Colossians 1:12

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: You (not "we," from Colossians 1:9) "giving thanks unto the Father." Note, Colossians 1:10: this clause is connected with 'That ye may walk' (Colossians 1:10). UNTO THE FATHER - of Jesus, and so our Father by adoption (Galatians 3:26; Galatians 4:4). WHICH HATH MADE US MEET, [ hikanoosanti ...

12._Giving thanks. _Again he returns to thanksgiving, that he may take this opportunity of enumerating the blessings which had been conferred upon them through Christ, and thus he enters upon a full delineation of Christ. For this was the only remedy for fortifying the Colossians against all the snares, by which the false Apostles endeavored to entrap them — to understand accurately what Christ was. For how comes it that we are _carried about with so many strange doctrines_, (Hebrews 13:9) but because the excellence of Christ is not perceived by us? For Christ alone makes all other things suddenly vanish. Hence there is nothing that Satan so much endeavors to accomplish as to bring on mists with the view of obscuring Christ, because he knows, that by this means the way is opened up for every kind of falsehood. This, therefore, is the only means of retaining, as well as restoring

9-14 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...

Verse 12. _GIVING THANKS UNTO THE FATHER_] Knowing that ye have nothing but what ye have received from his mere mercy, and that in point of _merit_ ye can never _claim_ any thing from him. _WHICH HATH MADE US MEET_] ικανωσαντι. Who has _qualified_ us to be partakers, c. Instead of ικανωσαντι, some MSS. and versions have καλεσαντι, _called_ and B (the Codex Vaticanus) has both readings. _Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath called and_ _qualified us to be partakers_. _OF THE INHERITANCE_] εις την μεριδα του κληρου. A plain allusion to the division of the promised land by _lot_ among the different families of the twelve Israelitish tribes. The κληρος was the _lot_ or _inheritance_ belonging to the _tribe_; the μερις was the _portion_ in that _lot_ which belonged to each _family_ of that tribe. This was a type of the kingdom of God, in whi

GIVING THANKS TO THE FATHER - This is another mode by which we may “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing” Colossians 1:10; to wit, by rendering appropriate thanks to God for his mercy. The particular point which the apostle here says demanded thanksgiving was, that they had been called from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. This had been done by the special mercy of the Father who had provided the plan of salvation, and had sent his Son to redeem them. The connection shows that the word “Father” refers, in this place, not to God as the Father of his creatures, but to the Father as distinguished from the Son. It is the “Father” who has translated us into the kingdom of the “Son.” Our special thanks are due to the “Father” in this, as he is represented as the great Author of the whole plan of salvation - as he who sent his Son to redeem us

EXPOSITION COLOSSIANS 1:1 SECTION I. INTRODUCTION. The Epistle commences, in St. Paul's manner, with a _salutation _(Colossians 1:1, Colossians 1:2), followed by _thanksgiving _(Colossians 1:3) and _prayer _(Colossians 1:9). Only in 2 Thessalonians, however, outside of the Epistles of this group, do we find a formal opening prayer. The _salutation _agrees closely with that of Ephesians....

GIVING THANKS UNTO THE FATHER,.... To God the Father, as the Vulgate Latin and the Syriac versions read the clause; and the Complutensian edition, and some copies, "God and the Father"; who is both the Father of Christ by nature, and of all his people by adoption. The Ethiopic version renders it, as an exhortation or advice, "give ye thanks to the Father"; and so the Syriac version: but the words rather seem to be spoken in the first, than in the second person, and are to be considered in connection with 1 Thessalonians 1:9. So when the apostle had made an end of his petitions, he enters upon thanksgiving to God: WHICH HATH MADE US MEET TO BE PARTAKERS OF THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS IN LIGHT; by the "inheritance", or "lot", is meant not the common lot of the children of God to suffer persecution for the sake of Christ, and through much tribulation to enter i

Colossians 1:1. _Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ._ Kindness is the very breath of Christianity, so the apostle will not begin the subject matter of his letter until first of all he has breathed out a benediction upon those to whom he writes. Colossians 1:3. _We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,_ Paul very graciously blends his giving of thanks and his constant prayer for these Christians at Colosse, and therein sets us an example that we may well imitate....

COLOSSIANS 1:12 tw|/ patri, {B} This verse presents a curious nest of variant readings (see also the following comments). The reading that best explains the origin of the others is tw|/ patri,, supported by a diversified group of witnesses (î61 A C* D K P Y 33 81* 1739* itb, d, mon vg syrh copsa, bo goth arm eth). The strangeness of designating God simply as o` path,r when Christ has not been named in the immediate context doubtless prompted copyists to add either tou/ Cristou/ (330 451 2492) or (tw|/) qew|/, either in apposition (a itg...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE PERSON OF CHRIST, His GLORY AND His WORK CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Colossians 1:1)_ 2. The prayer (Colossians 1:9) 3. The person and glory of Christ, Head of creation and Head of the Church (Colossians 1:15) 4. The work of reconciliation and the double ministry (Colossians 1:19) Colossians 1:1 This Epistle unfolds the doctrine of Christ and therefore Paul speaks of himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God; Timothe