Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Colossians 2:7
Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
7. rooted ] A perfect participle. It recurs Eph 3:17, the only other place in which St Paul uses precisely this metaphor, which combines the thought of fixity with that of derived and developing life from a genial source. There, as here, the metaphor of building (more frequent with St Paul) appears, in the Greek, beside this other.
built up ] See the last remark. The Greek is a present participle, to be expressed in (not quite classical) English by, being built up. See for a close parallel Eph 2:22; and cp. Col 1:23 above. The compound verb here gives the thought of building upon, and the reference might be taken to be to Christ as the Foundation (1Co 3:11). But the phrase “ in Him” just below suggests here another of the many sides of His relation to the “building”; and leads us to explain this of the internal “building up” of the community as new members join it and cohere with it; and also of the individual, as layers (so to speak) of experience and spiritual character accrue in his life and walk. The present participle is thus clearly suitable.
in Him ] as He is the “Stone of the angle” (Eph 2:20) “in” which the converging lines of structure hold together. Cp. Col 1:17. But this imagery must not be pressed too far, for “ in Him ” relates here to “ rooted ” as well as “ built up.”
stablished ] Again a present participle.
in the faith ] Omit “ in,” and render, with Lightfoot, and R.V. margin, by your faith. Their faith, their submissive personal reliance on their Lord, would “strike their root downward” and compact their spiritual structure; and so it would make them continuously more stable. “Faith is, as it were, the cement of the building” (Lightfoot).
as ye have been taught ] Better, as ye were taught, when Epaphras evangelized them. Then they learnt Whom to believe in, and how to believe in Him, for righteousness and life.
abounding ] A favourite word with St Paul. It occurs five times in Philippians. Nothing short of spiritual wealth, and its full employment, ever satisfies him.
therein ] In your faith, regarded as “the sphere” of the sense of “abundance.” Loyal reliance on the all-sufficient Christ was to be largely, fully, exercised.
with thanksgiving ] Lit., “ in thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving was to attend, to surround, this large exercise of faith. It would do so as a matter of reason; for the possession of such an Object of faith was indeed ground enough for holy gratitude. And it would do so also as a matter of experience; for there is no surer secret for a glad thankfulness than full habitual reliance on the Christ of God.
“The words [“ thankful, give thanks, thanksgiving ”] occur in St Paul’s writings alone of the apostolic Epistles. In this Epistle especially the duty of thanksgiving assumes a peculiar prominence by being made a refrain, as here and in Col 3:15; Col 3:17, Col 4:2; see also Col 1:12 ” (Lightfoot).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rooted …in him – As a tree strikes its roots deep in the earth, so our faith should strike deep into the doctrine respecting the Saviour. See the phrase used here explained in the parallel place in Eph 3:17.
And established in the faith, as ye have been taught – To wit, by the founders of the church, and by those faithful ministers who had succeeded them; Notes, Col 1:7.
Abounding therein with thanksgiving – Expressing overflowing thanks to God that you have been made acquainted with truths so precious and glorious. If there is any thing for which we ought to be thankful, it is for the knowledge of the great truths respecting our Lord and Saviour.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. Rooted and built up in him] It is not usual with the apostle to employ this double metaphor, taken partly from the growth of a tree and the increase of a building. They are to be rooted; as the good seed had been already sown, it is to take root, and the roots are to spread far, wide, and deep. They are to be grounded; as the foundation has already been laid, they are to build thereon. In the one case, they are to bear much fruit; in the other, they are to grow up to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. See the notes on Eph 2:21; Eph 2:22; Eph 3:17.
Abounding therein with thanksgiving.] No limitation is ever set to the operations of God on the soul, or to the growth of the soul in the knowledge, love, and image of God. Those who are brought into such a state of salvation should abound in gratitude and loving obedience, as they grow in grace.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Rooted and built up in him; showing how they should abide and persevere in the faith, by continuing in him as branches do in the root, Joh 15:4, and resting upon him as a building upon the foundation, Isa 28:16; 1Co 3:11; Eph 2:22.
