Paul identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. The expression “through the will of God” could indicate that his call to be an apostle was from God and independent of any human agency (Galatians 1:1) or that his receiving the apostleship was an expression of God’s unmerited favor. (1 Corinthians 15:9, 10; Ephesians 3:7, 8) Paul associated his young fellow worker Timothy with himself and referred to him as “the brother.” (1:1) In this case, the definite article “the” may be significant, revealing the apostle’s high regard for his loyal partner as “the brother” without equal. (Compare Philippians 2:19-22.)

Although Paul had not personally proclaimed the message about God’s Son in Colossae, he was deeply concerned about the believers in that city. He addressed them as “holy ones and believing brothers in Christ.” As “holy ones,” they were God’s people enjoying a pure standing before the heavenly Father on the basis of their faith in his Son. The adjective pistós may mean either “believing” or “faithful.” Paul could have been expressing his confidence in the Colossians as “faithful” or trustworthy brothers or acknowledging them as fellow sons of God having faith. As “brothers in Christ,” they were at one with him as members of his body. Paul included his customary prayerful expression, “Favor to you and peace from God our Father.” The designation “favor,” “grace,” or “unmerited kindness” would include all the help and guidance God gives to his beloved children, and “peace” would be the inner calmness and tranquility stemming from the assurance of having his abiding love and care. (1:2; see the Notes section regarding other manuscript readings for this verse.)

The Greek verb for “thank” is first person plural. Paul appears to be using the editorial “we thank,” and the present tense indicates that his expressions of thanks to God are continuing. When praying concerning the Colossians, Paul always thanked “God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” thereby giving God all the credit for the faith and love they had. Upon coming to know concerning their faith in Christ Jesus and the love they had for all the holy ones, Paul began praying for them. Their love must have been revealed in their coming to the aid of those in need. (Compare 1 John 3:14-18; 4:11, 12, 20, 21.) The hope laid up for them in the heavens provided strong motivation for them to maintain their faith in Christ and to express their love for all the holy ones. They had heard about this hope when the “word” or message of truth, the evangel or glad tidings about God’s Son, was initially proclaimed to them. (1:3-5; see the Notes section for additional comments on verse 5.) In being laid up for them in the heavens, the realization of the hope had been secured for them and embraced sharing in all the rewards and blessings that would result from their being united with the Lord Jesus Christ upon his return in glory.

The evangel, which had come to the Colossians, bore fruit in “all the world.” Wherever the message about God’s Son reached people, many of them did respond in faith and so the evangel grew or flourished. This also happened among the recipients of Paul’s letter “from the day” or from the time they heard the glad tidings and came to know the “favor of God in truth” or came to understand what the unmerited kindness of God truly is. This would have included forgiveness of sins on the basis of faith in Christ and becoming members of the beloved family of God’s children, with all the blessings and privileges associated therewith. (1:6)

The Colossians had learned about the favor or grace of God from Ephaphras, whom Paul acknowledged as “our beloved fellow slave” and a “faithful servant of Christ.” Manuscripts vary in referring to Epaphras as a servant of Christ “in your behalf” or “in our behalf.” If “our” is the original reading, this would mean that Epaphras served in Paul’s place, ministering to the Colossians as the apostle would have labored if he had been in the city. Epaphras had also told Paul about the love of the Colossian believers “in spirit.” The expression “love in spirit” could mean the love that God’s spirit produces or the spiritual love for Paul as their brother whom they had not seen personally. (1:7, 8)

From the time Paul had received news about the Colossian believers, he did not cease praying for them, requesting that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will “in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.” The apostle desired that they be in possession of a full, rounded-out knowledge of God’s will, possessing the wisdom to conduct themselves accordingly and the spiritual comprehension to discern the divine will for them. This would enable them to “walk” or to conduct themselves worthily of the Lord, being fully pleasing to him, proving themselves to be fruitful in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. (1:9, 10)

Although “Lord” (in verse 10) could denote either God or Christ, the earlier mention of “our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:3) provides a basis for concluding that the reference is to God’s Son. To walk worthily of Jesus Christ would also signify maintaining conduct that would please his Father. (See 1 Thessalonians 2:12, where Paul mentions walking worthily of God.) Every “good work” would include providing aid to those in need, maintaining praiseworthy conduct in dealing with others, and sharing the message about God’s Son. For believers to grow in the knowledge of God would require continual development in their relationship with their heavenly Father as his beloved children.

