September
September 1
Chapter 3, Verse 15, con’t, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, brabeuetō en tais kardiais hymōn, “let rule in the hearts of you.” Believers have a choice to make–this is, of course, one among many. But this one will determine the direction of our lives with every other decision. Brabeuetō, from brabeuo = to act as an umpire, means to arbitrate, i.e., “make the call” concerning conflict between differing choices. It is used only here in the New Testament and the idea is very clear. As believers, we are to decide whether or not to allow the peace of Jesus to have first place in our minds. In the vernacular, we might say, “Put Jesus first.” This is the difference between trying to follow our own will for our lives and giving God complete charge for guiding every decision we make. Paul wrote, “And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:27). So it is the Spirit of God who empowers su to let Christ rule in our hearts. Again, 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,c 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). Being ruled by the peace of Christ not only empowers us to be intimately in touch with his Spirit, it also prepares us to “test the waters” as we seek to discern God’s will for our lives. The peace of Christ will never lead us in the wrong direction.
September 2
Chapter 3, Verse 15, con’t, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
εἰς ἣν καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι, eis hēn kai eklēthēte en heni sōmati, “to which also you were called in one body.” Eklethete, from kaleo, I call or I invite, is used here like a summons to a court proceeding. Just like a sitting judge may issue an order to appear, the great judge of the universe, out of his loving grace, adjures his children to willingly participate in the calm demeanor that attends knowing Jesus. Of the “one body,” Paul wrote variously, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Romans 12:4-5), “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slavesd or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14), “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27), and “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” (Ephesians 3:6). In each and all of the aforementioned passages, Paul’s instruction in clear. Because we, who are believers, are intentionally and intimately interwoven together in Christ, we are to use our various spiritual gifts to be a blessing, we are to teach and serve in the context of church, we are to genuinely love and show honor to one another, rejoice and weep together, and above all, live in peace with each other. This is our calling in the family of God.
September 3
Chapter 3, Verse 15, con’t, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε , kai eucharistoi ginesthe, “And thankful be.” εὐχαριστέω, eucharisteo, “I thank, give thanks,” combines eu = good, and xaris = grace, properly, thankful for God’s grace; it is used 38 times in the New Testament. The form used here, eucharistoi, is only used this one time in the New Testament. It combines eu = well or good, and charizomai, to grant freely, and thus properly means thankful for God’s grace working out what is good–eternally good. In this short sentence it is paired with the present imperative of ginomai, “I come into being.” So Paul is saying to his readers, “Keep on becoming thankful.” What else is there to do when God’s peace that goes far beyond our ability to understand is ruling in our lives? The question may arise, “How do I develop a habit of thanksgiving?” In Ephesians 5:14-21, Paul answers that question, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” He said to be filled with the Spirit, moment by moment–filled to the brim. We should sing together (in my mind that means be in church together) and give thanks for everything always. The more we thank God, the more thankful we will be.
September 4
Chapter 3, Verse 16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Ho logos tou Christou, “The word of Christ.” Logos is a common word in the New Testament (330 times) when used to embody a person discourse; i.e., sharing of a message or reasoning expressed by words. In regard to Jesus, it is the main term to describe who and what he is as well as his thoughts as guided by the Father through the Holy Spirit. To flesh out “what is” the word of Christ, for me, the obvious starting point is John 1:1-14, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 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, were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Being somewhat a spiritual double entendre, we must understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the word, and Jesus has given us the word of God in all the Scriptures. Of particular importance, then, are the words of Christ, those utterances from Jesus himself. Which of these words was Paul referring to–all of them. John tells us why the word of God is preeminently important in our lives “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13). Know Jesus to know the word–know the word to know Jesus.
September 5
Chapter 3, Verse 16, con’t, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως, enoikeitō en hymin plousiōs, “let dwell in you richly.” ἐνοικέω, enoikeo, combines en = “in” (intensifying), and oikeo = “dwell” at home, so the idea is to inhabit at a person’s personal residence. It is used 5 times in the New Testament, all by Paul, and both metaphorically and actually he uses it to mean “be a part of” as in having influence over. Plousios, used 4 times in the New Testament, by Paul and Peter collectively, simply means “in great abundance.” In John 10:7-11, Jesus said, “So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The world want to get rich by any means it can, honestly or dishonestly, it does not matter to them. Jesus wants us to have abundant life in him. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” In Ephesians 3:14-21, he 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. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” And in 2 Thessalonians 1:3, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” So, when we offer comfort to those who are hurting, we are abundantly comforted. And as we are in Christ, walking in his love, mercy, and grace, he does more for us than we are able to comprehend. And as we wall with him (Romans 12:1-2), our faith will grow–richly.
