The Concern of  the Apostle--Colossians 1:1-14

     In the General Introduction to the Epistle to the Colossians, this writer discussed the authorship.  Since this epistle starts with the name of the author, there is some duplication of the material covered in the introduction.  Here is begun the verse-by-verse examination of  this epistle.  Understandingly, the epistle begins with:

I. HIS GREETINGS--vv. 1, 2
     A. The Author--v. 1
          1. He affirms his authority.
               a. States his name according to the then accustomed way to start a letter.
               b. By the use of  the word, apostle
               c. By the qualifying phrase, of  Jesus Christ
                    (I) Actually, "Christ Jesus"
                    (II) Paul knew Him as the Messiah, not after His humanity
               d. By the statement, by the will of  God
                    (I) Shows direct contact with God
                    (II) Shows a direct act of  God's will
          2. He acknowledges his coworker.
               a. His name, Timothy
                    (I) Led him to the Lord
                    (II) 1 Timothy 1:2
               b. His position with Paul
                    (I) A brother in the Lord
                    (II) A faithful servant of  Christ--affirmed repeatedly by Paul
                    (III) A helper to the Apostle--also affirmed constantly
     B. The Addressees--v. 2
          1. Saints
               a. Paul's standard word for believers in Christ
               b. Saints are not those declared by some church.
               c. You and I if  we have trusted Him
               d. Used of  one's standing before God, not a person's current state
          2. Faithful brethren
               a. Believers
               b. Not a separate class from saints
               c. In Christ
                    (I) An important phrase in Paul's writings
                         (A) Occurs 4 times plus 11 related phrases here in Colossians
                         (B) Prominent in Ephesians
                    (II) Speaks of  our union with Him
                    (III) "The concluding words," in Christ, "belonging to the entire clause, describe the origin and circuit of  the
                         believing brotherhood.  Their union to Him created this tender and reciprocal connection to Him." (Eadie,
                         John, Commentary on the Epistle of  Paul to the Colossians.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan
                         Publishing House, 1957; page 3)
          3. Grace and peace
               a. Part of  the standard salutation at the beginning of  each Pauline epistle--Mercy is often included in the
                    salutation.
               b. Notice that grace must come before peace.
                    (I) The world is looking for peace in every way but from God.
                    (II) Apart from God's grace there is no peace.
               c. From God our Father
                    (I) Again part of  the standard salutation
                    (II) Grace and peace comes from Him.
                    (III) Some manuscripts omit "and the Lord Jesus Christ"; however grace and peace comes through Jesus
                         Christ.

II. HIS THANKSGIVING--vv. 3-8
     A. The Persons of  Thanks--v. 3
          1. The Apostle and his worker
               a. The givers of  thanks for them
               b. The constant prayers for them
          2. God
               a. The one to Whom the thanks is given
               b. The Father of  our Lord Jesus Christ--"It is God, in the character of  the Father of  Christ, that we thank, for
                    He is in this relation our Father-God." (op. cit., 5)
     B. The Points of  Thanks--vv. 4-6
          1. For the three abiding things
               a. Faith in Christ Jesus--the beginning of  the Christian life
               b. Love to all saints--the continuance of  the Christian life
               c. Hope of  heaven--the end of  the Christian life
          2. For the preaching of  the Gospel
               a. Faith, love, and hope is by the preached word--cf. Romans 10:17
               b. The Gospel extends to the whole world.
                    (I) This is the missionary emphasis.
                    (II) Cf. Acts 1:8
               c. The source of  knowledge of  God's grace
               d. In truth--all the foregoing must be in truth or it is worthless.
     C. The Prompter of  Thanks--vv. 7, 8
          1. The prompter is Epaphras.
               a. Fellowservant
                    (I) Note that precious word, dear--actually beloved
                    (II) Ours--both yours and mine
               b. A faithful minister
                    (I) Of  Christ--thus a faithful preacher
                    (II) For you--thus their pastor
          2. The prompter informs Paul.
               a. Of their faith
                    (I) Verse 4
                    (II) In Christ Jesus
               b. Of  their love
                    (I) Verse 4
                    (II) In the Spirit
                    (III) For one another
                         (A) Not a natural thing
                         (B) Supernatural--of  the Holy Spirit
                         (C) Cf. Galatians 5:22

