Home | What's New |
Mission Statement | Location|
Services | Calendar |
Lessons |
Committees | Activities |
Search | Links
Music, Search By: Hymnal / By Tune
/ Music Book |
Scott's Reference Library
Colossians 1:1-14
Sunday Between July 10 and 16 (Proper 10) C (Second Reading) July 12, 1998
Col. 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
[2] To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
[3] We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4]
because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the
saints-- [5] the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in
heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel [6] that has
come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has
been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its
truth. [7] You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful
minister of Christ on our behalf, [8] and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
[9] For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you
and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and
understanding. [10] And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord
and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might
so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully [12] giving thanks to the
Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of
light. [13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
(NIV)
Col. 1:1-8 (The apostle Paul salutes the Colossians, and blesses God for their faith, love, and hope)
All true Christians are brethren one to another. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the Christian life. Faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces in the Christian life, and proper matter for prayer and thanksgiving. The more we fix our hopes on the reward in the other world, the more free shall we be in doing good with our earthly treasure. It was treasured up for them, no enemy could deprive them of it. The gospel is the word of truth, and we may safely venture our souls upon it. And all who hear the word of the gospel, ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, obey it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it. Worldly love arises, either from views of interest or from likeness in manners; carnal love, from the appetite for pleasure. To these, something corrupt, selfish, and base always cleaves. But Christian love arises from the Holy Spirit, and is full of holiness.
Col. 1:9-14 (Prays for their fruitfulness in spiritual knowledge)
The apostle was constant in prayer, that the believers might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, in all wisdom. Good words will not do without good works. He who undertakes to give strength to his people, is a God of power, and of glorious power. The blessed Spirit is the author of this. In praying for spiritual strength, we are not straitened, or confined in the promises, and should not be so in our hopes and desires. The grace of God in the hearts of believers is the power of God; and there is glory in this power. The special use of this strength was for sufferings. There is work to be done, even when we are suffering. Amidst all their trials they gave thanks to the Father of our Lord Jesus, whose special grace fitted them to partake of the inheritance provided for the saints. To bring about this change, those were made willing subjects of Christ, who were slaves of Satan. All who are designed for heaven hereafter, are prepared for heaven now. Those who have the inheritance of sons, have the education of sons, and the disposition of sons. By faith in Christ they enjoyed this redemption, as the purchase of his atoning blood, whereby forgiveness of sins, and all other spiritual blessings were bestowed. Surely then we shall deem it a favour to be delivered from Satan’s kingdom and brought into that of Christ, knowing that all trials will soon end, and that every believer will be found among those who come out of great tribulation.
(Matthew Henry Concise Commentary)