APRIL
April 1
Chapter 1, Verse 26, con’t, “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.“
From Adam forward, there has always been a struggle to understand God and how he works in the lives of men. The struggle would never have existed except for the sin committed in the Garden of Eden that separated mankind from God spiritually. When Adam sinned, the part of him that could intimately commune with God died. The mysteries of God remained hidden for then on. The partriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament got bit and pieces, enough to keep them on track–part of the time. The Levitical system of sacrifice showed them a “preview” of what would come later. The knew a Messiah would eventually appear, but when he did, their religion kept them from recognizing him. The ages covered all that time and the generations were each consecutive 30 to 40 year period where their eyes were darkened more and more by sin. When Jesus came, he opened the spiritual eyes of many, including Paul. All those who trusted Christ, and those who continue to do so, know that the mystery of the gospel is now recognizable to all who will believe.
April 2
Chapter 1, Verse 26, con’t, “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.“
νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, nyn de ephanerōthē tois hagiois autou, “now however having been manifested to the saints of him.” Now however, is both a term of contrast and an expression of time. Something had changed. Manifested, from phaneroo, means to be revealed in it true character, making things visible that were up until then hidden and/or unknown. Here, Paul used the passive voice denoting an action or effect from an external source. His amazing declaration would have been a surprise to the people, especially the Jews, even those who believed. Why? While the Jews knew a Messiah was coming, they had no idea the spirit would actively indwell their physical bodies and open their eyes to what had been hidden. Nor did they even imagine that all Gentiles could enjoy the same presence of God. Paul explained this in detail in Galatians 4:1-7, “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” God has saved all who believe by the blood of the Lamb, and he has set us apart for a wonderful purpose–to be ministers of the gospel to the whole world.
April 3
Chapter 1, Verse 27, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”
οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς γνωρίσαι, hois ēthelēsen ho Theos gnōrisai, “to whom has willed God to make known;” to them or to whom are the saints of verse 26, the born again believers who have, without reservation, trusted Jesus and accepted him as Savior and Lord. When I read “God chose” and “God has willed” in Greek, it reminds me of two great truths. In John 15:16, when Jesus called the disciples his friends, he said, “You did not choose me, I chose you. . .” That reminds me that I only responded to Jesus in faith after his Spirit reached out to me, convicting me of sin, and showing me my need of a savior. And in Romans 8, when Paul wrote about believers being joint heirs with Christ, he went on to write, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” That is God’s ēthelēsen concerning me and all who believe, his will, his choice, his determination, his design. God’s will cannot be altered by the whims of man. When God calls, do not make excuses, do not turn away. Simply say, “Yes Lord,” and enjoy him forever.
April 4
Chapter 1, Verse 27, con’t, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”
τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ti to ploutos tēs doxēs tou mystēriou toutou en toise ethnesin, “what [is] the riches of the glory of the mystery this among the Gentiles;” Until Jesus came on the scene, every covenant of God with men was directed toward the Jews. Now, Paul is writing about a mystery that is no longer a mystery–the admission of Gentiles into a new covenant (initially promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34), one divinely rich and glorious. the glory of it is the kingdom of Christ being seen in the Gentiles as inheritors of God being grafted into God’s family. The riches of it is that the gospel crosses national and ethnic lines to include all of mankind. In Ephesians 1:7, Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” And in Ephesians 1:15-18, he added, “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” To all who believe, God has opened the library of heaven that we might know Christ fully and thereby gain wisdom. In that, we can learn how to follow Jesus every day.
April 5
Chapter 1, Verse 27, con’t, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory“
This is not some abstraction about what could be or may be. This is Paul stating the actual nature of the great mystery, now revealed. The resurrection of Jesus, who is the Christ, brought forth the reality for all believers that we are alive in Christ. And not only do we have salvation, we have his presence with us all the time. That, in itself, makes life worth living and more than just exciting–an adventure. This truth is not just an intellectual exercise, it is the practical application in our everyday, walking around lives. John knew this when he wrote, “he who is in you is great than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Later, he added, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4). On my happiest days and saddest, healthiest and sickest, Jesus is with me, loving me, guiding me–making it possible for me to face it all with confidence and hope.
