Chapter 1
We have here, I. The inscription, as usual (v. 1, 2). II.
His thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them—their faith,
love, and hope (v. 3-8). III. His prayer for their knowledge, fruitfulness, and
strength (v. 9–11). IV. An admirable summary of the Christian doctrine
concerning the operation of the Spirit, the person of the Redeemer, the work of
redemption, and the preaching of it in the gospel (v. 12–29).
Verses 1-2
I. The inscription of this epistle is much the same with the
rest; only it is observable that, 1. He calls himself an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God. An apostle is a prime-minister in the kingdom of
Christ, immediately called by Christ, and extraordinarily qualified; his work
was peculiarly to plant the Christian church, and confirm the Christian
doctrine. He attributes this not to his own merit, strength, or sufficiency;
but to the free grace and good-will of God. He thought himself engaged to do
his utmost, as an apostle, because he was made so by the will of God. 2. He
joins Timothy in commission with himself, which is another instance of his
humility; and, though he elsewhere calls him his son (2 Tim. 2:1), yet here he
calls him his brother, which is an example to the elder and more eminent
ministers to look upon the younger and more obscure as their brethren, and to
treat them accordingly with kindness and respect. 3. He calls the Christians at
Colosse saints, and faithful brethren in Christ. As all good ministers,
so all good Christians, are brethren one to another, who stand in a near
relation and owe a mutual love. Towards God they must be saints, consecrated to
his honour and sanctified by his grace, bearing his image and aiming at his glory.
And in both these, as saints to God and as brethren to one another, they must
be faithful. Faithfulness runs through every character and relation of the
Christian life, and is the crown and glory of them all.
II. The apostolical benediction is the same as usual: Grace
be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. He
wishes them grace and peace, the free favour of God and all the blessed
fruits of it; every kind of spiritual blessings, and that from God our
Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ; jointly from both, and distinctly from
each; as in the former epistle.
Verses 3-8
Here he proceeds to the body of the epistle, and begins with
thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them, though he had no
personal acquaintance with them, and knew their state and character only by the
reports of others.
I. He gave thanks to God for them, that they had embraced
the gospel of Christ, and given proofs of their fidelity to him. Observe, In
his prayers for them he gave thanks for them. Thanksgiving ought to be a part
of every prayer; and whatever is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the
matter of our thanksgiving. Observe, 1. Whom he gives thanks to: To God,
even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our thanksgiving we must have
an eye to God as God (he is the object of thanksgiving as well as prayer), and
is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in and through whom all good comes to
us. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as well as our Father; and it is
a matter of encouragement, in all our addresses to God, that we can look to him
as Christ’s Father and our Father, as his God and our God, Jn. 20:17. Observe,
2. What he gives thanks to God for—for the graces of God in them, which were
evidences of the grace of God towards them: Since we heard of your faith in
Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all the saints; for the hope which is
laid up for you in heaven, v. 4, 5. Faith, hope, and love, are the three
principal graces in the Christian life, and proper matter of our prayer and
thanksgiving. (1.) He gives thanks for their faith in Christ Jesus, that they
were brought to believe in him, and take upon them the profession of his
religion, and venture their souls upon his undertaking. (2.) For their love.
Besides the general love which is due to all men, there is a particular love
owing to the saints, or those who are of the Christian brotherhood, 1
Pt. 2:17. We must love all the saints, bear an extensive kindness and good-will
to good men, notwithstanding smaller points of difference, and many real
weaknesses. Some understand it of their charity to the saints in necessity,
which is one branch and evidence of Christian love. (3.) For their hope: The
hope which is laid up for you in heaven, v. 5. The happiness of heaven is
called their hope, because it is the thing hoped for, looking for the
blessed hope, Tit. 2:13. What is laid out upon believers in this world is
much; but what is laid up for them in heaven is much more. And we have reason
to give thanks to God for the hope of heaven which good Christians have, or
their well-grounded expectation of the future glory. Their faith in Christ, and
love to the saints, had an eye to the hope laid up for them in heaven.
The more we fix our hopes on the recompence of reward in the other world, the
more free and liberal shall we be of our earthly treasure upon all occasions of
doing good.
