within our sight.[37]Lightfoot was of the opinion that Paul here made no affirmation regarding the actual existence of such beings as angels; but, whether that is correct or not, Christ taught of their existence; and the Christians who lived contemporaneously with the apostles believed that every Christian had a guardian angel. See my discussion of Angels in my Commentary on Hebrews, Hebrews 1:14. Charles Hodge declared flatly that “Angels are a distinct creation being neither God, human nor animal”;[38] and with this view full agreement is felt. Paul’s failure to make this clear in this verse was probably due to the fact that the Colossians believed in a great many other supernatural beings (other than angels) and that their belief in such beings was totally false. As Lipscomb said, “This certainly means that Christ created the whole universe,"[39] leaving absolutely no room whatever for the worship or adoration of any lesser beings whatever; and, as Hendriksen put it, “That was Paul’s main theme over against the teachers of error who were disturbing the church at Colossae."[40]A. S. Peake stressed the thought that the words Paul used here “denote angels … These angels, Paul insists, so far from being superior or equal to Christ, were as inferior to him as the creature is to the Creator."[41] Agreement is felt with this, to the effect that Paul was speaking about angels as actually existing, and that the reference is not to earthly dignitaries, which would be irrelevant to the polemical purpose of this passage. [36] D. A. Hayes, op. cit., p. 358. [37] G. G. Findlay, op. cit., p. 9. [38] Charles B. Hodge, Angels (Nashville: The Christian Teacher, Inc., 1977), p. 4. [39] David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 259. [40] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 72. [41] A. S. Peake, Expositor’s Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 504. Verse 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things consist.Again, here is an astounding coincidence of thought with that of the author of Hebrews. See my Commentary under Hebrews 1:3. Not only did Jesus Christ create the universe, he sustains, upholds, and supports it! And he is before all things … See under Colossians 1:15. Findlay was also impressed with the implications “he is” as used here. He said: In the mouth of a Hebraist like Paul, the coincidence of the doubly emphatic “he is” with the etymological sense of Jehovah, as interpreted in Exodus 3:6, can scarcely be accidental.[42]There is a glimpse here of the same thought of Heb 13:8, regarding him who is the same yesterday, today and forever. ENDNOTE: [42] G. G. Findlay, op. cit., p. 10. Verse 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.Here begins the second phase of this grand statement of the preeminence of Christ, the first pertaining to all creation, and this pertaining to the new spiritual creation, that is, the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is … Note the same imperative use of this expression as in Colossians 1:15 Colossians 1:17. Head of the body, the church … Some expositors like to take the view that Paul’s idea of the corporate Christ, the spiritual body of believers with Christ as its head, was a late blooming idea with the apostle; but such is totally incorrect. As Hendriksen said: It cannot be truthfully maintained that the proposition, “Christ is the head of the church,” was absolutely foreign to Paul’s thinking prior to the time of the Prison Epistles.[43]Paul wrote to the Corinthians that there is “one body” (1 Corinthians 12:20), and is not a body supposed to have a head? Furthermore, when Paul wrote that the head of “every man” is Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3), is this not absolutely equivalent to saying that Christ is the head of the church? As a matter of fact, the expression “in Christ” used so extensively in Paul’s writings is the embodiment of that entire corpus of truth which surfaces in this verse regarding “the body of Christ.” We dare to offer the challenge that in every one of the 169 times where Paul used “in Christ” or the equivalent “in him,” “in whom,” etc., it is proper to read it “in the spiritual body of Christ,” that being the only way that any man on earth was ever in Christ at all. Thus the conceit of the spiritual body with Christ as its head being in any sense a late or “developed idea” for Paul is totally refuted by the magnificent Pauline expression “in Christ.” The beginning … Christ as the “beginning” actually begins. He brings into being a new creation, the church, his body. “His body, the church, begins in him, dating and deriving from him its all in all."[44]Firstborn from the dead … “The word firstborn brings over with it into the verse the glory which surrounds it in Colossians 1:15,” as Findlay said, “The divine Firstborn, who is before and over all things, wins his title a second time for his earthly brethren’s sake (Hebrews 2:10-15)."[45][43] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 76. [44] G. G. Findlay, op. cit., p. 11. [45] Ibid. Verse 19 For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell.“This verse should be understood in the light of Col 2:9. It is the fullness of Deity, the `fullness of the godhead bodily’ that is pleased to dwell in the Son."[46]Ashby also agreed with this analysis of the verse, adding that by thus stressing Christ’s deity, Paul effectively undermined the whole argument of the Gnostics. He said, “It is peculiarly fitting that Paul should thus describe the Saviour. It is God’s pleasure that all fullness, the full essence of deity, should re’side in Christ."[47][46] John B. Nielson, op. cit., p. 382. [47] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 485. Verse 20 And through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross: through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.Hendriksen suggested the probable meaning of this verse to be: Sin ruined the universe. It destroyed the harmony between one creature and another, also between all creatures and their God. Through the blood of the cross, however, sin in principle has been conquered … the law satisfied … the curse borne … harmony restored … peace made.[48]Agreement is felt with this paraphrase, except in the matter of its application to the lower creation. While admitting that something like this may indeed be true, this student of the scriptures has never been able to find such premises firmly established in the sacred word. See in my Commentary on Romans, Romans 8:19 ff. Things upon the earth … This we interpret to mean human beings, leaving the animal creation out of sight altogether. Things in the heavens … The only things in heaven which may be said to be out of harmony with God are “Satan’s angels”; and yet they have already been cast down and reserved in chains of darkness. Any further speculation on this would appear to be futile. Heavens … See under Colossians 1:5 for the use of the plural “heavens.” ENDNOTE: [48] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 82. Verse 21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works.In one of the most perceptive statements read in many a day, Hendriksen observed that: This state of estrangement, moreover, was not due to ignorance or innocence. There are no innocent heathen! On the contrary, they were estranged and hostile in disposition. It was their own fault that they had been and had remained for so long a time “far off,” for they had actually hated God!"[49]This is the truth that was hidden from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the philosophical father of the Romantic movement in literature and thought. It was he, according to Will and Ariel Durant, “who had more effect upon posterity than any other writer or thinker of the eighteenth century."