The Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Colossians

October

October 1

Chapter 3, Verse 23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

Ὃ ἐὰν ποιῆτε, ἐκ ψυχῆς ἐργάζεσθε, Ho ean poiēte ek psychēs ergazesthe, “Whatever if you might do, from [the] soul work.” The Greek word order seems a bit strange, but as the Berean Literal Bible renders it, “Whatever you do, work from the soul” seems best to me. Another way to think about the first phrase could be “In everything you do” and that because we are not part-time believers. Whether we are washing dishes or building a rocket for space travel, our lives are in Christ and should be impactful all the time. Poietes, “you might do,” is most often used with the idea of “I make, manufacture, construct.” So, we must think about accomplishing or finishing something. The idea here is that we never give up or give in. That is why we work from the soul, or as many translate it, heartily, or from the heart. It should be obvious that we cannot function in this way, slave or free, without specific power and strength–and that comes from God. Our preparation is prayer, our power is Holy Spirit, and our success is the Cross of Christ. We thrive and have victory because of Jesus.

October 2

Chapter 3, Verse 23, con’t, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις, hōs tō Kyriō kai ouk anthrōpois, “as to the Lord and not to men.” In Paul’s time, the life of those caught in the bondage of slavery was likely miserable for most. Their workdays were long and their tasks servile because they would not be given any assignment of substance. The drudgery would have been loathsome. Slaves were merely things to their masters without dignity and value. So most of them would labor with a spiteful attitude. But as we know from this text, some were believers in Christ. Their mandate was different. Working “as for the Lord” meant their focus was on “the things that are above” (3:1). They were to “put to death” earthly desires (3:5) and “put on” the qualities of compassion, humility and patience (3:12). The love of God in their hearts guided them to peace and harmony (3:14-15) so that regardless of their plight, they could serve cordially giving thanks to God (3:17). Hard work may face us all, but we who know Jesus in the free pardon of sin can be assured that God will walk with us in our circumstances every day. And remember what Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? (Luke 9:23-25).

October 3

Chapter 3, Verse 24, “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπὸ Κυρίου ἀπολήμψεσθε, eidotes hoti apo Kyriou apolēmpsesthe, “knowing that from [the] Lord you will receive.” The verb οἶδα, eido, means “to be aware, behold, perceive.” Generally, the idea is seeing with the eyes as an idea passes from the metaphorical to the actual as in the expression, “I see what you mean.” Here, the perfect tense means “knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt.” From the Lord is emphatic in Greek and points to the fact that the final and supreme reward comes from God and not from man. The future indicative of ἀπολαμβάνω, apolambano, to get back or receive back, means to receive fully what is due or to recover full what is promised. It was important for the slave to understand that what was lost in Adam was found in Jesus. Even in their difficult circumstance they could rejoice and serve with gladness because they knew something better was coming their way. Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3). Living in Christ has a payday someday and this is it, being in the presence of our Savior forever.

October 4

Chapter 3, Verse 24, con’t, “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τῆς κληρονομίας, tēn antapodosin tēs κληρονομίας, “the reward of the inheritance.” kleronomia, “inheritance,” from kleros = lot, plus nemo = give or distribute, is that which was given by allocation as a portion of the whole. In this case, and most, a part of an estate. antapodosis, “reward,” from anti = in turn, plus apodidomai = render, means to give back in return fro something received, like the result of something was was lost being returned to its rightful owner. In the current context, that might seem really strange since slaves were almost considered non-people, they were not recognized at all for their contribution to their master, and they had no hope of recompense. But these slaves Paul was addressing were in Christ, believers who, in spite of their circumstances, had a living hope and sure future. Whether they ever heard it directly or not, Paul’s message to them, and to all the redeemed, is found in Romans 8:12-17, “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” We, together, are not just heirs, but joint-heirs with Christ Jesus, our Lord. All that is his is ours–impossible to understand, but true.