And stablished in the faith; and being firm and settled in the faith, as 1Pe 5:10; he adds this, not only to clear the metaphorical expressions before, but to show that they should be growing stronger as to the internal habit, Psa 92:13,14. He repeats as it were in a parenthesis,
as ye have been taught; upon the matter, the same with as ye have received Christ in the former verse; for greater caution to them, who might be apt to have itching ears, that they should not be listening to any novel doctrines, but abide in the faith of Christ.
Abounding therein with thanksgiving; setting down with themselves, according to the superabounding grace they had, Rom 5:20, with 1Co 4:8, to abound and increase therein, 1Co 15:58; 2Pe 1:8; having herein all the saving knowledge desirable, without need of the addition of aught any other way; being thankful to God that he had revealed such a Christ, his Christ, to them, for they could not have a better or another.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Rooted (Eph3:17).
built upGreek,“being builded up.” As “rooted” impliestheir vitality; so “builded up,” massive solidity.As in the Song of Solomon, when one image is not sufficient toexpress the varied aspects of divine truth, another is employed tosupply the idea required. Thus “walking,” a third image(Col 2:6), expresses the thoughtwhich “rooted” and “built,” though eachsuggesting a thought peculiar to itself, could not express, namely,onward motion. “Rooted” is in the past tense,implying their first conversion and vital grafting “inHim.” “Built up” is present (in the Greek),implying their progressive increase in religion by union withHim. Eph 2:20 refers to theChurch; but the passage here to their individualprogress in edification (Ac20:32).
stablishedconfirmed.
as“even as.”
abounding therein withthanksgivingadvancing to fuller maturity (compare Col2:2) in the faith, “with thanksgiving” to God as thegracious Author of this whole blessing.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Rooted and built up in him,…. By these metaphors, the apostle expresses the safe and happy state of these believers; and which he makes use of as arguments, to engage them to walk on in Christ, and as pointing out the manner in which they should. Believers are sometimes compared to trees, and are trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord; and their root is Christ, from whence as such they spring, and by whom they are filled with the fruits of righteousness; in him they are to abide, keep close unto him, and walk in him; deriving all their life, nourishment, fruitfulness, grace, and perseverance in it, from him as their root: they are also sometimes compared to a building, to an house, a temple, an habitation for God; and Christ is the sure and only foundation on which they are laid, and where they are safe and secure; and, being fitly joined together, grow up as an holy temple to the Lord; and this being their case, they are to go on laying the whole stress of their salvation on him, building their faith and hope of eternal glory entirely upon him; and building up one another also on their most holy faith, of which he is the substance, as it follows:
and stablished in the faith: that of Christ, or in the doctrine of faith which respects Christ: the apostle here expresses the same thing without a figure, which he had signified by the two foregoing metaphors, and explains what he means by them; namely, that they were well settled and grounded in their faith in Christ, and thoroughly instructed and established in the doctrines of the Gospel; and a very good thing it is to have the heart established with grace, both as a principle and a doctrine; which is God’s work, and was the happy case of these persons; wherefore it became them to act as such, and not be like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, or carried about with divers and strange doctrines, but abide by those which had been preached to them by the faithful ministers of Christ, and they had received: as
ye have been taught: by Epaphras their minister, and others; and therefore should not listen to false teachers, and to a contrary doctrine taught by them; considering of whom they had learnt the true doctrine, what evidence it carried with it, and what use it had been of to them, in convincing, converting, comforting, instructing, and establishing them: and therefore should be
abounding therein with thanksgiving; that is, in the faith; as in the grace, so in the doctrine of faith; for as saints are to abound in the work of the Lord, and in every good work, and in the exercise of every grace, so in the knowledge of truth; see 2Co 8:7; and to make use of all means for the increase of, and growth in Gospel grace and light, and the knowledge of a crucified Christ, which is meant by abounding: for all which there is great reason for thanksgiving; both for the unspeakable gift of Christ, who is received as such by faith, and in whom believers are rooted and built up; and for faith itself, which is the gift of God; and also for the Gospel, and the truths of it; and for every degree of spiritual light in it, and knowledge of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Rooted (). Perfect passive participle of old verb from , root. In N.T. only here and Eph 3:17. Paul changes the figure from walk to growing tree.
