Vss. 15-22—As mentioned earlier, the Colossian saints needed to understand the fullness that resides in Christ. If they could see that everything they needed was in Him, they wouldn’t think of looking anywhere else to fill their spiritual needs. This would deliver them from giving their ear to the mystic teachers circulating in their region.
Having introduced us to the Son in His relationship to the Father—being the Object of His Father’s affection—Paul now dwells on the glory of the Son so that He would become the great Object of our hearts’ affections as well. Who then is “the Son of His love” in whom we have redemption? Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul proceeds to answer this with a grand presentation of the Person and work of Christ. In an attempt to add truth to the saints concerning Christ, the mystics had actually detracted from His glory with statements of outright blasphemy. Paul, on the other hand, sets before us the glories of Christ and magnifies the greatness of His Person. This confirms the old maxim that all true ministry which comes from God will exalt Christ.
Using the typology in Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan, we have before us in this next series of verses the antitype of the vision that Joshua saw of “the Captain of the Host of the LORD” (Josh. 5:13-15). This glorious and mighty Captain met Joshua at Jericho and announced that He had come to lead the children of Israel into their promised inheritance in Canaan. Likewise, in this passage we are given a glimpse of the glorious Person of Christ as the One who leads the saints into the knowledge and enjoyment of their heavenly portion of blessing—of which Canaan is a type. With such a great Person before him, Joshua “fell on his face to the earth, and did worship.” The Captain said to him, “Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.” Similarly, when touching the subject of the Person of Christ, as we do in this chapter, we need to remember that we too are on holy ground, and to be careful how we handle this great subject. This chapter is one of three first chapters in our Bibles that magnify the glories of the Person of Christ—John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1.
Paul directs our attention to the glory of Christ in three ways: in relation to God, in relation to creation, and in relation to believers.
In Relation to God
(vs. 15a)
The first thing Paul states about Christ’s greatness and glory is that He is “the image of the invisible God.” This refers to His essential glory in deity. In Scripture, “image” has to do with something or somebody representing somebody else (Luke 20:24). Man, being created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27) was thus put in the place of representing God on earth. But he fell, and the image was marred. Though fallen, man is still in the image of God (Gen. 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7), and therefore, still responsible to represent God—but sadly, he does it very poorly. Christ, on the other hand, perfectly represents God. The true character of God was perfectly brought into display in His life on earth as a living representation of God. Being divine, He is “the express image of His Person” (Heb. 1:3). This confirms His deity, for no less than a divine Person can fully reveal and perfectly represent a divine Person.
Since God is “invisible,” it is impossible for any creature to see Him. To reveal God as Father, a divine Person (Christ) had to come down from God to reveal His true character of light and love. Thus, it is in Christ the Son of God that we see who God is. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:18; 14:9).
It is interesting and instructive to note that of the two things that Scripture says of man when he was created (being made in the “image” and “likeness” of God), when it comes to Christ, Scripture says that He is the “image” of God (2 Cor. 4:4), but it doesn’t say He was in the “likeness” of God. The reason for this is that Christ is not like God—He is God (John 1:1). To say that He was like God might imply that He was not God. He was “made flesh” (John 1:14), but He was never made God, for He ever existed in the Godhead. Scripture does say that Christ was “made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7; Rom. 8:3). That is, He was like man constitutionally, having a human spirit (John 13:21), a human soul (John 12:27), and a human body (Heb. 10:5). In this sense, He was “made like unto His brethren” (Heb. 2:17). However, He was not like man morally. In becoming a Man, He did not take sinful human flesh into union with Himself. He was “sin apart” (Heb. 4:15). This means that He was without a fallen sin-nature. The Lord Jesus Christ is still a Man today in a glorified state at God’s right hand on high.
In Relation to Creation
(Vss. 15b–17)
As to the creation of the universe, Christ is no less than the Creator of it all! Paul says that He is the “Firstborn of all creation,” and explains why: “Because by Him were created all things, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities: all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all, and all things subsist together by Him.” Thus, creation displays Christ’s creatorial glory (Psa. 19:1-3).
Some have thought that “Firstborn of all creation” means that the Lord was the first created being that God made. But that is not how the term “Firstborn” is used in Scripture. In Scripture, it has nothing to do with being first in birth order. It’s true that the Lord was born first in the family of Joseph and Mary (Matt. 1:25), but that is not what this term means. Rather, it is used to denote a person’s position above others—being first in rank, and thus having preeminence over others (Ex. 4:22; Rom. 8:29; Heb. 12:23). For example: David was not born first in Jesse’s family (1 Chron. 2:13-15), yet the Lord called him the “firstborn” (Psa. 89:27). Likewise, Ephraim was not born first in Joseph’s family (Gen. 48:14) but the Lord called him His “firstborn” (Jer. 31:9).
