Colossians 1.12a-Thanksgiving Accompanies Walking in a Manner Worthy of the Lord
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday March 8, 2015
Colossians: Colossians 1:12a-Thanksgiving Accompanies Walking in a Manner Worthy of the Lord
Lesson # 15
Colossians 1:3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth. 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf. 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. (NASB95)
“Giving thanks to the Father” is composed of the following: (1) verb eucharisteō (εὐχαριστέω), “giving thanks” (2) noun patēr (πατήρ), “to the Father.”
As was the case in Colossians 1:3, the verb eucharisteō here in Colossians 1:12 means, “to give thanks to” God the Father.
However, this time it is used in reference to the believers in Colossae.
Therefore, it refers to these faithful Christians in Colossae giving thanks to the Father during their prayers.
The participle form of this verb is a temporal participle meaning that in relation to its controlling verb, it answers the question, “when?”
The word’s controlling verb appears in verse 10 and is peripateo.
The present tense of eucharisteō indicates contemporaneous action with this controlling verb.
This indicates that “while” the Colossians lived in a manner worthy of the Lord so as to be fully pleasing to Him, they would be giving thanks to the Father.
The present tense of the verb eucharisteō is a customary present, which is used to signal a regularly occurring action.
This would indicate these faithful Christians in Colossae “regularly” or “made it their habit of” giving thanks to the Father while they lived their lives in a manner worthy of the Lord so as to be fully pleasing to Him.
The noun patēr means “Father” referring of course to the first member of the Trinity.
The articular construction of the word is anaphoric meaning that the noun’s synonym was used in the previous context, in verse 10 which is the articular form of the noun theos, “God.”
This word patēr functions as a dative direct object meaning it is receiving the action of the verb eucharisteō.
This category of the dative is found with verbs of thanksgiving, which eucharisteō denotes.
This indicates that the Father would be the recipient of Paul’s thanksgiving for the faithful believers in Colossae.
The apostle Paul puts the word in the dative rather than accusative case since he wants to emphasize with these faithful believers the personal relationship that exists between them and God the Father.
Colossians 1:3 We continue making it our habit of giving thanks to God namely the Father of our Lord, who is Jesus, who is the Christ when we make it our habit of occupying ourselves with praying on behalf of each and every one of you as a corporate unit. 4 We do this because we heard about your faith in Christ, who is Jesus and in addition your love which you continue to regularly demonstrate for the benefit of each and every one of the saints. 5 All of you do this because of the confident expectation which is, as an eternal spiritual truth reserved in the heavens for all of you. All of you heard this by means of the teaching, which is the truth, namely the proclamation of the gospel 6 which all of you continue to appropriate for the benefit of all of you. Just as in fact throughout the entire world, it continues to produce fruit as well as spread so also it continues to produce fruit as well as spread among all of you from the day all of you obeyed. Consequently, all of you acquired an objective experiential knowledge of the grace originating from God by means of the truth. 7 Just as all of you learned the truth from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant who is faithfully serving the Christ on behalf of each and every one of us. 8 The one who also revealed to us your divine-love by means of the Spirit’s power. 9 For this reason also, from the day we ourselves heard about all of you, we never permit ourselves to cease making it our habit of occupying ourselves with praying on behalf of each and every one of you. Specifically, we make it our habit of occupying ourselves with making urgent requests that (God) would cause all of you to be filled with that which is knowing His will experientially by means of a wisdom which is absolute resulting in a discernment which is spiritual. 10 The purpose would be all of you living your lives in a manner worthy of the Lord so as to be fully pleasing to Him. This would result in all of you bearing fruit by means of each and every kind of action which is divine good in quality and character and in addition increasing in knowing experientially God the Father. 11 This is because of all of you are empowered by means of a power which is absolute, because of a power which is sovereign, namely, His glory. The purpose of which is to perfectly embody perseverance as well as patience with joy. 12 All the while, all of you making it your habit of giving thanks to the Father who has qualified each and every one of us with regards to sharing in the saints’ inheritance residing in that which is characterized by light. (Author’s translation)
The apostle Paul’s statement here in Colossians 1:12 is tied to his statement in Colossians 1:10 in which he declares that the purpose for which he prayed for the Colossians.
Specifically, Paul informs the Colossians that he interceded in prayer for them that they would be filled with that which is knowing the Father’s will experientially by means of wisdom which is absolute and a discernment which is spiritual.
The result of this is that they would bear fruit by means of each and every kind of action which is divine good in quality and character and in addition increasing in knowing experientially the Father.
In verse 11, he tells them that the reason they can bear fruit is that they are empowered by means of a power which is absolute, specifically because of a power which is sovereign, namely the Father’s glory which is Jesus Christ.
The purpose of this is that the Colossians would perfectly embody perseverance as well as patience with joy.
Now, here in verse 12, the apostle Paul states that while the Colossians lived in a manner worthy of the Lord so as to be fully pleasing to Him, they would be giving thanks to the Father.
One of the characteristics of a productive prayer life is that of thankfulness (Matt 15:36; 26:27; Mark 8:6; 14:23; Luke 22:17-19; John 6:11; 23; 11:41; Acts 27:35; 28:15; Rom. 1:8; 7:25; 1 Cor. 1:4; 11:24; Eph. 5:20; Col. 1:12; 3:17; Phlp. 1:3-4; 4:6; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13).
We should never forget to thank God in prayer.
Our gratitude demonstrates our respect and appreciation for God’s grace policy, which blesses us without us ever earning or deserving blessings.
Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. (NASB95)
Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. (NASB95)
Also, the believer should always give thanks to the Father for His gift of salvation, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man Savior (2 Cor. 9:15).
Psalm 50:23 teaches that the believer who offers thanksgiving to God the Father in prayer honors Him.
We are to give thanks with other believers in our congregation.
This too glorifies God, if done with proper motivation, which is to worship God in prayer, not to make ourselves look holy.
Psalm 35:18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty throng. (NASB95)
We are to give thanks to God for both adversity and prosperity, since both come from Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In all circumstances give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (My translation)
The humanity of Christ employed thanksgiving to God in prayer when performing miracles (Mat 14:19; 15:36; Mark 6:41; 8:6; Luke 9:16; John 6:11).
One particular account was when Christ resuscitated Lazarus.
The Lord Jesus Christ, in His humanity, showed immense gratitude towards His Father for hearing His prayer.
John 11:41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” (NASB95)
The Lord Jesus Christ also offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Father when instituting the Lord’s Supper for the Church (Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17, 19; 1 Co 11:23-26).