Builded up in him ( ). Present passive participle (rooted to stay so) of , old verb, to build upon as in 1Cor 3:10; 1Cor 3:12. The metaphor is changed again to a building as continually going up (present tense).
Stablished (). Present passive participle of , old verb from (from , ), to make firm or stable.
In your faith ( ). Locative case, though the instrumental case,
by your faith , makes good sense also.
Even as ye were taught ( ). First aorist passive indicative of , an allusion to in verse 6 and to in 1:7.
In thanksgiving ( ). Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Rooted – built up [ – ] . Note the change of metaphor from the solidity of military array to walking, rooting of a tree, and then to building. The metaphors of rooting and being founded occur together, Eph 3:17. Compare 1Co 3:9. In Jer 1:10, ejkrizoun to root out is applied to a kingdom, and the words to build and to plant follow. It must be said that rJizow to cause to take root is often used in the sense of firmness or fixedness without regard to its primary meaning. Built up. The preposition ejpi upon indicates the placing of one layer upon another. See on Act 20:32, and 1Co 3:9. Compare 1Co 3:10 – 14; Eph 2:20. note also the change of tenses : having been rooted (perfect participle), being (in process of) built up and strengthened (present participle).
In Him [ ] . Rather than upon Him, as might have been expected. In this and in the Ephesian epistle, Christ is represented as the sphere within which the building goes on. Compare Eph 2:20. The whole upbuilding of the Church proceeds within the compass of Christ ‘s personality, life, and power.
Thanksgiving [] . For Paul ‘s emphasis on thanksgiving, see Rom 1:21; Rom 14:6; 2Co 1:11; 2Co 4:15; 2Co 9:11, 12; Eph 5:20; 1Ti 2:1, etc. Eujcaristov thankful, eujcaristein to give thanks, eujcaristia thanksgiving, are found only in Paul ‘s writings.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Rooted and built up in him”, (errizomenoi kai epoikodomournenoi en auto) “Having been rooted and being built up in him;” denoting union, strength, and growth, Act 20:32; Eph 2:20-22; 1Pe 2:5; Jud 1:20.
2) “And stablished in the faith,” (kai bebaioumenoi te pistei) “and being confirmed in the faith;” the system of teachings of Christ. The gift of faith, exercised in a good Christian walk, cements brethren together in the Church.
3) “As ye have been taught’ (kathos edidachthete) “just as ye were taught or instructed;” proper instruction in service must be followed by continuous service to be pleasing to the Master. The one who has a light is to let it shine. Mat 5:15-16.
4) “Abounding therein with thanksgiving;” (perissenontes en echaristia) a true profession of faith in Christ, to be most useful, must be rendered in a Spirit of gratitude. Php_4:6; 1Ti 4:3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7. And confirmed in the faith. He now repeats without a figure the same thing that he had expressed by metaphors, — that the prosecution of the way, the support of the root, and of the foundation, is firmness and steadfastness of faith. And observe, that this argument is set before them in consequence of their having been well instructed, in order that they may safely and confidently secure their footing in the faith with which they had been made acquainted.
Abounding. He would not have them simply remain immovable, but would have them grow every day more and more. When he adds, with thanksgiving, he would have them always keep in mind from what source faith itself proceeds, that they may not be puffed up with presumption, but may rather with fear repose themselves in the gift of God. And, unquestionably, ingratitude is very frequently the reason why we are deprived of the light of the gospel, as well as of other divine favors.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) Rooted and built up in him.There is a significant change of tense in the original, having been rootedi.e. (as in Eph. 3:17), rooted and grounded in Him once for all, and being built up continually on that Foundation. (Comp. 1Co. 3:9-15.) St. Paul bids them seek not only the first basis of their faith, but their continual growth, in Christ alone, by continual strengthening in the faith which rests in Him. We may remember that in the Gnostic teaching faith was held good for the beginner or the common herd, knowledge was the bright particular jewel of those who went on to perfection.
Abounding (or, overflowing) therein with thanksgiving.The metaphor is changed. The cup of faith, filled to the full, runs over in that thanksgiving which is the expression both of faith and love.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Rooted Changing the figure, but always keeping Christ as the element in which this life is lived, we are rooted in him as a tree strikes its roots deep into the soil and becomes better nourished and more immovable, built up in him, as a building upon a rock, adding stone to stone, thus steadily and solidly growing; established, confirmed in the way of faith, just as it was taught at the outset; and abounding in that faith with deep gratitude to God.