Christ, in coming into His creation, being who He was (God “manifest in flesh” – 1 Timothy 3:16) could have no other place than that of “Firstborn.” When here in this world, the Lord did not insist upon His rights as Firstborn—which He will do in a coming day when He takes possession of the inheritance of all created things at His Appearing. But He did have those rights, and those with faith recognized it.
This passage clearly shows that Christ is the Creator of “all things.” Many other passages confirm this (John 1:3, 10; Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2, 10; Rev. 4:11). The Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). “God” (Elohim) is plural, meaning that all three Persons in the Godhead had a part in that creative work. Likewise, “Creator,” as used in Ecclesiastes 12:1, is plural. But when one Person in the Godhead is singled out as the Creator, it is always the Son. Such is the case here in Colossians 1.
In qualifying “all things” that the Lord created, Paul says, “the visible and the invisible.” This indicates the two exhaustive groups of created things. It is not by coincidence that Paul mentions invisible things here, for it was that side of things that was intriguing the Colossians. They needed to know that Christ was the Creator of all those invisible things, and being the Creator of them meant that He was superior to them. Why then be enamored with those things when we have been translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love and therein have the privilege of fellowship with the Creator Himself? To seek the things which the Creator has created rather than the Creator Himself is senseless. Understanding this would work to deliver the Colossians from moving in the direction of mystical things.
Likewise, it is not a coincidence that Paul mentions “thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or authorities.” These are invisible angelic creatures in various ranks and capacities, all of which have been created by Christ. The mystics were teaching that believers should worship these creatures (chap. 2:18). But why should Christians seek after and worship angels, when they have the Creator Himself to worship?
“He is before all, and all things subsist together by Him.” This statement shows that, being a divine and eternal Person, Christ exists outside of time. The use of the present tense “is” indicates this. Compare John 8:58. The fact that all things “subsist” through Him shows that He is not only the Creator of the universe, but that He is also the Sustainer of the universe. Even when He walked here as a lowly Man, the existence of the universe depended upon Him! This is truly astounding. The hymn-writer stated this fact as follows:
Thou Countenance transcendent!
Thou life-creating Sun!
To worlds on Thee dependent—
Yet bruised and spit upon.
L.F. #119
Christ’s glory in creation is an acquired glory; He acquired it through creating the heavens and the earth. There are three different prepositions used here to convey three different thoughts as to Christ and the creation:
• “In Him” means that all creative force (power) resides in Him.
• “By Him” means that He is the active instrument (agent) through which divine power works.
• “For Him” means that He is the divine end for which everything has been made; it is for His pleasure (Rev. 4:11).
In Relation to Believers
(Vss. 18-22)
Paul goes on to present the glories of Christ in connection with believers. The 18th verse shows that God has acted in the scene of death (in resurrection) for the purpose of bringing believers into a relationship with the Godhead so that they might be able to enjoy what He enjoys in His beloved Son. By virtue of His resurrection and ascension on high, Christ has become “the Head of the body” and “the Firstborn from among the dead.” Thus, He has an ecclesiastical glory as Head of the body and the glory of preeminence in connection with His place in the new creation race. Believers, therefore, have a double link with Christ at God’s right hand.
Firstly, we are viewed in Scripture as “members” of Christ’s body, of which He is the Head (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-13). This link with Him was made when He ascended to God’s right hand and sent forth the Holy Spirit to dwell in believers (Acts 2). Secondly, we are viewed in Scripture as “brethren” in the new creation race of men, of which Christ is the Firstborn (Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:28-29; 6:15; Eph. 2:10; 4:24; Col. 3:10-11; Heb. 2:12-13; Rev. 3:14) This link with Christ was established after He rose from the dead and breathed into the disciples, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Thus, He is “the beginning” of an altogether new race of men (Rev. 3:14), and as Firstborn in that race, He must have “preeminence” in all things. (Christ as Firstborn from the dead in verse 18 must not be confused with Christ as Firstborn of all creation in verse 15. These are two different spheres of Headship. As Firstborn of all creation, He is the Head of the natural creation; as Firstborn from among the dead, He is Head of the new creation.)
