Colossians 1:24

The Apostle's joy, and labour, in his Ministry

24. Who This word is undoubtedly to be omitted, on the evidence of documents. Read, Now I rejoice.

now as I review the glory of our Redeemer in His Person and His Work, the scope of His Gospel, the blessedness of His service.

rejoice in my sufferings Cp. Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 3:13; Philippians 2:17-18.

"A pastor should always regard himself as the representative (vicaire) of the love of Jesus Christ towards His Church, not only for teaching, but also for suffering" (Quesnel, on this place).

fill up … afflictions of Christ Lit., fill up, as required, the lackings of the tribulations of Christ. The verb rendered "fill up" by A.V. is a double compound (found here only in the Greek Scriptures) conveying the thought of a supply occasioned by, fitted to, a demand. (See Lightfoot's quotations.) The word rendered "sufferings" is better "afflictions," or more exactly "tribulations," "troubles." It is nowhere else in N.T. used of our blessed Lord's experiences, though it occurs in the Psalm of the Crucifixion, 22:(21 in the LXX.)11. Its ordinary reference is not to the pains of deathbut to the toils and anguish of persecution, and generally to the trials of a burthened life.

Thus there is no suggestion here of any supplement added by Paul to the unique Sufferings of the Propitiator in His atoning Death; a sorrow and labour in which the Lord stood absolutely alone, unapproachable for ever by any or all of His people, "bearing their sins," "made a curse for them." The reference is to the toils, shame, and persecution of the Lord's life and labour as "the Apostleof our profession" (Hebrews 3:1), our supreme Evangelist and Pastor. In these"troubles," though indeed preeminent, He was not unique. He only "beganto do and to teach" (Acts 1:1) personally what through His members He was to carry on the end, and what was in this respect left incomplete when He quitted earth. Every true toiler and sufferer for Him and His flock contributes to the "filling up" of that incompleteness, so far as he toils and bears in Christ.

"The idea of expiation or satisfaction is wholly absent from this passage" (Lightfoot).

"The Apostle entered deep into the spirit of his suffering Master when he wrote those words, so embarrassing for the commentators, so edifying for the simple, where the sufferings of the disciple are made almost as necessary for the instruction of the Church as those of the Saviour for its redemption." (Ad. Monod, Saint Paul, Cinq Discours, p. 55.)

in my flesh Connect these words with "fill up," not with "afflictions of Christ" as some expositors. True, "in all their affliction He is afflicted" (Isaiah 63:9); and so in a tender sense He was "afflicted in" His servant's "flesh," his sensibilities and powers in bodily life. But, as Lightfoot points out, this explanation here is out of harmony with the verb "fill up as required." The thought is of tribulations necessary for the practical ends of gathering in and building up the Church.

for his body's sake, &c. Cp. 2 Timothy 2:10, a close parallel. For the sake of the glorious Head, the spiritual Body becomes Paul's absorbing interest.

On the words "body" and "Church" see above, on Colossians 1:18.