October 5

Chapter 3, Verse 24, con’t, “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

τῷ Κυρίῳ Χριστῷ δουλεύετε, tō Kyriō Christō douleuete, “the Lord Christ you serve.” The Amplified Bible renders Colossians 3:24, “Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah). The other New Testament passage that most clearly mirrors Colossians 3:22-24 is Ephesians 6:5-8, “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.” Related to these two passages are John 12:26, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him,” and 1 Corinthians 7:22, “For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.” The present imperative of “you serve,” here in Colossians 3:24, could easily be translated, “you must serve.” This is not a “must” based on obligation (we really are obliged because we are in Christ and therefore drawn to serve) but, rather, service because we love God deeply. I think about it like this: During my 50+ years of marriage, I have learned to do all I can to meet the needs of my wife. I love her as I never imagined I could. Nothing will stop me from serving her because my love runs deep. My love for Jesus runs deeper. He gave himself for me that I might have eternal life. So I must serve him.

October 6

Chapter 3, Verse 25, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”

ὁ γὰρ ἀδικῶν, ho gar adikōn, “The [one] doing wrong.” adikeo, from adikia = injustice, unrighteousness, hurt, means simply, “I do wrong.” The idea is someone who inflicts injury (undeservedly) by ignoring what is right in the sight of God–or, acting contrary to what is divinely approved. In the vernacular, these are the “bad guys.” So what constitutes being on the bad guys? Living without Christ is all it takes. Someone might say, “I’m not so bad. In fact, I live a good life.” That may be true, but the Bible says, “as it is written: “None is righteous [good], no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:10-11). No one includes everyone; mom, dad, teacher, preacher–all who are without Jesus in their lives. The really sad part is most people without Christ do not understand they face the judgment of God because those in Christ have not warned them. Sin is the culprit and Jesus is the remedy. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Thank God for the free gift of salvation. John 1:11-12, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

October 7

Chapter 3, Verse 25, con’t, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”

The verb κομίζω, komizo, as used here (future indicative) in the middle voice, means “I receive back” what belonged to me to begin with. It might be thought of this way–you are going to get what you are owed. Those who invest in evil will receive a return with interest. It is easy for people led by evil to pile their evil onto others without regard for consequences. Paul used adikeo in the first part of the verse to designate the wrong-doer and uses it again here (edikesen) to designate the act. People who are evil by nature (this includes everyone who is not in Christ) naturally do evil. That is why many hardened criminals seem to have no conscience concerning their crimes. It is also why most people find it easy to “stretch the truth,” i.e., lie. The only way to overcome evil is with good. And the only way to know good is to trust God by faith in Jesus. Sin. . .the cause of all evil. . .that began in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, was the result of disobedience to God. That disobedience was rooted in pride which many, including me, consider to be original sin. Essentially, they were saying “no” to God much like a child says no to a parent when they do not get their way. Living a sinful life is hard. Living a righteous life is hard. Choose your hard now because sooner or later it will be too late to choose.

October 8

Chapter 3, Verse 25, con’t, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”

καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολημψία, kai ouk estiv prosōpolēmpsia, “and not there is partiality.” Partiality is from the Greek noun prosolepsia which is the combination of prosopon = face, and lambano = receive. So this word literally means to “receive face.” In the Near East, it was customary to greet someone by bowing your face to the ground. If the person greeted accepted the bow, the person bowing was allowed to lift their head and make eye contact. This act of acceptance became the Hebrew term for partiality–as in, “I am partial or him/her.” In the current context, the wrongdoer, regardless of his status would receive his “reward,” i.e., punishment. And so God shows no partiality. All who come to him in faith are accepted and all who ignore him and continue in sin are rejected. Concerning the end times and coming judgment, Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” It is most important for all people everywhere to repent of sin and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord before it is eternally too late.

October 9

Chapter 4, Verse 1, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

After reading chapter 3, it is clear that 4:1 goes with chapter 3. Paul moved from the husband/wife and child/parent relationships to that of the master/slave and concluded that discussion here in 4:1. What is not clear is whether the masters in 4:1 are believers or non-believers; so, I assume he is addressing both. It would not be out of character in Paul’s time for some Christians to be slave owners (whether proper or not is for another study). He addressed κύριοι, kyrioi, the plural of kyrios, who was a person exercising complete right of ownership of another person; hence, lord (Lord). The master, good or bad, had absolute sovereignty and authority and his power was without challenge. In the Greek milieu of the day, kyrios was used in regard to the pagan gods. In the present context, it is describing a person who had complete legal power and control over his property–the slave. Paul, in addressing the distinct social class, is setting up the concept of responsibility. Everyone is responsible to someone, whether they realize it or not.

