Mystery of Maturity
INTRO: Mystery to me...
1:26. The Dead Sea Scrolls and other texts speak of “mysteries” in the Scriptures that only the spiritually enlightened can understand; for Paul, Christians are now enlightened (1:9, 12). This statement would refute mystics who claimed special, elite revelations belonging only to themselves (2:18).
Paul asserts that this formerly hidden “mystery” is not some form of esoteric knowledge reserved for a select few, but is God’s unfolding plan of redemption through Jesus Christ revealed to all. No longer exclusive to Israel, the content of this message (i.e., Christ, “the hope of glory”; Col. 1:27) is now accessible to all and must be preached to all. We preach not fundamentally an ethical code or a set of doctrines or right behavior, but Christ.
1:25. “Stewards” (cf. NASB) were managers of large household estates; they were often slaves or freedmen of high status. The phrase “fulfill the word of God” (KJV, literally) was sometimes used for obeying God’s word, sometimes for being an instrument in bringing it to pass; Paul here both obeys and fulfills God’s word by making it available to the Gentiles.
If Christians share in dying and rising with Christ (3:1, 3–4), they also share in Christ’s sufferings (Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 1:5–6). Paul firmly believes in the solidarity of Christians with Christ and with one another (1 Cor 12:26; 2 Cor 7:3–4). fill up in my flesh. Paul’s physical suffering as a member of Christ’s body and as an apostle extends Christ’s vocation of suffering for the world. what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions. Perhaps a measure of afflictions that had to be completed before Christ would return in glory (Rev 6:9–11). Or “what is still lacking” may refer to Christ’s physical absence (cf. 1 Cor 16:17; Phil 2:30). Paul does not imply that his sufferings somehow make up for some deficiency in Christ’s atoning death.
1:24 my sufferings. Paul’s present imprisonment (Acts 28:16, 30; see Introduction to Ephesians: Background and Setting). fill up … what is lacking. Paul was experiencing the persecution intended for Christ. In spite of His death on the cross, Christ’s enemies had not gotten their fill of inflicting injury on Him. So they turned their hatred on those who preached the gospel (cf. John 15:18, 24; 16:1–3). It was in that sense that Paul filled up what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions (see notes on 2 Cor. 1:5; Gal. 6:17).
1:26 mystery. Cf. 2:2; 4:3. See notes on Matt. 13:11; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:4, 5. This refers to truth, hidden until now, but revealed for the first time to the saints in the NT. Such truth includes the mystery of the incarnate God (2:2, 3, 9), Israel’s unbelief (Rom. 11:25), lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:7), the unity of Jew and Gentile made one in the church (Eph. 3:3–6), and the rapture of the church (1 Cor. 15:51). In this passage, the mystery is specifically identified in v. 27.
Three things are said in the verse about the sufferings of Paul: First, they are for the sake of other people. The apostle speaks of suffering “for you” and “for the sake of his [Christ’s] body.” In both phrases the preposition means not “in place of” but “in the interest of.” The first phrase alludes to the fact that Paul’s bonds and imprisonment had been incurred in the course of bringing the gospel to the Gentiles, to which class the Colossians belonged. The sufferings, therefore, were for their sake in the sense that they shared in the benefit of the ministry that brought on those sufferings.
The sufferings his people endure are a continuation of what he endured, and in that sense they complete his afflictions. “It is a simple matter of fact,” writes Lightfoot, “that the afflictions of every saint and martyr do supplement the afflictions of Christ. The Church is built up by repeated acts of self-denial in successive individuals and successive generations. They continue the work which Christ began” (p. 166).
The underlying principle is the believer’s union with Christ. That union is so intimate—Christ the Head, his people the body—that he suffers when they suffer (cf. Isa 63:9). His personal sufferings are over, but his sufferings in his people continue (cf. 2 Cor 1:5; Philippians 3:10). Perhaps Paul was thinking of Christ’s words to him on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4, 5).
Paul’s special message regarding the Gentiles had to do with what he called the mystery. To us today, a mystery is something eerie and perhaps frightening; but this was not the way the word was defined in Paul’s day. The false teachers used this word to describe the inner secrets of their religions. A mystery is a “sacred secret,” hidden in the past and now revealed by the Holy Spirit (see Eph. 3:1–13).
God called the nation of Israel to be His people, He gave them His Law (including the priesthood and sacrifices), and He gave them a wonderful land. He promised them a King who would one day establish a glorious kingdom and fulfill the many promises made to Abraham and David. The Old Testament prophets wrote about a Messiah who would suffer, and a Messiah who would reign. They could not explain the seeming contradiction (see 1 Peter 1:9–12). They did not understand that the Messiah first had to suffer before He could enter into glory (Luke 24:13–27).
