7/29/2019 Colossians Arc 4

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Colossians 1:24-2:5

24aNow I rejoice in my sufferings for your

sake,

24band in my flesh I am filling up what is

lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake

of his body, that is, the church,

25a of which I became a minister

25baccording to the stewardship from God

that was given to me for you,

25c to make the word of God fully known,

26athe mystery (WOG) hidden for ages and

generations

26b but now revealed to his saints.

27aTo them God chose to make known

...among the Gentiles...

27bhow great...are the riches of the glory of

this mystery,

27c which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28a Him we proclaim,

28b warning everyone

28c and teaching everyone with all wisdom,

28dthat we may present everyone mature in

Christ.

29a For this I toil,

29b struggling with all his energy that hepowerfully works within me.

1

For I want you to know how great a

struggle I have for you and for those at

Laodicea and for all who have not seen

me face to face,

2a that their hearts may be encouraged,

2b being knit together in love,

2c

to reach all the riches of full assurance of

understanding and the knowledge of

God's mystery, which is Christ,

3in whom are hidden all the treasures of

wisdom and knowledge.

4a I say this

4bin order that no one may delude you with

plausible arguments.

5a For though I am absent in body,

5b yet I am with you in spirit,

5crejoicing to see your good order and the

firmness of your faith in Christ.

Ac

Mn

Csv

Ac

Mn

Pur

Ac

Id

Exp

Id

Exp

Ac

Mn

Ac

Pwarning first: of what? judgment.

then to those who listen: teaching

warning first: of what? judgment.

then to those who listen: teaching

Id

Exp27a & b are part

of the same thought

27a & b are part

of the same thought

Csv

Id

Exp

Pur

PG

BL

Exp

Id

Ac

Id

Exp

Ac

Pur

S

Pur

S Ac

Id

Exp

affirmation of his concern

& kind of saying that he's

keeping an eye on them

affirmation of his concern

& kind of saying that he's

keeping an eye on them

Pur

7/29/2019 Colossians Arc 4

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Colossians 1:24-2:5

Notes

The centrepiece of this passage is 1:28 'Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,

that we may present everyone mature in Christ.' This appears to me, to be the ultimate goal and aim for Paul's suffering

and toil. For the preceding supporting argument, he speaks of his suffering and ministry to the Gentiles, and the

purpose of it to make the word of God fully known. In the following argument, he explains the struggle he has for the

Colossians and Laodiceans, then goes on to give the reasons for that - to encourage their hearts so that they attain the

riches of understanding and that they won't be deceived by false arguments.

The two concessive relationships here are worth noting among the paradoxes often found in the Christian faith: 'mystery

hidden in the past, but presently revealed', 'absent in body, present in spirit'.