OPENING GREETING (COLOSSIANS 1:1) ‘Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae.' As usual Paul begins by stating his credentials. He is an Apostle of Christ Jesus. When Jesus was preparing for the futu... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL EXPRESSES HIS APPRECIATION OF THEM (COLOSSIANS 1:3) ‘We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.' ‘We give thanks.' An indication of his confidence in the faith of the Colossians (contrast Galatians and 2 Corinthians). Paul never forgot to express his gratitude to God for all H... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have toward all the saints, because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel.' Paul has heard that they have a sound faith based on faith in Christ Jesus, th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Which is come to you even as it is also in all the world, bearing fruit and increasing, as it does in you also since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth.' This word of truth has borne fruit among them and resulted in their growth as Christians and the drawing of many to Christ, an... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Even as you learned of Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.' Paul rejoiced in the close bond between himself and his fellow-workers. To him they were all beloved. It was clearly Epaphras, sent out... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and to make request for you that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.' Their first prayer was that the Holy Spirit might bring home to them (and to us) the true knowledge... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL'S PRAYER THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE UNDERSTANDING, AND STRENGTH (COLOSSIANS 1:9). Once Paul had learned of their response to Christ he and his fellow-workers had begun to pray for them constantly. Their first prayer was that they might have spiritual wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of His w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘To walk worthily of the Lord, pleasing in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.' Their continuing prayer was further that this would result in a walk that was worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in everything. As His way of humility was brought home to t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Strengthened with all power according to the might of his glory (His glorious might) unto all patience and longsuffering with joy.' The third prayer was that they might experience the mighty strength which would enable them to walk successfully in this way. That they might be strengthened with ‘al... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Giving thanks to the Father who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his beloved Son (the Son of his love), in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.' Here is t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GLORY OF CHRIST (COLOSSIANS 1:15). Paul now brings to their attention the glory of their Redeemer, the One Who created all things and is over all..... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.' ‘Who is the image of the invisible God.' The God of the Jews was invisible and could not be represented by any physical representation in earth or heaven, whether of supernatural being, man or beast (Exodus 20:4). Such represen... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For in (or ‘by') him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or power, all things have been created through him and unto him, and he is before all things and in him all things hold together.' Jesu... [ Continue Reading ]
‘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 pre-eminence.' Not only does the old creation have its being from Him, but also the new creation. He is not only Lord and Head over all things (Ephesians 1:22) but al... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell.' Once more the good pleasure of God comes into account. All things happen according to His good pleasure. And it was His good pleasure that ‘all the fullness' should permanently dwell in Him. The meaning of ‘full... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And through him to reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, through him, I say, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens.' This verse concludes what Colossians 1:16 began. In Colossians 1:16 Paul began with ‘all things' created in the heavens an... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And you, being in time past alienated, and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet now has He reconciled, in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him.' The Colossians, like all men, had been alienated from God, estranged from Him... [ Continue Reading ]
REDEEMED MANKIND MADE PERFECT BEFORE HIM (COLOSSIANS 1:21). Now the general statement is applied to the particular situation. Those who respond will be made complete. There can be no peace-making without final transformation.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘If so be that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven, whereof I Paul was made a minister.' Final perseverance is the test of the genuineness of faith and the resultant salvati... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MYSTERY OF GOD, CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY (COLOSSIANS 1:24) ‘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 whereof I was made a minister.' Paul rejoices that he... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Whereof I was made a minister (diakonos) according to the stewardship of God which was given me towards you, to fulfil the word of God, even the mystery which has been hid from all ages and generations, but now has it been openly revealed to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Whom we proclaim, admonishing every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ.' Christ's work of perfecting His people is largely carried out through the ministry of the word. So here Paul refers to such work carried out by himself and his fellow-wor... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working which works in me mightily (in power).' Paul plays his full part in this work of ministry. ‘Labour' (kopio) means toiling almost to the point of exhaustion. ‘Striving' ('agonizomai), means ‘agonising, putting in great effort' as in an athl... [ Continue Reading ]