These two links with Christ on high are indicated by two expressions in Paul’s epistles. They are:
• “The Christ”—This usually refers to the members of the body and the Head being linked together in one unit (union), wherein are found our collective blessings and privileges in worship and ministry, as empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 1:10, etc. – J. N. Darby Translation).
• “In Christ”—This indicates our link with Christ as His brethren in the new creation race (2 Cor. 5:17, etc.), wherein are our individual blessings (Eph. 1:3).
The Incarnation of Christ
Vs. 19—Having set forth the glory of Christ’s Person as the Image of God, the Firstborn of all creation, the Head of the Church, and the Firstborn of the new creation, Paul turns our attention to more great glories of Christ—those having to do with Him becoming a Man and dying on the cross.
To set forth these glories, Paul takes us back to the incarnation of Christ, when He took manhood into union with His Person and became a Man (John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16). This was necessary, for in order for Him to stand in man’s place as man’s Sin-bearer to accomplish redemption, He had to become a Man. As a Man, “all the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell” in Him. The three Persons of the Godhead were in Him in life and purpose (John 1:32; 14:10), and as a result, His every word and deed “pleased” the Father (Matt. 3:17; John 8:29) and was “justified in the Spirit” (1 Tim. 3:16). Thus, the incarnation brought Christ’s moral glory into view.
His incarnation has brought God into close proximity with man. Through it the One who is infinitely high has become intimately nigh! (1 John 1:1-2) Christ’s life and ministry on earth, which was “full of grace and truth,” has given men an opportunity to see who God is in moral character (John 1:14). There was a perfect display of moral grace among men, for Christ glorified God in all that He said and did (John 17:4). As He walked in this world, His moral glory shone out in every direction; it was something that could not be hidden.
The Cross of Christ
Vs. 20a—Paul then proceeds with another great glory of Christ in connection with His death—His redemption glory. This is a glory that the Lord acquired by going to the cross and glorifying God in regard to the whole question of sin. Paul says that He “made peace through the blood of His cross.” The incarnation could not bring about our union with Christ in His body, nor could it make us part of the new creation race. As mentioned earlier, these links wherein we are blessed with Christ could not be made until He rose from the dead and ascended on high. Neither could the incarnation of Christ bring man, who has gone far from God, back to God. No amount of moral glory displayed in Christ’s perfect life could bring man back. Speaking reverently, all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in Christ, great as that was, could not effect this. A deeper work was needed, and this is what we see in Christ’s death on the cross. He made peace through the blood of His cross, and therein laid the foundation for blessing to come to man and for man to be reconciled to God (1 Peter 3:18).
It is important to understand that Christ’s work on the cross has taken care of more than just the sins of believers. He tasted death for “every thing” (Heb. 2:9). This means that His death on the cross has paid the price for every effect that sin has caused in the creation. Through His work on the cross, He has bought “the field” (the world) and everything in it (Matt. 13:38, 44). He now has title and right to it all as being His “purchased possession” and He awaits to redeem it (Eph. 1:14). This aspect of Christ’s work on the cross of tasting death for everything is called “propitiation” (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). It has to do with the vindicating of God’s holy nature in regard to the outbreak of sin, by rendering a full satisfaction to the claims of divine justice for it all.
Since “peace” has been made by the blood of the cross, no one is being asked to “make their peace with God” (as men mistakenly say), because it has already been made by Christ. Men couldn’t do it even if it were asked of them anyway! Christ’s having secured peace for all does not mean that all are justified and have “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1). To have this, one must believe on our Lord Jesus Christ and rest in faith on His finished work. Peace being made by the blood of the cross means that the price has been paid and the work has been accepted, and the way has been opened for God to announce to the world: “Come, for all things are now ready” (Luke 14:17). Thus, the finished work of Christ on the cross has given God a righteous basis on which to offer pardon and blessing to all who believe the gospel.
Reconciliation—Two Aspects
Vss. 20b-22—In setting before the saints the greatness of Christ’s work on the cross, Paul is led by the Spirit to focus on the broadest and farthest-reaching of all God’s works in grace—reconciliation. He explains that God’s purpose in making peace by the blood of the cross was “to reconcile all things unto Himself [Itself]; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His [Its] sight.” Reconciliation has to do with God’s bringing back into harmony and fellowship with Himself everything that has gone away from Him through sin. Thus, the death of Christ is seen here as that which has laid the foundation for a twofold reconciliation to be effected—of all things on earth and in heaven (vs. 20), and of all persons who believe the gospel (vs. 21).
