The Colossians seemed not to have held the Head very fast. Paul therefore brings out the Head’s personal glory, the Christian’s hope being in heaven. The saints are not seen sitting there yet. The life of the new man is brought out especially. Where we have much of the Spirit in Ephesians, He is only mentioned once in Colossians, ‘your love in the Spirit.’ (Ch.1:8)
We get the apostle’s prayer for them: to walk worthy of the Lord Himself and according to His power. Now they are viewed as meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. We get the double headship of Christ over creation and the body, along with His divine glory. In -particular:-
- He is the image of the invisible God
- All things consist by Him
- All the fulness is pleased to dwell in Him
You then get the double reconciliation: the saints reconciled already and of the creation in a day to come. You also get the double ministry of Paul: the gospel to every creature under heaven, and the gospel to the church. The hitherto hidden mystery is made good among the Gentiles by Christ, the hope of glory, dwelling in them.
In chapter 2 the Colossians are warned against philosophy and the spirit of ordinances, separating them from the Head. All the fullness of the godhead dwells in Him, and the saints are complete in Him. Hostile powers are overcome by Him: they (believers) are dead and risen, so as not to be subject to fleshly ordinances. Their liberty is founded on their being dead in Christ: the whole of Christian life is founded being risen with Christ, who is our life, as we are entirely associated with Him in this condition. Christ is all, and in all (chap. 3); and whatever we do, we are to do it in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Originally by JND. Lightly edited by Sosthenes, September 2014
– Se A Brief Outline of the Books of the Bible for the original