Jesus Christ came to earth, was rejected by His people, and was crucified. He arose again and returned to heaven. Did this mean that God’s promised kingdom for Israel was now abandoned? No, because God had initiated a new program—His mystery—that was not explained by the Old Testament prophets. The mystery is that today God is uniting Jews and Gentiles in the church (Eph. 2:11–22). When the church is completed, then Jesus Christ will return and take His people to heaven (1 Thes. 4:13–18). Then He will again deal with Israel as a nation and establish the promised kingdom (Acts 15:12–18).
1:27 Gentiles … Christ in you. The OT predicted the coming of the Messiah and that the Gentiles would partake of salvation (cf. Is. 42:6; 45:21, 22; 49:6; 52:10; 60:1–3; Pss. 22:27; 65:5; 98:2, 3), but it did not reveal that the Messiah would actually live in each member of His redeemed church, made up mostly of Gentiles. That believers, both Jew and Gentile, now possess the surpassing riches of the indwelling Christ is the glorious revealed mystery (John 14:23; Rom. 8:9, 10; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:7, 17, 18; 3:8–10, 16–19). the hope of glory. The indwelling Spirit of Christ is the guarantee to each believer of future glory (Rom. 8:11; Eph. 1:13, 14; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4).
1:29 I strenuously contend. Paul provides the exertion but Christ provides the power in Paul’s ministry (Phil 2:12–13).
1:28 perfect. To be complete or mature—to be like Christ. See notes on Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 11:1; Phil. 3:12–14, 19, 20; 1 John 2:6; 3:2. This spiritual maturity is defined in 2:2.
Christ in you is now declared to be “the hope of glory.” “Hope” is joyous expectation or anticipation. “Glory” is that which will belong to the Christian in the heavenly state (cf. 3:4; Rom 5:2; 8:17). The general truth is that Christ dwelling in the believer is the ground for certainty of complete salvation. A kindred notion is found in Ephesians 1:13, 14, where the Spirit is designated as “the earnest of our inheritance.” In this letter “Christ himself occupies the sphere that Paul elsewhere assigns to the Spirit” (Beare, p. 181).
2:2 Paul lists three goals of his apostolic contending. (1) encouraged in heart. The heart was considered to be the center of one’s will and reasoning and not merely that of one’s emotions. (2) united in love. Love is both a unifying force (3:14) and an atmosphere in which one lives. (3) complete understanding. This experience will lead them to grasp with full assurance God’s larger purpose for the world in Christ.
2:3 all the treasures. Cf. vv. 9, 10; 1:19. The false teachers threatening the Colossians claimed to possess a secret wisdom and transcendent knowledge available only to the spiritual elite. In sharp contrast, Paul declared that all the richness of truth necessary for either salvation, sanctification, or glorification is found in Jesus Christ, who Himself is God revealed. Cf. John 1:14; Rom. 11:33–36; 1 Cor. 1:24, 30; 2:6–8; Eph. 1:8, 9; 3:8, 9.
Paul’s intent (v. 28b; 2:2–3). He wanted to present every believer “perfect in Christ Jesus.” The word perfect was a favorite word with the gnostic teachers. It described the disciple who was no longer a novice, but who had matured and was fully instructed in the secrets of the religion. Paul used it to mean “complete, mature in Christ.” This is the goal of all preaching, warning, and teaching.
What are the evidences of this spiritual maturity? Paul described them next (Col. 2:2).
Encouragement—“that their hearts might be comforted.” Our English word encourage means “with heart.” To encourage people is to give them new heart. Shallow sympathy usually makes people feel worse, but true spiritual encouragement makes them feel better. It brings out the best in people.
Endearment—“being knit together in love.” The mature Christian loves the brethren and seeks to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. He is a part of spiritual unity in the church. An immature person is often selfish and causes division.
Enrichment—“unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.” Paul mentioned the riches of Christ earlier (Col. 1:27). Too many Christians are living like paupers when they could be living like kings. Mature Christians do not complain about what they don’t have. Rather, they make use of the vast resources that they do have in Jesus Christ.
Enlightenment—“full assurance of understanding.” The mature believer has assurance in his heart that he is a child of God. The spiritual knowledge that he has in Christ constantly enlightens him and directs him daily. I have often counseled believers who told me they lacked assurance of their salvation. Invariably, they have been neglecting God’s Word and living in ignorance.
Now we meet Paul the prayer-warrior, striving in prayer for the individual saints that they might mature in the faith. The words striving (Col. 1:29) and conflict (Col. 2:1) are athletic terms. They refer to the strenuous effort put forth by the runner to win the race. Our English word agony comes from this Greek word.
Because Paul can describe his labor in terms of conflict suitable to an athletic contest (1:29), it is significant that Greek athletes traditionally strove in pan-Grecian competitions not only for their own honor but also for that of the cities they represented. Paul’s sufferings are thus on the church’s behalf (1:24; 2:1).