Colossians 2:3

ἐν ᾧ; cf. Colossians 1:14; Colossians 2:11-12. The antecedent is Χριστοῦ.

εἰσὶν. Its position indicates that it is not a mere copula to ἀποκρυφοί, “are hid,” but is here a substantive verb almost our “lie,” to which ἀποκρυφοί is afterwards added as a secondary predicate; vide infra, and compare Colossians 3:1, note.

πάντες. Here with the article, contrast Colossians 2:2. Not merely all as needed or to suit each circumstance, but all in their totality. There is no wisdom, etc., apart from Christ, and in Him there is all.

οἱ θησαυροὶ. For the metaphorical use of θησαυρός in connexion with σοφία, etc., see esp. Proverbs 2:3-5. Also Sir 1:25 (26), ἐν θησαυροῖς σοφίας παραβολὴ ἐπιστήμης (Heb. not recovered).

Here the word is probably suggested by πλοῦτος in Colossians 2:2. “Conviction,” however great its “wealth” may be, is only one of the many θησαυροί. On Enoch, § 46. 3, see below s.v. ἀπόκρυφοι.

τῆς σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως. Genitives of apposition, indicating wherein the treasures consist. Observe that the one article shows that they are regarded as sub-divisions of one faculty.

On σοφία cf. Colossians 1:9, note.

As regards the two words, γνῶσις is the perception and apprehension of external objects, σοφία the power of forming right decisions concerning them. “While γνῶσις is simply intuitive, σοφία is ratiocinative also. While γνῶσις applies chiefly to the apprehension of truths, σοφία superadds the power of reasoning about them and tracing their relations” (Lightfoot).

Observe that thus σοφία bears relation to τῆς συνέσεως in Colossians 2:2, as does, of course, γνῶσις to ἐπίγνωσιν also there.

They are regarded as possibilities for man to find and exercise. See further under ἀπόκρυφοι.

ἀπόκρυφοι, Mark 4:22 || Luke 8:17†, “hid.” (1) Even if it is possible, with Bengel, supported by Meyer and Alford, to take this as attributive to θησαυροί in spite of the absence of the article, such an interpretation is opposed to N.T. practice, which uses the article very carefully. It is also more forcible to take it predicatively, or, rather, as a secondary predicate to εἰσίν … “In whom lie all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid.” For other exx., cf. Colossians 2:10; Colossians 3:1.

ἀπόκρυφος regards a thing as out of sight but quite possible to be found.

(2) It is used several times of treasure or its equivalent: Isaiah 45:3; Daniel 11:43 (Theod.); 1Ma 1:23; cf. Proverbs 2:4, Sym. and Theod. So also Aquila seems to understand Ezekiel 7:22 of the Temple treasury, καὶ μιανοῦσι τὸν�.

So says St Paul here. In Christ are treasures—all the treasures—but they do not lie on the surface, so to speak, and therefore are not perceived by the false teachers; they are hid, to be found only by those who seek earnestly for them.
(3) It has been supposed, especially by Lightfoot (whose note by all means see), that ἀπόκρυφοι here contains an allusion to the esoteric teaching of the false teachers, or perhaps even to their esoteric writings. This is possible but very far from certain. It is worth noticing that there appears to be no evidence at present discovered that ἀπόκρυφος was used of esoteric teaching or writings as early as the date of this Epistle, though undoubtedly it was employed in that sense (at least with reference to writings) by the Gnostic and later teachers. Enoch, xlvi. 3, “The Son of Man … who reveals all the treasures of that which is hidden” (Greek not recovered), is interesting as suggesting that Messiah will reveal treasures, but comes very far short of saying with our passage that they are in Him. It seems to resemble more closely the Samaritan expectation of Messiah discovering to His followers the sacred vessels of the Tabernacle.