October 10

Chapter 4, Verse 1, con’t, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

The kyrioi, master, those who wielded all the power, and the doulois, slaves, bondservants, the ones with no right and no power, in the pagan view, had no relationship other than the one lording their authority over the other. Pau’s admonition was completely different. τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα, τοῖς δούλοις παρέχεσθε, to dikaion dai tēn isotēta tois doulois parechesthe, ” that which [is] righteous and that which [is] equal, to the slaves give.” Slave master were generally brutal, not giving anything good, only what was a minimal necessity. parechesthe, give (ESV “treat,”), from παρέχω, parecho, which means “I offer, provide, afford to,” combines para = from close behind, and exo = have; hence “I give in an up close and personal way.” The idea here is to hold out the hand to help. In this context, the present tense means a continual action, the imperative mood makes it a command, and the middle voice means the master is the agent of the action and is concerned with the action. Paul was telling the master to care. This mandate is a reminder of what Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35), and what Paul reflected in Romans 12:10, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” We should do likewise.

October 11

Chapter 4, Verse 1, con’t, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα, to dikaion kai tēn isotēta, “that which [is] righteous and that which [is] equal.” Justice and equality would have been difficult if not impossible for master to consider in their minds because of their history with slaves. Some old habits die hard, even for those who are in Christ. That is why Paul issued this instruction as a command. δίκαιος, dikaios, = justice ; it is derived from dikē = “judicial approval,” and properly means “approval by God;” hence, righteous. Righteousness relates to conformity to God’s standard.  ἰσότης, isotés, equality [fairly in ESV], is from isos = equality of treatment. It signifies what is equitable or fair in dealing with others, especially those over whom one has authority. Especially for the Christian masters, Paul was calling for better treatment because these were not just indentured servants, they were brothers in Christ. As John wrote, “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us” (1 John 3:23). Our relationship with Jesus must guide or relationships with everyone else. It is not always easy but it is alway necessary.

October 12

Chapter 4, Verse 1, con’t, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

The verb οἶδα, eido, pronounced “oida,” which generally means “I know” or “I remember,” is used in the New Testament in some form 39 times. Here, in Colossians 4, it is εἰδότες, eidotes, “knowing,” or already having clear knowledge. eido properly means to see with the eyes in a physical sense, but also with the metaphorical idea of perceiving (with the mind), so we might use the expression, “I see what you mean.” Sometimes, though, knowing by what we see right in front of us is not enough; it can even be deceiving. That is why Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.” Having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ changes our knowing because it changes our way of thinking and opens up an amazing spiritual insight into a reality beyond the physical world. So, there is knowing (having assurance something is true) by our experiences, and we are taught in school and by what we read, and there is knowing by what we receive from God by the Holy Spirit. Both ways of learning/knowing are good, but only one is perfect and it only comes by knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord.

October 13

Chapter 4, Verse 1, con’t, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.”

In verse 1, the noun κύριος, kurios, is used in two ways. The first, κύριοι, kyrioi, is speaking to earthly masters with acquired power over people; i.e, slaves. They were lawfully free to use them as they pleased and treat them any way they saw fit, most often harshly. The second use, Κύριον, Kyrion (notice the capital “K”), obviously refers to God. While the slave owners may have perceived their possessions and territory as some sort of kingdom, Paul was reminding them, the believing owners in particular, they had to answer to the true Master of the universe. The truth is everyone who is over someone else–rulers, employers, etc.–regardless of their station in life, their faith or lack thereof, will ultimately face God. Those who know God in Christ will give an account of their lives (2 Corinthians 5:10) and those who reject Christ will face God at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15) and be cast into a lake of fire to burn forever. Do not among the latter group.

