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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Colossians 1:24

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Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

24 29. The Apostle’s joy, and labour, in his Ministry

24. Who ] This word is undoubtedly to be omitted, on the evidence of documents. Read, Now I rejoice.

now ] as I review the glory of our Redeemer in His Person and His Work, the scope of His Gospel, the blessedness of His service.

rejoice in my sufferings ] Cp. Eph 3:1; Eph 3:13; Php 2:17-18.

“A pastor should always regard himself as the representative ( vicaire) of the love of Jesus Christ towards His Church, not only for teaching, but also for suffering” (Quesnel, on this place).

fill up afflictions of Christ ] Lit., fill up, as required, the lackings of the tribulations of Christ. The verb rendered “ fill up ” by A.V. is a double compound (found here only in the Greek Scriptures) conveying the thought of a supply occasioned by, fitted to, a demand. (See Lightfoot’s quotations.) The word rendered “ sufferings ” is better “ afflictions,” or more exactly “ tribulations,” “ troubles.” It is nowhere else in N.T. used of our blessed Lord’s experiences, though it occurs in the Psalm of the Crucifixion, 22:(21 in the LXX.)11. Its ordinary reference is not to the pains of death but to the toils and anguish of persecution, and generally to the trials of a burthened life.

Thus there is no suggestion here of any supplement added by Paul to the unique Sufferings of the Propitiator in His atoning Death; a sorrow and labour in which the Lord stood absolutely alone, unapproachable for ever by any or all of His people, “bearing their sins,” “made a curse for them.” The reference is to the toils, shame, and persecution of the Lord’s life and labour as “ the Apostle of our profession” (Heb 3:1), our supreme Evangelist and Pastor. In these “troubles,” though indeed preeminent, He was not unique. He only “ began to do and to teach” (Act 1:1) personally what through His members He was to carry on the end, and what was in this respect left incomplete when He quitted earth. Every true toiler and sufferer for Him and His flock contributes to the “filling up” of that incompleteness, so far as he toils and bears in Christ.

“The idea of expiation or satisfaction is wholly absent from this passage” (Lightfoot).

“The Apostle entered deep into the spirit of his suffering Master when he wrote those words, so embarrassing for the commentators, so edifying for the simple, where the sufferings of the disciple are made almost as necessary for the instruction of the Church as those of the Saviour for its redemption.” (Ad. Monod, Saint Paul, Cinq Discours, p. 55.)

in my flesh ] Connect these words with “ fill up,” not with “ afflictions of Christ ” as some expositors. True, “in all their affliction He is afflicted” (Isa 63:9); and so in a tender sense He was “afflicted in” His servant’s “flesh,” his sensibilities and powers in bodily life. But, as Lightfoot points out, this explanation here is out of harmony with the verb “ fill up as required.” The thought is of tribulations necessary for the practical ends of gathering in and building up the Church.

for his body’s sake, &c.] Cp. 2Ti 2:10, a close parallel. For the sake of the glorious Head, the spiritual Body becomes Paul’s absorbing interest.

On the words “ body ” and “ Church ” see above, on Col 1:18.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you – For you as a part of the Gentile world. It was not for the Colossians alone, but he regarded himself as suffering on account of his labors in preaching to the pagan at large. His trials at Rome had come upon him because he had maintained that the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles was broken down, and that the gospel was to be preached indiscriminately to all mankind; see this illustrated in the introduction, Section 5.

And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ – That which I lack of coming up to the sufferings which Christ endured in the cause of the church. The apostle seems to mean:

(1)That be suffered in the same cause as that for which Christ suffered;

(2)That he endured the same kind of sufferings, to some extent, in reproaches, persecutions, and opposition from the world;

(3)That he had not yet suffered as much as Christ did in this cause, and, though be had suffered greatly, yet there was much that was lacking to make him equal in this respect to the Saviour; and,

(4)That he felt that it was an object to be earnestly desired to be made in all respects just like Christ, and that in his present circumstances he was fast filling up that which was lacking, so that he would have a more complete resemblance to him.

What he says here is based on the leading desire of his soul – the great principle of his life – to be just like Christ; alike in moral character, in suffering, and in destiny; see the notes at Phi 3:10. Having this strong wish, he had been led to pursue a course of life which conducted him through trials strongly resembling those which Christ himself endured; and, as fast as possible, he was filling up that in which he now fell short. He does not mean that there was anything lacking or deficient in the sufferings which Christ endured in making an atonement which was to be supplied by his followers, so that their merits might be added to his in order to secure the salvation of men, as the Romanists seem to suppose; but that there was still much lacking on his part before he should be entirely conformed to the Saviour in his sufferings, and that his present condition was such as rapidly to fill that up. This seems to me to be the fair meaning of this expressions though not the one commonly given. The usual interpretation is, that which remains to me of affliction to be endured in the cause of Christ. But this seems to me to be cold and tame, and not to suit the genius of Paul.

In my flesh – In bodily sufferings.

For his bodys sake, which is the church – See the notes at Eph 1:23.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Col 1:24

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you.

Joy in suffering

The vast region of human sorrow is to most a dark and dreary desert. But if we saw truly we should find many streams of refreshment, many sunny spots, and on all sides evidences of the Divine tenderness. Here we find Paul at home in the region of suffering–rejoicing amid mysteries which fill most men with darkness. And no wonder, for he had been led to gather that his sufferings were supplementary to those of Christ, and essential to the well-being of the Church.

I. The sufferings of christ.

1. This is a subject of which we can know little. All the notes that have been marshalled into harmony by the great rulers of song tell most of the unexplored regions of music. The fire which sparkles from the flint when struck with steel tells most of the unspent fire within. And so all the outward manifestations of Christ suffering tells most of the inexpressible anguish of His heart. That it was terrible beyond human thought is indicated–

(1) by the prophecies concerning the Man of Sorrows;

(2) by His sudden death of a broken heart;

(3) by the exquisite sensibility of His holy nature.

2. But while it is impossible to know fully His sufferings, some facts concerning them are revealed.

(1) They were borne voluntarily for men.

(2) The spring of His sacrificing of Himself was His infinite love.

(3) Consequently His sufferings were not only compatible with His unspeakable joy, but were the cause of what was unspeakable in it (Heb 12:3).

3. Christ in His life of sacrifice declared the Fathers love for men, and in His life mirrored the life of God. God is ever spending Himself for His children, and is ever unspent. He that spared not, etc. We infer, then, that the purest joy of heaven is sacrifice, and since Christ is the firstborn among many brethren, that He should furnish the ideal of all true living; which throws light upon the text.

II. The sufferings of Paul. These were twofold; those which He voluntarily endured for the sake of the Church, and those which were personal and inevitable.

1. He did not seek suffering for its own sake, As an end it was contemptible, but as a means to the well-being of the universe it was sublime. Pauls joy was not in the suffering, but in the love of which suffering was the medium of expression. As the love of fatherland inspires the patriot to bleed for his country, so the love of men made the apostle ready to sacrifice anything for them. And as he did so he was filled with Divine ecstasy.

2. But His love for Christ was a richer source of gladness amid His suffering. We want always to know all we can about those we love. One of the great ends of Pauls life was to know Christ, and the idea of being in fellowship with Christ in His sufferings was full of glory to Him. He would be in a position for realizing more of that love which passeth knowledge. Loves fullest revelations can only be made in suffering. The mother never knew the strength and blessedness of a mothers love until her child became ill, and until she lost herself in all-consuming love for it. It has been the common testimony of Christs most afflicted ones, that in the hour of their greatest suffering they have had the profoundest sense of Christs love. Christ meets us where Loves grandest revelations are possible, There Paul rejoiced in His sufferings.

III. The supplementary character of Pauls sufferings to Christs and their subservency to the well-being of the Church.

1. There cannot be anything meritorious in suffering. After ye have done all, ye are unproftable servants. Yet there is a vicarious element in suffering borne for others. Our Lords life affected men through the idea of sacrifice. In the Cross we see sin condemned and the glory of the Divine rectitude and mercy displayed. But Christ is no longer with us, and His sufferings are over. How, then, shall we convey the idea of His self-sacrificing love? By preaching partly, but mostly in the imitation of it in the self-sacrificing lives of His people. Thus do Christians fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ.

2. The sufferings of Christian people are among the chief means of deepening and enlarging their power of sympathy. In Christ sympathy was one of the mightiest forces for saving men. The bruised reed will He not break, etc. Sympathy is the secret of true blessedness and usefulness. Christ was perfected through suffering.

And in that He suffered, etc.–and by having it perfected in Himself the apostle felt that He was filling up, etc.

3. Affliction is everywhere regarded in the Scriptures as a necessity for the Christian in this world. When sanctified it breaks down our wills, subdues our hearts, moulds us more and more into the likeness of Christ. How does this affect the Church? Is it not Christs body? The increased life of the individual members then, must affect the whole body through the spiritual veins and nerves and joints which bind the members to each other, and all to Christ the Head. The lowliest sufferer, therefore, is not suffering in vain, he is filling up, etc. (H. Simon.)

Joy in suffering

A great pleasure in giving. No pleasure so great as to be able to give or serve. Pleasure in personally going without, in order to give to another, or serve another; that is, in putting yourself to pain for the sake of another. Our sufferings really are a giving to others and serving others, though possibly we may not see how. It is very often the case that losses or pain do a great deal of good to the person who suffers them. When we know that a pain or loss of ours does some good to some one else, to some one whom we truly love, then it is a very different thing–then we rejoice in it. The mother rejoices in her pain for her child. In this way, look at the misery and sorrow in the world; to think of it as being borne, not by each one for himself, but by every one for others; as serving others in some unseen way. We shall see in the future state how our pain was borne for others, and be glad that thus we served. God has revealed to us in Christ both that His own life is a life of sacrifice and service, and that ours truly is so too. The work of making mankind perfect is helped on by all that we are called upon to bear. We help Gods work by our sorrows. They are Gods special gift to us of serving; it is Gods best gift to us–the privilege He gave His Son–to be used and sacrificed for the best and greatest end. The result which glorifies and makes good the painful part of human life is one that we cannot see. To make sacrifice for others always joyful to us, our own life must be made more perfect. (James Hinton.)

The joy of suffering for the Church

A stolid indifference to, and heroic endurance of, suffering, was not unknown to paganism. But Christianity alone has taught us to rejoice in it. Observe–

I. The representative character of the apostles sufferings.

1. He represented the suffering Saviour. We are not to suppose that Christs sufferings were incomplete. His passion was the one perfect and sufficient sacrifice for sin. No one could represent this. But while His personal sufferings are over He so thoroughly identifies Himself with His people that their afflictions become His own. Paul represented the suffering Saviour in what he endured for Him and the Church. Thus He could say, The sufferings of Christ abound in us; and so may the Church as Christs representative to-day (Mat 25:1-46.).

2. The sufferings of the apostle supplemented what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ. Fill up, Every age of the church has its measure of suffering. The church is built up by repeated acts of self-denial in successive individuals and generations. They continue the work which Christ began. The great Mediator suffered to effect our salvation; and His people, on their part, fill up the suffering needed for the perfection of their spiritual life, and for the full display of the Divine glory.

II. The vicarious character of the apostles sufferings. For his bodys sake, which is the Church.

1. The apostles sufferings for the Church

(1) confirmed the faith of her converts;

(2) were for the consolation of the Church. Whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation. Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for the water of consolation. When James Bainham, who suffered under the reign of Henry VIII., was in the midst of the flames which had half consumed his arms and legs, he said aloud: O ye Papists, ye look for miracles, and here now you may see a miracle; for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of down; but it is to me a bed of roses;

(3) tended to promote its increase. The more the Egyptians afflicted the Hebrews the more they multiplied. The devils way of extinguishing goodness, is Gods way of advancing it.

III. The high-toned spirit of the apostles sufferings. Who now rejoice. Nature shrinks from suffering. It is altogether above nature to triumph in it. It is Christianity alone that inspires us with joy in tribulation. (G. Barlow.)

Suffering working perfection

Just as a certain amount of heat in the furnace is required to produce certain definite effects upon the metal, so it would seem as though a certain definite amount of suffering, recognized by the infinite wisdom of God, were necessary to work out the perfection of that body of which Christ is the Head. As we each cheerfully and thankfully bear our share, what a joy to think that, along with the Head, we are contributing in our measure to the perfecting of the whole. (W. M. H. Aitken, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 24. Rejoice in my sufferings for you] St. Paul always considers his persecutions, as far as the Jews were concerned in them, as arising from this simple circumstance – his asserting that God had chosen the Gentiles, and called them to enjoy the very same privileges with the Jews, and to constitute one Church with them.

It was on this account that the Jews attempted his life at Jerusalem, when, in order to save it, he was obliged to appeal to Caesar; the consequences of which persecution he was now suffering in his imprisonment in Rome. See Clarke on Col 4:2.

That which is behind of the afflictions of Christ] I have still some afflictions to pass through before my race of glory be finished; afflictions which fall on me on account of the Gospel; such as Christ bore from the same persecuting people.

It is worthy of remark that the apostle does not say , the passion of Christ, but simply , the afflictions; such as are common to all good men who bear a testimony against the ways and fashions of a wicked world. In these the apostle had his share, in the passion of Christ he could have none. He trod the wine press alone, of the people there were none with him.

His body’s sake] Believers, both of Jews and Gentiles, who form that one body, of which Christ is the head.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you; he confirms his call to the ministry of the gospel from his cheerfulness in his present sufferings, so that they should not be discenraged, being it highly contented him to witness and seal his doctrine by bearing his cross for them, Rev 5:2,3; 2Co 7:4; see Phi 1:14,20; 2:17. The Jews hated him and persecuted him because of his communion with the Greeks and other Gentiles, which occasioned his imprisonment at Rome, Col 2:1; 4:3,18; Ac 21:28,29; 26:17,18; Eph 3:1; yet this did not deter him from his office, but he took pleasure in doing his duty. Act 5:41; 2Ti 2:10, gladly spending himself and being spent for their souls, 2Co 12:15, for their edification and consolation, 2Co 1:6,7; Php 1:13,14.

And fill up; and, the copulative, is used as causal; fill up, not simply, but in ones turn, implying a contradistinction between what Christ suffered for the apostle, and what the apostle suffered for Christ. Christ in his rank suffered what was necessary for my redemption; now I, in my turn, (by his gift, Phi 1:29), undergo what afflictions are useful for his glory. He purchased salvation by his cross, I advance his kingdom and cause by my combats.

That which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh: one learned man renders this clause, what remains concerning the afflictions for Christ in my flesh; however, if we conceive of things distinctly, we may retain our own translation, considering Pauls filling up is either:

1. With respect to Christ; so he doth not mean what Christ suffered in his own proper person during his tabernacling here; for neither Paul nor any other penman of the New Testament doth use the term affliction, to express the sufferings of Christ whereby he appeased Gods wrath and satisfied his justice: that he finished in his own person when he gave up the ghost, Joh 19:30, he perfected all completely, Col 1:14,22; nothing will be required from any believer upon that account, Rom 6:9,10; Heb 10:14; there be no remains upon that account, all was filled up by Christ himself. All can be imagined that Paul should mean in this respect, would be only from Christs leaving an example, 1Pe 2:21; q.d. As Christ hath suffered for my salvation, so in like manner, following him, I bear his cross, suffering for his gospel and glory. Or:

2. With respect to Paul himself: the sense is, q.d. As I have borne a great part of afflictions for the name of Christ, and in his glorious communion, 2Co 1:5; Gal 6:17; 2Ti 1:8,10; so in like manner I fill up the remains of them assigned to me a member of the mystical body, in conformity to the image of him who is the Head, Rom 8:18; 1Pe 4:13. I do by little and little accomplish in my present sufferings (which make a part of it) the portion allotted to me in the same afflictions, which are accomplished and accomplishing in our brethren that are in the world, 1Pe 5:9, in time and degree according to Gods counsel, (whereby the Head was preordained to suffer, Act 4:28; 1Pe 1:20), which apportioned to every member what share it is to bear, till it be perfectly confirmed to Christ, Phi 3:10,12,21. These sufferings as Christians, 1Pe 4:13,14,16, (which the members undergo in their causes), may be said to be the afflictions of Christ:

(1.) Being for his cause and glory, the troubles they receive upon his account may be called his, the badges of his family and followers, Gal 6:17; Heb 11:26.

(2.) Because of the union between Head and members, 1Co 12:12; they being give, to the whole body, the wounds of his members are his, Act 9:4,16, he doth sympathize with them; but as he finished his work of proper sufferings while in the flesh, so the apostles expression intimates here, their sufferings shall not last longer than they are in the body, they need not fear any purgatory afterwards.

For his bodys sake, which is the church: and while Paul suffered here, he adds another reason for the supporting and cheering of him, viz. the usefulness of his sufferings for the whole church, the mystical body of Christ, as Col 1:18; which consideration might sweeten his bitterest afflictions, not only because it was in their service, to further their faith, that he was so persecuted, but for their edification and consolation; this was the scope of his patience, Phi 1:12-14, to encourage those who knew his testimony to embrace the truth, 2Ti 2:10. What the Rhemists and other papists infer hence, that the apostle satisfied for the sins of other believers by his sufferings, contributing to the churchs treasury of satisfactions for temporary punishments, is altogether groundless. It is brutish to conclude, because he sustained afflictions for the edification of the church, that therefore he satisfied for the sins of the church; because he was spent for the Corinthians, that he answered for their faults, 2Co 12:15; he was not crucified for any, 1Co 1:13. To take Pauls sufferings satisfactory is to derogate from Christs merit; none is without sin as Christ was, and as it is necessary for him that satisfieth, Pro 20:9. Christs sacrifice became expiatory, being offered by the eternal Spirit, Heb 9:14; he having borne the sins of believers in his own natural body upon the cross, and that by himself, there needs no supplements (could any be found) from others, Joh 1:29; Heb 1:3,8; 1Pe 2:24; 1Jo 2:2. To conceit there is any need of human satisfactions as supplies to Christs sufferings, is to cross the apostles main drift here, Col 1:12-14,20-22; he was far from satisfying for himself, Phi 3:9,12, and shows that every man shall bear his own burden. Gal 6:5, however he should endeavour to honour Christ, and edify his church, 2Co 12:10.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

24. WhoThe oldest manuscriptsomit “who”; then translate, “Now I rejoice.” Somevery old manuscripts, and the best of the Latin versions, andVulgate, read as English Version. To enhance the gloryof Christ as paramount to all, he mentions his own sufferings for theChurch of Christ. “Now” stands in contrast to “I wasmade,” in the past time (Col1:23).

for you“on yourbehalf,” that ye may be confirmed in resting solely on Christ(to the exclusion of angel-worship) by the glorification of Christ inmy sufferings (Eph 3:1).

fill up that which isbehindliterally, “the deficiencies”all that arelacking of the afflictions of Christ (compare Note, see on 2Co1:5). Christ is “afflicted in all His people’s afflictions”(Isa 63:9). “The Church isHis body in which He is, dwells, lives, and therefore also suffers”[VITRINGA]. Christ wasdestined to endure certain afflictions in this figurative body, aswell as in His literal; these were “that which is behind of theafflictions of Christ,” which Paul “filled up.”His own meritorious sufferings in expiation for sin were once for allcompletely filled up on the Cross. But His Church (His second Self)has her whole measure of afflictions fixed. The more Paul, a member,endured, the less remain for the rest of the Church to endure; thecommunion of saints thus giving them an interest in his sufferings.It is in reference to the Church’s afflictions, which are “Christ’safflictions, that Paul here saith, “I fill up the deficiencies,”or “what remain behind of the afflictions of Christ.” Sheis afflicted to promote her growth in holiness, and her completenessin Christ. Not one suffering is lost (Ps56:8). All her members have thus a mutual interest in oneanother’s sufferings (1Co 12:26).But Rome’s inference hence, is utterly false that the Church has astock treasury of the merits and satisfactions of Christ and Hisapostles, out of which she may dispense indulgences; the context hasno reference to sufferings in expiation of sin and productiveof merit. Believers should regard their sufferings less inrelation to themselves as individuals, and more as parts of a grandwhole, carrying out God’s perfect plan.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you,…. The apostle, as soon as he had made mention of his being a minister of the Gospel, thinks and speaks of his “sufferings”; for those are what always more or less attend persons in such an office; they are appointed to them by God; Christ has foretold them of them; they are necessary for them; they must expect them, and patiently endure them: the apostle was under them now at this present time, for he wrote this epistle in his bonds when a prisoner at Rome, not for any immorality, any crime he had committed, but for Christ’s sake, for his Gospel’s sake, for the sake of the churches of Christ to whom he preached, for the confirmation of them, and so of these Colossians; and therefore he says, “for you”; and which he mentions to animate them to abide by the Gospel, for which he was suffering, that it might continue with them and others: nor was he distressed and discouraged at his afflictions, he “rejoiced” in them, because he had the presence of God in them, the Spirit of God and of glory rested on him, and God was glorified by them; he esteemed it an honour done him that grace was given, and he counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ; and as well knowing that he should live and reign with him, since he suffered with him and for him: and what greatly caused and increased his joy was what follows,

and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh; by which are meant not the afflictions or sufferings of Christ in his own person; for these were all over, he was now entered into his glory, was exalted at the Father’s right hand, and was crowned with glory and honour: there was nothing left behind of his sufferings, to be undergone by any of his people; he had drank of the cup and all the dregs of it; he had sustained the whole of his Father’s wrath, and all the curses of the law, being abated nothing, but was made perfect through sufferings; having perfectly suffered all, he suffered once and once for all, he will suffer no more; nor is there any need of his suffering more or again, for he has finished sin, wrought righteousness, made peace, and obtained eternal redemption; nor had he any partner in his sufferings, nor did he need any, or left any part of his sufferings to be filled up by others; for he endured all and the whole, which the law and justice of God could require in his own body, in the body of his flesh through death; of these sufferings the apostle does not speak, but of such which he filled up in “his” own “flesh”; and design the afflictions of Christ in his members, which are called “his”, because of that near union there is between Christ and them; so that what befalls them may be predicated of him; when anyone of them suffers, he suffers with him, as the sufferings of a part of the body are ascribed to the whole person; and because of that sympathy there is between them, he has a fellow feeling with his people in all their infirmities; in all their afflictions he is afflicted: if Saul persecutes his saints, he persecutes him; whatever injury is done to them, he takes it as done to himself, who are to him as the apple of his eye. Moreover, hereby they are conformed unto him, and made like him; as he was, so are they in this world; there is a good deal of likeness between the afflictions of Christ and his people, though in some things there is a great disparity; add to this, that the afflictions of the saints are endured for Christ’s sake, for the sake of his Gospel, and the profession of his name, and therefore called his, and the more cheerfully bore by them: now of these there were some remains to be filled up by the apostle; not that all the afflictions of the whole body of Christ were to be, or have been filled up by him; there was a great deal left behind by him to be filled up by others, and which has been filling up ever since, and still is, and yet all is not fulfilled to this day, nor will be till the end of time; but he speaks only of that part and measure of them, which was to be tilled up in his flesh; he had his measure of afflictions allotted to him, great part of which he had endured already, but some remained, the measure was not yet full, though pretty near being completed, which gave him pleasure; it was just filling up, and the time of his departure was at hand, when there would be no more sorrow; for it was only while he was in the flesh he was filling up this measure, and would be quickly up; and what added to his joy was, that as these were the afflictions of Christ, and the measure of them was appointed by his heavenly Father, to be filled up by him in this mortal state, so they were

for his body’s sake, which is the church; not in the room and stead of the church, and people of Christ, as were the sufferings of Christ personal; or to exempt them from sufferings who all have their share in this life; nor for their sins to make reconciliation for them, and procure the remission of them; nor to redeem them, or obtain salvation for them, all which is completed by Christ; but for their good and profit, that the Gospel might continue and be blessed to the conversion of many, for the increase of the church and additions to it, and for the furtherance of the Gospel, and that such who professed it might be established and confirmed in it, by the sufferings of the apostle for it: and such good effects did follow upon his sufferings and afflictions; they were for the consolation of many souls, the strengthening of weak believers, and causing even preachers of the Gospel to wax more confident, and more boldly preach the Gospel without fear of man.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now I rejoice ( ). This is not a new note for Paul. See him in jail in Philippi (Ac 16:25) and in 2Cor 11:16-33; Rom 5:3; Phil 2:18.

Fill up on my part (). Very rare double compound verb (here only in N.T.) to fill () up (), in turn (). It is now Paul’s “turn” at the bat, to use a baseball figure. Christ had his “turn,” the grandest of all and suffered for us all in a sense not true of any one else. It is the idea of balance or correspondence in as seen in Demosthenes’s use of this verb (De Symm., p. 282), “the poor balancing the rich.” And yet Christ did not cause suffering to cease. There is plenty left for Paul and for each of us in his time.

That which is lacking ( ). “The left-overs,” so to speak. Late word from , to come behind, to be left, to fail. See Luke 21:4; 1Thess 3:10; 2Cor 8:14; 2Cor 9:12.

For his body’s sake ( ). As Paul showed in his exultation in suffering in 2Co 11:16-33, though not in the same sense in which Christ suffered and died for us as Redeemer. Paul attaches no atoning value whatever to his own sufferings for the church (see also verse 18).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Who now. Omit who. Now is temporal : in the midst of my imprisonment and sufferings, after having become a minister of the Gospel, and having preached it.

In my sufferings. Not as our idiom, rejoice in, as rejoice in the Lord, but in the midst of; while enduring.

Fill up [] . Only here in the New Testament. Lit., fill up in turn. Rev., on my part (anti). Anaplhrow to fill up occurs 1Co 14:16; 1Co 16:17; Gal 6:2, and elsewhere. The double compound prosanaplhrow to fill up by adding, 2Co 9:12 (note); 2Co 11:9. Anti on my part offsets Christ in the next clause. Lightfoot explains well : “It signifies that the supply comes from an opposite quarter to the deficiency, and so describes the correspondence of the personal agents,” and not merely the correspondence of the supply with the deficiency. That which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ [ ] . Lacking, lit., behind. Used with different compounds of plhrow to fill, 1Co 16:17; 2Co 9:12; 2Co 11:9; Phi 2:30. Of the afflictions of Christ. The afflictions which Christ endured;

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

“CHRIST’S PLAN FOR HIS CHURCH” (An unveiled Mystery)

1) “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you” (nun chairo en tois pathemasin huper humon) “Now and continually I rejoice in my sufferings on behalf of you all,” on behalf of the Church at Colosse, Mat 5:11-12; Rom 5:3; 2Co 1:5-6.

2) “And fill up that which is behind” (kai antanaplero ta husteremata) “And fill up the things lacking.” As Paul’s ministry began with persecution, like our Lord’s, he observed it was to continue as he served Christ, 2Co 4:10.

3) “Of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh” (ton thlipseon tou Christou en te sarki mou) “Of the tribulations or afflictions of Christ in my flesh.” Deeds of the flesh nature are to be continually mortified, put to death, and the life of the true saint in witnessing must endure afflictions of Christ, 2Ti 3:12.

4) “For his body’s sake, which is the Church” (huper tou somatos autou, ho estin he ekkesia) “On behalf of his body, which is the Church;” To serve Christ in his new body.” The Church-an institution where the redeemed Jew and Gentile may both worship without a barrier-inner or outer Court-was Paul’s great delight Eph 2:14; Eph 2:22. He yearned to make men love the Church, and worship and serve in it, as the “espoused” to Christ 2Co 11:1-2; The “pillar and the ground of the truth,” 1Ti 3:15; and the Church which he also purchased with his own blood.” Act 20:28; Eph 5:25.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

24. I now rejoice. He has previously claimed for himself authority on the ground of his calling. Now, however, he provides against the honor of his apostleship being detracted from by the bonds and persecutions, which he endured for the sake of the gospel. For Satan, also, perversely turns these things into occasions of rendering the servants of God the more contemptible. Farther, he encourages them by his example not to be intimidated by persecutions, and he sets forth to their view his zeal, that he may have greater weight. (329) Nay more, he gives proof of his affection towards them by no common pledge, when he declares that he willingly bears for their sake the afflictions which he endures. “But whence,” some one will ask, “arises this joy ?” From his seeing the fruit that springs from it. “The affliction that I endure on your account is pleasant to me, because I do not suffer it in vain.” (330) In the same manner, in his First Epistle to the Thessalonians, he says, that he rejoiced in all necessities and afflictions, on the ground of what he had heard as to their faith. (1Th 3:6.)

And fill up what is wanting. The particle and I understand as meaning for, for he assigns a reason why he is joyful in his sufferings, because he is in this thing a partner with Christ, and nothing happier can be desired than this partnership. (331) He also brings forward a consolation common to all the pious, that in all tribulations, especially in so far as they suffer anything for the sake of the gospel, they are partakers of the cross of Christ, that they may enjoy fellowship with him in a blessed resurrection.

Nay more, he declares that there is thus filled up what is wanting in the affliction of Christ. For as he speaks in Rom 8:29,

Whom God elected, he also hath predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ, that he may be the first-born among the brethren.

Farther, we know that there is so great a unity between Christ and his members, that the name of Christ sometimes includes the whole body, as in 1Co 12:12, for while discoursing there respecting the Church, he comes at length to the conclusion, that in Christ the same thing holds as in the human body. As, therefore, Christ has suffered once in his own person, so he suffers daily in his members, and in this way there are filled up those sufferings which the Father hath appointed for his body by his decree. (332) Here we have a second consideration, which ought to bear up our minds and comfort them in afflictions, that it is thus fixed and determined by the providence of God, that we must be conformed to Christ in the endurance of the cross, and that the fellowship that we have with him extends to this also.

He adds, also, a third reason — that his sufferings are advantageous, and that not merely to a few, but to the whole Church. He had previously stated that he suffered in behalf of the Colossians, and he now declares still farther, that the advantage extends to the whole Church. This advantage has been spoken of in Phi 1:12. What could be clearer, less forced, or more simple, than this exposition, that Paul is joyful in persecution, because he considers, in accordance with what he writes elsewhere, that we must

carry about with us in our body the mortification of Christ, that his life may be manifested in us? (2Co 4:10.)

He says also in Timothy,

If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him: if we die with him, we shall also live with him, (2Ti 2:11)

and thus the issue will be blessed and glorious. Farther, he considers that we must not refuse the condition which God has appointed for his Church, that the members of Christ may have a suitable correspondence with the head; and, thirdly, that afflictions must be cheerfully endured, inasmuch as they are profitable to all the pious, and promote the welfare of the whole Church, by adorning the doctrine of the gospel.

