Col 1:3 | KingComments | STEP | There are two things that make this letter valuable in a special way for you as a young believer. First, all attention is drawn toward the glory of the Person of Christ. This glory is expressed in various ways in different relationships. You will see Him as the Son of the Father’s love in whom dwells the fullness of Godhead ( ); you will see Him as the Creator and Sustainer of all things ( ); and you will see Him as the Savior and Head of His body, the church ( ). Second, the way the mystery ( ) is being unfolded, namely as a source of encouragement ( ). The mystery implies that the church is made one with Christ. The more you discover and appreciate it, the more it will support your faith and give you encouragement in an environment that knows nothing of this and even rejects it. The purpose of this letter is that you receive teachings from the things mentioned in it and reflects on them. The result, no doubt, is that your heart and your eyes will be filled with the glory of the Lord Jesus. I can assure you that eventually your soul will be overflowing with gratitude, joy and confidence. The letter to the Colossians is the third letter Paul wrote from his imprisonment in Rome, after the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Philippians. This is not a letter from a study scholar. Paul had experienced comfort and joy in his soul as he reflected on the glory of the Lord and wrote it down. You can also experience the same when you read this letter. All of Paul’s letters were written on the occasion of something he had noticed or heard. The reason for the letter to the Colossians was that Paul had heard of errors that had gained access in the church at Colossae. Epaphras must have conveyed these to him. It is not clear what exactly the errors were. However there are some hints in the letter, namely, in chapter 2. There for instance you read about philosophy ( ), of Jewish rituals ( ) and of worship of the angels ( ). They are elements both from paganism and from Judaism. There was only one way that the evil that has been done by these mistakes could be undone and that is by showing the entire glory of Christ. Whoever gets to know this glory will never need to have anything to do with errors. Paul must have heard of all the developments in the church at Colossae through Epaphras. This faithful servant stood in close relationship with the church at Colossae. From chapter 1 one can understand that the church at Colossae emerged as a result of the work done by Epaphras ( ). He had preached the gospel to the Colossians ( ). It was, however, not ‘his’ church, but he certainly felt a great responsibility for them. When errors appeared he spoke to Paul about them, and Paul in turn took paper and ink in his hand, and wrote to the believers in Colossae regarding the dangers of the errors and taught them how to arm themselves against such dangers. Paul himself had never been in Colossae ( ). However, he didn’t think: ‘It is the church of Epaphras; let him handle the matter.’ Paul was conscious that he was the servant of the entire church. He was also aware that it was not his church but the church of Christ. It is this awareness that gave him an ardent love for the church. When the enemy attacked the church by trying to introduce heresies, he went into action. False teachings are the masterly means to destroy the church – even to the extent of assaulting Christ, for in fact Christ and the church are one. Paul has learned that at the moment of his conversion. He was busy persecuting the church at that moment. The Lord Jesus, however, spoke from heaven, to halt this persecutor of His church, saying: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ( ). The persecution of the church on earth was equivalent to the persecution of the Lord Jesus in heaven. Here you learn that the church on earth and the Lord Jesus in heaven are one. The church is one body with Him as the Head. This is called the mystery in this letter. A mystery is something which was not made known in the Old Testament, but now it is revealed to the church. There is one more letter in which you read about this mystery – that is the letter to the Ephesians. However, the manner in which Paul speaks about this mystery in the letter to the Colossians is different from the way he does in the letter to the Ephesians. It will help you to understand the letter to the Colossians better when I mention a few differences. One important difference is that the letter to the Colossians shows that Christ is one with the church on earth while in the letter to the Ephesians the church is presented as one with Christ in heaven . Another difference is that in the letter to the Colossians, the Christian is seen as risen with Christ, but not as seated in Christ in the heavenly places as in the letter to the Ephesians. In fact he says to the Colossians that there is a hope laid up for them in heaven ( ). That means that they are not seen in heaven as in the letter to the Ephesians, but in their life on earth. You can also conclude that from the exhortation of Paul that the Christian