Colossians 1:24

Authors Translation

Presently I am rejoicing in the midst of my suffering on your behalf and I am filling up what still remains of Christ's physical affliction on behalf of His body, this one the (called out) Church.

θλίψεων

Thlipsis (lemma) is never used to describe the vicarious death and suffering of Jesus. It carries the idea of physical pain and suffering.

ἀνταναπληρῶ

Word Pictures in the New Testament Colossians 1:24

Very rare double compound verb (here only in N. T.) to fill (πληροω [plēroō]) up (ἀνα [ana]), in turn (ἀντι [anti]). 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.

Thoughts

Therefore, Jesus did not cause suffering to cease.

As the Head of the Church, Christ set us an example by being the first to suffer. As the body, we are called to suffer with Christ (Mat. 5:10; 24:9; 1 Cor. 12:26; 2 Cor. 1:5-7; Rom. 8:17; Phil. 1:29; 3:8, 10; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:13-14; 2 Tim. 2:11).

A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians Colossians 1:24

The expression Christ’s sufferings may be understood more in a qualitative than in a literal sense; that is to say, these are “the kinds of suffering which Christ endured.” In this way, one may avoid the impression that what Christ suffered was inadequate for atonement. One may, therefore, translate I am helping to complete what still remains of Christ’s sufferings as “I am helping to complete the suffering which must be endured in the way Christ suffered” or “there is much suffering which people must endure and I am suffering in the way in which Christ suffered in order to complete the suffering which is necessary.”

Calvin: Commentaries 2. The Christian Warfare

But I answer that although the best comfort for our sorrow is that its cause is connected with Christ, yet the faithful do not complain to God in vain or wrongly when they say that they are suffering unjustly for his sake. For in this way, they want him to come forward with more vigor as their defender, since it is right that he himself take care of his own glory, when the impious insult and deal cruelly with his worshipers.…

Calvin: Commentaries 2. The Christian Warfare

This doctrine we must take for our own use. First, we must be ready, after the example of the fathers, to bear calmly any suffering by which our loyalty to the confession of our faith is validated. Secondly, in the deepest shadows of death we must constantly call on the name of God, and we must stand fast in fear of him.