Colossians, Chapter 1
© Copyright 1997 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
When Abram began to be used by God in a
special way, God changed his name to Abraham.
When Jacob met God in the nighttime struggle
his name was changed to
When Saul of Tarsus met Christ on the road to
The name Paul first appears in the New
Testament in Acts chapter 13.
Acts 13:9---“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul) filled with the
Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.”
Biblical names convey meaning.
What does Paul mean?
According to many Paul means small or
little.
Paul referred to himself as the least of the
Apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9).
According to A. E. Knoch's booklet "The Address on the letter"
Paul’s name may have come from the Greek pauoo-pauw meaning to cease, halt, or pause.
Paul’s ministry marks a type of pause in
God's plan for the ages.
At the time of Paul, the gospel ceased to be
exclusively for Jews only or Jewish Proselytes.
Through Paul the gospel of grace was opened
to the nations, the Gentiles.
That "opening" is underscored by
Paul’s name change.
The name of the Jewish Apostle to the
Gentiles was changed to a Gentile name.
Saul had a new name and a new mission.
Timothy is first mentioned in Acts 16:1.
Acts 16:1---“Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a
certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which
was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek.”
Lystra was located in ancient Lycaonia
(modern
Paul begins by proclaiming that he is an
Apostle (Gr. apostolos-apostoloV) by the will, or
determination of God.
That seems odd to us, but Paul was not universally
accepted as an apostle.
Do you realize that you are a Christian by
the determinate power of God?
Dead men don’t make decisions.
Free will exercised by an unregenerate human
being can only lead to sin!
Rom
3:10-11
10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. (NKJV)
Unrighteousness cannot seek that which is
righteous!
Prior to coming to Christ, you and I were
dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).
We come to God by means of His will, not our
free will.
In Paul's time, grace was not understood or
preached among all Churches.
Many resisted the teaching of grace.
Things have not changed.
Many so-called Churches today hate the
concept of grace!
Instead of grace, they prefer Law!
Colossians 1:2 To the saints and faithful
brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The greeting is to the Saints (Gr. hagiois-agioiV).
"Saint" is the loftiest position
available to followers of Christ.
As a Saint, you are pure, holy, and blameless
before God the Father in Christ Jesus, God the Son!
He has promised you that he will never, never
leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5)!
You have been baptized into Christ Jesus!
Rom
6:3 Or do you not know that as many
of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (NKJV)
Gal
3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. (NKJV)
He is seated in the heavens at the right hand
of God the Father!
Rom
8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is
Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand
of God, who also makes intercession for us. (NKJV)
And, you are baptized into Him!
The word "Brethren" indicates those
who are near relatives.
The Greek word would not be used to address
cousins.
"Brethren" also points to those of
equal rank and dignity.
The English word "grace" (Gr.
charis-cariV) appears only 4 times in the gospels.
In the four Gospels it is never used, within
the gospels, within a sentence spoken by Jesus.
The English word "Grace" is used
once in Luke and 3 times in John all used to describe Jesus.
The Greek word translated "grace"
is used 8 times in Luke, and 4 times is the Gospel of John.
It is not found in Matthew or Mark.
By contrast, Paul used "grace"
approximately 100 times.
The only time most translators use the
English word "grace," as spoken by Jesus, is in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Speaking to Paul, Christ said, "My grace
is sufficient for thee."
God's peace is not just the absence of
conflict.
We have conflict with Satan at the same time
that we peace with God.
As you realize, our peace we have is not with
other Christians.
There are many conflicts within the Church.
We have peace "from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ."
In verse 2, the Greek word translated
"Lord" (Gr. Kuriou-Kuriou) denotes
proprietorship.
It announces that Jesus is the owner and
master over all creation.
Jesus paid for the sins of the entire world.
1 John 2:2--And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for
ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
In paying for the sins of the world, Jesus
became the proprietor of the world.
If you paid for something, would you expect
to get it?
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God Who takes
away the sin of the world!
John
1:29b "Behold! The Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world! (NKJ)
That
fact is seldom fully taught.
How would you take away the sin of the world?
Colossians 1:3 We give thanks to God and
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Paul never missed an opportunity to pray for
others.
Jesus Christ is, at this very moment,
interceding for us (Romans 8:34).
If He is interceding for us, why aren’t we
interceding for our family members?
Jesus lives to make intercession for us
(Hebrews 7:25).
"We give thanks" speaks of
gratitude.
Are you truly grateful to God for all He has
done for you?
Colossians 1:4 Since we heard of your
faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Paul heard about the Colossians.