Papists, however, disregarding and setting aside all these things, (333) have struck out a new contrivance in order that they may establish their system of indulgences. They give the name of indulgences to a remission of punishments, obtained by us through the merits of the martyrs. For, as they deny that there is a gratuitous remission of sins, and allege that they are redeemed by satisfactory deeds, when the satisfactions do not fill up the right measure, they call into their help the blood of the martyrs, that it may, along with the blood of Christ, serve as an expiation in the judgment of God. And this mixture they call the treasure of the Church (334), the keys of which they afterwards intrust to whom they think fit. Nor are they ashamed to wrest this passage, with the view of supporting so execrable a blasphemy, as if Paul here affirmed that his sufferings are of avail for expiating the sins of men.

They urge in their support the term ὑστερήματα, ( things wanting,) as if Paul meant to say, that the sufferings which Christ has endured for the redemption of men were insufficient. There is no one, however, that does not see that Paul speaks in this manner, because it is necessary, that by the afflictions of the pious, the body of the Church should be brought to its perfection, inasmuch as the members are conformed to their head. (335) I should also be afraid of being suspected of calumny in repeating things so monstrous, (336) if their books did not bear witness that I impute nothing to them groundlessly. They urge, also, what Paul says, that he suffers for the Church. It is surprising that this refined interpretation had not occurred to any of the ancients, for they all interpret it as we do, to mean, that the saints suffer for the Church, inasmuch as they confirm the faith of the Church. Papists, however, gather from this that the saints are redeemers, because they shed their blood for the expiation of sins. That my readers, however, may perceive more clearly their impudence, allow that the martyrs, as well as Christ, suffered for the Church, but in different ways, as I am inclined to express in Augustine’s words rather than in my own. For he writes thus in his 84 treatise on John: “Though we brethren die for brethren, yet there is no blood of any martyr that is poured out for the remission of sins. This Christ did for us. Nor has he in this conferred upon us matter of imitation, but ground of thanksgiving.” Also, in the fourth book to Bonifacius: “As the only Son of God became the Son of man, that he might make us sons of God, so he has alone, without offense, endured punishment for us, that we may through him, without merit, obtain undeserved favor.” Similar to these is the statement of Leo Bishop of Rome; “The righteous received crowns, did not give them; and for the fortitude of believers there have come forth examples of patience, not gifts of righteousness. For their deaths were for themselves, and no one by his latter end paid the debt of another.” (337)

Now, that this is the meaning of Paul’s words is abundantly manifest from the context, for he adds, that he suffers according to the dispensation that was given to him. And we know that the ministry was committed to him, not of redeeming the Church, but of edifying it; and he himself immediately afterwards expressly acknowledges this. This is also what he writes to Timothy,

that he endures all things for the sake of the elect, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. (2Ti 2:10.)

Also, in 2Co 1:4, (338) that

he willingly endures all things for their consolation and salvation.

Let, therefore, pious readers learn to hate and detest those profane sophists, who thus deliberately corrupt and adulterate the Scriptures, in order that they may give some color to their delusions.

(329) “ Et monstre le grand zele qu’il auoit, afin qu’il y ait plus de poids et authorite en ce qu’il dit;” — “And shews the great zeal that he had, that there may be greater weight and authority in what he says.”

(330) “ M’est douce et gracieuse, pouree qu’elle n’est point inutile;” — “Is sweet and agreeable to me, because it is not unprofitable.”

(331) “ Ceste societe et conionction;” — “This fellowship and connection.”

(332) “It is worthy of remark, that the Apostle does not say παθηματα, the passion of Christ, but simply θλιψεις, the aff1ictions; such as are common to all good men who bear a testimony against the ways and fashions of a wicked world. In these the Apostle had his share, in the passion of Christ he could have none.” — Dr. A. Clarke. — Ed.

(333) “ Mais quoy? Les Papistes laissans tout ceci;” — “But what? Papists leaving all this.”

(334) See Calvin’S Institutes, vol. 2, p. 237, and Calvin on Corinthians, vol. 1, p. 68.

(335) “We are not to suppose that our Lord left any sufferings to be endured by Paul, or any one else, as the expiation of the sins or the ransom of the souls of his people… The filling up spoken of by the Apostle is not the supplementing Christ’s personal sufferings, but it is the completing that share allotted to himself as one of the members of Christ, as sufferings which, from the intimacy of union between the head and the members, may be called his sufferings. Christ lived in Paul, spoke in Paul, wrought in Paul, suffered in Paul; and in a similar sense, the sufferings of every Christian for Christ are the sufferings of Christ.” — Brown’s Expository Discourses on Peter, vol. 3, pp. 69, 70. — Ed.

(336) “ Tels blasphemes horribles;” — “Such horrible blasphemies.”

(337) The reader will find the same passage as above quoted by Calvin in the Institutes, vol. 2, pp. 238, 239. See also Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 1, p. 69, n. 1. — Ed.

(338) The reference would seem to be more appropriately directed towards 2Co 1:6 — probably a typesetting error in the original text. — fj.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

Col. 1:24. Fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.R.V. and fill up on my part that which is lacking. How we seem to hear through these words the cry of the Head of the Church, Why persecutest thou Me? And now the persecutor shares the pain of Christ and those to whom it is granted as a favour to suffer for His sake (Php. 1:29).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Col. 1:24

The Joy of Suffering for the Church.

A stolid indifference to suffering and a heroic endurance of the same were not unknown to the ancient pagans; but it is Christianity alone that has taught us to rejoice in afflictions; it supplies an ecstasy of emotion that renders us oblivious for the time being of encompassing trials. The apostle, as he pondered over the mighty work of reconciliation, and as he caught a glimpse of the amazing extent of divine mercy, could not but rejoice even in his sufferings. In this verse he expresses his joy that, in suffering for the Church, he supplements that which was lacking in the afflictions of Christ. Observe:

I. The representative character of the apostles sufferings.

1. The apostle represented the suffering Saviour. The afflictions of Christ. We are not to suppose that the sufferings of Christ were incomplete in themselves or in their value as constituting a sufficient atonement. The passion of Christ was the one full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. In this sense there could be no deficiency in Christs sufferings, for Christs sufferings being different in kind from those of His servants, the two are incommensurable. Neither the apostle nor any other could represent the expiatory and sacrificial aspect of the Redeemers sufferings. But while His personal sufferings are over, His afflictions in His people still continue. He so thoroughly identifies Himself with them that their trials, sorrows, persecutions, and afflictions become His own. The apostle represented the suffering Saviour in what he endured for Christ and the Church. Thus he declared to the Corinthians, The sufferings of Christ abound in us. The Church to-day is the representative of the suffering Saviour, and so completely is He identified with His people that He endures in them the pangs of hunger and thirst, shares their sickness and imprisonment, and reckons every act of kindness done to them as done to Himself (Matthew 25).

2. The sufferings of the apostle supplemented what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ.And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. In harmony with the representative character of the Church, we can understand how the afflictions of every saint and martyr do supplement the afflictions of Christ. Every age of the Church has its measure of suffering. The Church is built up by repeated acts of self-denial in successive individuals and successive generations. They continue the work which Christ began. They bear their part, and supplement what is deficient in the sufferings of Christ (2Co. 1:7; Php. 3:10). As an apostle, Paul was a representative man, and his share in filling up what was wanting in these afflictions was considerable. In his own flesh he bore unexampled hardship, indignities, and distress. In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more frequent, in deaths oft. The great Head of the Church was made perfect through suffering; so must the body be in all its relations and development. Through tribulation, more or less evident and intense, we must enter the kingdom. Suffering in itself has no virtue to elevate moral character; it is effective to this end only as it tends to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, only as it is borne for Christ, and in the Spirit of Christ. The great Mediator suffered to effect our salvation; and His people, on their part, fill up the suffering needed for the perfection of their spiritual life and for the full display of the divine glory.

II. The vicarious character of the apostles sufferings.For His bodys sake, which is the Church. The greater part of the suffering of the believer in this world is vicariousis endured on behalf of others. It is thus we most nearly approach the spirit and example of Christ. St. Paul, as the pioneer missionary, the wise and edifying instructor, the diligent and anxious overseer, occupied a prominent and important position among the Churches, and his sufferings on their behalf would benefit them in many ways.

1. The apostles sufferings for the Church confirmed the faith of her converts.Thousands are shy in embracing Christianity, because they shrink from the suffering it seems to involve; thousands more retire from the Christian profession for the same reason. An example like that of Paulsa man profoundly sincere, intensely earnest, calm and unmoved by the stoutest opposition, and triumphant amid acutest sufferingsencourages the timid and strengthens and confirms the tempted and wavering.

2. The apostles sufferings were for the consolation of the Church.Writing to the Corinthians, he says: Whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation. Suffering makes us more capable of sympathising with others. Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for the water of consolation. The richest anointing of divine comfort is bestowed in the moment of severest suffering, and the consolation of one is the consolation of many. When Mr. James Bainham, who suffered under the reign of Henry VIII., was in the midst of the flames which had half consumed his arms and legs, he said aloud: Oh, ye Papists, ye look for miracles, and here now you may see a miracle; for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of down, but it is to me a bed of roses!

3. The apostles sufferings for the Church tended to promote her increase.The more the Egyptians afflicted the Hebrews the more they multiplied and grew. The devils way of extinguishing goodness is Gods way of advancing it. The apostle could testify, in the midst of his sufferings, that the things which have happened to me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. Suffering seals the word spoken with a sacred and impressive significance. Many a convert has been won to the truth by the irresistible example of a suffering life.

III. The high-toned spirit of the apostles sufferings.Who now rejoice in my suffering for you. Nature shrinks from suffering. It is altogether above nature to triumph in suffering. It is Christianity alone that lifts the spirit into the tranquil region of patient endurance and inspires us with joy in tribulation. It is not a love of suffering for its own sakenot a mad, morbid craving for the ghastly honours of a self-sought martyrdom; but there is a nameless charm about the truths of Christianity that exalts the mind, thrills the soul, and transmutes sorrow into joy. Paul was imprisoned at Rome, bound in a chain for the gospel, when he wrote this epistle; but as the thoughts suggested by his theme grew in full-orbed magnificence before his mental visionas he contemplated the lavish wealth of Gods mercy in the call of the Gentiles who constituted the greater portion of the worlds populationand as he saw all the glory of being allowed to share, and even to supplement, the sufferings of Christ, he rose above the consideration of his own personal trials, and in a sudden outburst of thanksgiving could exclaim, Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you. Let us not repine at our afflictions. Not only is our own soul chastened and purified; but every pang, every tear, every trial in our lot, is a contribution to the filling up of that which is still behind in the afflictions of Christ. It baptises suffering with a new meaning, and arrays it in a new dignity, when it is viewed as a grand means of promoting the perfection, the purity, and unfading glory of the whole Church.

Lessons.

1. It is an unspeakable honour to suffer for the Church of Christ.

2. The personal experience of the grace of Christ renders suffering for Him a joy.

3. The glory of the future will outweigh all we have suffered for the Church below.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

PAULS MINISTRY

(Col. 1:24 to Col. 2:5)

Attitudes in Pauls ministry; (Col. 1:24)

Joy

Dedication to suffering

Source of Pauls ministry; (Col. 1:25)

(It was a stewardship from God given to him.)

The new message in Pauls ministry; (Col. 1:26-27)

It had been hidden for ages; Col. 1:26 a

It was now manifested to the saints; Col. 1:26 b Col. 1:27 a

The message is Christ in you; Col. 1:27 b

Activities in Pauls ministry; (Col. 1:28 a)

Proclaiming Christ

Admonishing and teaching

The effort in Pauls ministry; (Col. 1:29; Col. 2:1)

(It was a striving, according to Christs working within him.)

Goals in Pauls ministry; (Col. 1:28 b; Col. 2:2-3)

To present every man perfect in Christ; Col. 1:28 b

That their hearts be comforted; Col. 2:2

That they be knit together;

(1)

Knit in love.

(2)

Knit unto the riches of full understanding.

That they know Gods mystery, which is Christ; Col. 1:3 (In him are all treasures hidden.)

Pauls personal involvement in his ministry; (Col. 2:4-5)

He desired that they be not deceived; Col. 2:4

He was present with them in spirit; Col. 2:5

Outline of 1:24-2:5

CHRISTThe goal of Pauls ministry; Col. 1:24-29; Col. 2:1-5

Observe in this section how every facet of Pauls ministry was related to Christ:

(1)

Paul sought to fill up the afflictions of CHRIST in his flesh. Col. 1:24.

(2)

The message which Paul was given to preach was, in brief, CHRIST in you, the hope of glory. Col. 1:27.

(3)

Paul labored to present every man perfect in CHRIST, Col. 1:28.

(4)

In CHRIST are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, about which Paul worked to tell people. Col. 2:3.

(5)

Paul rejoiced to see the stedfastness of peoples faith in CHRIST. Col. 2:5.

This section (Col. 1:24-29; Col. 2:1-5) is impossible to outline in twentieth century outline forms, if a purely grammatical analysis is used as a basis for the outline. Therefore we give only the expository outline on page 160.

24. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodys sake, which is the church;

Translation and Paraphrase

24. Now I rejoice in the sufferings (I endure) in behalf of you; and (by my sufferings) I fill up the things that are lacking of the sufferings of Christ (which he appointed unto me, that I may repay in turn the benefits which Christ conferred on me by filling up the measure of the sufferings appointed unto him. These sufferings I fill up) in my flesh for the sake of his (Christs) body, which is the church.

Notes

Col. 1:24 begins a new section, in which Paul discusses his ministry of the gospel. In this Paul discusses his privilege (the privilege of suffering for Christ) and his task (the task of making known the mystery of God among the Gentiles).

Paul characterizes his ministry first of all as a work of joyful sufferings for the sake of the Colossians. When we are experiencing the joy of serving others, we scarcely notice the exertions and strains that are often required. Thus Paul rejoiced in his sufferings. Eph. 3:13; 2Ti. 2:10.

Paul considered his various sufferings as part of a necessary and welcome process of filling up the quota of the afflictions of Christ that had been appointed unto him.

Col. 1:24 does not indicate that Paul felt that he had to endure as much suffering as Christ himself endured. This is so obviously beyond human attainment (even for Paul!) that the very idea smacks of mental imbalance.

Rather Paul indicates that he knew that Christ had appointed unto him to endure certain things in his flesh, and he joyfully sought to fill up his cup of sufferings. Jesus once said of Saul (Paul), I will show him how many things he must suffer for my names sake. (Act. 9:16). Thus the expression the afflictions of Christ means the afflictions appointed to me by Christ.

Paul felt that he yet lacked some in filling up the sufferings that he ought to bear, and he joyfully faced any difficulty for the sake of Christs body the church. Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18.

Paul describes his own sufferings as the afflictions of Christ. While this phrase refers to Pauls own sufferings that Christ had appointed for him, it also has a deeper meaning. That which hurts Christs body the church (of which Paul was a member) also hurts Christ. Christ is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Act. 22:7; Heb. 4:15. When Paul suffered, Christ suffered; when we suffer, Christ is afflicted.

The verb fill up (antanapleroo) means to fill up in turn. Paul speaks here of suffering as if it were measured out in cupfuls. Christ by his life filled up his cup of suffering; he endured all that was required of him, so that we might be saved. Now we in turn fill up our cup of service and suffering for the sake of Christ and his church to repay (in a small degree) what Christ did for us.

Study and Review

What attitude did Paul have in his sufferings? (Col. 1:24)

For whom did Paul Suffer?

What did Paul seek to fill up?

Does Paul say in Col. 1:24 that he was trying to suffer as much as Christ suffered? If not, what does he mean be fill up . . . that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(24) Who now rejoice.In the true reading of the original there is no relative pronoun. The sentence starts with emphatic abruptness, Now (at this moment) I rejoice (just as in 2Co. 7:9). In all the three Epistles of the Captivity this same rejoicing is declared in himself and urged on his brethren. In Eph. 3:13, I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory; in Php. 2:11, Yea, if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause do ye also joy, and rejoice with me. There, as here, the rejoicing is in suffering, not in itself, not solely because it is borne with and for Christ, but also because it is for the sake of the Church. Here, however, this idea is expressed with far greater emphasis.

Fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.The sense of this passage is at first sight startling, but it could not have been thought difficult or doubtful, had not false inferences from it tempted men to shrink from the obvious meaning. Now, (1) the afflictions of Christ is a phrase not used elsewhere; for affliction (properly, hard and galling pressure) is the ordinary burden of life, and is generally spoken of only as coming on His servants. But, like the common phrase the sufferings of Christ (2Co. 1:5; Php. 3:10; 1Pe. 4:15; 1Pe. 5:1), it must moan the afflictions which He endured. It is true, as has been thoughtfully suggested (see Chrysostom and others on the passage) that we are to count as His the afflictions of His Church; but still, even if we are to include these indirect afflictions, we cannot possibly exclude the direct. Next, (2) St. Paul expressly says (in the full force of the original) that he fills up instead of his Master, what is still left unfinished of his Masters afflictions. (See the passages quoted by Dr. Lightfoot in his note on this verse.) He declares, i.e., that, succeeding to the suffering of Christ, he carries it out for the sake of His body the Church. This is, indeed, nothing but a clearer and more striking expression of the truth conveyed in 2Co. 1:5, The sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so that we bear our part, in addition to the full measure which He bore; and even in the commoner expression, to be partaker of Christs sufferings (Php. 3:10; 1Pe. 4:13), or to drink of His cup and be baptised with His baptism (Mat. 20:22-23). But, (3) looking to the meaning and use of the word afflictions, we note that the afflictions of Christ must be His sufferings on earth considered simply as a partthough immeasurably the chief partof the burden of humanity in a sinful world, They represent, not the Cross of Atonement, on which He alone could sufferand in which any reader of St. Paul must find it absurd to suppose that he would claim the slightest sharebut the Cross of struggle against sin even to death, which He expressly bade us take up if we would follow Him. This He has still left behind; this in His strength every one of His servants bears, partly for himself, partly also for others. In the former light St. Paul says, The world is crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal. 6:14); in the latter he claims it as his highest privilege to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His Body which is the Church.

In my flesh for his bodys sake.There is obviously an antithesis here. St. Paul suffers in his natural body for the mystical Body of Christ.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

(24-29) Here (as in Ephesians 3, in the same connection) St. Paul dwells on his own mission to set forth the universal gospel to the Gentiles. In the Ephesian Epistle this declaration is made a direct introduction to practical exhortation (comp. Col. 4, 5, 6); here it leads up to the earnest remonstrance against speculative errors in Colossians 2, which precedes a similar practical exhortation. In both cases he dwells on the committal to him of a special dispensation; in both he rejoices in suffering as a means of spiritual influence; in both cases he declares the one object to be the presentation of each man perfect before Christ.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

4. Paul’s commission, sufferings, and labours in order to their full knowledge of Christ, Col 1:24-29.

24. Now Chained, and in his Roman prison. Love can make happy anywhere.

Sufferings Not vicarious.

Afflictions of Christ Not his atoning passion; that was complete on the cross. The Church is the body of which he is the Head, so that the persecutions and tribulations endured by it in its members fall upon him. He suffers if they suffer. (Isa 63:9.)

What is done to them is done to him. And, as if a certain amount of suffering was to be endured by the Church, the apostle was rapidly contributing what yet remained. Joyfully did he bear it for the sake of the Church.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Mystery of God, Christ in You The Hope of Glory ( Col 1:24-29 )

‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body’s sake, which is the church whereof I was made a minister.’

Paul rejoices that he can suffer for Christ and for His people, for he knows that God’s purposes are carried forward through suffering, which has a worthwhile chastening influence on the people of God and is a consequence of the battle with evil (Rom 5:1-4; Heb 12:3-13). A century later Tertullian, a late second century Christian leader, could speak of ‘the blood of the martyrs which is the seed of the church’ because of the converting effect it had on the world.

The church is made the body of Christ by being united with Him in His body, and as He has suffered they too must anticipate suffering. Thus Paul speaks elsewhere of ‘the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed to His death’ (Php 3:9), and here he rejoices that he has a part in that ‘fellowship’, that ‘sharing together’, aware that it has a part to play in the final fulfilment of the purposes of God.

‘I fill up on my part.’ The afflictions of Christ had resulted in Paul being reckoned as righteous before God (Rom 3:24-25), they had resulted in his being crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20), they had resulted in his being redeemed by the blood of Christ (Eph 1:7) and reconciled to God (Col 1:20), but what they did not do, for he had not personally experienced them, was work in him the direct benefits arising from his personally suffering for Christ. So now he gladly suffers (but not voluntarily, there is no suggestion of his inflicting suffering on himself) so that the beneficial effects of suffering may be his (Rom 5:3; 2Co 1:4; Heb 12:10-11). And he does it for the sake of God’s people, who have benefited, and will benefit, through his suffering. Furthermore he seeks to make his full contribution to what the church as a whole must suffer in fulfilling the purpose of Christ for them, for he knows that effectiveness and suffering often go together. No one persecutes the unsuccessful.

‘That which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ.’ There was nothing lacking from the point of view of man being reckoned as righteous and having his sins forgiven, from the point of view of atonement. But God’s purposes have always gone forward through suffering, and always will (Php 1:29; 2Ti 3:12). We have only to consider how the prophets suffered (see Jas 5:10), and the sufferings of the early church in the book of Acts (consider 1Co 4:12), a suffering which was seen as inflicted on Jesus Himself (Act 9:4). There is no suggestion anywhere that they contributed to atonement, for that had been accomplished by Christ Himself, but they were necessary for the spread of the Gospel and the growth of God’s people. And they would lead to greater glory and blessing ( Rom 8:18; 2Co 1:7; 2Ti 2:12)

And Paul, who had himself once been a cause of those sufferings, had best cause to know that to serve Christ would regularly lead to suffering of one kind or another (‘the sufferings of Christ abound to us’ – 2Co 1:4-5). He knew that this was necessary for the birth and growth of the church (again 2Co 1:4-5, ‘that we may be able to stand alongside to strengthen those who are in any affliction through the strengthening with which we are strengthened by God’; see also Act 9:16). So he knew that as one who had been made a servant of the church he must necessarily suffer. Indeed he points out elsewhere that he suffered birth pangs for them (Gal 4:19), that he was a prisoner on their behalf (Eph 3:1), and he could catalogue a long list of sufferings brought on by his adventures and persecution in the course of his ministry and as a result of it (2Co 11:23-29; Php 3:8).

‘For His body’s sake, which is the church.’ For the building up and preservation of the church Christ had suffered, and many would suffer with Him as He had warned (Joh 15:20; Joh 16:2-3), and as His body the church suffered with them. Just as when Christ suffered in His body on our behalf (Gal 2:20), we as the body suffered in Him, and when Paul suffered on its behalf, the body suffered, for the body suffers when any of His people suffer ( 1Co 12:26) we too must expect suffering of one kind or another, having our part in sharing in the sufferings of Christ. If we are united in the body of the suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), we must expect that suffering will be our lot. Jesus suffered, Paul suffered and so must we be ready to suffer if need be, for we are God’s servant. (See Heb 12:4).

Jesus is clearly identified with the suffering Servant of Isaiah (Isa 42:1-3; Isa 49:1-6; Isa 50:4-9; Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12), and His people are also shown to be part of the ministry of the Servant in his preaching aspect (Act 13:47), thus being identified with Him in His work and in His suffering. His body is also now the Servant.

(Note. Jesus specifically identifies Himself with the Servant in Luk 22:37, and He is declared to be the Servant at His baptism – ‘my beloved, in whom I am well pleased’ (Mar 1:11 compare Isa 42:1) and the idea is applied to Him in Mat 12:17-21; Luk 2:32; Luk 9:35 RV and RSV; Luk 23:35. The Servant is also probably to be identified with the prophet in Isa 61:1-3 which Jesus applied to Himself in Luk 4:16-21. When John the Baptiser declares Him to be ‘the Lamb of God’ (Joh 1:29; Joh 1:36 compare Isa 53:7) this identification is also made by him).

Furthermore oneness with Christ must necessarily involve suffering for He is the Son of Man (Dan 7:13) come out from among the sufferings of His people (who are also the ‘son of man’ in comparison with the beasts) in which He will have participated (Dan 7:25), and indeed He tells us in the Gospels that as the Son of Man He specifically came to suffer (Mar 8:31), and that meant in His body (Col 1:22).

So as we are united with Him in His body as the Son of Man and as the Servant, we must therefore suffer with Him, being crucified with Him (Rom 6:5-6), being baptised by the Spirit into the body of Christ (1Co 12:13), and sharing in His death and resurrection. And that ‘body’ is not, be it noted, primarily the church but is Christ (1Co 12:12) And yet at the same time it includes the body comprised of the church united with Him in His body, which has suffered with Him and will be glorified with Him. The church is in the body, and can be called the body, because it is united with Him. (See Appendix). That is why we must expect to share in the fellowship of His sufferings (Php 3:10). And that is why when His people suffer, He suffers with them (Act 9:4-5). For to persecute them is to persecute Christ.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s Preeminence In Col 1:24-29 Paul explains the role of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s preeminence over the Church. Paul says that his personal ministry is to fulfill the sufferings of Christ in order to reveal to the Church the mystery hidden from the ages, which is Christ in us, our glorious hope. So the role of the Holy Spirit is to indwell each believer so that they will be made perfect in Christ Jesus and to empower those believers to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus, the key phrase in this passage, “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” is a reference to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Because the theme of the epistle to the Colossians is the lordship of Jesus Christ, Paul phrases this in reference to the indwelling of Jesus Christ rather than of the Holy Spirit.

Comparison of Themes In this passage of Scripture, Paul tells the Colossians how God has called him to preach this message of the mystery of the Gospel, which is Christ in us, our glorious hope. Since the underlying theme of Colossians is the preeminence of Christ Jesus in bringing all things unto Himself, Paul discusses his divine commission from the perspective of this great mystery hidden from the ages. In contrast, Paul discusses his commission in Eph 3:1-13 from the perspective of God’s foreknowledge of this calling, since the underlying theme of Ephesians is God the Father’s foreknowledge and divine election to redeem mankind.

Christ In Us – Christ Jesus came to live in us in order that He might live through us. Paul states this in Col 1:28 by saying, “that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Not only has Christ Jesus redeemed us, but also He now lives in us and He works daily in our lives so that we will become little “Christs” walking around on earth, which is why we call ourselves Christians.

The Mystery Hidden from the Ages – In Col 1:26-27 Paul is referring to the mystery hidden from ages past, which is the revelation that God will come and dwell within His people, the Gentiles as well as the Jews. He calls it a mystery because the Old Testament makes no clear reference to the Church age. In fact, there are a number of Old Testament passages that combine prophecies of Christ’s first and second coming with no reference to the two-thousand year period in between. It was such a mystery that even the ancient Jewish scholars did not foresee it coming because of such faint references to this event in the Old Testament. There would have been no way to correctly interpret those brief prophecies about the Church prior to Pentecost. Paul does reveal one of these prophecies from the Old Testament about the church in his second epistle to the Corinthians.

2Co 6:16, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people .”

Most scholars believe that is a reference to Lev 26:11-12 with possible allusions to this same event in several other Old Testament passages.

Lev 26:11-12, “And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”

Exo 25:8, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”

Exo 29:45, “And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.”

1Ki 6:12-13, “Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”

Jer 32:37-39, “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:”

Eze 37:27, “My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Amazingly, this prophecy of how God will dwell in His people is also found in another ancient extra-biblical Jewish writing called The Book of Jubilees. Scholars believe that this book was written in the Hebrew language by a Pharisee between the year of the accession of Hyrcanus to the high priesthood in 135 and his breach with the Pharisees some years before his death in 105 B.C. In the opening chapter, God is speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. He is telling Moses that the children of Israel are rebellious and stiff-necked. Moses then intercedes for Israel and God responds to this intercession by promising to one day come and dwell in them.

“And I will build My sanctuary in their midst, and I will dwell with them, and I will be their God and they shall be My people in truth and righteousness And the Lord said unto Moses: ‘I know their contrariness and their thoughts and their stiffneckedness, and they will not be obedient till they confess their own sin and the sin of their fathers. And after this they will turn to Me in all uprightness and with all (their) heart and with all (their) soul, and I will circumcise the foreskin of their heart and the foreskin of the heart of their seed, and I will create in them a holy spirit, and I will cleanse them so that they shall not turn away from Me from that day unto eternity. And their souls will cleave to Me and to all My commandments, and they will fulfil My commandments, and I will be their Father and they shall be My children. And they all shall be called children of the living God, and every angel and every spirit shall know, yea, they shall know that these are My children, and that I am their Father in uprightness and righteousness, and that I love them.” ( The Book of Jubilees 1.17-18, 22-26) [76]

[76] The Book of Jubilees, trans. R. H. Charles, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol. 2, ed. R. H. Charles, 1-82 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 12-3.

Revealed Mystery in the Ancient World – There are a number of mysteries mentioned by Paul in his New Testament epistles regarding our salvation that are not clearly understood; there is the mystery of Christ and His relationship to the Church (Eph 5:32), of His indwelling presence in every believer (Col 1:27), of the resurrection of the saints (1Co 15:51), and of the incarnation of Jesus Christ (1Ti 3:16).

Eph 5:32, “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

Col 1:27, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

1Co 15:51, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”

1Ti 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

The classical writers reveal that the concept of sacred mysteries being utters as divine oracles was practiced in the ancient world. Regarding the use of oracles, the ancient Greeks regarded divine oracles as a form of worship until the time of the Persian war (490-479 B.C.). [77] The temple of Apollo located at Delphi was famous in the ancient world for delivering oracles to men by those in a trance, or they interpreted dreams or patterns in nature. [78] The Greek historians Herodotus (484-425 B.C.) [79] and Plutarch (A.D. 46-100) [80] mention this place of oracles in their writings. While the Romans as a nation did not regard oracles as a religious practice, this custom continued within the Empire, but not without the contempt of the Romans. [81] This practice was later outlawed under the Roman emperor Theodosius (A.D. 379-385). [82] King Saul’s visit to the witch of Endor shows its popularity among ancient eastern cultures (1Sa 28:7-25). The damsel who prophesied over Paul and Barnabas in Philippi is an example of the proliferation of divination in the New Testament times (Act 16:16-24). The Sibylline Oracles, [83] a collection of Greek oracles compiled by Jews and Christians in the early centuries before and after Christ, reflect the widespread popularity that the Sibyl prophetesses held in ancient Greek and Roman history. Regarding the concept of “mysteries” ( ) revealed through oracles, Plutarch, writing about the Pythian priestesses who prophesied at Delphi, speaks of “interpreters of the sacred mysteries.” [84] Thus, when Paul refers to the mysteries hidden from the ages being revealed to the Church (Rom 16:25, 1Co 2:7, Eph 1:9; Eph 3:3-4; Eph 3:9; Eph 6:19, Col 1:26; Col 2:2; Col 4:3, 1Ti 3:9), or when Luke, Paul, and Peter speak of the “oracles” ( ) (G3051) of God (Act 7:38, Rom 3:2, Heb 5:12, 1Pe 4:11), they are speaking in a cultural language that the Greeks and Romans understood, where pagans frequently sought oracles through divine utterance at the temples to reveal hidden mysteries for their lives.