April 6
Chapter 1, Verse 27, con’t, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory“
ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης, hē elpis tēs doxēs, “the hope of glory.” This is one of my favorite phrases in the New Testament. The hope of glory is my hope of glory. Paul wrote a lot about hope, 54 times, in fact. Hope is the expectation of what is sure. Glory is the intrinsic quality of God also described as honor and renown–and we who are believers will get to share it when we see Jesus. For me, here is where it comes together. . .I will see Jesus face to face because of Jesus (think Job 19:25-26). There is no other way to think about it. He gave himself for sin, he defeated death and in his resurrection made my salvation possible. Upon accepting him, he accepted me and indwelled my spirit by his spirit. He went back to heaven from whence he came and has a place prepared for me in the presence of his glory. By death or by rapture, I will enter into his eternal presence and become a permanent part of his never-ending kingdom. Finally and forever I will live in the domain of the hope of glory with all the redeemed who trust him as Savior and Lord.
NOTE: On this day, 45 years ago, Friday, April 6, 1979, with a repentant heart, by faith, I trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.
April 7
Chapter 1, Verse 28, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”
ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν, hon hēmeis katangellomen, “whom we preach,” Him or whom is clearly Christ. He is the focus, the central subject, of the entire Bible. In the immediate context, we is Paul and his troupe of missionary church planters including, but not limited to, Barnabas, John Mark, Silas, and Timothy. All of these guys had pastors hearts and I suspect everyone who assisted Paul had a pastoral love for reaching the lost with the gospel. The Greek word here for preach/proclaim is a combination of kata = “according to” or “making a point,” and aggello = to declare or announce decisively. It was sometimes referred to as heralding because it was delivered loudly, boldly, and with authority. As believers, all of us, whether or not we have a specific call from God, are supposed to courageously share our faith with others. Our service to God is at its best when we serve other people and do all we can to lead them to faith in Jesus.
April 8
Chapter 1, Verse 28, con’t, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”
νουθετοῦντες, nouthetountes, “warning,” is properly admonishing. The idea is not just a verbal warning, but appealing to the mind along with the will and emotions. It is a matter of helping someone understand a danger and then come to a change of mind to avoid that danger. Everyone is actually πάντα ἄνθρωπον, panta anthrōpon, “every man,” repeated three times in this verse. Simply put, the gospel is not exclusive to a certain group. That is why Paul repeats the phrase–all are included in the need for salvation and the need to learn how to live as a believer. Teaching is certainly giving instruction. It is explaining doctrine, imparting spiritual knowledge to which one was before completely ignorant, and setting forth a living example to follow. And wisdom–it is not what is gained through the study of philosophy and rational thought (think humanism), but humility before God in reverence and worship, obeying his commands and thereby receiving the ability to make sound judgements in life. It is a lot to grasp, but by God’s spirit we can learn, and teach, and be wise in a world characterized by chaos. God is willing and we are able if we will just apply ourselves to the task of being in the word and allowing the word to saturate our minds so that we can know and do the will of God.
April 9
Chapter 1, Verse 28, con’t, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.“
This phrase begins with ἵνα, “hina,” making it a hina clause or, more commonly, a purpose clause (that, so that, in order to). Paul sets out his reason for proclaiming, admonishing, and teaching. I think of it as his endgame. The purpose of Paul’s ministry was to bring people to maturity in Christ. τέλειον (from τέλειος) telion, “perfect” ESV mature, does not mean without fault. In the New Testament, it is used to mean complete in all its parts, fully grown, and especially to be complete in Christian character. This does not refer to orthodoxy or knowing and keeping all the rules and standards of religion. This is addressing Christlikeness. Attaining man-made standards is a matter of checking off a list. Becoming more like Christ requires a radical change in thinking that leads to a different way of behaving. Paul wrote, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2). The grace that saved us, and the Spirit of God who keeps us and guides us, is able to teach us by his word what it means to live in this world as truly loving follower of Christ. What does that look like? “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:9-21).
