Paul's Letter to Colossae
The author is
Paul and the situation in Colossae seemed to be an invasion of lots of
different ideologies and philosophies including semi-Jewish plus other Greek
notions. Similar to Paul's letter to the Galatian churches, the variety of
these philosophies were not set up in opposition to Christianity, it was being
suggested that they enhance Christianity.
Paul wanted to affirm that Christ is sufficient. Adding human philosophies to Christ actually
robs Christ of His glory. Paul wrote
while in prison about the same time as he wrote Ephesians. There is a similarity between the two
letters. "Ephesians speaks of the Christian being in
Christ; Colossians speaks of Christ being in the Christian."[1] The purpose of
Paul's letter to Colossae was confront these false ideas and present Christ in
the Gospel as of greater value and worth.
Context
In Chapter 1,
Paul emphasizes the Person and the Work of Christ. The greatness of Christ therefore enables
Paul to launch this appeal to not depart from the Gospel: “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present
you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in
the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that
you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which
I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:21–23, ESV).
Paul, then
tells the Church how the hope of Christ enables him to struggle through
opposition and trials. Paul's whole ministry can be described as “that their hearts may be encouraged,
being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of
understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are
hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no
one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body,
yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness
of your faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:2–5, ESV)
It is Christ who has all the superlative wisdom and knowledge. Don't let even good sounding arguments move
you from this truth. “Therefore, as you received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in
the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6–7, ESV).
English Translations
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Colossians
2:6–7 (AV)
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Colossians
2:6–7 (NIV)
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Colossians
2:6–7 (NASB95)
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Colossians
2:6–7 (NLT)
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6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the
faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
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6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the
faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
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6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly
rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,
just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
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6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your
Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into
him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in
the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
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Analysis
Ὡς οὖν or
"therefore"
"just as you
received Christ Jesus as Lord" (summarizing the first part of the
letter).
"
Paul has spotlighted the person of Christ,
ruler of both the old creation and the new (1:15–20), substance of the
“mystery,” God’s plan for human history (1:27; 2:2), and repository of all
wisdom and knowledge (2:3). And he has reminded the Colossians that they have
responded to the message about this new Lord of the universe and given
themselves to his service (1:5–8, 21–23)."[2]
"The Colossians
had received Christ in a certain manner: as the Anointed of God
("Christ"), as the historic Savior ("Jesus"), and as the
sovereign ("Lord")."
If that is true, the
Apostle writes, then "walk in Him;" or "live your lives in
Him;" or "continue to follow Him." In Greek: ἐν αὐτῷ περιπατεῖτε. Pronounced per·ee·pat·eh·o
a verb written in the present active,
that is, "continue to live in that same way." The present
imperative περιπατεῖτε (peripateite) implies, in this context, a
continuation of something already begun. In the same manner we trusted
Christ – we are to live. Here's some
examples of how Paul uses this idea of walk:
& Ephesians 4:17 (ESV) 17 Now this I say and testify in
the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the
futility of their minds.
& Romans 6:4 (ESV) 4 We were buried therefore with
him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
& Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) 10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that
we should walk in them.
In Greek Paul uses 4
participles to describe the walk in Christ.
A participle in a sentence describes the verb. So these participles are answering the
question, "How do we walk?" They
are:
A. Eρριζωμένοι or firmly rooted. Having been rooted because it is written in
the perfect passive tense. Live in
agreement with the fact that someone/something has permanently rooted you. This
is a settled condition. You have been
planted in Christ.
B. Eποικοδομούμενοι
or built up. This is present passive in
the Greek reflecting the idea of "you are being built up. Eν
αὐτῷ, in Him – in Christ.
C.
βεβαιούμενοι τῇ πίστει
strengthened, established in the faith. Again
this is present passive. "The
Faith" or "that body of truth – the faith system --
as you were taught. The noun ("confirmation") is found
in Phil. 1:7; and Heb. 6:16. The verb implies "to
confirm" or "to verify".
Christ is confirming/verifying you, in The Faith.
D. Pερισσεύοντες ἐν
εὐχαριστίᾳ --
continuing to abound/overflow with thanksgiving. This verb is active. Something we do. "The allusion to what the Colossians have already been taught interrupts
the flow of participles, causing overflowing
with thankfulness to stand by itself as almost an afterthought. But we
should not thereby underestimate its significance. As we have noticed already,
thanksgiving plays a prominent role in Colossians, Paul apparently being
convinced that true gratitude for God’s grace is an important “offensive”
measure against the false teaching (see the notes on 1:12).[5]
"The three participles
rooted,
built up,
and
firm belong together and reflect three different
metaphors. The first participle “
rooted” (perfect tense) indicates a
settled condition on the part of the Colossian believers and refers to
horticulture. The second participle “
built up” (present passive) comes
from the world of architecture. The third participle “
firm [established]”
(present passive) comes from the law courts. With these three metaphors (as
well as the following comment on thankfulness) Paul explains what he means when
he commands them to continue to live their lives in Christ. The use of the
passive probably reflects God’s activity among them. It was he who had rooted
them, had been building them up, and had established them in the faith
(cf. 1 Cor 3:5-15 for the use of mixed metaphors)."
Paraphrase
"Christ is
supreme in all ways; superlative in all His Being and His work. You received Him by faith as Lord, Savior and
the Christ. By grace He rooted you,
has been building you up, and has established you in the faith. So
live in Him the same way, by faith as Savior, Lord and Christ; abounding in
thanksgiving." - Paul.
Homiletical Outline
I.
Illustration: Are You Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader?
II. Where Do I Get
That? (Colossians 2:6-7)
III.
Lessons From
Salvation
a.
What did you believe
when you became a Christian?
b.
What does it mean
when you believe Jesus is Lord?
c.
So how do we grow as
a Christian? Stay right there!
IV.
Why Do We Stay in the
Schoolhouse of Christ's Lordship?
#1.
He has firmly rooted me there.
#2.
He is building me up.
#3.
Thirdly, He has and is establishing me in The Faith. "
#4.
Fourthly, it ought to produce a life abounding/overflowing with
thanksgiving.
V.
How Do We Do That?
"As you received … so walk."
How did you receive Christ? Answer?
By faith!
VI.
What Does That Simplicity
Look Like?
A life of faith is a
life directed by God’s Word – empowered by His Spirit. It doesn't get any more complicated than
that. We never leave Grade One.
[1] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M.
(Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary
(p. 2453). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] Moo, D. J. (2008). The
letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 175). Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.
[5] Moo, D. J. (2008). The
letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (pp. 182–183). Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.