The apostle having thus unfolded the divine idea of redemption, and reminded the Colossians of their experimental knowledge of its verity, proceeds next to an examination of the particular system offered them in its stead.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Ver. 7. Abounding therein with thanksgiving ] Thankfulness for smaller measures of grace gets more. Efficacissimum genus est rogandi, gratias agere. (Plin. Panegyr.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Col 2:7 . : “rooted and built up”. The metaphor changes from ., and again from ., though Lightfoot points out that the term “to root” is not infrequently applied to buildings. More important is the change in tense, the perfect participle expressing an abiding result, the present a continuous process. probably belongs to both. We should not (with Schenkel, Hofm.) place a full stop at . and take the participles with , which would be intolerably awkward. : “stablished in faith,” also the present of continuous process. Meyer and Lightfoot take the dative as instrumental, but it seems best with most recent commentators to take it as a dative of reference ( cf. Col 2:5 ). : cf. , Col 1:7 . The words define . . Oltramare notes that “thankfulness is a preservative against the new doctrines,” since they remove Christ from His true place. The emphasis on thankfulness is very marked in this Epistle.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Rooted. See Eph 3:17.
built up. See Act 20:33, and compare Eph 2:20.
stablished. See Rom 15:8 (confirm).
in = by.
therein = in (App-104) it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Col 2:7. , rooted) Eph 3:18. Time past instead of the commencement.[6]-) The present, as being even still in progress, Act 20:32.- , in Him) in Jesus Christ, as Lord. In the faith is the parallel, which presently follows.- , with thanksgiving) This constitutes and shows the lawful and joyful use of (external) things, which some burden with prohibitions, Col 2:21; 1Co 10:30; 1Ti 4:3-4.
[6] i.e. Their faith was already long established, not merely beginning.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Col 2:7
Col 2:7
rooted and builded up in him,-This suggests stability and nourishment and life derived from inward contact with Christ. It calls attention to the foundation on which the character is builded up in him. The root, the foundation, is faith in Christ.
and established in your faith, even as ye were taught-The completing the life and forming the character must be by obedience to him, by a continued walk in Christ, and this fixes or establishes the faith. [A progressive increase of faith is the. condition of all Christian progress. The faith which is already the firmest is still capable of and needs strengthening. Its range can be enlarged, its tenacity increased, and its power over heart and life reinforced. The eye of faith is never so keen but that it may become more long-sighted; its grasp never so close that it may not be tightened; its realization never so solid but that it may be made more substantial; this continued strengthening of faith is the most essential form of a Christians effort at self-improvement. Strengthen your faith and you strengthen all graces; for it measures our reception of divine help.]
abounding in thanksgiving.-[They should abound in thanksgiving because they had received the knowledge of the great truths and blessings through the Lord Jesus Christ]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Rooted: Col 1:23, Psa 1:3, Psa 92:13, Isa 61:3, Jer 17:8, Eze 17:23, Eze 17:24, Rom 11:17, Rom 11:18, Eph 2:21, Eph 2:22, Eph 3:17, Jud 1:12
built: Mat 7:24, Mat 7:25, Luk 6:48, Joh 15:4, Joh 15:5, 1Co 3:9-15, Eph 2:20-22, 1Pe 2:4-6, Jud 1:20
stablished: Col 1:23, Rom 16:25, 1Co 15:58, 2Co 1:21, 2Th 2:17, 1Pe 5:10, 2Pe 3:17, 2Pe 3:18, Jud 1:24
with: Col 1:12, Col 1:13, Col 3:17, Eph 5:20, 1Th 5:18, Heb 13:15
Reciprocal: 1Ki 6:1 – build Job 22:23 – built up Psa 96:10 – the world Pro 12:3 – the root Pro 24:3 – it is Mat 13:6 – because Mar 4:6 – no root Luk 8:13 – and these Act 20:32 – to build Rom 11:20 – and 2Co 13:5 – in the faith Col 3:15 – and be Col 4:2 – thanksgiving 2Pe 1:8 – and abound 2Pe 1:12 – and be Rev 7:12 – thanksgiving
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Col 2:7.) -Having been rooted, and being built up in Him. [, Eph 3:17. . Eph 2:20.] The participles are used in a tropical sense, and are connected with the preceding clause-walk in Him. The figures, as Meyer remarks, neither agree with the preceding verb, nor with one another. But the main ideas are stability and growth-the root, in Him, beyond the possibility of eradication; and the growth that of a symmetrical structure, which, in Him, has its unshaken foundation. The first participle, by its tense, indicates a previous state, and the second a present condition. They had already been rooted, but they were still to be making progress. Were such their character, were they rooted in Christ, and not simply adhering to Him by some superficial tie, and were they being built up, or growing in gracious attainment, then might they defy all the efforts of the false teachers to detach them from the truth.