[50] And it was he who filled the people’s minds with the garbage relative to “natural man,” “the noble savage,” and the totally uninhibited human animal. Here in the sparkling words of an apostle is revealed the truth about natural man” or the “noble pagan.” Paul described him as the end-result of devolution downward from a prior state of having known God and then having fallen away from it. ENDNOTE: [49] Ibid., p. 83. Verse 22 Yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreprovable before him.The thought of this is similar to that of Col 1:28, which see; but here the emphasis is upon the body of his flesh, that is, Jesus’ physical body and the death upon Calvary. In Colossians 1:28, the emphasis is upon the spiritual body, the corporate Jesus, which is the church. Both are absolutely necessary, because the spiritual body could never have existed without the actual death of Christ on the cross. The second half of this verse refers to judgment and the appearance at that time of all the redeemed before the Lord. Verse 23 If so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.If so be that ye continue … This is another of innumerable denials in the New Testament of the monstrous proposition euphemistically described as the “final perseverance of the saints.” Salvation is conditional, both for the alien sinner and for the sanctified Christian. God has written that chilling word “IF” over against every name inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. If people truly hope to receive eternal life, let them behold the condition stated here: “If so be that ye continue in the faith.” In short, that means if they do not quit the church! “Faith” in this passage is not subjective, but objective, meaning “the Christian religion.” Which was preached in all creation … The same thought is expressed in Colossians 1:6. See notes under that reference. “Creation,” as used here, is suggestive of Mar 16:15 and Romans 8:22, which see with the comments. Paul loved to speak of Christians as “the new creation”; and thus, by contrast, “creation,” as used here, meant the unregenerated part of humanity. On this verse, David Lipscomb wrote: It seems strange that the gospel had been preached among all the nations; but, if we consider the earnest character of the Christians, who gloried in persecutions and death for Christ’s sake, it will not seem so strange. The greatest hindrance to the gospel in our day is the lukewarm and indifferent character of professed Christians?[51]Paul … a minister … Hendriksen defined a minister thus: A minister of the gospel is one who knows the gospel, has been saved by the Christ of the gospel, and with joy of heart proclaims the gospel to others. Thus he serves the cause of the gospel?[52][50] Will and Ariel Durant, Rousseau and Revolution (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967), p. 3. [51] David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 265. [52] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 85. Verse 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.In this verse Paul, dwelling upon the metaphor of the “body of Christ,” thinks of it as being actually Christ, and therefore, like Christ, called to suffer tribulations, hardship and persecutions, thus viewing it as a necessity that just as Christ suffered, so also should Christians (see Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:11-12). Ellis reasoned from this that “Union with Christ involves ipso facto union with Christ’s sufferings,” but also pointed out that “The sole redemptive sufficiency is in Christ and his atonement."[53] God’s imperial “must” is written upon the sufferings of Christians: “Through many tribulations, we must enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21). ENDNOTE: [53] E. Earle Ellis, Wycliffe New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 789. Verse 25 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfill the word of God.Macknight understood this verse as saying that Paul had been made a minister on behalf of the Colossians, which presupposes that Paul had surely preached to them. Minister … See under Colossians 1:23. Verse 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints.The mystery … This word occurs 21 times in Paul’s letters, three times in the Gospels and four times in Revelation?[54] A mystery in the New Testament frame of reference is not something hidden, but something which was once hidden but now revealed. The conviction of this writer is also to the effect that there are elements of amazement and awe in the Scriptural mystery which can never be removed, and that, in some unknown sense, the mystery of God is not even finished yet (see Revelation 10:7). For those interested in an extended discussion of “The Mystery of Redemption,” see the entire book under that title.[55][54] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 88 footnote. [55] James Burton Coffman, The Mystery of Redemption (Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1976). Verse 27 To whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory.We heartily agree with Ashby that “There is no need to suppose that Paul borrows this term from the Greek-mystery religions, but rather from the Old Testament (Daniel 2:18)."[56] Also Christ used it himself (seeMatthew 13:11). Christ in you … This is the essence of the “mystery” as Paul expounded it here; but a comparison with other Pauline writings on the subject reveals the mystery to be somewhat complex. There are eight expressions in the New Testament, all eight of which refer to a single state, namely, the saved state; and these are: (1) Christ is in you; (2) you are in Christ; (3) God is in you; (4) you are in God; (5) the Holy Spirit is in you; (6) you are in the Holy Spirit; (7) the mind of Christ is in you; (8) the word of Christ is in you. For Scriptural references and discussion of all these see Galatians 5:23, this volume. It is mandatory, of course, to see all of these various designations as reference to one condition only, that of the redeemed in Christ. The fact that all such references are indeed synonymous is evident from Paul’s usage in this and the following verse. Here he spoke of “Christ in you”; in the very next verse, and speaking of the same thing, he referred to it as presenting every man “in Christ,” thus quite obviously using “in Christ” and “Christ in you” interchangeably. ENDNOTE: [56] Ernest G. Ashby, op. cit., p. 486. Verse 28 Whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.The great goal of Christianity shines in this, namely, that of presenting every man “perfect in Christ.” This writer has no patience with the translations and “authorities” that scale down the meaning of “perfect” in this passage, equating it with “completeness” or “maturity.” Christ used this word of God himself (Matthew 5:48), and one would hardly speak of God’s being mature! NO! This verse is the quintessence of the entire system of Christianity. See my article on “The Perfection of Christians” under Ephesians 1:4. Verse 29 Whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.The statement here is that Paul was striving and laboring with all of his strength to unite people in Christ, that being the only possible means of their salvation, and also that the working of Christ himself was present in Paul mightily during those labors. In this significant verse, Paul acknowledged that the overwhelming success of his remarkable life was due not to himself alone, but to the mighty power of Christ Jesus. “THE EPISTLE TO THE "