II. Having blessed God for these graces, he blesses God for
the means of grace which they enjoyed: Wherein you heard before in the word
of the truth of the gospel. They had heard in the word of the truth of the
gospel concerning this hope laid up for them in heaven. Observe, 1. The
gospel is the word of truth, and what we may safely venture our immortal souls
upon: it proceeds from the God of truth and the Spirit of truth, and is a
faithful saying. He calls it the grace of God in truth, v. 6. 2. It is a
great mercy to hear this word of truth; for the great thing we learn from it is
the happiness of heaven. Eternal life is brought to light by the gospel, 2 Tim.
1:10. They heard of the hope laid up in heaven in the word of the truth of the
gospel. "Which has come unto you, as it hath to all the world, and
bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, v. 6. This gospel is preached
and brings forth fruit in other nations; it has come to you, as it hath to
all the world, according to the commission, Go preach the gospel in all
the nations, and to every creature.’’ Observe, (1.) All who hear the
word of the gospel ought to bring forth the fruit of the gospel, that is, be
obedient to it, and have their principles and lives formed according to it.
This was the doctrine first preached: Bring forth therefore fruits meet for
repentance, Mt. 3:8. And our Lord says, If you know these things, happy
are you if you do them, Jn. 13:17. Observe, (2.) Wherever the gospel comes,
it will bring forth fruit to the honour and glory of God: It bringeth forth
fruit, as it doth also in you. We mistake, if we think to monopolize the
comforts and benefits of the gospel to ourselves. Does the gospel bring forth
fruit in us? So it does in others.
III. He takes this occasion to mention the minister by whom
they believed (v. 7, 8): As you also learned of Epaphras, our dear
fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ. He mentions
him with great respect, to engage their love to him. 1. He calls him his
fellow-servant, to signify not only that they served the same Master, but that
they were engaged in the same work. They were fellow-labourers in the work of
the Lord, though one was an apostle and the other an ordinary minister. 2. He
calls him his dear fellow-servant: all the servants of Christ ought to love one
another, and it is an endearing consideration that they are engaged in the same
service. 3. He represents him as one who was a faithful minister of Christ to
them, who discharged his trust and fulfilled his ministry among them. Observe,
Christ is our proper Master, and we are his ministers. He does not say who is
your minister; but who is the minister of Christ for you. It is by his
authority and appointment, though for the people’s service. 4. He represents
him as one who gave them a good word: Who also declared unto us your love in
the Spirit, v. 8. He recommends him to their affection, from the good
report he made of their sincere love to Christ and all his members, which was
wrought in them by the Spirit, and is agreeable to the spirit of the gospel.
Faithful ministers are glad to be able to speak well of their people.
Verses 9-11
The apostle proceeds in these verses to pray for them. He
heard that they were good, and he prayed that they might be better. He was
constant in this prayer: We do not cease to pray for you. It may be he
could hear of them but seldom, but he constantly prayed for them.—And desire
that you may be filled with the knowledge, etc. Observe what it is that he
begs of God for them,
I. That they might be knowing intelligent Christians: filled
with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Observe, 1. The knowledge of our duty is the best knowledge. A mere empty
notion of the greatest truths is insignificant. Our knowledge of the will of
God must be always practical: we must know it, in order to do it. 2. Our
knowledge is then a blessing indeed when it is in wisdom, when we know how to
apply our general knowledge to our particular occasions, and to suit it to all
emergencies. 3. Christians should endeavour to be filled with knowledge; not
only to know the will of God, but to know more of it, and to increase in the
knowledge of God (as it is v. 10), and to grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, 2 Pt. 3:18.
II. That their conversation might be good. Good knowledge
without a good life will not profit. Our understanding is then a spiritual
understanding when we exemplify it in our way of living: That you may walk
worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing (v. 10), that is, as becomes the
relation we stand in to him and the profession we make of him. The
agreeableness of our conversation to our religion is pleasing to God as well as
to good men. We walk unto all well-pleasing when we walk in all things
according to the will of God. Being fruitful in every good work. This is
what we should aim at. Good words will not do without good works. We must
abound in good works, and in every good work: not in some only, which are more
easy, and suitable, and safe, but in all, and every instance of them. There
must be a regular uniform regard to all the will of God. And the more fruitful
we are in good works the more we shall increase in the knowledge of God. He
who doeth his will shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, Jn.
