Colossians chapter 1
1:2 Grace is used in a number of different ways in the New Testament. It can refer to (1) God's unmerited kindness
on Calvary, which brings about man's salvation (Ephesians 2;8); (2) the state of grace in which the believer stands,
that is, his being in God's favor (Romans 5:2); (3) an unusual blessing produced by divine grace (Ephesians 3:8);
(4) graciousness or attractiveness (4:6); and (5) "grace" can, as here, mean God's "stored-up help" dispensed to
His people in times of need. Peace is also employed in a variety of ways in Scripture: It can signify (1) the opposite
of war (Revelation 6:4); (2) harmony and concord with others (Ephesians 4:3); (3) health and welfare (1 Corinthians
16:11; (4) salvation in that one is at peace with God (Romans 5:1); and (5)as in this verse, "peace" sometimes
denotes tranquility of mind that frees the Christian from fear and anxiety.
1:4 Evidence of a person's faith in Christ Jesus is his love...to all the saints.
1:5 Hope is salvation, as it refers to the object for which is true." Word of the truth of the gospel could be rendered
as "the message of the gospel which is true." This is meant to contradict the Colossian heresy: unlike its false
teaching, or "vain deceit" (2:8), the gospel is true indeed.
1:6 The universal spread and effectiveness of the gospel verify the assertion in verse 5 that is the truth. The
Colossian heresy is merely local; while the gospel has come to the Colossians, it has gone beyond them in all the
world. And it bringeth forth fruit; that is, when embraced by faith, the gospel produces godly character and noble
conduct in its converts.
1:7 Epaphras evangelized the Colossians with the gospel and planted the church in their city. In describing
Epaphras here in such glowing terms as our dear fellow servant and for you a faithful minister of Christ, Paul puts
his apostolic stamp of approval on this saint's life, ministry, and gospel. The implication to the readers" Surely you
will not forsake Epaphras's gospel and pastoral care in exchange for the doctrine of the local heretics, will you?
1:8 Your love in the Spirit (or, your love by the Spirit): that is, the Holy Spirit instilled and nurtured in the Colossian
Christians an affection for others.
1:9 Wisdom is an accurate perception into the true nature of things. Understanding is the skillful application of this
wisdom in practical situations.
1:10 This verse expresses the reason that in verse 9 Paul wants the Colossians to obtain a knowledge for God's
will. It is that they may walk (live) properly and fully please God. In Greek the four explanatory participles of verses
10b-12 spell out and precisely define what a worthy walk entails: the believer is (1) fruitful in every good work,
productive in Christian service; (2) constantly increasing in the knowledge of God, ever coming to know the Lord
better; (3) always "strengthened" with all might," becoming spiritually stronger and stronger; and (4) in the habit of
giving thanks, sincerely expressing gratitude to God in both the pleasant and unpleasant experiences in his life.
1:11 Patience is persevering through problems, trials, tribulations, and so forth. Long-suffering is forbearing the
faults and offenses of others.
1:12 This verse also might be translated "thanking the Father, for He made us fit to share in the salvation belonging
to the saints who are in the light." Light is the ethical condition in which God's children live, namely, that of spiritual
understanding, with its accompanying morality and happiness.
1:13 Darkness is the religious state in which unbelievers exist, namely, that of spiritual ignorance with its attending
immorality and misery.
1:14 Blood reminds the Colossians of the enormous price and sacrifice paid to secure their redemption.
Redemption, then, is achieved by the atonement wrought by Jesus' death. See Ephesians 1:7 for "redemption".
1:15 First-born here signifies two things: (1) Temporal priority. As the first-born child in a family is born before his
brothers and sisters, similarly Christ existed before Creation. He existed before the universe was created. And owing
to the privileges usually given and oldest child, "first-born" also signifies (2) positional priority. The first-born in a
family was customarily position in relation to his brothers and sisters. In like manner Christ as the "first-born"
occupies a position supreme over the universe. Therefore, when Paul declares Christ to be the first-born of every
creature, the apostle does not mean that He is the first person whom God created; Paul instead means that Christ is
earlier than, as well as preeminent in, all creation.
1:16 This verse provides the reason Christ is called the "first-born" in verse 15. Paul's rationale is this: Since by him
were all things created, then (1) Christ must have existed before the universe, and (2) He must be greater than all
He made. Thrones...dominions...principalities...powers all refer to angelic beings (Ephesians 1:21; 3:10). "Thrones"
refer to angels who sit on thrones as rulers; "dominions" refer to domains or kingdoms over which these heavenly
beings reign, "principalities" refer to rulers, and "powers" refer to angelic monarchs who wield regal power. Since
Christ created these various ranks of angels, He is supreme over them. Striking a blow at the Colossian heresy
advocating angel worship (2:18), this text forbids Christians to pay homage to angels or other heavenly beings
created by God.
