Paul Expresses His Appreciation of Them (Colossians 1:3-8)
‘We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
‘We give thanks.' An indication of his confidence in the faith of the Colossians (contrast Galatians and 2 Corinthians). Paul never forgot to express his gratitude to God for all He had done.
Having greeted them in the name of ‘God the Father' he now reminds them that He is especially ‘the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ'.
The title ‘our Lord Jesus Christ' contains three elements. Firstly He is Lord (kurios), the One Whose Name is above every name, Yahweh Himself (Philippians 2:9). To the Jew and to Paul the Name above every name was Yahweh and in the Greek Old Testament Yahweh is represented by kurios. He is also elsewhere the great ‘I am' (John 8:58, compare Exodus 3:14), another name for Yahweh, and thus ‘the Word', Who existed in the beginning, through Whom God created the worlds (John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3; Psalms 33:6; Psalms 33:9), the Lord of all.
Secondly He is ‘Jesus'. He became flesh and dwelt among us (Colossians 1:14). He was truly man and yet in His manhood epitomised all that man was meant to be. He was the only true man. He hungered as a man (Matthew 4:2). He grew thirsty as a man (John 4:7; John 19:28). He suffered as a man. And His death was the death of a man, and yet it was of more than a man, for He was ‘the Lord'. He was ‘the Christ (Messiah)'. And the name Jesus means ‘Yahweh is salvation'.
Thirdly He is ‘the Christ.' By His death and resurrection He is declared to be ‘both Lord and Christ' (Acts 2:36). He is the expected King Messiah, the One appointed to eternal Rule (2 Peter 1:11; compare Psalms 145:13; Daniel 4:3; Daniel 4:34; Daniel 7:14), the One Who both sits on His own throne and also uniquely shares His Father's throne (Revelation 3:21), the One before Whom every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:10).
But because of this He is the powerful One (Romans 1:4). He is the One worthy of worship and honour. He is the Lord of glory. He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
‘Praying always for you.' Paul wants them to know of his constant concern for them, and that he prays for their spiritual growth because he is aware of their dedicated Christian lives. It is the sign of the true minister of Christ that he prays tenderly for his flock.