Colossians 2:2

that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,

'THAT' -'I want them to' (NEB) 'The purpose of Paul's striving' (Hendriksen p. 103)

'THEIR HEARTS' -'Their minds and wills as well as their emotions were included in the term "hearts".' (Erdman p. 68) 'Embraces also the intellect and the will.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 518)

'MAY BE' -Even the apostle Paul couldn't force spiritual maturity of any Christian. Human freewill must always be factored in.

'COMFORTED' -3870. parakaleo par-ak-al-eh'-o; from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation): -beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.

-'Not so much tranquillized as braced.' (Vincent p. 482) 'The word here denotes "not relief but reinforcement."' (Erdman pp. 67-68) (Colossians 4:8; Ephesians 6:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:17)

Points to Note:

1. In the fact of opposition and false teaching, Paul prays that these Christians are unmoved and unnerved. 'the idea of enabling. person to meet some difficult situation with confidence and gallantry...fill with that courage which can cope with any situation.' (Barclay p. 129)

2. False doctrine, confrontation and controversy can be distracting and unsettling. Paul prays that in the midst of turmoil, these Christians would remain confident and unmoved in their hearts. In addition, error in the church can be discouraging.

3. False teachers also tend to play "mind-games" with those they are trying to deceive. Paul prays that the Colossians would remain mentally sound in the faith, quick to discern truth from error (Hebrews 5:12); and that they would carefully examine any claims (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1). We might say, 'In the midst of confusion, that you would keep your head on straight,' (Ephesians 4:14)

'THEY BEING KNIT TOGETHER IN LOVE' -'bound to one another by love' (TCNT); 'welded together in love' (Wey).

'KNIT TOGETHER' -4822. sumbibazo soom-bib-ad'-zo; from 4862 and bibazo (to force; causative [by reduplication] of the base of 939); to drive together, i.e. unite (in association or affection), (mentally) to infer, show, teach: -compact, assuredly gather, intrust, knit together, prove.

-(Colossians 2:19 'held together'; Ephesians 4:16).

'IN LOVE' -(Colossians 3:14 'the perfect bond of unity').

Points to Note:

1. False teachers often try to play one member against another. 'There may be. reference to the divisive tendencies of the false teaching.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 518)

2. Eadie remarks, 'The entrance of error naturally begets suspicion and alienation. One wonders if his neighor is infected, and how far...Expressions are too carefully weighed...A sinister construction is apt to be put upon the slightest actions..' (p. 107) This is an excellent observation. When. certain error hits the church, at times members are too quick to jump to conclusions, too quick to divide, too quick to write other members and whole congregations off, too quick to assume that someone accepts the error, without really talking to them about what they really believe. And the ever famous, too quick to swallow gossip about another congregation or another Christian.

3. Rather, Paul prays that love between Christians will be strong in Colossae. In the midst of error, members will remember to practice 1 Corinthians 13:4.

4. We need to apply these things among ourselves: (a) Let's not gossip or secretly rejoice when. brother or sister goes into error, let's be resolved to give the devil. real fight when he tries to snatch. member from the flock. Which means that every effort is made to bring that valuable soul back to the truth (James 5:19). (b) Let us also be resolved to make every effort to bring back erring congregations, i.e. try to get our foot in the door to give them some good teaching, before we write them off as people not interested in the truth.

'AND UNTO ALL RICHES OF THE FULL ASSURANCE OF UNDERSTANDING' -'and keeping in view the full blessedness of. firm conviction' (TCNT); 'I long for you to grow more certain in your knowledge and more sure in your grasp' (Phi); 'and to come to the full wealth of conviction which understanding brings' (NEB); 'May they have all the wealth of conviction that comes from insight!' (Mof)

'ALL RICHES' -'and attaining to all the wealth' (NASV). The Bible often talks about the "riches", "blessings" or "wealth" available to those in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Contrary to the claims of the world, being. Christian isn't the deprived life.

'FULL ASSURANCE' -(Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 10:22).

'UNDERSTANDING' -4907. sunesis soon'-es-is; from 4920;. mental putting together, i.e. intelligence or (concretely) the intellect: -knowledge, understanding.

Points to Note:

1. You can't put. price tag on. full and settled conviction in the truth. Real faith is the most valuable asset that one can possess (Hebrews 11:1 ff).

2. 'If. man possesses not this conviction--what he holds today be modified or explained away to-morrow....And as the mental energy is frittered away by such indecision, the mind becomes specially susceptible of foreign influence and impression...It was the apostle's earnest desire that the Colossian church...should assuredly understand (Christianity)...its facts their evidence--its doctrines and their connections--its promises and their basis...The fixed knowledge of those things would fortify their minds against the seductive insinuations of false teachers..' (Eadie p. 108) (2 Timothy 3:7 'always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.')

3. In contrast to what Paul desired, we hear many religious people claiming that true "spirituality" is when you give up the concept of absolute truth. Carefully note that Paul desired that Christians would have settled, black and white convictions. God expects the Christian to come to. full and definite knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). God believes that the Bible is so clear that the Christian can settle "doctrine" once and for all.

'THAT THEY MAY' -'Paul desires the full use of the intellect in grasping the great mystery of Christ and it calls for the full and balanced exercise of all one's mental powers.' (Robertson p. 488)

'KNOW' -1922. epignosis ep-ig'-no-sis; from 1921; recognition, i.e. (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement: -(ac-)knowledge(-ing, -ment).

'THE MYSTERY OF GOD' -Yes, God does have. mystery. But not. mystery that is only for the elite. And neither is it. mystery that is designed to remain. mystery. 'The word "mystery" has its usual New Testament meaning. It describes something once hidden but now disclosed--something, too, which is not to be kept secret but which is to be made known.' (Erdman p. 68)

'EVEN CHRIST' -

Points to Note:

1. '"Unto full knowledge". This use of 'epignosis' (full, additional knowledge) is Paul's reply to the Gnostics with the limited and perverted 'gnosis' (knowledge).' (Robertson p. 488)

2. Christ is the focal point of God's once hidden mystery. Without Jesus Christ, you can't fully understand the purpose of God. For in Jesus Christ, God is perfectly manifested (John 1:18; John 14:6) 'He is the supreme and essential revelation.' (Erdman p. 68)