-And stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught. The preposition is omitted in some Codices, and by Lachmann and Tischendorf. If this reading be adopted, we should be inclined, with Meyer, to take the dative in an instrumental sense-stablished by means of the faith; but if be retained, perhaps the common rendering is preferable. See under Col 1:7. They were to be confirmed in the faith which had been taught them-that system of belief which Epaphras had preached to them. We should agree with Olshausen, against Meyer, that is faith in the objective sense, were it not for in the following clause, which we believe to be genuine, though it is wanting in A and C. For the apostle says- . This abounding bids us take faith in a subjective sense-the conscious belief of the truth-and in that belief they were not to be stinted, cautious, or timid, but they were to abound. Their faith was not to be scanty as a rivulet in summer, but like the Jordan in harvest, overflowing its banks. And they were to abound in it-
-With thanksgiving. A similar construction is found in Rom 15:13; 2Co 3:9; 2Co 8:7. They could not but be thankful that the truth had been brought to them, and that by the Divine grace they had been induced fully and unreservedly to believe it. Two other and opposing forms of construction have been proposed. Grotius renders per gratiarum actionem crescentes in fide, as if the thanks were the means of abounding in faith; while Storr, Flatt, Bhmer, and Huther take it thus-abounding by means of the same in thanksgiving, as if faith were the means of thanksgiving. But the connection, as we have first given it, is more in harmony with the sequence and position of the words. The entire verse is at once a precept and a warning, and were the precept obeyed and the warning listened to, then philosophy and vain deceit would ply their machinations in vain.
Having again and again approached his subject by indirect allusions, the apostle now boldly and fully brings it out. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. And we may remark in introduction, that the sentiment of the verse has been sometimes greatly abused. The apostle has been quoted in condemnation of philosophy in general, though he expressly identifies the philosophy which he reprobates with vain deceit. Philosophy, science, or the pursuit and love of wisdom, cannot be stigmatized, as in itself hostile to faith. The apostle himself has employed philosophy to prove the existence of the Creator, and show the sin and folly of polytheism and idolatry. Rom 1:19-23. The attributes of the Divine nature-not in themselves cognizable by the senses-have assumed a visible embodiment in the works of creation, and he who fails to discover the one God in His productions is without excuse. So that the teaching of Natural Theology is not erroneous, but defective-it needs not to be corrected, but only to be supplemented. Why should the love of wisdom be reckoned vanity, when the page on which man is invited to study is wide as the universe, and rolls back to creation? Wherever he turns his eye, on himself or beyond himself-above, around, or beneath him, ten thousand things invite his examination. Earth and heaven, mind and matter, past and present, summon him to wake up his faculties, and scrutinize and reflect on the universe around him. Let him look down on the sands and rocks of his home, and he enters into Geology. Let him know this ball to be one of many similar orbs in the sky, and Astronomy entrances him. Let him gaze at the munificent plenty around him, spread over zone and continent in the shape of trees, flowers, and animals, and he is introduced into Geography, Botany, and Zoology. Let him survey the relations of matter-its forms, quantities, and laws of mixture and motion, and at once he finds himself among Mathematics, Optics, Mechanics, and Chemistry. Let him turn his vision upon himself, and observe the attributes and functions of his physical life, and he dips into the mysteries of Anatomy and Physiology. Let him strive to learn what has happened before him, and in what connection he stands to brethren of other tongues and countries, and he is brought into acquaintanceship with History, Philology, and Political Economy. And, in fine, let his own conscious mind make itself the theme of reflection-in its powers and aspirations, its faculties and emotions, its obligations and destiny, and he is initiated into the subtleties and wonders of Metaphysics and Morals, Legislation and Theology. Thus, Strabo, in the first chapter of his Geography, says-That acquaintance with Divine and human things constitutes what is called philosophy.
