Bible Study from May 12, 2020 - Colossians 2:1-7

As we have heard in previous weeks, Paul has spent much of his time in chapter one of Colossians telling us who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us. In this way, Paul is revealing the “mystery” of God’s plan of salvation for the whole world, in Christ, with Good News of hope for everyone. Paul toils and struggles to get this message out to as many people as he can, though he is in prison in Rome for his faith, as he speaks and writes. The message centers in “Christ in you” by faith in what He has done for you. “Him we proclaim,” Paul says.

This is a mystery clearly revealed, and is for all, not something to be kept secret and only for certain elite people, as the “mystery religions” of the ancient world were. It was not like the Masonic Lodge or other such groups still today, or some fraternities and sororities or even a cultic religion like Mormonism, which have secret rites and rituals and handshakes and clothing, only for the chosen “in-crowd."

Paul speaks often of this “mystery disclosed” in Christ Jesus; and we looked at just two of many passages listed in last week’s study. In Romans 16:25-27, Paul points us to “the prophetic writings made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith” in “the preaching of Jesus Christ.” In Ephesians 3:1-8, Paul tells how this was revealed to him and to all “His holy prophets and apostles by the Spirit” in Old Testament prophecy and in clear New Testament fulfillment - that “the Gentiles” (non-Jews) “are also fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”

In chapter two of Colossians, verses 1-5, then, Paul writes very personally of how this Good News of Christ is also for the people of Colossae and Laodicea, a town about 11 miles from Colossae (v.1). He wishes he could be with them in person, but cannot be, because of his imprisonment in Rome (v.1,5). (Remember that this is a real letter to real people, and did not originally have all the chapter and verse divisions we are used to seeing. Paul writes this heartfelt letter to help Christian people in real danger.) He assures them that in Christ they have “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and understanding," and they can be “encouraged and knit together in love” in Christ (v.2,3). They have everything they need in Christ, and Paul rejoices to see their “good order” and “the firmness of (their) faith in Christ” (v.5). (These are “military" terms and speak of their strength in fighting to keep their simple faith in Jesus, through the Lord working in them, too. See Colossians 1:29.)

Paul keeps their faith focused where it must always be, on Jesus their Savior, in Colossians 2:6-7, “rooted and built up in Him," “just as (they) were taught.” (We will look more closely at these two verses next week, too.) For Paul has also just introduced in Colossians 2:4 his concern for the people at Colossae, from what he has heard from Epaphras, the pastor in Colossae, who has come to visit him in Rome. Paul warns, “I say this in order that no one may delude (deceive, mislead) you with plausible arguments” - words that may sound very persuasive, but can actually lead people away from Christ.

Paul knows that the people in Colossae do not need new knowledge and ideas, which can be so appealing; but they must stick with “the word of the cross” and “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” and “boasting” in Jesus Christ alone, Who is for us “wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption." (See Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, and 2:6-12.) This message may seem like foolishness to an unbelieving world, but is exactly what we all need, for real and eternal hope, in Jesus who lived and died and rose again for us.