The Reconciliation of All Things
Vs. 20b—The reconciliation of “all things” is mentioned first. It has to do with setting all things right in relation to God. The whole creation has been ruined by sin and is in need of purification (Job 15:15; Heb. 9:23) and redemption (Eph. 1:14), and to be brought back to God so that it can be used for the purpose for which it was created. While the creation is definitely ruined by sin, it is not guilty. It didn’t come into its fallen state through an act of its own will (Rom. 8:20). Nonetheless, it is presently under “the bondage of corruption” and “groans together and travails in pain” (Rom. 8:21-22). The reconciling of created things will begin when Christ appears (Acts 3:20-21). One of His first acts will be to lift the bondage of corruption that is cast over the creation. But the work of reconciliation will not be complete until the Eternal State is reached, when every last taint of sin will be removed and everything is brought into accord with God (J. N. Darby, Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Loizeaux Edition, on Colossians, p. 25; Notes & Jottings, p. 110). All the disorder in the creation will then be gone, and the earth and the heavens will be completely delivered from the power of evil and the effects of sin (1 Cor. 15:24-28). It is then that John 1:29 will be fulfilled—“Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”
It is interesting to note that when creation is in view, “the heavens” are mentioned before “the earth” (vs. 16), but when reconciliation is in view, “the earth” is put before “the heavens” (vs. 20). This shows the order in which they were created (Gen. 1:1, etc.) and the order in which they will be reconciled. Thus, the work of reconciliation will begin with things on earth, and then will widen out to reach things in the heavens. “Things under the earth [infernal beings],” mentioned in Philippians 2:10, are not included in reconciliation, and thus, they are not mentioned here. “Infernal” beings are fallen angels and unrepentant men under damnation in a lost eternity. They were not infernal when God created them, but became that through rebellion. They will be forced to bow the knee in submission to Christ’s Lordship as Philippians 2:10 indicates, but that is not salvation, nor is it reconciliation. (Reconciliation does not apply to unfallen angels; they haven’t gone away from God.)
It should also be noted that a more correct rendering indicates that the work of reconciliation is not “unto Himself” (as in the KJV), but “to Itself,” which refers to the whole Godhead. This shows that all three Persons in the Godhead will be involved in bringing everything back into accord with the mind of God.
The Reconciliation of Believers
Vss. 21-22—As previously mentioned, the reconciling of all things is a future thing; it is yet to happen. In the meanwhile, God is reconciling men through the gospel of His grace.
Perhaps the saddest result of the entrance of sin is the estranged relations that exist between men and God. Wrong thoughts and feelings now possess man's heart and mind toward God (vs. 21). Through sin, men in their fallen state have become "haters of God" (Rom. 1:30), and thus have great "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7). This passage in Colossians 1 shows that man's fallen condition is two-fold: he has become an alien and an enemy of God. "Alienated" is what men are by nature; "enemies" are what they are by practice. As such, man is now far from God morally and spiritually, having no relationship with his Creator. This estrangement was not just with Adam who first sinned, but is true of the whole race under him (Rom. 5:19a). Hatred and enmity toward God exists in every lost person, in varying degrees. It is evident in the profanity with which men use His holy name (Psa. 139:20) and in the "wicked works" which they practice. These things have contributed to man’s estrangement from God. Men have a sense of having done wrong, and their accusing conscience keeps them away from Him whom they have wronged.
This condition of enmity is altogether on man's side; it is man who has sinned and gone away from God. Even though man's heart toward God has been corrupted, God's disposition toward man has not changed. He is still favourably disposed toward sinners, for He is the great Unchangeable God (Mal. 3:6). This can be seen in the fact that He “commends His love toward us....while we were yet sinners,” and has proven His love by the fact that “Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Thus, in his confused state of thinking, man views God as an enemy, but He isn’t that at all. In fact, God is seeking the good and blessing of man! A change of heart is desperately needed in man, but not in God, for He has always loved man. Therefore, it is not God who needs to be reconciled to man, but man to God. To say that God needs to be reconciled denies His "everlasting love" for man (Jer. 31:3; John 3:16). Sometimes, when people are awakened to their need to be saved, they have the mistaken idea that since they have sinned and have gone away from God, they need to do something to turn God’s heart toward them. Some think that they need to shed tears; others think that they need to clean up their lives and get religious. But again, this is misunderstanding the heart of God; His heart has always been favourable toward man.