[77] C. H. Prichard, “Oracle,” in A Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 3, ed. James Hastings (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1901), 629.

[78] R. F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, R. K. Harrison, and Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), “Oracle.”

[79] Herodotus writes, “and he [Dorieus] asked the Spartans for a company of folks, whom he took away as colonists; he neither enquired of the oracle at Delphi in what land he should plant his settlement, nor did aught else that was customary” ( Histories 5.42) See Herodotus III, trans. A. D. Godley, in The Loeb Classical Library, eds. T. E. Page, E. Capps, and W. H. D. Rouse (London: William Heinemann, 1938), 46-47.

[80] Plutarch tells us that the Sibylline prophetesses of Delphi used poetic verses with their prophecies, saying, “for when we drew near that part of the rock which joins to the senate-house, which by common fame was the seat of the first Sibyl that came to Delphi from Helicon, where she was bred by the MusesSerapio made mention of certain verses of hers, wherein she had extolled herself as one that should never cease to prophesy even after her death” ( Wherefore the Pythian Priestess Now Ceases to Deliver Her Oracles in Verse 9) He later writes, “but I am constrained to claim your first promise, to tell me the reason wherefore now the Pythian prophetess no longer delivers her oracles in poetic numbers and measuresand also the temple of Tellus, to which the oracle appertained, and where the answers were delivered in verses and song.” ( Wherefore the Pythian Priestess Now Ceases to Deliver Her Oracles in Verse 17) See William W. Goodwin, Plutarch’s Essays and Miscellanies, vol. 3 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1911), 77, 86-87.

[81] The Roman poet Lucan (A.D. 39-65) reflects the contempt for such oracles by the Romans when he writes, “They had now come to the Temple, the only one which among the Libyan nations the uncivilized Garamantes possess. There stands Jupiter, the foreteller of destiny, as they relate; but not either brandishing the lightnings or like to ours, but Ammon with crooked horns.” ( Pharsalia 9.593-598) See H. T. Riley, The Pharsalia of Lucan (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853), 359.

[82] C. H. Prichard, “Oracle,” In A Dictionary of the Bible, ed. James Hastings (), 629.

[83] The Sibylline Oracles, trans. H. C. O. Lanchester, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol. 2, ed. R. H. Charles (electronic edition), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004).

[84] Plutarch writes, “The interpreters of the sacred mysteries acted without any regard to us, who desired them to contract their relation into as few words as might be, and to pass by the most part of the inscriptions.” ( Wherefore the Pythian Priestess Now Ceases to Deliver Her Oracles in Verse 2) See William W. Goodwin, Plutarch’s Essays and Miscellanies, vol. 3 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1911), 70.

Rom 16:25, “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,”

1Co 2:7, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”

Eph 1:9, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:”

Eph 3:3-4, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”

Eph 3:9, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:”

Eph 6:19, “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”

Col 1:26, “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”

Col 2:2, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;”

Col 4:3, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”

1Ti 3:9, “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”

Act 7:38, “This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:”

Rom 3:2, “Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.”

Heb 5:12, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

1Pe 4:11, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

The reference to pillars and foundations of the Church in 1Ti 3:15 suggests that Paul had in mind the ancient Greek and Roman temples with their practice of divination, and that he compares this pagan scene of worship to the New Testament Church and the Holy Scriptures, which serve as its pillars and foundation.

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Col 1:24 “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you” Comments (1) – How is someone able to endure afflictions and sufferings joyfully. The secret is found here in the words “for you,” or “in your behalf.” Paul saw a higher and loftier purpose to achieve in the midst of suffering. He saw the goal of serving others. One must have a higher goal in order to endure difficult times. The Joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10); therefore the joy of the Lord gives us strength.

Neh 8:10, “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Secondly, besides a goal, Paul suffered in behalf of others out of love; love for God and love for God’s people. Love “ beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Jas 1:5 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”

The word “count” means to reckon, or to consider. In other words, when you cannot see an expected end, you can believe in this end result.

The second part of this verse in Col 1:24 restates the same thing, much like Hebrew poetry restates a meaning.

A third motivation to endure sufferings joyfully is seen in the next verse. Paul states that he has a “dispensation,” or divine commission , or a responsibility.

Comments (2) – One way that Paul was suffering in the behalf of the Colossians is that he was defending the Christian faith in the Roman court system. In the time of Paul, Rome saw the Christian religion as a sect of Judaism. Although Judaism was legalized, the Christian religion was considered illegal. If God allowed his defense before Caesar to win in the highest court of the Empire, this would allow all Christians the freedom to live and preach the Gospel unhindered.

Col 1:24 “and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake” Comments – Note these insightful words from Frances J. Roberts:

“Know this also, that there are sufferings yet to be accomplished in the body of the Church that I was not able to suffer on the cross. Did not Paul write ‘that ye fill up what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ’? Lo, I write unto you now that ye be patient, and that ye hold steady through the days that lie ahead, and know that the trials and suffering are working toward a consuming glory.” [85]

[85] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 126.

Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 1:25 “according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you” Comments – God gave Paul gifts and the offices of apostle and teacher. The stewardship of these gifts of God were used for the body of Christ Jesus so that God’s Word might be fulfilled, i.e., those Scriptures in the Old Testament, which prophesied of the Gentiles’ salvation and becoming children of God. To the degree that God gave Paul gifts and offices is the degree he is able to labor for the Lord.

Col 1:25 “to fulfill the Word of God” – Comments – This Word of God is further defined in verses 26-27:

Verse 26 1. This Word has been hidden in ages past.

2. It is now revealed.

Verse 27 What this revelation shows is Christ dwelling inside every believer. God wishes to make known the riches of this reality.

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Col 1:27 “To whom God would make known” – Comments – There are those times when the Spirit of God enlightens our hearts to the great truths of God’s Holy Word. We cannot gain this insight by human intellect alone. We understand the Scriptures only as God opens our eye by His Holy Spirit.

Eph 1:9 “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.”

Col 1:27 “what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles” – Paul refers to this mystery again later in this epistle, which is the mystery of Christ and His relationship to the Church (Col 4:3).

Col 4:3, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ , for which I am also in bonds:”

Col 1:28 “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” Comments – The key phrase in Col 1:24-29 is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Because the passage of Scripture is a reference to the role of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s lordship over the Church, we man interpret this phrase to refer to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, because the theme of the epistle to the Colossians is the lordship of Jesus Christ, Paul phrases this in reference to the indwelling of Jesus Christ rather than of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the phrase “Christ” literally means “the anointed one,” and refers to “the anointing” that dwells in every believer. This anointing is the physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit living and dwelling inside a believer.

The role of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s lordship over the Church is to make a way for Christ to dwell in us, and this is done by Him coming to dwell within us. Thus, Paul is easily able to call this “Christ in us.”

In his epistle to the Galatians Paul will expound upon the role of the Church in Christ’s lordship by exhorting us to “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh,” (Gal 5:16). Thus, since Christ dwells in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are exhorted to be led by the Spirit as a way of allowing Christ to be lord over us.

“the hope of glory” – We were once without any hope.

Eph 2:11-13, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope , and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:28 Comments – The process of completion, or maturity, into the likeness of Christ is called “sanctification”. It is the office of the Holy Spirit to work in us and sanctify us before God. Thus, the phrase that Paul uses in Col 1:27 of “Christ in us” refer to the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell within the saints. Since the Lordship of Jesus Christ is the emphasis of Colossians, Paul uses the phrase “Christ in us” although He is referring to the Holy Spirit that is dwelling within us.

Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Col 1:29 “Whereunto” Comments – Or “unto which.” Paul labors unto this purpose (verse 28), to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

If we want God working in our lives, we must labour according to the things that God wants to accomplish in our lives, and not labor for our own desires, which does not bring God’s power alive with our lives.

Col 1:29 Comments – Paul knew the offices and gifts and ministry to the Gentiles which God had called him to and he worked within those bounds. Every man of God needs to know his ministry and walk in that boundary and anointing, because outside of that work and ministry the anointing is not as operative. Paul was a preacher, a teacher and an apostle and had the gifts of the Spirit operating in his life.

Col 1:29 Scripture References – Note a similar statement by Paul in:

Eph 3:7, “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The apostle’s joy in his suffering and labor:

v. 24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the Church,

v. 25. whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God;

v. 26. even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints;

v. 27. to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

v. 28. whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

v. 29. whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.

Paul here shows that his ministry includes two parts, namely, to suffer for the congregation and to serve the congregation with the Word of Grace. His attitude in his sufferings is one of pure joy: Now I rejoice in my sufferings in your behalf, and fill up the lack of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the Church. Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, although not severe, yet proved a suffering to his body and spirit. Instead of spending any time in repining, however, Paul felt only the highest joy in his condition as prisoner, since it was on account of his work for Christ in behalf of the Christian congregations everywhere, and therefore also in behalf of the Colossians, that he was enduring these afflictions. Incidentally Paul states that he was filling up fully what was lacking in the measure of the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the Church. Fellowship with Christ brings with it fellowship in His sufferings, Joh 15:18-21; 2Co 4:10-11. He Himself told His disciples that any one refusing to take His yoke upon himself could not be His follower, Luk 9:23; Luk 14:27. These afflictions are severe at one time, less severe at another; they strike the Christians of one city or country, leaving those of another city and country practically unscathed. The Colossians till now had experienced little trouble, and therefore Paul, by bearing a surplus, was acting in their behalf, bearing, as it were, some of the burden which they should have carried. At the same time the sufferings of Paul advanced the interests of the Church of Christ, the whole body receiving benefit from that of one member, and that a leading member. The sufferings, afflictions, and tribulations of any individual member of the body of Christ redound to the benefit of the whole Church; it makes the Christian fellowship more intimate, it equalizes joys and sorrows, 1Co 12:22-25.

Paul now speaks of his office in the Church: Of which I have become a minister according to the stewardship of God which was given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God. Paul here calls himself a minister of the Church, which is synonymous with being a minister of the Gospel. But his office differs to some extent from that of other servants of the Church. He has been given a stewardship, an administration of God, he was made a steward of the mysteries of God, 1Co 4:1, for the whole Church. This office he is discharging toward, that is, with regard to, the Colossians and all Christians with the object of fulfilling the Word of God, of carrying out the purpose and object of bringing it into all the world, Luk 7:1; Act 19:21.

The content of this message is: The mystery that was hidden from the ages and the generations, now, however, is manifested to His saints. The proclamation of redemption in Jesus Christ was not generally made during the time of the Old Testament. Only the Jews had the preaching of the Messiah, and even they only in type and prophecy. And so far as the content of the Gospel is concerned, it is a sealed mystery to every man by nature. All this was changed by the coming of Christ, and especially after His resurrection and ascension. To every nation, to every creature, the Gospel was to be preached by His command; to every believer, whether of the Jews or of the Gentiles, the mystery is now made manifest that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all sinners.

It is of the Gentiles specifically that Paul writes: To whom God wanted to make known what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. That was God’s purpose and design, that the Gentiles also should come to the knowledge of salvation, should find out how rich the glory of this mystery is, should understand that Christ, as He had entered into their hearts by faith, is the center of the Gospel with His guarantee of the future blessedness in heaven. Christ and the glory of the Gospel, the certainty of salvation, in the midst of the heathen world: that is the wonderful statement which the apostle here makes See Rom 16:25-27.

That these truths may become known throughout the world is the object of Paul’s labor: Whom we preach, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, in order that we may present every man perfect in Christ, toward which end I also labor, striving for it according to His working who works in me mightily. Christ Jesus is the subject of all Gospel-preaching, as the apostle here says, incidentally placing himself in opposition to all false teachers. Where Jesus Christ the Redeemer is not preached, there the Gospel is no longer found in its purity. But from that preaching it follows that every individual Christian should be admonished unto sanctification and taught in Christian knowledge. For it is not sufficient to lay the foundation of Christian knowledge only and then let progress take care of itself. It is God’s will rather to present every believer as a perfect man in Christ Jesus, 2Ti 3:17, instructed in all wisdom which the Word of God offers. This perfection is possible only in Christ, in the knowledge of Him, in fellowship with Him, not by works of the Law and self-righteousness. To that end Paul was working so strenuously, striving like an athlete to attain to his object. At the same time he was not relying on any natural ability, on his own reason and strength, but on the divine energy which was inspiring and strengthening him. From the Lord, in whose interests he was working, he obtained the power to do that work for His glory and for the welfare of the souls whom he could reach with his message of salvation. That same interest and aim must be the actuating and energizing force in the work of every servant of the Gospel to the end of time.

Summary

After the opening salutation the apostle writes of his prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for the Colossians, and then launches forth in a stately portrayal of Christ as the Creator, the Ruler of the universe, and the Head of the Church, in whose interests he is performing the work of his office.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Col 1:24. And fill up, &c. Nothing could be further from the Apostle’s intention (as is manifest from the whole tenor of his writings), than to intimate that the sufferings of Christ were imperfect as to that fulness of atonement which was necessary in order to the justification of believers. But he deeply retained in his mind the impression of that first lesson which he had from his Saviour’s mouth, namely, that he was persecuted in his members. Act 9:4. He therefore considers it as the plan of Providence, that a certain measure of sufferings should be endured by this body of which Christ was the head; and he rejoices to think, that what he endured in his own person, did in some sense and degree resemble the sufferings of his adorable Lord. Comp. Eph 3:13. Php 2:17-18.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Col 1:24 . [61] A more precise description of this relation of service, and that, in the first place, with respect to the sufferings which the apostle is now enduring, Col 1:24 , and then with respect to his important calling generally, Col 1:25-29 .

(see the critical remarks) . . . : I who now rejoice , etc. How touchingly, so as to win the hearts of the readers, does this join itself with the last element of encouragement in Col 1:23 !

] places in contrast with the great element of his past , expressed by . . . ., which has imposed on the apostle so many sorrows (comp. Act 9:16 ), the situation as it now exists with him in that relation of service on his part to the gospel. This present condition, however, he characterizes, in full magnanimous appreciation of the sufferings under which he writes, as joyfulness over them, and as a becoming perfect in the fellowship of tribulation with Christ, which is accomplished through them. It is plain, therefore, that the emphatic is not transitional (Bhr) or inferential (Lcke: “quae cum ita sint”); nor yet is it to be defined, with Olshausen, by arbitrary importation of the thought: now, after that I look upon the church as firmly established (comp. Dalmer), or, with Hofmann, to be taken as standing in contrast to the apostolic activity .

.] over the sufferings; see on Phi 1:18 ; Rom 5:3 . This joy in suffering is so entirely in harmony with the Pauline spirit, that its source is not to be sought (in opposition to Holtzmann) in 2Co 7:4 , either for the present passage or for Eph 3:13 ; comp. also Phi 2:17 .

] joins itself to so as to form one conception, without connecting article. Comp. on Col 1:1 ; Col 1:4 ; 2Co 7:7 ; Eph 3:13 ; Gal 4:14 . Since , according to the context, is not to be taken otherwise than as in . , it can neither mean instead of (Steiger, Catholic expositors, but not Cornelius a Lapide or Estius), nor on account of (Rosenmller, Heinrichs, Flatt; comp. Eph 3:1 ; Phi 1:29 ), but simply: in commodum , [62] namely, , Oecumenius, and that, indeed, by that honourable attestation and glorifying of your Christian state, which is actually contained in my tribulations; for the latter show forth the faith of the readers, for the sake of which the apostle has undertaken and borne the suffering, as the holy divine thing which is worthy of such a sacrifice. Comp. Phi 1:12 ff.; Eph 3:13 . The reference to the example , which confirms the readers’ faith (Grotius, Wolf, Bhr, and others), introduces inappropriately a reflection, the indirect and tame character of which is not at all in keeping with the emotion of the discourse.

The , meaning the readers , though the relation in question concerns Pauline Christians generally , is to be explained by the tendency of affectionate sympathy to individualize (comp. Phi 1:25 ; Phi 2:17 , et al. ). It is arbitrary, doubtless, to supply here from Eph 3:1 (Flatt, Huther); but that Paul, nevertheless, has his readers in view as Gentile Christians , and as standing in a special relation to himself as apostle of the Gentiles , is shown by Col 1:25-27 .

] not equivalent to (Heinrichs, Bhr), but the simple and , subjoining to the subjective state of feeling the objective relation of suffering, which the apostle sees accomplishing itself in his destiny. It therefore carries on , but not from the special ( ) “ad totam omnino ecclesiam” (Lcke), since the new point to be introduced is contained in the specific , and not in . . . The connection of ideas is rather: “I rejoice over my sufferings, and what a holy position is theirs! through them I fulfil, ” etc. Hence the notion of is not, with Huther, to be carried over also to : and I supplement with joy , etc. At the same time, however, the statement introduced by stands related to as elucidating and giving information regarding it.

] The double compound is more graphic than the simple , Phi 2:30 ; 1Co 16:17 ( I fill up ), since ( to fill up over against ) indicates what is brought in for the making complete over against the still existing . The reference of the lies therefore in the notion of what is lacking; inasmuch, namely, as the incomplete is rendered complete by the very fact, that the supplement corresponding to what is lacking is introduced in its stead. It is the reference of the corresponding adjustment , [63] of the supplying of what is still wanting. Comp. Dem. 182. 22: (where the idea is, that the poverty of the latter is compensated for by the wealth of the former); so also , Epicur. ap. Diog. L . x. 48; Dio Cass, xliv. 48: , . Comp. , Xen. Anab . iv. 5. 28; , Xen. Hell . ii. 4. 12; and , Xen. Cyr . ii. 2. 26. The distinction of the word from the simple does not consist in this, that the latter is said of him , who “ a se relictum ipse explet,” and . of him , who “alterius de suo explet” (so Winer, de verbor. c. praepos. in N. T. usu , 1838, III. p. 22); nor yet in the endurance vieing with Christ, the author of the afflictions (Fritzsche, ad Rom . III. p. 275); but in the circumstance, that in . the filling up is conceived and described as defectui respondens , in ., on the other hand, only in general as completio . See 1Co 16:17 ; Phi 2:30 ; Plat. Legg . xii. p. 957 A, Tim . p. 78 D, et al . Comp. also Tittmann, Synon . p. 230.

] The plural indicates those elements yet wanting in the sufferings of Christ in order to completeness. Comp. 1Th 3:10 ; 2Co 9:12 .

. ] . is the genitive of the subject . Paul describes, namely, his own sufferings , in accordance with the idea of the (1Pe 4:13 ; comp. Mat 20:22 ; Heb 13:13 ), as afflictions of Christ , in so far as the apostolic suffering in essential character was the same as Christ endured (the same cup which Christ drank, the same baptism with which Christ was baptized). Comp. on Rom 8:17 ; 2Co 1:5 ; Phi 3:10 . The collective mass of these afflictions is conceived in the form of a definite measure , just as the phrases , , and the like, are current in classic authors, according to a similar figurative conception (Hom. Il . viii. 34. 354, 15:132), Schweigh. Lex. Herod . I. p. 42. He only who has suffered all , has filled up the measure. That Paul is now, in his captivity fraught with danger to life, on the point (the present . indicating the being in the act, see Bernhardy, p. 370) of filling up all that still remains behind of this measure of affliction, that he is therefore engaged in the final full solution of his task of suffering, without leaving a single in it, this he regards as something grand and glorious, and therefore utters the , which bears the emphasis at the head of this declaration, with all the sense of triumph which the approaching completion of such a work involves. “ I rejoice on account of the sufferings which I endure for you, and so highly have I to esteem this situation of affliction

I am in the course of furnishing the complete fulfilment of what in my case still remains in arrear of fellowship of affliction with Christ .” This lofty consciousness, this feeling of the grandeur of the case, very naturally involved not only the selection of the most graphic expression possible, , to be emphatically prefixed, but also the description, in the most honourable and sublime manner possible, of the apostolic afflictions themselves as the , [64] since in their kind and nature they are no other than those which Christ Himself has suffered. These sufferings are , indeed, sufferings for Christ’s sake (so Vatablus, Schoettgen, Zachariae, Storr, Rosenmller, Flatt, Bhmer, and others; comp. Wetstein), but they are not so designated by the genitive; on the contrary, the designation follows the idea of ethical identity , which is conveyed in the , as in Phi 3:10 . Nor are they to be taken, with Lcke (comp. Fritzsche, l.c. ), as: “afflictiones, quae Paulo apostolo Christo auctore et auspice Christo perferendae erant,” since there is no ground to depart from the primary and most natural designation of the suffering subject ( , with the genitive of the person, is always so used in the N. T., e. g . in 2Co 1:4 ; 2Co 1:8 ; 2Co 4:17 ; Eph 3:12 ; Jas 1:27 ), considering how current is the idea of the of the sufferings of Christ. Theodoret’s comment is substantially correct, though not exhibiting precisely the relation expressed by the genitive: , . Ewald imports more, when he says that Paul designates his sufferings from the point of view of the continuation and further accomplishment of the divine aim in the sufferings of Christ. Quite erroneous, however, because at variance with the idea that Christ has exhausted the suffering appointed to Him in the decree of God for the redemption of the world (comp. also Joh 11:52 ; Joh 19:30 ; Luk 22:37 ; Luk 18:31 ; Rom 3:25 ; 2Co 5:21 , et al .), is not only the view of Heinrichs: “ qualia et Christus passurus fuisset, si diutius vixisset ” (so substantially also Phot. Amphil . 143), but also that of Hofmann, who explains it to mean: the supplementary continuation of the afflictions which Christ suffered in His earthly life a continuation which belonged to the apostle as apostle of the Gentiles , and consisted in a suffering which could not have affected Christ, because He was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel . As if Christ’s suffering were not, throughout the N. T., the one perfect and completely valid suffering for all mankind , but were rather to be viewed under the aspect of two quantitative halves , one of which He bore Himself as (Rom 15:8 ), leaving the other behind to be borne by Paul as the ; so that the first , namely, that which Jesus suffered, consisted in the fact that Israel brought Him to the cross , because they would not allow Him to be their Saviour; whilst the other , as the complement of the first, consisted in this, that Paul lay in captivity with his life at stake , because Israel would not permit him to proclaim that Saviour to the Gentiles. Every explanation, which involves the idea of the suffering endured by Christ in the days of His flesh having been incomplete and needing supplement, is an anomaly which offends against the analogy of faith of the N. T. And how incompatible with the deep humility of the apostle (Eph 3:8 ; 1Co 15:9 ) would be the thought of being supposed to supplement that, which the highly exalted One (Col 1:15 ff.) had suffered for the reconciliation of the universe (Col 1:20 ff.)! Only when misinterpreted in this fashion can the utterance be regarded as one perfectly foreign to Paul (as is asserted by Holtzmann, pp. 21 f., 152, 226); even Eph 1:22 affords no basis for such a view. As head of the Church, which is His body, and which He fills, He is in statu gloriae in virtue of His kingly office. Others, likewise, holding the genitive to be that of the subject , have discovered here the conception of the suffering of Christ in the Church , His body , [65] so that when the members suffer, the head suffers also . So Chrysostom and Theophylact (who compare the apostle with a lieutenant, who, when the general-in-chief is removed, takes the latter’s place and receives his wounds), Theodore of Mopsuestia, Augustine, Erasmus, Luther, Beza, Calvin, Melanchthon, Clarius, Cornelius a Lapide, Vitringa, Bengel, Michaelis, and others, including Steiger, Bhr, Olshausen, de Wette, Schenkel, Dalmer; comp. Grotius and Calovius, and even Bleek. But the idea of Christ suffering in the sufferings of His people (Olshausen: “Christ is the suffering God in the world’s history!”) is nowhere found in the N. T., not even in Act 9:4 , where Christ, indeed, appears as the One against whom the persecution of Christians is directed , but not as affected by it in the sense of suffering . He lives in His people (Gal 2:20 ), speaks in them (2Co 13:3 ); His heart beats in them (Phi 1:8 ); He is mighty in them (Col 1:29 ), when they are weak (2Co 12:9 ), their hope, their life, their victory; but nowhere is it said that He suffers in them. This idea, moreover which, consistently carried out, would involve even the conception of the dying of Christ in the martyrs would be entirely opposed to the victoriously reigning life of the Lord in glory, with whose death all His sufferings are at an end, Act 2:34 ff.; 1Co 15:24 ; Phi 2:9 ff.; Luk 24:26 ; Joh 19:30 . Crucified , He lives , 2Co 13:4 , at the right hand of God exalted above all the heavens and filling the universe (Eph 1:22 f., Col 4:10 ), ruling, conquering, and beyond the reach of further suffering (Heb 3:18 ff.). The application made by Cajetanus, Bellarmine, Salmeron, and others, of this explanation for the purpose of establishing the treasury of indulgences , which consists of the merits not merely of Christ but also of the apostles and saints , is a Jewish error ( 4Ma 6:26 , and Grimm in loc. ), historically hardly worthy of being noticed, though still defended, poorly enough, by Bisping.

] belongs to . , as to which it specifies the more precise mode; not to . . . (so Storr, Flatt, Bhr, Steiger, Bhmer, Huther), with which it might be combined so as to form one idea, but it would convey a more precise description of the Christ-sufferings experienced by the apostle, for which there was no motive, and which was evident of itself. Belonging to ., it contains with . . a pointed definition ( ) of the mode and of the aim. [66] Paul accomplishes that in his flesh , [67] which in its natural weakness, exposed to suffering and death, receives the affliction from without and feels it psychically (comp. 2Co 4:11 ; Gal 4:14 ; 1Pe 4:1 ), for the benefit of the body of Christ, which is the church (comp. Col 1:18 ), for the confirmation, advancement, and glory of which (comp. above on ) he endures the Christ-sufferings. Comp. Eph 3:13 . The significant purpose of the addition of . . . is to bring out more clearly and render palpable, in connection with the . . . , what lofty happiness he experiences in this very . He is therein privileged to step in with his mortal for the benefit of the holy and eternal body of Christ, which is the church.

[61] See upon ver. 24, Lcke, Progr. 1833; Huther in the Stud. u. Krit. 1838, p. 189 ff.

[62] So also Bisping, who, however, explains it of the meritoriousness of good works availing for others.

[63] Many ideas are arbitrarily introduced by commentators, in order to bring out of the in . a reciprocal relation. See e.g. Clericus: “Ille ego, qui olim ecclesiam Christi vexaveram, nunc vicissim in ejus utilitatem pergo multa mala perpeti.” Others (see already Oecumenius) have found in it the meaning: for requital of that which Christ suffered for us; comp. also Grimm in his Lexicon. Wetstein remarks shortly and rightly: “ succedit ,” or rather .

[64] When de Wette describes our view of . . . as tame, and Schenkel as tautological, the incorrectness of this criticism arises from their not observing that the stress of the expression lies on , and not on . . . .

[65] Comp. also Sabatier, l’aptre Paul, p. 213.

[66] Steiger rightly perceived that . . and . . . belong together; but he erroneously coupled both with . . . (“the sufferings which Christ endures in my flesh for His body”), owing to his incorrect view of the .

[67] Hofmann thinks, without reason, that, according to our explanation of . . ., we ought to join with . . ., as the latter would otherwise be without any reference to the person of the apostle. It has, in fact, this reference through the very statement, that the . . . takes places in the flesh of the apostle.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

3. Joy of the Apostle in his suffering and labor

(Col 1:24-29.)

24Who [I]34 now rejoice in my [the]35 sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind [, deficiencies] of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodys 25sake, which is the church; Whereof I 36 am made [became]37 a minister according to the dispensation of God which is [was] given to me for you, to fulfil the word of 26God; Even [To wit] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations [the ages and from the generations],38 but now39 is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would [willed to] make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which40 is Christ in [or among]41 you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus [in Christ]:42 29Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The joy in suffering. Col 1:24.Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you.Now marks the present, which is described by in my sufferings for you; precisely therein, surrounded, encompassed by sufferings I rejoice. [Eadie: at the present time, with the chain upon my wrist:not, however, as if he had been sorrowful at a previous period.R.] At other times he had his joy without bonds, in full freedom of activity for the gospel. The object of joy is not denoted by , but by with the dative, Mat 18:13; Luk 1:14; Act 15:21; 1Co 13:6; 1Co 16:17, or by , Joh 11:15; 1Th 3:9. Only in Luk 10:20; Php 1:18 is the object introduced by . The object of his joy is that his sufferings had good fruit among the Gentiles. Comp. Php 1:12-20. It was in Rome that he had learned this; hence now. The bitterness of sorrow cannot disturb his joy at the sweetness of the fruit. See Eph 3:1. Hence it is incorrect to consider a particle of transition (Baehr), or of consecution, or as the object of the joy (Grotius, Huther and others). Nor is =instead of (Steiger), or on account of (wegen, Stolz), or to be joined with . The reference is neither to the occasion of the sufferings of the Apostle to the Gentiles, nor to his example, but to the fact, that his sufferings are for the good of the Church, as indicated by what follows. [Eadie agrees with Stolz: on account of. He was imprisoned because of his preaching to the Gentiles. This is true, but Alfords view agrees better with the text, context and Braune. The preposition cannot here imply substitutionbut strictly in commodum vestri, that you may be confirmed in the faith bynot my example merelythe glorification of Christ in my sufferings. So Winer: zum Vortheil, Gram. p. 358.R.]

