Colossians 2:1-5

Will Nielsen

November 27th, 2006

Nestle-Aland 27

2:1 Θέλω γὰρ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι ἡλίκον � a ἀγῶνα � b ἔχω ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ καὶ ὅσοι οὐχ ἑόρακαν τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἐν σαρκί , 2 ἵνα παρακληθῶσιν αἱ καρδίαι αὐτῶν συμβιβασθέντες � c ἐν ἀγάπῃ καὶ εἰς πᾶν πλοῦτος τῆς πληροφορίας τῆς συνέσεως ,� d εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ , Χριστοῦ , 3 ἐν ᾧ εἰσιν πάντες οἱ θησαυροὶ � e τῆς σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως ἀπόκρυφοι . 4 Τοῦτο λέγω , ἵνα μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς παραλογίζηται � f ἐν πιθανολογίᾳ .� g 5 εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι ,� h ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι , χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν � i καὶ τὸ στερέωμα � j τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν .

Paul understood the great difficulty of following Christ and denying himself. He knew what it was to suffer in the flesh and deep in the recesses of his soul. He sees this and wants the Colossians to know how great a fight he has endured; it is a fight that is worth struggling to win (v 1:29).�

The amazing thing is that Paul’s struggle in the Christian life was not one he viewed as merely affecting himself. He was not the individualist that most of us today are. He understood that his walk with Christ affected other people’s walks with Christ – even the Colossians whom he had never seen.

The purpose then of his striving was for the encouragement of others in the church. This is the church that was knit together in love. Whose love? This is not love in the abstract but the love of Christ who died to redeem his church to himself. The treasure stores that are the churches, all the riches of assured understanding that are hers do not come only in terms of bald propositions or historical data. The richness of the Gospel is that the abundance of God has been revealed in the person and work of Christ. He is the Father’s proposition and historical icon.

Certainly, what we think is tremendously important. However, thoughts and propositions that do not make Christ more fully apparent to us, assured in our understanding are inferior thoughts and propositions. May we today search ourselves and engage in the kind of critical inquiry that will allay us from delusion and arguments that persuade us away from Christ, the love in which the whole church is bound up.

My Translation

2:1 � For I want you to know how great a fight I have for your sakes and for those in Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 so that their hearts might be encouraged, having been knit together in love and into all the riches of assured understanding, into the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, 3� in whom all the treasure stores of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. 4� I say this so that no one may delude you with persuasive arguments. 5 � For although I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the Spirit, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the firmness of your – into Christ – faith[fulness].

Grammar & Vocabulary

a ἡλίκον adj/acc/sg/masc � ( ἡλίκος ) how great, how large�

b ἀγῶνα n/acc/sg/masc ( ἀγών ) struggle, fight [with a view towards winning]

c συμβιβασθέντες aor/psv/ptc/pl/nom/mas ( συμβιβάζω ) to knit together, to unite

d συνέσεως gen/sg/fem � ( σύνεσις ) insight, understanding

e θησαυροὶ � nom/pl/mas ( θησαυρός ) treasure, incl. the place where the treas. is kept (e.g., treasure chest, storehouse)

f παραλογίζηται � pres/mid-psv/sub/3p/sg ( παραλογίζομαι ) deceive, delude

g πιθανολογίᾳ dat/sg/fem ( πιθανολογία ) persuasive speech, the art of persuasion, plausible (but false) arguments.

h ἄπειμι pres/act/ind/1p/sg ( ἄπειμι ) to be absent, away

i τάξιν acc/sg/fem � ( τάξις ) in [good] order

j στερέωμα acc/sg/neu ( στερέωμα ) firmness, steadfastness

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