Since this is the case, Scripture does not present reconciliation as we know it today in the modern sense of the word. That is, in having to do with two parties that have been estranged, coming toward each other's position with some degree of compromise, so that relations between them can resume as they once were. Reconciliation, as found in the Bible, treats the subject as man being brought back to God. Hence, Scripture does not say that we are reconciled with God, which might imply this compromise, but rather that we are reconciled "to" God (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20). Moreover, it is us ("we") who receive "the reconciliation," not God (Rom. 5:11). (Matthew 5:24 does use the word "reconciled" in the sense of two parties coming together, but it is a different word in the Greek and is not in connection with the gospel blessings that we are considering.)
God in grace has overcome man’s alienation and enmity by taking care of the sin question in the death of Christ, and then by sending out His servants to announce that He loves man and has provided a way for him to be brought back in peace. Thus, the gospel message that the servants of God carry to the world is: “Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). This does not mean that every person in the world is now reconciled, or that all will be reconciled, but that a provision has been made to reach and restore every person, if they are will come to Christ.
There are four main places in the New Testament where the reconciliation of persons is considered—each views the subject in a different aspect:
• Colossians 1:19-22—for the pleasure of the Godhead.
• Romans 5:1-11—for the believer's comfort and joy in God.
• Ephesians 2:11-16—to effect unity among the members of Christ's body.
• 2 Corinthians 5:19-21—as a testimony toward the world.
As noted above, Colossians 1:22 presents reconciliation from God's perspective, emphasizing what it accomplishes for God’s pleasure. Thus, it is the highest aspect of reconciliation. To be forgiven would have satisfied us, but it wouldn't satisfy God. The parable in Luke 15 illustrates this great fact. The father was not satisfied to give the prodigal the kisses of forgiveness—he would have him arrayed with the best robe, with a ring on his hand, and with the shoes on his feet, so that his eye could rest upon his son with complacency (Luke 15:20-23). Thus, we see from this that God works to effect reconciliation in order that we might be "holy and unblamable and unreproveable in His [Its] sight"—and this so that He can find His pleasure in us. Reconciliation includes, but goes beyond the forgiveness of sins and justification, to the bringing of the believer “nigh” to God in peace (Eph. 2:13). W. Kelly said, “Reconciliation therefore is a term of rich meaning, and goes far beyond repentance or faith, quickening or justification” (Notes on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 114). Thus, the incarnation has brought God to man and reconciliation brings men (believers) to God.
The main difference between the reconciliation of things and persons is that the reconciliation of things is universal; whereas, the reconciliation of persons is not. Not all the sons of fallen Adam get this great blessing; it is only those who believe the gospel and receive Christ as their Saviour. Another difference is that God reconciles things to Himself through the exercise of judgment, but He reconciles men through the power of His love and grace working in their hearts to dispel their hatred and enmity. He takes those who are aliens and enemies through sin, and converts and reconciles and transforms them into sons, wherein they “joy in God” (Rom. 5:11) and He has His pleasure in them!
Father, Thy sovereign love has sought
Captives to sin, gone far from Thee;
The work that Thine own Son hath wrought
Has brought us back in peace and free.
And now as sons before Thy face,
With joyful steps the path we tread,
Which leads us on to that blessed place
Prepared for us by Christ our Head.
L. F. #331
Summary of Christ’s Glories in Colossians
• As “the Image of God”—His essential glory in deity.
• As “the Firstborn of all creation”—His creatorial glory.
• As “the Head of the body”—His ecclesiastical glory.
• As “the Firstborn from among the dead”—His glory of preeminence in the new creation.
• As the One in whom “all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt”—His moral glory.
• In making “peace through the blood of His cross”—His redemption glory.
• In reconciling “all things to the Godhead”—His official kingdom glory.
A Warning
Vs. 23—Paul then adds a warning: “If ye continue [abide] in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard.” By using the word “if” here, he wasn’t implying that the saints at Colosse could lose their salvation if they didn’t go on steadfastly, but because there was a real possibility that some among their number were mere professors. Paul had reason to believe that there might have been some who were outwardly attached to the Christian company at Colosse, but were not vitally attached to Christ by faith. In other words, they were going to the meetings of the assembly in Colosse, but weren’t really saved. The “ye” in this verse, therefore, encompasses all who called on the name of the Lord in Colosse, including any who may have been merely professing faith. Those who were real believers would manifest it by continuing in the faith, and those who didn’t have faith would show it by not continuing. Thus, this word of caution was added to check mere profession. It shows that the wonderful blessings included in reconciliation are conditioned upon a person having real faith in Christ, and that continuing in the path of faith is the best way to prove one’s reality.