III. HIS INTERCESSION--vv. 9-14
     A. The Reason for His Prayer--v. 9a
          1. For this cause--Eadie, 20, is reference for the following two statements, but not direct quotes.
               a. Since hearing of  the Colossians faith, etc.
               b. The Apostle's intercession was not just for the moment when he wrote them, but a day-by-day matter ever
                    since he heard of  them.
          2. Praying and desiring
               a. These are participles rather than infinitives--a participle expresses an action already existing.
               b. These two go together.
                    (I) Praying is the general term.
                    (II) Desiring is direct result.
     B. The Content of  His Prayer--vv. 9b-11
          1. Filled with the knowledge of  God's will.
               a. The word knowledge
                    (I) Means "full knowledge"
                    (II) "The Colossians had" knowledge, "but the apostle wished them to be filled with additional and
                         supplemental knowledge. not new knowledge or a different form or section of  Christian science [not the
                         sect], but a fuller development of  the partial theological information which they already possessed."
                         (Eadie, 21)
               b. Knowledge in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
                    (I) The word wisdom deals with general principles--cf. Eadie, 23.
                    (II) Understanding deals with particular case.
                    (III) Spiritual deals with that which is conferred and quicken by the Holy Spirit.
          2. Walk worthy of  the Lord.
               a. Its dependence
                    (I) The knowledge of  God's will
                    (II) Through God's Word
               b. Its results
                    (I) All pleasing--"The Lord is to be pleased and highly pleased in everything, for the apostle prefixes" the
                         word all. "This well-pleasing is not to be sectional, but uniform and unbounded; and it is not difficult to
                         please Him." (op. cit. 25)
                    (II) Fruitfulness in every good work
                         (A) This phrase is not qualified in any way.
                         (B) Thus it refers to any work that is good.
                    (III) Increase knowledge of  God--word knowledge is same as in verse 9.
               c. Its means
               (I) Strengthened with all might--the imparting of  Divine strength to believers
               (II) According to the might of His glory--"If  the spiritual strength given to believers be after the measure of  the
                    might of  this glory, with what courage and ability shall they be armed?  Will they not with so much of  God in
                    them realize the God-like in spiritual heroism, resist evil, overcome temptation, banish fear, so as to surmount
                    difficulties, embrace opportunities of  well-doing, obtain victory over and prove that they are able to rise
                    above everything before which unaided humanity sinks and succumbs." (op. cit. 28-9)
               (III) Unto all patience and long-sufferings
                    (A) Hebrews 10:36
                    (B) With joyfulness--"This joy characterizes, or rather accompanies, as the preposition implies, the graces of
                         patience and long-suffering.  That peculiar position which necessitates the exercise of  patience and
                         long-suffering should not induce despondency, or cast a gloom over the heart as if  it were inevitable fate,
                         to be sullenly submitted to, but rather should there be joy that this Divine power is communicated, and that
                         the mind is upborne in triumph, and enabled to hope and wait in quiet expectation.  And there are
                         abundant reasons for joy." (op. cit. 31)
     C. The Thanks in His Prayer--vv. 12-14
          1. Thanks is offered
               a. Again, to God the Father
               b. Cf. verse 3
          2. The reason for thanks
               a. He has made us fit.
                    (I) To share in His kingdom of  light--cf. Romans 8:16, 17
                    (II) "The 'saints' possess it [the light]--therefore, their sanctification is complete.  No taint of  sin remains, no
                         trace of  previous corruption can be discerned.  The language of  prayer is superseded by that of  praise,
                         and the tongue shall be a stranger for ever to moaning and confession.  None but the saints, as being 'light
                         in the Lord,' can dwell in that light." (op. cit. 34)
               b. He has delivered us.
                    (I) From the power of  darkness
                         (A) This power is Satan.
                         (B) The unsaved are in darkness now even as we were.
                         (II) To Christ's kingdom--as believers we are now in His realm in contrast to our former estate. (cf.
                              Ephesians 2:1ff.)
                         (III) By redemption resulting in forgiveness of  sins--Cf. Ephesians 1:7 where the phrase through His blood
                              occurs with good manuscript authority.

     On this web page The Concern of  the Apostle was seen.  It involves "his greetings" to these believers in verses 1 and 2; it causes "his thanksgiving" to God for these believers set forth in verses 3-8; in verses 9 through 14 was found the results in "his intercession" on behalf of  these believers.
       Are you and I so concerned of  others in Christ?  Consider the believers who are in your church.  Do they greet each other in love?  Does their concern cause others to thank God for them?  Does the concern result in intercession for them?

     The Apostle evidenced his concern for others; do we?