Colossians 2:7

rooted A perfect participle. It recurs Ephesians 3:17, the only other place in which St Paul uses precisely this metaphor, which combines the thought of fixity with that of derived and developing life from a genial source. There, as here, the metaphor of building(more frequent with St Paul) appears, in the Greek, beside this other.

built up See the last remark. The Greek is a present participle, to be expressed in (not quite classical) English by, being built up. See for a close parallel Ephesians 2:22; and cp. Colossians 1:23 above. The compound verb here gives the thought of building upon, and the reference might be taken to be to Christ as the Foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11). But the phrase " in Him" just below suggests here another of the many sides of His relation to the "building"; and leads us to explain this of the internal "building up" of the community as new members join it and cohere with it; and also of the individual, as layers (so to speak) of experience and spiritual character accrue in his life and walk. The presentparticiple is thus clearly suitable.

in Him as He is the "Stone of the angle" (Ephesians 2:20) "in" which the converging lines of structure hold together. Cp. Colossians 1:17. But this imagery must not be pressed too far, for " in Him" relates here to "rooted" as well as "built up."

stablished Again a present participle.

in the faith Omit "in," and render, with Lightfoot, and R.V. margin, by your faith. Their faith, their submissive personal reliance on their Lord, would "strike their rootdownward" and compact their spiritual structure;and so it would make them continuously more stable. "Faith is, as it were, the cement of the building" (Lightfoot).

as ye have been taught Better, as ye were taught, when Epaphras evangelized them. Then they learnt Whomto believe in, and howto believe in Him, for righteousness and life.

abounding A favourite word with St Paul. It occurs five times in Philippians. Nothing short of spiritual wealth, and its full employment, ever satisfies him.

therein In your faith, regarded as "the sphere" of the sense of "abundance." Loyal reliance on the all-sufficient Christ was to be largely, fully, exercised.

with thanksgiving Lit., " in thanksgiving." Thanksgiving was to attend, to surround, this large exercise of faith. It would do so as a matter of reason;for the possession of such an Object of faith was indeed ground enough for holy gratitude. And it would do so also as a matter of experience;for there is no surer secret for a glad thankfulness than full habitual reliance on the Christ of God.

"The words [" thankful, give thanks, thanksgiving"] occur in St Paul's writings alone of the apostolic Epistles. In this Epistle especially the duty of thanksgiving assumes a peculiar prominence by being made a refrain, as here and in Colossians 3:15; Colossians 3:17; Colossians 4:2; see also Colossians 1:12 " (Lightfoot).