should direct his thoughts and feelings on the things which are above and not on the things that are on earth ( ). Another difference is that the letter to the Colossians reveals the fullness that is in Christ ( ) and our completeness in Him ( ), while in the letter to the Ephesians the privileges of the body are presented. Lastly I would like to point out the fact that in the letter to the Colossians the emphasis is on Christ as our life. The emphasis in the letter to the Ephesians is more on the Spirit, Who is mentioned only once in the letter to the Colossians ( ). When you compare these letters with one another in this way you will be more and more aware of the unique characteristics of each letter. In my introduction to the commentary on the letter to the Ephesians I compared some letters by drawing a parallel with the journey of Israel from Egypt, through the wilderness, to the promised land. You can read about it there. I did not mention the letter to the Colossians in that comparison. You can classify this letter between the letter to the Romans and the letter to the Ephesians. The letter to the Romans is about the deliverance from the bondage of sin (the picture of Egypt) through the work of Christ. The letter to the Ephesians is about entering the blessings in the heavenly places in Christ (the picture of the blessings of the Canaan land). The letter to the Colossians sees Christians as delivered from the bondage of sin and connected to Christ. They do not enjoy the blessings of the heavenly places yet, because they are still on earth. In this letter, the circumcision of Christ ( ) is mentioned. This reminds us of the circumcision of the people of Israel after they went through the Jordan ( ). The Israelites were indeed in the land, but they had not fought yet. They were yet to conquer the land. The circumcision of Christ speaks of the judgment Christ suffered for you on the cross. Since you believe that, now you are free to enjoy His glory which is described in an excellent manner in this letter. I hope and pray that you will experience this to the fullest. . Paul introduces himself as an apostle. He was not an apostle because he arrogated that role to himself, nor because someone persuaded him. It was also not a calling that he had chosen for himself, or one that people had instructed him to do so – God Himself stood behind his apostleship. God wanted him to be an apostle and that gave him his apostolic authority. Whoever opposed this authority, opposed God in reality. The emphasis of his authority in the beginning of this letter is necessary because such important things were at stake. Paul did not preach his own opinion on these things, but God’s truth. To listen to him meant rejection of errors and a renewed worship of God. To disobey meant the destruction of the life of faith. It was not just authority by which Paul could stand above the believers so that he could give them commands. He includes Timothy along with himself as sending the letter and presents him as “our brother”. Timothy is the brother of Paul and the Colossians and he is the link between Paul and the Colossians. Paul is above them as an apostle, but as a brother he is one of them. The closeness of brother is the best way to exercise his authority. If authority is exercised with this awareness, there will be no lust for power, but only the desire to serve (cf. ; ; ). . Then he speaks of the Colossians as “saints and faithful brethren”. With brethren he means both brothers and sisters. This word refers to the bond of family relationship that believers have with each other and it points to their mutual fellowship. The family bond of the Colossians had a few additional marks. It was a ‘saintly’ family that God had set apart for Himself. It was also a faithful family, which relates more to their practice. Their position before God and the practice of their faith life agreed together. You must have both these features to understand the truth in this letter. Paul adds “in Christ … in Colossae” to these features. On the one hand you see the fact that the family relationship is spiritual in nature; Christ is the connecting element. On the other hand it is a relationship that is experienced in Colossae on the earth. I hope that the name ‘Colossae’ can be replaced by the name of the place of the local church you belong to. You can judge for yourself the standard of your church on the basis of the Word of God. After introducing the senders and naming the addressee, he has a wish for the Colossians. He wishes them grace, that is that they consciously live by the grace given to them. To live by grace means to expect everything from God and nothing from self. The result will be peace. Whoever considers God in everything has this lasting peace in his soul. Paul wishes them this peace from God our Father. God is the source of grace and peace. When he speaks of Him as our Father he again emphasizes the family bond he has with the Colossians. . What Paul says to the Colossians in this verse must have done them good. Would you not find it encouraging when someone says to you that he thanks God