And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.[And am filling up fully the lacking measures of the sufferings of Christ, Ellicott.R.] leads us forward from the subjective feeling to the objective state of the case (Meyer), but not from the particular () to the whole (Luecke); nor is it= (Baehr), nor yet=sed (Bengel). By (Php 2:30; 1Th 3:10; 1Co 16:17; 2Co 8:13-14; 2Co 9:12; 2Co 11:9); we are to understand arrears, which must be can Celled [deficiencies, AlfordR.]; where such are found is indicated by . As in 2Co 1:5 (the sufferings of Christ) the meaning here is, sufferings which Christ endured.43 The Apostle, whom Christ had asked, when he persecuted the Church (Act 9:14), why persecutest thou me? and who in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Eph 1:22; Eph 5:33; Eph 4:12) calls Him the Head of the Church, and this His body, could speak thus without fear of being misunderstood. What befalls His own, the Master accepts as done to Himself (Mat 10:40-42; Mat 25:31-46). Hate and persecution He had announced to them beforehand (Joh 15:18-21; Joh 16:1-4). What the servants suffer is aimed at the Master. He takes it to Himself. All enemies of the Church are His enemies also, who shall be put under His feet (1Co 15:25). See Winers Gram. p. 178. Melanchthon: non quod ad meritum, quod plenissimum est solius Christi, sed quod ad militi societatem attinet. Here the Apostle treats of historical matters, phenomena and facts, behind which we must ever hold fast to a real, though invisible connexion of the Head with His Church(here just as in Php 3:10; Rom 8:17; 2Co 4:10 sq.; 2Ti 2:11; 1Pe 4:13)with respect to the historical development, the course of the Kingdom through the world. There is nothing whatever to indicate atonement with God [i. e., by means of these sufferings of Christ, the deficiencies of which Paul was filling up; this interpretation made this a proof text for the doctrine of indulgences among the medieval Romanistsit is doubtless thus understood still among them.R.] As little as describes any lack or insufficiency of afflictions in themselves, so little stress can be laid upon the choice of the specially significant expression () instead of the more general (2Co 1:5). It is incorrect to understand as meaning: similar to the sufferings of Christ (Huther and others), or for the sake of Christ (Bhmer and others), or borne auctore et auspice Christo (Luecke), or the Church directly. On placed first on the main idea, Bengel makes the excellent remark: fixa est mensura passionum, quas tota exantlare debet ecclesia; quo plus igitur Paulus ezhausit, eo minus et ipsi et poslhac et ceteris relinquitur; hoc facit communio sanctorum. While occurs more frequently in the New Testament, is found here only, and is rare any where. The preposition , according to the context, refers to a filling up in view of arrears, and marks the extent and weight of the Apostles sufferings. It cannot be regarded as referring to Christ (instead of Christ, or: as He for me, so I now suffer for Him [vicissim]), or to the Church; not even to the fact that he had formerly persecuted Christ and afflicted the Church; although he now as a sufferer completed the sufferings which come on the Church, while as a persecutor he had formerly brought such upon it. Tittmann (Syn. I. p. 230) and Winer (de verb. comp. Colossians 3 :p. 22) explain: alterius quod deficit loco et vice supplere; not indicated here. [Eadie gives the clearest statement of the various interpretations, and mentions those who uphold them. His own view, which agrees in the main with that of Braune, Alford, Ellicott,and of many of the best commentators from Chrysostom to our day, will appear from the following extracts: The personal sufferings of Christ are over, but His sufferings in His people still continue. The Apostle in suffering for the sake of the Church, felt that he was filling up the measure of those afflictions. The double compound verb denotes to fill up in relation to; to fill up with something which meets the exigence, or is equivalent to the want. The Apostle filled up the sufferings of Christ not with some foreign agony that had no relation to the defect; but the process of supplement consisted of sufferings which met the deficiency, in quality and amount.Filled up what was yet wanting in the Saviours sympathetic sorrows. So Augustine on Psalms 61.See Doctrinal notes below.R.] A further and fuller definition of is given in the next clause: In my flesh for his bodys sake.[In support of the above view, Wordsworth aptly remarks: Hence the Apostle says, that I may fill up what is lacking of Christs sufferings in His Body; not in the Head.R.] The two phrases belong together; fleshbody denote the reciprocal relation; the former describes the person of the Apostle on the side which is affected by the sorrow (Gal 4:4; 2Co 4:11), the latter the organism to which benefit accrues from the sorrow endured, from the bearing of the sorrow; the individual sacrifice for the whole (Meyer) is the intent of these adverbial phrases. Comp. Eph 3:13. Steiger incorrectly joins these phrases with the afflictions of Christ as one idea: the verb requires closer definition rather than this. [So Ellicott: defines the seat, and inferentially the mode of the filling up,in exquisite contrast (Meyer) with the , which defines the object of the action.R.]Which is the church, is simply an explanation (see Eph 1:22), as is an explanation of .

The ministerial position of Paul. Col 1:25-27.

Col 1:25. Whereof I became a minister, .See Col 1:23. This vocation of suffering for the Church he must endure as its minister; as servant, not as master, as servant of the gospel and of the Church, qui evangelio servit, idem ecclesi servit (Grotius). [Eadie: of which Church; Ellicott: has a faintly explanatory force,I fill up, etc.the Church, being an appointed minister thereof,in Col 1:23 the referred to the , here to the Church by which the is preachedR.] As servant, which he became : according to the dispensation of God which was given to me for you. [gemss der Haushalterschaft (stewardship, Alford) Gottes.R.] defines his ministry as that of an , God as , His ( ) is the entrusted to him, he and his office belong to God. It is therefore the office, not the management, dispensatio (Eph 1:10; Eph 3:2). [Ellicott: not the disposition of God, but the spiritual function, the office of an .The word is difficult to render accurately in English. Dispensation can remain, not from its fitness, but in lack of a better.R.] Hence which was given to me. A comparison of Rom 15:15 (the grace that is given to me of God) with 1Co 3:10 (the grace of God which is given unto me) enables us to perceive that the emphasis is laid upon this, that the office, which was given to him, was of God, not that God had given it to him. The expression regards the Church [Kirche] as the house of God in connexion with the view that the congregation [Gemeinde] is the body of Christ, as in Eph 1:22 sq. and Col 2:21 sq.).The added phrase, [for you, towards you (Alford)R.], gives the reference, the direction of the office, which God had determined, and takes the readers as denoting, concretely and immediately, the heathen world to which they belonged.

To fulfil the word of God.This is his allotted duty. The infinitive depends on . [Infinitive of design.R.] In the object the gospel is included, and thus the idea of a message, which should be carried in all directions. Hence fulfil implies the figure of a measure to be filled. Bengel: ad omnes perducere. Paulus ubique ad summa tendit. Comp. Rom 15:19. There indeed the locality is given; here it is indicated also by , which precedes. Hence it is not=to fulfilling the promises (Beza), that was not the affair of the Apostle, nor=to proclaim fully in extent and contents (Olshausen), nor=to preach fully (Luther), nor=to complete, as if finish the teaching of Epaphras (Fritzsche), nor=to teach as (Flatt, Baehr and others), nor yet=to realize (Steiger),=to work out (De Wette),=to bring to full faith (Chrysostom, who connects here). [Alford seems to incline to the view of Chrysostom, but rejects the assumed connection: to fulfil the duty of the stewardship, in doing all that this preaching of the word requires. Ellicott: to give its fullest amplitude to, to fill up the measure of its fore-ordained universality, not perhaps without some allusion to the , which could thus be fully discharged. So Meyer and Eadie. See Homil. Notes.R.]

Col 1:26 defines more closely the word of God as to its purport.The mystery which hath been hid from the ages and the generations.See Eph 3:9; Eph 3:4; Eph 1:9. The synonymous phrase (), alone is new, and unique in the New Testament (yet see Eph 3:5; Eph 3:21; Act 15:21). Beside the ages of the world, the generations of men living in them are brought into special prominence, and thus the concealment from the beginning of human history is marked. Bengel incorrectly refers to angels, to men. [Ellicott: the mystery was the divine purpose of salvation in Christ, and more especially as the context seems to show de salvandis gentibus per gratiam evangelicum (Davenant).The Apostle does not say, , from eternity. The expression is historical. The counsel was formed . ., but concealed . . Eadie seems to be incorrect in limiting mystery here to the salvation of the Gentiles, though it has a special reference to this.R.]

But now is made manifest to his saints.The Greek liked the transition from a participle to a finite verb, of course with due regard to the structure of the thought, Winers Gram. p. 505. [Here the transition gives prominence to the second member of the sentence, and sharpens the contrast.R.] Eph 3:5 is parallel. Special emphasis rests upon on account of the antithesis. In contrast with , which refers to knowledge, and which refers to special spiritual revelation, is the most general and comprehensive expression, certainly not without a reference to the historical actualization, to the fact of evangelical preaching (2Ti 1:10). [Meyer observes that this manifestation took place in different ways, partly by revelation, partly by preaching and exposition, and partly by all combined. Eadie and Alford seem disposed to limit it to direct manifestation by Divine power, at the glorification of Christ and the bestowal of the Spirit. But the whole context refers to Pauls ministry, hence the more extensive view, which includes preaching, is to be preferred.R.] Thus His saints means all Christians, and must not be limited to the Apostles on account of the parallel passage (Baehr, Steiger, and others). Nor should saints be taken indefinitely (Huther), because the mystery of the reception of the Gentiles into the kingdom of God was not known by many Jewish Christians. The word is not , known; these were? only a minority at best, and their misconception was rather respecting the mode, the immediacy of the entrance of the Gentiles. [Davenant applies it to the elect, which though true enough, is not pertinent here, see below.R.]

Col 1:27. To whom God willed to make known, .This relative clause marks the design of God. 44 is not to be limited to free grace, as, the Greeks and Reformed claim. [Chrysostom, Calvin, Beza, De Wettemodern commentators, even Eadie, object to pressing such a meaning. Alford: a legitimate inference, but not an exposition.R.] Simply=it was His will. His design in the making manifest was to make known. Thus the view respecting the former verb is corroborated. The relative clause does not limit the force of , to those who should know: is: as to whom, [quippe quibus (Meyer): as being persons to whom, etc. Seing that to them it was Gods will, etc. (Ellicott).R.] The object of is: what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles.What is the riches is qu suit diviti not quales. On and , see Winers Gram. p. 64. The Apostle is speaking of the wealth of the glory of this mystery. is the main idea, which must not be weakened: on it depends a wealth, while it depends on this mystery, and come with the revelation of it Hence it is incorrect to render: glorious riches (Luther) and gloriosi hujus mysterii (Beza). is glory, and not to be limited to bliss (Michaelis), glorious results (Chrysostom), nor yet to be extended to Gods Being, His wisdom and grace (De Wette), the Divine self-revelation (Schenkel). Calvin is excellent: He teaches that these riches had appeared, particularly among the Gentiles; for what could be more deserving of admiration, than that the Gentiles who for so many ages had been sunk in death, and whose condition might seem altogether desperate, should suddenly be received into the family of God, and receive the inheritance of salvation? [On the meaning of , see Alford and Ellicott.The former, following Meyer, makes it identical with belowthe latter distinguishes it, more correctly. Both would not restrict it to either a subjective or objective meaning; it partakes of both.R.] On this account among the Gentiles, is to be joined with is, which must be supplied, not to this mystery. Among the Gentiles the riches of the glory of this mystery revealed in the gospel appeared in the sharpest contrast with the deepest shadows (Olshausen).

Two phrases in apposition make the sense clearer. First: which [or who] is Christ in you, [bei Euch, among youR.]Christ among the Gentiles, the greatest paradox in that age (Bengel). First without Christ, without God. Children of wrath by nature (Eph 2:12-13) now He is among, in them (Eph 3:17). corresponds to , Christ to the riches of the glory of this mystery, and marks this reference, though it conforms to the following name, not to (Winers Gram. p. 157). [Hence the various readings do not affect the sense.R.] The reference to this mystery (Huther) [Alford, Ellicott.R.] is too restricted, and not welt-founded in grammar or fact. By Christ we must understand not the knowledge of Christ (Theophylact), nor the doctrine of Christ (Grotius) nor yet from Christ (Flatt), but Himself, His Person. You means the Gentiles, not simply the Colossian readers, as in Col 1:25.Secondly: the hope of glory, in exegetical apposition with Christ, in whom the Gentiles have the surety for the future fruition of the glory of salvation: in Him we have here as seed, what we shall have in Him there as harvest. Entirely like 1Ti 1:1, Jesus Christ, our hope. [Glory here is future blessedness, above it has a more general reference, see Eadie, Ellicott.R.] Christyour life, Col 3:4, is similar. Joh 11:25. Comp. Eph 1:18; Eph 2:12; Rom 8:24. Bengel: Christus in nobis, per se Itissimum; sed multo Itius, respectu eorum, gu revelabuntur.

Pauls labor. Col 1:28-29. Whom we preach, .The emphasis must be laid on , which might be wanting, did not the Apostle speak in opposition to false teachers. At the same time, he notes that he does not stand alone. It does not refer directly to Timothy (Meyer), nor to Epaphras; it is doubtful whether Paul thought of particular persons. Certainly Bleek is mistaken in his view that he thought particularly of no other one than himself. [So Conybeare, who insists ever upon the singular force of .R.] The singular which follows (Col 1:29 : ) forbids such an opinion. Erasmus incorrectly places the emphasis upon ; this one, not Moses or angels.

Warning every man and teaching every man.This gives the modality of the . Both participles [ and ] are used, Col 3:16, in another order. The first aims to affect the will, using what is already known, the other to foster knowledge, beginning indeed with what is known; it denotes the imparting of information, linked with what is known, or the extension and deepening of knowledge, and here indeed, in the second place after , on the basis of experiences and occurrences in the present and past, with a view to the future and eternity. Eph 6:4; Act 26:18; Rom 3:23-26. Both embrace repentance and faithnot the first participle the former, and the second, the latter (Meyer). [So Ellicott, and Alford, but not too closely or exclusively.R.] Nor is the first alone moral, and the second only didactic (Schenkel). Bengel too is incorrect, , qui jam doctisunt, , rudes. [For the other views, see Eadie, who, while regarding the first term as the more general, and the second as the more special,agrees in the main with Braunes view as given above.R.] Both are more closely defined: in all wisdom, .See Eph 1:8. There is no reason for joining it to alone, (De Wette, Meyer) [Alford, Ellicott and apparently Eadie.R.], and the view is a perversion, which finds in it the object of the instruction (Estius and others). Wisdom of words (1Co 1:11; 1Co 2:1-4) is excluded, but insight into the individuality of one to be taught and admonished, into his condition, and into the-method by which it can be successfully done. [Alford: the method of teaching. Ellicott: in every form of wisdomthe characteristic element in which the teaching was always to be, and to which it was to be circumscribed. Chrysostom: These views are correct, but should be extended to warning as well.R.]

That we may present every man perfect in Christ. gives the end of the preaching, mediated by the warning and teaching. As in Col 1:22, which is placed first for emphasis, is used with reference to the Judgment; so earnest a matter is it; it has not to do with mens judgment. The offering of a sacrifice is not found in the context. Every man is repeated for the third time: every individual the Apostle bore on his heart. Bengel: hoc toties positum maximan habet ac vim, et causam continet, cur etiam ad ignotos scribal. As perfect each should there appear, and indeed, as the context and Col 1:22 require, in his whole being, not simply in knowledge (Chrysostom [Calvin] and others), or in justifying faith (Olshausen). Perfection is possible only in Christ, who alone conditions and effects this, in life and nature. By this he excludes all those false methods of voluntary asceticism, to which the false teachers guided. [Such a reference is considered doubtful by Alford and Ellicott, in Christ being so frequently used by the Apostle.R.]

Col 1:29. Whereunto I also labour.[To which end.R.] The proclamation of Christ is the Apostles life-work ( ) and not simply a service, and also () a painful labor () [, also; besides preaching, etc.I labor also. The relapse to the singularhas an individualizing force, and carries on the reader from the general and common labors of preaching the gospel, to the struggles of the individual preacher (Ellicott).R.] This is strengthened by striving, .By this he means both the internal conflicts of soul (Col 4:12; Col 2:1 sq.) in care, prayer, sympathy and earnestness for sanctification, and the external fightings (1Ti 4:10; 1Th 2:2; Php 1:30). Chrysostom adds . Meyer [Eadie, Alford.R.] incorrectly limit it to internal, Grotius, Baehr and others to external conflict.

According to his working, which worketh in me mightily.According to his working ( according to the context: Christs) denotes, that Paul is not led and limited to his own strength, but strives according to the measure of the energy of Christ, which too worketh mightily in him, Eph 3:20, Php 4:13. Paulus per se non valeret, pro eo ac Christus in eo operatur, pellet (Bengel). It is both humility and certainty of victory. As little as should be considered as referring to God (Chrysostom and others), so little is the participle to be taken as passive (Ewtius) and (comp. Rom 1:4) to be referred to miracles (Vatable). [Ellicott, quoting Calvin, thinks there is no reason for excluding miracles summarily, though he admits such a reference would be only secondary. Eadie makes the phrase specify the mode of operation. The occurrence of the noun and a correlate verb intensifies the meaningSuch a working would be in power. Its ample energies clothed him with a species of moral omnipotence.R.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The sufferings of the Church are the sufferings of Christ. The connexion of Christ, as Lord and Head, with the Church, His Body is so close, that the sufferings of the Church are the sufferings of Christ. We know that the unity of the head and the members is such, that the name Christ sometimes comprehends the whole body (Calvin). The head feels pain before the other members: thus experience teaches. For if you tread on a mans little toe, or hurt any other one of the most insignificant members, you notice it at once in his countenance. So Christ, our Head, takes the pains of us, His members, as if they were His own, and it burdens Him, as though it befell Himself, when any sorrow meets us (Luther). [Wordsworth quotes Augustine on Psalms 61, as follows: Jesus Christ is one Man with His Body and His Head; the Saviour of the Body and the members of the Body are twain in one flesh; they are one in suffering, and when the iniquity of the world is past, they will be one in rest. Therefore the sufferings of Christ are not limited to Christ; nay, rather the sufferings of Christ are not except in Christ. For if you understand Christ to be both Head and Body, the sufferings of Christ are all in Christ. Hence the Apostle says Ut suppleam quod desunt pressurarum Christi in carne me. Whosoever therefore thou art, if thou art a member of Christ, whatsoever thou sufferest, was lacking to the sufferings of Christ. Therefore that suffering of thine is added because it was lacking; thou art filling the measure, not making it flow over. Thou sufferest so much in thyself as was to be poured in the universal passion of Christ, who suffered in our Head, and who suffers in His members, that is, in us. The whole measure of suffering will not be filled up till the world comes to an end.R.] Two opinions present themselves here in opposition at either extreme: That of Meyer, that persecutions are indeed directed against Christ, but He, the victorious Ruler in Glory, cannot be passively affected by them; and Schenkels, that He, as Head of His Body, must even now share its feelings. The former view sunders them, and makes of Christs sympathy a mere phrase; the latter so confounds them in one, that the sympathy of Christ is marred and soiled by the susceptibility of the militant Church, instead of this being alleviated, purified and exalted by that.

2. The atoning and the enduring sufferings of Christ. A distinction must be made between the sufferings of Christ, which atone for sin and extirpate its corruption, and those which endure sin and its evils. The former, which He vicariously and representatively bore for us, are not here spoken of. The Romanists (Cajetan, Bellar mine, and others) are in error, in referring this passage to these only, and then regarding Pauls sufferings as supplementary to those of Christ, and hence, as also atoning and substitutionary, founding upon this their dogma of a storehouse of superfluous good works and indulgences. According to Joh 19:30, It is finished, Christs propitiatory sufferings need no supplement and completion; neither do His sufferings remove merely the guilt of original sin, nor is atonement for sins after baptism to be sought through the saints; one needing redemption himself, cannot make atonement. [For authorities on both sides of this controversy, consult the notes of Eadie, Alford and Wordsworth.R.] This passage does not speak of those redeeming sufferings, of the sufferings of Christ in the theological, doctrinal sense, but in the historical sense, of the sufferings of Christ in the world, of the sufferings of His Church from the world. These have a sum and extent not yet concluded, which are diminished in the onward progress to final victory, so that what the world, exhausting itself in its enmity, does to the members of Christ, turns out to the advantage of the Church, in so far as these members bear and forbear in the fellowship of their exalted Lord, the victor who sympathizes with triumphant sympathy. It is by just such suffering heroes in the Church, that she is helped out of manifold sorrow.

3. The Word of God is, as to its nature, revelation of a mystery, which would otherwise have been hidden from men, as to its tenor, testimony respecting Christ for all men. And this tenor is universal, directed to all men, is mediated by the proclamation of historical facts, begins within the man, and reaches beyond the germs and conflicts of time into perfection in eternity.

4. The ministry of the Word is an ordinance of God in and for the Church He has formed. It pre-supposes the revelation of Christ in the world, in the history of humanity, has to do with the proving of the same for each and every one by means of a proclamation, which takes hold of and advances the whole man, morally and intellectually, in will and knowledge. It should preserve, as its end, the internal sanctification and perfection unto the final Judgment, and is conditioned by the personal labors of the minister, as Christs energy in him.

5. Special care for Souls is very important [every manR.] It begins with Christs special care.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The Christian has to be thankful for so many and so great things, which he cannot lose, that in the sorrows of time, with the prospect of eternity and bliss, he is not joyless, but should be constantly rejoicing.The Christian may rejoice, where men rejoice, and can rejoice, where it is impossible for men. He can rejoice, when he has his child in his arms,and over its bier also. It is a great mistake to suppose that a certain melancholy and restraint of lively emotion is joined with Christian faith and piety.Christian joy is the echo of a higher joy, which drowns the tumult of earthly sorrow.The springs of joy in Mount Zion and Calvary cause it to flow on without interruption, and inexhaustibly.The Christians sorrow can and will bring good to the whole body and cause of Christ; in this the worlds enmity but wearies and exhausts itself, to make the Christian come forth ever brighter.The minister of the Word labors with the Eternal on the Eternal, for eternity, more than the artist; but only when He who has contrived eternal Redemption, works upon him, and he does not resist Him.

Starke :Preachers are not lords of the faith. but servants of the church, who have to direct all their service to the edification of the church.The gospel is indeed made known to all the world, but is known in its truth and power only by those, who let themselves be brought thereby to faith,Christ is in His believers, and this is the greatest mystery.If many a teacher did not interlard his discourses with uncertain stories, fables, figures and other things of human wisdom, they would sink deeper into the hearts of men.

Rieger:The joy of the Apostles amid their sufferings was a fruit of the sorrow of Jesus under His. In our sufferings there must often be revealed to us, amid fear and sorrow, the weakness of our flesh, but often also, amid great peace and conscious joy, the manifold power of God and His Spirit of glory. Both are wholesome. Let one force or affect nothing, but accept what and as God finds it necessary.One must so serve the church, that the gospel be derogated in no respect; yet one must not, under the pretext of the gospel, lord it over the people, but be a helper of their joy.

Gerlach:In a few significant words the Apostle here brings to our view the activity of a genuine preacher of the gospel; 1) he preaches the mystery of the grace of God in Christ; 2) he admonishes all sinners to repentance; 3) he instructs even the plainest, poorest, most ignorant men; 4) he seeks to guide all to perfection, will withhold the higher light and life from none, keep none in a lower grade, is never satisfied with himself, nor permits himself to be satisfied with the state of others; 5) is ever conscious that a life of labor, especially of conflict too, is allotted to him; and 6) in this life confides only in the power of God working in him mightily, which is promised him, and hence gives God the glory for all.

Schleiermacher:He could compare his sufferings with the sufferings of Christ, because they too had their cause in the antagonism of men to the preaching, which Christ had begun, and because to him they also were a work of obedience. Now too there are more views of Redemption, more representations of the manner of the liberty of the Sons of God, and yet there is ever more to be revealed of this mystery.

Heubner:Suffering for atonement, Christ alone and fully bore; but suffering for our preservation and for the extension of the kingdom of Christ, every Christian must bear; since Christ has left a share to each.The gospel sermon is a universal enlistment of souls for Christ. No man is too bad. Empty and hungry souls are led to Him, with Him to be satisfied and sanctified.

Passavant :I do not fear the crowd of men, nor the angry outbreak of the world, wrote Matamoras, the Spanish martyr (November, 1862), from his prison in Granada; as a Christian I have strength enough to lift myself above the raging torrent of earthly anger;-not through my own might, through my own powers, no, but through the strength our loving Father bestows upon me in Jesus; through Jesus, who is my Shield, an impenetrable shield, against which the whole world is weak.Among the poor heathen of those times as of ours, could be seen only ignorance, hollow deceits, brilliant errors and lies; crying, devilish sins and proud vices raged among the refined Greeks and the proud men in all classes of the spoiled people. The light, or the uncertain, distorted ray of a former, light, was limited to the narrow circle of nobler, minds; the yet beautiful, rare fragments of the shattered truth remained a private possession of their pupils: the more lovely souls in every nation had only the uncertain legends of the poets as a solace: the priestly utterances, the arbitrary wisdom of the sage, as light on the path of life to death; many, perhaps very many sought salvation and peace at the dumb altar of the unknown god.The mystery since then has been made known to myriads of myriads; yet only the smaller part have comprehended it; to the saints alone has it been revealed in their hearts.Without this Christ in us all hope beyond earth is but empty fancy, vanity and delusion; Christ among us and the clearness of His heavenly kingdom about us, only an unknown foreign land into which we have no desire to enter. Then our Christianity is but a borrowed, beautiful garment, which neither fits us nor hides our nakedness.

[Schenkel:

Col 1:24. The joy of the Christian in sorrow: 1) Its ground; 2) Its kind.The blessing of persecution for the church of the Lord: 1) wherein it consists; 2) whereon it rests.

Col 1:27. Christ lives among us: 1) A mystery to the unbeliever; 2) the comfort and joy of all believers.

Col 1:28. The task of the evangelical sermon: 1) as to its contents; to warn and to teach; 2) as to its form; every man in all wisdom; 3) as to its end; to present every man perfect in Christ.

Col 1:29. The duty of the evangelical preacher: 1) wherein it consistsin labors and striving; 2) whereby its fulfilment becomes possiblethrough the help and power of Christ.R.]

[Burkitt:Such as are eminent in the church, and, as ministers of the gospel, do lay out themselves more abundantly in the churchs service, must expect to meet with a measure, and a full measure of suffering beyond others.Observe the subject, the manner, the end of St. Pauls preaching. Also his pains and diligence; the gracious help and blessed success he had, humbly and thankfully acknowledged, and ascribed to God.R.]

[Henry:The preaching of redemption 1. to whom it was preached (Col 1:23), 2. by whom it was preached. 1) Whence Paul had his ministry (Col 1:26); 2) for whose sake he has his ministry (Col 1:25); 3) what kind of a preacher Paul was; a suffering preacher (Col 1:24), a close preacher (Col 1:28), a laborious preacher (Col 1:29). 3. The gospel which was preached (Col 1:26-27). 1) A mystery long hidden, 2) now made manifest to the saints.The meanest saint under the gospel understands more than the greatest prophets under the law.The ground of our hope is Christ in the word, or the gospel revelation, declaring the nature and methods of obtaining it. The evidence of our hope is Christ in the heart, or the sanctification of the soul and its preparation for the heavenly glory.R.]

[Eadie:In the Divine arrangement of the spiritual house, the Apostle held a function which had special reference to the members of the gentile churches. He would not be confined within the narrow circuit of Judaism; the field on which his soul set itself was the world.The Apostle says of himself that he did not preach, but that he fulfilled the gospel. He carried out its designhe did not narrow its purposehe opened for it a sweep and circuit adapted to its magnificence of aim, and its universality of fitness and sufficiency. As an instrument of human regeneration, he brought it to perfectionThe glory of Christians is yet to come, but it is certain. Such glory is too bright for earth, and is therefore to be enjoyed in a scene which shall be in harmony with it. Christ is the hope of this glory.The process of sanctification begets at once the idea and the hope of perfection.The apostolic preaching was precise and definite. The one theme was Christ, Him first, Him last, Him midst. Not simply His doctrine, but Himself.What in other spheres is enthusiasm, in the Christian ministry is sobriety.The sublime motive to present every man perfect in Christ, through the preaching of Christ, could only be realized by the conferment of Divine qualification and assistance.Barnes:In such a work it is a privilege to exhaust our strength; in the performance of the duties of such an office, it is an honor to be permitted to wear out life itself. Doing this, a man when he comes to die will feel that he has not lived in vain.R.]

Footnotes:

[34]Col 1:24.Before some MSS. read , which is wanting in . A. B. C.; more likely to have been added for closer connexion with the preceding context, than to have been omitted. [Alford suggests that it is from the preceding termination. Rejected by all modern editors, though retained in E. V. Instead of Who read I, or better Now I rejoice.R.]

[35]Col 1:24.[The E. V. follows Rec., which inserts after . This reading is supported by no uncial authority except 3.; rejected by all modern editors, hence not noted by Braune. The E. V. undoubtedly gives the true sense.R.]

[36]Col 1:25.. reads after , but not B. and others; probably from Col 1:23, causa nexus.

[37]Col 1:25.[Became, Alford, Ellicott, Coverdale (Test.).R.]

[38]Ver 26.[The article of the Greek should be retained in English, to give definiteness: ages and generations before us, Alford.All older English versions omit it, however.R.]

[39]Col 1:26.[Rec. with A. D. K. L., Lachmann, Tischendorf, Ellicott, Wordsworth, read ; . B. C F., Alford, .R.]

[40]Col 1:27.[ is the reading of . C. D. K. L. Rec; adopted by Tischendorf, Meyer, Ellicott, Wordsworth; is supported by A. B. F. G., Lachmann, Alford. Braune renders welcher, thus adopting the former reading.R.]

[41]Col 1:27.[ , literally in you, but here among you also. Braune: bei Euch. See Exeg. Notes.R.]

[42]Col 1:28.[ is wanting in .1 A. B. C. D.1 F. G.; rejected by Tischendorf and modern editors generally. E. V. follows Rec, which inserts it. Uncial authority slight.R.]

[43][Meyer: is a subjective genitive. Paul describes his own sufferings, according to the idea of the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ (1Pe 4:13; comp. Mat 20:22; Heb 13:13), as the afflictions of Christ, in case the Apostolic suffering was essentially of the same kind, which Christ had endured (the same cup, of which Christ had drunk, the same baptism, with which Christ had been baptized). The sum of these afflictions is conceived of as a definite measure, as is frequent in classical usage in similar figurative representation.I rejoice in my sufferings, which I endure for you, and how great and glorious is that which I am engaged in accomplishing through these sufferings! the full completion of that which is lacking on my part in the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. Very naturally his triumphant consciousness, this feeling of the greatness of the matter, led not only to the choice of the highly significant word , but to this description of the Apostles own afflictions in the most honorable and sublime manner, as the afflictions of Christ, since in their kind and character they are none other than these endured by Christ Himself.R.]

[44][Buttman thus distinguishes and : the former expresses will combined with choice or purpose, the latter mere inclinations. Prof. Hitchcock, however, claims (see his valuable note on , Eph 1:9) that, in the wide range of volition expressed by , the element of spontaneity is always included, while always implies deliberation. The former can be used of a brute, the latter of a rational being only (Ammonius). This view, if adopted, would lead to a slight modification of Braunes exegesis, though it would also exclude the limitation to free grace. Perhaps care should be taken in applying the distinction to what is predicated of God.R.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

(24) Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

I beg the Reader to consider this verse by itself. It is, in my esteem, a very sweet one. And the question arising out of it immediately strikes the mind, what afflictions of Christ were behind, in which Jesus became concerned for his body’s sake, which is the Church? It is impossible Paul could mean that any afflictions remained for the Son of God to sustain, in a way of finishing redemption. All had been fully accomplished, when with a loud voice on the cross, Jesus said, It is finished, Joh 19:30 . The Holy Ghost is express to the same, in his blessed testimony of Christ, that when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, Heb 1:3 . Never would the grave have delivered up such a prisoner as Christ by his death was, had sin not been done away. Neither heaven have admitted Christ to the right hand of the Majesty on high, had redemption-work not been finished! See Rom 6:9-10 ; Heb 10:11-25 .

