Colossians 01
Like Ephesians and Philippians, Colossians was written from prison in Rome. The church had possibly been started by Epaphras, but Paul had never visited there. Heresy had crept into the church, and Paul addresses that in chapters 2 and 3.
v 1,2. Paul’s salutations have a general pattern, but they are not meaningless repetitions. Notice his emphasis on Christ.
v 3. He will have strong warnings later, but first he wisely expressed thanks for them. He apparently prayed for everyone when the Lord laid them upon his heart.
v 4-6. His prayer for them was stimulated by hearing of their faith which was manifested in love. This was further developed by their hope for the future, 1 Jn. 3.3. The gospel was bringing forth fruit in them as it does wherever preached and believed.
v 7,8. This may infer that Epaphras was the one who started this church. At any rate he was faithful in his ministry to them and in reporting their love to Paul.
v 9,10. Paul’s repeated prayer had two major goals, that 1, they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, and 2, they might walk worthy of the Lord. Two evidences of walking worthy and pleasing the Lord are fruitfulness and growth. A baby may be healthy but need to grow in maturity. These people may have been spiritual, but Paul prays for them to grow in spiritual maturity. They needed growth in greater comprehension and discernment of spiritual things. It is good to know about a person or God, but much better to get to really know them.
v 11,12. A third evidence of walking worthy is joyfulness and thanksgiving, in the face of difficulties. God gives strength for those things, especially as the believer realizes he has been qualified to share in the inheritance given to believers.
v 13,14. It is through the blood of Christ that we are redeemed, bought out of the slave market of sin, but He also set us free. (Ilus. of hawk catching small pheasant but eagle driving away hawk and taking pheasant, but the eagle let the pheasant go free.)We are not under the power of darkness, and become a part of Christ’s heavenly kingdom (not earthly). In 12-14 four blessings may be summarized: 1 Made partakers of the inheritance, 2 Deliverance from the power of darkness, 3 Translated into Christ’s kingdom, 4 Redemption through His blood.
v 15. Christ is an exact representation of God (like a finger print), Jn. 14:9, but made visible where God is invisible. He is first born in honor, preexisted, sovereign, not first created.
v 16. Furthermore, Christ, along with the rest of Trinity created everything that was created, and He created all for His own purpose.
v 17. Not only was He the original Creator, but by Him all creation holds together and operates, what scientists call “natural law”.
v 18. The church is a new creation being the body and Christ being the head. As in the rest of creation, Christ has preeminence or first place.
v 19. God the Father and the Holy Spirit dwell in Christ in full measure.
v 20. On earth men reconcile by making concessions, but God does not change His position. He reconciles all who place their trust in the blood of Christ.
v 21,22. Before salvation we were all enemies of God, but through the reconciling death on the cross, Christ has taken our impurity and presents us perfect in Him. At the judgment Seat of Christ, our works, not our sins, are the imperfections.
v 23. This verse does not present a possibility of loss of salvation. If is best translated since, or inasmuch.
v 24,25. Paul rejoiced in his suffering in the example Christ had set, because it was to be part of his ministry in building the Church. Dispensation here is the stewardship God had committed to Paul to preach the Word. He kept his own word of 1 Cor. 4:2 that it is required of a steward that a man be found faithful.
v 26,27. Here Paul begins to lay the groundwork against the Gnostics who claimed knowledge of certain mysteries not understood by most Christians. There were mysteries in the Old Testament but they are not reserved for a few. This one Paul proclaims to Gentile believers as the mystery of the indwelling Christ.
v 28. Christ was the central theme of all Paul’s preaching. His goal was not just to win souls, but to see them being perfected, growing in maturity.
v 29. He not only labored in the gospel, but at times had to support himself by tent making. “Working, mightily” - God gave him superhuman energy to do this.