April 10
Chapter 1, Verse 29, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
Εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ, Eis ho kai kopiō, “Unto this I also toil” While not in the original Greek, it is impossible for me to read this without purpose — “for this purpose I toil.” Clearly, Paul’s purpose was leading believers to maturity in Christ. He knew his days were short and he knew the battle for righteousness would be theirs. He must train them well and he must do it with all haste. That is why he said I toil. kopio, toil, or labor, involves weariness and sorrow, and means to engage in hard work expecting difficulty and trouble. The idea is intense toil with sweat and strain to the point of exhaustion. The present tense emphasizes continual labor which was Paul’s habit. He never let up and he never backed down. He was faithful to the task, calling on us to imitate him, just as he did Christ. Jesus gave his all for us and we should be willing to give ourselves completely to him. Hard work may not be in style, but it is still necessary to get any worthwhile job accomplished. The most worthwhile job in the world is reaching and teaching for Christ’s sake.
April 11
Chapter 1, Verse 29, con’t, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
Here, we have the perfect picture of God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Responsibility. I must understand that God is sovereign all the time and in everything–and I am responsible for my response to him in all my actions in life. Living my life for Christ is not either/or; it is both/and. I belong to God and he works through me. I do not boast about what he does; I praise him, instead, for what he is doing. It is all him and, yet, I must do the works he has called me to do. Otherwise, my life is amiss and I fail to honor his call upon my life. That is why, with Paul, I struggle/strain. ἀγωνιζόμενος, agōnizomenos, “struggling,” the root of English agonize, (from ἀγών, agon = conflict or struggle) refers to being engaged in an intense athletic contest or warfare where lives are at stake. Paul expressed it this way in Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Walking with God is a difficult adventure with a glorious end in store for all who choose to trust in him.
April 12
Chapter 1, Verse 29, con’t, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ, kata tēn energeian autou, “according to the energy of him,” kata, “according to,” does not mean out of but in proportions to — in this case, the inexhaustible supply of God. So, I do not struggle in the human sense of possibly giving up; I labor continually in the awesome power of God. Energeian (from energeia, the root of English energy) typically refers to God’s energy which empowers believers. Used in form twice here, it could literally read, “the working (energeia = noun) of him who is working (energeo = verb) in me in power (dunamis). How good is that? This describes a believers sufficient and eternal supply to carry out the life-stretching ministry of presenting other believers complete (mature) in Christ. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:19-20, “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power (dunamis) toward us who believe, according to the working (energeian) of his great might, that he worked (energeo) in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” What a statement of purpose. The same power of God that was active in Jesus’ resurrection is at work in us–so that we can absolutely accomplish all God has called us to do.
April 13
Chapter 1, Verse 29, con’t, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει, energoumenēn en emoi en dynamei, “working in me in power.” Several translations, including the King James Version, render dynamei (from dunamis) as “mightily;” hence, “working in me mightily.” The mighty power of God, his strength at work in Paul’s life, is what Paul was trying desperately to describe. The verb form dunamai means to be able or to have power. Applied, it means I am powerful or I am able–I can. Here is the truth of it — as a believer, indwelled by God’s Spirit, I have the power to achieve whatever he calls me to do by allowing his power to work in me, for me, and through me. My favorite verse in the Bible is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The all things are whatever activities God allows me to do. The strength to do those things is what Paul is writing about here in verse 29. In 2 Corinthians 3:4-5, he wrote, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” So, the more time I give to sharing my faith, the more of his power will be seen in my life. And the more of him that is seen — and the less of me — the greater my opportunity to lead others to faith.
April 14
Chapter 2, Verse 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.”