Neither could Paul have any one meaning whatever in relation to any sufferings of his. One of the great features of Christ’s redemption-work is, that in the accomplishment of it, His own arm brought salvation, and of the people there was none with him. Isa 63:3-5 . Paul himself is out of the question. So that on neither of those accounts can we accept the words of this verse. There is, however, a sense, and a very sweet one, according to my view it is, in which the Apostle’s words may be accepted in relation to the afflictions of Christ, which Paul calls behind. I mean in what hath respect wholly to his body the Church. And which, even now in heaven, Jesus, in his human nature, may be said to enter into a certain concern for. And in a way, though without the smallest decrease of his glory, but rather to his praise, he may be said to take part in the afflictions of his people. If the Reader will bear with me, I will endeavor to explain myself.

And, first. The Son of God, in our nature, having finished redemption-work, and returned to heaven, he wears that nature in an everlasting union with his Godhead. So that as God and man in one Person, he hath a perfect sense and apprehension of what constitutes the nature of both. He knows as God. He feels as man. Hence, it follows, that his consciousness of what our nature is by his own, cannot but make him enter into an intimate concern and fellow feeling, in all that belongs to his Church. He knows all, enters into the concerns of all, and feels for all. So that the foot of any of his redeemed ones upon earth cannot be crushed, but the head knows it, and feels it in heaven. In proof of this, Jesus preached it to Paul at the time he was persecuting his little ones. He called to him from heaven, Act 9:5 .

Secondly. The very reason for which Christ took upon him our nature was, for the express purpose, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest; the Holy Ghost gives this as the motive. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. And the reason is added, for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted: he is able to succour them that are tempted, Heb 2:17-18 . What a sweet relief it is, to every tempted child of God, in his seasons of trial, to call this to mind. And as this high priestly office of the Lord Jesus, is the peculiar and special employment of Christ now in heaven; must it not form the very quality of his office, be a part to feel for those he pleads; and to sympathize in those exercises of theirs, as though they were his own? And is it not in this sense Paul meant the afflictions of Christ, which are behind, for his body’s sake, which is the Church?

If it be demanded, how these feelings operate on his holy nature, and how the heart of Jesus is affected with pity, in participating with his suffering members upon earth? I presume not to answer. These subjects are not the province of man. It is the fact itself, and not the mode of operation, that the Church is concerned to know. Every attempt to investigate these mysteries is presumptuous. From all unsuitable, and unbecoming enquiries, I would wish to retire with the most profound humility. But to know, that Jesus is, from his own feelings, intimately acquainted with ours, not only knows them, as God, but feels for them as man; and takes part with all that concerns his redeemed: surely these are among the highest consolations of faith! Reader! I pray God to make the review profitable. And may God the Holy Ghost, as the remembrancer of Christ Jesus, bring the thought continually home to the affections of the Lord’s people: that in all their afflictions he is afflicted, and takes part for his body’s sake, which is the Church.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Ver. 24. And fill up that which is behind ] Christ suffered much for Paul; it is but meet therefore that Paul should suffer somewhat for Christ. All our troubles are but the slivers and chips, as it were, of his cross. a When the Jews offered our Saviour gall and vinegar, he tasted it, but would not drink. He left the rest for his Church, and they must pledge him, not to expiate sin, but for their trial and exercise.

Of the afflictions of Christ ] That is (say some) of the Church; the afflictions whereof are said to be the afflictions of Christ, by reason of the sympathy between the head and the members, Act 9:4 ; 2Co 1:5 ; Heb 11:26 .

For his body’s sake ] For the confirmation of men’s minds in the truth of the gospel.

a , non . . Vicissim rursum impleo.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

24 .] Transition from the mention of himself to his joy in his sufferings for the Church, and (25 29) for the great object of his ministry : all with a view to enhance the glory, and establish the paramount claim of Christ. I now (refers to extending what he is about to say down to the present time emphatic, of time , not transitional merely) rejoice in (as the state in which I am when I rejoice, and the element of my joy itself. Our own idiom recognizes the same compound reference) my sufferings (no follows: = ) on your behalf (= . . below; so that the preposition cannot here imply substitution, as most of the Roman Catholic Commentators (not Est., ‘ propter vestram gentium salutem: ’ nor Corn.-a-lap., ‘ pro evangelio inter vos divulgando ’), nor ‘ because of you ,’ but strictly ‘in commodum vestri,’ that you may be confirmed in the faith by (not my example merely, as Grot., Wolf, al.) the glorification of Christ in my sufferings), and am filling up (the implies, not ‘ vicissim ,’ as Le Clerc, Beza, Bengel, al.; nor that . is said of one who ‘ a se relictum ipse explet,’ and . of one who ‘ alterius . de suo explet,’ as Winer (cited by Mey.), but the compensation , brought about by the filling up being proportionate to the defect : so in ref.: in Dio Cass. xliv. 48, , : in Diog. Laert. x. 48, , , ‘on account of the correspondent supply’) the deficiencies (plural, because the are thought of individually, not as a mass: those sufferings which are wanting) of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh (belongs to ., not (as Aug. on Psa 86:3 , vol. iv. p. 1104, Storr, al.) to . ., not only because there is no article ( ), which would not be absolutely needed, but on account of the context: for if it were so, the clause . . . . . would contain in itself that which the whole clause asserts, and thus make it flat and tautological) on behalf of (see on above) His body, which is the Church (the meaning being this: all the tribulations of Christ’s body are Christ’s tribulations. Whatever the whole Church has to suffer, even to the end, she suffers for her perfection in holiness and her completion in Him: and the tribulations of Christ will not be complete till the last pang shall have passed, and the last tear have been shed. Every suffering saint of God in every age and position is in fact filling up, in his place and degree, the , in his flesh, and on behalf of His body. Not a pang, not a tear is in vain. The Apostle, as standing out prominent among this suffering body, predicates this of himself ; the to which we all contribute, was on his part so considerable, as to deserve the name of itself I am contributing which one after another fill up the . Notice that of the not a word is said (see however 2Co 1:5 ): the context does not concern, nor does express, those meritorious sufferings which He bore in His person once for all, the measure of which was for ever filled by the one sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, on the cross: He is here regarded as suffering with His suffering people, bearing them in Himself, and being as in Isa 63:9 , “afflicted in all their affliction.” The above interpretation is in the main that of Chrys., Thl., Aug., Anselm, Calv., Beza, Luth., Melancth., Est., Corn.-a-lap., Grot., Calov., Olsh., Do W., Ellic., Conyb. The latter refers to Act 9:4 , and thinks St. Paul remembered those words when he wrote this: and Vitringa (cit. in Wolf) says well, ‘H sunt passiones Christi, quia Ecclesia ipsius est corpus, in quo ipse est, habitat, vivit, ergo et patitur.’ The other interpretations are 1) that the sufferings are such as Christ would have endured, had He remained longer on earth. So Phot. (in Eadie): . , . . . 2) That the sufferings are not properly Christ’s, but only of the same nature with His. Thus Thdrt., after stating Christ’s sufferings in behalf of the Church, says, : and so Mey., Schl., Huther, and Winer. But evidently this does not exhaust the phrase here. To resemble, is not to fill up. 3) Storr, al., would render, ‘ afflictions for Christ’s sake ,’ which the words will not bear. 4) Some of the Roman Catholic expositors (Bellarmine, Cajetan, al.) maintain hence the doctrine of indulgences: so Corn.-a-lap. in addition: ‘Hinc sequitur non male Bellarminum, Salmeroneum, Franc. Suarez, ct alios Doctores Catholicos, cum tractant de Indulgentiis, hc generalia Apostoli verba extendere ad thesaurum Ecclesi, ex quo ipsa dare solet indulgentias: hunc enim thesaurum voluit Deus constare meritis et satisfactionibus non tantum Christi, sed et Apostolorum omniumque Christi Sanctorum: uti definivit Clemens VI. extravagante (on this word, I find in Ducange, glossarium in voce, ‘ extravagantes in jure canonico dicuntur pontificum Romanorum constitutiones qu) extra corpus canonicum Gratiani, sive extra Decretorum libros vagantur ’) unigenitus .’ But Estius, although he holds the doctrine to be catholic and apostolic, and ‘aliunde satis probata,’ yet confesses, ‘ex hoc Apostoli loco non videtur admodum solide statui posse. Non enim sermo iste, quo dicit Apostolus se pati pro ecclesia, necessario sic accipiendus est, quod pro redimendis peccatorum pnis quas fideles debent, patiatur, quod forte nonnihil haberet arroganti : sed percommode sic accipitur, quomodo proxime dixerat “gaudeo in passionibus meis pro vobis,” ut nimirum utraque parte significet afflictiones et persecutiones pro salute fidelium, ipsiusque ecclesi) promovenda toleratas.’ The words in italics are at least an ingenuous confession. Consult on the whole matter, Meyer’s and Eadie’s notes): of which (parallel with above: in service of which, on behoof of which) I (emphatic, resuming above) became a minister, according to (so that my ministry is conducted in pursuance of, after the requirements and conditions of) the stewardship (see on 1Co 9:17 ; 1Co 4:1 , al.: also Eph 1:10 ; Eph 3:2 ; not, ‘ dispensation ,’ as Chrys., Beza, Calv., Est., al.: the simpler meaning here seems best, especially when taken with . ‘In domo Dei qu est ecclesia, sum conomus, ut dispensans toti famili, i.e. singulis fidelibus, bona et dona Dei domini mei,’ Corn.-a-lap.) of God (of which God is the source and chief) which was given (entrusted to) me towards (with a view to; ref.) you (among other Gentiles; but as so often, the particular reference of the occasion is brought out, and the general kept back), to (object and aim of the stewardship: depends on . . . ) fulfil the word of God (exactly as in Rom 15:19 , to fulfil the duty of the stewardship , in doing all that this preaching of the word requires, viz. ‘ad omnes perducere,’ as Beng., see also below: a pregnant expression. The interpretations have been very various: ‘sermonem Dei vocat promissiones quas Deus prstitit misso ad gentes Apostolo qui Christum eis patefaceret,’ Beza: ‘finem adscribit sui ministerii, ut efficax sit Dei sermo, quod fit dum obedienter accipitur,’ Calv.: ‘ut compleam prdicationem evang. quam cpit Christus,’ Corn.-a-lap.: ‘ut plene ac perfecte annuntiem verbum Dei: vel, secundum alios (Vatabl. al.) ut ministerio meo impleam ternum Dei verbum, i.e. propositum et decretum de vocatione gentium ad fidem: vel denique, quod probabilius est, ut omnia loca impleam verbo Dei,’ Est.: ‘valet, supplere doctrinam divinam, nempe institutione quam Epaphras inchoavit, profliganda et conficienda,’ Fritzsche ad Rom., vol. iii. p. 275, where see much more on the passage: and other interpretations in Eadie, Meyer, and De W. All the above fail in not sufficiently taking into account the . .

Chrys. better, , , . . . (but this connexion can hardly stand) . He goes on however to understand of perfecting their faith , which misses the reference to fulfilling his own office)

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Col 1:24-29 . PAUL REJOICES THAT HIS SUFFERINGS ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHURCH, IN WHOSE SERVICE HE FULFILS HIS DIVINELY APPOINTED TASK, OF FULLY PREACHING THE LONG HIDDEN BUT NOW REVEALED MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH IS UNIVERSAL IN ITS SCOPE, A TASK IN WHICH HE USES ALL THE MIGHTY STRENGTH WITH WHICH GOD HAS ENDOWED HIM.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Col 1:24 . It is usually assumed that read by the Western text is due to dittography; but it may quite as easily have fallen out through homoteleuton as have been inserted. It is, however, omitted by such an overwhelming combination of MSS. that it would not perhaps be justifiable to place it in the text. On grounds of internal evidence a strong case can be made out for the insertion. Lightfoot omits, and thinks the abruptness characteristic of Paul. He quotes as parallels 2Co 7:9 , 1Ti 1:12 . But the connexion in the former case is uncertain; Westcott and Hort do not begin a new sentence with ; if correctly, it is not a true parallel. But if otherwise there is not the abrupt change of subject we find here, for Paul has been speaking of his previous regret, and follows naturally on this. In the latter case, apart from the dubious authenticity of the Epistle, Col 1:12 naturally continues Col 1:11 . On the other hand, it is very characteristic of our Epistle for transitions to be effected by the relative. Without it we have no preparation for Col 1:24 , for is not transitional. And with it the appeal to their loyalty in . . . is greatly strengthened. : “I now rejoice,” not “now, in contrast to times of repining,” or “now as I contemplate the greatness of redemption,” but simply “in my present condition as a prisoner”. Joy in suffering is a familiar Pauline idea. : not, as Meyer and Haupt, “over my sufferings,” for which would have been expected (though cf. Phi 1:18 , Luk 10:20 ), but “in my sufferings,” denoting the sphere in which, not (as Ell.) both sphere in and subject over which. : i.e. , for your benefit. Oltramare compares Phi 1:29 , Eph 3:1 ; Eph 3:13 , 1Pe 3:18 , and interprets “for love of you” a fine thought; but probably that is not in Paul’s mind. . The meaning of this verb is much disputed. is “to fill up”. – in composition has, according to Grimm, the following senses: opposite, over against; the mutual efficiency of two; requital; hostile opposition; official substitution; but some of these do not occur with verbs. He explains it in this way: “What is wanting of the affliction of Christ to be borne by me, that I supply in order to repay the benefits which Christ conferred on me by filling up the measure of the afflictions laid upon Him”. – on this view means “in return for”. Another view proposed is that Paul makes up by present suffering for his former persecution. Winer (followed by Lightf., Findl., Moule) says . is used of him who “ a se relictum ipse explet,” and . of him who “alterius de suo explet” (quoted in Meyer). The parallels Lightfoot quotes are intended to show that “the supply comes from an opposite quarter to the defect”. He takes the sense to be that Paul suffers instead of Christ, and translates “I fill up on my part,” “I supplement”. Abbott pertinently points out that in the two instances in which is used with (1Co 16:17 , Phi 2:30 ) the supply comes from an opposite quarter to the defect, and therefore we have no more reason for including this idea in . than in . The simplest explanation is that of Wetstein, “ succeedit ”. (So Mey., Ell., Alf., Haupt, Abb.) We thus get the idea that over against or corresponding to the previous defect comes the filling up. To Lightfoot’s criticism that this deprives of its force, Ellicott replies that there is no such clear correspondence of personal agents as would be needed to substantiate the assertion. It is impossible to feel sure which of these views is right, but this is of negative importance, since it excludes arguments (such as Lightfoot’s) as to the meaning of the rest of the verse, based on the sense of this verb. . Leaving out of account such interpretations as “afflictions for the sake of Christ,” or “afflictions imposed by Christ,” the following are the chief views that have been taken: (1) Many Romanist commentators explain the sufferings of Christ to be His mediatorial sufferings, left incomplete by Him and completed by His saints, Paul taking his share in this. (2) Lightfoot, Oltramare, Findlay, Haupt and others agree with (1) in taking . . . . as the sufferings which Christ endured on earth. But they deny that these are mediatorial sufferings; they had “a ministerial utility”. Christ suffered for the kingdom of God, and His followers must continue this. Hofmann’s view is a special form of this. Christ was sent only to Israel, and endured sufferings in His ministry to it. Paul fills up what is left of these sufferings, as Apostle to the Gentiles. (3) Meyer, followed by Abbott, thinks the afflictions are Paul’s own, and are called the afflictions of Christ, because they are of the same essential character. Since his sufferings are still incomplete, he speaks of filling up the measure of them. (4) The sufferings are those of the Church, which are still incomplete. They are called the afflictions of Christ because they are those of His body. Thus Bengel: “Fixa est mensura passionum, quas tota exantlare debet ecclesia. Quo plus igitur Paulus exhausit, eo minus et ipsi posthac et caeteris relinquitur. Hoc facit communio sanctorum.” Cremer similarly says that the defect is not in what Christ suffered, but in the communion of the Church in His sufferings. Paul concentrates on himself the hate of the world against Christ and His Church. (5) The sufferings are the sufferings of Christ, not, however, those which He endured on earth, but those which He endures in Paul through their mystical union. The defect is not (as in 4) in the sufferings of the Church, but in Christ’s sufferings in Paul. (1) must be set aside on the ground that is not used of Christ’s atoning sufferings, for which Paul employs , , . (3) must be rejected because the afflictions of Christ can hardly mean afflictions like those of Christ. (4) is to be rejected on similar grounds, the defect is in Christ’s own suffering, not in that of the Church. Besides there would be an un-Pauline arrogance in the claim that he was filling up the yet incomplete sufferings of the Church. We are thus left with (2) and (5), each of which takes “the afflictions of Christ” in the strict sense of afflictions endured by Christ Himself. We cannot, with Lightfoot, decide against (5) on the ground that . excludes an identification between the sufferings of Paul and Christ. Hofmann’s view is very attractive on account of the context, in which Paul is speaking of his Apostleship to the Gentiles. It is perhaps the best form of (2), and may be right. It, however, labours, with (2) generally, under the objection that it implies defect in Christ’s earthly sufferings, for means defect, and also that the claim thus made to fill up the defect left by Christ is strangely arrogant. It is therefore best to accept (5). It is urged that there is no N.T. parallel to the idea that Christ suffers in His members. But, apart from Act 9:4 , Paul’s doctrine of union with Christ is such that we should almost be compelled to infer that Christ suffered in His members, even if Paul had not here affirmed it. And there is no arrogance here. For Paul does not claim to fill up the defects in Christ’s earthly suffering or in the sufferings of the Church, but in the sufferings which he has to endure in his flesh, which are Christ’s sufferings, because he and Christ are one. We should accordingly take . . . . with as a single idea, “Christ’s sufferings in my flesh”. . There is a delicate contrast between the flesh of Paul and the body of Christ. If these words were connected with . they would probably have immediately followed. : “on behalf of His body”. This may simply mean that the sufferings of Paul advanced the interests of the Church ( cf. Phi 1:12-14 ). But, taking into account Paul’s strong feeling of the solidarity of the Church, he probably means that apart from any furthering of the Church’s interests which his imprisonment may bring about, the suffering of one of the members must benefit the whole body; just as in a higher and fuller sense the suffering of the Head had procured salvation for the Church. Paul rejoices, not, as Abbott says the view taken of . . . . would involve, “because they went to increase the afflictions of Christ,” but because his afflictions, which were those of Christ also in the necessity of the case, were a blessing to Christ’s body. : “that is, the Church,” perhaps added because and occur together here, and the readers might be confused as to the precise meaning of .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Col 1:24 to Col 2:5

24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. Col 2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.

Col 1:24 “I rejoice in my sufferings for you” Paul saw his imprisonment as benefitting the church (cf. Php 2:17 and 2Co 1:5). Paul saw his life as an offering to God on behalf of the church. This is part of the Good News we don’t like (cf. Mat 5:10-12; Rom 5:3; Rom 8:17; 2Co 4:7-11; 2Co 6:3-10; Php 1:29; Php 2:17; 2Ti 3:12; Heb 5:8; 1Pe 1:7-8; 1Pe 4:12-16)! As Jesus suffered on behalf of others, so must His followers (cf. 2Co 5:14-15; Gal 2:20; 1Jn 3:16). Only the Spirit can turn persecution into joy!

“in my flesh” See Special Topic at Col 1:22.

“in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” This emphatic double compound verb (anti, ana, plro) is found only here in the NT. The prepositions strongly affirm “on behalf of” or “and to fill completely.” This is a very difficult sentence to interpret. Some theories about the meaning of this verse are:

1. Christ’s atonement was not sufficient without the church, i.e., Roman Catholicism’s merits of the saints

2. believers, as the church, share Christ’s sufferings, (not vicariously), but by doing the Father’s will in a fallen world (cf. Mat 5:10-12; Mar 10:39; Joh 16:1 ff; 2Co 4:10; Gal 2:20; Php 3:10)

3. Christ suffers with believers (cf. Act 9:4-5; 2Co 1:5; Isa 63:9)

4. suffering is needed for maturity (cf. Heb 5:8)

5. we must fulfill the “birth pains” for the new age (cf. Mar 13:8)

6. Paul was refuting a Gnostic catch phrase

This term for “suffering” was never used in the NT for Christ’s death on the cross. The context of Col 1:13-18 totally rules out #1! I like #5 best!

“the church” Ekklesia was from two Greek words, “out of” and “to call.” It is used in Koine Greek to describe any kind of assembly, such as a town meeting (cf. Act 19:32). The Church chose this term because it was used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Pentateuch, written as early as 250 B.C. for the library at Alexandria, Egypt). This term translated the Hebrew term qahal which was used in the phrase “the assembly of Israel” (cf. Num 20:4). The NT writers asserted that they were the “divinely called out ones” who were to be the People of God in their day. They saw no radical break between the OT People of God and themselves, the NT People of God. Believers must assert that the Church of Jesus Christ, not modern rabbinical Judaism, is the true heir of the OT Scriptures.

In Ephesians, a circular letter, the term “church” always has a universal meaning, but in Colossians it has a local meaning. The church is both corporate, referring to all of the people of God, and individual, referring to a local congregation of believers. In this text Paul is obviously referring to the universal aspect of the church. See Special Topic: Church at Col 1:18.

Col 1:25 “I was made a minister” Paul is referring to his Apostolic call to preach to the Gentiles (cf. Act 9:15; Act 22:21; Act 26:17; Rom 1:5; Rom 11:13; Rom 15:16; Gal 1:16; Gal 2:7; Eph 3:1-2; Eph 3:8; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 4:17). However, Paul viewed his calling and giftedness as a servant, a slave, a steward! In the Bible leadership is servanthood.

“according to the stewardship from God” Believers are all stewards or trustees of the gospel (cf. 1Co 4:1-5; Eph 3:2; Eph 3:9; Tit 1:7; 1Pe 4:10). Paul uses this term in several different senses.

1. an Apostolic commission to proclaim the gospel (cf. 1Co 9:17; Eph 3:2; Col 1:25)

2. an eternal plan of redemption (cf. Eph 1:10; Eph 3:9; 1Co 4:1)

3. training in the plan of redemption and its accompanying lifestyle (cf. 1Ti 1:4)

NASB”that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God”

NKJV”to fulfill the word of God”

NRSV”to make the word of God fully known”

TEV”fully proclaiming his message”

NJB”that of completing God’s message”

This is the same root term “to fill” (plro) used in Col 1:24. Paul’s imprisonment and preaching were accomplishing God’s purpose for the Gentiles (cf. Act 9:15-16; Act 22:21; Act 26:17; Rom 11:13; Rom 15:16; Gal 1:16; Gal 2:7; Eph 3:2; Eph 3:8; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 4:17).

Col 1:26 “the mystery” See Special Topic at Eph 3:3.

“which has been hidden from the past ages and generations” This is a perfect passive participle, it had been and continued to be hidden by God (implication) in the past. This mystery was kept secret from (1) the Gentiles, (2) the Jews, and (3) even the angels (cf. 1Pe 1:12). The prophets had glimpses of it, but never the full truth (cf. Heb 1:1). The phrase “ages and generations” was used by the Gnostics to refer to the angelic levels (aeons).

“but has now been manifested to His saints” This is an aorist passive indicative of a verb that means “to clearly reveal” or “bring to light” (cf. Col 1:27; Rom 3:21; Rom 16:26). That which was hidden has now been fully revealed. The gospel is clear and open to all, not just a select few! See Special Topic: Saints at Col 1:2.

“the riches of the glory” Paul often uses the term “riches” to describe the benefits of the gospel (cf. Col 1:27; Col 2:2; Eph 1:7; Eph 1:18; Eph 2:7; Eph 3:8; Eph 3:16; Php 4:19).

“Christ in you” It is grammatically possible that this could be translated “Christ among you,” which would refer to the mystery of the gospel and not the indwelling Christ. The same Greek preposition, en, is translated “among” in the preceding phrase, “among the Gentiles.” This seems to fit the context best.

There is a fluidity between the work of the Son and the Spirit. G. Campbell Morgan said the best name for the Spirit is “the other Jesus.” The following is an outline comparison of the work and titles of the Son and Spirit.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT

Col 1:27 “the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles” Paul has used “riches” several times to describe God’s gracious acts and provision for fallen man (cf. Col 1:27; Col 2:2; Rom 2:4; Rom 9:23; Rom 11:33; 2Co 8:2; Eph 1:7; Eph 1:18; Eph 2:7; Eph 3:16).

God has always had a plan to unite Jews and Gentiles in salvation (cf. Eph 2:11 to Eph 3:13). The beginnings of this plan of redemption can be seen in

1. God’s promise in Gen 3:15, which applies to all the children of Adam

2. God’s call to Abraham which would bless all people (cf. Gen 12:3)

3. God’s calling a kingdom of priests to reach the world (cf. Exo 19:5)

4. even Solomon’s temple had implications for the Gentiles to repent and believe and be a part (cf. 1Ki 8:43; 1Ki 8:60)

5. the numerous references in the prophets (especially Isaiah) to God’s universal reign and invitation to all mankind

“the hope of glory” This refers to Resurrection Day when the saints will receive their new glorified bodies (cf. 1Jn 3:2). Election, justification, and sanctification will result in glorification (cf. Rom 8:29-30). See fuller note on “glory” at Eph 1:6.

Col 1:28 “We proclaim Him” Christianity is not primarily correct theology, ethical standards, or religious ritual, but a personal relationship with Jesus. Once this is established, the other aspects have their appropriate place (cf. 2Ti 3:15-17).

“admonishing” This word is used of “child training” in the Septuagint (cf. Job 5:17). In the NT it is used of believers exhorting each other (cf. Act 20:31; Rom 15:14). It often carried a negative connotation of warning about inappropriate Christian behavior (cf. 1Th 5:14; 2Th 3:15).

“every man” This phrase is used three times in this verse for emphasis. This inclusiveness is so different from the exclusiveness of the false teachers. The gospel is for all humanity (cf. Joh 3:16; 1Ti 2:4; 2Pe 3:9).

“with all wisdom” God’s wisdom is so different from the exclusivism and secrecy of the false teachers’ so-called knowledge.

“that we may present every man” God’s goal for the church is that every believer be mature in Christ (cf. Col 4:12; Eph 4:13; 1Co 2:6; 1Co 14:20; Php 3:15). There are no special groups, ranks, gifts, knowledge, or privileges in Christ’s body, just servants!

NASB”complete”

NKJV, NJB”perfect”

NRSV, TEV”mature”

This is the Greek term telos (also commonly used in Gnostic literature of the second century), which meant “fully equipped for an assigned task” (cf. Eph 4:12). It was used of

1. broken limbs being healed and becoming useful again

2. fishing nets being mended and thereby being able to catch fish

3. ships being fitted with ropes and sails for the sea

4. chickens that had grown large enough to be taken to market. It does not imply sinlessness, but functional maturity

Col 1:29 “I labor, striving” These same two strong Greek terms are used together in 1Ti 4:10 to describe Paul’s ministry.

“struggling” This is a Present middle (deponent) participle. This is either an athletic term (cf. 1Co 9:25; 1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 4:7) or a military term (cf. Col 2:1; Joh 18:36). We get the English term “agony” from this Greek root. Church work is not easy!

“His power, which mightily works within me” This is a present middle participle. It is God’s power, not the believer’s, that “energizes” all ministry (cf. 1 Corinthians 2; Eph 1:19; Eph 3:7; Eph 3:20; Php 3:21; 1Ti 1:12) This noun and participle are from the same Greek root which means, “His energy energizes me.”

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

sufferings. Compare Rom 8:18. 2Co 1:5.

fill up. Greek. antanapleroo. Only here.

that, &c. = that which is lacking. Compare 1Co 16:11.

afflictions. See Act 7:10.