Colossians 02
v 1-3. Paul had not met the Colossians, but wanted to comfort them that he had a great concern for them. If they were united together in love, it would help to deter the false teachers among them. Christ is wisdom personified, and if they would just ask for it, James 1:5, this would also dispel false teachings.
v 4,5. He warns them of the con artists who would try to pervert their thinking, but commends them on the basis of the report from Epaphras, that they had a strong spiritual foundation and strong faith in Christ.
v 6,7. Original punctuation and emphasis would have indicated that Christ was Jesus the Lord. The Gnostics believed in the doctrine of there being a Christ, but refused to acknowledge Jesus being the Christ. The believers had been saved by faith in Christ, not some mystical thing promoted by the Gnostics, so they needed to be strengthened and growing in Him, which would result in thankfulness for God’s grace.
v 8. He warns of human intellectualism and things which are plain nonsense as well as crude notions of elemental teachings, but the biggest fault was, they were not based upon Christ. We can’t keep up with or refute all the cults and false teachings of our day, so we need to make sure we unequivocally teach the doctrines of Christ.
v 9. Compare 1:19. Whatever the Scriptures reveal concerning the nature of God are true also in Christ.
v 10. Because of the believers union with Christ, he is in Christ and he is also indwelt, filled with the fullness of Christ. Christ was not just another angel as Gnostics taught, but was in authority over all beings.
v 11. Jewish false teachers boasted of the removal of a bit of skin, but spiritual circumcision was performed by Christ in stripping away the whole body of the flesh, our carnal nature.
v 12. When we received Christ, we were baptized into His death by the Spirit and buried with Him. As He was raised, we are raised to newness of life in Him. This is symbolized by the water baptism of the believer.
v 13. These uncircumcised Gentiles had been spiritually dead, but God has made them spiritually alive through Christ, having forgiven their sins.
v 14. The Law was like a note we are obligated to pay but can not. Christ fulfilled the Law and nailed it to the cross, effectively marking it “Paid in full”.
v 15. It appears demonic beings had some sort of access in the heavens before the resurrection. Contrary to Gnostic teaching of angel worship, Christ was victorious over all at the cross and we are not subject to either good or bad angels.
v 16,17. Of course the rabbis had added many things to the laws of Moses, but even they were shadows, legalistic symbols of the reality of Christ.
v 18. False teachers were acting as umpires, declaring these believers were unworthy because they were not worshiping angels, whom they thought were the necessary intermediary between God and man. They either had or imagined experiences which they gave more precedence than the Word of God. Some people are still placing dreams visions and charismatic experience above God’s Word.
v 19. The solution is to hold fast to Christ and the whole spiritual body will grow.
v 20-22. The warning is against elemental teachings of asceticism, practicing rigid self denial for religious purposes beyond practical restraint.
v 23. Self denial may be impressive to onlookers, but only satisfies the flesh and does not honor God. (Example of a pastor who whould not leave his meditations to speak to any of his congregation or others who came, becoming so heavenly he was no earthly good.)
What God has done for the believer in verses 1-13:
v 3 Holds all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
v 7 Establishes them in the faith.
v 9 Gives all the fullness of the Godhead in Christ.
v 10 He is head of all principalities and powers.
v 11 Gives the circumcision of the sins of the flesh by Christ.
v 12,13 Buries us in baptism, raises us up from the spiritually dead, quickens us in Christ and forgives our trespasses.
Colossians 03
Chapters 1 and 2 emphasize doctrinal issues. In 3 and 4, Paul gives practical ways of living the Christian life.
v 1. If is better translated Since. This is the foundational truth, the believer is risen with Christ as stated in 2:13. Therefore he should habitually seek the things related to heaven. The fact of Christ’s glorified position at the right hand of God not only shows His victory over sin and death, but is all the more reason to emphasize heavenly rather than worldly things in our lives.
v 2. Heretics too would seek things above, but they did it through angel worship.
v 3. Through Christ’s death we are recognized as dead to sin, but because He lives, our new spiritual life is hidden in Him. See Rom. 6.
v 4. This apparently refers to the Rapture when we receive our gloified bodies, although we will not appear to the unsaved world at this time, not until He comes in glory.
v 5. From this word we get our word “Mortuary”. We are to put to death these things which hinder our relationship with Christ. The nitty gritty starts here. This list involves sexual impurity of both the body and mind, and even the first prohibition against covetousness in Deut. 5:21 forbids desiring a neighbor’s wife. It is Idolatry because it disregards God. (v 5-9 list 11 things to avoid or put off)
v 6,7. Those practicing those things are called children of disobedience, and Paul reminds the Colossians that this had been commonplace in their lives before. See Eph. 2:1-3.
v 8,9. Sexual sins are repulsive, but sin is sin in God’s sight, and we must rid them completely from our lives. Anger is a smouldering hatred while wrath is a violent outburst of rage. Filthy communication includes all forms of shameful utterances. Lying is so detestable and potentially harmful it is given space by itself.
