Colossians 1:1-13: Verse by verse discussion

EXCERPT: The Colossian deception taught that Christians are incomplete without the higher-level knowledge and wisdom available from supernatural sources. Paul responds by saying that Christians are already complete in Christ.

Summary

Paul in chainsPaul wrote the letter to the faithful believers, with Timothyโ€™s assistance, from prison in Rome around AD 60-63.ย  This was about 30 years after Christโ€™s death.ย  Paul was sent by Christ by the will of God our Father.ย  He, therefore, had the authority to write this letter.

Paul himself never worked in Colossae. While Paul was in a Roman prison, the gospel traveled through the earth and has reached Colossae via Epaphras; one of Paulโ€™s faithful co-workers and a native of the city.

The gospel is the message of Godโ€™s merciful kindness; His free gift, particularly through the Person and teachings of Christ, as recorded in the four gospels.ย  The gospel includes the promise of the eternal inheritance which believers will receive from God when Christ is revealed.ย  Paul added clarity with respect to the relevance of the Jews and their Law, but Christ and His teachings are the core of the Christian message.

Epaphras, when he visited Paul in prison in Rome, informed Paul of the Colossiansโ€™ faith, but also of the Colossian deceptionย that was threatening his church.ย  The letter does not describe the Colossian deception fully.ย  We only have Paul’s rebuttal of the deception.ย  From that we have to infer what the Colossian deception was.

Paul in prayerPaul was a man of prayer.ย  Through prayer, he was in constant contact with God.ย  He assures the Colossians that he is continually praying for them, asking that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding is a key theme in the letter to the Colossians, from which we conclude that the Colossian deception claimed to have special knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.ย  This commentary assumes that the points which Paul emphasizes, compared to his other letters, are in response to the Colossian deception, and therefore indicate the nature there-of.

Col 1:1-3 and 12-13 focus on God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.ย  It is the Father who qualifies us to share in the inheritance of the saints, through Jesus Christ. It is the Father who rescued us from the domain of darkness (supernatural beings hostile to God) and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.ย  Christ is the Means, but it is the Father that accomplishes all these things.

The Colossians deception judged the Christians โ€œin respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath dayโ€ (Col 2:16) and told them that they are incomplete and that they will only become spiritually complete if they submit their teachings, such as โ€œdecrees, such as, Do not handle, do not taste, do not touchโ€ (Col 2:20-21).ย  Paul responds with a three-fold message:

      1. In Christ, all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Col 2:9).
      2. Therefore Christians, since they are โ€œin Christโ€ are already complete (Col 2:10-15).
      3. Therefore they do not have to submit to the demands of the Colossian deception (Col 2:16-23) to become complete.

These are the three main points of the entire letter.ย  They are particularly clear from chapter two, but chapter one contains aspects there-of.ย  In Col 1:12-13 we see that the believers are already qualified, already rescued, and already transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.ย  This is the second of the three points above.

Verse by Verse Discussion

Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother

Paul: According to the custom of the day of writing letters, the authorโ€™s name is given first. Paul wrote the letter probably from Rome at around AD 63, which was about 30 years after Christโ€™s death.

An apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God: Paul was qualified to write this letter of instruction to the Colossians because he was an apostle.ย  Literally, apostolos means โ€˜one sentโ€™.ย  At its deepest level, it denotes an authorized spokesman for God; one commissioned and empowered to act as His representative.ย  Paul is an โ€œapostle of Jesus Christโ€, which means he is sent by Christ, but it is โ€œby the will of Godโ€.

And Timothy our brother: Timothy was an honored companion of Paul, but he was not an apostle because he did not receive direct instruction from Christ.

Col 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father.

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ: โ€œSaints and faithful brethrenโ€ are the same people; not two different classes of Christians.ย  Every true Christian is a saint. It is possible that Paul adds โ€œand faithful brethrenโ€ to contrast the saints with those who embraced the false teaching that concerned Paul so much in this letter.

Who are at Colossae: The city ofย Colossaeย is not mentioned in the Book of Acts. All our Biblical information about the church there comes from this letter and a few allusions in the letter to Philemon.ย  Historically, Colossae was a prosperous city, yet by Paulโ€™s time the glory it had as a city was on the decline.ย  The city of Colossae was probably the smallest and least important city that Paul ever wrote to.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father: Grace is Godโ€™s unconditioned goodwill and mercy.