Chapter One

IN THIS CHAPTER

1. To see the relationship between understanding the grace of God and bearing fruit

2. To examine Paul’s prayer for the Colossians for the keys to successful Christian living

3. To appreciate the preeminence of Christ in creation and our redemption

SUMMARY Paul begins with his customary salutation followed by an expression of thanksgiving and prayer. Hearing of their condition from Epaphras, he is thankful for their faith, love, and hope (Colossians 1:1-8). His prayer is that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, strengthened by God’s glorious power, and ever thankful that the Father has qualified them to be partakers of the saints’ inheritance. Especially since they were delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, where there is redemption and forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:9-14).

He then broaches the theme of this epistle, which is the preeminence and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ our Savior. Paul first proclaims the preeminence of Christ in creation, and then His preeminence in redemption (Colossians 1:15-20). The Colossians’ own conversion is offered as a case in point in reference to the latter, and with a warning for them to remain steadfast (Colossians 1:21-23).

The chapter ends with Paul’s description of his ministry, in which he gladly suffered on behalf of Christ and His church. He views himself as a steward entrusted with a wonderful “mystery”, which is being made known after having been hidden for ages. This “mystery” pertains to the Gentiles, and how Christ would be in them (Colossians 1:24-27). Paul therefore worked diligently to preach Christ, with the goal of presenting every man perfect in Him (Colossians 1:28-29).