always whenever he prays for you? Do you also give thanks to God for others? You have a special relationship with the believers for whom you give thanks. Then you are also sensitive to their spiritual condition. Once their spiritual condition changes for the worse you will pray for them just because you feel that your giving thanks for them comes under pressure. You will accept a word of admonition more easily from someone – brother or sister – whom you know give thanks for you. If things in someone’s life disturbs you a little and would decrease your giving thanks for him or her, then that would be the reason for you to address the issue with them. This is the way Paul gets to work. He had a confidential relationship with God Whom he knew as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By the word ‘our’ he reiterates his fellowship with the Colossians both in their relationship to God the Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus he brings their fellowship to a Divine level. This is the sphere in which he stands and makes his appeal. In his letter, he comes to them surrounded, as it were, by the fragrance of the sanctuary. He wants them to smell and taste it, so that they will let go of everything that does not fit with it. . In the apostle holds together a number of reasons for his giving thanks to God. Only then he speaks, from , of the subjects for which he prays. He had never seen them. Others had told him of their “faith” and “love” – the best evidence for him that they possessed the Divine nature. They openly testified to the Lord Jesus – that is they did not do it in secret. Nowhere in the New Testament are we called to keep our faith to ourselves, or to practice a sort of secret discipleship. The truly converted will have the desire to testify of their faith publicly. It is said of their faith that it is “in Christ Jesus”. There are many who claim to believe. What is of prime importance is in whom they believe ( ). As for the Colossians there was no doubt about it. Do people around you know in Whom you believe? Faith in humans, dreams or feelings give no security for one’s faith. Faith in Christ is evident in its love for all believers. Even the Colossians testified to this. It is impossible to love God and hate a brother ( ). The vertical and the horizontal go together. Only God knows all the saints. Once we come to know a saint, a true Christian, we love him. Not because he is nice but because he belongs to Christ. Their love was not sectarian, limited to a select group, but embraced “all the saints”. Their love was to all those who yielded to the love of God. They loved not only the believers in the local church but all believers wherever they lived. This is a good example which you and I can imitate. . After faith and love Paul speaks of hope. Here is the well-known triplet – faith, hope and love ( ; ). Hope was the incentive which gave substance to their faith and love. There is no stronger motive for faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all believers than hope which is reserved in heaven. Paul thanks God for connecting this new company of believers to heaven. If you think of the hope in heaven your heart will be filled with the essence of this hope which is the Lord Jesus. Again, the effect of this will be that you love all those who are dear to the heart of the Lord Jesus. This hope was a part of the gospel that was preached to them. The effect of the gospel is not just for here and now, namely, the deliverance from the power of sin. The gospel also has significance for the future, for the entry into the eternal glory. How could it be otherwise? Christ is there and we are set free to be with Him. We will not always stay in this world and also we do not have our home here. We have a hope. This hope enlightens our way through the world. The hope laid up in heaven for the Colossians – and for you and me – is a powerful motivating force to love our fellow believers. We will be in heaven eternally with the Lord Jesus together with all the children of God. If this hope is alive in you, you will also be careful not to have a quarrel with any fellow believer. Did you hear of this hope when the gospel was preached to you? That was apparently the case with the Colossians. In my case, I cannot remember whether this was mentioned. But in the course of time it became clear to me that the hope in heaven is inseparably united with the word of truth, the gospel. This expression shows that the gospel is the pure news of God – not just a happy report to men mixed with human elements. So it came to the Colossians and they believed it, and that saved them. It is as if Paul is already saying here, which he elaborates on in Colossians 2: ‘If you know that, how can you open yourself to the Greek philosophies and Jewish traditions? Was there ever a philosophy preached in the world as the message of hope through which people could be saved, receive life and bring forth fruit?’ Now read Colossians 1:1-5 again. Reflection: Give thanks to God in your prayers for a number of beautiful characteristics in your brothers and sisters.