1:17 By him all things consist: That is, by Him all things are held together; Christ now preserves all that He made in
Creation.
1:18 He is the head of the body means, "He Himself is the Head of the body." The word himself translates the Greek
intensive pronoun signifying that Jesus, rather than any angelic being, is the church's Head (leader). Who is the
beginning (or, "He is the beginning") justifies calling Jesus the Head of the church (verse 18a). Beginning means
"cause," "origin" as in Revelation 3:14. Why then, is He the church's Head? Because He is the "origin" from which
the church comes, or the "cause of her existence; also, because also He is the first-born from the dead, that is, the
first of a new creation--the church--to be resurrected, never to die again. That in all things he might have the pre-
eminence (or, "so that in all things He alone has become preeminent"): Now that Jesus is Head of the church, He
"alone" holds the preeminent position in both the first creation (universe) and in the new creation (the church). Thus
Jesus should hold first place in the believer's life. This occurs when one bows to His authority, obeys His Word,
yields to His Spirit, submits to His church leaders, does His will, and bestows his chief affections on Him.
1:19, 20 For gives two reasons for Jesus' "pre-eminence" (verse 18): (1) All the fullness of deity is in Him. Since He
is fully God, He ought to be preeminent. (2) By Christ's death God reconciles the universe to Himself (verse 20).
1:21 Reconciliation is the act whereby God, through Christ's atonement, brings men who are at odds with Him back
into a peaceful, proper relationship with Himself.
1:22 In the Body of his flesh through death (or, "by His fleshly body through death"): The Colossian heretics may
have argued that Jesus' humanity and death indicate His inferiority to the angelic beings in the universe. Paul turns
this argument against them, showing that His death points to His superiority; for His death is the divine means of
achieving reconciliation to God. To present you holy...in his sight (or, "to bring you holy...into His presence"): This
expresses the ultimate purpose of reconciliation: it is to eventually usher the believer, made perfectly holy, into the
heavenly presence of God.
1:23 If ye continue in the faith (or, "since you will persevere in the faith"): the Colossians' future entrance into God's
heavenly presence depends on whether they remain in the Christian faith. The words "since you will persevere"
indicate that they will remain loyal to Christ. Perseverance in the Christian's faith is a test of the reality of one's trust
in Christ. This verse implies that true believers will persevere.
1:24 The afflictions of Christ: Since Paul is a member of the body of Christ, the Lord Himself suffers when His
apostle suffers. These afflictions are more Christ's than Paul's. Rather than detracting from his ministry, Paul's
afflictions actually enhanced it, as they exist for his body's sake, which is the church.
1:25 The expression according to the dispensation of God might be rendered "because of the divine assignment."
Paul was a minister or servant to the church because of the divine assignment given him. That assignment was to
fulfill the word of God, that is, to preach the gospel over a wide geographical area, winning converts to Christianity.
The Greek word translated here as "fulfill" is rendered in Romans 15:19 as "fully preached."
1:26 Mystery is divine truth which, because it is too profound for man to discover and comprehend without help, was
previously unknown but is now disclosed to man by God through His apostles and prophets.
1:27 The specific mystery here is Christ in you. It was not secret in the Old Testament that Gentiles would be saved;
but that Christ would dwell in Gentile converts was unknown at that time. In further explaining this mystery Paul
equates "Christ in you" with the hope of glory. "Hope" means "certainty of the future," that is, for a Christian it is the
joyful and confident expectation of salvation. "Glory" here refers to the glorious state to be enjoyed by the believer
in heaven. Thus, the hope of glory refers tot he certainty of heaven. That Christ's life, character, virtues, values,
thoughts, attitudes, and deeds, are present in a Christian is evidence that he is headed toward glory (heaven).
Colossians chapter 2
2:2 This verse could also be translated: “That their minds may be strengthened by being lovingly instructed, and so
obtain all the wealth of assurance that comes from (proper spiritual) understanding, more precisely, to obtain a
mature knowledge of God’s mystery about Christ.” The Colossians’ “minds” need to be “instructed” in the truth to
safeguard them against the circulating heresy.
2:3 Hid does not mean unknown. For not all these treasures of wisdom and knowledge are unknown to man, as 1:26
clearly shows. “Hid” signifies “laid up,” “stored away,” or “reserved.” Christ, then, is the source from which all wisdom
and knowledge come.
2:4 Beguile means “deceive.”