September 6
Chapter 3, Verse 16, con’t, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ, en pasē sophia, “in all wisdom.” In the Greek text, this phrase preceeds “teaching and admonishing.” Wisdom is the ability of the mind to make certain decisions and come to conclusions based on knowledge, discernment, and judgment. True wisdom is being able to reason as guided by the Spirit of God. This sort of intellect with the mentality for judicious perception and decision making is impossible unless the words of Christ is firmly embedded in your life. Here, according to Paul, exercising wisdom is a duty of the christian life. We must prepare ourselves for it by careful study of the word, applying the principles of scripture to our own personal lives before we attempt to instruct others. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Believers are to be trainers of other believers to prepare them for lives of service to Christ as we all reach the lost for the kingdom of God and prepare the next generation to do the same.
September 7
Chapter 3, Verse 16, con’t, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
διδάσκοντες καὶ νουθετοῦντες, didaskontes kai nouthetountes, “teaching and admonishing.” This is what believers are supposed to do with/for one another. . .in all wisdom. didasko = I teach, to teach, is used more than 200 times in the New Testament and almost always in reference to the Scriptures. It is employed with the idea of imparting knowledge, literally, “cause to learn.” noutheto = I admonish, warn, counsel, exhort. It comes from nous = mind, plus tithemi = to place; so properly, “to place the mind; i.e., reasoning with someone by warning them about something. Paul uses it here with the idea of supplying doctrinal and spiritual substance with a warning against choosing the ways of the world over the clear teaching of Scripture. He explains the importance of doing both together in Acts 20:26-31, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.” The fierce wolves are false teachers who beguile the church with high sounding rhetoric that draws believers to half truths and outright lies. So, be sure you are in Christ and in his word. . .daily. The right medicine can always cure what is wrong.
September 8
Chapter 3, Verse 16, con’t, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
ψαλμοῖς, ὕμνοις, ᾠδαῖς ᾠδαῖς, psalmois, hymnois, ōdais pneumatikais, “in psalms, hymns, [and] songs spiritual.” The heart full of Christ cannot help bu sing out in praise of his goodness. Here, we have three types of expression. ψαλμός, psalmos = striking of the strings of a musical instrument, typically a harp in the Old Testament. When the psalms [the book] were written, they along with other sacred odes were accompanied by the harp and what we call today, a guitar. Singing the Scriptures was a way to honor and praise God. Humnos, from hydeo = to celebrate, is used in the New Testament only of praising the Trinity as manifested in Jesus. The only other used of hymn in the New Testament is Ephesians 5, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (vss. 15-21). Paul wrote that we who believe should be “making melody to the Lord.” A hymns was a well known, structured piece of music with a definite message. Spiritual songs were more loose and personal forms, sung to a variety of tunes, sometimes without instrumentation beside the melodic voice. Simply put, a person who is saved and constantly being filled with the Spirit will find themselves unable to control the inward joy and with a smile may break into song at any moment. As the psalmist wrote, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! (Psalm 95:1-2)
September 9
Chapter 3, Verse 16, con’t, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
ἐν τῇ χάριτι ᾄδοντες, ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, τῷ Θεῷ, en tē chariti adontest, en tais kardiais hymōn tō Theō, ” with grace singing, in the hearts of you, to God.” Chariti, from charis = grace, may be translated thanksgiving in this context, but he idea behind the word is always favor towards; i.e., the Lord’s favor extended toward us in Christ. Adontes, from ado = singing, means just that, lifting our voices in melodic praise toward heaven to honor God. “In your hearts,” kardia, lets us know that without being born again there can be no true worship. A good way to express this idea might be–I am saved and what is on the inside is bursting in my heart to get out to the world. This sort of singing incites praise, the lifting of hands, sometimes tears of joy, but always worship and never performance. The psalmist wrote, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:1-2). And in 2 Chronicles 30:21, as Ezra was writing about the massive Passover celebration in Jerusalem, he wrote, “And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord.” When we sing to honor Jesus, we ought to put our all we have to offer into it.