Col 1:3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

We give thanks to God: We receive grace and peace from โ€œGod our Fatherโ€ (Col 1:2), and in return, we thank โ€œthe Father of our Lord Jesus Christโ€ (Col 1:3).ย  That is the true circle of life: He gives us everything we need and we love and praise Him.

The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: The focus in Col 1:1-3 is on the Father, not on Christ.ย  For instance, Paul was an apostle โ€œby the will of Godโ€ (Col 1:1) who is identified as the โ€œFatherโ€ in Col 1:2-3.ย  As in the prayer which we received from our Lord, God is โ€œour Fatherโ€ (Col 1:2), which means that He cares for us deeply and continually protects us.ย  The Father is the active Force behind Paulโ€™s work (Col 1:1) and behind Christโ€™s sacrifice (Col 1:12; 2:13, 15).ย  God is also โ€œthe Father of our Lord Jesus Christโ€.ย  As Jesus said, โ€œ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your Godโ€ (John 20:17).ย  See the articleย Jesus is the Son of God, but is He in all respects equal to God?ย 

Praying always for you: Although he probably had never met them, the Christians of Colossae were on Paulโ€™s prayer list. He prayed for them not only often, butย always.

1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints:

Genuineย faithย in Jesus will always have a trueย loveย for Godโ€™s people as a companion.

1:5 Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel

The hope laid up for you in heaven: โ€œChrist in youโ€ is โ€œthe hope of gloryโ€ (Col 1:27), namely the hope for โ€œthe inheritance of the saintsโ€ (Col 1:12).ย  โ€œFor you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in gloryโ€ (Col 3:3-4). These were not merely theological ideas for Paul but dominated his thinking as a Christian. It is also our privilege to have this hope.

In Col 1:4-5 we notice the familiar triad of faith, hope, and love: ย โ€œBut now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is loveโ€ (1 Cor 13:13)

Of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel: The four gospels were written decades after the Cross as tools to teach the believers what Christ taught. The gospel of John was one of the last books of the Bible to be written; about 50 years after the Cross. To teach Jesus means to teach what He taught, as recorded in the gospels. Some people today hold the letters of the New Testament up high, but the basic teaching in the first century was what Jesus preached.ย  Paul added clarity with respect to aspects such as the relevance of the Law of Moses and the relationship between Jew and Gentile, but his teachings are not core; what Christ taught is the core of the Christian message.

Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians to oppose a specific distortion of the truth (Col 2:4, 8, 16, 18).ย  Perhaps for that reason, we find early on in this letter an emphasis on โ€œtruthโ€ (Col 1:5, 6).ย  Because we do not live in that time and place, we do not know what the Colossian deception specifically was. Paul, in his letter, only gives us one side of the story; we only have his rebuttal of the deceptions.ย  From this we have to infer what the Colossian deception was.

Col 1:6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it: and understood the grace of God in truth:

The Gospel is represented as aย traveler, whose object it is to visit the whole earth.ย  So rapid is this traveler in his course, that he had already gone nearly through the whole of the countries under the Roman dominion, and will travel on until he has proclaimed his message to every people, and kindred, and nation, and tongue (Rev 14:6).ย  The phrase โ€œin all the worldโ€ was a legitimate hyperbole, for the gospel was spreading all over the Roman Empire.

Grace is Godโ€™s merciful kindness; His free gift.ย  Everything we receive from Him is His free gift.ย  The kindness of God leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4).ย  We are saved by His merciful kindness; we can never earn it as a wage.

1:7 Just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf:

Learned it from Epaphras: Paul himself had not worked in the area of Colossae (Col 1:4, 7-9; 2:1). ย Apparently, Epaphras, one of his helpers, and a native of the city (Col 4:12), established a group of believers there (Col 1:7; 4:12, 13).

Who is a faithful servant (KJV โ€“ minister): The word โ€œministerโ€ doesnโ€™t mean that Epaphras wasย superior to the other Christians in Colossae. The word minister means servant. ย Paul probably wrote the letter because of a visit from Epaphras from Colossae.

1:8 and he also informed us of your love in the spirit:

It seems as if, while Paul was in prison in Rome,ย Epaphras visited him, and informed him of the spiritual growth of the Colossian church (see also Col 2:5), but also of the โ€œdeceptionโ€ (Col 2:8) troubling his church.

