Colossians 1:1-19 … tough times, tougher Paul

Colossians 1:1-19 … tough times, tougher Paul

Colossians  was written, according to the text, by Paul the Apostle and Timothy to the Church in Colossae, a small Phrygian city near Laodicea and approximately 100 miles (160 km) from Ephesus in Asia Minor.

Members of the congregation at Colossae had incorporated pagan elements into their practice, including worship of elemental spirits. Colossians emphatically explains that Christ is begotten before all creation (not created) and is supreme over all that has been created.

The “cosmic powers” revered by the false teachers had been “discarded” and “led captive” at Christ’s death. Christ is the master of all angelic forces and the head of the church. Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity, the unique agent of reconciliation.

1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

² To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colossae: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

⁴ Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

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;

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:

⁷ As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Epaphras is the person in the book of Acts who was literally dragged through the streets into court on charges.

⁸ Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

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 (Torah) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (complete fear/awe of YHWH)

¹⁰ That ye might walk (to abide, live) worthy (appropriately) of the Lord unto all pleasing*, being fruitful (to bring forth) in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

(*G699 ἀρέσκεια areskeia (a-re’-skei-a) n. complaisance. The disposition to please or comply: affability.)

¹¹ Strengthened with all might (power), according to his glorious power, unto all patience (endurance) and longsuffering (fortitude) with joyfulness;

¹² Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (enabled) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Notice here it is the Father, who is said to have delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, not the typical way of articulating salvation according to the “church” today.

Jeremiah 27:5 “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet [proper] unto me.”

Deuteronomy 26:8 “And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders”

Ezekiel 20:34 “And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.”

¹⁴ In whom we have redemption (deliverance) through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (first delivered) of every creature:

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:

John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

( consist = G4921 συνιστάω sunistao to set together, to approve, make to stand.)

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.

(* G1577 ἐκκλησία ekklesia a called out assembly of the Redeemed of Jesus.)

¹⁹ For it pleased (to approve officially) the Father that in him (Yeshua) should all fullness (things executed, fill up) dwell;