‏ Colossians 1:3

Introduction

There are two things that make this letter valuable in a special way for you as a young believer. First, all attention is drawn toward the glory of the Person of Christ. This glory is expressed in various ways in different relationships. You will see Him as the Son of the Father’s love in whom dwells the fullness of Godhead (Col 1:13 ; 19); you will see Him as the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Col 1:16-17); and you will see Him as the Savior and Head of His body, the church (Col 1:14 ; 18).

Second, the way the mystery (Col 1:27) is being unfolded, namely as a source of encouragement (Col 2:2). The mystery implies that the church is made one with Christ. The more you discover and appreciate it, the more it will support your faith and give you encouragement in an environment that knows nothing of this and even rejects it.

The purpose of this letter is that you receive teachings from the things mentioned in it and reflects on them. The result, no doubt, is that your heart and your eyes will be filled with the glory of the Lord Jesus. I can assure you that eventually your soul will be overflowing with gratitude, joy and confidence.

The letter to the Colossians is the third letter Paul wrote from his imprisonment in Rome, after the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Philippians. This is not a letter from a study scholar. Paul had experienced comfort and joy in his soul as he reflected on the glory of the Lord and wrote it down. You can also experience the same when you read this letter.

All of Paul’s letters were written on the occasion of something he had noticed or heard. The reason for the letter to the Colossians was that Paul had heard of errors that had gained access in the church at Colossae. Epaphras must have conveyed these to him. It is not clear what exactly the errors were.

However there are some hints in the letter, namely, in chapter 2. There for instance you read about philosophy (Col 2:8), of Jewish rituals (Col 2:16-17) and of worship of the angels (Col 2:18). They are elements both from paganism and from Judaism. There was only one way that the evil that has been done by these mistakes could be undone and that is by showing the entire glory of Christ. Whoever gets to know this glory will never need to have anything to do with errors.

Paul must have heard of all the developments in the church at Colossae through Epaphras. This faithful servant stood in close relationship with the church at Colossae. From chapter 1 one can understand that the church at Colossae emerged as a result of the work done by Epaphras (Col 1:7). He had preached the gospel to the Colossians (Col 4:12). It was, however, not ‘his’ church, but he certainly felt a great responsibility for them. When errors appeared he spoke to Paul about them, and Paul in turn took paper and ink in his hand, and wrote to the believers in Colossae regarding the dangers of the errors and taught them how to arm themselves against such dangers.

Paul himself had never been in Colossae (Col 2:1). However, he didn’t think: ‘It is the church of Epaphras; let him handle the matter.’ Paul was conscious that he was the servant of the entire church. He was also aware that it was not his church but the church of Christ. It is this awareness that gave him an ardent love for the church. When the enemy attacked the church by trying to introduce heresies, he went into action. False teachings are the masterly means to destroy the church – even to the extent of assaulting Christ, for in fact Christ and the church are one.

Paul has learned that at the moment of his conversion. He was busy persecuting the church at that moment. The Lord Jesus, however, spoke from heaven, to halt this persecutor of His church, saying: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). The persecution of the church on earth was equivalent to the persecution of the Lord Jesus in heaven. Here you learn that the church on earth and the Lord Jesus in heaven are one. The church is one body with Him as the Head. This is called the mystery in this letter. A mystery is something which was not made known in the Old Testament, but now it is revealed to the church.

There is one more letter in which you read about this mystery – that is the letter to the Ephesians. However, the manner in which Paul speaks about this mystery in the letter to the Colossians is different from the way he does in the letter to the Ephesians. It will help you to understand the letter to the Colossians better when I mention a few differences. One important difference is that the letter to the Colossians shows that Christ is one with the church on earth while in the letter to the Ephesians the church is presented as one with Christ in heaven.

Another difference is that in the letter to the Colossians, the Christian is seen as risen with Christ, but not as seated in Christ in the heavenly places as in the letter to the Ephesians. In fact he says to the Colossians that there is a hope laid up for them in heaven (Col 1:5). That means that they are not seen in heaven as in the letter to the Ephesians, but in their life on earth. You can also conclude that from the exhortation of Paul that the Christian should direct his thoughts and feelings on the things which are above and not on the things that are on earth (Col 3:1-2).

Another difference is that the letter to the Colossians reveals the fullness that is in Christ (Col 1:19 ; Col 2:9) and our completeness in Him (Col 2:10), while in the letter to the Ephesians the privileges of the body are presented.