October 14

Chapter 4, Verse 2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

I have two plaques on the wall in my study given to me by my wife with quotes from my sermons, “Never look down, always look up; Never give in, always give out” and “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.” This is how I view προσκαρτερεῖτε, proskartereite, “continue steadfastly.” From the verb προσκαρτερέω, proskartereó, which means “to attend constantly,” it is the combination of pros = towards (with), and katereo = to show steadfast strength. So it means to continue to do something with intense effort with the implication of difficulty and despite the adversity that may well occur. The prospect of adversity facing believers is always at hand. When God spoke to Joshua after Moses died, I believe we find the answer to standing in our faith and never giving up. Joshua 1:6-9, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” I have two plaques on the wall in my study given to me by my wife with quotes from my sermons, “Never look down, always look up; Never give in, always give out” and “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me.” This is how I view προσκαρτερεῖτε, proskartereite, “continue steadfastly.” From the verb προσκαρτερέω, proskartereó, which means “to attend constantly,” it is the combination of pros = towards (with), and katereo = to show steadfast strength. So it means to continue to do something with intense effort with the implication of difficulty and despite the adversity that may well occur. The prospect of adversity facing believers is always at hand. When God spoke to Joshua after Moses died, I believe we find the answer to standing in our faith and never giving up. Joshua 1:6-9, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” חֲזַ֖ק וֶאֱמָ֑ץ, hazaq veemas, Be strong and courageous (of good courage). The power of God in us is greater than any power on earth (1 John 4:4) We can stand. . .if we will.

Chapter 4, Verse 2, con’t, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

October 16

Chapter 4, Verse 2, con’t, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ, grēgorountes en autē, “keeping alert in it.” γρηγορέω, grégoreó, from egeiro = to awaken or to arouse from sleep. So the idea here is to keep awake, stay alert, and be on guard and ready to faced any danger or emergency. Think of the crow’s nest on a tall sailing ship. The seaman assigned to the task of lookout could not afford to be napping when he was on duty. If he did, the vessel might hit an otherwise unknown hazard in the sea, maybe an iceberg or another ship. The present tense of gregoreo indicates one who is continually on high alert, ready to pray at any time and for any reason. Peter gives us the reason for staying “on the lookout.” “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world (1 Peter 5:6-9). He said to be watchful and resist the enemy. This is one reason we stay alert and pray. The other important task is to pray because of those around us in need of prayer. James wrote, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:13-16). Prayers offered up to God in faith have great power that we cannot begin to understand. So, pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

October 17

Chapter 4, Verse 2, con’t, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ, en eucharistia, “with thanksgiving.” Giving thanks should be an easy habit for all believers. God has done so much for each of us. The root behind the form used here is εὐχάριστος, eucharistos, which generally means thankful or grateful. It combines eu = well, and charizomai = grant freely. The proper meaning is being thankful for God’s grace working out what is eternally good. It is by God’s grace in our lives by faith in Jesus that we are redeemed and made children of God–joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). It is by grace in the power of the Holy Spirit that we learn how to pray and what to pray, even when we do not have words to pray (Romans 8:26). And so, when our prayers are answered, that some grace should lead us to be thankful because we have experienced the power of God in us and all around us. But the best reason to be watchful in our prayers with thanksgiving is what Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:6-7, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The peace of God will keep our hearts calm and our minds clear. Be thankful, every day, all day long.

October 18

Chapter 4, Verse 3, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—”

προσευχόμενοι ἅμα καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν, proseuchomenoi hama kai peri hēmōn, “praying at the same time also for us.” This verse is fascinating to me. Paul just wrote in verse two taht we should pray continually, and now he writes that we should pray specifically. The verb προσεύχομαι, proseuchomai, combines pros – to or toward, and euchomai = wish or pray. The prefix pros give it the definite or specific nature, with the idea that the person praying is being very direct in their approach to God, consciously seeking his presence and consideration. The present tense indicates continual activity–prayer being a holy habit. When someone requests that we pray for them, pray immediately in their presence, if you can. Write down the request in a prayer journal so you won’t forget, and pray daily until you hear the request was answered. It may take days, weeks, or even years of prayer. Don not give up and pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

October 19

Chapter 4, Verse 3, con’t, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—”