There are actually two kinds of “ifs” in Scripture: one is an “if” of condition, and the other is an “if” of argument. An “if” of condition assumes that there is a possibility of some sort of failure occurring in meeting the conditions involved in a certain matter. An “if” of argument, on the other hand, has to do with the writer laying down certain facts in his presentation, and then building on those facts to make a certain point. When this is the case, the word “since” could be substituted for “if.” (See chapters 2:20 and 3:1.) Paul was using an “if” of condition in this 23rd verse because there was a real possibility of some failing to believe the gospel, and this would be evident by their not continuing in the faith.
Those who were mere professors would also manifest themselves by accepting the blasphemous doctrines being put forth by the false teachers in the area. Note: Paul does not speak of them turning away, but of being “moved away.” This implies the influence of others being involved in their departure. The “hope of the gospel” in this passage is more than the saints being glorified with Christ at the Rapture. The context points to the glorious consummation of reconciliation being brought to fruition in both the heavens and the earth, in which the Godhead will find its full satisfaction.
In speaking of the gospel, Paul says that it had been “proclaimed in the whole creation.” He didn’t mean that everybody in the whole world had heard the message of God’s grace, but that its sphere of operation is no less than to every person in the whole creation.
Paul’s Two Ministries
Chaps. 1:23b–2:3—It is God’s desire that “every creature which is under heaven” would have an opportunity to hear these wonderful things and to be blessed in Christ by them (1 Tim. 2:4). In view of this, Paul goes on to speak of the two ministries which the Lord had given him to carry the truth to the world.
Having already spoken of “the gospel,” of which he says he had become a “minister” (vs. 23b), Paul expands on this and speaks of a further ministry which he had been given—the unfolding of the Mystery concerning Christ and the Church. He says, “Now I rejoice in [my] sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the tribulations [afflictions] of Christ in my flesh for His body, which is the assembly [Church]; of which I became minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me towards you to complete the Word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been made manifest to His saints; to whom God would make known what are the riches of the glory of the mystery among the nations [Gentiles], which is Christ in you the hope of glory.”
Thus, Paul had two ministries: preaching “the gospel” to the lost and teaching the truth of “the Mystery” to the saints. The fact that they are mentioned together here, and also in Romans 16:25 and again in Ephesians 3:8-9, shows that these two things are connected and should always be treated as such. The truth of the gospel should flow into the truth of the Church. Sadly, many Christians have not seen this and focus their labours on gospel work without giving due attention to teaching their converts the truth of the Church. W. Kelly lamented over this and wrote: “One of the melancholy signs and proofs of where the Church is now, is that even in the most earnest children of God, there is but little thought of refreshing the hearts of the saints. Zeal is absorbed in the simple conversion of sinners. The glory of God in the Church goes for nothing....One says this not to lessen pity for the perishing, but to urge the claims of Christ’s glory and grace on the saved (The Epistles to Titus and Philemon, p. 148). We learn from this that the great end of the gospel is not merely to deliver a person from the penalty of his sins, wonderful as that is. It is to have the convert understand his place in the body of Christ (the Church), and thus to function together with the other members in the body in accordance with God’s plan to display the glory of His Son, both now in this world and in the world to come.
The Cost of Carrying the Truth to the Saints
Vs. 24—Paul then speaks of what it cost him to bring the truth to the saints. He had been bombarded with persecution which caused him much suffering (Acts 9:16; 2 Cor. 11:23-27), and this led to his being in “bonds” in Rome (Col. 4:3, 18). This shows that Satan doesn’t stand by quietly and let the gospel be preached and the truth taught. No, he stirs up opposition to it. We can be sure that whatever is introduced into this world concerning Christ, Satan will oppose it. He was opposed to Christ when He was here, and now that Christ has gone to heaven and formed His body to represent Him here below, Satan opposes it. If he can no longer persecute Christ, he will turn his energy towards persecuting His body. This can be seen in the question that the Lord asked Paul before he was converted: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” (Acts 9:4) This statement shows that to touch the members of Christ’s body is to touch Christ, because of the union that exists between the Head and the body. When Saul was converted, he became the chief minister of this very truth, and naturally, he bore the brunt of the persecution leveled at the saints. Satan targeted the vessel that had been specially raised up of God to bring out this truth.