Throughout his epistles and letters to individuals, Paul used three words taken from the discipline of running to describe his personal quest to become more like Christ. The word translated here as “struggle” is one of them. ἀγῶνα, agōna, from which we get English angony, was used to portray the grueling contests of athletes. In 1 Timothy 6:12, where Paul told his young protege′ to “fight” (agonizou) the good “fight” (agona) of faith, he used this same term. In Philippians 2:16, depicting his desire to not run in vain, he used ἔδραμον, edramon, “to run with great speed.” And in Hebrews 12:1, he wrote, “let us run” τρέχωμεν, trechomen, “to move forward with full effect and directed purpose.” In other words, run with all you have toward the finish line. He never wrote about looking back, slowing down, or giving up and quitting. He kept pushing forward until the end of his life so that he might influence more believers to join the good fight of faith and win others to faith in Jesus.
April 15
Chapter 2, Verse 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.”
Paul agonized thinking about the disciples in the churches where he had ministered, here in Colossae, in Laodicea, and surely in the other churches to whom he wrote. I still think about and wonder about the churches where God allowed me to preach and teach in Europe, Scotland, England, South America and in the United States. After 45 years of ministry, the question still arises, “Do you still get nervous before you speak?” the answer is yes. In the early days, the trembling was because of youth and a general lack of preparedness. With age, understanding, and God’s wisdom applied to my life, the nervousness comes from the realization of responsibility and privilege. Now, with writing and sermons online, people are going to experience what I say even though I will never meet them. That is a bit scary, frankly. Our God is great and can fix anything I mess up, but still, none of us who do our best to preach the precious word of God wants to misrepresent the Lord Jesus or bring dishonor to him. The words of Jesus, in the parable of readiness in Luke ring in my ears, “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Luke 12:48). Every believer has been entrusted with the gospel message. Be careful what you do with it. The world needs it and they are watching and listening for the truth.
April 16
Chapter 2, Verse 2, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ;”
ἵνα παρακληθῶσιν αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν, hina paraklēthōsin ai kardiai autōn, “that may be encouraged the hearts of them;” Here, we have another hina clause expressing purpose. Paul struggled in his labor to teach the truth about God so that. . .the hearts of the people would be encouraged. Hearts does not refer to the human organ. In Scripture, the word is used figuratively to refer to the center of human life, the inner person. It is the part of every human life we call personality; it control intellect, will and emotion. Every attitude, motive for action, and decision of the will comes from this place. All our perceptions reside here. Ultimately, this is the human mind, our thinking. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he [every person] thinks within himself, so is he. (NASB) The only true value of the human heart/mind is found in obedience to God. This is the beginning of right thinking and personal peace.
April 17
Chapter 2, Verse 2, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ;”
Some people, like myself, do not need a lot of encouragement. But when we do get to that place where we feel down and out, it is almost desperation, and thank God those close can see we need help. This verb παρακαλέω, parakaleo, combines para = close or close behind, and keleo = to call. So, a person who is already close by and typically knows me pretty well, is going to be the one who recognizes my need and steps in to build me up from my broken down state. the idea of encouragement is to come alongside someone, always with the intent of enabling them to face a difficult situation with confidence. You might call it a spiritual pick-me-up. In a Greek court, the noun form was used to describe an advocate, lawyer — someone representing someone else in a court of law, especially someone accused. I am grateful for those who step up when I am down. More than that, though, I give thanks to God that he lifts me up when no human can. In Ephesians 3, Paul wrote, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (vss. 14-19). The love of God, residing in my heart by the power of the Spirit, and that same sort of love shared with me by my friends, keeps me going day after day — encouraged. NOTE: For me, there is an extra blessing. My wife is my best friend in this world. She knows me better than anyone else and always does her best to encourage me, even when it is not easy.