OUTLINE

I. (Colossians 1:1-14)

A. (Colossians 1:1-2)1. From Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God (1a) 2. And Timothy, “our brother” (Colossians 1:1 b) 3. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ, who are in Colosse (Colossians 1:2 a) 4. Grace and peace from God and Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:2 b)

B. PAUL’S AND PRAYER (Colossians 1:3-14)1. His thanksgiving for them (Colossians 1:3-8) a. Given to God, with unceasing prayers in their behalf (Colossians 1:3) b. Given since he heard of:

1. Their faith in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:4 a)
2. Their love for all the saints (Colossians 1:4 b) c. Given because the hope laid up for them in heaven (Colossians 1:5)
3. Which they had heard by way of the gospel a) Which had come to them as to all the world, bringing forth fruit (Colossians 1:6 a) b) Even in them, since the day they heard and knew the grace of God (Colossians 1:6 b)
4. Which they had heard by way of Epaphras a) A dear fellow servant and faithful minister of Christ on their behalf (Colossians 1:7) b) Who declared to Paul their love in the Spirit (Colossians 1:8)

2. His prayer for them (Colossians 1:9-14) a. Offered unceasingly since he heard of their progress (Colossians 1:9 a) b. Asking that they might…

1. Be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in wisdom and spiritual understanding (9b)
2. Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him (Colossians 1:10 a) a) Being fruitful in every good work (Colossians 1:10 b) b) Increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10 c)
3. Be strengthened with all might (Colossians 1:11 a) a) According to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11 b) b) For all patience and longsuffering with joy (Colossians 1:11 c)
4. Give thanks to the Father (Colossians 1:12 a) a) Who qualified us to be partakers of the saints' inheritance (Colossians 1:12 b) b) Who has delivered us from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13 a) c) Who has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son (Colossians 1:13 b) 1/ In whom we have redemption through His blood (Colossians 1:14 a) 2/ In whom we have forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14 b)

II. THE OF CHRIST (Colossians 1:15-23)

A. IN (Colossians 1:15-17)1. He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15 a) 2. He is the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15 b) 3. All things were created by Him (Colossians 1:16) 4. He is before all things (Colossians 1:17 a) 5. In Him all things consist (Colossians 1:17 b)

B. IN (Colossians 1:18-23)1. He is the head of the body, the church (Colossians 1:18 a) 2. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18 b) 3. That He might have the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18 c) 4. It pleased the Father… a. That in Him all the fullness should dwell (Colossians 1:19) b. That by Him all things were to be reconciled to Himself, making peace through the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:20) 5. The Colossians as a case in point (Colossians 1:21-23) a. They were once alienated and enemies in mind, through wicked works (Colossians 1:21 a) b. Yet now reconciled…

1. In the body of His flesh through death (Colossians 1:21 b-22a)
2. To be presented holy, blameless, and irreproachable in His sight (Colossians 1:22 b)
3. If they continue in the faith… a) Grounded and steadfast (Colossians 1:23 a) b) Not moved away from the gospel

1. Which they heard (Colossians 1:23 b)
2. Which was preached to every creature under heaven (Colossians 1:23 c)
3. Of which Paul became a minister (Colossians 1:23 d)

III. THE APOSTLE OF CHRIST (Colossians 1:24-29)

A. HIS JOY (Colossians 1:24)1. In suffering for their sake (Colossians 1:24 a) 2. For in his flesh he fills up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ (Colossians 1:24 b) 3. All is done for the sake of His body, the church (Colossians 1:24 c)

B. HIS (Colossians 1:25-29)1. Made a minister according to the stewardship from God (Colossians 1:25 a) a. Given to him for them (Colossians 1:25 b) b. To fulfill the word of God (Colossians 1:25 c)

1. The mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations (Colossians 1:26 a)
2. But now has been revealed to His saints (Colossians 1:26 b) a) To whom God willed to make known the riches of the glorious mystery among the Gentiles (Colossians 1:27 a) b) Which is Christ in them, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27 b)

2. Proclaiming Christ (Colossians 1:28-29) a. By warning and teaching every man in all wisdom (Colossians 1:28 a) b. That he might present every man perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28 b)

1. Laboring toward this end (Colossians 1:29 a)
2. Striving according to His working which works in him mightily (Colossians 1:29 b)

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• Introduction (Colossians 1:1-14)
• The Preeminence of Christ (Colossians 1:15-23)
• The Apostle Of Christ (Colossians 1:24-29)

2. Who joins Paul in the salutation of this epistle? (Colossians 1 :Colossians 1:1)

• Timothy

3. What three things had Paul heard about the Colossians, for which he gave thanks? (Colossians 1:3-5)

• Their faith in Christ Jesus
• Their love for all the saints
• Their hope laid for them in heaven

4. How long had the gospel been bringing forth fruit in their lives? (Colossians 1:6)

• Since the day they heard and knew the grace of God in truth

5. Who had informed Paul of their condition? (Colossians 1:8)

• Epaphras

6. List four things for which Paul prayed concerning the Colossians (Colossians 1:9-11)

• To be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
• To have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him
• To be strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power
• To give thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance

7. Into what have we been translated? (Colossians 1:13)

• The kingdom of the Son of His love

8. What does one enjoy in Christ? (Colossians 1:14)

• Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins

9. List five things which illustrate Christ’s preeminence in creation (Colossians 1:15-17)

• He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15 a)
• He is the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15 b)
• All things were created by Him (Colossians 1:16)
• He is before all things (Colossians 1:17 a)
• In Him all things consist (Colossians 1:17 b)

10. List four things which illustrate Christ’s preeminence in redemption (Colossians 1:18-20)

• He is the head of the body, the church
• He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead
• In Him all the fullness dwells
• By Him all things are to be reconciled

11. What was the former condition of the Colossians? How were they changed? (Colossians 1:21-22)

• Alienated and enemies in their mind by wicked works
• Reconciled in the body of Christ’s flesh through death

12. Upon what condition would they be presented as holy, blameless and irreproachable? (Colossians 1:22-23)

• If they continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast
• If they are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which they heard

13. What is said about the “mystery” which has been hidden? (Colossians 1:26)

• It has now been revealed to His saints

14. What is the glorious nature of this “mystery”? (Colossians 1:27)

• Christ in you (i.e., the Gentiles), the hope of glory

15. What was Paul’s goal in preaching Christ? (Colossians 1:28)

• To present every many perfect in Christ Jesus

Questions by E.M. Zerr On Colossians 11. What other form of name for Timotheus ? 2. To whom is this epistle addressed ? 3. Repeat the usual benediction. 4. What does Paul give on account of them? 5. What else does he do for them? 6. Any evidence he had seen these brethren? 7. What had he heard concerning them ? 8. State what he says about their hope. 9. How generally had this hope been made known? 10. Had it been fruitful? 11. What was Epaphras to the church ? 12. State what he had informed Paul about. 13. What was the desire for which Paul prayed ? 14. For whose pleasure would he have them walk ? 15. For what end should they be strengthened? 16. What inheritance does Paul mention? 17. From what have we been delivered ? 18. Is kingdom of Christ in existence now? 19. Who is the one to admit people into it? 20. What do we have through the blood of Christ? 21. Redemption from what? 22. Of whom is Christ the image? 23. What creatures were before Christ ? 24. State his part in creation. 25. What dependence do all have on him? 26. State his relation to the Church. 27. In what sense is he firstborn from the dead? 28. What distinction does this give him? 29. State what God further was pleased to have. 30. What was effected through the blood? 31. What was to be done with all things? 32. Was this restricted to things on earth? 33. By what are men alienated from God? 34. By what body may they be reconciled ? 35. In what condition would he present them? 36. This depends upon what continuance? 37. What had the Colossians heard? 38. To what extent had this been preached? 39. What commission does this fulfill ? 40. Did Paul have anything to do with it ? 41. In what does he now rejoice? 42. What does it fill up ? 43. When did he get “ behind” in the sufferings ? 44. Who made Paul a minister of the Gospel ? 45. What had been the state of the divine mystery ? 46. Is it still hidden? 47. To what nations was it to be made known ? 48. To what attainment does the hope look? 49. What does Paul do to every man? 50. For what purpose does he labor with men ?

Colossians 1:1

General remarks. The date and by whom the church at Colosse was planted is uncertain. I have consulted a goodly number of reference works, and nothing more definite than “perhaps” or “maybe” was found in any of them. We know it was not by Paul, for chapter 2:1 indicates he had not even seen those brethren when he wrote this epistle. A little information about conditions in Colosse as it pertains to religion and social life, will help to understand the various passages in the epistle. The Colossians were mostly Gentiles, but some Juda-istic teachers had come among them.

In addition to this, some theories of philosophy had been injected among them. Smith’s Bible Dictionary refers to such a condition in the following words: “The main object of the epistle is to warn the Colossians against a spirit of semi-Judaistic and semi-Oriental philosophy which was corrupting the simplicity of their belief.” Summing up, a mixture of Judaism, philosophy, idolatry, and a form of extreme bodily self-denial, had to be encountered when Paul wrote this epistle. Colossians 1:1. An apostle means one who is sent by another on a mission. Paul was sent into the world by Jesus Christ on the mission of preaching the Gospel, hence he was His apostle. The entire arrangement was according to the authority of God, which caused it to be by His will. Timotheus is another form of Timothy; he was with Paul and joined in the salutation to the Colossian church.

Colossians 1:2

Colossians 1:2. Saints and faithful are not different people. The second term is just one description of the first. A saint is a person who has accepted the G spel through obedience to its com mands, and who has promised to continue in the service consistently. The term faithful is added to show that these brethren were actually making good their promised loyalty to Christ. Grace is the unmerited favor of God, and peace is that state of mind that is made possible by accepting the salvation coming from God, and bestowed upon man through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:3

Colossians 1:3. It is important to note that God is called the Father of Christ. This refutes the doctrine of Rome, and most of the denominational world, that God and Christ are one and the same person. It is foolish to imply that a father can be his own son, or vice verse. In the beginning of the verse Paul says we give thanks’, and in the close lie says he is praying for the brethren. This is because there are various forms of addresses to God; thanks being offered for past favors, and prayer being requests for future ones.