v 10,11. As a new man, a new spiritual self, we are constantly being molded and conformed into the likeness of the one who created us. As brothers in the Lord, all the listed distinctions should vanish.
v 12-14. The Christian life should be as much positive as negative. If we put on the new nature like a coat, others will see Christ instead of us. The first part of this list with which we are to clothe ourselves involves social contacts. As important as they all are in the body of believers, love is the key item that binds the others together in harmony, and without it, the others may be little more than a politeness. v 13, Keep forgiving. Lack of unity may be lack of love. (v 12-14 list 8 things to put on) To forbear can mean to put up with.
v 15-17. The second part of positive items is in regard to personal attributes. The peace of God should rule in our hearts as an umpire, settling with finality all questions that arise. We should be thankful (more emphasis on thankfulness) for this guidance. As we become saturated with the Word of God we have additional peace, Ps. 119:165, and are prompted to help others spiritually. A part of this is through public worship, using psalms and spiritual words accompanied by music. v17 The ultimate test of all these things is that we do them all to the glory of God.
v 18-21. This series of verses deals with family relationships. Proper response to God will be reflected in proper response to one’s mate.
v 18,19. The command for a wife’s submission and a husband’s devotion must be considered jointly, with similar instruction in Eph. 5:22,23 and 1 Pet. 3: 1-7. This is important because it portrays the relationship between Christ and His Church.
v 20. God considers disobedience to parents as a serious act of rebellion, Ex. 20:12; Lev. 19:3; Deut. 21:18-21, but obedience a blessing. See also comments on Eph. 6:1.
v 21. Fathers have an equal responsibility that their conduct does not promote rebellion or a feeling of “Oh, what’s the use?” on the part of the child. One man, in disciplining his son, had him push a coin the length of the cow barn gutter with his nose. Another man impulsively struck his son with what ever happened to be in his hand. One day, when the son was older, he wrestled the hammer from his father’s hand and struck him back, then left home. These boys were provoked.
v 22-24. This section has to do with employer - employee relationships, although here it regards slaves. The issue of Onesimus is fresh on Paul’s mind. At this time there were over 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman empire, some of them Christians. These were not to try to escape or make pretense of working, but do it heartily as though it was a service to the Lord, not their master. In the long run, it is the Lord they must please, and the Lord gives the real reward. God will allow any punishment for wrong doing without respect to their belief or position.
v 25. Pertains primarily to slaves while Eph. 6:9 and Col. 4:1 focuses on masters. Paul may have thought about Onesimus, but there were many millions of slaves at this time.
Colossians 04
v 1. The responsibility of masters is part of the same theme as the servants in 3:22. Paul may have had these things in his mind as he wrote the letter to Philemon of Colosse to persuade him to receive back Onesimus. It is well to study Philemon along with this chapter. Masters should try to exhibit fairness even as the heavenly Master. Neither Christian employers or employees should seek to take advantage of the other.
v 2. To continue is constant attention to prayer, even if it seems to be unanswered. To watch is to give strict attention to prayer without mind wandering and repetitious phrases. Praise and thanksgiving make our prayers pleasing to God.
v 3,4. This reminds us to pray for our own spiritual leaders. Paul is not asking prayer for deliverance from his bonds, but for the ministry he might have. For the opportunity as well as the ability to preach the gospel in sincerity, clarity and power.
v 5,6. Faithful witnessing requires wisdom. A friend of mine was turned off from the gospel when his neighbor knocked on his door one rainy night and said with zeal, “You’re going to hell!” The neighbor was trying to buy up the time without a life of Holy Spirit control. The words were not with graciousness, or salt, which gives flavor and desirability. First it must be seen in our lives, then we must speak with words that are wise as serpents and harmless as doves, Mt. 10:16.
v7-9. Epaphras had brought word of the problem of the Colossians to Paul, but he seems to have stayed at Rome. Tychicus and Onesimus are being sent in his place to give Paul’s report to them and be an encouragement. Onesimus was a runaway slave and he was taking along a letter from Paul asking his master Philemon to accept the slave as a brother in Christ (See book of Philemon). In the letter to the Colossians Paul says only that Onesimus is a Colossian, a beloved brother and faithful minister, not dwelling on his past. We need not dwell on the past of other believers either. At this time Tychicus also took along the letter to the Ephesians.
