Colossians Chapter 2A

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Paul’s ministry and why he does what he does

“And if there is any glory, any praise resulting from the work which we achieve, let us be careful to lay it all at the Redeemer’s feet.” – Charles Spurgeon

Read Colossians 1:24

  • I rejoice in my suffering for your sake. Why is Paul rejoicing in the suffering he is experiencing? Prison, Stoned, Whipped, Beaten.  
    • Romans 5:3-4. Through suffering we grow and mature. With hope we study and pray. Paul here is saying, we do not rejoice in spite of our suffering. We rejoice because of our suffering. Big difference.
    • Matthew 5: 10-12. The persecuted are blessed NOT cursed.
  • …and in my flesh, I am filled up what is lacking in Christ’s affliction for the sake of His body, that is the church. This verse has been difficult to understand b/c it has been taken out of context to when it was written.
    • The Catholics believe b/c of this verse there is a reservoir of merits of the Saints, that can be drawn upon to make us more acceptable to God. If you do well in life and earn more merit than you need to get to heaven, then the rest is stored for someone else to get them out of Purgatory.
    • “In what sense were Paul’s sufferings filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? Paul was receiving the persecution that was intended for Christ. Jesus, having ascended to heaven, was out of their reach. But because His enemies had not filled up all the injuries, they wanted to inflict on Him, they turned their hatred onto those who preached the gospel. It was in that sense that Paul filled up what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions. The simplest and most logical explanation stems from the mystical union that exists between Christ and that of His people in the body of Christ, the church. When believers suffer, Christ suffers with them. Christ’s substitutionary sufferings are finished, complete, but His sufferings in and through His people continue. Paul saw the sufferings that he was bearing as the sufferings that were directed toward Christ.” – David B. Curtis Commentary on Colossians
    • John 15:19 says it all.

Read Colossians 1:25-26 – Paul is a minister to the Gentiles to reveal the mystery. What is the mystery?

  • The oracles and understanding of Christ though the Old Testament is what was given to Paul by God. He went away for 3 years and was taught by Christ what the OT told about Jesus of Nazareth.
  • In the OT God gave the prophets the information of His purpose but held back the information on the timing or when it was to take place. Now Paul is revealing it to the Gentiles and telling the Colossians he is one chosen to make the Word of God fully known. Remember they had no writing like we have today. They had the Apostles letters and their oral teachings and that is all.
  • Vs.26 – The full plan of God was being revealed to His Holy Ones. See previous study about “Holy Ones”.

Read Colossians 1:27 – What is the “riches of the glory of this mystery”?

  • Here Paul is disclosing that Christ is in you, even in you Gentiles. The phrase means in your midst as a community or within you as individuals. The indwelling Spirit and the indwelling of Christ are interchangeable for Paul. This should give them confidence that they will share in the fullness of the glory when Jesus returns. That is why Paul says the hope of glory.  The Epistles to the Colossians Pg.85

Read Colossians 1:28-2:1-2

  • Paul is doing everything he can to make sure they know the truth. Especially, the brothers and sisters that have not met him face to face.  
  • Vs. 28 – Everyone within the God’s sovereign election should be taught with warning and positive teaching. The warnings and the teachings. What are the warnings?
    • The warning Paul is speaking of means to set right. To admonition or to instruct to stay on the path of righteousness. Do not tolerant things that are against God. As Christians we are not to tolerate evil.  “The Bible does not place tolerance as the central value of God’s thinking. It places the truth of Christ central” – David B Curtis
    • Teaching is the positive side of the good news. With warning there is a moral appeal for a spiritual change, where teaching is doctrinal. What is the truth of God’s Word. Today we have the Word of God in many different forms. We should study it and get to the truth. Then teach it to other less mature Christians that they may become mature in the Word. The Word is Christ. John 1:1.
  • Vs. 29 – This is where Paul struggles. To make all the brothers and sisters are mature in Christ and know the truth of God’s mystery. Through the power of Christ that is the Holy Spirit.
    • Paul says, “His energy, that He powerfully works in within me”. That is the Spirit. Which we all have been given b/c of Christ.

Read Colossians 2:1-3

  • Laodicea and Colossae are in the Lycus Valley, and Paul had not visited this area, but wanted them to know he was laboring and struggling to bring them the mystery of God that is Christ. The mystery of God was Christ. The whole Bible, OT and NT are about Christ.
  • Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians in prison in Rome. The struggle was real.
  • He wants the Colossae brothers and sister’s hearts to be knitted together in love. This applies to us as well. We are to show Christ through our love for each other. Not our love for the world, but to the elect.
  • Christ alone holds the key to knowledge and wisdom. We do not get it from books, college, nor time. Jesus is the key to true wisdom and knowledge of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24.
  • Proverbs is the Wisdom book. To know it is to know Christ, but you cannot attain it without Christ.

Read Colossians 2:4-5 – Let the truth keep you from being turned.

Paul is telling them that no matter what you hear that may sound true. The person may seem wise, but Christ holds the keys to knowledge and wisdom. No matter how plausible the argument if it does not line up with what he has just told them it is a false doctrine and is not from God.