Colossians 2.5b-Paul Rejoiced Because of the Discipline of the Colossians and Their Dedication to the Gospel
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday October 11, 2015
Colossians: Colossians 2:5b-Paul Rejoiced Because of the Discipline of the Colossians and Their Dedication to the Gospel
Lesson # 43
Colossians 2:5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. (NASB95)
The apostle Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton which means that he is not using a connective word between his previous statement that he was with the Colossians because of the Spirit despite not being present with them and the one to follow.
The purpose of this figure is to commend the Colossians for their faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage them to continue doing so.
“To see your good discipline” is composed of the following: (1) verb blepō (βλέπω), “to see” (5) personal pronoun su (σύ) (see), “your” (6) noun taxis (τάξις), “good discipline.”
The verb blepō means “to be cognizant” since it pertains to having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.
Here the word’s subject is Paul and its object is the Colossians’ discipline and specifically, their dedication to the gospel which was produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
The firsthand source is Epaphras according to Colossians 1:7.
Therefore, the verb indicates that Paul was cognizant of the Colossians’ discipline and specifically, their dedication to the gospel which was produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
The participle form of this verb blepō is a causal participle which would mean that it is answering the question as to why Paul existed in the state of rejoicing.
So Paul would be saying that he rejoiced “because” of being cognizant of the Colossians’ discipline and specifically, their dedication to the gospel which was produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
The noun taxis means “good order, discipline” since it pertains to the characteristic of possessing well-regulated conduct.
The word speaks of the Colossians’ godly conduct or pattern of behavior.
In Colossians 1:4 Paul informs the Colossians that he interceded in prayer for them because he heard about their faith in his apostolic teaching and the fact that they were practicing the love of God with each other.
This resulted in their godly conduct or godly pattern of behavior.
“And the stability of your faith in Christ” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (2) noun stereōma (στερέωμα), “the stability” (3) definite article ho (ὁ), which is not translated (4) preposition eis (εἰς), “in” (5) noun Christos (Χριστός), “Christ” (6) noun pistis (πίστις), “ faith” (7) personal pronoun su (σύ), “your.”
The conjunction kai is epexegetical meaning it is introducing a statement which defines specifically what Paul means by the noun taxis which means “discipline.”
The word introduces a clause in which Paul affirms the Colossians’ discipline and specifically, their dedication to the gospel which was produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
Therefore, this epexegetical clause is defining discipline as the Colossians’ dedication to the gospel which was produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
As we noted, the noun taxis speaks of godly conduct or a godly pattern of behavior.
This godly conduct is the direct result of appropriating by faith one’s union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
The noun stereoma means “firmness, steadfastness, commitment, dedication” since it pertains to a state of firm, inner strength or firm commitment or dedication.
Here it speaks of the Colossians being firmly committed or dedicated to the gospel or Paul’s apostolic teaching or the Christian faith.
The genitive feminine singular form of the definite article ho modifies the noun pistis.
Both are in the genitive case and function as a genitive of production meaning they produce the noun to which they stand related, which is stereoma.
This indicates that the Colossians faith in Christ or in other words, their appropriating by faith their union and identification with Christ produced this commitment or dedication to the gospel.
The noun pistis means “faith” and refers to the Colossians appropriating by faith their union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
This union and identification with Jesus Christ provides them the victory over the indwelling Adamic sin nature and Satan and his cosmic system.
The proper name Christos denotes the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth, thus He is the Deliverer of the human race in three areas through His death, resurrection, ascension and session: (1) Satan (2) Cosmic System (3) Old Sin Nature.
The Lord’s Messiahship has a four-fold significance: (1) Separation unto God. (2) Authorization from God. (3) Divine enablement. (4) The coming Deliverer.
It also signifies the uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth who is the God-Man.
Christos signifies that Jesus of Nazareth served God the Father exclusively and this was manifested by His execution of the Father’s salvation plan which was accomplished by His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross.
The word signifies that Jesus of Nazareth has been given authority by God the Father to forgive sins, give eternal life, and authority over all creation and every creature as a result of His execution of the Father’s salvation plan.
It denotes that Jesus of Nazareth was perpetually guided and empowered by God the Holy Spirit during His First Advent.
Lastly, Christos signifies that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised deliverer of the human race from the bondage of Satan, his cosmic system and the old Adamic sin nature.
This word Christos emphasizes that Jesus of Nazareth, the incarnate Son of God delivered the believer from the sin nature, personal sins, the devil and his cosmic system, spiritual and physical death and eternal condemnation through His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths and resurrection.
This word contains the figure of metonymy meaning that Christ is put for the Colossians’ union and identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
The noun Christos is the object of the preposition eis which is a marker of reference.
This indicates that Paul rejoiced because he was cognizant of the Colossians’ discipline and specifically, their dedication to the gospel which was produced by their faith “with regards to” their union and identification with Christ.
Colossians 2:5 For indeed, if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that I am personally absent and we both know this is true, then I am nonetheless present with you because of the Spirit. I am rejoicing, yes because I am cognizant of your discipline specifically your dedication which is produced by your faith with regards to your union and identification with Christ. (Author’s translation)
Paul follows the first class conditional statement up with an assertion about himself, namely that he was existing in a state of rejoicing because he was cognizant of the Colossians’ discipline and specifically their dedication to the gospel.
He learned this from Epaphras according to Colossians 1:7.
The noun taxis “discipline” speaks of the Colossians’ godly conduct or pattern of behavior.
In Colossians 1:4 Paul informs the Colossians that he interceded in prayer for them because he heard about their faith in his apostolic teaching and the fact that they were practicing the love of God with each other.
This resulted in their godly conduct or godly pattern of behavior.
Paul then defines for the Colossians what he means by the noun taxis.
He defines it as the Colossians’ dedication which is produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
This godly conduct is the direct result of appropriating by faith one’s union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
The noun stereoma, “dedication” speaks of the Colossians being firmly committed or dedicated to the gospel or Paul’s apostolic teaching or the Christian faith.
Paul then asserts that the Colossians’ faith in Christ or in other words, their appropriating by faith their union and identification with Christ produced this commitment or dedication to the gospel.
The noun pistis, “faith” refers to the Colossians appropriating by faith their union and identification with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
This union and identification with Jesus Christ provides them the victory over the indwelling Adamic sin nature and Satan and his cosmic system.