Smoodock's Blog

Having explained to the Colossians that he had been appointed by God to be a minister of the Gospel of Christ (Colossians 1:25), Paul then began to help the brethren understand the struggle he had for them, especially because they and others hadn’t ever met him in person (Colossians 2:1). It seems that Paul believed his presence brought a gift of the Spirit to the churches, where he preached (Romans 1:11). Scholars have discussed Romans 1:11 but aren’t united in its meaning. It may mean a gift of the Spirit coming upon some by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17), but probably Paul meant that his presence, as an apostle of God (Ephesians 4:11), was in itself a gift from God, and profitable in bringing the churches to maturity in Christ (cp. Acts 20:25, 38).

The word translated conflict (agon – G73) in the KJV (I’ve used struggle above) is translated contention in 1Thessalonians 2:2, fight in 1Timothy 6:12 & 2Timothy 4:7 and race in Hebrews 12:1. The Greek word is derived from the word used of Christ’s “agony” (agonia – G74) in Luke 22:44. Paul seems to be trying to convey what great mental anguish he had for the church in Colossae and others, whom he has never visited. Therefore, he sought to minister with an epistle what would undoubtedly be done more easily through his presence (cp. Romans 1:11; Ephesians 4:11).

It seems that Paul’s intention in his letter is to comfort or persuade (G3870) the hearts of the Colossians, which have been knit together in love, not only to one another, but also with that of their Jewish brethren (Colossians 1:4), by the riches that come with the full assurance in their understanding of the mystery of God (Colossians 2:2), which is Christ in them (Colossians 1:27). In other words, Paul wants his Colossian brethren to be fully convinced of their place in Christ. It is not secondary to Jewish Christians, but equal. In Christ everyone is equal, with no partiality extended to any group (Galatians 3:28; cp. Colossians3:11). The same Spirit of God (Romans 8:9) that dwells in believing Jews dwells also in believing gentiles, like the Colossians, without distinction or prejudice.

Moreover, hidden in Christ, vis-à-vis hidden in the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9) that dwells within all believers (Colossians 1:27) are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3) In fact, every spiritual blessing one could ever desire is hid in Christ (Colossians 1:19; cp. Ephesians 1:3), vis-à-vis hid in Christ’s Spirit (Romans 8:9; cp. Proverbs 25:2a), and all that is necessary is for each believer to search out those riches or spiritual blessings (Proverbs 25:2b). In other words, the treasures of this wisdom and knowledge are found **only** in Christ. That is, they cannot be found out otherwise, vis-à-vis through human effort, meaning by obedience to law or through philosophy, vis-à-vis through mental or physical discipline (cp. Colossians 2:8). Christ is sufficient and doesn’t need help to make the believer perfect (mature) in the faith. Paul wants the Colossians to fully understand and be persuaded in this, so that no one would be able to deceive them with some kind of appealing argument to the contrary (Colossians 2:4), which sort of thing was done quite often by Greek rhetoricians, who sought to impress others with their thinking, and by others who use plausible but deceptive argumentation.

Therefore, seeking to encourage his Colossian brethren by saying he was present with them in spirit, although physically absent from them, Paul mentions that he took great joy in “beholding” their order and the steadfastness of their faith in Christ. In other words, Paul was saying that he expects them to put what he writes in his epistle into practice. That is, it was Paul’s hope that the Colossian brethren would react to his epistle in a similar manner that they would to his physical presence, if, indeed, he was physically there with them (Colossians 2:5; cp. Romans 1:11).