Striving according to his working, &c.— This may import the many signs and wonders which God enabled him to perform for the confirmation of the doctrine that he preached; (comp. Galatians 2:8. 2 Corinthians 13:3.) or else the divine influence upon himself, whereby he was excited and enabled with such vast diligence, industry, and success, to preach the gospel. Comp. Romans 15:19. 1 Corinthians 15:10. The next verse, which, with the two following, should not have been separated from this chapter, leads us rather to prefer the latter of these senses.
Inferences.—What a divine authority does the apostolic character give to St. Paul's epistles! And with what affection should we, after his example, wish all aboundings of grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, to all the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus! And how should we bless God on their behalf, and recommend them in our prayers to him, on account of what we see or hear of their faith and love! What a mercy is it that this gospel is now preached, by divine commission, to Gentiles as well as Jews, in all its unsearchably glorious riches; which was a mystery concealed in a great measure from former ages, but is now manifested to the saints! But how much greater is the mercy still, to know this gospel of the grace of God in truth; to experience its efficacy in delivering us from the power of Satan, and translating us into the kingdom of God's best beloved Son; and to have Christ dwelling in our hearts as our hope of glory! This encourages further prayers for all increase in light and grace and strengthenings, by the glorious operations of divine power, unto all patience, long-suffering and joy, under all the trials of life; and unto all becoming, fruitful, and holy walking with God, who in this way makes all his faithful people meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
How great and glorious is the person of Christ! He is the essential and representative image of God the Father, who in his own nature is invisible; he had an eternal existence before all worlds, and is the Creator and Upholder, the first cause and last end of all things, from the highest to the lowest of them, in heaven and on earth: He also, as Mediator, is the Head of his mystical body the church; has all office and dispensatory fulness constantly residing in him; and is the first and chief that rose from the dead to immortal life, and every way super-eminent to all saints and angels. And how important are the benefits which the faithful receive from him! They who were some time enemies, through the iniquity of their hearts and lives, are now reconciled to God by his atoning death, have remission of sins through his redeeming blood, and are sanctified by his Spirit. And what an honour is it to be made wise and faithful preachers of Christ, and instruments of presenting multitudes perfect in him! Who would not willingly lay themselves out to the utmost, according to the powerful workings of his grace in and with them, to subserve this blessed design; and rather rejoice than repine at any sufferings, to what degree soever they may be called to undergo them in the cause of Christ, for his sake, and for the conversion, edification, and eternal salvation of immortal souls!
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The Apostle opens his epistle with his usual introduction. Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, appointed to that eminent honour and office by an immediate commission from heaven, and Timotheus our brother, who joins with me in this epistle, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse, who are living members of Christ's mystical body, and in practice correspond with their holy profession; Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; may every blessing of pardon, adoption, comfort, strength, sanctification, and glory, be your happy portion!
2nd, Though unknown to them in person, yet in heart and affection warmly attached to them, the blessed Paul,
1. Thanks God for the pleasing account which he had heard of them. We give thanks to God, and the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, our reconciled and covenant God in him; praying always for you, that you may abide and abound in every thing that is excellent; and blessing God for what he has already done on your behalf; since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and how cordially you embraced his glorious gospel, and rested firm on him alone for acceptance and salvation: and of the love which ye have to all the saints, the genuine fruit of your faith, and the proof of your unfeigned love to him whose image they bear; for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, even the eternal blessedness which God hath prepared and promised for all his faithful saints; whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel which is come unto you; through the Divine Providence it has been preached among you, as it is in all the world, throughout the Roman empire, and bringeth forth fruit, made effectual by the Divine Power to the conversion of men's souls; as it doth also in you produce the most blessed effects, since the day ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth, experimentally made acquainted therewith, receiving the gospel both in the light and in the love of it. As ye also learned of Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; for to his labours you are singularly indebted; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit, testifying his warm affection toward you, in the report that he made of your unfeigned love to Christ and his people, the evidence of the genuine work of God's Spirit in your souls. Note; (1.) The mercies of which others, who are near and dear to us, partake, call for our thankfulness, as well as those which we receive from God ourselves. (2.) It is an inestimable favour, through Divine Providence, to hear the word of the truth of the gospel preached; but the grand matter is to receive it into our hearts, and to know the grace of God in truth. (3.) Wherever Divine Grace operates effectually, it will be seen in the blessed fruits which are produced thereby. (4.) A faithful minister is an invaluable blessing to any people; and highly are they bound to love and honour him.
2. To his thanksgivings he adds his hearty prayers. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you. [1.] That ye may be made wise unto salvation: and to desire, proceeds the Apostle, that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, your minds more clearly discerning the riches of the grace of God, your privileges, and the practice of holiness which thence results, advancing in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: and [2.] Disposed to follow in simplicity the light which God bestows, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, adorning your holy profession by a suitable conversation, and desiring to approve yourselves to the great Master: being fruitful, as trees of righteousness, in every good work, that is for the glory of God, and the benefit of your brethren; and thus increasing in the knowledge of God. Note; As knowledge is essential to all acceptable service, so the more faithfully we improve the grace given us, the more fully shall we be let into the secrets of wisdom. For if any man doth his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, John 7:17. [3.] We pray that ye may be strengthened with all might in the inner man, for the discharge of every duty, and to resist every enemy of your souls, according to his glorious power, which can support you abundantly unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness, bearing up your minds with cheerfulness under all persecutions or afflictions which may befal you, neither weary nor desponding, but with holy triumph exulting in the grace that you have experienced, and the promises of continual help in every time of need. Note; (1.) All our strength must come from above, and is to be obtained in the way of prayer. (2.) Every true believer, conflicting with and conquering sin and Satan, is a living monument of God's glorious power, and like the burning bush, though compassed with temptations, is not consumed. (3.) However multiplied, prolonged, or afflictive our trials may be, we are called to exercise all patience, and neither to murmur nor faint under them: and, hard as the work is, God will enable the believer for that which he does command, yea, not only to be resigned, but to rejoice in the midst of tribulations.