Again, not only is philosophy a necessary result of our being and condition, but it is full of benefit, for the more a man knows his own nature, the more will he feel the adaptation of Christianity to it, and be persuaded of its Divine origin. The inner nature has its religious instincts and susceptibilities, which are not grafted upon it, but are of its very essence. As the eye is fitted for the reception of light, and light alone can enable it to fulfil its functions-as it is made for the light and the light for it-so religious truth alone is fitted to satisfy those yearnings and aspirations. There is a perfect harmony between God’s inner revelation of Himself in man, and His external revelation of Himself in Scripture. Wrong belief may be against reason, but unbelief is against nature. A sound philosophy comes to this conclusion-that Christianity fulfils every condition-that in its God and its incarnate Jesus-its revelation and its atonement-its sanctifying agency and its future heaven-it responds to every want and hope of humanity. Man must have some God-it gives him the true one. He seeks to some revelation, and it sends him the genuine oracle. He relies on some sacrifice, and it shows the perfect atonement. He anticipates a heaven, and it provides him with such a home, and enables him to reach it. This philosophy develops what Tertullian has happily called testimonium animae naturaliter Christianae.
But it is not such philosophy, or such use of philosophy, that the apostle condemns-Philosophy was, in its first descent, a generous, noble thing; a virgin beauty, a pure light, born of the Father of lights. At the same time, it is not to be denied that the greater portion of heresies have been allied to a false philosophy. Tertullian, in the seventh chapter of his De Praescriptione Haereticorum, says-ipsae denique haereses a philosophia subornantur.Platonism and Aristotelianism had each in turn the ascendency, and Christianity has suffered from the four great forms of philosophy-Sensationalism, Idealism, Scepticism, and Mysticism, the error of each of which lies in pushing to extravagance some important truth. And in modern times, has not Hegelian Pantheism clothed itself in biblical phraseology? Its doctrine, that the consciousness which man has of himself is the consciousness which God has of Himself, finds its appropriate mythical representation in the mediatorial person of the God-man; while eternal life is but the symbol of an immortality without individual existence. Have not men in their wildness invoked the stars in their courses to fight against Him who, enthroned above them, has not forgotten that distant and insignificant planet on which sin and misery dwell? Have they not called to them the rocks and fossils of the early infancy of the globe to prove that the record of creation was not furnished by the Creator? Are there not those at the present time who regard inspiration as but the fine frenzy of an Oriental temperament, or look upon it as being as wide as the world, as common as God, and who, therefore, take f rom the biblical records their sole, infallible, and supreme authority, leaving us an Old Testament without prophecies, and a New Testament without miracles and redemption? These are, verily, abuses of philosophy-oppositions of science, falsely so called. We do not, therefore, object to philosophy, or to the philosophical treatment of Christianity. We can have no horror at free thoughts and bold inquiry, so long as men indicate their desire to submit to the decisions of Evidence. There is a legitimate province for philosophy to work in, and faith is the synthesis of reason and the individual will.
