1. THE COLOSSIANS —continued.
It was the frequent practice of the apostle in his epistles to commence by such a development of divine truth as should in itself be the rebuke, or the warning which he knew to be the especial need of those to whom he addressed himself, the application of the truth in its practical bearing being given subsequently.
Bearing this in mind, we shall readily see that, apart from the direct warnings which may be recorded, a consideration of the truth brought out at first will throw much light on the condition of the assembly addressed, and this is perhaps in no case more apparent than in the Epistle to the Colossians.
Before proceeding therefore to the latter part of the second chapter, which will more directly occupy us, we may call attention to a few points in the previous portion of the Epistle.
In the first chapter, after expressing his thankfulness for their faith and love, and his continuous prayer for their spiritual welfare, and giving in a few words a summary of the blessings they had received, the apostle proceeds to dwell upon the glories of the person and work of the Lord: from this we may judge that the false doctrines which were being introduced at Colossi were having the effect of robbing the saints of their affection for their Savior, and of their appreciation of the value of His work.
In all ages the heart of man has experienced the need, however vaguely it may have been expressed, of being brought to the knowledge of God. The inquiry contained in the question asked by Job’s friend “Canst thou by searching find out God?” which has exercised the minds of the wisest men, finds its only answer in christianity, where we learn that though no man has seen God at any time, “the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
The works of creation testify the power of God of, and neglect of their witness leaves man without excuse (Romans 1:19,2019Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:19‑20)); the perfect manner in which every created thing from the lowest to the most highly developed organism performs its allotted functions may cause us to wonder at His wisdom; but all this tells us nothing of His heart, and it needed the gift of His Son that we might learn how much He has loved us. How needful then that our thoughts of the Revealer of the Father, of the Word of God, should be divinely directed!
In the first place then, Christ is the image of the invisible God—He is the representative and manifested. Of the first man (Adam), we read that he was created in the “image” of God: in a deeper and fuller sense is this expression used of the second Man, for He is not only, as Adam, the representative of God, but in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead. The first man was innocent; of those who are in the new creation, of which the second Man is the beginning we read “created in righteousness and true holiness,” and “renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him.”
We then find an unfolding of the dignity of the person of Christ in a double aspect-in connection with all things (whether in heaven or on earth), as their creator and upholder, and with the church as its head: and in both respects He is shown to have the first place, the pre-eminence, not only as regards the material creation, but also as to the new order of things brought in by redemption.
In the second place the glory of His work is unfolded, again, in a double aspect—in connection with the world as the Reconciler of all things (a work the basis of which was laid in the: cross, though the full results are not yet manifest), and also as the present Reconciler of those who are the objects of divine grace.
Between these two thoughts, and linking them together, is the emphatic assertion of the divinity of Christ, repeated again in the second chapter, that in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.
Having thus set forth the glories of the person and work of Christ in such a manner as should call forth the adoration and affection of the Colossians, the apostle proceeds to add a few words of warning and enters a little into detail as to the character of his own ministry (which we see has a double sphere—the church and the world), and his desire for their welfare.
Let us now consider what light these passages throw upon the condition of the Colossians, and what inferences we may fairly draw as to the errors into which they were in danger of falling. We should thus judge1St. That their faith in the divinity of Christ was being undermined, and that they were attributing to Him an inferior place as to His person.
2nd. That the question of the creation of the world was exercising their minds, and that they were losing sight of the only key to the many problems it presents to the human mind.
3rd. That their worship was not addressed to God alone, but that inferior beings, “thrones, dominions, principalities, powers,” were occupying their attention.
4th. That their sense of their union with Christ was being lost.
5th. That they were forgetting what they had been taught as to the value and effects of the work of Christ, and were seeking to supplement the reconciliation wrought out by Him.
In our following papers we may consider from the warnings given by the apostle if these conclusions are just.