C
O L O S S I A N S
CHAP. I.
We
have here, I. The inscription, as usual, ver. 1, 2. II. His thanksgiving to
God for what he had heard concerning them--their faith, love, and hope, ver.
3-8. III. His prayer for their knowledge, fruitfulness, and strength, ver.
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, ver. 12-29.
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Inscription
and Apostolical Benediction.
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A. D. 62.
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1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will
of God, and Timotheus our brother, 2 To the saints and
faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you,
and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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. ii. 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.
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Paul's
Thanksgiving for the Colossians.
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A. D. 62.
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3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 Since we heard of
your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the
saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof
ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is
come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it
doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace
of God in truth: 7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear
fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who
also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
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, John xx. 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 Pet. ii. 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. ii. 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. i. 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, Matt. iii. 8. And our Lord says, If
you know these things, happy are you if you do them, John xiii. 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.
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Paul's
Prayer for the Colossians.
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A. D. 62.
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9 For this cause we also, since the day we
heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be
filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge
of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious
power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
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, &c. 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 Pet. iii. 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, John vii. 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. iii. 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. i. 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. i. 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.
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The
Redeemer's Dignity; The Work of Redemption; Paul's Preaching.
A. D. 62.
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12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is
the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him
should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the
blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I
say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his
flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in
his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled,
and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard,
and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof
I Paul am made a minister; 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for
you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh
for his body's sake, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a
minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you,
to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath
been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching
every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his
working, which worketh in me mightily.
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, &c., 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 John i. 6), from the dominion of Satan,
who is the prince of darkness (Eph. vi. 12), and from the damnation of
hell, which is utter darkness," Matt. xxv. 30. They are called
out of darkness, 1 Pet. ii. 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. v. 8. Who
hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 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 (Matt. iii. 17), and
eminently the beloved, Eph. i. 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. viii. 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. i. 17; John i. 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. viii. 15. And, because
you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father, Gal. iv. 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. viii. 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. i.
27), in his natural faculties and dominion over the creatures: no, he is the express
image of his person, Heb. i. 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, John i. 14; xiv. 9. (2.) He is the first-born
of every creature. Not that he is himself a creature; for it is prwtotokoV
pashV ktisewV--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. viii. 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. i. 2. The word, with only the change of
the accent, prwtotokoV,
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, John i.
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 Pet. iii. 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 eiV 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. xi. 36; eiV
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. viii. 22. And in
the beginning the Word was with God and was God, John i. 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. i.
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. i. 22, 23. (2.) He is the beginning,
the first-born from the dead, arch, prwtotokoV--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 Cor. xv. 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. i. 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, John v. 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 (John i. 16), and he
fills all in all, Eph. i. 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. i. 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. i. 10, He will gather together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven and which are on earth. The word is anakefalaiwsasqai--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. ix. 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, Mark xvi. 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. xi. 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 Cor. iv. 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, teleioV,
either perfect in the knowledge of the Christian doctrine (Let us
therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded, Phil. iii. 15; 2 Tim.
iii. 17), or else crowned with a glorious reward hereafter, when he will present
to himself a glorious church (Eph. v. 27), and bring them to the spirits
of just men made perfect, Heb. xii. 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. iii. 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 Cor. iii. 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 Cor. iii. 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. iii. 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. iii. 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 Cor. xv. 58) and hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering, Heb. x. 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.
x. 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 Pet. i. 9.
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