What people hear about us reflects on Christ.
Non-Christians judge Him by how they perceive
or understand us.
Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid
up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the
gospel;
The Greek word translated “hope” comes from a
root word that means, "to anticipate."
We anticipate the return of Christ bringing
about the consummation of His salvation.
Our hope is in the Creator of the
universe.
"The word of truth of the gospel"
is the divine truth revealed to us and in us.
We accept Christ because of the truth of the
gospel revealed in us.
Colossians 1:6 Which is come unto you, as it
is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since
the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
The word "It" refers to the Gospel.
The truth of the gospel does not depend on
our opinions.
The gospel is self-reliant.
It has a power independent of the human
speaker or writer.
The power of the gospel is drawn from the
power of Christ.
Colossians 1:7 As ye also learned of
Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;
Paul takes this opportunity to commend
Epaphras, his "fellowservant."
Epaphras is a shortened from of Epaphroditus.
This Epaphras may be Epaphroditus mentioned
in Paul's letter to the Philippians.
"Minister" does not come from the
same Greek word used to describe Epaphroditus in Philippians.
In Philippians Epaphroditus is described in
the Greek as an Apostle.
Minister comes from the Greek root translated
"Deacon" in Philippians 1:1, and in 1 Timothy 3:8, 12. It means,
"to run errands."
Colossians 1:8 Who also declared unto us
your love in the Spirit.
“Declared” expresses the thought of making
something plain.
Far too many try to complicate the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also,
since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye
might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;
"For this cause" comes into modern
English as "because of this" or "also, for this."
Praying for others is not just a leadership
responsibility.
All Christians are to concentrate on prayer.
George Mueller was a great man of prayer in
the 1800's.
He proved the power of sincere, consistent
prayer.
God called Mueller to begin an orphanage.
His human financial circumstances were
extremely meager.
Mueller's God-appointed orphanage became the
largest in
It was debt free then, and to this day it
still is!
Paul prayed that the Colossians would be
filled, completely persuaded concerning the knowledge of God.
Some have taught that the knowledge of God
was available to only a select special few.
However, God's revealed knowledge is
available to all Christians.
Paul's did not pray that they be filled with
knowledge for the sake of having knowledge.
He prayed that they be filled the knowledge
of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy
of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and
increasing in the knowledge of God;
"Walk worthy" is a direct reference
to your manner of life.
Is your life fruitful?
Is your heart fertile soil for the word of
God?
Let's review what constitutes the fruit of
the Spirit-filled life.
There is much controversy today concerning
the term "Spirit-filled."
It does not mean that you must speak in
tongues, Prophesy, heal, or raise the dead.
The Spirit-filled life exhibits the fruit of
the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Those are attributes that should fill every
Christians life.
It is not, "Fake it till you make
it," or "blab it and grab it."
The Greek word translated "being
fruitful" indicates that we are to continue "being fruitful."
If a person is fruitful that person is
successful in Christ.
The secret to being fruitful in Christ may be
summed up in these few words----"Hear from God and respond
appropriately."
Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all
might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering
with joyfulness;
“Patience” suggests cheerful endurance.
What are we to cheerfully endure?
John 15:18 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me
before it hated you.”
As Jesus endured the hatred of men, we are
also to endure.
Mark 13:13 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:
but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved.”
We are not to endure through our strength of
character.
Instead, we endure through continual trust in
Jesus.
Endurance is a matter of faith!
In the Greek, "longsuffering" (Gr.
makrothumian-makroqumian) is a compound word, being made up of 2 words.
The first (makros-makroV) means far from.
The second (thuo-quw) speaks of anger.
If we are "longsuffering," we are
"far from anger."
Anger itself is not sinful.
However, it may lead to sin.
Ephesians 4:26 says that we may be
angry, but we are not to sin.
Anger may lead to sin, but it does not need
to lead to sin!
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the
Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the
saints in light:
“Meet” means qualified. God the Father,
through Christ the Son, by the Holy Spirit qualifies us to become God’s sons
and daughters.
God qualified us for son-ship by writing our
names in the Book of Life.
Having your name in the Book of Life means
that you are qualified to receive power for all endurance, patience and joy
according to God’s glorious strength.
Colossians 1:9b-12 is one of Paul's prayers.
The prayers are used by simply using the
names of you loved ones at the appropriate places.
Here is an example....
