Colossians 1:3-9
Commentary on Colossians
I. PAUL’S SOLICITUDE FOR THE COLOSSIANS (Col. 1:1–2:7)
A. SALUTATION (1:1, 2)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ that are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
This letter comes to the Colossians jointly in the names of Paul and Timothy. Thus the salutation is very similar to that of the Philippian letter. Here Paul calls himself an apostle, a designation more appropriate in view of the fact that he was a stranger to the Colossians. This would imply, though not necessarily prove, a time and place of writing similar to that of the Ephesian letter.
The readers are addressed as saints and faithful brethren in Christ (v. 2). As in the Philippian greeting, the saints (hagioi) are not necessarily exceptionally mature Christians but rather all who are truly “in Christ.” Are the faithful brethren a separate group in the church or is this synonymous with saints? The latter view seems the more probable. He is not thinking of faithful brethren as a group distinct from the saints but of the saints as characterized by brethren who are faithful. The salutation mentions grace and peace, exactly the same as in the Philippian greeting. There, however, it is in reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. No particular attachment can be placed on this omission here (in the best Greek text), for in the next verse he does mention the Lord Jesus Christ. A greeting that included the words grace and peace reflects a dual heritage: grace points to the Greek tradition, peace to the Hebrew influence. Paul was well fitted to mediate these heritages to the new churches. However this does not imply that Christianity is an eclectic faith resulting from a merger. The roots are Hebraic, the transformation is Christian, and the language used to convey the message is Greek.
B. THANKSGIVING (1:3–8)
3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
1. For Their Faith (1:3, 4a)
Paul usually prefaced his epistles with a song of thanksgiving. This one is no exception. His thankfulness is reflected both in 1:3 and 1:12. This is a very long sentence, which is very characteristic of the Apostle. The Pauline trilogy of faith, hope, and love is noticeable here, as it is in 1 Cor. 13:13 (cf. 1 Thess. 1:3). Faith is basic and primary. The initial response of the believer to the gospel is one of faith. Faith brings repentance and salvation. The object of their faith was Christ. Their faith was based upon the kerygma; that is, the proclamation of the advent, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The faith of the New Testament saints was based upon both God’s work and word. In the New Testament times the most decisive element was apparently God’s work in raising Christ from the dead. This was the crucial thing in faith (1 Cor. 15:1ff.; Rom. 10:9;). This was saving faith. It included personal trust in Christ as Savior. Thus it was more than a creed and more than a conviction; it was a personal involvement.
2. For Their Love (1:4b)
Their love is primarily to God, but secondarily toward all the saints. The two go together, as New Testament writers so frequently and emphatically insist (1 Jn. 4:7). The term love (agape) is a God-given quality that involves appreciation and choice. It is diffused in the heart by the agency of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:1–5).
3. For Their Hope (1:5–8)
Faith directed toward Christ and love directed toward all the saints leads naturally to hope, a look to the future. It is spoken of in language suggesting an inheritance, a treasure (1 Peter 1:3, 13, 21). In the minds of these young converts from paganism, this prospect of the future was one of the most attractive features of the Christian faith. Even today among younger churches the doctrine of the last days, and of the Second Coming of Christ generally plays a large part in thought and life.
As Paul wrote, news was coming in from all directions of the progress of the gospel. From one standpoint it was a reformed Judaism bursting its bonds and being transformed into a new world faith. The stagnation of the centuries was over and the vision of the prophet who predicted that light would come to the Gentiles was now being fulfilled. Paul was writing when the tide was in full swell, when the gospel was having free course and winning adherents daily. It was a period in Church history comparable to the late nineteenth century when Heber wrote: “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun / Doth its successive journeys run.” The amazing thing is that by the end of Paul’s career Christianity had spread throughout the Roman empire. It was spread very thinly but also very extensively. Much of the spread was not due to churches engaging in missionary activities as such, but the frequency of travel throughout the empire, which facilitated a spread of the good news. Also the novelty and power of the new faith made its impact, even on a sophisticated generation. Paul notes that the Colossians already know this because of the word from their pastor, Epaphras, who was presently performing a service for Paul. The affection of this servant, Epaphras, for his spiritual father was not hard to understand, and the esteem with which he would be held by his converts likewise is easily understood. Epaphras, therefore, was the chief human connecting link between Paul and this church in distant Colossae.
C. PETITION (1:9–11)
1. For Spiritual Infilling (1:9)
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy;
For this cause we also … pray (v. 9). The cause to which he refers is the report from Epaphras concerning their conversion. He also apparently has reference to Epaphras likewise. In other words, the Apostle joins with the pastor Epaphras in interceding for the Colossians. These petitions began, as far as Paul was concerned, immediately upon hearing of their salvation. Since then his petitions have not ceased. Paul is remembered as a great missionary, a great theologian, a great traveler and sufferer, a great thinker, but he was also a great man of prayer. For what did he make request? Perhaps recognizing the presence of Gnosticism, his prayer first is that they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. True, they needed to be better informed about the facts of Christ’s life and the doctrines of the Christian faith. But Paul is praying for something more than this. He wants them to have a direct revelation by the Spirit of God enabling them to become existentially and personally involved in the word and wisdom of God.
2. For Fruitful Service (1:10)
Walk worthily of the Lord (v. 10). The dawn of spiritual wisdom should be accompanied by a wise walk. The term walk (peripateō) means to “conduct oneself correctly.” The emphasis is upon a holy life that will be consistent with one’s profession of allegiance to the holy God. But how can one be unto all pleasing? It is often impossible to please both God and man, but the meaning here is to do the type of living that is generally commendable. Even a pagan can recognize the difference between a type of life worthy of a Christian and one that is not. Paul’s plea is to let Christian perfection and correct moral practices be wed and never separated. The Christian is to bear fruit as naturally as a fruit tree does. By fruit the Apostle means good works, not as the means of earning salvation, but as an expression of salvation.
3. For Patience (1:11)
Following his recommendation of increasing discernment and a walk worthy of the Lord, the Apostle now yearns for their empowerment. Theirs is the need for strength (cf. Ephesians 1:19–22). The word for power (dynamis) is not the strength of authority but rather one of inherent, explosive energy. From this we get our term dynamite. It is the same word used in Acts 1:8, where Jesus speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit He will bestow. Another synonym Paul uses here is might of his glory (kratos). However the power here is not merely a driving power that overcomes obstacles but it is power linked with patience (hypomonē). This is not so much explosive power as staying power. This stedfastness sometimes involves suffering, but the grace of God is so abundant that even in such a situation one can rejoice. Paul spoke from experience, for in the Philippian jail he was able to sing praises to God at midnight while smarting from the stripes of the lictors. On another occasion also the disciples were filled with spiritual joy even amid persecution (Acts 13:32).
EPAPHRAS (Ἐπαφρᾶς, Epaphras). A Christian from Colossae and co-worker of Paul whose evangelistic work helped start the church in Colossae. In his letter to the believers in Colossae, Paul states that Epaphras was responsible for teaching the gospel to the Colossian believers (Col 1:7). Epaphras also seems to have played a continuing role in the growth of the Colossian church. Paul describes him as a “faithful minister of Christ” on behalf of the Colossians who brought news of their faith to Paul while he was in prison (Col 1:7–8; Phlm 1:23). Paul’s reference to Epaphras’ labor among the believers in Laodicea and in Hierapolis suggests that Epaphras either founded or played a key role in establishing other churches in the region (Col 4:13)