Christ: i.e. the tribulations of the members of the body of which He is the Head.

for . . . sake = for, as Col 1:5,

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

24.] Transition from the mention of himself to his joy in his sufferings for the Church, and (25-29) for the great object of his ministry:-all with a view to enhance the glory, and establish the paramount claim of Christ. I now (refers to -extending what he is about to say down to the present time-emphatic, of time, not transitional merely) rejoice in (as the state in which I am when I rejoice, and the element of my joy itself. Our own idiom recognizes the same compound reference) my sufferings (no follows: = ) on your behalf (= . . below; so that the preposition cannot here imply substitution, as most of the Roman Catholic Commentators (not Est., propter vestram gentium salutem: nor Corn.-a-lap., pro evangelio inter vos divulgando), nor because of you, but strictly in commodum vestri, that you may be confirmed in the faith by (not my example merely, as Grot., Wolf, al.) the glorification of Christ in my sufferings), and am filling up (the implies, not vicissim, as Le Clerc, Beza, Bengel, al.; nor that . is said of one who a se relictum ipse explet, and . of one who alterius . de suo explet, as Winer (cited by Mey.), but the compensation, brought about by the filling up being proportionate to the defect: so in ref.: in Dio Cass. xliv. 48, , : in Diog. Laert. x. 48, , , on account of the correspondent supply) the deficiencies (plural, because the are thought of individually, not as a mass: those sufferings which are wanting) of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh (belongs to ., not (as Aug. on Psalms 86. c. 3, vol. iv. p. 1104, Storr, al.) to . ., not only because there is no article ( ), which would not be absolutely needed, but on account of the context: for if it were so, the clause . . . . . would contain in itself that which the whole clause asserts, and thus make it flat and tautological) on behalf of (see on above) His body, which is the Church (the meaning being this: all the tribulations of Christs body are Christs tribulations. Whatever the whole Church has to suffer, even to the end, she suffers for her perfection in holiness and her completion in Him: and the tribulations of Christ will not be complete till the last pang shall have passed, and the last tear have been shed. Every suffering saint of God in every age and position is in fact filling up, in his place and degree, the , in his flesh, and on behalf of His body. Not a pang, not a tear is in vain. The Apostle, as standing out prominent among this suffering body, predicates this of himself ; the to which we all contribute, was on his part so considerable, as to deserve the name of itself-I am contributing which one after another fill up the . Notice that of the not a word is said (see however 2Co 1:5): the context does not concern, nor does express, those meritorious sufferings which He bore in His person once for all, the measure of which was for ever filled by the one sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, on the cross: He is here regarded as suffering with His suffering people, bearing them in Himself, and being as in Isa 63:9, afflicted in all their affliction. The above interpretation is in the main that of Chrys., Thl., Aug., Anselm, Calv., Beza, Luth., Melancth., Est., Corn.-a-lap., Grot., Calov., Olsh., Do W., Ellic., Conyb. The latter refers to Act 9:4, and thinks St. Paul remembered those words when he wrote this: and Vitringa (cit. in Wolf) says well, H sunt passiones Christi, quia Ecclesia ipsius est corpus, in quo ipse est, habitat, vivit, ergo et patitur. The other interpretations are 1) that the sufferings are such as Christ would have endured, had He remained longer on earth. So Phot. (in Eadie): . , . . . 2) That the sufferings are not properly Christs, but only of the same nature with His. Thus Thdrt., after stating Christs sufferings in behalf of the Church, says, : and so Mey., Schl., Huther, and Winer. But evidently this does not exhaust the phrase here. To resemble, is not to fill up. 3) Storr, al., would render, afflictions for Christs sake,-which the words will not bear. 4) Some of the Roman Catholic expositors (Bellarmine, Cajetan, al.) maintain hence the doctrine of indulgences: so Corn.-a-lap. in addition: Hinc sequitur non male Bellarminum, Salmeroneum, Franc. Suarez, ct alios Doctores Catholicos, cum tractant de Indulgentiis, hc generalia Apostoli verba extendere ad thesaurum Ecclesi, ex quo ipsa dare solet indulgentias: hunc enim thesaurum voluit Deus constare meritis et satisfactionibus non tantum Christi, sed et Apostolorum omniumque Christi Sanctorum: uti definivit Clemens VI. extravagante (on this word, I find in Ducange, glossarium in voce, extravagantes in jure canonico dicuntur pontificum Romanorum constitutiones qu) extra corpus canonicum Gratiani, sive extra Decretorum libros vagantur) unigenitus. But Estius, although he holds the doctrine to be catholic and apostolic, and aliunde satis probata, yet confesses, ex hoc Apostoli loco non videtur admodum solide statui posse. Non enim sermo iste, quo dicit Apostolus se pati pro ecclesia, necessario sic accipiendus est, quod pro redimendis peccatorum pnis quas fideles debent, patiatur, quod forte nonnihil haberet arroganti: sed percommode sic accipitur, quomodo proxime dixerat gaudeo in passionibus meis pro vobis, ut nimirum utraque parte significet afflictiones et persecutiones pro salute fidelium, ipsiusque ecclesi) promovenda toleratas. The words in italics are at least an ingenuous confession. Consult on the whole matter, Meyers and Eadies notes): of which (parallel with above: in service of which, on behoof of which) I (emphatic, resuming above) became a minister, according to (so that my ministry is conducted in pursuance of, after the requirements and conditions of) the stewardship (see on 1Co 9:17; 1Co 4:1, al.: also Eph 1:10; Eph 3:2; not, dispensation, as Chrys., Beza, Calv., Est., al.: the simpler meaning here seems best, especially when taken with . In domo Dei qu est ecclesia, sum conomus, ut dispensans toti famili, i.e. singulis fidelibus, bona et dona Dei domini mei, Corn.-a-lap.) of God (of which God is the source and chief) which was given (entrusted to) me towards (with a view to; ref.) you (among other Gentiles; but as so often, the particular reference of the occasion is brought out, and the general kept back), to (object and aim of the stewardship: depends on . . . ) fulfil the word of God (exactly as in Rom 15:19, to fulfil the duty of the stewardship , in doing all that this preaching of the word requires, viz. ad omnes perducere, as Beng., see also below: a pregnant expression. The interpretations have been very various: sermonem Dei vocat promissiones quas Deus prstitit misso ad gentes Apostolo qui Christum eis patefaceret, Beza: finem adscribit sui ministerii, ut efficax sit Dei sermo, quod fit dum obedienter accipitur, Calv.: ut compleam prdicationem evang. quam cpit Christus, Corn.-a-lap.: ut plene ac perfecte annuntiem verbum Dei: vel, secundum alios (Vatabl. al.) ut ministerio meo impleam ternum Dei verbum, i.e. propositum et decretum de vocatione gentium ad fidem: vel denique, quod probabilius est, ut omnia loca impleam verbo Dei, Est.: valet, supplere doctrinam divinam, nempe institutione quam Epaphras inchoavit, profliganda et conficienda, Fritzsche ad Rom., vol. iii. p. 275, where see much more on the passage: and other interpretations in Eadie, Meyer, and De W. All the above fail in not sufficiently taking into account the . .

Chrys. better, , , . . . (but this connexion can hardly stand) . He goes on however to understand of perfecting their faith, which misses the reference to fulfilling his own office)

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Col 1:24. , now) This is in antithesis to from (since) the day that, Col 1:9.-, and) This is to be explained thus: in my sufferings, in which I fill up in turn. And is used as but,[2] Eph 5:27.-, I fill up in turn) The measure of sufferings was fixed, which the whole Church must endure. The more of them therefore that Paul endured (drained out), the less is left for himself and others; the communion of saints produces this effect. [While the measure of sufferings destined for Paul was filling up, the Gentiles attained to the full communion (participation) of the Gospel.-V. g.] Hence the Papists infer the doctrine of merit in behalf of others, as very many errors in their system have sprung from a subtle (nice and profound) truth, received without discrimination.-, for) Eph 3:1, note.

[2] Not having spot, etc.-BUT that it should be holy, for, but holy.-ED.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Col 1:24

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,-At the time of writing the epistle Paul was a prisoner in chains, and suffering much for them. Because he insisted that the Gentiles should be received into the church without circumcision the Jews persecuted him and pressed the case against him with such bitterness that he was finally sent to Rome where he suffered much affliction. Therefore he could say, for your sake. [The opposition and affliction Paul endured for the cause of Christ were like those which Christ endured, and he submitted to them as a servant of Christ, and by faith bore them to advance the cause of Christ among men. All this was occasioned by his rendering obedience to the glorified Lord.]

and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ-Christ suffered to save men, but Paul insists that man must suffer with him for his own salvation and the salvation of his fellow men. In redeeming man Christ did for man only what man could not do for himself. He could suffer persecution and self-denial to save himself and others. Paul did this and so filled up what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ.

in my flesh for his bodys sake, which is the church;-The affliction which Paul suffered was for the sake of his body, the church. When Christ breathed his last, all sufferings needful for the complete establishment of the kingdom of God on earth had not yet been endured. For the full realization of the purpose of God it was needful, not only that Christ should die for the sins of the world, but that the gospel should be preached to all nations. This involved, owing to the wickedness of men, hardships and afflictions to those who proclaimed the message. These sufferings and afflictions Paul willingly endured in order to save men. Consequently, just as the life on earth of the servants of Christ is in some sense an extension of his life on earth among men-for in them he lives (Gal 2:20)-so the sufferings of Paul were in a similar sense a continuation of the sufferings of Christ. This is in dose harmony with, and further emphasizes, Paul’s constant teaching that Christs servants share all that Christ is and has and does (Rom 8:17; 1Co 1:9; Php 3:10). But this by no means suggests that Pauls sufferings were in any sense propitiatory or that Christs sufferings were not so. For the one point in common here mentioned and made conspicuous by repetition is suffering on behalf of another. We should note the infinite dignity here given to sufferings endured for the spread of the gospel. These Christ condescends to join with his own afflictions while in the body and of his mysterious agony on the cross as endured for the benefit of the church which he recognizes as his own body.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

rejoice: Mat 5:11, Mat 5:12, Act 5:41, Rom 5:3, 2Co 7:4, Eph 3:1, Eph 3:13, Phi 2:17, Phi 2:18, Jam 1:2

fill: 2Co 1:5-8, 2Co 4:8-12, 2Co 11:23-27, Phi 3:10, 2Ti 1:8, 2Ti 2:9, 2Ti 2:10

for: Col 1:18, Eph 1:23

Reciprocal: Deu 16:1 – the passover Isa 1:4 – gone away backward Mat 16:24 – If Mat 20:23 – Ye Mar 8:34 – take Mar 10:39 – Ye Luk 6:23 – Rejoice Joh 17:22 – the glory Act 16:25 – sang Act 20:24 – neither Act 21:13 – for Rom 12:5 – General 1Co 1:9 – by 1Co 12:12 – as 1Co 12:27 – General 2Co 4:10 – bearing 2Co 4:15 – all 2Co 5:13 – for 2Co 6:4 – afflictions 2Co 8:9 – for 2Co 11:30 – I will 2Co 12:10 – I take 2Co 12:15 – will Gal 6:17 – I bear Eph 4:12 – the body Phi 1:20 – whether Col 2:1 – what Heb 11:25 – Choosing Heb 12:23 – the general 1Pe 4:13 – ye are 3Jo 1:7 – that

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

THAT WHICH IS BEHIND OF THE AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Bodys sake, which is the Church.

Col 1:24

St. Paul was accustomed to urge upon his converts that they should rejoice in the Lord alway. When we speak about sufferers that we know, we think it high praise to say, How perfectly patient they were! Here is a higher notenot patience, but joy. It is a quite unselfish delight that we have here in these difficult words, difficult because does it not come upon us with a shock to hear that there was anything lacking in the afflictions of Christ? Yet I fill up on my part that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. The words are quite plain, they clearly state that there is something wanting in the afflictions borne by Christ. How can that be so? And, if so, can any mans be counted with His to fill up the deficiencies? We may nevertheless make a distinction in the Saviours sufferings. There were those which no man could share when He trod the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with Him; but the Greek word that is used in the text is not the word in the New Testament in connection with the atoning work of Christ. It tells of afflictions of body and of mind which came upon Him as a holy and self-denying Person, in the midst of a corrupt and selfish world, born as one of the great human family, and to these there was something left to add. Yes, it is for us to say, I fill up on my part that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His bodys sake, which is the Church.

I. Our relation to Christ.But, then, what I bear for the sake of others, these are my afflictions. How can they fill up His? Can they be mine without being His? Depend upon it, unless being a member of His Body is but a phrase, a metaphor, your sufferings are His. To understand that we must understand our oneness with Jesus Christ our Lord. There are different kinds of unions.

(a) External union. There is a merely external union, as when you add one more stone to the fabric which rises from the ground.

(b) Vital union. There is union, not local, but vital, and the sap circulates through the new limb. You injure it now and you injure it not alone, you injure the tree itself. This is a union of that kind, vital, that the baptized believer has with the Saviour. I am the Vine, and ye are the branches. Cut off from Me, you wither; abiding in Me, you bear much fruit.

And so, because we are one with Christ in that living way, He truly shares in our sufferings. Can the body be injured and the head suffer nothing? Wound a limb and the brain quivers with pain. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. What a different aspect our troubles would wear if that was realised!

II. St. Pauls sufferings.How and when did St. Paul learn to identify himself so confidently with Christ that he could speak of his own sufferings for the Church as actually Christs sufferings? I think we know, in the blinding splendour of that revelation on the road to Damascus, when he lay, proud Pharisee as he was, prostrate on the earth in the midst of his astonished train. There stood before him, seen by him alone, the majestic, reproachful Christ the Lord. Saul, why persecutest thou Me? He never had done so literally, still the sad voice said, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It was because he glorified in persecuting the Church, gloried in a pitiless harrowing of the poor souls who clung to the Lord, that Christ could never forget that they were members of the Lord and their sufferings were His, for Inasmuch as ye did it to the least of these My brethren, ye did it unto Me. That was a crushing thought to Saul the persecutor; it was joy to Paul the Apostle. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. Poor flesh it was, so weary and weatherbeaten, so scarred with the rough handling of the world; but the great, brave heart, so fixed on God, so full of enthusiasm for the Master, cried, I rejoice for His Bodys sake, the Church. So you see it was an unselfish joy. His afflictions were for the sake of the brethren.

III. Our relation to one another.Let us not suppose, as we are sometimes tempted to do, that the pain and trouble to which even the best are subject are plainly so much waste, due to some great mismanagement. Take one of the most difficult cases. In not a few families there is a chronic invalid, whose years have been one long wearinessto the casual eye uselessa piece of wreckage cast up on the shore of the ocean of life. Surely he does not lie there in chastisement for his sins; surely she is not suffering all this for her sanctification? Perhaps not, but there is such a thing as suffering for the sake of others. Little do you know what a centre of influence is that pale face and weakly frame! What gentleness it has called out in natures that grew hard and selfish, what quiet, loving sermons it has preached by a look, by a word! He or she has suffered for His Bodys sake. There was something lacking in the afflictions of Christ which drew these souls to Him, and he or she filled it up, and the weak, faulty mortal becomes as it were a Christ to the brethren.

Archdeacon S. M. Taylor.

Illustration

St. Paul endured that tedious imprisonment, but it resulted in his writing to his comrades whom he was prevented from going to see, and what he wrote will inspire and comfort the Church to the end. Bunyan spent weary years in Bedford Gaol, but so The Pilgrims Progress came to be written, which for two centuries has helped many a devoted, humble soul to live the highest life; and if Tennyson had not suffered the grief of separation from a friend for whom he had more than a brothers love, those words of hope and tenderness, of faith that struggles in the darkness and conquers, had never been penned, and the world would have been the poorer without the In Memoriam.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

(Col 1:24.) -Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you. The MSS. D1, E1, F, G, with the Vulgate, and many of the Latin Fathers, prefix . The reading probably arose from a homoioteleuton or repetition of the last syllable of the previous word- . is not a particle of transition, as Bhr and Lcke make it, but means at the present time; with the chain upon my wrist, I rejoice; not, however, as if he had been sorrowful at a previous period. The apostle felt that his sufferings had their source in his diaconate, and therefore he gloried in them. The simple dative, or a participial nominative, is more frequently used to express the cause of joy; the preposition sometimes employed, and occasionally , as in Php 1:18, Luk 10:20, and in the clause before us. To rejoice in them is not very different from to rejoice over, or upon, or for them, only, that in the latter case, the afflictions are regarded as external causes of joy, whereas, in the former case, the writer represents himself as immersed in them, and rejoicing in them. The Stephanic Text adds after , but on no great authority. The words , which we connect with . and not with , have been variously interpreted. They cannot mean in your stead, though Steiger adopts such a view; and yet in some sense Paul might be regarded as the representative of the churches in heathendom. Nor can the words mean, on the other hand, merely for your good, as Meyer, De Wette, and Huther suppose; or as OEcumenius gives it, , for this was an ultimate effect, and not the immediate cause of the apostle’s sufferings. We prefer, with Heinri chs and Stolz, the ordinary sense of on your account, as we may suppose the apostle to refer especially to the Gentile portion of the church. His preaching to the Gentiles was the real and proximate cause of his incarceration. He had, in Jerusalem, declared his mission to the Gentiles, but the mob broke upon him in fury. He was confined for safety, and having on his trial appealed to Caesar, he was carried to Rome, and pending the investigation kept a prisoner there. Paul does sometimes refer to the good results of his sufferings, as in Php 1:12, but he here alludes to the cause of them.

-And fill up what is wanting of the afflictions of Christ. is simply connective, not , as Bengel imagines; nor , as Bhr explains it. It does not render a reason, as Calvin supposes, but simply begins an explanatory statement. This is peculiar language, and its peculiarity has given rise to many forms of exegesis. Chrysostom says:-It appears a great thing which he utters, but not one of arrogance- . The noun denotes what is yet lacking, 1Co 16:17, 1Th 3:10, Php 2:30; and is rendered by Theodoret ; and is pressure from evil, violent suffering. The general sense of the verb is to fill up; and the question is, in what sense did the apostle fill up what was wanting of the sufferings of Christ?

1. Many of the mediaeval Catholic interpreters understood the clause as referring to the atonement, and that its defects may be supplied by the sufferings of the saints. This was a proof-text for the doctrine of indulgences which Bellarmine, Cajetan, Salmeron, Suarez, the Rhemish annotators, and others, laid hold of, as if the merits of Paul’s sufferings supplemented those of Christ, and were to be dispensed so as to procure the remission of penalty. This inference, which a-Lapide characterizes as non male, is in direct antagonism to the whole tenor of Scripture, which represents the sacrifice of Jesus as perfect in obedience and suffering, so perfect as to need neither supplement nor repetition.

2. Not a few get rid of the difficulty by giving the genitive an unwonted and unwarrantable meaning, and rendering the phrase-sufferings on account of Christ. The idea may be in itself a correct one, but it is not the shade of idea which the genitive expresses. This exegesis is supported by Tertullian, Schoettgen, Elsner, Storr, Pierce, Rosenmller, Flatt, Bhmer, Burton, and Trollope, but it cannot be grammatically defended.

3. Calovius, Carpzovius, and Seb. Schmid, understand the phrase as signifying sufferings meted out to His people by Christ; a meaning not very different from that adopted by Lcke-afflictiones, quae Paulo apostolo, Christo auctore et auspice Christo, perferendae erant. This mode of explanation does not fix upon the pointed meaning of the genitive, which, when following , denotes the suffering person; Eph 3:13; 2Co 1:4; Jam 1:27.

4. Yet more remote is the view of Photius, adopted by Junker and Heinrichs, that the clause denotes such sufferings as Christ would have endured, had He remained longer on the earth. The words of Photius are- . . . , .

5. Some able and accomplished scholars take this view-that the sufferings of Paul are styled by him the afflictions of Christ, because they were similar in nature. Such is the view of Theodoret, Meyer, Schleiermacher, Huther, and Winer. Fergusson says-the great wave of affliction did first beat on Him, and being thereby broken, some small sparks of it only do light upon us. The idea is a striking one, yet it is not universally true. The distinctive element in Christ’s sufferings had and could have no parallel in those of the apostle-to wit, vicarious agony: Divine infliction and desertion-endurance of penalty to free others from bearing it. There were general points of similarity, indeed, between the sufferings of Christ and those of the apostle, so that he might, though at an awful distance, compare his afflictions to those of his Divine Master. Both suffered at the hand of man, and both suffered in innocence. Rom 8:17; 1Pe 4:13. But though such a thought may occur in other parts of Scripture, it does not occur in connection with such phraseology as is found in the clause before us. An apostle may say that he endures afflictions like those of Christ; but here Paul says that he supplements the afflictions of Christ. There is an idea in the phrase above and beyond that of mere similarity. Similarity is not of itself supplement, nor does it of necessity imply it.

And thus, in the last place, we are brought to the common interpretation-that these sufferings are named the afflictions of Christ because He really endured them; they were His, for He really felt them. The genitive is naturally that of possession. Such is the view of Chrysostom and Theophylact, Augustine and Anselm, of Calvin and Beza, Luther and Melancthon, Zanchius and Grotius, Vitringa and Michaelis, of Bhr and Steiger, of the Catholics Estius and a-Lapide, Davenant, Whitby, Conybeare, Doddridge, De Wette and Olshausen. Thus, Augustine on Psalms 61 exclaims of Christ-qui passus est in capite nostro et patitur in membris suis, id est nobis ipsis. And Leo, quoted by Bhmer, says-passio Christi perducitur ad finem mundi, in omnibus qui pro justitia adversa tolerant, ipse compatitur. Christ’s personal sufferings, which are past, and his sympathetic sufferings, which are still endured, have been distinguished thus in the old Lutheran theology of Gerhard; that the former are suffered , the latter . The Rabbins, in their special dialect, attached a similar meaning to the phrase -sufferings of Messiah-distributing them through various generations. The church is in the next clause called the body of Christ: and the Head suffers in all His members. The apostle’s sufferings were those of Christ, for Christ is identified with all His people. The scene of the apostle’s conversion impressed this truth upon his mind too deeply ever to be forgotten by him: the startling challenge yet rang in his ear-Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? The Redeemer was one with the poor flock at Damascus, so soon, in Saul’s imagination, to be scattered and peeled; for the errand of blood was directed against Him as really as agains t them. On the other hand, but in accordance with this truth, apostates who resile from their profession, and virtually proclaim that they have discovered faith in Christ to be a dream and a delusion, are said to crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. Again, in 2Co 1:5, the apostle says-The sufferings of Christ abound in us, that is, sufferings endured by Christ in us; and therefore, such being the sympathetic affinity between us, our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. Again, in Heb 13:13, Christians are exhorted to go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach; not reproach on His account, but the reproach which is His, and which He still bears in us, through our living connection with Him. 2Co 2:10. Nay, more, we are informed in Heb 11:26, that Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Now, according to the Old Testament, the God of the theocracy, the Jehovah of the burning bush, the Angel of the covenant, is none other than He who became incarnate; so that, while Moses, as His representative, incurred special and ungrateful obloquy, that obloquy is termed the reproach of Christ, of Him who sent him, and who was personated by him. And there is ample foundation laid for the language before us in our Lord’s pathetic and solemn discourse, recorded in Mathew, in which He declares His oneness with His people, that He lives in them, endures in them the pangs of hunger and thirst, and in them is fed and refreshed, is shut up when they are imprisoned, and welcomes the step of benevolence-is conscious, with them, when they are in a foreign land, of the desolation and solitude of a stranger, and is thankful for the shelter and fellowship of hospitality-feels the shame of their nakedness when they are bereft of clothing, and accepts with joy the proffered gift of a compassionate friend-suffers in them in their sickness, and enjoys a kind look and deed.

The personal sufferings of Jesus are over, but His sufferings in His people still continue. They are still defective; for much remains to be endured in this world. The apostle, in suffering for the sake of the church, felt that he was filling up the measure of those afflictions.

The double compound verb denotes to fill up in relation to. Some, like Olshausen and Elsner, lay no peculiar stress on the preposition; but we cannot suppose it to be used without some special purpose. The verb has a simple sense, but has a relative one. What the relation is, has been disputed. Winer explains the first compound-qui a se relictum, ipse explet; and the second-qui alterius de suo explet. Robinson and Schrader give a reference to the Colossians-who in your room fill up; while Fritzsche, in a note under Rom 15:19, suggests the notion of accumulation-in malis perferendis aemulans. Some give the first preposition the sense of vicissim-in turn, as is done by E. Schmid, Beza, Macknight, and Le Clerc, who render-ille ego qui olim ecclesiam Christi vexaveram, nunc vicissim in ejus utilitatem pergo multa mala perpeti. Others, as OEcumenius, give it the sense of equivalent repayment for the sufferings which Jesus endured for us; or, as Gerhard has it, quoted in Bhr-as Christ suffered for my redemption, it is but fitting that I should, in my turn, vicissim, suffer for the advancement of His glory. This view is also held by Bhr, Bhmer, and Tittmann. We cannot adopt this view, for we do not see it fully sustained by the passages adduced in support of it. The passages from Dio Cassius, Apollonius Alexandrinus, and Demosthenes, do not bear it out; for in them the of the verb may bear an objective sense-may denote the correspondence between the supplement and the defect. So Conybeare, in the passage before us-the is introduced into , by the antithesis between the notions of and . Meyer’s view is similar, and it is, we believe, the correct one. The verb denotes to fill up with something which meets the exigence, or is equivalent to the want. The apostle filled up the sufferings of Christ not with some foreign agony that had no relation to the defect; but the process of supplement consisted of sufferings which met the deficiency, in quality and amount. It was not a piece of new cloth on an old garment, or new wine in old bottles-an antagonism which would have happened had Paul suffered as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters; but the apostle filled up what was yet wanting in the Saviour’s sympathetic sorrows, for he adds, they were endured-

-In my flesh for his body’s sake. Storr, Bhr, Bhmer, Steiger, and Huther, connect the first clause with .-sufferings which are in my flesh. But more naturally, with Meyer and De Wette, we join the words to the verb, and believe them to represent the mode or circumstances in which the apostle filled up what was left of the afflictions of Christ. It was in his present fleshly state, and as a suffering man. 2Co 4:11; Gal 4:14. The next clause points out the cause of suffering-for his body’s sake; and this fact gave his sufferings their mysterious and supplemental value. Suffering for His body, implies the fellow-suffering of the Head. Steiger and Lcke’s connection-sufferings of Christ for His body’s sake-is wholly against the spirit of the interpretation. [ . Eph 1:23.]

Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians

Col 1:24. The afflictions which Christ personally suffered were complete so that God was satisfied (Isa 53:10-11), hence this verse does not mean there was anything behind on His part. But Christians are expected to have fellowship with Jesus in his sufferings (Rom 8:17; 2Ti 2:12; 1Pe 4:1), and if Paul had shrunk from suffering for the sake of Christ, then he would have been the one to be behind as to his duty. But in undergoing tribulation in service to the brethren, he would be credited with doing so on behalf of Christ, since the church is His body. This great truth caused Paul to “rejoice in my sufferings for you.”

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Col 1:24. Now I rejoice. The reading who, which is not well supported, can readily be accounted for. Now is not to be taken as a conjunction: at the present time, as a prisoner, contrasted with his previous preaching, not with a previous time of sorrow.

In my sufferings; lit, the sufferings; the possessive pronoun is poorly sustained, but the article has here the same force. His joy was not on account of his sufferings, but in them: while thus suffering he yet rejoiced.

In behalf of you. Comp. Eph 3:1, which is parallel. He suffered because of his Apostleship to the Gentiles, but his afflictions turned out to their advantage.

And fill up. The verb occurs only here, and means fill up fully. Some explain: fill up in my turn, i.e., as Christ suffered for me, so I now suffer for Him; but the best commentators adopt the former sense, finding in the compared word a contrast between the defect and the supply which meets it.

That which is lacking (so rendered elsewhere in E. V.) of the afflictions of Christ. Ellicott: And am filling up fully the lacking measures of the sufferings of Christ. It is generally agreed among recent commentators that the last phrase means afflictions belonging to Christ; Christ mystical, not Christ corporeally, is suggested by the latter part of the verse. The Apostle represents himself as filling up the deficiencies of the full measure of these sufferings. There is no thought of vicariously atoning by means of such afflictions. Meyer: Paul describes his own sufferings, according to the idea of the fellowship of the sufferings of

Christ (1Pe 4:13; comp. Mat 20:22; Heb 13:13) as the afflictions of Christ, in case the Apostolic suffering was of essentially the same kind which Christ had endured (the same cup of which Christ had drunk, the same baptism with which Christ had been baptized). The sum of these afflictions is conceived of as a definite measure, as is frequent in classical usage in similar figurative representation: I rejoice in my sufferings which I endure for you, and how great and glorious is that which I am engaged in accomplishing through these sufferings! the full completion of that which is lacking on my part in the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. He might well term them the afflictions of Christ.

In my flesh. This is to be connected with fill up, and the flesh, the seat of physical weakness and pain, is the seat of this filling up.

In behalf of his body. The individual affliction is for the benefit of the whole Body; comp. Eph 3:13.

Which is the church; comp. Eph 1:23. Alford: Whatever the whole Church has to suffer, even to the end, she suffers for her perfection in holiness and her completion in Him; and the tribulations of Christ will not be complete till the last pang shall have passed, and the last tear have been shed. Every suffering saint of God in every age and position is in fact filling up, in his place and degree, the afflictions of Christ, in his flesh, and on behalf of His body. Not a pang, not a tear is in vain. The Apostle, as standing out prominent among this suffering body, predicates this of himself especially. So substantially many of the best ancient and modern commentators.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

As if the apostle had said, “I am not only contented with, but I greatly rejoice in, my sufferings for you converted Gentiles, and help, as much as in me lies, to fill up some part of that which is, by God’s decree, behind, unfulfilled of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake which is the church.”

Note here, 1. That Almighty God has decreed such a measure of sufferings to his church, whereof Christ, as the head, underwent a considerable part and proportion, when he was here upon earth, in his poverty, in his labours, in his sufferings, both in life, and at his death.

Note, 2. That there is yet a remainder of sufferings, assigned over by Christ unto his members, which must be filled up by them, whreof St. Paul had a great share, and every believer must have some share; for, as long as Christ has a member upon the earth, there will be something for that member to suffer.

Note, 3. That those sufferings which Christ’s members suffer, are the sufferings of Christ; the sufferings of the members are the sufferings of the Head, being undergone for the sake of the Head. Christ, in his natural body considered, can suffer no more; but in his mystical body, in his members, he daily suffers, and will suffer, till the measure of sufferings is filled up which God hath determined.

Quest. But why are Christ’s sufferings in and by his members thus to be prolonged, yea, perpetuated?

Ans. Not by way of satisfaction for sin, not in order to reconciliation with God, but in order to the conversion of the world, for example to others, for perfecting of their own graces, and for increasing of their glory.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Preaching the Mystery of Christ

Paul was happy he could suffer so that the body of Christ could be benefitted. Christ suffered to purchase the church, His body, but more suffering had to take place for the church to be expanded to encompass all the earth. Christ called Paul as a minister of the gospel to the lost, especially Gentiles, and to the church ( Act 9:15 ; Act 26:16-18 ). Paul says his ministry is a part of God’s great plan to have the word fully preached, particularly to the Colossians ( Col 1:24-25 ).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

Col 1:24-29. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you Endured for your benefit, having been exposed to them in consequence of my preaching the gospel to you and other Gentiles; and fill up That is, whereby I fill up; that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ That which remains to be suffered by his members. These are termed the sufferings of Christ, 1st, Because the suffering of any member is the suffering of the whole, and of the head especially, which supplies strength, spirits, sense, and motion to all. 2d, Because they are for his sake, for the testimony of his truth. And these also are necessary for his bodys sake, which is the church Not to reconcile it to God, which has been done by Christs sufferings, but for an example of patience to it, and for its further edification and establishment in grace. Whereof Of which church; I am made a minister Appointed to serve its best interests, and daily employed in doing so; according to the dispensation of God Or the stewardship with which I am intrusted. See the same expression Eph 3:2. Hence the apostle calls himself and his brethren apostles, (1Co 4:1,) , stewards of the mysteries of God; which is given to me for you On your account, or for your benefit; to fulfil Or, fully to preach, as seems here to signify. Thus, Rom 15:19, is translated, I have fully preached the gospel; the mystery which hath been hid from ages Namely, that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and that they should be called into the church of God without being subjected to the bondage of the Jewish law, or the ceremony of circumcision. For by the word mystery is frequently meant, not a matter hard to be understood, but a matter long concealed, and, when revealed, difficult to be believed, through the prejudices of men. Which hath been, comparatively, hid from former ages, and past generations of men, but now is made manifest to his saints That is, to true believers in Christ, even to Gentiles as well as Jews. Though it was promised in the covenant with Abraham, and predicted that mankind should be saved by faith, this was not understood by the Jews, and therefore it is here called a mystery, or a thing kept secret, in allusion to the heathen mysteries. To whom God would make known By revelation, confirmed by miracles, and the accomplishment of prophecies; what is the riches of the glory of this mystery This hitherto concealed doctrine. Here the apostle proceeds to show what was the chief matter of their preaching, as also what was the manner and the end of it. Which is Christ in you Not only among you, but in you. See on 2Co 13:5; living in you, Gal 2:20; dwelling and reigning in your hearts by faith, Eph 3:17; through the influence of his Spirit, Rom 8:9-10; Joh 14:20 : the hope of glory The ground and source of that hope. For Christ in us as our wisdom, enlightens our minds in the knowledge of that glory; as our righteousness, he entitles us to it; as our sanctification, he makes us meet for it; and as our redemption, brings us to the enjoyment of it. Whom we preach Who, in believers, as their hope of glory, is the subject of our preaching.