Colossians 1:4

Colossians 1:4. We heard of your faith. According to chapter 2:1, Paul had not seen these brethren (see “general remarks”), but had received a report of them through others. It is significant that their faith in Christ Jesus is coupled with their love for all the saints. This agrees with 1 John 3:14 1 John 4:7-8; it is morally impossible to love God and not love His children.

Colossians 1:5

Colossians 1:5. For is from DIA which means “on account of.” It is connected with the preceding verse which asserts the love the Colossians had to all the saints. The idea is that the hope for heaven they had, was an inducement for them to act the part of true brethren in Christ by showing genuine love for them. Heard before refers to the fact that they had heard these great truths in the beginning of their contact with the Gospel, by the ones who brought the good news to them.

Colossians 1:6

Colossians 1:6. World is from a Greek word that means the people of the earth. It is sometimes limited to the people of the Roman Empire by various commentators, yet that is rather insignificant, since virtually all the civilized world was under the rule of that Empire at the time the New Testament was written. Besides, verse 23 of this chapter says the same Gospel was perached “to every creature which is under heaven.” It all gives the conclusion that the commission that Christ gave the apostles in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16, had been fulfilled in the time of Paul’s writings: the same fact is taught in Romans 10:18. Bringeth forth fruit refers to the effect that was produced by the hope given to those who believed the Gospel. Grace of God in truth means the favor of God is for those only who accept the truth.

Colossians 1:7

Colossians 1:7. Epaphras had been associated with the church at Colosse, but when this epistle was written, he was in Rome and a prisoner on behalf of the Gospel. This is indicated in Philemon 1:23, where Paul calls him his “fellowprisoner.” A faithful minis ter. The last word is from , and in the King James Version it is rendered deacon 3 times, minister 20, servant 7. Thayer defines it, “one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master; a servant, attendant, minister; deacon; a waiter, one who serves food and drink.” It is never used to designate a preacher as a separate class, for the preachers of the New Testament church are never called “ministers” in that sense. Epaphras is called a minister, because he faithfully served the interests of the church at Colosse, which included his preaching of the Gospel.

Colossians 1:8

Colossians 1:8. Epaphras had been associated with the church at Colosse, and could give a first hand report of its conduct to Paul and the other brethren in Rome. Love in the Spirit denotes their love was spiritual because it was prompted and directed by the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:9

Colossians 1:9. For this cause refers to the good things that Paul (and his companions) had heard about the Colos-sian brethren. Ever since he heard about it, the apostle had continuously prayed for them. Such good disciples are worthy of further encouragement and assistance, hence he desired that they might be filled with knowledge of the Lord’s will. For all practical purposes, wisdom and understanding may be used with the same sense, but when a distinction is made by using them in one sentence, the first refers to the mind or intellect, and the second to the proper use of it in applying the truths at hand. Paul specifies that he is speaking of truths that have been revealed by the Spirit.

Colossians 1:10

Colossians 1:10. To walk worthy of the Lord means to walk in a way befitting a servant of His. Unto all pleasing: walk in a way pleasing to the Lord. Being fruitful or producing every good work, which consists in doing the good things required by the Gospel. Increasing indicates that a Christian should not be satisfied with his present degree of good works. However, his growth must be in accordance with the knowledge of God; this knowledge is to be obtained through Christ (chapter 2:2, 3).

Colossians 1:11

Colossians 1:11. When used as distinguishing terms, might means strength or ability, and power means dominion or authority to use that ability. All authority in heaven and earth was given to Christ (Matthew 28:18), and He gives his disciples the right to operate under that power; this is what will strengthen them in the service. The special meaning of patience in this passage is endurance or perseverance, and longsuffering refers to the un-resentful attitude of one’s mind while under difficulties.

Colossians 1:12

Colossians 1:12. Thayer defines the original for meet, “to make sufficient, render fit.” No human being can ever be worthy of the salvation provided by the Lord, if measured by the strict rule of justice. But He has made it possible for the faithful disciples to be “sufficient” or entitled to it through the merits of Christ. The passage in Romans 3:24-26 should be considered in connection with our verse. It should be understood that no man will ever enter into eternal reward unless he has a right to it (Revelation 22:14), but he may obtain that right through Jesus. Saints in light means those who have fashioned their lives after the light of divine truth as revealed in the Gospel.