September 10
Chapter 3, Verse 17, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
καὶ πᾶν, ὅ τι ἐὰν ποιῆτε, kai pan, ho ti ean poiēte, ” And everything, which what if you might do.” The Greek construction looks a bit weird here, but the meaning is clear. pan is translated whatever in most English translations, but it can also be everything. It comes from pas = each, every, or each part of a total. The idea is to look at the total picture “one piece at a time.” poiete, “you might do,” is a present subjunctive form of the verb poieo = I make, construct, do, or act, expressing expectation. Paul is, of course, writing to true believers, those in Christ, those who know how to act in their daily lives, those who have developed certain good habits. So, you might think of it this way: Do what you have learned to do that honors Jesus, and conduct yourself in full agreement with what you have determined to be true. This explains the “why” we must dig into the word daily. To do otherwise puts our testimony for Christ at great and unnecessary risk.
September 11
Chapter 3, Verse 17, con’t, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
ἐν λόγῳ ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ, en logō ē en ergō, “in word or in deed.” logo, a form of logos, from lego = speaking to a conclusion, is primarily used to express putting words together in an understandable sentence–it is the same word used to speak of Christ who is the word. ergo = to work or accomplish, is used to describe work or a worker who completes a task. In the current context, it is addressing the action that carries out an inner desire with intention and/or purpose. As believers, we must remember that the lost around us are always looking for way to mock us and destroy our testimony, even our faith–at least in appearance (no man can destroy our faith in Christ). Peter addressed it this way, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:13-16). Just like Paul, Peter called for holy living in obedience to Jesus and is word instead of falling prey to our “former ignorance.” All our deeds should be driven by the Spirit within us, not the world around us.
September 12
Chapter 3, Verse 17, con’t, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, panta en onomati Kyriou Iesou, “all in [the] name of [the] Lord Jesus.” The first phrase of this verse begins with pan, “everything,” translated “whatever” in the English Standard Version. The current phrase begins with panta, “all,” also translated “everything.” We can think of it this way: in everything you do, do everything. . .in the name of the Lord Jesus. Notice the absence of Christ, his title. Conducting ourselves in Jesus’ name, who is Lord of over all, is personal. This means from my getting up in the morning to my laying down at night, and everything in between, everything matters because I am in Christ. My life should be a reflection of the Lord I say I love. He loves me, I am joint heir in his kingdom (Romans 8:17), I am part of his divine plan of redemption, and it should show. It should be obvious when I am home with my family and just as obvious when I mingle with those who do not know him. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-6, Paul expressed it like this, “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.” We would do well to heed these words.
September 13
Chapter 3, Verse 17, con’t, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ Πατρὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ, eucharistountes tō Theō Patri di’ autou, “giving thanks to God [the] Father through him.” Pauls gives thanks 25 times from Romans to 2 Thessalonians. And why not? His pagan/religious background was totally opposed to Jesus. Not until he was saved on the road to Emmaus did he realize how thankful he should be to God for snatching him out of the grip of hell. From eu = good, plus xaris = grace, it literally means “thankful for God’s good grace.” Eucharist, the practice of celebrating communion in the Christian church, is a picture of what Jesus did for us on the Cross. Because we are in Christ, we give thanks through Christ to honor the Father. Paul honors God with the term 30 times in the New Testament. Here in Colossians, the beauty of the relationship between Father and Son in the Trinity is in full view. Peter expressed it best in 1 Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” The Father and the Son, by the power of the Spirit, guard our hearts and give us cause to be thankful.
September 14
Chapter 3, Verse 18, “Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
Αἱ γυναῖκες ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς ἀνδράσιν, Hai gynaikes hypotassesthe tois andrasin, “Wives submit yourselves to the the husband.” In verse 18, Paul shifts from a believer’s conduct in general terms to their conduct/actions in their homes. It should be said here tat a Christian’s behavior out in the world will never be better than it is at home. To begin with wife and husband are the common and formal terms used to describe a man and a woman in marital relationship, one in which vows are made with expectation that the couple will remain together until either one dies. This is the only biblical standard beside being single and, therefore, celibate. The mandate for the nuclear family originated with Adam’s creation in the image of God in Genesis 2:4-20, and culminated in Genesis 2:21-25 when God made Eve to be Adam’s helpmate (2:20 – suitable helper), placed them in the Garden of Eden–naked and unashamed without sin–and Adam announced the principle of leave and cleave. The household “rules” in Colossians 3 are the result of sin, redemption, and living together in Christ as a testimony of God’s love to the world.