If suffering had to be endured to bring the truth to the saints, then Paul was happy to suffer for the truth’s sake. He said, “Now I rejoice in [my] sufferings for you.” He explains that, in reality, it was the same character of suffering that Christ Himself endured in His life when He laboured to reconcile man to God (2 Cor. 5:19). Paul’s suffering filled up “that which is behind of the tribulations [afflictions] of Christ.” That is, when the Lord finished His ministry and went back to heaven, He left behind those sufferings for the truth’s sake for others to “fill up.” Thus, Paul’s sufferings were really an extension of Christ’s sufferings. These, of course, were the non-atoning, martyrdom sufferings of Christ. This was altogether different from the kind of suffering that the ascetics were advocating. They were mortifying their bodies “to the satisfaction of the flesh” (chap. 2:23), whereas Paul was suffering in his body for the spiritual benefit of Christ’s “body’s sake.”
Reviewing Paul’s exercises as a minister, we see that he not only prayed for the saints (vs. 9), and taught them by word and deed (vs. 28), but he was also prepared to suffer for them (vs. 24). These three things should go together in every servant’s ministry. A challenging question we can ask ourselves is: “Am I prepared to suffer for the saints?”
The Mystery
Vs. 25—Paul then speaks of his second ministry. He says that he was also “a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me,” which as we have said, has to do with the unfolding of the truth of “the Mystery.” Paul was the chief proponent of the Mystery. Other “holy apostles and prophets” had had this great truth revealed to them (Eph. 3:5), but Paul was especially commissioned of the Lord “to enlighten all with the knowledge” of it (Eph. 3:9).
As mentioned in the Introduction, the Mystery reveals God’s great purpose to glorify His Son in two spheres—in the heavens and on earth—in the world to come, through a specially formed vessel of testimony, the Church (Eph. 1:8-9). The Old Testament clearly foretells of a Jewish Messiah reigning over the whole earth with Israel and the Gentile nations rejoicing under Him. But the Mystery reveals something more. When Christ reigns, He will have a heavenly complement at His side—the Church, His body and bride. God will use this specially formed vessel to enhance the glory of Christ in that coming day of display (Rev. 21:9–22:5). Moreover, the Mystery reveals that Christ will not only reign over the earth, but over the whole universe—and the administration of the world to come will be under Him and the Church (Eph. 1:10 – “the Christ”).
Also mentioned in the Introduction are the two parts to the Mystery as presented in the epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians. Ephesians emphasizes the future aspect when God’s great purpose concerning Christ and the Church will be brought into display in the world to come. Colossians gives the present aspect of the Mystery, which has to do with the features of Christ being worked out practically in the members of His body, so that the world would see a living demonstration of the union of Christ and the Church.
Paul says that bringing out this great truth would “fulfil [complete] the Word of God.” Thus, the Mystery is God’s crowning jewel that completes the divine revelation of truth. Having divulged this secret, there now remains no more truth to be revealed. “All the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge” are found in the Mystery, and they have all been disclosed to the saints (chap. 2:2-3). Completing the Word of God does not mean that Paul was the last to write the inspired Scriptures; we know that he was not. The Apostle John wrote his Gospel, and his epistles, and the book of Revelation some years later. However, those writings do not reveal any new truth concerning the Church—which is Paul’s point here. John’s epistles do not take up the truth of the Church, but rather the family of God. His Revelation of Jesus Christ has many visions and revelations connected with future events, but those things are an enlargement on subjects already introduced in the Old Testament. All such prophetic teachings are not new subjects of truth.
Vs. 26—Paul then enlarges on the fact that the truth in the Mystery is not an extension of truth given in the Old Testament. He makes it clear that it was something that was “hidden from ages and from generations” (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:5) and has only now in this present Dispensation of Grace been “made manifest to His saints.” It is not something that Old Testament saints could have known about. It was a “secret” (Rom. 16:25) that was not hidden in the Old Testament (as some have thought), but something that was “hid in God” (Eph. 3:9). There are images of Christ and the Church in the Old Testament types, such as: Adam and Eve (Gen. 2), Isaac and Rebekah (Gen. 24), Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29), Joseph and Zaphnath-paaneah (Gen. 41), etc., but these do not teach the truth of the Church. They do not disclose the nature of its union, etc. All such required a divine revelation, which is what the Mystery unfolds. We would not have seen those figures in the Old Testament had not the truth of the Church been revealed in the Mystery in the New Testament.