Lastly I would like to point out the fact that in the letter to the Colossians the emphasis is on Christ as our life. The emphasis in the letter to the Ephesians is more on the Spirit, Who is mentioned only once in the letter to the Colossians (Col 1:8).

When you compare these letters with one another in this way you will be more and more aware of the unique characteristics of each letter. In my introduction to the commentary on the letter to the Ephesians I compared some letters by drawing a parallel with the journey of Israel from Egypt, through the wilderness, to the promised land. You can read about it there. I did not mention the letter to the Colossians in that comparison. You can classify this letter between the letter to the Romans and the letter to the Ephesians.

The letter to the Romans is about the deliverance from the bondage of sin (the picture of Egypt) through the work of Christ. The letter to the Ephesians is about entering the blessings in the heavenly places in Christ (the picture of the blessings of the Canaan land). The letter to the Colossians sees Christians as delivered from the bondage of sin and connected to Christ. They do not enjoy the blessings of the heavenly places yet, because they are still on earth.

In this letter, the circumcision of Christ (Col 2:11) is mentioned. This reminds us of the circumcision of the people of Israel after they went through the Jordan (Jos 5:2-9). The Israelites were indeed in the land, but they had not fought yet. They were yet to conquer the land.

The circumcision of Christ speaks of the judgment Christ suffered for you on the cross. Since you believe that, now you are free to enjoy His glory which is described in an excellent manner in this letter. I hope and pray that you will experience this to the fullest.

Prayer For Blessings – Giving Thanks

Col 1:1. Paul introduces himself as an apostle. He was not an apostle because he arrogated that role to himself, nor because someone persuaded him. It was also not a calling that he had chosen for himself, or one that people had instructed him to do so – God Himself stood behind his apostleship. God wanted him to be an apostle and that gave him his apostolic authority. Whoever opposed this authority, opposed God in reality.

The emphasis of his authority in the beginning of this letter is necessary because such important things were at stake. Paul did not preach his own opinion on these things, but God’s truth. To listen to him meant rejection of errors and a renewed worship of God. To disobey meant the destruction of the life of faith.

It was not just authority by which Paul could stand above the believers so that he could give them commands. He includes Timothy along with himself as sending the letter and presents him as “our brother”. Timothy is the brother of Paul and the Colossians and he is the link between Paul and the Colossians. Paul is above them as an apostle, but as a brother he is one of them. The closeness of brother is the best way to exercise his authority. If authority is exercised with this awareness, there will be no lust for power, but only the desire to serve (cf. 1Pet 5:1-4; Lk 22:24-27; Jn 13:13-16).

Col 1:2. Then he speaks of the Colossians as “saints and faithful brethren”. With brethren he means both brothers and sisters. This word refers to the bond of family relationship that believers have with each other and it points to their mutual fellowship. The family bond of the Colossians had a few additional marks. It was a ‘saintly’ family that God had set apart for Himself. It was also a faithful family, which relates more to their practice. Their position before God and the practice of their faith life agreed together. You must have both these features to understand the truth in this letter.

Paul adds “in Christ … in Colossae” to these features. On the one hand you see the fact that the family relationship is spiritual in nature; Christ is the connecting element. On the other hand it is a relationship that is experienced in Colossae on the earth. I hope that the name ‘Colossae’ can be replaced by the name of the place of the local church you belong to. You can judge for yourself the standard of your church on the basis of the Word of God.

After introducing the senders and naming the addressee, he has a wish for the Colossians. He wishes them grace, that is that they consciously live by the grace given to them. To live by grace means to expect everything from God and nothing from self. The result will be peace. Whoever considers God in everything has this lasting peace in his soul. Paul wishes them this peace from God our Father. God is the source of grace and peace. When he speaks of Him as our Father he again emphasizes the family bond he has with the Colossians.