September 15
Chapter 3, Verse 18, con’t, “Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
Αἱ γυναῖκες ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς ἀνδράσιν, Hai gynaikes hypotassesthe tois andrasin, “Wives submit yourselves to the the husband.” The root verb, ὑποτάσσω, hypotasso, combines hypo = under, and tasso = arrange; properly, under God’s arrangement in that a person is willingly submitting to the Lord’s plan for their life. The verb submit is used nine times in the New Testament, eight times by Paul, and once in James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Three times Paul used it referring to the marriage relationship: Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord,” Ephesians 5:24, “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands,” and here in Colossians 3. I read somewhere that “Marriage is easy. It is the living together afterwards that is tough.” The whole idea of submission or submitting has nothing to do with subservience. A wife is not a lesser creature to be ruled over by a husband. Rather, in Christ, she is to voluntarily have the attitude of respect, an obedient spirit, and a willingness to serve. This conduct by a Christian wife is only possible, in a practical sense, if the husband obeys God’s command in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” If the believing wife knows in her heart that her husband will protect, provide, and lead according to Christ’s command, she will follow his leadership (submit) even when she suspects he might make a wrong decision. This is all part of building trust, living in a peaceful home, and showing everyone around us that Jesus takes first place in our lives.
September 16
Chapter 3, Verse 18, con’t, “Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”
ὡς ἀνῆκεν ἐν Κυρίῳ, hōs anēken en Kyriō, “as is fitting in the Lord.” aneken, from aneko, combines ana = “up” — completing a process, and heko = “come” –to come up to a standard or expectation; so, to do what is proper. In this verse, aneken is in the imperfect tense, indication an action going on in past time, so it could be translated “was fitting” although no English translation renders is thus. The only other instances of the verb are in Ephesians 5:4, “Let there be [aneken] no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving,” and Philemon 1:8, “Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required [anekon].” The Greek form, in all three contexts, indicates an obligation. The phrase “in the Lord” modifies “fitting” and thus portrays the wife’s position in salvation, in Christ. She has, therefore, the moral obligation to obey the Scriptures–she does this first because of her love for Jesus and then because she loves and respects her husband and his place as provide and protector in the family. This command behooves a husband to be a strong leader who is loving in all situations, putting the needs of his wife before his own, and being a godly man who is never domineering or selfish. All of this together is hard work and necessary if there is to be peace in the home and an effective witness in the world.
September 17
Chapter 3, Verse 19, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”
Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, Hoi andres agapate tas gynaikas, “Husbands, love your wives.” The most important issue in the Bible is, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16-18). The second most important issue in the Bible is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). And the third most important issue in the Bible is, “Husbands, love your wives.” Why do I believe this? Three reasons. 1) The man brought sin into the world, “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:17-19). 2) The man has the greater responsibility, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:1-3). 3) The man is to love his wife sacrificially, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:25-26). God designed men to provide, protect, and serve. In God’s economy, men are to be prophet, priest, king, and warrior. Warriors go to war, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:12-13). And how do we prepare for war that we might protect those we love? Look further into Ephesians 6, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. 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” (vss. 14-20). Preparation must come before action, lest you fail. Jesus said, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:27-28). Christian men, those who are genuine believers in Christ, especially husbands, are to be a prophet by sharing the truth of God’s word with their families (and everyone else), a priest by praying over and for their wives, a king by taking care of their own home and serving it it, and a warrior by defending their families, especially their wives, against all the evil in the world. Husbands. . .love your wives.
September 18
Chapter 3, Verse 19, con’t, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”
ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, agapate tas gynaikas, “love the wives.” 1 John 4:16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” Three times in this verse, the noun form of ἀγάπη, agape, is used describing God’s very nature. He is the true source of love that is real and everlasting. Here, Colossians 3:19, the verb form ἀγαπάω, agapao, is used. To love with the sort of love God extends to us, first you must be a believer, in Christ. Then you must come to understand that “to love” in this manner means actively doing what the Lord prefers by his power and direction. We should also remember that God’s love always involves choice and selection and that it is a discriminating love (Romans 8:28-32). The verb form used here is present imperative meaning it is continuous and to be our habit. It is in the active voice meaning it involves our volitional choice, and it is an imperative meaning it is a command accompanied by the power to obey because we are indwelled by the Spirit of God. So, here is the absolute truth of it. A husband’s love is to be continuous and supernatural, no some passing infatuation. We should stop “trying” our best to love and start “dying” to self so we can. The love of God is so unselfish it sent Christ to the Cross. Our sacrificial love for our wives should be just as great. And we should understand that when we love that way, our wives, our children, and the world will see Jesus in us. Always remember this: The basis for marriage is the Bible (Genesis 2:15-24), the goal of marriage is intimacy, the purpose of marriage is reflecting Christ, and the result of marriage is to be a safe haven (Ephesians 5).
