Colossians Chapters 1 & 2

Colossians Chapters 1 & 2

Colossians 1:1-2 Paul, an emissary of Messiah Yeshua through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Messiah at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Paul wrote at least 13 of the 66 books of the Bible - 14 if he was the author of Hebrews, and I think he was... I find it interesting that in 12 of those books his salutation was very similar, always including these words: "grace", "peace", "from God...", and "Yeshua Messiah"(Jesus Christ). I think it important to note that no one else was mentioned.

Colossians 1:3-8 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, praying always for you, 4 having heard of your faith in Messiah Yeshua and of the love which you have toward all the holy ones, 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News{Gospel} 6 which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth, 7 even as you learned from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Messiah on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

Colossians 1:9-14 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, 11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the holy ones in light, 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love, 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.

Regarding, "you may be filled with the knowledge of his will", consider these words of Jesus:
- John 8:31 Yeshua therefore said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”{ Psalms 119:45 } ... 36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Regarding, "increasing in the knowledge of God", see this study: http://sidnash.org/docs/KnowGodImport.html
Regarding, "partakers of the inheritance of the holy ones", consider what Peter said:
- 2 Peter 1:1-11 Simon Peter, a servant and emissary of Yeshua the Messiah, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah: 2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Yeshua our Lord, 3 seeing that his divine{translated "Godhead" in Ac17:29 } power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine{translated "Godhead" in Ac17:29 } nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness; 7 and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 9 For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. 11 For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua the Messiah.
  - Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead{twice translated "divine" in 2Pet1:2-4 } is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Colossians 1:15 He(the Son of God) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

According to the scriptures, Christ "came forth", was "brought forth", "came out from", "the firstbegotten", "the first-born of heaven", "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father", the "beloved Son" of Father Jehovah. For documentation, see: http://sidnash.org/t/ChristTheBelovedSon.php

Colossians 1:16-17 For by him(the Son of God) all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

His Father created all things through our Messiah. More about the Creator: http://sidnash.org/?1stAC

Colossians 1:18-20 He(the Son of God) is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him(the Son of God), 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

Regarding "all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him":
- Colossians 2:9 For in him(the Son of God) all the fullness of the Godhead{twice translated "divine" in 2Pet1:2-4 } dwells bodily,
- John 1:16 From his(the Son of God's) fullness we all received grace upon grace.

Colossians 1:21-23 You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds, 22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him, 23 if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven, of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

Regarding "present you holy and without defect and blameless before him":
- Jude 1:24-25 Now to him(the Son of God) who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, 25 to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Colossians 1:24-25 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Messiah in my flesh for his(the Son of God's) body’s sake, which is the assembly, 25 of which I was made a servant according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you to fulfill the word of God{Or, fully to preach the word of God, Rom1:19 },

Regarding Christ's "body" being the "assembly"(those who gather to worship Him), see:
- Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them. (Jesus, our Messiah)

Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his holy ones, 27 to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Messiah in you{Or, amongst you}, the hope of glory.

The translators of the KJV of the Bible said that "Christ in you" could also be translated "Christ among you". Strong's Concordance agrees. The Greek word translated "in" above was also translated "with" 122 times, "by" 116 times and "among" 111 times. So, I think it is safe to say that the word "in", as used in Col1:27 should be considered as figurative language, rather than literal. However, Jesus used similar language here:
- John 6:54 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ... 63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I(Jesus) speak to you are spirit, and are life. ... 68 Simon Peter answered him(Jesus), ... You have the words of eternal life.
So, if we assimilate the words("spirit" and "life"- Jn6:63 ) of Jesus into our mind, we will have Christ in us. Just as we assimilate the food we eat to feed our bodies, so we must also assimilate the words of Jesus to feed our mind.

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Messiah Yeshua; 29 for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

Colossians 2:1-5 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Messiah, 3 in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. 4 Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Messiah.

Colossians 2:6 As therefore you received Messiah Yeshua the Lord, walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:8-15 Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Messiah. 9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity{Godhead} dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Messiah, 12 having been buried with him in immersion, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. 15 Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Here is a study on how the word "Godhead" is used in the Bible: http://sidnash.org/t/Godhead/
Regarding "the handwriting in ordinances which was against us", this is likely a reference to the laws of the Jewish leaders that were not written in the Torah, the instructions of Jehovah which were given to Moses in the first five chapters of the Bible. The added laws of the Jewish leaders are the laws of which Jesus spoke against in His arguments with the scribes and Pharisees. But, his is a topic for a future study... Notice also Colossians 2:20-23 below...

Colossians 2:16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, 17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah’s. 18 Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.

Regarding "the body is Messiah’s", this is a reference to all who worship Christ and His Father:
- Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.
Regarding the "worshiping of the angels", see: Rev22:8-9; Mt4:9-10; Lk4:7-8; Rom1:25;

Colossians 2:20-23 If you died with Messiah from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, 21 “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch” 22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )

-Sid Nash: 08/09/2024. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/Col1-2.html