Colossians 1:13

Colossians 1:13. Power means authority or rule, and darkness is explained by Thayer as “ignorance respecting divine things and human duties.” It applies to all who have renounced their interest in things of the world and taken the proper steps to get out of such a situation. Our verse, continuing the thought in the preceding one, tells us that it is the Father who can deliver men from such a state of darkness. Translate signifies to move something from one place or condition into another, and Paul tells us that the disciples had been translated (moved) into the kingdom of his dear Son. It is impossible to move a person into anything that does not exist. Therefore, the kingdom of Christ was in existence when Paul lived, thus disproving the heresy that the kingdom is still in the future.

Colossians 1:14

Colossians 1:14. The pronoun whom refers to the Son, whose blood redeems men from the bondage of “darkness” as stated in the preceding verse. No man is free from the bondage of sin until something is done that can satisfy God, against whom all sin is regarded as being committed. That satisfaction can be accomplished only through the merits of the blood of Christ. When a sinner “obeys from the heart” (Romans 6:17) the doctrine or commandments of the Gospel, he is “then made free from sin,” which is what our present verse declares.

Colossians 1:15

Colossians 1:15. No man can see the face of God and live (Exodus 33:18-23), yet he needed to be shown how to conduct himself. The situation was met by having Christ come into the world in the nature of man, hut in the form or image of God. That is why Paul calls Christ the image of the invisible God. Firstborn of every creature means that Christ existed before all other persons or things in all creation. That enabled Him to take part with the Father in the creaiton of the universe, and it accounts for the plural form of the pronoun (us) in Genesis 1:26 Genesis 3:22 Genesis 11:7. (See also John 1:3; Ephesians 3:9; Hebrews 1:2).

Colossians 1:16

Colossians 1:16. The existence of Christ before all other things in the universe (God, of course, being excepted) is still the subject under consideration. Paul is dealing thus particularly with this matter because of the pretensions of philosophy that were being injected into the Colossian community. (See the comments in “general remarks.”) This verse is more specific, mentioning things both material and spiritual, and both visible (to man) and invisible.

Colossians 1:17

Colossians 1:17. Before is used in the sense of time or order of existence, and it denotes that Christ existed before anything else in the universe of creation. Consist is the same as “exist,” and it means that all things were created through Him, but also they continue to be through Him. This is the same thought that is expressed in Hebrews 1:3 which says of Christ, “and upholding all things by the word of his power.”

Colossians 1:18

Colossians 1:18. The church is declared to be the body, which is taught also in Ephesians 1:22-23. In Ephesians 4:4 Paul declares there is one body, so that is equivalent to saying there is one church; our present verse says Christ is the head of that one church. All of this is not only scriptural, but is logical or reasonable. A body with more than one head in nature would be a monstrosity, likewise a head with more than one body would be one. Hence it is easy to understand that since there is but one Christ (which is admitted by all professed Christians), there can be but one church recognized by the Lord.

Who is the beginning. This is true of Christ in many respects, but here it means he is the beginning of the new creation or age of the one body. Firstborn front the dead does not mean Jesus was the first person to die and rise again, for there are numerous cases in the Bible where it occurred before the time of Christ. It means He was the first person to come to life never to die again. (See Romans 6:9.) The chief purpose of making Christ to be the first person to come from the dead never to die again, was that He might have the preeminence. That means to be above all other persons who would go through death and rise to die no more, in that He was the first to have that honor.

Colossians 1:19

Colossians 1:19. The word fulness means that nothing is lacking in Christ that is necessary for the spiritual welfare of mankind. The Father is not in the Greek text directly, but is of necessity implied. This “preeminence” of Christ was accomplished through His resurrection, and that event was made possible by the Father. (see Acts 2:24 Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:15.)

Colossians 1:20

Colossians 1:20. Made peace pertains to the satisfaction which Christ gave his Father by shedding His blood on the cross. In other words, such a supreme sacrifice was enough to answer the demands of God, and that opened up the way so that the Son could bring about reconciliation between God and the forces arrayed against Him. Or things in heaven would necessarily be the good angels, since an angel who sins is cast out (2 Peter 2:4). Good angels, however, have never offended God, and hence they do not need reconciliation in the strict sense of the word. But they are called upon to recognize Christ as King and spiritual Ruler through the centuries of the final dispensation. In this way they are a part of the body of Christ, and thus participate in the grand plan of reconciliation through Christ. (See Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 1:6; Philippians 2:9; Revelation 5:13.)

Colossians 1:21

Colossians 1:21. Alienated is from APALLO-TRIOO, which Thayer defines, “to be shut out from one’s fellowship and intimacy.” Paul tells the Colossians they were once in that condition with God, but that it was caused by their own wicked works. Such a state of mind and conduct rendered them the enemies of God.