"Dear Father, I ask that you may be fill
(add name) with the knowledge of your will, in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding, that (add name) live in a manner that is worthy and pleasing to
You. I pray that (add name) may succeed, and please You in Everything (he/she)
does, bearing fruit in all of (his/her) good works and growing into the full
knowledge of God. I also pray that (add name) be qualified to receive power for
all endurance, patience and joy according to Your glorious strength, giving
thanks to You, because you have qualified us to share in the inheritance of the
Saints, in light. In Jesus' holy name, amen."
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from
the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
It is Christ who delivered, or rescued us
from under the authority of Satan.
God the Father changed our spiritual
nationality.
The Father gave us citizenship in the
God not only rescued us from Satan, He
translated, or exchanged our worthless righteousness for Christ’s acceptable
righteousness.
Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
In this verse, the Greek indicates that
Christ's redemption is an immediate and complete possession.
A more accurate translation would say,
"In whom we now have redemption"
Christ Jesus paid the price to ransom us from
the destruction of sin.
Christ Jesus gave his life as a ransom for
many (Mark 10:45).
1 Tim
2:6 [Christ Jesus] who gave Himself a
ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
(NKJV)
The companion verse to Colossians 1:14 is:
Eph
1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Redemption is available only through the
blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Redemption is the forgiveness of our sins.
As Ephesians 1:7 tells us, our forgiveness is
based on the riches of His grace!
It is by grace through faith plus nothing!
Eph
2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)
Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Christ, the Son is the express
"image" of God, the Father.
Being the only begotten Son, Christ Jesus
would have the "image" of His Father.
Having gone through the process of birth and
resurrection, Christ Jesus is qualified to be described as “the first born.”
Let’s discuss the term “firstborn.”
The Greek word is used in those verses plus
Luke 2:7, Romans 8:29, Hebrews 1:6, 11:28, 12:23, and Revelation 1:5.
Firstborn (Gr. proototokos-prwtotokoV) is term used to
express preeminence.
Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us that Yahweh is “One”
(Heb. echad).
That Hebrew word speaks of one as a group and
as being unified.
Why speak of a single as being unified?
Of course a single thing is one!
But God said, “Let US make man in OUR
image, according to OUR
likeness!” (Gen 1:26)
Let’s look at two OT verses that use the
title firstborn in seemingly contradictory fashion.
Gen
41:51-52
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn
Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my
father's house.
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be
fruitful in the land of my affliction.
Here, Manasseh is listed as the firstborn.
However, look at this.
Jer
31:9 They shall come with weeping,
and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the
rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a
father to
In Jeremiah, Manasseh’s younger brother,
Ephraim, is given preeminence and declared to be “firstborn.”
Again, “firstborn” was a title give to the
one who would receive preeminence and not the first one born, unless that one
was to receive preeminence.
Christ Jesus was not created and he is to be
worshipped and given preeminence above all created beings.
Verses 16 and 17 explain why.
Colossians 1:16-17
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Through Christ Jesus creation began.
He is the foundation upon which all creation
exists.
Oddly enough, the first words in the entire
Bible may confirm creation by Christ.
Genesis 1:1 says, "In the
beginning." It may also be translated, "In (or by) the
firstfruits." Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians
15:28).
John, the beloved Apostle wrote that
"all things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that
was made" (John 1:3).
Christ Jesus is the agent of creation.
Another place in Paul’s letters tells of Christ
being the agent of creation:
Eph
3:9-10
9 And to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid
in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
So, when John wrote: John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made, John was simply declaring the Truth!
Yes, I know I capitalized Truth!
He wrote it decades after Paul’s death!
And, according to tradition, John was the
pastor a
John 1:3 reflects Pauline doctrine!
Without Christ Jesus there would be no
creation.
Paul told us that "of him, and through
him, and to him are all things" (Romans 11:36).
By means of Christ Jesus all things consist, or are approved.
"Approved" is a valid translation,
but not widely accepted.
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the
body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in
all things he might have the preeminence.
Christ Jesus is the head of an organization
we call the Church.
Because, He overcame the death we deserve,
Jesus is called the "first born from the dead,"
“Preeminence” restates Jesus’ position as
first in all things.
The Church is not an organization of mystery.
It is a mystery with organization.
Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father
that in him should all fulness dwell;
Christ Jesus is the only "being" that is capable of receiving the
"fulness" of God.
“Fullness” refers to completion.
The Church must act in unity to achieve
fullness.
Christ alone was perfect.
No human can rightfully claim that.
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace
through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by
him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
This verse is where many commentators start meandering
around the Bible looking for an out.
However, the language is plain and it is
correct.
Colossians 1:19-20 cannot be explained using
mainstream theology.
It must be explained the counsel of the
Bible, not tradition.