Paul prayed for the Colossians to be in possession of the fullness of divine power, “being made strong in all strength according to the might of [God’s] glory.” The expression “might of God’s glory” is indicative of a source of power beyond comprehension and of incomparable greatness. It is a glorious or magnificent might. In the letter to the Ephesians (1:19-21), this power is revealed as having been at work in raising Christ from the dead and seating him at his Father’s right hand in an exalted state far above all existing and future ruling authorities. Strengthened with such incomparable might, the Colossians would be equipped “for all endurance and patience, with joy.” (1:11) When faced with trials and suffering, they would be able to bear up without giving way to bitter complaining or wanting to retaliate. They would be able to maintain an inner joy, knowing that they pleased God and Christ, suffered for the right reason, were being refined through their trials, and had the assurance of sharing with Christ in his glory. (Compare Matthew 5:10-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 2:20, 21; 4:12-16; see the Notes section for additional comments on verse 11.)

The Colossians had strong reason for thanking the Father, as he made them fit (or, according to the reading of a number of manuscripts, “called” them) to share in the “inheritance of the holy ones in the light.” As “holy ones” or God’s cleansed people, they would be sharers in the “inheritance” promised to all who belong to him or to all who are his children. That inheritance is “in the light,” being markedly separate from the kind of defilement and impurity associated with darkness. “From the authority of darkness,” the Father rescued all who responded in faith to the message about his Son and transferred them “into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” In Christ or in a state of oneness with him, believers are redeemed, delivered from servitude to sin, and forgiven of their transgressions. (1:12-14)

Having ceased to be a part of the world of mankind alienated from God, they no longer find themselves in the realm of darkness under the authority of Satan. (Compare Acts 26:18.) They have been taken out of that realm of darkness and transferred into the realm of light, the realm where Jesus Christ is their Lord and King. As persons forgiven of their sins and approved children of God, they enjoy the benefits of being in the royal realm of God’s beloved Son, which benefits include his loving care, concern, aid, and guidance. Upon Christ’s return in glory, they would enter into the fullness of the royal inheritance.

The Son is the “image of the invisible God,” in every way being exactly like his Father or his Father’s very imprint. Therefore, seeing the Son is just like seeing the Father. (John 1:14; Hebrews 1:3) The Son is the “firstborn of all creation, because in him all things were created.” The expression “in him” could signify that the Father, as the Author of creation, committed to his Son the work of creation, constituting the Son the direct cause of the creation. This means that all creation owes its existence to the Son. Accordingly, in relation to the creation, he occupies the preeminent position, possessing the foremost status associated with being the firstborn (including heirship and lordship). The creation includes “all things in the heavens and upon the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” As all creation owes its existence to the Son, any power or authority associated with the creation is also owing to him and inferior to his. The expression “through him” identifies the Son as the agent of creation, whereas “for him” or, literally, “into him,” appears to reveal him as the one in whom all creation finds its purpose. (1:15, 16) The German Gute Nachricht Bibel makes this sense of “into him” explicit (alles findet in ihm sein letztes Ziel [“everything finds its final goal in him”]).
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In his creative role, the Son is before all things and is also the one on whom creation depends. (1:17) The Greek word synístemi, which appears to denote “hold together,” may be understood to describe the Son as the one who unifies and sustains all creation, holding everything in its respective place. (Compare Hebrews 1:3.)

The “church” or the entire community of believers is Christ’s body. Of this body, he is the head, for all members function under his guidance and direction. He is the “beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become first in all things.” The designation “beginning,” as the context suggests, points to the Son as the one through whom all things had their start. In being the “firstborn from the dead,” he stands in a unique relationship to the dead. He was the first to rise with a glorified body and thus also came to occupy the position of “firstborn,” for he is the Lord of the dead through whom they are restored to life. (Romans 14:9) Accordingly, in creating all things and in being the first to rise in an immortal, incorruptible body, God’s Son is preeminent or “first in all things.” (1:18)

It pleased God to have “all the fullness” dwell in his Son. He is the exact representation of his Father, with nothing lacking of the divine glory, wisdom, compassion, purity, justice, and love. (1:19; see the Notes section for additional comments.)

Sin alienates humans from God. The Father therefore took the initiative in providing the basis for a reconciliation, sending his Son to the earth. The blood of Christ (literally, “the blood of his cross”) effected peace, as all who embraced his sacrifice for them gained forgiveness of sins. (1:20) Through Christ, those in a state of alienation became reconciled to his Father. The things upon the earth and the things in the heavens thus ceased to be at enmity and were brought into a harmonious condition of peace. (Compare Ephesians 1:10.)

Formerly, before responding in faith to the message about Christ, the Colossians had been in a state of alienation from and at enmity with God. In thought and deed, they acted contrary to his ways. But in Christ’s “body of flesh through death,” they had been reconciled. Christ’s sacrificial death in his body of flesh provided the basis for reconciliation with God. As to the objective of this reconciliation, Paul continued, “to present you holy and unblemished and blameless before him.” Instead of continuing in a defiled and alienated condition before God, they, in faith, had accepted Christ’s sacrifice for them and had been made holy or pure as persons cleansed by Christ’s precious blood and reckoned as having no blemish or blame attached to them. (1:21, 22; also see the Notes section for more information on 1:21 and additional comments about reconciliation.)