April 18
Chapter 2, Verse 2, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ;”
συμβιβασθέντες ἐν ἀγάπῃ, symbibasthentes, en agapē, “having been knit together in love.” The root symbibazo combines syn = indentified with and embibazo = to board a ship. The thought is to bring together and in this context, figuratively, to get ahold of a truth in order to “get on board.” The verb tense is aorist, pointing back to a specific time when their hearts were knit together in love (that happens when real salvation takes place in the human heart) and the voice is passive telling us this was not an act of their own, but Christ did this for them. The catalyst or cause of this closeness is agapē, the love of God. They needed this to stand up to what is called the “Colossian heresy,” a false teaching introduced by some supposed Jewish converts teaching legalism (following religious rules) as necessary for a right relationship with God. We see here the glue holding them together. The love of Jesus is the only thing that will keep our focus clear, our mission on point, and our lives protected from the lies of the world–even when those lies sometimes creep into the church.
April 19
Chapter 2, Verse 2, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ;”
καὶ εἰς πᾶν πλοῦτος τῆς πληροφορίας τῆς συνέσεως, kai eis pan ploutos tēs plērophorias tēs syneseōs, “and to all riches of full assurance of understanding,” eis can be translated “attaining to” indicating movement toward a goal of state of mind and pas means all “without exception.” ploutos, from plutho = to fill, tranlated here “riches” speak directly of wealth and denote plentiful abundance. So, Paul is saying that part of his mission is to see that believers get to a point where, without exception, they have complete confidence (plērophorias) in their comprehension (syneseōs). He is addressing clarity of mind that puts together pieces of information to form spiritual understanding that surpasses that of the world. This is in contrast to the natural (unsaved) person who cannot understand God because they “set their minds on the things of the flesh” (Romans 8:5). It takes a complete change of focus to 1) be able to understand God’s truth and 2) be able to share that truth to a lost world.
April 20
Chapter 2, Verse 2, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ;”
Since I was a child, I heard the name Jesus. At about age 12, conviction of my need to know him first happened. At 26, the gospel reached my heart and I was saved. How is it that Christ is a mystery? Mysteries excite some people to find answers and scare others into avoidance. Here, and elsewhere in Paul’s writings, μυστήριον, mustérion, “mystery,” is something previously hidden by God and later revealed. All the way back in Genesis 3:15, God gave his first clue about Jesus, who is Christ. Everywhere you look in the tabernacle and temple concerning the Law, more clues are present about the identity and work of Messiah, who is Jesus. More than 700 years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah wrote about him in great detail in chapter 53. And yet, he remained a mystery until the gospel of the New Testament was presented and later written down for all to hear and understand. John identified him clearly in 1:29 when he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” He is not a mystery to all who believe. However, to those who do not know him, he is, in some ways, as mysterious as ever. We need to share our faith to clear up the mystery in the hearts of those who do not believe in Jesus.
April 21
Chapter 2, Verse 3, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
It is clear to me that “in whom” is referencing Christ. ἀπόκρυφοι, apokryphoi, “hidden,” is something kept secret, concealed, or withheld out of sight. The present tense are indicates continually being hidden and by implication “laid up in store” to be revealed at some point it time. Since Paul is writing about Jesus, and the work of the Spirit, it is clear that only divine revelation can reveal what is hidden. In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul wrote how this works out in the lives of believers. He began by discounting big words and fancy speech, proclaiming, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (vs 2.) He concluded by saying that the “natural” person (unsaved) cannot understand the truth about God (vs. 14). In the middle of that chapter, he detailed what he meant. “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (vss. 6-13). These great truths, that is, all the Bible teaches about God’s saving grace, man’s sin, and Messiah/Jesus, are only hidden (not understandable) from those who do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord. This is why it is important that believers share their faith so that more people can understand the truth about God. Or, as Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
April 22
Chapter 2, Verse 3, con’t, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως, hoi thēsauroi tēs sophias kai gnōseōs, “the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” θησαυρός, thésauros, the root of treasures, is the word from which English thesaurus comes; it means “stored up riches.” The riches, stored up in Jesus, are sophia = clarity concerning intelligence and gnosis = knowing based on first hand, personal experience. My connection to God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of Holy Spirit, gives me spiritual access to the place where all the most precious things are stored up — the mind of Christ. Paul wrote about these precious commodities in Philippians, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus (2:1-5). This is true spiritual wisdom, or, the ability to apply knowledge to the best advantage through the word of God, for the glory of God, and the good of man. After becoming a Christ-follower, my responsibility is to gain biblical knowledge, that is, understanding the truth, and to exercise godly wisdom which is applying that truth to life. Think of it this way by the words of Jesus, himself, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9).