Col 1:3. What Paul says to the Colossians in this verse must have done them good. Would you not find it encouraging when someone says to you that he thanks God always whenever he prays for you? Do you also give thanks to God for others? You have a special relationship with the believers for whom you give thanks. Then you are also sensitive to their spiritual condition. Once their spiritual condition changes for the worse you will pray for them just because you feel that your giving thanks for them comes under pressure.

You will accept a word of admonition more easily from someone – brother or sister – whom you know give thanks for you. If things in someone’s life disturbs you a little and would decrease your giving thanks for him or her, then that would be the reason for you to address the issue with them. This is the way Paul gets to work.

He had a confidential relationship with God Whom he knew as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By the word ‘our’ he reiterates his fellowship with the Colossians both in their relationship to God the Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus he brings their fellowship to a Divine level. This is the sphere in which he stands and makes his appeal. In his letter, he comes to them surrounded, as it were, by the fragrance of the sanctuary. He wants them to smell and taste it, so that they will let go of everything that does not fit with it.

Col 1:4. In Col 1:4-6 the apostle holds together a number of reasons for his giving thanks to God. Only then he speaks, from Col 1:9, of the subjects for which he prays.

He had never seen them. Others had told him of their “faith” and “love” – the best evidence for him that they possessed the Divine nature. They openly testified to the Lord Jesus – that is they did not do it in secret. Nowhere in the New Testament are we called to keep our faith to ourselves, or to practice a sort of secret discipleship. The truly converted will have the desire to testify of their faith publicly.

It is said of their faith that it is “in Christ Jesus”. There are many who claim to believe. What is of prime importance is in whom they believe (2Tim 1:12). As for the Colossians there was no doubt about it. Do people around you know in Whom you believe? Faith in humans, dreams or feelings give no security for one’s faith.

Faith in Christ is evident in its love for all believers. Even the Colossians testified to this. It is impossible to love God and hate a brother (1Jn 4:20). The vertical and the horizontal go together. Only God knows all the saints. Once we come to know a saint, a true Christian, we love him. Not because he is nice but because he belongs to Christ.

Their love was not sectarian, limited to a select group, but embraced “all the saints”. Their love was to all those who yielded to the love of God. They loved not only the believers in the local church but all believers wherever they lived. This is a good example which you and I can imitate.

Col 1:5. After faith and love Paul speaks of hope. Here is the well-known triplet – faith, hope and love (1Cor 13:13; 1Thes 1:3 ; 1Thes 5:8). Hope was the incentive which gave substance to their faith and love. There is no stronger motive for faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all believers than hope which is reserved in heaven. Paul thanks God for connecting this new company of believers to heaven.

If you think of the hope in heaven your heart will be filled with the essence of this hope which is the Lord Jesus. Again, the effect of this will be that you love all those who are dear to the heart of the Lord Jesus.

This hope was a part of the gospel that was preached to them. The effect of the gospel is not just for here and now, namely, the deliverance from the power of sin. The gospel also has significance for the future, for the entry into the eternal glory. How could it be otherwise? Christ is there and we are set free to be with Him. We will not always stay in this world and also we do not have our home here. We have a hope. This hope enlightens our way through the world.

The hope laid up in heaven for the Colossians – and for you and me – is a powerful motivating force to love our fellow believers. We will be in heaven eternally with the Lord Jesus together with all the children of God. If this hope is alive in you, you will also be careful not to have a quarrel with any fellow believer.

Did you hear of this hope when the gospel was preached to you? That was apparently the case with the Colossians. In my case, I cannot remember whether this was mentioned. But in the course of time it became clear to me that the hope in heaven is inseparably united with the word of truth, the gospel.

This expression shows that the gospel is the pure news of God – not just a happy report to men mixed with human elements. So it came to the Colossians and they believed it, and that saved them. It is as if Paul is already saying here, which he elaborates on in Colossians 2: ‘If you know that, how can you open yourself to the Greek philosophies and Jewish traditions? Was there ever a philosophy preached in the world as the message of hope through which people could be saved, receive life and bring forth fruit?’

Now read Colossians 1:1-5 again.

Reflection: Give thanks to God in your prayers for a number of beautiful characteristics in your brothers and sisters.