7:17.
III. That they might be strengthened: Strengthened with
all might according to his glorious power (v. 11), fortified against the
temptations of Satan and furnished for all their duty. It is a great comfort to
us that he who undertakes to give strength to his people is a God of power and
of glorious power. Where there is spiritual life there is still need of spiritual
strength, strength for all the actions of the spiritual life. To be
strengthened is to be furnished by the grace of God for every good work, and
fortified by that grace against every evil one: it is to be enabled to do our
duty, and still to hold fast our integrity. The blessed Spirit is the author of
this strength; for we are strengthened with might by his Spirit in the
inward man, Eph. 3:16. The word of God is the means of it, by which he
conveys it; and it must be fetched in by prayer. It was in answer to earnest
prayer that the apostle obtained sufficient grace. In praying for spiritual
strength we are not straitened in the promises, and therefore should not be
straitened in our own hopes and desires. Observe, 1. He prayed that they might
be strengthened with might: this seems a tautology; but he means, that they
might be mightily strengthened, or strengthened with might derived from
another. 2. It is with all might. It seems unreasonable that a creature should
be strengthened with all might, for that is to make him almighty; but he
means, with all that might which we have occasion for, to enable us to
discharge our duty or preserve our innocence, that grace which is sufficient
for us in all the trials of life and able to help us in time of need. 3. It is according
to his glorious power. He means, according to the grace of God: but the
grace of God in the hearts of believers is the power of God; and there is a
glory in this power; it is an excellent and sufficient power. And the
communications of strength are not according to our weakness, to whom the
strength is communicated, but according to his power, from whom it is received.
When God gives he gives like himself, and when he strengthens he strengthens
like himself. 4. The special use of this strength was for suffering work: That
you may be strengthened unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.
He prays not only that they may be supported under their troubles, but strengthened
for them: the reason is there is work to be done even when we are suffering.
And those who are strengthened according to his glorious power are
strengthened, (1.) To all patience. When patience hath its perfect work
(Jam. 1:4) then we are strengthened to all patience-when we not only bear our
troubles patiently, but receive them as gifts from God, and are thankful for
them. To you it is given to suffer, Phil. 1:29. When we bear our
troubles well, though ever so many, and the circumstances of them ever so
aggravating, then we bear them with all patience. And the same reason for
bearing one trouble will hold for bearing another, if it be a good reason. All
patience includes all the kinds of it; not only bearing patience, but waiting
patience. (2.) This is even unto long-suffering, that is, drawn out to a great
length: not only to bear trouble awhile, but to bear it as long as God pleases
to continue it. (3.) It is with joyfulness, to rejoice in tribulation, to take
joyfully the spoiling of our goods, and rejoice that we are counted worthy to
suffer for his name, to have joy as well as patience in the troubles of life.
This we could never do by any strength of our own, but as we are strengthened
by the grace of God.
Verses 12-29
Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel concerning
the great work of our redemption by Christ. It comes in here not as the matter
of a sermon, but as the matter of a thanksgiving; for our salvation by Christ
furnishes us with abundant matter of thanksgiving in every view of it: Giving
thanks unto the Father, v. 12. He does not discourse of the work of
redemption in the natural order of it; for then he would speak of the purchase
of it first, and afterwards of the application of it. But here he inverts the
order, because, in our sense and feeling of it, the application goes before the
purchase. We first find the benefits of redemption in our hearts, and then are
led by those streams to the original and fountain-head. The order and
connection of the apostle’s discourse may be considered in the following
manner:—
I. He speaks concerning the operations of the Spirit of
grace upon us. We must give thanks for them, because by these we are qualified
for an interest in the mediation of the Son: Giving thanks to the Father,
etc., v. 12, 13. It is spoken of as the work of the Father, because the Spirit
of grace is the Spirit of the Father, and the Father works in us by his Spirit.