ἅμα, hama, “at the same time.” This adverb means “at once” and is used here with the idea of “meanwhile,” or “while you are praying about everything else, don’t forget about us.” This reminds me about two things. The first is leaders. I have been a church leader for decades and sometimes those of us who find ourselves “out front” doing our best to lead the charge for Christ feel overlooked. We are expected to be full of energy and great ideas, but understand that is unsustainable without the prayer power of other believers. So, meanwhile, pray for those who lead. The second things is multitasking. When I hear “at the same time,” I cannot help but remember what Jesus did as he prepared to begin his public ministry to the people. Mark 1:35, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” While it was still dark, while most everyone else was still asleep, while all the world was riding on his shoulders, he took time to pray. In John 9, as Jesus was about to heal a man blind from birth, he said, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work (9:35). There is still much work to be done for the kingdom, souls to be saved, lives to be built, sin to be fought, and we must do it all–at the same time.

Chapter 4, Verse 3, con’t, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—”

ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς ἀνοίξῃ ἡμῖν θύραν τοῦ λόγου, hina ho Theos anoixē hēmin thyran tou logou, “that God may open to us a door for the word.” anoigo (anoixe), from ana = up or again, and oigo = open, means to open up again with the idea that something (the door) was shut. Paul was seeking further opportunity to teach the word, logou [remember, he was in jail in Rome as he wrote Colossians] in an effort to lead more people to faith in Christ. In verse 2, he said to pray continually and specifically. In verse 3, the specific reason is clear. Surely, Paul was thinking about what Jesus said in Matthew 7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11) Soon after Paul was saved (Acts 9), he went to Antioch where he was commissioned along with Barnabas to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Immediately, they travelled to Cyprus and Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13). Then they went to Iconium, Lystra, Attilia, and back to Antioch where they were commissioned (Acts 14). When Paul was giving his report of what happened during their travels, Acts 12:27 reports, “And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” God opened that door to the whole world (Matthew 28:18-20) and it is still wide open. We who are believers should be praying that God will use us, like he did Paul, to reach our world for Christ with the gospel.

October 21

Chapter 4, Verse 3, con’t, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—”

λαλῆσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, lalēsai to mystērion tou Christou, “to declare the mystery of Christ.” Two things drove Paul after his encounter with God on the road to Damascus, Christ and his church. Actually, before his conversion, when he was still called Saul, his hatred for Christ and believers drove him on a mission to destroy both. But now, being born of the Spirit himself, his greatest desire was to preach the word, make disciples, and build up the churches where he ministered. He explained this in Ephesians 3:1-7, “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.” When Jesus called the twelve original disciples their primary mission was to the house of David, Jews. When Paul came on the scene as one “untimely born” (1 Corinthians 15:8), his message of salvation to the lost was a mystery to their minds so he spent the rest of his life revealing it to them. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, he gave this explanation, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” We must understand that there is only one way to God, Jesus. He was our sacrifice, his is our Savior, and soon he will return and reign as our King.

October 22

Chapter 4, Verse 3, con’t, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—”

δι’ ὃ καὶ δέδεμαι, di’ ho kai dedemai, “for which also I have been bound.” dedemai, comes from δέω, deo, which means to tie or bind. Various English translations render it “in chains,” “in bonds,” “am bound,” and “am a prisoner.” Essentially, they all mean Paul is in some sort of jail not free to do as he pleased. The perfect tense indicates he was previously jailed and continues to be confined. Why was he incarcerated? It happened three times, and regardless of the circumstances, his confinement was for preaching the truth about Jesus. The first time was when he cast the demon out of the slave girl at Philippi. After a beating and one night in jail, an earthquake set him and his companion Silas free (along with everyone in the jail). The account is in Acts 16:25-34, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-10, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” This is what the jailer and his entire family did! Later, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. This is when he was taken to Rome where he was under house arrest from about AD58-63 during which time he wrote Colossians. His last arrest occurred c.67-68 and this time he was held in an actual Roman jail cell. Sometime after writing his two letters to his protegé Timothy, he was martyred for his faith. He wrote to him, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Would to God that we should be so bold.

