Verse by Verse

⁴ Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

⁵ For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

⁶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

this I say (v.4) — verses 1-3

beguile (v.4) — deceive by false reasoning

enticing words (v.4) — speech adapted to persuade

order (v.5) — a military term, used for disciplined soldiers

in the spirit (v.5) — Paul’s spirit

steadfastness (v.5) — a military term for a solid front

Paul was in prison when he wrote Colossians, chained to Roman soldiers at all times. No doubt that, in part, explains why he used so many military terms.

as … so (v.6) — by faith, and with the same doctrine

received (v.6) = received by instruction — the doctrines they were taught regarding Christ

Christ Jesus the Lord (v.6) — should be “the Christ Jesus the Lord” — His person, not just the gospel

rooted (v.7) — tense indicates a “once-for-all” experience

built-up (v.7) — tense indicates an ongoing process

in Him (v.7) — not upon Him — He is the sphere within which the building occurs (Ephesians 2:20).

established (v.7) = being made firm — tense indicates an ongoing process

abounding (v.7) — overflowing

spoil (v.8) — another military term — taking a captive in war for slavery

philosophy (v.8) = love of wisdom — speculations, particularly about God

vain (v.8) = empty, futile, to no purpose

rudiments (v8) — can mean “elemental spirits” and may be Paul’s warning against angel worship

1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

conflict (v.1) = strife, strenuous activity, agony

for (v.1 – 3x) = on behalf of

knit together (v.2) — the Greek word includes an aspect of instruction

love (v.2) — agape

knowledge (v.2) = deep, full knowledge, true knowledge

the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ (v.2) — “both of the Father” isn’t in most manuscripts. It should probably read “the mystery of God, which is Christ.”

in whom (v.3) — Christ

Paul is countering the Gnostics here. His point is that all searching for wisdom and knowledge outside of Christ is doomed to fail. (See v.4)

The two thoughts contained in this statement [v.3] are: (1) all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ, and (2) they are in Him in hidden fashion. The false teachers claimed to have a higher knowledge than that possessed by ordinary believers. Paul, against this, argues that all wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. The term “hidden” does not mean that they are concealed, but rather are laid up or stored away as a treasure. The treasure is accessible to and available for every believer. — Vaughan, page 66.

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Wisdom and knowledge are the very treasures. The word knowledge is here gnosis, not epignosis: for the simple form adequately describes that which belongs to God, and is not a matter of attainment, as of that epignosis to which we seek to attain. Knowledge is the mental possession of powers of perceiving objects, wisdom is the power of right reasoning concerning them and forming right decisions accordingly. — Vine, page 349.

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This deals with the glorious all sufficiency of the finished work of Christ: what it has done for us; how it reconciles us to God in one Body; and baptizes us into Christ and into each other, as it were. For “by one Spirit” has He “baptized” all believers into “one Body.” And how it gives us a position in the heavenlies in Christ, there to be blessed with all spiritual blessings. Oh, the apostle exclaims, I pray that you might know this, the great Mystery of God — Christ.  — Stam, page 124.

²⁷ To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

²⁸ Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Him (v.28) — Paul preached the person of Christ Jesus, not a religious system

we (v.28 — 1st usage) — emphatic — perhaps to distinguish himself from the Gnostics

warning (v.28) — about things that are wrong and untrue

teaching (v.28) — about things that are true

every man (v.28 — 3x) — Again, to distinguish himself from the Gnostics who believed the truth was available only to a select few.

perfect (v.28) — mature, complete (Colossians 2:10)

labor (v.29) = wearisome toil — from the same root as “agonize”

working (v.29) = energy

In Colossians 1:27-28, speaking of “this Mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of glory,” he says, “Whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom THAT WE MAY PRESENT EVERY MAN PERFECT [FULL GROWN] IN CHRIST JESUS.”

Note that the long hidden purpose of God, called the “Mystery,” here in Colossians 1:27, centers wholly in Christ. ALL is Christ. Verse 27, “This Mystery among the Gentiles; which is CHRIST in you, the hope of glory.” Verse 28, “HIM WE PREACH … that we may present every man perfect IN CHRIST.” It is no mere coincidence that the very epistles which deal with the Mystery are filled with such expressions as “in Christ,” “in Him,” in Whom,” “With Christ,” “By Christ,” “With Him,” “By Him.” ALL is Christ, and today you are either “Complete in Him” or completely outside of Him. — Stam, page 114.

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Notice a significant phrase in this portion of Colossians: “The full assurance of understanding.”

It is wonderful to have the “full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

It is more wonderful to have the “full assurance of hope” (Hebrews 6:11).

It is most wonderful to have the “full assurance of understanding” (Colossians 2:2).

This goes with “the acknowledgment [Gr. epignosis, full knowledge] of the Mystery.” When men are established in this truth they are no longer “children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” They have an intelligent understanding of “[God’s] own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” They have the full assurance of faith, which comes with spiritual maturity.

We quote again Colossians 2:2-3: “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

The Mystery among the Gentiles is — Christ. The Mystery of God is — Christ. It is not the world being blessed through Israel, Abraham’s seed; but the world being blessed through Christ, though Israel had failed.