Those in whom the work of grace is wrought must give thanks unto the Father. If
we have the comfort of it, he must have the glory of it. Now what is it which
is wrought for us in the application of redemption? 1. "He hath delivered
us from the power of darkness, v. 13. He has rescued us from the state of
heathenish darkness and wickedness. He hath saved us from the dominion of sin,
which is darkness (1 Jn. 1:6), from the dominion of Satan, who is the prince
of darkness (Eph. 6:12), and from the damnation of hell, which is utter
darkness,’’ Mt. 25:30. They are called out of darkness, 1 Pt. 2:9.
2. "He hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, brought
us into the gospel-state, and made us members of the church of Christ, which is
a state of light and purity.’’ You were once darkness, but now are you light
in the Lord, Eph. 5:8. Who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light, 1 Pt. 2:9. Those were made willing subjects of Christ who
were the slaves of Satan. The conversion of a sinner is the translation of a
soul into the kingdom of Christ out of the kingdom of the devil. The power of
sin is shaken off, and the power of Christ submitted to. The law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus makes them free from the law of sin and death; and it is
the kingdom of his dear Son, or the Son of his peculiar love, his beloved Son
(Mt. 3:17), and eminently the beloved, Eph. 1:6. 3. "He hath not only done
this, but hath made us meet to partake of the inheritance of the saints in
light, v. 12. He hath prepared us for the eternal happiness of heaven, as
the Israelites divided the promised land by lot; and has given us the earnest
and assurance of it.’’ This he mentions first because it is the first
indication of the future blessedness, that by the grace of God we find
ourselves in some measure prepared for it. God gives grace and glory,
and we are here told what they both are. (1.) What that glory is. It is the inheritance
of the saints in light. It is an inheritance, and belongs to them as
children, which is the best security and the sweetest tenure: If children,
then heirs, Rom. 8:17. And it is an inheritance of the saints-proper to
sanctified souls. Those who are not saints on earth will never be saints in
heaven. And it is an inheritance in light; the perfection of knowledge,
holiness, and joy, by communion with God, who is light, and the Father of
lights, Jam. 1:17; Jn. 1:5. (2.) What this grace is. It is a meetness for the
inheritance: "He hath made us meet to be partakers, that is, suited
and fitted us for the heavenly state by a proper temper and habit of soul; and
he makes us meet by the powerful influence of his Spirit.’’ It is the effect of
the divine power to change the heart, and make it heavenly. Observe, All who
are designed for heaven hereafter are prepared for heaven now. As those who
live and die unsanctified go out of the world with their hell about them, so
those who are sanctified and renewed go out of the world with their heaven
about them. Those who have the inheritance of sons have the education of sons
and the disposition of sons: they have the Spirit of adoption, whereby they
cry, Abba, Father. Rom. 8:15. And, because you are sons, God hath sent
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, Gal.
4:6. This meetness for heaven is the earnest of the Spirit in our heart, which
is part of payment, and assures the full payment. Those who are sanctified
shall be glorified (Rom. 8:30), and will be for ever indebted to the grace of
God, which hath sanctified them.
II. Concerning the person of the Redeemer. Glorious things
are here said of him; for blessed Paul was full of Christ, and took all
occasions to speak honourably of him. He speaks of him distinctly as God, and
as Mediator. 1. As God he speaks of him, v. 15–17. (1.) He is the image of
the invisible God. Not as man was made in the image of God (Gen.
1:27), in his natural faculties and dominion over the creatures: no, he is the express
image of his person, Heb. 1:3. He is so the image of God as the son is the
image of his father, who has a natural likeness to him; so that he who has seen
him has seen the Father, and his glory was the glory of the
only-begotten of the Father, Jn. 1:14; 14:9. (2.) He is the first-born
of every creature. Not that he is himself a creature; for it is proµtotokos
paseµs ktiseoµs—born or begotten before
all the creation, or before any creature was made, which is the
scripture-way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is
represented to us: I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or
ever the earth was; when there was no depth, before the mountains were settled,
while as yet he had not made the earth, Prov. 8:23–26. It signifies his
dominion over all things, as the first-born in a family is heir and lord of
all, so he is the heir of all things, Heb. 1:2. The word, with only the
change of the accent, proµtotokos, signifies actively the first begetter or producer of all
things, and so it well agrees with the following clause. Vid. Isidor.