April 23
Chapter 2, Verse 4, “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”
Τοῦτο λέγω, Touto legō, “This is say.” Words are important. How they are used is important. And sometimes, even word order is important. Paul crafted his message to make his arguments clear. Here, he is referring back to the struggle in his heart for the people in the churches to be encouraged, having their lives knit together in the love of God with understanding and wisdom that comes from Christ. Why did they need this close relationship? Because already in the very young churches, false teachings were rising up to challenge the truth. We must remember they did not have a completed roadmap of faith — the Bible to guide them. Some Jewish converts insisted on Old Testament rules being followed and the Gnostics lauded personal knowledge and perception over divine revelation. In the 2,000 years since, hundreds of religions (some older than Christianity) and countless opinions about God have arisen and been popularized. We must be careful to follow the clear teaching of Scripture only understood by the power of Holy Spirit in our lives so that we will not fall prey to the lies.
April 24
Chapter 2, Verse 4, con’t, “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”
ἵνα μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς παραλογίζηται, hina mēdeis hymas paralogizētai, “so that no one you might delude.” The last hina clauses were in 1:28 where Paul sought to present everyone mature in Christ, and 2:2 where he sought to encourage believers as their hearts were knit together in love as they began to understand the revealed mystery of Christ in the gospel. Now he states his impetus for teaching these fundamental principles is to prevent (hina, so that) delusion (English Standard Version), deception (New American Standard Bible), beguiling (King James Version), and in the Contemporary English Version “to keep you from being fooled.” The Greek word combines para = beside or alongside, and logizomai = to reason, to count. The idea of paralogizomai is incorrect reasoning often by deliberate misleading. It all started in Genesis 3:1 when the “crafty” (עָר֔וּם, arum = cunning) serpent showed up in Eden and said to Eve, “did God really say you should not eat from that tree?” [my translation]. In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul wrote to Timothy, “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.” And in Galatians 1:8, he wrote, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” The gospel is the most precious message we have. We must be careful in its understanding, clear in its presentation, and intentional in our efforts to share the truth about Jesus. The eternal destiny of our friends and family depend on it.
April 25
Chapter 2, Verse 4, con’t, “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”
πιθανολογίᾳ, pithanologia, “persuasive speech.” Combining pietho = to convince by argument, true or false — the idea is “trust me,” and logos = the “word,” in this case, not just the words but the reason, referring to enticing words — the idea is “to talk someone into something.” Commonly referred to as the Art of Persuasion, which is highly effective speaking, it can easily become trickery or deceit. In ancient Greek courts, pithanologia was used to describe a lawyer’s power of persuasion in his argument aimed at convincing people toward an unjust verdict. Paul’s argument against this chicanery is found in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” This is exactly why it is so important to know the truth of the Bible. False teacher abound, now more than ever before. The beginning point for clear understanding of God’s message is personal salvation, followed by reading the Bible, thinking about it (meditation), and finding mature believers who can guide you. Spiritual wisdom produces spiritual thinking resulting in a life that honors God over the things of the world.
April 26
Chapter 2, Verse 5, “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.”
One of the amazing aspects of Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae is that there is no evidence he ever actually visited the city. The church was likely organized around the time he was in Ephesus. This speaks ot the issue of the true church universal. Those who are believers, saved by grace through faith in Jesus, are not connected by a religious sect or crowned leader. We are intrinsically connected by the Spirit of God who indwells us from the moment we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord with a repentant heart toward God. No ecclesiastical agency can control that. Paul’s authority was from God who directed him to write to the churches. What he said here points to the living aspect of the church which is the body of Christ with one Head and many members connected by the power of God.
April 27
Chapter 2, Verse 5, con’t, “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.”
χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν, chairōn kai blepōn hymōn tēn taxin, “rejoicing and seeing your good order.” This could easily be expanded to read, “delighted in God’s grace and perceiving from afar your excellent organization.” Obviously, Paul had received reports about the Colossian church and, even though they were faced with the challenge of false teaching, he was pleased to hear about their strong stand to maintain order in their ranks. In Romans 16, he expressed himself similarly to those believers, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (vss. 17-19) The present tense of chairo in verse 5 means Paul was continuously rejoicing for them, having been encouraged himself by the good news of their taxin = good discipline. Being disciplined in the Christian walk is the capacity and desire to search the great truths of God in order to defend the faith and stand up against false teaching when it arises in the church. The apostles defended the gospel message with their lives. Who am I to do less?
April 28
Chapter 2, Verse 5, con’t, “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.”
τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν, to stereōma tēs eis Christon pisteōs hymōn, “the firmness of the in faith Christ of you.” Variously, stereoma is translated “steadfastness,” “strong,” “firm,” and “stability” in more than 25 Bible versions. I prefer stability in that it portrays standing firm on a solid foundation. Because the Colossian believers were knit together in love and they were gaining clear understanding concerning the mystery of the gospel (2:2), they had confidence to stand strong for the sake of Christ even when they were challenged by those whose agendas were detrimental to the work of the gospel. The psalmist said, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2) When the world assails me with all its lies, do I really believe this? When I am face with afflictions, trials, and temptations, do I stand firm in/for Christ? The world is watching, so I must do my best for the cause of Christ–so that by some means, I may win someone to faith in him.
April 29
Chapter 2, Verse 5, con’t, “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.”
Some people see the bogeyman behind every rock and live their lives in fear. I see Jesus everywhere and that gives me courage to face life wide open with great expectation. Faith in Christ is the most important phrase you will ever face in life. If you have it, hallelujah; if you do not have it, there really is reason to fear the bogeyman. He is, in my estimation, the ragged personification of Satan who want you to ignore God and end up in hell. But God, in and by his grace, wants you to have faith in Christ. What, exactly, does it mean to have faith in Christ? Paul addressed this with clarity in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4, “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.” All of us are born sinners in need of a savior. Not only that, none of us look for God on purpose. We just want to be left alone to live our lives to suit ourselves. Consider Romans 3:9-12, “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 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, not even one.” Also, think about Romans 3:21-24, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Without Christ, I was terribly and completely lost, facing destruction and eternity in hell. Romans 6:23 begins with these words, “The wages of sin is death.” But thank God he did not want me to stay lost and spiritually dead in sin. The end of that verse says, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus or Lord.” My hope is that everyone who reads this will be sure that you have turned from sin (that is repentance–or being sorry before God) and you have received Jesus as Savior and Lord. Life without Christ is hard. Life with Christ is hard, too. Choose your hard.
April 30
Chapter 2, Verse 6, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,”
Over the years, I have heard stories about individuals who have left the faith because of plausible arguments (vs. 5). My question is — did they have (personally possess) the faith at all? My answer is simple — no, they did not. Some, possibly most of the Colossians, were firm in their faith. They had full confidence and trust in Jesus. “Therefore” is used here as a transition from the warning of falling away to the exhortation toward living out their true faith. παρελάβετε, parelabete, “you have received,” is an aorist verb form that, like an English past tense, indicates a completed action; something like, “OK, since you did this. . .” Did what? the received (accepted into their lives by faith a spiritual truth) about Christ Jesus the Lord. This is the only place in scripture where this exact word order is used. Christ is his title; he is the anointed one, chosen by God to be the mediator between God and man. Jesus is his name; from the Old Testament יְהוֹשׁ֣וּעַ, yehoshua, (shortened in English to Joshua), “the LORD is salvation.” And Lord, meaning master over something; in this case, everything that exists inside and outside time and space. He is the absolute authority to which we give allegiance and by faith know he will deliver us to heaven on day for all eternity.
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