To maintain their approved state, the Colossians needed to remain or persevere in the faith, solidly grounded and firmly fixed, not being moved away “from the hope of the evangel” which they heard. The evangel or message about God’s Son included the promise of sharing with him in his glory at his return. Hope in the fulfillment of this promise served as strong encouragement for the Colossians to persevere in faith, never wavering in maintaining unqualified trust in God and his Son. (1:23)

After mentioning that the evangel or glad tidings about Jesus Christ had been preached “in all creation under heaven” or in the then-known world, Paul spoke of himself as having become its servant. He could speak of himself in this manner because he labored to advance the good news about Christ. (1:23)

Although he had not personally ministered in Colossae, Paul wrote, “Now I am rejoicing in the sufferings for you.” The fact that affliction, which included being imprisoned and chained, had come to be his lot gave him reason for inner joy, as this had happened to him on account of faithfully advancing the cause of Christ. In particular, this involved Paul’s laboring primarily among the non-Jewish peoples and teaching that faith in the Son of God, not adherence to the Mosaic law, led to a divinely approved standing. As a result, Paul became an object of intense hostility to unbelieving fellow Jews. (Compare Acts 18:13; 21:27-29; 22:17-22.) Because his suffering for the name of Christ mainly came about on account of being an apostle to the non-Jewish peoples, he could speak of suffering for them. This included the non-Jewish believers in Colossae. (1:24)

The apostle added that he was filling up the things “lacking of the tribulations of the Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the church” or the community of believers. (1:24) Paul could speak of filling up a lack, for the affliction he endured in his body had not come to an end. He knew that more suffering lay ahead prior to his completing his course in faithfulness. As a member of Christ’s body, the congregation of believers, Paul referred to his “tribulations” or afflictions as being those “of Christ,” the head of the body. Whatever affects the members of the body also affects the head, and the Son of God considers the distress and suffering of his disciples as his own. (Matthew 25:34-45)

Paul’s role in the “church” or the community of believers was that of a “minister” or “servant,” diligently working to advance their spiritual well-being. God had given him a stewardship, duty, or responsibility for believers, including the Colossians, “to fulfill the word of God.” (1:25) His “fulfilling” God’s word could mean making it fully known, not holding back any part of the message believers needed to know. (Compare Acts 20:20.)

In past ages and past generations, this “word” or message proved to be a hidden mystery. It was hidden away or concealed from everyone, for the mystery was not revealed as it finally was to those who became “holy ones” or God’s people in the first century after Jesus’ death and resurrection. To the “holy ones,” God chose to make known “the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The expression “the riches of the glory of this mystery” apparently describes the magnificence or the grandeur of this previously hidden message revealed in all its fullness or richness. Paul referred to the revealed mystery as being “Christ in you.” The Colossians, though formerly people of the nations without God or hope, came into a relationship with his beloved Son. Christ made his home with them, working within them to aid them to reflect the image of his Father in attitude, word, and action. As the head, he came to be attached to them as members of his body. Furthermore, they would become sharers in his glory or his matchless magnificence as the possessor of all divinely granted authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, Paul rightly called Christ “the hope of glory” or the one upon whom the fulfillment of their hope to share in his glory depended. (1:26, 27)

Paul’s proclamation focused on Christ, and he did not limit his teaching to a select few. The apostle admonished “every man” or every person, which would have included his telling them about Christ’s return in glory and how to escape the wrath to come upon those defiantly persisting in unbelief. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) The apostle also taught “every man” or every person “in all wisdom.” His teaching harmonized with divinely granted wisdom and included all essential aspects of the message about God’s Son. (Compare Matthew 28:20; Acts 13:23-41; 20:24-27; 2 Peter 3:15, 16.) Regarding the objective of his admonition and teaching, Paul added, “that we might present every man [everyone] perfect in Christ.” For all to be “perfect in Christ” would denote their being full-grown members of Christ’s body inseparably attached to him as their head and at one with him. (Compare John 15:4-10; 17:23.) Having this noble objective in view, Paul labored with all his might. Although personally exerting himself strenuously, he did not do so in his own strength but with the aid of Christ’s power at work in him. (1:28, 29; see the Notes section for additional comments on verse 29.)