v 10,11. Aristarchus was a convert from Thessalonica, Acts 20:4. He was with Paul at Ephesus on his third missionary journey 19:29, and on the trip from Caesarea to Rome, 27:2. He is also mentioned in Philemon 24. After having turned back, by now Mark has proven himself, 2 Tim. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:13.
v 12,13. Epaphras was probably converted and trained by Paul at Ephesus, then was sent as an evangelist back to these home cities where he established churches. It appears the back bone of his success was his prayer life.
v 14. Not being mentioned in verse 11 with the circumcision, Luke is no doubt a Gentile. He had been a faithful companion to Paul in contrast to Demas. Demas is only mentioned briefly here, and by 2 Tim. 4:10, he had forsaken Paul.
v 15,16. Paul gives greetings and instructs that his letters be shared. Nymphas was apparently well to do and could open his house for a meeting place.
v 17. Archippus may have taken over the church when Epaphras went to Rome, and the church is instructed to encourage him in fulfilling his ministry.
v 18. With the exception of Galatians which Paul penned entirely, because of his eyesight, he just wrote the salutation to other letters with his own hand.
In the early 90's I started studing the bible by taking college courses, because I believe the Lord wanted me to become a pastor in a Nazarne Church. My goal has changed with all my studies. My wife and I have both joined the Catholic Church. I have read and compared numerous translations and commentaries in my many years of studying the bible. Some of these authorities disagree with each other. I come across information on studies and classes that I have taken 15 to 20 years before and I have no documentation of where it came from. Plus I have given away or returned many books for college classes that I have taken. So if I have failed to give someone the credit that is due them I ask for their forgiveness. The following is a list of translations and commentaries that I still have and use.
ANSWERS to 200 of Life's Most Probing Questions by Pat RobertsonOUR ETERNAL HOME by Richard W. Dehaan,
PROPHECY STUDY BIBLE by Tim Lahaye
READER'S DIGEST JESUS AND HIS TIMES by the Readers Digest Association Inc,
REFLECTING GOD STUDY BIBLE By Zondervan Corporation;
SAINT JOSEPH EDITION OF THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by Catholic Book Publishing Co.
SEVEN KEYS TO FAMILY POWER by Billy Joe Daugherty,
SIX HOURS ONE FRIDAY by Max Lacado,
THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE by the Zondervan Corporation;
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD by Jocyce Meyer,
THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK by Babbour Publishing Inc,
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER by Charles Mortimer Guilbert
THE BOOK OF HOPE by Tyndale House Publishiers, Inc,
THE BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC by Albert H. Boudreau,
THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel,
THE CATHOLIC ANSWER BOOK by Peter MJ Stravinsiasi
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BIBLE KNOWLEDGE by Mark D. Taylor;
THE DAY CHRIST DIED by Jim Bishop,
THE GREAT BIBLE QUESTION AND ANWERS BOOK by Playmore Inc
THE HOME BIBLE STUDY COURSE by Dr. Harold L. Wilmington;
THE KING JAMES BIBLE ARCHAIE WORDS DEFIND by David W. Daniel
THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMPANION by David W. Daniels;
THE KING JAMES STUDY BIBLE by Thomas Nelson Publishers,
THE LAYMAN’S BIBLE DICTIONARY by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray;
THE LAYMAN’S PARALLEL NEW TESTAMENT by Zondervan Bible Publisher
THE LAYMAN'S LIST by Calance Stucup
THE MESSAGE BIBLE by Eugone H. Peterson,
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by World Catholic Press;
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE Saint Joseph Edition;
THE NEW STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE by James Strong LL. D S.T.D.;
THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE by Cardinal Francis Arinze
THE TRINITY by Rose Publish
THE VERY FIRST ESTER by Paul L. Maier,
THE WAY CATHOLIC LIVING BIBLE by Tyndale House Publishers;
UNCHRISTIAN by David Kennan and Gabe Lyon
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE by Ronald Greib
VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WORDS By W. E. Vine;
WHAT’S SO SECRET ABOUT THE RAPTURRE? By Christian Record Services, INC
WHEN GOD WINKS AT YOU by Tomas Nelson
WILLMINGTON’S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE by Dr. H.L. Willmington,
WOMAN OF FAITH STUDY BIBLE by Zschech/Heillsong
YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER by New Leaf Press
YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS by Anthony Wilhen
08/19/2011