Peleus. epist. 30 lib. 3. (3.) He is so far from beginning himself a
creature that he is the Creator: For by him were all things created, which
are in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, v. 16. He made all things
out of nothing, the highest angel in heaven, as well as men upon earth. He made
the world, the upper and lower world, with all the inhabitants of both. All
things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made which was made,
Jn. 1:3. He speaks here as if there were several orders of angels: Whether
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, which must signify
either different degrees of excellence or different offices and employments. Angels,
authorities, and powers, 1 Pt. 3:22. Christ is the eternal wisdom of the
Father, and the world was made in wisdom. He is the eternal Word, and the world
was made by the word of God. He is the arm of the Lord, and the world
was made by that arm. All things are created by him and for him; di’
autou kai eis auton. Being created by him, they were
created for him; being made by his power, they were made according to his
pleasure and for his praise. He is the end, as well as the cause of all things.
To him are all things, Rom. 11:36; eis
auton ta panta. (4.) He was before all things.
He had a being before the world was made, before the beginning of time, and
therefore from all eternity. Wisdom was with the Father, and possessed by him
in the beginning of his ways, before his works of old, Prov. 8:22. And in the
beginning the Word was with God and was God, Jn. 1:1. He not only had a being
before he was born of the virgin, but he had a being before all time. (5.) By
him all things consist. They not only subsist in their beings, but consist
in their order and dependences. He not only created them all at first, but it
is by the word of his power that they are still upheld, Heb. 1:3. The whole
creation is kept together by the power of the Son of God, and made to consist
in its proper frame. It is preserved from disbanding and running into
confusion.
2. The apostle next shows what he is as Mediator, v. 18, 19.
(1.) He is the head of the body the church: not only a head of
government and direction, as the king is the head of the state and has right to
prescribe laws, but a head of vital influence, as the head in the natural body:
for all grace and strength are derived from him: and the church is his body, the
fulness of him who filleth all in all, Eph. 1:22, 23. (2.) He is the beginning,
the first-born from the dead, archeµ,
proµtotokos—the principle, the first-born from
the dead; the principle of our resurrection, as well as the first-born himself.
All our hopes and joys take their rise from him who is the author of our
salvation. Not that he was the first who ever rose from the dead, but the first
and only one who rose by his own power, and was declared to be the Son of
God, and Lord of all things. And he is the head of the resurrection, and
has given us an example and evidence of our resurrection from the dead. He rose
as the first-fruits, 1 Co. 15:20. (3.) He hath in all things the
pre-eminence. It was the will of the Father that he should have all
power in heaven and earth, that he might be preferred above angels and all
the powers in heaven (he has obtained a more excellent name than they,
Heb. 1:4), and that in all the affairs of the kingdom of God among men he
should have the pre-eminence. He has the pre-eminence in the hearts of his
people above the world and the flesh; and by giving him the pre-eminence we
comply with the Father’s will, That all men should honour the Son even as
they honour the Father, Jn. 5:23. (4.) All fulness dwells in him, and it
pleased the Father it should do so (v. 19), not only a fulness of abundance for
himself, but redundance for us, a fulness of merit and righteousness, of
strength and grace. As the head is the seat and source of the animal spirits,
so is Christ of all graces to his people. It pleased the Father that all
fulness should dwell in him; and we may have free resort to him for all that
grace for which we have occasion. He not only intercedes for it, but is the
trustee in whose hands it is lodged to dispense to us: Of his fulness we
receive, and grace for grace, grace in us answering to that grace which is
in him (Jn. 1:16), and he fills all in all, Eph. 1:23.
III. Concerning the work of redemption. He speaks of the
nature of it, or wherein it consists; and of the means of it, by which it was
procured.