Notes:

After “God our Father” (1:2), other manuscripts add, “and [the] Lord Jesus Christ,” “and our Lord Jesus Christ,” and “and Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The opening words of verse 5 (diá tén elpída [“because of the hope”]) could be linked with “we thank” in verse 3. It seems preferable, however, to view the words “because of the hope” as continuing the thought expressed in verse 4. A number of translations make this significance explicit. “We have heard of your faith in Christ and your love for all of God’s people, because what you hope for is kept safe for you in heaven.” (CEV) “When the true message, the Good News, first came to you, you heard about the hope it offers. So your faith and love are based on what you hope for, which is kept safe for you in heaven.” (GNT, Second Edition)

A number of translations punctuate verses 11 and 12 in a way that conveys a different meaning for the expression “with joy.” Instead of associating the joy with endurance and patience, these translations link the joy to the giving of thanks, using such renderings as “joyfully giving thanks” (NIV, NRSV), “to give joyful thanks” (REB), and “giving thanks with joy” (NJB) In the letter to the Philippians (1:4), Paul does speak about his praying “with joy.” Endurance of suffering with joy, however, figures prominently in the Scriptures, and this provides a sound basis for concluding that the passage in Colossians has this significance.

After “Father” (in verse 12), certain manuscripts add “of Christ” or “and God,” or read “God the Father” and “the God and Father.” With reference to “fitted,” the oldest extant manuscripts say “you” (with specific reference to the Colossians), but many later manuscripts read “us.”

The style of the Greek text for verses 15 through 20 suggests that the words may have been part of a hymn. A number of translations have set off these verses according to a poetic arrangement (examples being CEV, HCSB, NAB, NJB).

In verse 19, the one who was pleased is not identified, and translators commonly have supplied “God” as the subject. When God is not supplied, the passage (1:19, 20) could be rendered as in the New American Bible, “For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross [through him], whether those on earth or those in heaven.” This rendering personifies “fullness” and could be taken to mean that Christ reconciled all to himself. As expressed in other parts of the Scriptures, however, humans are reconciled to God through Christ, and this is more likely the meaning in the letter to the Colossians. Therefore, God may rightly be understood as being pleased to have all fullness dwell in his Son and through him to effect the reconciliation. (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 2:16)

A literal reading of verse 21 would be, “And once being alienated and enemies to the mind in the evil works.” In an effort to make the passage more explicit and understandable, translators have added words and conveyed varying meanings. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” (NIV) “And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds he has now reconciled...” (NAB) “And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled...” (NRSV) “Formerly you yourselves were alienated from God, his enemies in heart and mind, as your evil deeds showed.” (REB) “You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things.” (CEV) “At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought.” (GNT, Second Edition) “This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions...” (NLT) “At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, and the evil things you did were against God.” (NCV)

In Luke 3:38, the first human, Adam, is identified as being a son of God. Through an act of disobedience to his God and Father, Adam alienated himself from him. As a result, all of his descendants came to be part of a human family estranged from God. The evidence for the state of alienation is the internal awareness humans have of being flawed or sinful, unable to be the kind of persons they would like to be. The Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 BCE) referred to this internal awareness when admitting his personal concern to be “failure to cultivate virtue, failure to go more deeply into what I have learned, inability, when I am told what is right, to move to where it is, and inability to reform myself when I have defects.” (Analects, Book VII, 3, translated by D. C. Lau) The flawed human condition repeatedly disrupts good relationships with fellow humans and, in its extreme manifestations, is responsible for horrendous acts of inhumanity.

Although permitting the first human pair to become parents, with their offspring becoming part of a flawed human family, God did not bar their children and later descendants from having a relationship with him. If they desired that relationship and wanted to do what is right, he responded to them as their loving and caring Father and God. (Compare Acts 10:34, 35; 14:14-17; 17:24-28; Hebrews 11:4-38.) Then, by sending his Son to the earth, he reached out to humans everywhere to cease being in a condition of estrangement and come to enjoy the dignified status of being his beloved children. By letting his Son suffer and voluntarily die a shameful death, God revealed the seriousness of sin and the greatness of his love for the human family in a way that nothing else could. By accepting the sacrificial death of Christ as the basis for being forgiven of sin and then ceasing to be burdened by the flawed human condition preventing an approved relationship with God, the individual is reconciled to him. For believers, the greatness of God’s forgiveness prompts a response of love and gratitude, and what that forgiveness involved on the part of God and Christ impresses on them the matchless depth of divine love. In the case of the individual believer, the personal conviction is: “God sent his Son because he loved me. God, through Christ, pardoned me. Christ died for me.” This conviction provides the motivation for wanting to live life as an obedient and loving child of God, fully reconciled to him.

Verse 29 does not identify Christ as the source of the energy energizing Paul with power. In the previous verse, however, Christ is mentioned and in his first letter to Timothy (1:12), Paul specifically speaks of being strengthened by the Lord Jesus Christ. A number of translations have, in fact, inserted Christ. “To this end I am toiling strenuously with all the energy and power of Christ at work in me.” (REB) “To get this done I toil and struggle, using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is at work in me.” (GNT, Second Edition) “I work very hard at this, as I depend on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.” (NLT) “To do this, I work and struggle, using Christ’s great strength that works so powerfully in me.” (NCV)