The apostle mentions next the manner of their preaching: warning every man Namely, of the necessity, excellence, and attainableness of this blessing; and teaching, or instructing, every man Respecting the way of attaining it; or warning every man of his duty, and teaching him how to fulfil it; and of his danger, and teaching him how to avoid it; in all wisdom In a rational, Scriptural, and consistent manner; using solid and convincing arguments, and placing them in a clear and lucid order, and adapting the matter, manner, language, and time of our preaching, reproof, or exhortation, to the state, character, and circumstances of our hearers. That we may present, &c. This was the end of their preaching; what they had in view in the exercise of their ministry; namely, that at the bar of God, in the day of final accounts, they might present every man perfect Namely, having been made so while on earth; 1st, In an acquaintance with Christian doctrines, 1Co 2:6; Heb 5:12-14; Heb 6:1; Heb 2:2 d, In the possession of Christian graces, faith, hope, love to God and man, humility, resignation, patience, meekness, gentleness, long-suffering, &c., Heb 6:11; Heb 10:22; 1Jn 4:17; Col 3:12-14. 3d, In the enjoyment of Christian privileges, peace with God, a sense of his favour, adoption into his family, the Spirit of adoption, communion with God, an earnest of their future inheritance in their hearts. 4th, In the performance of all Christian duties, perfect in every good work to do his will, Heb 13:21; omitting no good work which there is an opportunity and ability to perform, and doing them all from a proper principle, namely, a principle of love to God and mankind; to a proper end, the glory of God; and in a proper spirit, a spirit of lowliness, meekness, and patience. Observe, reader, the same ought still to be the matter, manner, and end of the preaching of all Gods ministers. Whereunto In order to which important purpose; I also labour In the sphere appointed me, striving With zeal and diligence; Greek, , contending, combating, agonizing with an earnestness like that of those who contend in the Grecian games. To these the apostle fitly compared himself; because everywhere he met with the greatest opposition from evil spirits and wicked men; and in preaching the gospel he sustained toils and sufferings much greater than those which the athletes endured in their combats. According to his working , his energy; which worketh in, or by, me mightily Supports me in the glorious contest, wherein otherwise I should sink, and renders my efforts effectual to accomplish the purposes intended.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

ARGUMENT 7

OUR AFFLICTIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO THOSE OF CHRIST

24. Now I rejoice in sufferings in your behalf, and fill up the residue of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, in behalf of his body, which is the Church. There is a wonderful significance in the atonement of Christ infinitely transcending all human comprehension. While he trod the wine-press alone, and there was none to help, yet the old dispensation is flooded with symbolic blood flowing from the dying animals four thousand years bleeding on Jewish altars. King Solomon slaughtered twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep at the dedication of the temple, all these rivers of blood adumbrating the bleeding Christ on the cross. In the gospel dispensation the pagan emperors of Rome kept the blood of Gods saints flowing three hundred years, whom Romanists and Moslems soon succeeded in the bloody work of martyrdom, till history foots up the paradoxical hosts of two hundred millions of our Lords disciples who have followed him in his bloody track to Calvary. Besides, no tongue can tell the sufferings of Gods saints, who have never enjoyed the privilege of sealing their faith with their blood. While we all recognize our wonderful Savior as the Healer of our bodies, yet we read, Rom 8:28,

God worketh together for good all things to them that love God.

Hence, we see that, in a manner to us wrapped in mystery, our wonderful Savior makes all the afflictions, troubles, and trials incident to this life a great blessing to his true people; not only to the sufferers, but to others indefinitely. All who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. There are gracious possibilities and susceptibilities of the

Divine glory revealed through afflictions, which are utterly out of our reach in health and prosperity. Let us remember it is a glorious privilege and a rich source of blessing to suffer in the kingdom and patience of our adorable Savior.

25. Whose minister I became according to the economy of God, which was given unto me for you to verify the Word of God.

26. The mystery which was hidden from ages and from generations, and is now revealed to his saints. This wonderful mystery, whose revealment was postponed four thousand years, is none other than the incarnation of Christ, literally the climax of all mysteries; i.e., the immaculate and incomprehensible Creator of the universe invested in mortal humanity.

The heathen Greeks and Romans had inklings of the incarnation, and often their poets described the Roman gods as visiting the earth in human form. Christ excarnate was on the earth from the days of Eden, saving all who would give him a chance. But the incarnation, the culminating glory of the mediatorial intervention, was in wisdom and mercy postponed till the myths and fables of primitive ages gave way to reliable history, competent to appropriate that greatest of all events, and transmit it securely to all subsequent ages.

27. Who is Christ in you the hope of glory. The Christ nature is the second Adam created in our hearts by the Holy Ghost in regeneration.

This creation bringing the Christ nature into your heart is the only hope of glory. Hence, without the true regeneration of the Holy Spirit there is no hope beyond this fleeting life. O how radically defective is popular religion on regeneration! A Methodist bishop recently stated in presence of a large audience, Not more than one Methodist in ten is this day living in the conscious favor of God. What an awful defection! I remember well fifty years ago when none but class-meeting goers could be Methodists.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Col 1:24 to Col 2:3. Pauls own Relation to them and to the Gospel.At this very time, in the midst of his sufferings, Paul is rejoicing for their sakes, and in return for their loyalty he fills up the cup of whatever tribulation he must still endure in his own person as Christs servant on behalf of His body, i.e. the Church, whose servant he was constituted in virtue of the Divine stewardship which was given him toward the Gentile world. This is the duty of fulfilling Gods wordthat secret purpose long hidden from ages and generations, but now disclosed to His holy people, to whom God desired to make known how rich was the glory of this purpose amongst the Gentiles; to wit, Christ in them, the hope of glory. Christ is the subject of the preaching at least of Paul and of his associates: and their admonitions and teachings, moreover, are addressed to all men equally; there is no reserve of wisdom held back for a favoured few; their object is the presentation of all men equally as complete initiates in Christ. To that end Paul labours even to weariness, striving, like an athlete in the arena, up to the full measure of the mightily-working energy of Christ that is in him. He is anxious that they should realise how great is the stress which he is undergoing on behalf of Colossians and Laodiceans and others not personally known to him. May they be comforted, knit together in love, unto all wealth of fulness of understanding and knowledge of the Divine mystery, viz. Christ, in whom are all Gods treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

Col 1:24. fill up on my part: the word means fill up in return.afflictions of Christ: probably afflictions which befall me as a follower of Christ (cf. 2Co 1:5; 2Co 4:10, Php 3:10). Perhaps, however, Paul regards Christs own personal sufferings as incomplete, and holds that the tale of them is made up through the sufferings of himself and others in the Body mystical.

Col 1:26. Cf. Eph 3:9.

Col 1:27 b. The indwelling Christ is both a present glory and a pledge of glory to come. The sense of in you should not be watered down to amongst you or in your midst.

Col 1:28. we proclaim: we is emphatic. A contrast is suggested between the teaching of the Pauline mission and that of the new Colossian pundits. The thrice-repeated every man has the same implication, and so also the phrase all wisdom. The word perfect is such as would be used of complete initiation in a pagan Mystery. Here this suggestion is combined with that of ethical perfection and spiritual maturity.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

Verse 24

That which is behind of the afflictions of Christ; that which remains to me of affliction to be endured in the cause of Christ.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

SECTION 7. PAULS RELATION TO THE CHURCH, AND TO THE COLOSSIAN CHRISTIANS. CH. 1:24-2:3.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf, and I fill up the shortcomings of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh on behalf of His body, which is the Church; of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which lay hidden from the ages and from the generations-but now it has been manifested to His saints, to whom God thought fit to make known what is the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ; for which thing I also labour, contending according to His working which works in me with power.

For I wish you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you and of those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, they being knit together in love and for all wealth of the full assurance of the understanding, for knowledge of the mystery of God, even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

After describing Christs relation to the Father, to the created universe, to the Church, and to the readers of this Epistle, Paul mentioned, in the closing words of 6, himself and his relation to the Gospel. These closing words are the key-note of 7. Paul tells us in Col 1:24-29 his office and work in the universal Church; and in Col 2:1-3 his special interest in the Churches of Coloss and Laodicea.

Col 1:24. Now: now that I have become a minister of the Gospel.

My sufferings on your behalf, or for your benefit: the hardships to which Paul exposed himself by preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. They were a foreseen result of his preaching: and, had he not exposed himself to them, Asia Minor and Coloss would probably still have been in darkness.

Similar thought in Eph 3:1; Eph 3:13; and, from a slightly different point of view, in 2Co 1:6. Amid these sufferings, and with a joy evidently prompted by them, Paul says I rejoice. A similar joy in Php 2:17. A somewhat different but kindred joy in Rom 5:3. Its great Example: Heb 12:2. Doubtless Pauls joy was prompted by the foreseen results of the work which exposed him to these sufferings.

And I fill up etc.: an added statement which reveals the import and dignity of these sufferings.

Afflictions of Christ: a phrase not found elsewhere; whereas we often read of the afflictions of His servants. By using it Paul associates His sufferings with theirs.

The short-comings of etc.; implies that the afflictions of Christ were not in themselves sufficient to attain their end. What they fell short, Pauls sufferings fill up.

In my flesh: the locality of these supplementary sufferings, viz. Pauls body, this being described as flesh, i.e. consisting of material liable to suffering and death.

On behalf of His body: fuller counterpart to on your behalf. Paul explains His body by reasserting the great metaphor in Col 1:18 : which is the Church. Notice the contrast between Pauls fragile flesh, which by its constitution is weak and liable to decay, and Christs Body, which will survive the destruction of all flesh and share the eternal life and royalty of Christ.

In what sense are these strange words true? In this sense. When Christ breathed His last upon the cross, all the sufferings needful for the complete establishment of the Kingdom of God had not yet been endured. For the full realisation of the purposes of God it was needful, not only that Christ should die for the sins of the world, but that the Gospel should be preached to all nations. This involved, owing to the wickedness of men, hardship to the preachers. This hardship Paul willingly endured in order to save men. Consequently, just as the life on earth of the servants of Christ is in some sense an extension of His incarnation, (for in them He lives, Gal 2:20,) so the sufferings of Paul were in a similar sense a continuation and completion of the sufferings of Christ. This is in close harmony with, and further emphasises, Pauls constant teaching that Christs servants share all that Christ has and is and does: 1Co 1:9; Php 3:10; Rom 8:17. But it by no means suggests that Pauls sufferings were in any sense propitiatory or that Christs sufferings were not so. For the one point in common here mentioned and made conspicuous by repetition is suffering on behalf of another. Propitiation for sin is here entirely out of view.

Notice the infinite dignity here given to sufferings endured for the spread of the Gospel. These, Christ condescends to join with His own mysterious agony on the cross as endured for the benefit of the Church which He recognises as His own body. In such sacred sufferings well might Paul rejoice. Notice again, as in Col 1:18 in conjunction with the same metaphor, the Church Universal.

Col 1:25. Pauls relation to the Church. This explains his sufferings on its behalf. He became (Col 1:23) a minister of the Gospel as one appointed to do the free and honourable service of proclaiming it: he became a minister of the Church as one appointed to labour for its advancement. Same phrase in Rom 16:1; used, not as here in a general sense, but in the technical sense of deaconess.

Stewardship of God: position of one entrusted by God with wealth for distribution to others: so Tit 1:7; 1Co 4:1; 1Co 9:17; cp. 1Ti 3:15. A close parallel in Eph 3:2 : see also under Eph 1:10.

For you: persons for whose benefit this stewardship had been entrusted to Paul. It is, therefore, parallel to on your behalf in Col 1:24. And it is true of the Christians at Coloss in the same sense as is Rom 1:6 of those at Rome. The stewardship given to Paul embraced both Rome and Coloss. That Paul calls himself a minister of the Church, is in harmony with (according to) the fact that a stewardship of the spiritual wealth of God has been given to him for his readers.

To fulfil the word of God: to achieve the full aim of the Gospel, by proclaiming everywhere to Jew and Gentile salvation through faith in Christ, and by leading men to accept it. So Rom 15:19 : fulfil the Gospel. This fulfilment is here said to be the aim of the stewardship entrusted to Paul. Prophecy and law (Mat 1:22, Rom 13:8) are fulfilled by their realisation in the foretold event and in actual obedience.

Col 1:26. Further exposition of the word of God.

The mystery hidden: favourite thought of Paul; 1Co 2:7; Rom 16:25; Eph 3:4-5. It is Gods eternal purpose to save men through Christ without reference to nationality on the one condition of faith, in the manner described in the Gospel. This purpose is a mystery, i.e. a secret known only by those to whom God reveals it by His Spirit. See my Corinthians p. 60. It was formed (1Co 2:7) before the ages. But, inasmuch as it was revealed only (Rom 1:17) in the Gospel, it lay hid from the ages, i.e. from the beginning of the successive periods of human history until the Gospel was proclaimed by Christ; and from the generations, i.e. from the successive sets of men living at one time. This last word, in Php 2:15; Eph 3:5; Luk 11:50-51. The contrast of but now manifested suggests that from is chiefly a note of time, as in Mat 13:35. It is the more suitable here because the hidden secret was, during those early ages, away from the knowledge of men.

But now it has been manifested: a break in the grammatical structure of the sentence, noting very conspicuously a break in the agelong silence.

Manifested: set conspicuously before the eyes of men. Same word and same connection in Rom 16:26 : see under Rom 1:19.

To His saints: to Christians generally, according to constant N.T. use: so Col 1:2; Col 1:12; Col 3:12; Php 4:21-22. In one sense the secret has been set before the eyes of all to whom the Gospel is preached. But inasmuch as none can see it except those whom God saves from spiritual blindness and thus claims to be His own, Paul says that it was manifested to His saints. Since the manifested secret is (Col 1:17) that Christ is in the Colossian Christians who were Gentiles, possibly these saints were primarily the Jews who first believed in Christ and thus became His people. To them was revealed the new and great truth that believing Gentiles were to share with them the blessings of the New Covenant. A recognition of this truth is recorded in Act 11:18.

Col 1:27. Further statement expounding the mystery manifested to His saints.

God thought-fit, or it was the will of God: cp. Eph 1:5; Eph 1:9; Eph 1:11. The insertion of this word detains us for a moment to look at the secret now manifested when it was only a determined purpose in the mind of God.

Make-known; includes the subjective appropriation of the mystery manifested to, i.e. set conspicuously before, the saints.

What is: of what kind, and how much.

The riches etc.: the abundance, making its possessors rich, of the splendour which belongs to this great secret: same phrase in Eph 1:18; Eph 3:16. Cp. Col 2:2; Eph 1:7; Eph 2:7; Eph 3:8; Rom 11:33. The spiritual wealth in Christ is a favourite conception of Paul. The frequency of the word glory to describe the splendour of the final consummation suggests that this is its meaning here. And this is confirmed by the same word at the end of the verse. Cp. Col 3:4; 2Co 3:7-11; Rom 5:2. God was minded to make known how abundant is the splendour with which in the great day those initiated on earth into the Gospel secret will be enriched.

Among the Gentiles, or in the Gentiles: same Greek preposition again in the same verse, in or among you: and, with similar compass, in Gal 3:5. It includes both senses. As matter of fact, the abundance of glory is both among the Gentiles as a spiritual possession of the whole community, and within them as a spiritual possession enjoyed in the inner life of each one. But this full latitude of meaning cannot be expressed by any one English word. The Gentiles taken as a whole and taken individually are the personal locality of the abundance of glory with which this mystery will enrich those who know it. Similar words and connection in Eph 1:18. The great secret was Pauls Gospel, viz. that by faith and in proportion to their faith God receives into His favour, moulds into the inward image of Christ, and will some day cover with splendour, all who believe the good news announced by Christ. This implies that even Gentiles will be thus received and glorified. And to a Jew, e.g. to Paul, this inclusion of the Gentiles in the coming glory was the most conspicuous feature of the Gospel revelation. To him this was the secret hidden during ages, but now manifested.

Which is; may refer grammatically either to the wealth of the glory of the mystery, throwing emphasis on the abundance of the splendour, or specifically to this mystery. This latter reference is suggested by the conspicuous repetition of the word mystery in Col 1:26-27. Moreover, Christ in you is not the abundance of the mystery, but the mystery itself. In or within you is better than among you. For we are ever taught that Christ dwells in the hearts of His people: so Eph 3:17; Rom 8:10. The word you includes the Gentile Christians to whom Paul writes.

Hope of glory: expectation of the splendour of heaven, as in Rom 5:1; cp. Tit 1:2. The felt presence of Christ in our hearts (cp. 1Jn 3:24) assures us that we are in the way of life leading to endless glory. Thus Christ in us and the hope of glory go together; and therefore may be spoken of as equivalent. So 1Ti 1:1, Christ Jesus our hope; cp. Col 3:3. This presence of Christ in us, Himself a pledge of our eternal splendour, is a mystery, i.e. a secret which cannot be conveyed by human words, known only by actual experience and therefore known only by those whom God takes by the hand, leads into His own secret chamber, and teaches as only God can teach. And it will enrich the initiated with the abundant splendour of heaven. All this was for long ages a hidden purpose of God. But He had been pleased to make it known in Pauls day. It had been manifested to His saints.

Col 1:28. In Col 1:25 Paul rose from himself and his stewardship to the Gospel of God, the great mystery kept secret during long ages but now revealed. This led him to its great matter, viz. Christ. He now returns to the chief thought of 7, himself and his work.

We: very emphatic, suggesting perhaps others who acted otherwise. Paul and his companions announce Christ. Same word in Php 1:17-18; 1Co 2:1; 1Co 9:14; 1Co 11:26.

Admonish: 1Co 4:14; 1Co 10:11; Rom 15:14. It includes all kinds of friendly discipline and training, as of a father, brother, or companion; especially reproof with a view to improvement.

Teaching; is mere impartation of knowledge: cp. Col 3:16; Mat 28:20.

Wisdom: see under 1Co 2:5.

In all wisdom: Col 1:9; Col 3:16; Eph 1:8. A wisdom in which no element was lacking was the instrument of Pauls teaching. It was from God: 1Co 12:8; Eph 1:8; Jas 1:5; Jas 3:17. So 2Co 1:12, not in fleshly wisdom; and 1Co 1:17, not in wisdom of word. Against these Paul sets in 1Co 2:6 a higher wisdom. Armed with it, he teaches every man who comes within his reach. The basis of this varied training is Christ: whom we announce.

That we may etc.: practical aim of Pauls teaching. It should be the one aim of all religious teachers.

Present: as in Col 1:22. It is Pauls appropriation of Gods purpose there stated. Cp. 2Co 11:2. God reconciled to Himself the Colossian Christians that in the great day He might set them faultless before Christ the Judge: for the same end Paul corrects and teaches all within his reach.

Mature or full-grown: in contrast to babes in Christ. Cp. 1Co 3:1; Eph 4:13-14. See under 1Co 2:6.

In Christ: the encompassing element of this full growth. The emphatic repetition, every man every man every man, makes conspicuous the universality of Pauls aim. Every one he meets is to him a possibility of another fully-developed trophy presented in the final triumph. Consequently, every man is an object for the discipline and teaching needful to make this possibility actual.

Col 1:29. After stating in Col 1:28 his aim in announcing Christ, Paul now records the earnestness with which he pursues it, and the divine source of this earnestness.

For which thing: that we may present etc. Not only does Paul announce Christ, but also does this with an earnestness which involves weariness: I also labour. Same word and thought in Php 2:16; Gal 4:11; 1Co 15:10.

Contend, i.e. in the athletic festivals: same word in 1Co 9:25, where see note, and in Col 4:12. It amplifies and explains I-labour. So intense are Pauls efforts to save men that he compares them to the intense bodily struggles of a Greek athlete contending for a prize against an equally earnest antagonist. Such struggle was labour of the severest kind. Same words together in 1Ti 4:10. The word contend suggests opponents. And not only is the Christian life itself (Eph 6:12) a conflict with spiritual foes, but Paul had in his evangelical efforts actual human opponents: e.g. Col 2:4; 2Co 10:10. But of such there is no hint here or in Col 2:1. Our thoughts are concentrated on the earnestness of Pauls efforts to save men. And this earnestness sufficiently accounts for the word here used. So Col 4:12, where there is no thought of opponents.

According to the working: same words in Php 3:21; see note. Underlying Pauls activity, stimulating and directing it, was a corresponding divine activity.

His working: probably Christs, who has just been mentioned. But the distinction is unimportant. The inward activity is from the Father through the Son.

The working which works: emphatic repetition; so Eph 1:19.

In me: so Php 2:13; Eph 3:20; Eph 2:2.

In power: or less accurately with power, i.e. clothed with ability to produce results. And this inward working of Christ evokes, as its appropriate outworking, intense effort of Paul himself like the struggle of an athlete: according to His working etc. Thus Pauls proclamation of Christ becomes labour.

Notice here as in 2Co 10:7-11 the ease with which Paul passes from we to I, and conversely. He remembers his companions and says whom we announce: he remembers his own personal and in some sense solitary effort, and says I labour, works in me.

Col 1:1. For I wish etc.; supports the foregoing assertion by a proof case, viz. Pauls inward struggle for his readers good.

Struggle, or conflict: the substantive from which is derived the verb rendered contend in the last verse. It is the Greek original of our word agony; and is the technical term for the Greek athletic contests. The verb and substantive are together also in 1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 4:7. From the aim stated in Col 2:2 we learn that this struggle was practically the same as that of Epaphras mentioned in Col 4:12, agonizing on your behalf in his prayers that ye may stand mature and fully assured.

On your behalf: i.e. for your benefit: cp. Col 1:24, sufferings on your behalf.

Laodicea: see Intro. iv. 3. Grammatically, the words have not seen my flesh might or might not include Coloss as well as Laodicea. But these words seem to give a reason for Pauls anxiety. And the reason must be valid for both Churches. Moreover, they were so near that if Paul had visited one he would almost certainly have visited the other. We therefore infer with confidence that Paul had never been in the valley of the Lycus. But he knew that there were Christians there. And so anxious was he for their good, while unable directly to help them, that his thoughts about them became a spiritual conflict. Naturally he says I wish you to know this: same words in 1Co 11:3; similar words in 1Co 10:1; 1Co 12:1, etc.

In flesh; gives greater definiteness to the bodily presence involved in seen my face. Cp. Eph 2:11, the Gentiles in flesh.

Col 1:2. Aim of Pauls struggles on his readers behalf. It determines the nature of the struggle.

Encouraged: same word as exhort in Rom 12:1, and very common with Paul: cp. Rom 1:12. It denotes speech designed to rouse men to courage, endurance, or action.

Hearts be encouraged: same words in Col 4:8; Eph 6:22; 2Th 2:17. Paul wishes the encouragement to reach the inmost centre of their emotions and the inmost source of their actions.

Their: not your. It suggests that this inward struggle is not specially for the Christians at Coloss but for all whom Paul has not seen.

Knit-together: same word in Col 2:19; Eph 4:16. It denotes the harmonious fitting together of various parts into one whole, each part supplementing the others and helping the whole.

In love: mutual Christian love, as in 1Co 13:1 f, where see note. It is the encompassing element and bond of this union: cp. Col 3:14. Ye-being (or better having-been) knit together: this loving union one with another being the means by which their hearts are to receive encouragement. To the encompassing element of this union, viz. in love, Paul adds its aim: and for all wealth etc. Cp. Col 1:27.

This aim is collateral with that already expressed, that their hearts etc. It is another purpose which Paul has in view in his earnest struggle for his readers. The unity which is to bring them encouragement is designed also to lead to the full assurance of the understanding, and indeed to a knowledge of the mystery of God.

Full assurance: same word in 1Th 1:5; Heb 6:11; Heb 10:22. The cognate verb in Col 4:12; Rom 4:21; Rom 14:5; Luk 1:1. It is a certainty which fills us.

Understanding: as in Col 1:9. The full assurance results from the faculty of interpreting the various objects presented to the mind. Such assurance Paul desires his readers to have in an abundance which will make them rich; and as a condition of it desires for them the unity of mutual love. More fully stated, the aim of this unity is for knowledge of the mystery of God. These last words keep before us, and by keeping so long before us greatly emphasise, the thought embodied in the word mystery in Col 1:26-27.

On the various readings here, see Introd. iii. 2. The last words of Col 2:2 may be rendered either the God of Christ or of God, even of Christ, or the mystery of God, even Christ. This last exposition is at once suggested by Col 1:27 where Christ in you is Himself the mystery. And it is confirmed by the context; and by the aim of the whole Epistle, which is to set forth the mysterious grandeur of the Son of God. To know Christ, i.e. to comprehend the purpose of His incarnation with an acquaintance derived from personal contact with Him, is to know the mystery of God, i.e. the purpose kept secret during long ages and now revealed, viz. that without respect of nationality God will receive into His favour and cover with eternal glory those who believe the Gospel. The above exposition is confirmed by the word hidden in Col 2:3, which recalls the same word in Col 1:26.

Knowledge, or full-knowledge: same word in Col 1:9-10 : cp. Eph 1:17, in knowledge of Him.

Col 1:3. Statement about Christ, proving that He is the mystery of God.

In whom: i.e. in Christ, immediately preceding. To refer it to the more distant word mystery would be an impossible leap over the word Christ and over the important implied assertion that He is the mystery of God.

And it would make the word hidden almost meaningless: for all mysteries are hidden. Whereas as expounded above the word hidden justifies the assumed equivalence of Christ and the mystery of God.

Wisdom: such acquaintance with the great realities as enables a man to choose the best steps in life. See my Corinthians p. 47.

Knowledge: acquaintance with things seen or unseen, great or small. The nearness of the nobler word wisdom, which occupies part of the ground usually covered by the word knowledge, limits somewhat this last word to matters which have come under our immediate observation. The two words are together in Rom 11:33; Ecc 1:16-18; Ecc 2:21; Ecc 2:26; Ecc 9:10; in all which places except the last wisdom comes first. The word rendered treasure denotes in Mat 2:11; Mat 12:35 the place where valuables are kept for safety; in Mat 6:19-21, the valuables themselves. Here it has the latter sense: for Christ is Himself the personal locality of the laid-up wealth.

All the treasures: all the many forms of spiritual wealth with which wisdom and knowledge enrich their possessors, and which are all to be found in Christ. It is parallel with, and expounds, all wealth of the full assurance of the understanding. Compare Plato, Philebus p. 15e, having found some treasure of wisdom; Xenophon, Memoirs bk. iv. 2, 9, not treasures of silver and gold rather than of wisdom. In Christ this wealth of wisdom lies out of sight: hidden. The idea of concealment, frequently associated with the word treasure, does not necessarily belong to it. For laid-up wealth is not always out of sight. But the mystery of God is essentially hidden: close parallel in 1Co 2:7, Gods wisdom, in a mystery, the hidden wisdom. Fully to know Christ, is to know the hidden truths of priceless worth which none know except they whom God leads into His secret chamber and whose eyes He opens to see this inner light. They who know this are indeed rich. But this knowledge is possible only to those whom Christian love knits together in a union which fills their hearts with encouragement; and only to those who are themselves in Christ and thus know and possess, in measure, whatever is in Him: in whom are all the treasures hidden.

Such is Pauls earnest and agonizing desire for His readers. His tender sympathy longs to cheer their hearts. But for real encouragement there must be loving union among themselves. Such union will open the channels of the inner life, and will enrich them with an assured comprehension of the great realities known only to those who know Christ. In other words, for those whom he has never seen Paul desires the same blessings as for those to whom he has personally preached Christ.

SECTION 7 describes Pauls relation to the Gospel which has saved his readers. The preaching of the Gospel brings upon him hardship. But this hardship gives him joy: for he remembers its sacred relation to the sufferings of Christ, and its sacred purpose, viz. to benefit the body of Christ. It is inseparably involved in the work, committed to him by God, of making known the great secret, precious and glorious beyond description and hidden during long ages, that Christ dwells in men on earth, a pledge of future glory. This secret Paul proclaims to all within his reach, endeavouring thus to save every one. Hence his strenuous effort for the good not only of those whom he personally teaches but of those Christians who have never seen his face. For all men everywhere, he desires a full knowledge of the profound mystery of God which lies hidden in Christ.

DIVISION II., embracing Col 1:15 to Col 2:3, is Pauls fullest delineation of the Person and Work of the Son of God. He notes first Christs relation to the Father, as an Image of the Invisible One; and as born, whereas all others were created. He then notes His similar relation to the created universe, to the universal Church, and to the Church at Coloss; viz. as the Agent through whom all things came into being. Consequently, He is earlier than the brightest in heaven, and holds together in His grasp the entire universe. Similarly, He was the first to pass triumphantly through death. As wide as the universe is the purpose of redemption: for its aim is to reconcile to God all things in heaven and earth. And the Gospel which has brought salvation to Coloss has done so in all the world. Thus throughout DIV. II. we hear again the note of universality already sounded (Col 1:6) in DIV. I. All this reminds Paul of the grandeur of the truth which in his own day God had made known to men, a truth hidden during long ages. God had given to men, not truth only, but the living presence in their hearts of Him who made the world, Himself a pledge in them of future blessedness.

Remembrance of this moves Paul to strenuous effort to make Christ known everywhere. He has warned his readers that their share in the blessings hidden yet revealed in Christ depends upon their continuance in the word they have already received. How needful was this warning we shall learn from DIV. III.

Notice here (Col 1:18; Col 1:24) the important metaphor of the body of Christ, and the Gospel described (Col 1:26-27; Col 2:2) as a mystery; aspects of truth already conspicuous in 1Co 12:12-27 and in 1Co 2:7; Rom 16:25, and peculiar to Paul.

Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament

CHAPTER TWO

2. CHRIST OUR PERFECTER

Christ our Perfecter perfects our service (vs. 28).

Col 1:24-29

Col 1:24 “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:”

So I suppose you are going to call upon me to make a concise and understandable statement as to the precise meaning of the text let it suffice to say:

1. Christ’s sufferings on the cross are not lacking in any manner.

2. Paul as well as his readers knew exactly what he had in mind when he made this statement.

3. We need not worry about there being any error in the text for the Holy Spirit was under control as the text was being produced.

4. Paul seems to closely identify his own suffering with that of Christ’s indeed, this man was called by Jesus Christ personally. The close affinity would only be natural. Paul also is the apostle that pictures the Lord as the head of the church and himself as suffering for that body the church.

5. Since the term translated “fill up” is only used in this instance and since none of the commentaries mention this item of information, and since there is nothing to indicate what this word means I must wonder why the translators use the term “fill up” in this particular usage.

That was not too concise so let us try and do better. Let’s try to rephrase the verse with some of the other possible meanings to the words used.

Lexicon: “the meaning is, ‘what is wanting in the afflictions of Christ to be borne by me, that I supply in order to repay the benefits which Christ conferred on me by filling up the measure of the afflictions laid upon me’.”

The lexicon says it is a combination of two words. One is anti and the other is anapleroo. The curious item is that anapleroo can be translated “fill up” by itself, so I must wonder why Paul added the prefix anti. Anti is translated for, because, and therefore.