This verse tells us why peace has been
granted through the cross of Jesus Christ.
The purpose of the cross was to reconcile all
things (Gr. ta panta-ta
panta) [the all] to God the
Father.
"Reconcile" speaks of a restoration
to favor.
In this case, it refers to a transfer from
one state of being to another that is quite different.
It speaks of a total and complete change.
"All things" points to all things
that exist.
Notice that the Father used the sacrifice of
the Son "to reconcile all things unto himself."
Nothing in earth or in heaven is exempt from
the reconciliation achieved by the cross of Jesus Christ.
Do you believe this verse, or do you attempt
to qualify it?
Colossians 1:21 And you, that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he
reconciled
“Alienated” speaks of our estrangement without
Christ Jesus.
Without Christ Jesus, we are shut out of
fellowship with God and cut off from intimacy with our Creator.
Alienated does not mean that we were at any
time totally separated from God.
That would be a spiritual impossibility.
The Psalmist Made that abundantly clear that
separation is Impossible.
He wrote, "If I ascend up into heaven,
thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there" (Psalm
139:8).
Because of the cross of Christ and His
resurrection, we now have access to the Holy Spirit, and a renewing of our
minds.
As a result of that renewal, we are
reconciled to the Father through the Holy Spirit.
There is one phrase at the end of this verse
that is ignored or dismissed by most theologians.
The phrase, "hath he reconciled"
indicates something that has already been achieved.
Most would argue the validity of God’s
achievement in Christ.
Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight:
The Greek word translated "holy"
indicates a thing that is pure.
That may be a problem.
You may think that you do not feel pure.
Salvation is not based on how you feel.
It is based on what Christ Jesus did.
We use the term "Holy" Spirit.
It is also related to the Greek word
translated "cherish."
If you are holy in God's sight, you are pure
before Him.
He cherishes you!
If you are "in" Christ, nothing can
or will change that standing before God the Father.
Your relationship is rock solid!
“Unblameable” indicates that because of
Christ we are unblemished by sin.
Again this indicates your purity before God.
“Unreproveable” declares that we are not
accusable before God.
Through the work of Christ Jesus, Satan's
accusations have been declared to be without foundation.
The Concordant Literal Version translates the
Greek text as "unimpeachable."
In Christ we are unimpeachable.
That means that we can no longer be brought
before the bar of judgment.
When a president is impeached, that does not
mean that he is guilty of a crime.
It means that he is tried before the Senate
to find out if he is guilty of a crime.
When a citizen is indicted by a grand jury
that does not mean that he/she is guilty.
It means only that he/she may be tried and
the guilt or innocence is determined as the result of a trial.
The good news in Christ is that we can no
longer be brought before the judgment throne of God.
There is no longer any cause for us to stand
trial for our sin.
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the
faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,
which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under
heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Are you grounded and settled in the faith?
Does the work of Christ Jesus form the
foundation of your belief?
Are you sitting, immovable in faith?
Ephesians 2:6 “And [God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 1:24 Who now rejoice in my
sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of
Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Sufferings (Gr. patheemasi-paqhmasi) indicates a type of suffering that may result in
good or evil.
Our sufferings result in righteous works.
We are to rejoice in sufferings.
Colossians 1:25 Whereof I am made a
minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to
fulfil the word of God;
Paul was made a minister of Gospel in the
same manner as those of today's generation.
It was according to God's choice.
God chooses all the chosen.
“Fulfil,” in this case, speaks of verifying
the word.
The Church’s mission is to verify the word of
God in the presence of a world of unbelievers.
Those “preachers” that fail to preach the
word of God cannot “fulfil” the word of God!
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which
hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints:
This mystery of the gospel of Christ Jesus
has been hidden from the ages and the generations prior to His birth.
Now it has been revealed to us!
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which
is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
"Make known" should have been
translated into English in the past tense, "To whom God made
known."
God made known the "mystery" of His
love and power over death through Jesus Christ.
The "mystery" is Christ in us is
the hope of glory.
A mystery is a mystery to those who have no
understanding!
The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us and also
reveals His salvation!
Salvation is a mystery to those not now
called to trust in Christ!
Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning
every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus:
In the phrase, "Whom we preach," we
understand that Christianity should not be concerned with philosophy, Church
programs, or a social movement.
It is centered totally on presenting the
person of Christ Jesus.
We proclaim Christ Jesus!
Christianity is not a philosophy.
It is a relationship!
Colossians 1:29 Whereunto I also labour,
striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
The word worked mightily in Paul and in us.