But the system condemned by the apostle was something which assumed the name of philosophy, yet had nothing of its spirit. It sprang from a wrong motive. So far from being the love of wisdom, it was the fondness of folly. It was nursed in a fantastic imagination, and intruded into a supersensuous sphere. It did not deal with nature around it, but with the supernatural beyond it. It did not investigate its own constitution, but it pryed into the arcana of the spirit-world. It was wholly spectral and baseless. It developed superstition and crossed the path of the gospel. It lived in a cloud-land which it had created, and withdrew itself from the influence and faith of apostolical Christianity. The plain truths of redemption did not satisfy its prurient appetite, nor could it content itself with the manifold wisdom of the cross. It longed for something more ethereal than historical facts, something more recondite than the mystery of godliness. It forestalled the Rosicrucian vanities. It peopled the spheres with imaginary Essences, to which it assigned both names and functions. It laboured to purge itself from the vulgarities of physical life, in order to enter this spiritual circle. It battled with the flesh, till the crazy nerves gave it such sights and sounds as it longed to enjoy. The ordinances of the New Testament were too tame for it, and it created a new and emaciating ritual for itself. It was, in short, an eccentric union of Judaism with the Gnostic Theosophy-a mixture of Jewish ritualism with Oriental mysticism. It took from Moses those special parts of his economy, which sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, and it seems to have deepened and exaggerated them. It selected from the Eastern Theosophy its armies of AEons, its array of principalities and powers, whom it marshalled as its mediators, and to whom it inculcated homage. It was smitten with the disease of him who will look into the sun, and who soon mistakes for realities the gaudy images that float before him. Such was the visionary science which had special charms for the inhabitants of Phrygia, and which in after years produced unmistakeable results. That the apostle means such philosophy is evident, for in no other way could his warning be appropriate. It was of a present, and not a future danger-a real, and not an imaginary jeopardy that he so earnestly cautioned them. It was not, as Tertullian imagines, the whole Greek philosophy, for that lay not in his way; nor yet any special form of it, as Grotius and others have held, for the philosophy of the Academy and the Porch, of Epicurus and Pythagoras, was not the source of immediate danger to the Colossian church.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Col 2:7. Rooted and stablished have vritually the same meaning, namely, to be firmly fixed in something. In this passage it means to be established in the faith or in the Gospel. Of course if something has taken firm root in a fertile spot, it will be able to produce a stalk or body above the ground. Likewise, Paul says the brethren will be able to grow or be built up as a stalk of righteousness in the world. And as a plant thus rooted and developed will be able to produce fruit, so the brethren would be able to abound (grow and produce), being thankful for the opportunity of being of service to Christ.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Col 2:7. Rooted and built up. This is to be closely joined with Col 2:6, as defining the command, walk in Him. The first participle points to taking root once for all and continuing rooted; the second to the progressive building up. The figures occur elsewhere.
In him. Christ is here set forth first as the soil, and then as the cornerstone; not strictly as the foundation, since upon Him would be used to express that thought; comp Eph 2:20.
And stablished by your faith (lit., the faith), or, as to your faith. In your faith is the reading of good authorities; but the simple dative is to be preferred, which may be instrumental, or may point to what is strengthened. The former gives the more appropriate sense; faith being subjective, as the English possessive pronoun serves to indicate. Faith is, as it were, the cement of the building (Lightfoot).
As ye were taught; in accordance with the teaching of Epaphras (chap. Col 1:7).
Abounding in thanksgiving. Many authorities read in it (i.e., your faith), but the evidence of the Sinaitic manuscript has turned the scale against the acceptance of it In is more literal than with, and points to the field of operation in which that abundance is manifested (Alford). Here, as everywhere, the Apostle emphasizes the privilege of thanksgiving (comp. in this Epistle, chaps. Col 1:12; Col 3:15; Col 3:17; Col 4:2).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Four characteristics describe the healthy Christian in this verse. First, he or she stands firmly rooted as a tree, "born again." Second, he or she is being built up as a building (cf. 1Pe 2:2). Third, he or she is becoming increasingly stable in the faith. Fourth, he or she demonstrates the fruit of thankfulness constantly. Four participles in the Greek text describe these characteristics. The first is in the perfect tense indicating the initial reception of new life. The last three are in the present tense revealing the ways in which new life should continually express itself.
"The present passage may imply that those who lack a deep sense of thankfulness to God are especially vulnerable to doubt and spiritual delusion." [Note: Vaughan, p. 196.]
"A thankful spirit is a mark of Christian maturity. When a believer is abounding in thanksgiving, he is really making progress!" [Note: Wiersbe, 2:125.]
"As in Rom 1:16-17 and Gal 1:11-12, these two verses provide a brief summary sentence of the main point to be made in the body of the letter, to serve as a heading to what follows . . ." [Note: Dunn, p. 138.]