October 23

Chapter 4, Verse 4, “that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

 ἵνα φανερώσω αὐτὸ, hina phanerōsō auto, “so that I should make clear it.” When I read verses two through four, especially when I see this hina (that) clause at the beginning of verse 4, I do not hear instructions as much as I hear a plea. It is like Paul is saying, “Alright church, I need to pray all the time, paying attention to what is going on, and while you are praying, pray for me. . .so that. . .I canb e clear about the gospel to those around me here in Rome.” The verb φανερόω, phaneroo, is from phos = light. It means to make visible, to illuminate, to make manifest. Make the gospel plain, explaining it in the simplest way possible, is necessary for it to be grasp when it is heard. Paul was persistent in preaching, certain in his message, and unwavering in his love for God and Christ’s church. In Philippians 1:3-7, he put it this way, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” We should all follow his example making the gospel plain and easily understood not just with our words, but also with the way we live. If there is no afterwards to the gospel in our lives, we must ask ourselves if it is even present in us.

October 24

Chapter 4, Verse 4, con’t, “that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”

ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι, hōs dei me lalēsai, “as it behooves me to speak.” When we read the entire corpus of Paul in Scripture, we easily discover he had no problem speaking his mind. He was bold in his approach and thorough in his command of language. His use here of the verb dei is neither boldness or command. His is addressing the issue of necessity, what he must do. In Ephesians 6, when Paul adjured his readers to adorn themselves with the whole armor of God and pray in the power of the Spirit, he wrote, “To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18b-20). He used the exact same phrase in 6:20 as in Colossians 4:4, as I ought (it behooves me). The statement, “I am an ambassador in chains” clearly reflects his position that he had no choice but to be bold in his proclamation of the gospel. He took this stand for two reasons. First, he was a servant (doulos = bondservant, slave, Romans 1:1) of Christ, and second, he knew his enemy–the devil. We who are believers must always be willing to defend the faith (Jude 1:3).

October 25

Chapter 4, Verse 5, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”

Ἐν σοφίᾳ περιπατεῖτε, En sophia peripateite, “In wisdom walk.” Defining wisdom can be difficult, especially when you are the one seeking it. The noun sophia, generally defined as skill or wisdom, is the root from which we get the English terms “sophistication” and “philosophy,” which, used together mean the art of using wisdom or affection for wisdom. Sophia is semantically related to another Greek word, σαφής, saphes, generally meaning clear or clarity as in something seen with the eyes or something understood with the mind. It is the ability to “see” what is true with clarity and distinction and denotes a person who has the capacity to “put things together” in the mind with insight and comprehension. We must not that wisdom does not come easily and requires much consideration of what is believed to be true and factual. King Solomon began the book of Proverbs thus, “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:1-7). The fear of the Lord begets knowledge and with reflection of the truth may become wisdom. In this world, we desperately need true wisdom from God.

October 26

Chapter 4, Verse 5, con’t, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”

πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω, pros tous exō, “toward those outside.” The Greek preposition ἐκ, ek, is often translated “of,” “by,” “through,” “out of,” “from,” and even “among.” Each of these words is adequate, but they sometimes fail to reveal the two-layered meaning that looks forward to an outcome; i.e., something going out from someone (inside) and out to some outside. So we have intent; we aim to reveal gospel truth to unbelievers. And why must we who are in Christ remember this? It is because of the very reason Jesus was born in this world. He said to Zacchaeus in Luke 19:9-10, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” In John 10:10, he said, “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” Those who are on the outside (not part of the family of faith) need to be brought in out of the cold, so to speak. Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” And again in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is up to believers to be wise concerning the Scriptures an wise in sharing its truth because only two outcomes are possible. The “outsider” will either trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, or they will reject him and be lost forever, separated from God and his love.