1. Wherein it consists. It is made to lie in two
things:—(1.) In the remission of sin: In whom we have redemption, even the
forgiveness of sins, v. 14. It was sin which sold us, sin which enslaved
us: if we are redeemed, we must be redeemed from sin; and this is by
forgiveness, or remitting the obligation to punishment. So Eph. 1:7, In whom
we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his
grace. (2.) In reconciliation to God. God by him reconciled all things
to himself, v. 20. He is the Mediator of reconciliation, who procures peace
as well as pardon for sinners, who brings them into a state of friendship and
favour at present, and will bring all holy creatures, angels as well as men,
into one glorious and blessed society at last: things in earth, or things in
heaven. So Eph. 1:10, He will gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. The word is anakephalaioµsasthai—he will bring them all under one head. The Gentiles,
who were alienated, and enemies in their minds by wicked works, yet now hath
he reconciled, v. 21. Here see what was their condition by nature, and in
their Gentile state-estranged from God, and at enmity with God: and yet this enmity
is slain, and, notwithstanding this distance, we are now reconciled. Christ
has laid the foundation for our reconciliation; for he has paid the price of
it, has purchased the proffer and promise of it, proclaims it as a prophet,
applies it as a king. Observe, The greatest enemies to God, who have stood at
the greatest distance and bidden him defiance, may be reconciled, if it by not
their own fault.
2. How the redemption is procured: it is through his
blood (v. 14); he has made peace through the blood of his cross (v.
20), and it is in the body of his flesh through death, v. 22. It was the
blood which made an atonement, for the blood is the life; and without the
shedding of blood there is no remission, Heb. 9:22. There was such a value
in the blood of Christ that, on account of Christ’s shedding it, God was
willing to deal with men upon new terms to bring them under a covenant of
grace, and for his sake, and in consideration of his death upon the
cross, to pardon and accept to favour all who comply with them.
IV. Concerning the preaching of this redemption. Here
observe,
1. To whom it was preached: To every creature under
heaven (v. 23), that is, it was ordered to be preached to every creature,
Mk. 16:15. It may be preached to every creature; for the gospel excludes none
who do not exclude themselves. More or less it has been or will be preached to
every nation, though many have sinned away the light of it and perhaps some
have never yet enjoyed it.
2. By whom it was preached: Whereof I Paul am made a
minister. Paul was a great apostle; but he looks upon it as the highest of
his titles of honour to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul takes
all occasions to speak of his office; for he magnified his office, Rom.
11:13. And again in v. 25, Whereof I am made a minister. Observe here,
(1.) Whence Paul had his ministry: it was according to
the dispensation of God which was given to him (v. 25), the economy or wise
disposition of things in the house of God. He was steward and master-builder,
and this was given to him: he did not usurp it, nor take it to himself; and he
could not challenge it as a debt. He received it from God as a gift, and took
it as a favour.
(2.) For whose sake he had his ministry: "It is for
you, for your benefit: ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake, 2
Co. 4:5. We are Christ’s ministers for the good of his people, to fulfil the
word of God (that is, fully to preach it), of which you will have the
greater advantage. The more we fulfil our ministry, or fill up all the parts of
it, the greater will be the benefit of the people; they will be the more filled
with knowledge, and furnished for service.’’
(3.) What kind of preacher Paul was. This is particularly
represented.
[1.] He was a suffering preacher: Who now rejoice in my
sufferings for you, v. 24. He suffered in the cause of Christ, and for the
good of the church. He suffered for preaching the gospel to them. And, while he
suffered in so good a cause, he could rejoice in his sufferings, rejoice
that he was counted worthy to suffer, and esteem it an honour to him. And
fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. Not
that the afflictions of Paul, or any other, were expiations for sin, as the
sufferings of Christ were. There was nothing wanting in them, nothing which
needed to be filled up. They were perfectly sufficient to answer the
intention of them, the satisfaction of God’s justice, in order to the salvation
of his people. But the sufferings of Paul and other good ministers made them
conformable to Christ; and they followed him in his suffering state: so they
are said to fill up what was behind of the sufferings of Christ, as the wax
fills up the vacuities of the seal, when it receives the impression of it. Or
it may be meant not of Christ’s sufferings, but of his suffering for Christ. He
filled that which was behind. He had a certain rate and measure of
suffering for Christ assigned him; and, as his sufferings were agreeable to
that appointment, so he was still filling up more and more what was behind, or
remained of them to his share.