September 19
Chapter 3, Verse 19, con’t, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.”
καὶ μὴ πικραίνεσθε πρὸς αὐτάς, kai mē pikrainesthe pros autas, “and not be harsh toward them.” The New Living Translation renders this verse, “Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.” kai me’, “and not,” –never– agrees with the verb. πικραίνω, pikraino’, means I make bitter or embitter and sometimes I grow angry. The form here is a present imperative (like the form of agape) which is a direct command. Paul was telling the husbands to cease a practice that was already in place and common among men toward women. Essentially, he was saying, “Do not have the habit of being bitter.” The related word pikros, which means bitter, acrid, or malignant, was used to describe the sharp point of an arrow and was later used to describe anything that affects the senses like a pungent odor or a loud noise. These sensory triggers can easily cause anxiety. In 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, Paul addressed anxiety in this way, “I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.” In marriage, when “interests are divided,” that is, trying to focus on family, but giving too much time to the world, an anxious spirit will arise. When it does, bitterness can easily invade the relationship and wreck the home. Paul warned against this so that we may maintain good order and focus our attention of godly pursuits. That helps us maintain proper focus and have harmony amidst a world of chaos.
September 20
Chapter 3, Verse 20, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
Τὰ τέκνα, ὑπακούετε τοῖς γονεῦσιν κατὰ πάντα, Ta tekna hypakouete tois goneusin kata panta, “Children, obey the parents in all things.” tekna, the plural of teknon, from tekti = bring forth, bear children, be born, is only used in regard to a child born, male or female, son or daughter. Paul has already stated that we are to let the word of Christ richly dwell in our hearts–so, he is addressing believers. In the home, husbands are love their wives like Christ and wives are to yield to their husbands leadership. When children come along, believing parents are to raise their kids in a environment where the word is always present. The mandate is made clear in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” and Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” This does not, of course, guarantee that a child will (1), come to faith in Jesus and, (2), comply with a parents teaching and direction. But the principle remains. If we, as parents, love and teach the word in our homes, in front of our children, they will never be able to escape the truth. And we must trust God that eventually they will come to faith in Christ. For Christians parents, there is no Plan B.
September 21
Chapter 3, Verse 20, con’t, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
The verb root for obey is ὑπακούω, hupakouo, meaning I listen, hearken to, answer, or obey. It combines hypo = “under,” and akouo = “hear.” The idea is acting under the authority of the one speaking, i.e., attentively listening and being fully compliant to the instructions given. I like the Good News Translation rendering, “Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents always, for that is what pleases God.” Why? Because the setting Paul is addressing is the true Christian home where children have been “weaned” on the word of God. As Moses gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel, commandment number five was, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” כָּבַד, kabad, “honor,” primarily means heavy, weighty, and even burdensome. Gving honor to parents is the same as obeying them. When parents are giving instructions (hopefully, it is always godly counsel) sometimes the words do seem heavy and even a burden to a young mind. From a very young age, kids should be taught the value of honor and obedience, and parents should be careful to only give counsel that is worthy of being followed so that obedience will not be so difficult. And remember that none of this is easy and most often difficult even when both parent and child are sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
September 22
Chapter 3, Verse 20, con’t, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
κατὰ πάντα, kata panta, “in all things.” The is a tall order and is it even possible? First of all, if it were not possible, Paul would not have called for it because God would not have commanded it. Remember, the present imperative “obey” is a command calling for this attitude to be a child’s lifestyle. All things means no exceptions, but there must be this caveat: the command holds true as long as the parents are asking in accordance with God’s will and they are honoring Christ with their lives and not themselves walking in sin. Children are much more observant the many think they are. They often can see right through as adult’s lack of honesty. And, unless the husband-wife relationship is proper before the Lord, the parent-child relationship has little hope of being correct. We must remember that children, especially very young ones, are incapable of judging what they should or should not do or say. So, while children must be expected to obey, parent must be expected to do their part and do it well, in Christ.
