Colossians 1:29

Colossians 1:29. Whereunto (i.e., for the end just named) I labor also. Besides preaching, he labors in every way. ‘I,' not, ‘we,' since Paul's individual toils and struggles were doubtless before his mind.

Striving. The earlier commentators referred this to external contests (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; Philippians 1:30), but chaps. Colossians 2:1; Colossians 4:12, point to internal struggles. Possibly both are included.

According to his (i.e. , Christ's) working which worketh in me mightily; lit, ‘in power.' The reference to Christ is upheld by most modern commentators (comp. Philippians 4:13). In his struggles Christ's strength was his. The working of miracles is not indicated by the phrase ‘in power,' though it need not be excluded. ‘Mightily' is a good rendering. The ample energies of such a working ‘clothed him with a species of moral omnipotence' (Eadie). ‘The minister of the Word labors with the Eternal on the Eternal “for eternity,” more than the artist; but only when He who has contrived eternal Redemption works upon him and he does not resist Him' (Braune). When laboring for this end and with this power, we must succeed, as God accounts success, though men regard our lives as failures. Often the truest success springs from the severest conflicts and from apparent defeat.