[2.] He was a close preacher: he preached not only in
public, but from house to house, from person to person. Whom we
preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, v. 28.
Every man has need to be warned and taught, and therefore let every man have
his share. Observe, First, When we warn people of what they do amiss, we
must teach them to do better: warning and teaching must go together. Secondly,
Men must be warned and taught in all wisdom. We must choose the fittest
seasons, and use the likeliest means, and accommodate ourselves to the
different circumstances and capacities of those we have to do with, and teach
them as they are able to bear. That which he aimed at was to present every
man perfect in Christ Jesus, teleios, either perfect in the knowledge of the Christian doctrine (Let
us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded, Phil. 3:15; 2 Tim.
3:17), or else crowned with a glorious reward hereafter, when he will present
to himself a glorious church (Eph. 5:27), and bring them to the spirits
of just men made perfect, Heb. 12:23. Observe, Ministers ought to aim at
the improvement and salvation of every particular person who hears them. Thirdly,
He was a laborious preacher, and one who took pains: he was no loiter, and did
not do his work negligently (v. 29): Whereunto I also labour, striving
according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. He laboured and
strove, used great diligence and contended with many difficulties, according to
the measure of grace afforded to him and the extraordinary presence of Christ
which was with him. Observe, As Paul laid out himself to do much good, so he
had this favour, that the power of God wrought in him the more effectually. The
more we labour in the work of the Lord the greater measures of help we may
expect from him in it (Eph. 3:7): According to the gift of the grace of God
given unto me, by the effectual working of his power.
3. The gospel which was preached. We have an account of
this: Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations,
but is now made manifest to his saints, v. 26, 27. Observe, (1.) The
mystery of the gospel was long hidden: it was concealed from ages and
generations, the several ages of the church under the Old-Testament
dispensation. They were in a state of minority, and training up for a more
perfect state of things, and could not look to the end of those things which
were ordained, 2 Co. 3:13. (2.) This mystery now, in the fulness of time, is
made manifest to the saints, or clearly revealed and made apparent. The veil
which was over Moses’s face is done away in Christ, 2 Co. 3:14. The meanest
saint under the gospel understands more than the greatest prophets under the
law. He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than they. The mystery
of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, is now
revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, Eph. 3:4, 5.
And what is this mystery? It is the riches of God’s glory among the Gentiles.
The peculiar doctrine of the gospel was a mystery which was before hidden, and
is now made manifest and made known. But the great mystery here referred to is
the breaking down of the partition-wall between the Jew and Gentile, and
preaching the gospel to the Gentile world, and making those partakers of the
privileges of the gospel state who before lay in ignorance and idolatry: That
the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers
together of his promise in Christ by the gospel, Eph. 3:6. This mystery,
thus made known, is Christ in you (or among you) the hope of glory.
Observe, Christ is the hope of glory. The ground of our hope is Christ in the
word, or the gospel revelation, declaring the nature and methods of obtaining
it. The evidence of our hope is Christ in the heart, or the sanctification of
the soul, and its preparation for the heavenly glory.
4. The duty of those who are interested in this redemption: If
you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the
hope of the gospel which you have heard, v. 23. We must continue in the
faith grounded and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel;
that is, we must be so well fixed in our minds as not to be moved from it by
any temptations. We must be stedfast and immovable (1 Co. 15:58) and hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering, Heb. 10:23. Observe, We
can expect the happy end of our faith only when we continue in the faith, and
are so far grounded and settled in it as not to be moved from it. We must not draw
back unto perdition, but believe unto the saving of the soul, Heb.
10:39. We must be faithful to death, through all trials, that we may receive
the crown of life, and receive the end of our faith, the salvation of our
souls, 1 Pt. 1:9.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
www.e-sword.net
and www.ccel.org