3rdly, The Apostle returns again to thanksgiving,
1. In view of the inestimable blessings to which they had been admitted. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, by his Spirit renewing our hearts, raising up our affections to high and heavenly things, and preparing us, if faithful, for that glory which he hath prepared for us. Note; It would be folly and delusion to expect our lot among the saints in light, if we have not our conversation among them here below.
2. He gives thanks to God, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, plucking us as brands from the burning, rescuing us from the slavery of sin and Satan, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, admitting us to the inestimable privileges and blessings of that kingdom of light and grace which Jesus came to erect, that we might be brought under his happy government. Note; (1.) We are by nature slaves of sin and Satan, walking in darkness, and liable each moment to rush into eternal ruin. (2.) It is an act of amazing grace, when God is pleased to pluck the sinner from this miserable state; but this he is willing to do for every real penitent.
3. He blesses God for the salvation obtained through Christ, in whom we have redemption through his blood, deliverance from guilt, and, as the earnest of our adoption, the forgiveness of sins, freely bestowed upon us.
4. He describes the glorious personage, to whom we are indebted for pardon, grace, and every blessing; who is the image of the invisible God; one with the Father in essence and perfections, and, as incarnate, appears his visible representative, the first-born, or first-begotten of every creature, begotten before the worlds were, and the Lord and Heir of all creation. For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, from the lowest rank of beings to the highest archangel, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers, by whatever names or titles distinguished, whether in heaven, or in earth: all things were created by him and for him, by his power and for his glory. And he is before all things, in eternal pre-existence; and by him all things consist, preserved and upheld by his providence and care, as they were spoken into being at his word. And he is the head of the body, in his peculiar character as Mediator, not only as having the dominion over all things, but also as communicating vital influence to the several members, of which the church universal is composed: who is the beginning, the principle of spiritual life to his believing people; the first-born from the dead, who rose by his own power, and is the pledge, and first-fruits of our resurrection; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, exalted far above all creatures, the object of adoration to saints and angels, and possessing the first place in their affection and regard. For it pleased the Father, in consequence of the complete atonement which he has made, that in him should all fulness dwell for the use of his church, all fulness of merit, righteousness, graces, gifts, according to their wants, to be freely dispensed to every real member of his body mystical. And (having made peace through the blood of his cross, receiving full satisfaction to his justice, by the oblation of the body of Jesus once for all, and now, consistently with his own glory, being able to extend mercy to the guilty sinner) it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things unto himself, restoring them from their state of enmity to his forfeited regard, in a way as honourable to him, as happy to them; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven, the members of the church militant here below, or those already entered into rest above. How glorious is the sacrifice of Christ, beheld in this delightful view! How justly worthy to be the grand object ever before us, since to it we are indebted for all that we possess here, and all that we hope for hereafter!
5. He mentions with delight the interest which they, to whom he wrote, possessed in all the blessings of this glorious redemption. And you that were some time utterly alienated from God, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, by nature and by practice rebels against the divine government, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, receiving you into the arms of his mercy, when drawing near to him by faith, through that new and living way which he hath consecrated through the vail of his crucified body; to present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight: and this will be your happy case, both now and for ever, if ye continue in the faith, if ye cleave to Christ perseveringly till death, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, even that substantial hope which springs from the perfect atonement and all-sufficient grace of the great Redeemer: which blessed gospel ye have, through mercy heard; and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, as a common salvation, alike free for Gentiles as for Jews, and extending to all sinners of every rank and condition. Note; The gospel is grace abounding; none perish because of the greatness of their guilt, but because they reject the only remedy through pride and unbelief, and will not come to Christ, that they might have life.
6. Having mentioned the gospel which was preached unto them, among others who were honoured with the dispensation of it, he humbly inserts his own name, whereof I Paul am made a minister, by special commission, on behalf of the Gentiles: who now rejoice in my sufferings for the glorious truths which I have preached unto them, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church; not that the sufferings of Christ were incomplete, and needed any addition to them in order to perfect the ransom, and make satisfaction to Divine Justice; but as the members of his body are all to go through tribulation to glory, I, who was the instrument of their sufferings formerly, now in turn receive my measure of afflictions, and with holy joy triumph under them, when I have cause to hope that his church and people shall be profited thereby: whereof (of which church) I am made a minister, by a call immediately from heaven, according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you Gentiles, to fulfil the word of God, which was commanded me, or in correspondence with the prophecies which had foretold your conversion by the gospel, even the mystery which had been hid from ages, and from generations, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs; but now is made manifest to his saints, his prophets and apostles, and by them to all the faithful: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, who should be admitted to the participation of all the invaluable privileges of the gospel, the author, purchaser, and dispenser of which is Christ in you, formed in your hearts by faith, the hope of glory; whom we preach as the only Saviour of the miserable and desperate; warning every man of the mortal danger of sin, and his inevitable ruin out of Christ; and teaching every man in all wisdom concerning the only method of safety, even faith in a crucified Saviour; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, complete in him as their head, and grown up to the perfection of knowledge, grace, and holiness, in the day of his appearing and glory: whereunto I also labour, striving with every nerve, in the midst of opposing enemies, according to his working which worketh in me mightily, who enables me for the conflict, and crowns my labours with success.