Vs. 27—Paul then defines the practical working out of the truth of the Mystery in the saints. He says that it is, “Christ in you the hope of glory.” Thus, the Mystery reveals that God would have persons here now in this world in the very place where Christ has been cast out and crucified, in whom the living characteristics of His Person would be seen. It is not that Christ personally dwells in those who compose this new company (as commonly thought), but that the characteristics of the life of Christ are seen in them. W. Kelly said, “It is Christ’s life in us in its full risen character of display” (Lectures on Colossians, p. 108). “You” is plural. This shows that it is God’s intention that there would be in this world a united reproduction of Christ in the saints. Seeing the saints moving together in happy fellowship, even though they are diverse in social standing, intellectual attainments, race distinctions, etc., renders a strong testimony as to what God is presently doing in this world through the gospel. The “hope” that he refers to here is the deferred certainty of our being with Christ in a glorified state.
Vs. 28—Having spoken of the Mystery in its present aspect, Paul says, “Whom we preach [announce], warning [admonishing] every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” We see from this that the objective of his twofold ministry was that people would not only have their souls saved eternally through believing the gospel, but that they would also go on after they were saved and reach full Christian maturity. “Perfect,” in the sense in which Paul uses the word here, refers to this. It means “full grown” and could be translated as such (1 Cor. 14:20; Phil. 3:15). All Christians are “in Christ Jesus” as to their position of acceptance before God in Christ, the risen, glorified Man. But to be “perfect in Christ Jesus” involves knowing the truth of the Mystery and seeking to walk with our fellow brethren in such a way that there would be a living demonstration of Christ. Thus, Paul was not interested in simply bringing people over the line of soul-salvation and leaving them there to make their own way in divine things––he laboured to establish them in the truth after they were saved. Hence, if the Colossians wanted Christian perfection, it would be found in the truth revealed in the Mystery, and not in what the false teachers in their area were propounding.
Note the switch from the plural (“you” – vs. 27) to the singular (“every man” – vs. 28). This is because when it comes to growth and progress in divine things, it is an individual thing. We cannot grow for someone else, and they can’t grow for us. On the believer’s part, spiritual progress requires obedience, diligence, and exercise of soul. It is also helpful to have instruction from gifted teachers, as was the case here with Paul’s instruction.
Vs. 29—In view of presenting every man perfect, Paul says, “Whereunto also I toil, combating according to His working, which works in me in power.” Combat refers to warfare. This shows that Paul saw his labours as a spiritual conflict. He clearly understood that the devil and his emissaries were working behind the scenes to resist the spread of the truth (2 Cor. 10:3-5; 1 Thess. 2:18; Eph. 6:11-13). In the world to come, there will be no combating with these evil foes to bring out the display of Christ and the Church, because they will all be confined to the bottomless pit (Isa. 24:21-22; Rev. 20:1-2). But in this world today there is a definite spiritual battle regarding the collective reproduction of the features of Christ in the saints.
Chap. 2:1—Paul knew that the saints in that region were in a perilous condition, and he wanted them to know his concern. He said, “For I would have you know what great conflict [combat] I have for you, and for them at Laodicea.” The mention of “Laodicea” here and “Hierapolis” later in the epistle (chap. 4:13) tells us that these neighbouring assemblies were in danger too. It shows the enemy’s efforts are relentlessness. If these false teachers couldn’t get the ear of the Colossians, they would try to get in at Laodicea, or at Hierapolis.
Vss. 2-3—Paul’s great desire for them was “that their hearts may be encouraged, being united together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God; in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.” Being “knit together in love” was a matter of their “hearts” being lifted up in the Lord, and having “the full assurance of understanding” of the Mystery was a matter of their minds being instructed in the truth. This would garrison them against the deceptions of the enemy. If this state existed among the Colossians, it would be difficult for the enemy to get a foothold in the assembly. The “full assurance” that Paul was referring to here was not the assurance of their souls’ salvation; this they already had. It was that they would be fully assured of the fact that they had been given “all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge” in the Mystery. Knowing this would deliver them from seeking truth anywhere else but in the Mystery. Thus, Paul’s conflict in prayer was that they would be in a right spiritual state to profit from the truth.
Using the typology in Israel’s journey from Egypt to Canaan, “the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” that Paul speaks of here is the antitype of Israel’s promised inheritance (portion) in Canaan. See Ephesians 1:3.