It is not the message of Acts 2:36-39 and Acts 3:18-26, but the message of Romans 11:25, 32 and Ephesians 2:16. — Stam, pages 116-117.

²⁴ I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,

²⁵ of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

now (v.24) — transitional (“therefore”) and temporal (Paul was writing of his current condition)

rejoice in (v.24) = “in the midst of” — not “because of”

sufferings (v.24) — Paul was in prison

for (v.24) = in the interest of

fill up (v.24) = in the process of filling up

“The afflictions of Christ” here do not refer to His expiatory sufferings on the Cross, but to His sufferings endured in His humiliation prior to that event, sufferings for righteousness’ sake, sufferings incurred through exhausting service, heart-sufferings due to the opposition of sinners, sufferings which were the result of persecution; and for two reasons, first, because the atonement was a finished work, and second, because the word for “sufferings” here, thlipsis, is never used of the vicarious sufferings of the Lord Jesus. These sufferings, incurred during His earthly ministry, were necessarily curtailed by reason of His limited life on earth, and needed to be continued in His servants if the work of preaching the Word was to be carried on. Thus, all the saints down the ages are partakers of these sufferings when they are faithful to the obligation they have of preaching the Word. — Wuest, pages 191-192.

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We must remember the Spirit-inspired words of Paul: “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).

But what have our sufferings, great or small, to do with the Mystery revealed to Paul? Let us see. Paul wrote to the Colossians believers: “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which behind [or, still remains] of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body’s sake, which is the Church” (Colossians 1:24).

Surely the apostle did not mean to imply here that the redemptive work of Christ had not been completed. This passage can only be explained by the Mystery — which indeed is the subject here (See verses 25-27).

It was when the stage was all set, as it were, for the return of Christ to judge and reign, that the rejected Lord revealed to Paul the secret of His eternal purpose and grace. According to this purpose the Lord would remain away for a time, in grace offering reconciliation to His enemies.

Thus He remains to this day a Royal Exile, still despised and blasphemed in every city. But who bears the sufferings of His continued rejection? He is now forever blessed. His sufferings are over. It is we who, like Paul, stand before the world “in Christ’s stead,” bearing His reproach, yet offering men grace and peace through His finished work. We fill up that which still remains of His afflictions as the rejected Son of God.

Little wonder the apostle says it is given to us, as a privilege, to suffer for Him. It was, of course, also a privilege for the Messianic believers to suffer for their rejected King, and they counted it so (Acts 5:41), but ours is in a special sense His suffering and the spiritual believer in this dispensation of Grace will pray with Paul: “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Philippians 3:10). — Stam, pages 108-109.

minister (v.25) = one who serves

stewardship (v.25) = dispensation, management of a household

fulfill the word of God (v.25) — make it fully known (Romans 15:19)

mystery (v.26) — formerly hidden, now made known by, and only by, divine revelation — not “mysterious”

¹⁸ He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

¹⁹ For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,

He (v.18 — all uses) — emphatic “He and no other”

head (v.18) — And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:22-23).

beginning (v.18) — creative initiative, source, origin

first-born (v.18) — here, primarily precedence in time (in other places, and somewhat here, it indicates supremacy in rank). He was the first to rise from the dead into true resurrected life (not to die again). He was the first to rise of His own power.

In the words, “the firstborn of the dead,” Paul shows how Christ is the beginning of the new spiritual life in the Church, by His resurrection. He comes forth from among the dead as the first-born issues from the womb. Compare Acts 2:24, “having loosed the pains of death” where the Greek is odinas, “birth-throes.” — Wuest, page 186.

so that (v.18) — By His resurrection, He entered a wider and more significant sovereignty. Who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:4).

The contrast in verbs must not be overlooked. Christ is first in reference to all creation (v.17); His resurrection made it possible for Him to become first with respect to the church (cf. Philippians 2:9-11). What He “is” eternally to finite existence at large, He “becomes” actually to His new creation in His finished and victorious sacrifice and risen life. — Vaughan, page42

everything (v.18) — in the Greek, all inclusive — all things

It is significant that Paul says “all” the fullness dwells in Christ. The Gnostic heretics parceled out deity among the many spirit beings which they thought of as filling the space between God and the world. They looked upon these powers as intermediaries and taught that any communication between God and the world had to pass through them. They probably included Christ among these supernatural powers, admitting that He was of heavenly origin and that God was in some sense present in Him. He was, however, only one aspect of the divine nature and in Himself was not sufficient for all the needs of men. Paul, in contrast, declares that deity is not distributed among a hierarchy of powers; Christ is not just one of many divine beings. He is the one mediator between God and the world; and all, not part, of the attributes and activities of God are centered in Him. — Vaughan, pages 44-45.

the Father (v.19) — not in the original. The context indicates “God,” which includes the whole Trinity.

fullness (v.19) — the sum total of the divine power and attributes

dwell (v.19) — permanent residence

¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

¹⁶ For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.

¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Paul, in these verses, is countering the Gnostics’ denial of the deity of Christ.

image (v.15) = exact likeness (Hebrews 1:3) and manifestation — The nature and being of God are perfectly revealed in Christ. — Christ is God in bodily form (Colossians 2:9).

firstborn (v.15) — priority in time and supremacy in rank — not that He was the first created being but that He is before and above all creation.

for (v.16 – first use) = because

by Him (v.16) — within the sphere of His personality — His creative will and energy

all things (v.16) = “the all things” — the entire universe of things

were created (v.16) — tense indicates a definite act at a particular time

in the heavens and on earth (v.16) — everywhere

visible and invisible (v.16) — everything material and immaterial — everything, as seen from the human point of view

The words “thrones, dominions, principalities and powers” refer to both holy and fallen angels, to demons and man. The passage is aimed at the angel-worship of the Colossians; showing that while they have been discussing the various grades of angels which fill the space between God and men, and depending on them as media of communion with God, they have degraded Christ who is above them all , and is the sole mediator. — Wuest, page 184.

have been created (v.16) — tense indicates a result — “stand created” as an abiding state

through Him (v.16) = by means of Him, by His agency

for Him (v.16) = unto Him — all things depend on Him and serve Him

He (v.17) — emphatic

He is (v.17) — timeless present, apart from time

consist (v.17) = hold together (Hebrews 1:3)

¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul lists four things for which we should be thankful:

1. We are made partakers of the inheritance of the saints (v.12)

2. We are delivered from the power of darkness (v.13)

3. We are translated into the kingdom of the Son (v.13)

4. We are redeemed (v.14)

qualified (v.12) = fit, sufficient, competent — In ourselves, we have no fitness to be partakers of the inheritance. The tense indicates a one-time event, not a process.

inheritance (v.12) — and, therefore, not earned or merited but conferred upon us based on a relationship

light (v.12) — heavenly, contrasted with darkness (v.13)

delivered (v.13) = rescued, liberated

power (v.13) = authority, right to act

darkness (v.13) — ignorance, falsehood, sin — with the idea of tyranny

conveyed (v.13) = translated, removed from one country and established as a colonist and citizen of another country — again, a one-time event

kingdom (v.13) = Christ’s sovereign rule

the Son of His love (v.13) — Christ partakes of and manifests the Father’s love

in whom (v.14) — Our redemption and forgiveness are due to our union with Christ.

redemption (v.14) = release from captivity or slavery by the payment of a price, ransom

forgiveness (v.14) = a sending away — the removal of our sins — the central feature of our redemption

through His blood (v.14) — not in the best manuscripts, but the idea is included in Ephesians 1:7

¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

walk (v.10) = the outward expression of life

walk worthy (v.10) — a result of knowing God’s will — God reveals His will so we can walk worthy of Him. — commensurate with what He’s done for us and in us and in conformity with our union with Him — lit. “having the weight of, worth as much as”

fully pleasing Him (v.10) — The Greek word for “pleasing” suggests an attitude of mind which anticipates every wish. In classical Greek it had a bad connotation, denoting a cringing and subservient habit, ready to do anything to please a patron; not only to meet but to anticipate his most trivial wishes. But when transferred to the believer’s relations to his Lord, the word at once rises by its associations. To do anything to meet, to anticipate His wishes is not only the most beneficial but the most absolutely right thing we could do. It is His eternal due; it is at the same time the surest path to our own highest development and gain. — Vaughan, page 30.

being fruitful (v.10), increasing (v.10), strengthened (v.11) and giving thanks (v.12) all grammatically modify “walk” (v.10).

being fruitful (v.10) — present tense, continuous action. Paul always stresses good works as a fruit of a right relationship with God, not a prerequisite.

increasing (v.10) — continuous action

in the knowledge of God (v.10) — might mean “in,” indicating that knowledge is the sphere in which growth takes place, but it’s more likely that it means “by,” indicating that knowledge is the means of growth

strengthened (v.11) — continuous action — a life worthy of the Lord is not meant to be lived on our own power

according to (v.11) = according to the measure of, on the scale of — The strength God gives us isn’t based on our need but on His power.

power (v.11) — God’s revelation of Himself to us is the source of our power.

“Patience” is hupomone, “longsuffering,” makrothumis. Makrothumia will be found to express patience in respect of persons, hupomone, in respect of things. The man makrothumei, who having to do with injurious persons, does not suffer himself easily to be provoked by them, or to blaze up in anger (2 Timothy 4:2). The man hupomone, who under a great siege of trials, bears up, and does not lose heart or courage (Romans 5:3; 2 Corinthians 1:6).

Hupomone does not mark merely endurance, or even patience, but the perseverance, the brave patience with which the Christian contends against the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him in his conflict with the inward and outward world. In brief, makrothumia is patience exhibited under ill-treatment by persons, hupomone, patience shown under trials, difficulties, hardships.

This patience and longsuffering is to be accompanied with joyfulness. It (joyfulness) forms a very necessary addition, for the peculiar danger of the exercise of those qualities is that it tends to produce a certain gloominess or sourness of disposition. The remedy is that the Christian should be so filled with joy that he is able to meet all his trials with a buoyant sense of mastery. — Wuest, pages 178-179.