The mission, sufferings, gospel, and preaching of the apostle.
He introduces here a somewhat abrupt reference to himself, not to vindicate his authority as an apostle, which was not challenged at Colossae, but to emphasize his mission as the apostle of the Gentiles, and to draw the Colossians into closer relations of sympathy with himself.
I. THE APOSTLE'S SUFFERINGS FOR THE CHURCH "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the Church."
1. The nature of his sufferings. These are to be understood by his frequent reference to the afflictions of Christ.
(a) afflictions borne on account of Christ;
(b) nor afflictions imposed by Christ;
(c) nor afflictions which resemble those of Christ;
(d) nor the afflictions which the apostle endures instead of Christ, as supplementing his afflictions; but the afflictions which Christ endures in his suffering Church. The Messiah was "to be afflicted in all their afflictions" (Isaiah 63:9).
(a) because it contradicts the whole tenor of Scripture (John 19:30; Hebrews 10:1-15);
(b) because it is absurd, for if the apostle supplied in his suffering what Christ failed to supply, nothing remains for other saints to supply by their sufferings.
2. The design or intent of the apostle's sufferings. "For his body's sake, which is the Church." It was for the extension and edification of the Church. He suffers in his natural body—"in my flesh"—for the mystical body. He teaches us:
3. The spirit in which the apostle bore his varied sufferings, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you."
II. THE SPECIAL DISPENSATION ASSIGNED TO THE APOSTLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GENTILES. "Whereof I was made a minister according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the Word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from all ages and generations, but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the Hope of glory."
1. The apostle's peculiar mission to the Gentiles. He calls himself here "a minister of the Church," as he has just called himself "a minister of Christ." His commission is from God himself. "A dispensation of God is given to me." God is the Dispenser of all good things to his Church. Hence we infer
(a) that the efficacy of the Word depends much upon God's appointment of his servants;
(b) that his servants ought to be regarded with confidence and love, because they are God's ambassadors and make the Word of God their supreme rule in dispensing the things of God;
(c) that the commission ought to be executed with all faithfulness and diligence (2 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:2; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:2).
2. The design of the dispensation given to the apostle. "To fulfil the Word of God." That is, to give its complete development to the Word of God—"to give its fullest amplitude to, to fill up the measures of, its foreordained universality." Every minister is bound "to fulfil the Word of God" in his ministry,
3. The long hid but now revealed mystery of the gospel.
(a) Christianity is Christ in the heart. "He dwells in our hearts by faith" (Ephesians 3:18). He lives in us (Galatians 2:20). He is in us (2 Corinthians 13:5) if we are not reprobates. If he is in us, then
( α) we must continue to live by faith (Galatians 2:20);
( β) we may expect to receive "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" that are "hid in him" (Colossians 2:3);
( γ) we may look for larger measures of his love (Ephesians 3:18);
( δ) we must keep holy hearts, for he will not dwell in an "evil heart of unbelief"—"The heart is Christ's chamber of presence: shall we not, therefore, keep it with all diligence?"
( ε) the grace of Christ will be efficacious against all temptations (2 Corinthians 12:9).
(b) Christ in the heart is the Hope of glory.
( α) He is expressly called "our Hope" (1 Timothy 1:2; Colossians 1:4, Colossians 1:23).
( β) He is the Hope of glory because he has, as our Forerunner, carried the anchor of our hope within the veil, and fastened it to the two immutable things—the oath and the promise of God—in which it was impossible that he should lie.
( γ) The resurrection of Christ establishes this hope (1 Corinthians 15:19), We should be of "all men most miserable" without it.
( δ) We should read the Word, that "through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may have hope" (Romans 15:4), seeing Christ therein as the ground of our hope for eternity.
( ε) There is no hope. for man apart from Christ.
(a) This does not mean that the future salvation of the Gentiles was unknown in ancient times; for the prophets are full of it (Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 54:1-3).
(b) But the mystery was that the Gentiles should be admitted to the blessings of salvation on equal terms with the Jews.
(a) by revelation to the apostle (Ephesians 3:5);
(b) by preaching (Colossians 4:4; Titus 1:3);
(c) by prophetic exposition (Romans 16:26); and
(d) by the actual conversion of the Gentiles themselves without their conformity to Jewish usages.—T. C.
The manner in which the apostle discharged his divinely given trust.
"Whom we proclaim, admonishing every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ: whereunto I labour also, striving according to his working who worketh in me mightily."
I. THE DUTY OF MINISTERS. It is to preach Christ.
1. It is not to preach morality. Though it is right and necessary to exhibit moral duties in the light of the cross.
2. It is not to preach a philosophy or a thaumaturgy.) 1 Corinthians 1:22-24.)
3. It is to preach Christ crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:3.) Some preach Christ's incarnation as the grand hope of man, but this is to present a broken hope, if it is not supplemented by the death of Christ.
4. It is to preach Christ as the only Saviour. "Neither is there salvation in any other" (Acts 4:12). There is no salvation in ordinances, in saints, in angels, in images, in pictures, in works of righteousness.
5. It is to preach Christ as a sufficient Saviour. He is mighty to save, and "able to save to the uttermost."
II. THE MANNER IN WHICH CHRIST IS TO BE PREACHED.
1. "Admonition." "Admonishing every man." This implies:
2. Teaching. Christianity is not a thaumaturgy, not a spectacular religion; it is the exhibition of Christ through the gospel of truth. The understanding must be informed.
III. THE DESIGN OF THIS PREACHING OF CHRIST. "That we may present every man perfect in Christ."
1. Perfection is the aim. It will be attained in glory. It implies perfection in knowledge as well as holiness. We are to seek perfection
2. Perfection is only to be realized in Christ.
3. It is a perfection designed for all saints. "Every man." It is not for an inner circle of disciples, an initiated few, but for "every man." This universality of blessing marks the distinction between the gospel of Christ and the schools of Judaeo-Gnostic speculation.
IV. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH MINISTERS OUGHT TO LABOUR IN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
1. They must labour and strive. The ministry is a severe labour to body, mind, and spirit. The apostle "laboured more abundantly than they all." The Lord's work cannot be done negligently (2 Timothy 4:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 5:12).
2. Ministers must labour, not in their own strength, but in the Lord's strength. "Striving according to his working, who worketh in me mightily." It is the Lord who works in his ministers for the salvation of souls. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but "it is God that giveth the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6).—T. C.
HOMILIES BY R.M. EDGAR