Smoodock's Blog

Paul told the Colossian believers to continue in prayer (Colossians 4:2). However, nothing has been said up to this point about prayer. So, it couldn’t mean that Paul is saying “as you’ve been doing, continue…” I believe Paul had a constant readiness in mind, when he told the Colossians to continue (G4342) in prayer. The word is used in Acts 2:42 to indicate new Jewish believers continued “steadfast in the Apostles doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking bread and in prayers.” In such a context, the new believers were eager to learn and to embrace the teachings of the Apostles, and they were eager to fellowship with like-minded believers. They ate with them, and they prayed with them! So, the text implies consistency, not several varied ideas about Christ, as is assumed by modern skeptics. Instead, we have the idea of consistency and an eagerness for that to remain so.

So, the Greek word implies Paul wants the Colossian believers to engage in prayer and to apply themselves to its practice constantly. In Romans 13:6 the word is used in connection with a community’s military police force, saying they are the ministers of God against evil, and they were continually mindful of protecting society from harm. Mark used this same Greek word, proskartereo (G4342), to mean a boat was constantly available to Jesus, while he preached to the crowds, so that, if things got unruly and the crowd began to throng Jesus, he and his disciples could get away quickly by sea (Mark 3:9). Finally, Luke uses the word to describe the faithful service of a soldier under the command of the Roman centurion, Cornelius. He was always present, ready to serve Cornelius in whatever capacity he could (Acts 10:7). So, for Paul, prayer was a duty, to which the believer needed to ready to perform at all times.

Paul also uses the word watch (G1127 – gregoreueo), meaning to keep awake, be vigilant. The word is used of a military guard used to defend someone or a particular place. The guard needed to be aware of everything going on, as they performed their duty. That said, however, in what sense are we to keep awake or be vigilant in prayer? Jesus uses the word, while he and his disciples were in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked three of his disciples to watch with him, while he prayed, but they kept falling asleep (Matthew 26:38, 40-41; Mark 14:34, 37-38). Considering Jesus prayed through most of the night, it is understandable that the three disciples found it difficult to stay awake. Nevertheless, it couldn’t possibly mean “stay awake” in the obvious sense every time we pray, because we don’t often pray through the night. Most of the time that we pray, we do so during normal waking hours. So, what does Paul mean: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same…” (Colossians 4:2)?

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says: “Let’s not sleep, as do others, but let us watch…” (G1127; see 1Thessalonians 5:6). Clearly, Paul isn’t speaking in a literal sense. He is speaking allegorically. Most folks simply aren’t aware of something that Paul wants to draw believers’ attention to, but what does Paul want us to see or sense? In his letter to the Thessalonians Paul spoke of the Day of the Lord, and how it was coming upon the world. Unbelievers were simply unaware of how near it was, but Paul expected believers to be aware of such things that concerned God’s work among us. So, how should we apply Paul’s words to the Colossians, when he says: “Continue in prayer and watch in the same…” vis-à-vis watch in prayer?

I believe the term should be understood in the spiritual sense, vis-à-vis it has to do with our awareness of God’s Presence with us, while we are at prayer. Not only should we be able to sense the Presence of God, while we pray, but we should be alert for the still small voice (1Kings 19:12) that comes from God, while we speak with him. While we shouldn’t be waiting for or expecting an audible response (a rare occurrence), we need to watch, or be alert (awake) for a thought response, when it occurs. Otherwise, our prayers are simply lists of our desires that God would do on our behalf. Therefore, when we pray or are at a continual readiness to pray, be alert for a thought that comes from God, a thought that doesn’t appear to be our own.