Robertson mentions that this double compound verb – there you can be impressed – is the only occurance of this type of usage in the New Testament. He states of it “to fill up (ana), in turn (anti).” He continues with a very clear statement backing up what has already been said “Paul attaches no atoning value whatever to his own sufferings for the church”

Who now rejoice in my sufferings (affliction, passion) for you, and fill up (only usage in New Testament) that which is behind (penury, lacking, want) of the afflictions (tribulation, affliction, burden, anguish, trouble) of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church,

A paraphrase might go along this line. Who now rejoice in my passion for you and fill up that which is want of the burden of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church. Christ did not have opportunity to finish the work that He had started.

If you view it as burden or anguish of Christ you eliminate many problems. Christ had the overall desire to redeem mankind. He started the work and made total provision, and then the apostles and all believers that followed are finishing the work.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS

How did Paul fill up Christ’s suffering? What is meant here?

1. Christ’s work was not enough – Paul had to finish it in some way. Not acceptable!

2. We all must suffer for our salvation – Christ starts us and we finish it. Not acceptable!

3. Paul and Christ suffer together in mystical union. (Christ indwelling Paul.) Not acceptable!

4. Christ views all done to His children as if done to Himself. This one has some possibility.

5. Paul hadn’t suffered as much as Christ so is lacking in his suffering. Could relate but the lack is in Christ’s suffering according to the text, not Paul’s as the text states.

6. Christ suffered for us eternally but was taken home so couldn’t finish the suffering needed to build His church thus Paul was called to fill up or complete the suffering needed for the churchs beginnings. This relates. We will develop this later.

7. Misc. views or non-views. These usually use rhetoric to skirt the issue to the point that you are not sure you care what it means.

8. The Romanist view will see merit in the sufferings of the saints and the merit thus would work into the scheme of works. Indulgences find some area of reality in this verse I would assume.

9. Robertson suggests that Christ did not stop suffering in his work on the cross, but that there was suffering left over – plenty for Paul and all of us in turn.

“lacking” relates to “that which is lacking, deficiency, shortcoming”/Vine p 304 1Co 16:17 uses the same term. “I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.” It is also translated want, penury, that which was lacking, and lacking.

“affliction” seems to relate to being troubled and is used of sufferings due to circumstances or people that are antagonistic.

The grammar seems to show that Paul is the one that is acting in this verse and that it is something he is doing at the present time (of the verse) and he continues to do it. Thus we must conclude that Paul is rejoicing and filling up on a continuing basis by his own choice and the Colossians can be assured of it. This is a statement of fact. The present action indicates that this “filling up” is something that is an ongoing process and that it seemingly will continue to be needed.

Some might apply this to the idea that all saints are to suffer in some manner to fill up something. The “what” of this something would remain to be seen.

1. To say that Christ’s work on the cross was lacking in any way would be to contradict a wealth of Scripture. (Col 1:20; Col 2:14-15) This term is never used of Christ’s suffering on the cross.

2. The idea that we HAVE TO FINISH something that Christ started is also a contradiction to many Scriptures. (Eph 2:8-9) The problem with this position is that Paul nowhere, here or elsewhere, indicates that other believers are to do the same thing. The fact of the indwelling of Christ in all believers would almost demand that all be involved in this process if this is what the Apostle is speaking of.

3. Barnes suggests Paul hadn’t suffered as much as Christ had suffered so needed to suffer more. The problem here is the fact that the need is in Christ’s suffering not in Paul’s.

“(1) That he suffered in the same cause as that for which Christ suffered; (2) That he endured the same kind of sufferings, to some extent, in reproaches, persecutions, and opposition from the world; (3) That he had not yet suffered as much as Christ did in this cause, and, though he had suffered greatly, yet there was much that was lacking to make him equal in this respect to the Savior; and (4) That he felt that it was an object to be earnestly desired to be made in all respects just like Christ, and that his present circumstances he was fast filling up that which was lacking, so that he would have a more complete resemblance to Him.” P 254 Barnes Notes on Colossians

Those holding this view would read it this way. Now I rejoice in the sufferings (Paul’s or Christ’s) for you. Now I fill up in my flesh the things lacking of the afflictions of Christ. This thinking has some possibilities yet it has no Scriptural backing.

4. The Romanist view must be rejected on the basis of Eph 2:8-9 and others as well. There is no suffering which can account to anyone as merit!

THE FACTS CONSIDERED

1. We don’t know if Christ suffering in the text relates to pre-cross or cross suffering or both.

2. Paul does it on a continuing basis.

3. Paul does it for the Church.

4. Paul does it in his body so it is not spiritual or mystical.

5. Afflictions = circumstances, burden, anguish or antagonism.

6. It seems to be connected with Paul’s being a minister of the Gospel.

7. The lack is in Christ’s suffering not Paul’s.

8. Ralph Martin observes that these are sufferings which are not self imposed but those imposed upon him for the churches sake and his ministry to them. Paul’s suffering comes as a result of the work he is doing.

9. The term translated filled up according to Robertson has the thought of filled up in turn. It was Paul’s turn to suffer. Christ had done His suffering, now it was Paul’s turn.

10. Philip 3:10 may shed some light on the apostles feelings. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,”

11. Paul knew that the Lord felt that what was done to His people was done to Him. Act 9:5 “…I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest;”. Paul was persecuting – killing Christians yet, Christ put it in a personal context – you persecute me.

12. Some scholars have tried to phrase this as “sufferings on account of Christ” yet the Greek scholars fail to see this as a possible translation.

It would seem from the verse considered in number nine under facts that there is some sort of suffering in common with the Lord when we suffer for Him. The exact nature of this etc. seems at this point to be hard to see other than that it exists.

Eadie ties in other references which may relate to this thought. (Heb 13:13; 2Co 2:10 and Heb 11:26)

Heb 13:12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”

2Co 2:10 “To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;” Paul relates to Christ very closely.

Heb 11:26 “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” Another wanting to closely associate with Christ in suffering.

This linked to Christ’s question of the apostle on the road to Damascus concerning why Saul was persecuting Him might lead one to feel that this is the thought of the text. He mentions that Christ’s personal suffering is over, yet there is much suffering to come within the church for His sake.

There is one further thought along this line which adds weight to such a position. The fact that Christ is the head of the body and if the body suffers so must also the head suffer.

Paul suffered not as a goal but as a natural everyday walk – he realized he was suffering much as Christ did. Suffering shouldn’t be a burden – be happy in your circumstance even if it is in the midst of suffering. It’s how we react to it that is important to the Lord. Paul rejoiced – how about you?

Let me put this into a theological context by giving it a high class title.

Let us call this study “Sufferology” just to get us thinking in the right direction.

Suffering seems to be an integrated part of the normal Christian life. We in America seem to be blessed with not having to suffer for Christ, though our brothers in other countries where Christians are persecuted feel the church in America would be strengthened with a little suffering.

Jam 5:10 mentions that the suffering of the prophets is an example for us as we go through suffering. “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”

2Co 1:5-7 is a key text in understanding what Paul suggests in Col 1:24.

2Co 1:5-7 “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

6 And whether we be afflicted, [it is] for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, [it is] for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you [is] stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so [shall ye be] also of the consolation.”

Notice that the sufferings of Christ abounds in us. In some way we are linked to the suffering that Christ went through. It may only be that we benefit from the suffering, though the passage indicates to me that we participate in some way.

The next verse links suffering of verse five with his own suffering to get the Gospel to others.

And finally in verse seven Paul indicates that those affected by the Gospel will also suffer – it is assumed in the same manner that Paul did.

Christ suffered to provide salvation to all mankind, Paul suffers with Christ to get the Gospel to others, and those Paul reaches will suffer to get the Gospel to others.

Rom 8:17-18 adds to this thought somewhat. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Again, we see that Paul suffered with Christ is some manner. Since we know it was not on the cross the normal thought would be that all of Paul’s suffering in his life was with Christ in the same work of redemption – Christ suffered to provide redemptions possibility and Paul as well as those that follow would also suffer in the sharing of that redemption to others. Similar to the Heb 11:26 passage.

Some other texts seem to back this up.

Php 3:10 mentions the fellowship of His suffering. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

1Pe 4:13 mentions that the suffering under persecution of Peter’s readers was suffering with Christ. “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

That believers will suffer is made clear in Php 1:29 “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;”

One final verse relates the same thought. 2Ti 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Is this some mystical suffering that we must go through, no, most certainly not, it is merely saying that as Christ suffered, so we will suffer for the Gospel’s sake.

His suffering thankfully provided salvation to all of mankind, but our suffering only provides those we meet the opportunity to receive that salvation.

It seems, based on sufferology he is just picturing what he is doing – suffering to take the Gospel to those that need it. He is doing all he is doing for them. Fill up what is lacking – Christ could not do this part of the work so Paul suffers to fill in what Christ could not do – evangelize.

All is done for the church – and he REJOICES to suffer.

Wow, to suffer with Christ in His work – what an honor! Suffering should be more palatable if we understand these truths.

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson

1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for {r} you, and fill up {s} that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

(r) For our profit and benefit.

(s) The afflictions of the Church are said to be Christ’s afflictions, by reason of that fellowship and knitting together that the body and the head have with one another. And this is not because there is any more need to have the Church redeemed, but because Christ shows his power in the daily weakness of his own, and that for the comfort of the whole body.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

2. As ministered by Paul 1:24-29

Paul had received a unique function to fulfill in the body of Christ. He ministered the gospel of reconciliation to unevangelized Gentiles primarily (Col 1:25). He explained his ministry to his readers so they would appreciate the reconciling work of God more deeply and to stimulate them to press on to maturity.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Paul’s sufferings 1:24

This verse is ". . . probably the most controversial in the letter." [Note: Johnson 475:229.]

It might have seemed ironical that Paul was in prison, in view of what he had just said about the success of the gospel. Therefore he quickly explained that his afflictions were part of God’s plan, and he rejoiced in them. Paul could rejoice because he knew his imprisonment would benefit his readers through his ministry to them in this letter if in no other way. Furthermore he regarded his sufferings as what any servant of Christ could expect in view of the world’s treatment of his Master.

". . . the word thlipseon (AV [NASB and NIV], ’afflictions’) is never used in the New Testament of the atoning sufferings of Christ. We, therefore, must reject any conception of a treasury of merit, such as Roman Catholics allow, composed of Christ’s sufferings plus the sufferings of the saints and dispensed as indulgences.

"If we also dismiss the interpretations which understand Paul to be referring to sufferings demanded by Christ or suffered for His sake (the natural sense of the genitive is opposed to this), we are still left with several alternatives." [Note: Ibid., 475:229-30. Cf. Carson, p. 50.]

One view is that the phrase "Christ’s afflictions" refers to the quota of sufferings the church must undergo corporately before the end of the age (cf. Mat 24:6; Heb 11:40; Rev 6:11). [Note: C. F. D. Moule, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians and to Philemon, p. 76.] However this idea is foreign to the context that stresses the contribution Paul’s sufferings made to the Colossian’s welfare. Paul’s point was not that his sufferings relieved the Colossians of their share of sufferings for Christ (cf. Col 1:28-29; Col 2:1-2).

A second view is that Paul was saying his sufferings were similar to Christ’s. Both he and Christ suffered for believers, Christ on the cross and Paul presently. [Note: T. K. Abbott, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians, p. 232; Ellis, p. 1339.] Yet Paul wrote here of Christ’s sufferings. They were His own.

A third view is that the sufferings of Christ to which Paul referred are those sacrificial works the Lord left for believers to perform. [Note: Lightfoot, p. 163; McGee, 5:343-45.] As Christ suffered during His ministry, so Christians suffer during our ministries. However if this is what Paul meant, why did he speak of them as Christ’s afflictions? This view, as the preceding two views, expresses a Scriptural revelation, but that revelation does not seem to be Paul’s point here.

A fourth view, the one I prefer, regards the afflictions of Christ as Christ’s actual sufferings now, not on the cross but in and through Paul whom He indwelt (cf. 2Co 11:23-28). [Note: Johnson, 475:230-31; Dunn, p. 114.] When believers suffer, Christ also suffers because He indwells us (cf. Act 9:4).

"It is no wonder, then, that Paul rejoiced in his sufferings. Seen in the light of his union with Christ, they were transfigured and made an occasion for fellowship with Him, as well as a benefit to the body, the church." [Note: Johnson, 475:231.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Chapter 1

JOY IN SUFFERING, AND TRIUMPH IN THE MANIFESTED MYSTERY

Col 1:24-27 (R.V.)

There are scarcely any personal references in this Epistle, until we reach the last chapter. In this respect it contrasts strikingly with another of Pauls epistles of the captivity, that to the Philippians, which is running over with affection and with allusions to himself. This sparseness of personal details strongly confirms the opinion that he had not been to Colossae. Here, however, we come to one of the very few sections which may be called personal, though even here it is rather Pauls office than himself which is in question. He is led to speak of himself by his desire to enforce his exhortations to faithful continuance in the gospel; and, as is so often the case with him in touching on his apostleship, he, as it were, catches fire, and blazes up in a grand flame, which sheds a bright light on his lofty enthusiasm, and evangelistic fervour.

The words to he considered now are plain enough in themselves, but they are run together, and thought follows thought in a fashion which makes them somewhat obscure; and there are also one or two difficulties in single words which require to be cleared up. We shall perhaps best bring out the course of thought by dealing with these verses in three groups, of which the three words, Suffering, Service, and Mystery, are respectively the centres. First, we have a remarkable view taken by the prisoner of the meaning of his sufferings, as being endured for the Church. That leads him to speak of his relation to the Church generally as being that of a servant or steward appointed by God, to bring to its completion the work of God; and then, as I said, he takes fire, and, forgetting himself, flames up in rapturous magnifying of the grand message hid so long, and now entrusted to him to preach. So we have his Sufferings for the Church, his service of Stewardship to the Church, and the great Mystery which in that stewardship he had to unveil. It may help us to understand both Paul and his message, as well as our own tasks and trials, if we try to grasp his thoughts here about his work and his sorrows.

I. We have the Apostles triumphant contemplation of his sufferings. “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His bodys sake, which is the Church.”

The Revised Version, following the best authorities, omits the “who” with which the Authorised Version begins this verse, and marks a new sentence and paragraph, as is obviously right.

The very first word is significant: “Now I rejoice.” Aye; it is easy to say fine things about patience in sufferings and triumph in sorrow when we are prosperous and comfortable; but it is different when we are in the furnace. This man, with the chain on his wrist, and the iron entering into his soul, with his life in danger, and all the future uncertain, can say, “Now I rejoice.” This bird sings in a darkened cage.

Then come startling words, “I on my part fill up that which is lacking (a better rendering than behind) of the afflictions of Christ.” It is not surprising that many explanations of these words have tried to soften down their boldness; as, for instance, “afflictions borne for Christ,” or “imposed by Him,” or “like His.” But it seems very clear that the startling meaning is the plain meaning, and that “the sufferings of Christ” here, as everywhere else, are “the sufferings borne by Christ.”

Then at once the questions start up, Does Paul mean to say that in any sense whatever the sufferings which Christ endured have anything “lacking” in them? or does he mean to say that a Christian mans sufferings, however they may benefit the Church, can be put alongside of the Lords, and taken to eke out the incompleteness of His? Surely that cannot be! Did He not say on the cross, “It is finished”? Surely that sacrifice needs no supplement, and can receive none, but stands “the one sacrifice for sins forever”! Surely His sufferings are absolutely singular in nature and effect, unique and all-sufficient and eternal. And does this Apostle, the very heart of whose gospel was that these were the life of the world, mean to say that anything which he endures can be tacked on to them. a bit of the old rags to the new garment?

Distinctly not! To say so would be contradictory of the whole spirit and letter of the Apostles teaching. But there is no need to suppose that he means anything of the sort. There is an idea frequently presented in Scripture, which gives full meaning to the words, and is in full accordance with Pauline teaching; namely, that Christ truly participates in the sufferings of His people borne for Him. He suffers with them. The head feels the pangs of all the members; and every ache may be thought of as belonging, not only to the limb where it is located, but to the brain which is conscious of it. The pains and sorrows and troubles of His friends and followers to the end of time are one great whole. Each sorrow of each Christian heart is one drop more added to the contents of the measure which has to be filled to the brim, ere the purposes of the Father, who leads through suffering to rest, are accomplished; and all belong to Him. Whatsoever pain or trial is borne in fellowship with Him is felt and borne by Him. Community of sensation is established between Him and us. Our sorrows are transferred to Him. “In all our afflictions He is afflicted,” both by His mystical but most real oneness with us, and by His brothers sympathy. So for us all, and not for the Apostle only, the whole aspect of our sorrows may be changed, and all poor struggling souls in this valley of weeping may take comfort and courage from the wonderful thought of Christs union with us, which makes our griefs His and our pain touch Him. Bruise your finger, and the pain pricks and stabs in your brain. Strike the man that is joined to Christ here, and Christ up yonder feels it. “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye.” Where did Paul learn this deep lesson, that the sufferings of Christs servants were Christs sufferings? I wonder whether, as he wrote these words of confident yet humble identification of himself the persecuted with Christ the Lord, there came back to his memory what he heard on that fateful day as he rode to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” The thought so crushing to the persecutor had become balm and glory to the prisoner, -that every blow aimed at the servant falls on the Master, who stoops from amid the glory of the throne to declare that whatsoever is done, whether it be kindness or cruelty, to the least of His brethren, is done to Him. So every one of us may take the comfort and strength of that wonderful assurance, and roll all our burdens and sorrows on Him.

Again, there is prominent here the thought that the good of sorrow does not end with the sufferer. His sufferings are borne in his flesh for the bodys sake, which is the Church, -a remarkable antithesis between the Apostles flesh in which, and Christs body for which, the sufferings are endured. Every sorrow rightly borne, as it will be-when Christ is felt to be bearing it with us, is fruitful of blessing. Pauls trials were in a Special sense “for His bodys sake,” for of course, if he had not preached the gospel, he would have escaped them all; and on the other hand they have been especially fruitful of good, for if he had not been persecuted, he would never have written these precious letters from Rome. The Church owes much to the violence which has shut up confessors in dungeons. Its prison literature, beginning with this letter, and ending with “Pilgrims Progress,” has been among its most cherished treasures.

But the same thing is true about us all, though it may be in a narrower sphere. No man gets good for himself alone out of his sorrows. Whatever purifies and makes gentler and more Christlike, whatever teaches or builds up-and sorrows rightly borne do all these-is for the common good. Be our trials great or small, be they minute and every day-like gnats that hum about us in clouds, and may be swept away by the hand, and irritate rather than hurt where they sting-or be they huge and formidable, like the viper that clings to the wrist and poisons the life blood, they are meant to give us good gifts, which we may transmit to the narrow circle of our homes, and in ever widening rings of influence to all around us. Have we never known a household, where some chronic invalid, lying helpless perhaps on a sofa, was a source of the highest blessing and the centre of holy influence, that made every member of the family gentler, more self-denying and loving? We shall never understand our sorrows, unless we try to answer the question, What good to others is meant to come through me by this? Alas, that grief should so often be self-absorbed, even more than joy is! The heart sometimes opens to unselfish sharing of its gladness with others; but it too often shuts tight over its sorrow, and seeks solitary indulgence in the luxury of woe. Let us learn that our brethren claim, benefit from our trials, as well as from our good things, and seek to ennoble our griefs by bearing them for “His bodys sake, which is the Church.” Christs sufferings on His cross are the satisfaction for a worlds sins, and in that view can have no supplement, and stand alone in kind. But His “afflictions”-a word which would not naturally be applied to His death-do operate also to set the pattern of holy endurance, and to teach many a lesson; and in that view every suffering borne for Him and with Him may be regarded as associated with His, and helping to bless the Church and the world. God makes the rough iron of our natures into shining, flexible, sharp steel, by heavy hammers and hot furnaces, that He may shape us as His instruments to help and heal.

It is of great moment that we should have such thoughts of our sorrows whilst their pressure is upon us, and not only when they are past. “I now rejoice.” Most of us have had to let years stretch between us and the blow before we could attain to that clear insight. We can look back and see how our past sorrows tended to bless us, and how Christ was with us in them: but as for this one, that burdens us today, we cannot make it out. We can even have a solemn thankfulness not altogether unlike joy as we look on those wounds that we remember; but how hard it is to feel it about those that pain us now! There is but one way to secure that calm wisdom, which feels their meaning even while they sting and burn, and can smile through tears, as sorrowful and yet always rejoicing; and that is to keep in very close communion with our Lord. Then, even when we are in the whitest heat of the furnace, we may have the Son of man with us; and if we have, the fiercest flames will burn up nothing but the chains that bind us, and we shall “walk at liberty” in that terrible heat, because we walk with Him. It is a high attainment of Christian fortitude and faith to feel the blessed meaning, not only of the six tribulations which are past, but of the present seventh, and to say, even while the iron is entering the quivering flesh, “I now rejoice in my sufferings,” and try to turn them to others good.

II. These thoughts naturally lead on to the statement of the Apostles lowly and yet lofty conception of his office-“whereof (that is, of which Church) I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God, which was given me, to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God.” The first words of this clause are used at the close of the preceding section in Col 1:23, but the “whereof” there refers to the gospel, not as here to the Church. He is the servant of both, and because he is the servant of the Church he suffers, as he has been saying. The representation of himself as servant gives the reason for the conduct described in the previous clause. Then the next words explain what makes him the Churchs servant. He is so in accordance with, or in pursuance of, the stewardship, or office of administrator, of His household, to which God has called him, “to you-ward,” that is to say, with especial reference to the Gentiles. And the final purpose of his being made a steward is “to fulfil the word of God”; by which is not meant “to accomplish or bring to pass its predictions,” but “to bring it to completion,” or “to give full development to it,” and that possibly in the sense of preaching it fully, without reserve, and far and wide throughout the whole world.

So lofty and yet so lowly was Pauls thought of his office. He was the Churchs servant, and therefore bound to suffer cheerfully for its sake. He was so, because a high honour had been conferred on him by God, nothing less than the stewardship of His great household the Church, in which he had to give to every man his portion, and to exercise authority. He. is the Churchs servant indeed, but it is because he is the Lords steward. And the purpose of his appointment goes far beyond the interests of any single Church; for while his office sends him especially to the Colossians, its scope is as wide as the world.

One great lesson to be learned from these words is that Stewardship means service; and we may add that, in nine cases out of ten, service means suffering. What Paul says, if we put it into more familiar language, is just this: “Because God has given me something that I can impart to others, I am their servant, and bound, not only by my duty to Him, but by my duty to them, to labour that they may receive the treasure.” That is true for us all. Every gift from the great Householder involves the obligation to impart it. It makes us His stewards and our brethrens servants. We have that we may give. The possessions are the Householders, not ours, even after He has given them to us. He gives us truths of various kinds in our minds, the gospel in our hearts, influence from our position, money in our pockets, not to lavish on self, nor to hide and gloat over in secret, but that we may transmit His gifts, and “Gods grace fructify through us to all.” “It is required of stewards that a man be found faithful”; and the heaviest charge, “that he had wasted his Lords goods,” lies against every one of us who does not use all that he possesses, whether of material or intellectual or spiritual wealth, for the common advantage.

But that common obligation of stewardship presses with special force on those who say that they are Christs servants. If we are, we know something of His love and have felt something of His power; and there are hundreds of people around us, many of whom we can influence, who know nothing of either. That fact makes us their servants, not in the sense of being under their control, or of taking orders from them, but in the sense of gladly working for them., and recognising our obligation to help them. Our resources may be small. The Master of the house may have entrusted us with little. Perhaps we are like the boy with the five barley loaves and two small fishes; but even if we had only a bit of the bread and a tail of one of the fishes, we must not eat our morsel alone. Give it to those who have none, and it will multiply as it is distributed, like the barrel of meal, which did not fail because its poor owner shared it with the still poorer prophet. Give, and not only give, but “pray them with much entreaty to receive the gift”; for men need to have. the true Bread pressed on them, and they will often throw it back, or drop it over a wall, as soon as your back is turned, as beggars do in our streets. We have to win them. by showing that we are their servants, before they will take what we have to give. Besides this, if stewardship is service, service is often suffering; and he will not clear himself of his obligations to his fellows, or of his responsibility to his Master, who shrinks from seeking to make known the love of Christ to his brethren, because he has often to “go forth weeping” whilst he bears the precious seed.

III. So we come to the last thought here, which is of the grand Mystery of which Paul is the Apostle and Servant. Paul always catches fire when he comes to think of the universal destination of the gospel, and of the honour put upon him as the man to whom the task was entrusted of transforming the Church from a Jewish sect to a worldwide society. That great thought now sweeps him away from his more immediate object, and enriches us with a burst which we could ill spare from the letter.

His task, he says, is to give its full development to the word of God, to proclaim a certain mystery long hid, but now revealed to those who are consecrated to God. To these it has been Gods good pleasure to show the wealth of glory which is contained in this mystery, as exhibited among the Gentile Christians, which mystery is nothing else than the fact that Christ dwells in or among these Gentiles, of whom the Colossians are part, and by His dwelling in them gives them the confident expectation of future glory.

The mystery then of which the Apostle speaks so rapturously is the fact that the Gentiles were fellow heirs and partakers of Christ. “Mystery” is a word borrowed from the ancient systems, in which certain rites and doctrines were communicated to the initiated. There are several allusions to them in Pauls writings, as for instance in the passage in Php 4:12, which the Revised Version gives as “I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry,” and probably in the immediate context here, where the characteristic word “perfect” means “initiated.” Portentous theories which have no warrant have been spun out of this word. The Greek mysteries implied secrecy; the rites were done in deep obscurity; the esoteric doctrines were muttered in the ear. The Christian mysteries are spoken on the housetop, nor does the word imply anything as to the comprehensibility of the doctrines or facts which are so called.

We talk about “mysteries,” meaning thereby truths that transcend human faculties; but the New Testament “mystery” may be, and most frequently is, a fact perfectly comprehensible when once spoken. “Behold I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” There is nothing incomprehensible in that. We should never have known it if we had not been told; but when told it is quite level with our faculties. And as a matter of fact, the word is most frequently used in connection with the notion, not of concealment, but of declaring. We find too that it occurs frequently in this Epistle, and in the parallel letter to the Ephesians, and in every instance but one refers, as it does here, to a fact which was perfectly plain and comprehensible when once made known; namely, the entrance of the Gentiles into the Church.

If that be the true meaning of the word, then “a steward of the mysteries” will simply mean a man who has truths, formerly unknown but now revealed, in charge to make known to all who will hearken, and neither the claims of a priesthood nor the demand for the unquestioning submission of the intellect have any foundation in this much abused term.

But turning from this, we may briefly consider what was the substance of this grand mystery which thrilled Pauls soul. It is the wonderful fact that all barriers were broken down, and that Christ dwelt in the hearts of these Colossians. He saw in that the proof and the prophecy of the worldwide destination of the gospel. No wonder that his heart burned as he thought of the marvellous work which God had wrought by him. For there is no greater revolution in the history of the world than that accomplished through him, the cutting loose of Christianity from Judaism and widening the Church to the width of the race. No wonder that he was misunderstood and hated by Jewish Christians all his days!

He thinks of these once heathens and now Christians at Colossae, far away in their lonely valley, and of many another little community-in Judea, Asia, Greece, and Italy; and as he thinks of how a real solid bond of brotherhood bound them together in spite of their differences of race and culture, the vision of the oneness of mankind in the Cross of Christ shines out before him, as no man had ever seen it till then, and he triumphs in the sorrows that had helped to bring about the great result.

That dwelling of Christ among the Gentiles reveals the exuberant abundance of glory, To him the “mystery” was all running over with riches, and blazing with fresh radiance. To us it is familiar and somewhat worn. The “vision splendid,” which was manifestly a revelation of hitherto unknown Divine treasures of mercy and lustrous light when it first dawned on the Apostles sight, has “faded” somewhat “into the light of common day” for us, to whom the centuries since have shown so slow a progress.

But let us not lose more than we can help, either by our familiarity with the thought, or by the discouragements arising from the chequered history of its partial realisation. Christianity is still the only religion which has been able to make permanent conquests. It is the only one that has been able to disregard latitude and longitude, and to address and guide conditions of civilisation and modes of life quite unlike those of its origin. It is the only one that sets itself the task of conquering the world without the sword, and has kept true to the design for centuries. It is the only one whose claims to be worldwide in its adaptation and destiny would not be laughed out of court by its history. It is the only one which is today a missionary religion. And so, notwithstanding the long centuries of arrested growth and the wide tracts of remaining darkness, the mystery which fired Pauls enthusiasm is still able to kindle ours, and the wealth of glory that lies in it has not been impoverished nor stricken with eclipse.

One last thought is here, -that the possession of Christ is the pledge of future blessedness. “Hope” here seems to be equivalent to “the source” or “ground” of the hope. If we have the experience of His dwelling in our hearts, we shall have, in that very experience of His sweetness and of the intimacy of His love, a marvellous quickener of our hope that such sweetness and intimacy will continue forever. The closer we keep to Him, the clearer will be our vision of future blessedness. If He is throned in our hearts, we shall be able to look forward with a hope, which is not less than certainty, to the perpetual continuance of His hold of us and of our blessedness in Him. Anything seems more credible to a man who habitually has Christ abiding in him, than that such a trifle as death should have power to end such a union. To have Him is to have life. To have Him will be heaven. To have Him is to have a hope certain as memory and careless of death or change. That hope is offered to us all. If by our faith in His great sacrifice we grasp the great truth of “Christ for us,” our fears will be scattered, sin and guilt taken away, death abolished, condemnation ended, the future a hope and not a dread. If by communion with Him. through faith, love, and obedience, we have “Christ in us,” our purity will grow, and our experience will be such as plainly to demand eternity to complete its incompleteness and to bring its folded buds to flower and fruit. If Christ be in us, His life guarantees ours, and we cannot die whilst He lives. The world has come, in the persons of its leading thinkers, to the position of proclaiming that all is dark beyond and above. “Behold! we know not anything,” is the dreary “end of the whole matter”-infinitely sadder than the old Ecclesiastes, which from “vanity of vanities” climbed to “fear God and keep His commandments,” as the sum. of human thought and life. “I find no God; I know no future.” Yes! Paul long ago told us that if we were “without Christ” we should “have no hope, and be without God in the world.” And cultivated Europe is finding out that to fling away Christ and to keep a faith in God or in a future life is impossible.

But if we will take Him for our Saviour by simple trust, He will give us His own presence in our hearts, and infuse there a hope full of immortality. If we live in close communion with Him, we shall need no other assurance of an eternal life beyond than that deep, calm blessedness springing from the imperfect fellowship of earth which must needs lead to and be lost in the everlasting and completed union of heaven.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary

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