Col 1:24, Jam 1:2 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you . For you as a part of the Gentile world. It was not for the Colossians alone, but he regarded himself as suffering on account of his labours in preaching to the heathen at large. His trials at Rome had come upon him because he had maintained that the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles was broken down, and that the gospel was to be preached indiscriminately to all mankind. See this illustrated in the Introduction, & 5. And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ . That which I lack of coming up to the sufferings which Christ endured in the cause of the church. The apostle seems to mean, (1.) that he suffered in the same cause as that for which Christ suffered; (2.) that he endured the same kind of sufferings, to some extent, in reproaches, persecutions, and opposition from the world; (3,) that he had not yet suffered as much as Christ did in this cause, and, though he had suffered greatly, yet there was much that was lacking to make him equal in this respect to the Saviour; and, (4.) that he felt that it was an object to be earnestly desired to be made in all respects just like Christ , and that in his present circumstances he was fast filling up that which was lacking, so that he would have a more complete resemblance to him. What he says here is based on the leading desire of his soul--the great principle of his life--TO BE JUST LIKE CHRIST; alike in moral character, in suffering, and in destiny. . Having this strong wish, he had been led to pursue a course of life which conducted him through trials strongly resembling those which Christ himself endured; and, as fast as possible, he was filling up that in which he now fell short. He does not mean that there was anything lacking or deficient in the sufferings which Christ endured in making an atonement, which was to be supplied by his followers, so that their merits might be added to his in order to secure the salvation of men, as the Romanists seem to suppose; but that there was still much lacking on his part before he should be entirely conformed to the Saviour in his sufferings, and that his present condition was such as rapidly to fill that up. This seems to me to be the fair meaning of this expression, though not the one commonly given. The usual interpretation is, "that which remains to me of affliction to be endured in the cause of Christ." But this seems to me to be cold and tame, and not to suit the genius of Paul. In my flesh . In bodily sufferings. For his body's sake, which is the Church . . (b) "afflictions of Christ"

Colossians 1:24

Verse 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you. For you as a part of the Gentile world. It was not for the Colossians alone, but he regarded himself as suffering on account of his labours in preaching to the heathen at large. His trials at Rome had come upon him because he had maintained that the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles was broken down, and that the gospel was to be preached indiscriminately to all mankind. See this illustrated in the Introduction, & 5.

And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. That which I lack of coming up to the sufferings which Christ endured in the cause of the church. The apostle seems to mean,

(1.) that he suffered in the same cause as that for which Christ suffered;

(2.) that he endured the same kind of sufferings, to some extent, in reproaches, persecutions, and opposition from the world;

(3,) that he had not yet suffered as much as Christ did in this cause, and, though he had suffered greatly, yet there was much that was lacking to make him equal in this respect to the Saviour; and,

(4.) that he felt that it was an object to be earnestly desired to be made in all respects just like Christ, and that in his present circumstances he was fast filling up that which was lacking, so that he would have a more complete resemblance to him. What he says here is based on the leading desire of his soul--the great principle of his life--TO BE JUST LIKE CHRIST; alike in moral character, in suffering, and in destiny. Php 3:10. Having this strong wish, he had been led to pursue a course of life which conducted him through trials strongly resembling those which Christ himself endured; and, as fast as possible, he was filling up that in which he now fell short. He does not mean that there was anything lacking or deficient in the sufferings which Christ endured in making an atonement, which was to be supplied by his followers, so that their merits might be added to his in order to secure the salvation of men, as the Romanists seem to suppose; but that there was still much lacking on his part before he should be entirely conformed to the Saviour in his sufferings, and that his present condition was such as rapidly to fill that up. This seems to me to be the fair meaning of this expression, though not the one commonly given. The usual interpretation is, "that which remains to me of affliction to be endured in the cause of Christ." But this seems to me to be cold and tame, and not to suit the genius of Paul.

In my flesh. In bodily sufferings.

For his body's sake, which is the Church. Eph 1:23.

(b) "afflictions of Christ" Php 3:10

James 1:2

Verse 2. My brethren. Not brethren as Jews, but as Christians. Compare Jas 2:1. Count it all joy. Regard it as a thing to rejoice in; a matter which should afford you happiness. You are not to consider it as a punishment, a curse, or a calamity, but as a fit subject of felicitation. Mt 5:12. When ye fall into divers temptations. On the meaning of the word temptations, Mt 4:1. It is now commonly used in the sense of placing allurements before others to induce them to sin, and in this sense the word seems to be used in Jas 1:13-14. Here, however, the word is used in the sense of trials, to wit, by persecution, poverty, calamity of any kind. These cannot be said to be direct inducements or allurements to sin, but they try the faith, and they show whether he who is tried is disposed to adhere to his faith in God, or whether he will apostatize. They so far coincide with temptations, properly so called, as to test the religion of men. They differ from temptations, properly so called, in that they are not brought before the mind for the express purpose of inducing men to sin. In this sense, it is true that God never tempts men, Jas 1:13-14. On the sentiment in the passage before us, 1Pet 1:6-7. The word divers here refers to the various kinds of trials which they might experience--sickness, poverty, bereavement, persecution, etc. They were to count it a matter of joy that their religion was subjected to anything that tried it. It is well for us to have the reality of our religion tested, in whatever way it may be done.

(a) "count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations" Mt 5:12; 1Pet 4:13-16 (*) "temptations", or "various trials"