Colossians 1:22

Colossians 1:22. The condition of enmity mentioned in the preceding versa was overcome (reconciled) by the fleshy body of Christ. This work of reconciliation was accomplished through death, thereby making the “supreme sacrifice” that took the place of all those offered under the Jewish law (Hebrews 10:1-9). This great plan made it possible for Christ to present his followers unblameable and unre-bukeable in His (God’s) sight. Not that men can become “as sinless as angels,” but the blame will be removed by the blood of Christ, so that when they are presented to the Father, there will be nothing for which He will reprove them.

Colossians 1:23

Colossians 1:23. The blessings promised in the preceding verses are based upon an important if, which Is that they must continue in the faith. This requires that they be grounded and settled, which means to be fired in their determination to serve Christ, and hence are steadfast in their service to Him. Such a life will prevent them from being moved away from the hope of the Gospel which they had heard. The Colossians were not the only ones who had heard the Gcod News, for it ‘was preached to every creature which is under heaven. This fact fulfilled the commission that Christ gave his apostles in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16, and it is also declared to have been accom-plished in Romans 10:18.

This teaching refutes those who quote the “great commission” and apply it to preachers of the Gospel in our day. No uninspired man can “preach the Gospel to every creature,” for there are too many languages in the world.

Colossians 1:24

Colossians 1:24. The afflictions which Christ personally suffered were complete so that God was satisfied (Isaiah 53:10-11), hence this verse does not mean there was anything behind on His part. But Christians are expected to have fellowship with Jesus in his sufferings (Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Peter 4:1), and if Paul had shrunk from suffering for the sake of Christ, then he would have been the one to be behind as to his duty. But in undergoing tribulation in service to the brethren, he would be credited with doing so on behalf of Christ, since the church is His body. This great truth caused Paul to “rejoice in my sufferings for you.”

Colossians 1:25

Colossians 1:25. Paul calls himself a minister because the word means a servant, whose duty it is to administer the affairs of his master. Such ministra-tion is to be done according to the directions of the master. God had commissioned Paul to dispense (dispensation) His word by preaching (or writing) it to the Colossians and to all others where opportunity appeared.

Colossians 1:26

Colossians 1:26. A mystery is anything unknown, regardless of whether it is complicated or simple in its form. The mystery Paul is referring to had been kept back from ages and from generations. Not that the Old Testament writers were entirely silent on the subject, but it was couched in prophetic passages to such extent that the New Testament preachers had to explain the subject in light of the Gospel. (See the following verse.)

Colossians 1:27

Colossians 1:27. The pronoun ‘whom refers to the “saints” in the preceding verse. All Christians are saints, but the ones to whom the mystery was to be directly made known were the inspired preachers and writers of the New Testament. After such revelation was made known, others would also be able to understand it. That is why Paul writes in Ephesians 3:4, “when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.” The particular part of the great mystery was that which pertained to the Gentiles, namely, that they were to be given the same privileges as the Jews. Of course this is to be enjoyed through Christ (not Moses), and it is in you (the Gentiles), extending to them the hope of glory. For centuries the Jews overlooked the predictions of the Old Testament, which pointed to the final acceptance of the Gentiles.

Colossians 1:28

Colossians 1:28. Whom refers to Christ who is the subject of Paul’s preaching. Warning is from , which Thayer defines, “to admonish, warn, exhort.” It has a somewhat milder meaning than it generally has, and signifies an earnest piece of advice to accept Christ (in the place of Moses), as the lawgiver who is in authority now. Teaching every one. It would not be of much use to exhort people to follow Christ unless they know what Christ wishes them to do, hence Paul states he is teaching them. In all wisdom means the instructions that the Holy Spirit would impart unto the apostle.

Perfect means complete or rounded out in knowledge of divine things. By giving full information to them concerning the Gospel for the Gentiles (which was not fully known before), they would have their knowledge advanced as perfect (complete) in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:29

Colossians 1:29. Whereunto denotes the purpose to whch Paul was laboring, as described in the preceding verse. Striving is from , and the lexicon of Thayer defines it, “To enter a contest; contend in the gymnastic games; to contend with adversaries, fight; to contend, struggle with difficulties and dangers; to endeavor with strenuous zeal, strive.” Paul uses the athletic contests of his day to illustrate the struggles connected with his labors for Christ and his disciples. His working refers to the use that Christ was making cf the apostle in the great conflict against sin. Mightily is frcm DUNAMIS, which is one of the strongest words in the Greek New Testament for power or ability. Paul uses it to indicate the help his Trainer is giving him in the contest going on in the arena of life.