Elaboration
of Thanksgiving (1:4-8)
Part 1
James R. Gray
(a) Its Cause (1:4-5).
“Since we heard” is a causal
clause that gives the basis or reason for the thanksgiving. This clause is an aorist participle
indicating that Paul heard this prior to his praying. It is because or on the basis of the report
he took this action. Paul and Timothy did not know the Colossians personally,
but the reports and reputation of the believers motivated their thanksgiving
and prayer. By the time Paul writes this epistle there were more than likely a
number of reports he had received about the Colossians, after all he spent over
three years in the area, being at Ephesus .
These reports may well have continued being received by him in Rome . Now under house arrest in Rome , he thinks back over
those reports and praises God for them. He and Timothy rejoice over them.
C.F. Baker makes a very good practical observation about Paul’s
methodology in this greeting. He writes:
Paul’s psychology, if we
may call it that, is always to commend the saints for their good points, before
bringing up any weaknesses or failures on their part. When we begin by attacking people whom we
feel are going astray, we immediately set up a blockage which is very difficult
to overcome, and which at the same time creates a spirit of antagonism, closing
the mind of the listener to what we have to say. Paul does not use insincere flattery, but he
is truly thankful to God for all who manifest faith in Christ and show their
love to the saints.[1]
Paul and Timothy where thankful for three aspects of the Colossians
character:
(1) Faith.
“Since we heard of your faith in
Christ Jesus” (1:4) Faith is the beginning point of Christian character and
salvation, thus it is mentioned first. Faith means to exercise trust, belief,
or to have confidence in. The object of their faith is Christ Jesus. En (in) denotes the sphere in which faith moves
and operates. Christ is the sphere in which faith lives and acts. This faith is
personal. It is the first component of the believer’s character. The text
literally reads “the faith of you.”
They walk by faith “in Christ Jesus.”
Christ is the object of their faith, but the indication here by the
preposition, points to the sphere or environment in which faith is exercised.
(2) Love.
“And the Love which you have for
all the saints” (1:4) Love is the next element in the life of a believer;
it springs out of faith. Gal. 5:6 tells us that “faith…worketh by love.” Faith is expressed by love for others. “Faith must be
exercised in Christ before love for the brethren can follow,” observes Johnson.[2]
Lenski makes a worthy observation when he writes:
A love apart from this
oneness of faith is a fictitious bond, however devoted and fervent it may
be. Nor is love ever stronger than the
faith from which it originates. All of its strength comes from faith alone so
that, in order to increase our love, we must first nourish and strengthen our
faith.[3]
Love is the
“incontestable
proof of the reality of the new life (cf.
1 John 3:14).”[4] This
type of love is not an inherent moral quality, but a gift of God. The word “love” here is the noun agape, and it means “to esteem, love, indicating a direction of the will
and finding one’s joy in something or someone.”[5] It
is used of God’s love toward us (Eph. 2:4).
It is the highest form of love.
It is that Calvary love that is self-sacrificing. Love does not count the cost, nor is any
sacrifice too great. We are taught of God “to
love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9). The Colossians were channels of God’s
love reaching out to “all the saints.” The Love of God is always outreaching, and
not inward directed, nor selfish. It is the love that Christ commands of
believers (John 13:34-35), and part of the fruit that the Spirit grows within
believers (Gal. 5:22). This love is
directed toward the saints as proof of the genuineness of our faith (James
2:14; 1 John 3:14). The mutual ministry of the body of Christ affords us
opportunity to exercise our love toward one another by teaching, helping, and encouraging
one another. We are all to be channels,
not reservoirs of His love.
(3) Hope
(1:5).
“Because of the hope laid up for you in
heaven….” It is of note that this part of the verse begins with the word “because,” not “and.” It is the Greek
preposition dia. It is used with the accusative, thus making it have
the sense of on account of, or ground for an action. Hope is the motivation
behind their faith and love. Moo expresses that “the Colossians need to be reminded that
their present experience of faith and love rests on the solid foundation of
what God has committed to do for them in the future.”[6]
It also serves as the third factor of Paul’s thanksgiving. Paul is thankful for
their expression of the Christian triad of faith, love, and hope (1 Cor. 13:13;
Rom.
Our hope is “laid up for you in
heaven.” Hope “is not enjoyed now—but it exists now; it is kept in store, and
will certainly be possessed”[9]
Hope projects us beyond the present, and brings expectation or longing for what
is ahead. Hope and assurance are merged in this passage. The Greek word for “laid up” is apokeimai, a compound word to lay or set away for
preservation, to reserve or to store. Hope is God’s layaway plan. The word
indicates security or assurance of what has been laid away has no possibility
of loss. The present tense brings this out, it speaks of action in progress—it
had a point of beginning and continues to be laid up for us.
This
is a specific hope, as seen by the used of the article—it is “the hope.” “The biblical idea of hope can be expressed in the
simple formula hope equals desire plus
expectation.”[10] Our hope and expectation is not simply
a thing or an event; rather it is a person—the Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 1:27).
This hope has many aspects: salvation (1 Thess. 5:8); righteousness (Gal 5:5);
transfiguration or resurrection (1 Cor. 15:52-55); eternal life (Titus 1:2,
3:7); and glory (Rom.
“Of which
you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel” (1:5). The phrase
points to the source of the knowledge of their hope. “Of which” is the Greek word hen, a relative pronoun referring back to the
word hope. This hope had been expounded upon in the presentation of the truth
of the gospel. Apart from the revelation of God’s truth, we would know nothing
of this hope. This phrase “truth, the
gospel” is used here and in Galatians 2:5, 14. In Galatians it is clear
this phrase is used in the context of Paul’s message in comparison to the
Twelve. The truth of the Gospel was committed to him by special revelation (cf.
Eph. 3:1-10). This truth is the Mystery (Eph. 3:1-10) which says Jews and
Gentiles are now one in Christ.
Thus, they had “heard” the Word. The Word of truth they heard in the Gospel from
Epaphras was a contrast with the falsehood of their recent teachers. This seems
reasonable in light of the context where the Gospel was being attacked as not
sufficient. It is clear from the context that the true gospel had been
presented unto them. This gospel consists of truth as its major characteristic,
for it is the Word of God, who cannot lie. The emphasis is on what they had
heard—the truth of the Gospel—and to remain true to it.
[1]
C.F. Baker, UNDERSTANDING THE BODY OF CHRIST: A PAULINE TRILOGY, [Grand Rapids , Grace
Bible College
[2]
S. Lewis Johnson, “Studies in Colossians-Part 2: Spiritual Knowledge and
a Worthy Walk,” BIBIOTHECA SACRA, October 1961, 338.
[3]
R.C.H. Lenski, THE INTERPRETATION OF COLOSSIANS, THESSALONIANS, TIMOTHY,
TITUS, PHILEMON, [Minneapolis MN ,
Augsburg
[4]
Johnson, “Spiritual Knowledge and a Worthy Walk,” 338.
[5]
Spiros Zodhiates, THE COMPLETE WORD STUDY DICTIONARY: NEW TESTAMENT,[Chattanooga TN
[6] Douglas J. Moo,
PNTC: THE LETTERS TO THE COLOSSIANS AND TO PHILEMON, [Grand Rapids MI,
Eerdmans, 2008], 85
[7]
Ibid., 23.
[8] J.B. Lightfoot,
SAINT PAUL ’S EPISTLES TO THE COLOSSIANS AND TO
PHILEMON, [New York
[9]
John Eadie, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS, [Grand
Rapids MI
[10] Bing, Charles,
“The Warning of Colossians 1:21-23,” BIBLIOTHECA SACRA, January 2007, 78.
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