September 23
Chapter 3, Verse 20, con’t, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
τοῦτο γὰρ εὐάρεστόν ἐστιν ἐν Κυρίῳ, touto gar euareston estin en Kyriō, “this for pleasing is in the Lord.” euarestos combines eu = “well, good,” and aresko = “to please;” so it means “full acceptable, pleasing, well-pleasing or grateful.” The obedience called for here is well-pleasing and fully acceptable to God because it is following his good and perfect will (Romans 12:2). In doing so, a child, anyone for that matter, is not trying to add or subtract from what God has said to do, they are simply doing it. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?” And the answer is, “The chief end of man is to glory God, and to enjoy him forever.” This is worship in its purest form. What better way to express our worship to God than to obey him? In teaching this concept to children, and for bringing it to remembrance in our minds as adults, there is no better passage of Scripture to peruse than John 14:15-31, the words of Jesus, who is Kyrios, Lord,”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.” This same Jesus will return, I believe soon, and we who are believers and are saved by grace will be with him forever.
September 24
Chapter 3, Verse 21, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
Οἱ πατέρες , Hoi pateres, “Fathers.” πατήρ, father, in context, may also be translated (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, or senior. A father is one who imparts life (from Adam forward) and is committed to it. The idea is one who begets, an originator or progenitor who begins the process of ringing another in being with the potential to pass on likeness with the intention of intimate connection and relationship. In the Old Testament, when a man died, we read over and over, “he went to be with his fathers,” portraying the generational connection. Unfortunately, we also read in passages like Psalm 78:5-8, “He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Luke addressed this in Acts 7:51, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” Fathers, men, are responsible for leading their families to God and not away from him. In 1 John 2:1-2, we read, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” And then in verses 13-16, “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” This world desperately needs strong men of God who will train other men and young children in the way of faith in Christ and lead their families out of the fullness of the Spirit in their hearts. This is the only way to win the world.
September 25
Chapter 3, Verse 21, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, mē erethizete ta tekna hymōn, “not do provoke the children of you.” The verb ἐρεθίζω, erethizo, means “to stir up,” usually stir up to anger. It is used in the New Testament only here and in 2 Corinthians 9:2, “Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. (vss. 1-2 for context) English translations render erethizete in Colossians 3 as do not. . .embitter, aggravate, provoke, antagonize, exasperate, anger, irritate, distress, vex, fret and harass, and even do not make your children resentful. Here, Paul used the present imperative form with the negative me, commanding that they stop doing what we likely already being done to the point their children were already becoming bitter and resentful. In might be likened to “fanning the flames” or, in today’s vernacular, causing kids to get “wound up,” ready to argue and stomp off in protest. How does this happen? Typically, children are exasperated when they are neglected, not provided for, overly criticized, excessively disciplined, put down, or by setting unrealistic life goals. What fathers should be doing is building up their children by modeling for them a lifestyle that is consistent with Scripture and Christ’s example.
September 26
Chapter 3, Verse 21, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν, hina mē athymōsin, “that not they might become discouraged.” The verb ἀθυμέω, athumeo, used only here in the New Testament, is a compound of a as a negative particle added to θυμός, thumos, which primarily means passion but is also used to express wrath as in a person venting intense anger. Most English translations render it discouraged with few preferring lose heart. Hina, a common conjunction at the beginning of this clause, shows purpose or a goal, i.e., “so that.” Fathers should never exasperate, provoke, or embitter their children. Why? When a child in the home becomes overwhelmed by their father who is overbearing, loud, obnoxious, bossy, controlling, etc., they can easily become despondent or discouraged to the point they lose all motivation. The sense of hope disappears from their lives, courage, enthusiasm, confidence, and determination will likely vanish. This demoralization will open a child’s mind to the devil and they will be easy prey for evil in the world to lead them away from God. Do not let this happen to your kids. Fathers, do whatever is necessary in your life to change your own attitude and draw close to God. Otherwise, you will be the cause of destruction in the life of your child.
