Colossians 2:3

In whom: this may relate eitter to the Divine mystery, wherein are in abundance all necessary doctrines to consolation and salvation stored up, respecting the foregoing verse; compare 1 Corinthians 2:7 Ephesians 3:3,4; in opposition to the vain show of wisdom seducers did boast of; or, (as the most ancient and modern take it), to Christ, the immediate antecedent: in whom, (as we render it), i.e. in Christ, considered either:

1. As the object, which being rightly known, we may have all wisdom and perfect knowledge to salvation: he speaks not here of all that Christ knoweth, he reveals not all that in the gospel to us, but what we must know of him that we may be saved. Or:

2. As the subject, because all the treasures of wisdom in order to salvation, are not only known and found out in Christ, but also are hid, do dwell and abide in him as the fountain, what he can give to us for our consolation and perfection. It had been little pertinent for Paul to have said that all these deep things of God \1 Corinthians 2:10\ were known to our Lord; but that they are found in him, do dwell in him, are all stored up, displayed, and set forth in him, to be seen through the veil, that is to say his flesh, Hebrews 10:20, or the infirmity of his cross. The series of the apostle's discourse, comparing Colossians 2:8,9, shows it to be thus understood of Christ as the subject and fountain of all saving wisdom, in opposition to the comments of human wisdom which the false doctors did boast of. Continuing the metaphor, he shows from what fund the treasures of saving knowledge may be drawn: by treasures intimating the excellency and abundance thereof; there was some store in the tabernacle of Moses, but very small compared to the abundance certainly to be found in Christ, all else of no worth to the excellency of the knowledge of Christ for consolation, Colossians 2:2 Philippians 3:8: things to be believed and practised are, by way of eminency, Christian wisdom and knowledge. The treasures of which, how and when hid, is to be well considered, because in our translation, and in almost all others, the Greek word we render hid is by trajection put next to the relative whom, whereas it is indeed in the original the last word in the verse, and seems to be expressive rather of what was hid before Christ than what is hid in him. For, as a learned man saith, hidden treasures, as such, seem to be like hidden music, of no regard; or like the hidden talent, Luke 19:20. It not being so easy to think that the apostle in this Epistle teaches, that the secrets which had lain hid from the wise men of the world in the ages past, now were made bare, brought into light, and made known even to babes by Christ, Colossians 1:26,27, with Luke 10:21; and having just before, Colossians 2:2, spoken of the understanding and acknowledgment of the mystery of the Father and the Son, what should the riches of glory to the knowledge of the mystery be, but the treasures of wisdom now revealed, heretofore hid, of which continuedly a little after he says that all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily, i.e. personally, not in a shadow, as it were hid in a cloud, but in flesh that may be really seen and touched? So that it shonld seem best to retain hid as it is placed in the Greek, to this sense; q.d. In Christ are, and dwell in the greatest fulness, all the treasures of wisdom, hid under the law, which are therefore called a mystery, secret, or hidden thing from ages and generations, Colossians 1:26,27, now made manifest to his saints, they are now not hid in Christ, but made known amongst the Gentiles as God willed. Not then hidden riches, i.e. treasures of wisdom and knowledge of this mystery as of hid treasure, but out of Christ, and before Christ amongst the Jews: for Christ himself is that mystery Colossians 4:3, not hid after his appearance, but manifested, and manifesting the Father, 1 Thessalonians 1:18. However, if any will rather choose to read, as if in Christ were at present hid all treasures, it is to be understood, stored up, not exposed to the view of every eye, being as in a rich cabinet, not to keep them from being known to men, but rather to make them more precious and desirable. For Christ came when sent of his Father to spread this heavenly wealth. He is the Sun of righteousness, 1 Thessalonians 1:9: the unbelieving must thank themselves if, where he is truly preached, he be hid to them, and his arm be revealed but to a few, Isaiah 53:1 2 Corinthians 4:3,4: it is their own blinding that they do not savingly discern what is displayed in Christ. Wherefore both may be true in divers respects:

1. Consider the thing in itself, objectively; so treasures of wisdom are evidently laid up in Jesus Christ, and manifested upon his appearance, 1 Timothy 3:16 Titus 2:11. But:

2. With respect to the eyes and perceptions of men, subjectively, as naturally obscured and corrupted by sin; so natural men, or mere animal men, perceive not in Christ the riches of wisdom and knowledge which are in him as our Mediator, when they look upon him as having no beauty or comeliness for which they should desire him, Isaiah 53:2; he, as crucified, being to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Gentiles foolishness, when he is to those of them who are called, the power of God, and the wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians 1:23,24. The Lutherans inference hence, that omnisciency agrees to Christ's human nature, is altogether inconsequent; both (as before) because the apostle's business here is not to acquaint us what Christ himself knoweth, but what is to be known by us, which may be found treasured up in him. Treasures here in him not being considered absolutely, but comparatively to all the knowledge of men and angels. Yet, from a supposal of an infinite knowledge in Christ, who is God-man in one person, it followeth not that the soul of his human nature knoweth all things.