2:6 The verse may be paraphrased thus: “Therefore, just as you accepted the teaching that presents Jesus as both
Messiah and Lord, so continue to maintain this relationship with Him.” The recipients had been taught that Jesus is
(1) Messiah (the One divinely anointed to secure man’s salvation), and (2) Lord (the divine person to whom man
submits in obedience). The heretics denied Jesus’ atoning death and lordship. So the Colossians are urged to keep
Him just as they were initially taught—as Messiah and Lord. They are to continue to look to Him for salvation and
continue in submission to His authority.
2:8 Spoil could also be rendered, “carry you away from the truth by false teaching.” Rudiments of the world are
elementary religious teachings coming from the world system. The Greek grammar suggests that the particular
philosophy in view here is vain deceit. Not all philosophy, then, is bad; when presented in a God-centered way, it
can be helpful to believers.
2:9 For verifies the assertion in verse 8 that the heretics’ “philosophy” is in accord with the tradition of men and not
with Christ or in line with Christian doctrine. This is done by stating that the whole of the divine nature (all the
fullness of the Godhead) dwells in Jesus in bodily form. This refutes the Colossian heresy denying the Son’s full
deity and that He possessed a body that could die and make atonement for sin.
2:10 Ye are complete in him (or, “you are filled by Him”): Believers have been filled by Jesus with all the spiritual
blessings they need; hence, they are “complete” and lacking nothing. This, too refutes the heresy that denied the
sufficiency of Christ and encouraged Christians to look to other spiritual beings for help. Five of these blessings,
with which believers have been filled, are listed in verses 11-15. They are: (1) spiritual circumcision, verse 11; (2)
being raised from the old life, verse 12; (3) new life, verse 13; (4) the removal of the curse of the law, verse 14; and
(5) the conquering of Satan and his demonic forces, verse 15.
2:11 Circumcision denotes a cutting off or removal The circumcision in view here is not physical but spiritual,
whereby the fueling power of the believer’s flesh or sinful nature is broken or removed by Christ.
2:12 Buried with him in baptism: This is not water baptism, but Spirit baptism, by which Christ brings the believer into
an intimate relation with Himself and with His people (the church) through the Holy Spirit (cf 1Cor 12:13). Ye are
risen signifies that God has raised the Colossians from the sins, habits, values, and guilt of their unconverted life,
not allowing them to remain in their old ways and iniquities.
2:13 You….hath he quickened: God gave them new (spiritual) life.
2:14 The handwriting of ordinances: In secular literature this “handwriting” was an IOU signed by the debtor. Here it
might be paraphrased, “a certificate of debt consisting of decrees.” This refers to the Mosaic Law, which the Jews
had contracted to obey, and to which Gentiles by conscience were obligated, Owing to man’s inability to fulfill this
obligation of obedience, he was therefore indebted to God. But through Christ this debt was graciously blotted out.
2:15 Having spoiled principalities and powers: By the Cross God disarmed or deprived Satan and all his demonic
horde of the power and sway with which they formerly gripped the Colossians. By this statement Paul might well
have asked the Colossians, How can you give ear to any doctrine advocating angel worship (verse 18), when they
are all subject to God?
2:16 Therefore draws on 2:14: Since God has annulled the law, the Colossians are to let no man...judge you
regarding dietary matters (meat...drink) or regarding religious calendar observations.
2:17 This verse could be translated: "For these were a shadow of future things , but the substance belongs to
Christ." The Mosaic dietary restrictions and calendar celebrations (verse 16) were a shadow of things to come in
that they foreshadowed or foretold of coming spiritual blessings. But the substance of these blessings or these
divine benefits themselves come, not from the law, but from Christ. The Colossians, then, should not allow heretics
to tie them up with legalistic rules and regulations. They should instead occupy themselves with all the blessings
granted them through Christ.
2:18 Beguile you of your reward (or, "rob you of your prize"): The heretics, if their doctrine were accepted, would
rob the Colossians of their spiritual blessings. These false teachers displayed false humility and advocated a gospel
of worshiping of angels, that is, paying homage to angelic beings. Intruding into those things which he hath not
seen: The heretics claimed to have witness numerous revelations and visions.
2:19 The Greek word holding means to hold fast to someone so as to remain united with him. The Head is Christ.
Thus, not holding the Head reveals that the local heretics possessed no relationship with Christ; they were not
therefore true Christians. As the "Head" is Christ, so the body is figuratively represented to be the church, and the
joints and bands are by implication the individual believers within the church. Having nourishment ministered, and
knit together means being supported and united. From Christ (the "Head"), then, the church ("body") derives
spiritual growth as it is supported and united by the various ministering believers ("joints," "bands") in the assembly.