Col 1:9 for this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you: ย and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding:

Paul in prayerNot ceased to pray for you: Paul was a man of prayer (Col 1:3, 9).ย  Through prayer, he was in constant contact with God (Col 1:9).ย  โ€œThe effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish muchโ€ (James 5:16).

Knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding: Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding is a key theme in the letter to the Colossians.ย  It is important to note that Paul wrote that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Col 2:3) โ€œso that no one will delude youโ€ (Col 2:4). This is understood to mean that some people in Colossae were trying to delude the believers, claiming that they have special knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. The interpretation in this commentary is based on the assumption that the points which Paul emphasizes, compared to his other letters, indicate the nature of the Colossian deceptionย (Col 2:8).

Col 1:10 So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord: to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Paul also prayed that they would walk (live) according to the knowledge which they received.ย  Our life is based on our knowledge of God and our understanding of His will.

Col 1:11 Strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously:

His strength is there to help us meet all of lifeโ€™s challenges and to endure and overcome problems with patience and joy. God is the source of all power. Whatever power we have, or hope to have, we only have because He gave it to us.

Col 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light:

The Father is mentioned as the active Force of redemption. He initiatedย the plan of the ages.ย  It is the Father who qualifies us, through Jesus Christ.ย ย The ESV and other translations render 2:18 as โ€œLet no one disqualify youโ€.ย  It is there quite possible that Paul, in Col 1:12, is contradicting the Colossian deception.

Col 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son

He rescued us from the domain of darkness: The domain of darkness is Satanโ€™s domain.ย  Jesus referred to โ€œthe power of darknessโ€ (Luke 22:53) that led to His arrest, suffering, and death. The power of darkness is the supernatural beings marshaled against God and His followers for combat in the spiritual realm.ย  โ€œWe wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high placesโ€ (Eph 6:12).ย  These โ€œrulers and authoritiesโ€ are a particular emphasis in the letter to the Colossians (Col 1:15; 2:15, 18), implying that the Colossian deception involved such supernatural beings.

Note the contrast between the light in Col 1:12 and the darkness in Col 1:13.ย  Light allows us to see; to receive โ€œknowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understandingโ€ (Col 1:9).

And transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son: According to Barclay, the word translated โ€œtransferredโ€ had a special significance in the ancient world. When one empire conquered another, the custom was to transfer the entire population of the defeated empire to the conquerorโ€™s land. It is in this sense that Paul says we have been transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son.

โ€œHisโ€ in these verses (Col 1:9, 11, 13) consistently refers to โ€œthe Fatherโ€ (Col 1:3):

Verse 9, for instance, refers to โ€œknowledge of His willโ€, which is explained by verse 1 as โ€œthe will of Godโ€, who is โ€œGod, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christโ€ (Col 1:3).

โ€œHis glorious mightโ€ (Col 1:11) refers back to โ€œGodโ€ in Col 1:10, who is identified in verse 3 as โ€œthe Fatherโ€.

Col 1:12 and 13, therefore, continue the focus of Col 1:2 and 3 on the Father. Some Christians think of Christ as their Savior, but these verses inform us, as already indicated by Col 1:2-3, that the Father is the Active Force that โ€œhas qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saintsโ€ (Col 1:12). The kingdom belongs to โ€œHis beloved Sonโ€ (Col 1:13), but it is the Father that โ€œrescued us from the domain of darknessโ€.ย  In Christ โ€œwe have redemption, the forgiveness of sinsโ€ (Col 1:14), but it is the Father that โ€œqualified us to share in the inheritance of the saintsโ€ (Col 1:12).

Note Christians are already rescued and already transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son.ย  This is another emphasis in the letter to the Colossians. It is again emphasized in Col 2:10, where Paul states that Christians are complete in Christ.ย  The Colossian deception judged the Christians โ€œin respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath dayโ€ (Col 2:16) and told them that they are incomplete, and that they will only become spiritually complete when they submit to โ€œdecrees, such as, Do not handle, do not taste, do not touchโ€ (Col 2:20-21).ย  In response Paul wrote that they are already qualified (Col 1:12), already rescued and already transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son (1:13).

TO: Colossians Table of Contents

TO: General Table of Contents