October 27

Chapter 4, Verse 5, con’t, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”

τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι, ton kairon exagorazomenoi, “the time redeeming.” exagorazo means to buy, ransom, choose, or redeem. The prefix ek = out from (completely), and amplifies agorazo = “buy up at the marketplace;” hence, to take full advantage of a buying opportunity, or, make the most of a present opening to purchase something or gain advantage in a circumstance. Simply put, seize the opportunity. King Solomon addressed time in this way, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). James wrote, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:13-14). Paul knew his days were numbered. Job knew it, too. He said, “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. . .Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, look away from him and leave him alone, that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day” (Job 14:1, 5-6). The point here is not to rush along, working every minute, not taking time to rest. The point is to not waste time with foolish endeavors that are unprofitable to the soul. In the present context, Paul is pointing out that when we have a chance to talk to someone who is not a believer, we should be aware and prepared to take full advantage, sharing our faith and the love of God.

October 28

Chapter 4, Verse 6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ho logos hymōn pantote en chariti, “[Let the] speech of you [be] always in grace.” logos, from lego = speaking words together to form a thought, is used 330 times in the New Testament in regard to a person carrying on a conversation to make a point about something. In common discourse, it generally means reasoning expressed in words. The difficult word here, in relation to grace, is always. Many times, it is hard for us to “hold our tongue.” Paul wrote to Timothy, saying, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, their talk will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:15-17a). Then he said, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:22-26). Not quarrelsome but kind–I believe this is what Paul had in mind when he was writing to the Colossians. The old saying, “stick and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is absolutely wrong. Hateful words, which are almost always express with intent to harm and belittle, should never come out of the mouth of a believer. Our mindset, when speaking, should always be like that of King David, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

October 29

Chapter 4, Verse 6, con’t, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Many years ago, long before I attended seminary and learned language study, my pastor asked me to prepare a gospel tract to use in our community. The GRACE acronym I had heard before came to mind–God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense. What it does not define grace, it certainly explains what grace does when it is applied to our lives. About 170 times in Scripture, the words translated grace or favor are used. In the Old Testament, חֵן, chen, grace, favor, is the noun that comes from חָנַן, chanan, to show favor, to be gracious. In ancient times, chanan was used to describe someone who bent down or stooped over to show kindness to a person in dire need who could not help themselves. In Genesis 6:8, as sin was running rampant on earth, and just before the great flood, the bible says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (KJV = grace, ESV = favor). In Exodus 33, after the golden calf debacle, God’s judgement upon Israel, and their repentance, Moses said, “And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” (KJV = grace, ESV = favor). God “looked down” and saw these men of faith “looking up” to him for the help that only he can provide. Ultimately, that help came to us in Jesus at Calvary–God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense. Do not miss grace.

October 30

Chapter 4, Verse 6, con’t, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

In the New Testament, grace is χάρις, charis, also translated favor or kindness. A few times it is rendered thanks, but the main idea is grace/favor. charis comes from xar = disposed towards or leaning towards to share a benefit. It is used most often of the Lord’s good favor which he generously and without cost offers to humanity. God wants to bless us all because he seeks us–not because we seek him. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Why do we need God’s grace? In Romans, Paul said, “As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good” (Romans 3:10-12). Even Isaiah knew this hundreds of years before when he wrote, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). So, how is it possible for us to approach the unbelieving world and be gracious when we speak? Romans 5:1-8, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When we come to God in faith, with repentant hearts trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord, he places peace in our hearts. Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Because grace has been applied to our lives, God’s peace stands guard over our minds so that we can defend our faith and at the same time be kind towards those who disagree with us.

October 31

Chapter 4, Verse 6, con’t, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

When I study grace, χάρις, charis, in the New Testament, I am always reminded of another word that is “kin” to it, something a linguist might say is in its semantic range. The word is χαρίζομαι, charizomai, “forgiveness.” Where charis is God’s good favor, his kindness in divine action, that he extends to us without cost (we don have to pay for it because Jesus did on the Cross), offering us salvation–charizomai means to exercise grace or freely show favor. So it is the action that occurs when we trust Christ as Savior and Lord. Simply put, we might say forgiveness is grace applied. The idea is cancelling debt and that is exactly what grace does when we believe. Paul said we should “always be gracious” when we speak, showing favor and kindness to those outside the family of faith (and especially to those who are in the family). As we do, we should always present or words with an attitude of forgiveness, even when the responses we receive are unkind, even hateful. Remember Ephesians 4:31-32, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”