September 27
Chapter 3, Verse 22, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”
Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις, Hoi douloi hypakouete kata panta tois kata sarka kyriois, “Slaves, obey in all thing the according to the flesh masters.” Almost always translated slave in English (unlike the ESV), doulos, when used as a noun, is the common Greek word that describes a person who lives in servitude to another person. In Paul’s time, it generally referred to involuntary, permanent service as a slave–a person with no property rights and few possessions. During the early days of Christianity, it is likely that one of every two people were slaves, largely captives of war serving in pagan households. Today, slavery is an unpleasant subject in the western world, but the master-slave association is parallel to the employer-employee connection. Just like the husband-wife and father-child relationship, Paul was highlighting the principle of authority and submission as the embodiment of a Spirit-filled life (since many if not most slaves were Christians). Paul was not suggesting that slavery was proper, only that believers who found themselves in that position should come under authority, serve the best they could, and allow their attitude and service to reflect Christ to their lost masters.
September 28
Chapter 3, Verse 22, con’t, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”
μὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοδουλίαις, mē en ophthalmodouliais, “not with eye-services.” The noun ophthalmodoulia, combines ophthalmos = eye, and douleia = service, and literally means “eye slavery.” It is indicative of someone working when the master is watching and goofing off when they are not present. In the time this was written, a slave had little incentive as compared to a paid laborer because their efforts gained no ground for them. It was work done only to impress the owner without any dedication or sense of obligation. This happens regularly in today’s workforce when employees act the same way while getting paid. Paul was telling the indentured believer to be different. This is a matter of attitude based on relationship. A Christian worker should always do their best even when (especially when) they are not under scrutiny. To do less screams dishonesty and laziness. And while we may get by with our employer, remember what Samuel wrote, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
September 29
Chapter 3, Verse 22, con’t, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”
ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι, hōs anthrōpareskoi, “as men-pleasers.” The adjective “men-pleasers” is used on here and in Ephesians 6:6 in the New Testament. The primary meaning is a person who renders service to human beings –as opposed to God. It describes a person who is more concerned with impressing other people as over against doing what honors God. In doing so, as a believer, principles are always compromised. Regardless of our station in life, our focus is supposed to be on serving God with singleness of heart. In our society, slavery is no longer an issue, but the same principles apply in the workplace. A Christian worker should be the best employee on the job. They should never argue with those in authority over them and they should do their very best to follow instructions that do not violate the biblical standard. Excellence in the workplace is to be the standard of the believer whether or not it is recognized by the employer. We can rest assured that doing our best on the job as we honor God will be rewarded in the end.
September 30
Chapter 3, Verse 22, con’t, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”
ἀλλ’ ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον, all’ en haplotēti kardia phoboumenoi ton Kyrion, “but in sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.” The adjective ἁπλοῦς, haplous (here haplotēti), is from the negative “a” = not, added to pleko = twine, braid, weave or knit together. In this context, it is used to mean singleness or simplicity–hence, mental honesty. This implies being free of pretense; i.e., not trying to put on or act like something you are not. The point is clear. When a slave (or anyone for that matter) was living a life of obedience to God, they would be motivated by a singular focus on following Christ regardless of the demands of human authority–which in many cases was corrupt. Why would they do this? They kept their focus on Christ because they feared the Lord. This is not an indication of being afraid of God but a matter of standing in awe of the majesty and power of a holy God. They were in Christ, rooted in the truth, guided by the Holy Spirit, and able to overcome the temptations of the world by their faith.
EXCURSUS — Fear of the Lord
King Solomon wrote, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). The subject fear of the Lord is used 295 times in Scripture, 235 times in the Old Testament. In the book of Luke, as Luke was writing about Saul’s preoccupation with persecution of the church (Saul, after he was saved was Paul who wrote most of the New Testament), he wrote, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied” (Luke 9:10). This same Paul wrote, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience” (2 Corinthians 5:11). This begs the question: were all these people afraid of God? No they were not. They loved God because he loved them. The fear of the Lord is affectionate reverence. This describes how a believer in Christ bows himself humbly to the Father’s power and will, understanding that the God of the universe is absolutely sovereign in the affairs of men. It is through his grace and mercy that we even exist and because of his great love for us, he sent his Son to die for us, to overcome death, to offer us the free gift of salvation, and guide us through life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Knowing this, we freely submit ourselves to his authority, we desire to please him, and we are careful to do our very best because we do not want to sin against him. So, when you read in the bible about the fear of the Lord, be careful to understand it is about loving God, not being afraid of him.
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