The saints at Colosse had begun well, and their progress had been good, but they were in danger of being led aside by the entrance of Judaizing doctrines and Gentile philosophies from the living Lord and the walk that results from the soul's occupation with Him. The apostle unfolds to them in rich and varied forms the fulness and sufficiency of Christ which is the Divine corrective of such evil. In this Epistle the apostle tells that the special ministry given to him was to "fulfil the Word of God" (Col. 1: 26). To "fill out" the revelation of God. To him it was given to reveal by his ministry the highest of the heavenly mysteries. The revelation of God shines brighter as the progress of the dispensations proceed. Here Christ is seen as Head and Fulness of His body the Church, composed of an out-calling from Jews and Gentiles, to become fellow-members of Christ and fellow-heirs of glory. These had been bosom secrets of God from the beginning, the deepest of all His counsels of grace, but they are now told out. This consummation gave special character to Paul's ministry. He was a minister of the Gospel and also of the Church (Col. 1: 23-25), and this is God's last and highest revelation, the richest in all the counsels of His grace. As Eve was the last of all God's wondrous handiwork in the first creation, so the woman here, the complement of the man (Eph. 1: 23), is the crown of all His work in grace, as the Bride of Rev. 21 will be in glory. And this variegated grace in all its riches is now manifested before principalities and powers in heavenly places, who hear in silent wonder the story of that grace that this outcalling of the Church is now rehearsing.
Col. 1. The glories of Christ shine in all their fulness here. He is pre-eminent everywhere. His Headship and fulness stand prominent, and to these the saints who compose this body, the Church, are especially directed.
Col. 2 tells how the power of the Cross has met everything, that the saint is as one dead, and is thus delivered out of that sphere in which sin and the flesh had their dominion. They are not therefore to (by subjecting themselves to ordinances) make themselves as men still living in the world (verse 20). The "increase of God," which is the source of their nourishment (verse 19), is heavenly and not of earth's philosophies; it is spiritual, not of carnal ordinances and Christ is in them the hope of glory.
Col. 3 tells of a people raised with Christ, Who is Head and character of a new creation. As such they are to seek things above, and their conduct is to be according to their calling, which provides the power for such a path. The precepts of this chapter bear their witness to their heavenly calling and character of the saints, for they express the moral virtue that is in the doctrine, so that they glorify it. The boldness that is to mark the way of the saints is to be according to the heavenly position: it is to be boldness suited to the dispensation. In former times it would have been defilement for a Jew to eat with a Gentile, now all are one in Christ, and the one Spirit from Whom all fruit is derived pervades all.
Col. 4. Earthly relations as well as the springs of moral conduct are all to be purified and governed, by these heavenly truths dwelling and operating in the saints. The servant renders his service to the Lord and the master finds his pattern and example in his "Master in heaven." All this is in honour of the doctrine of the Epistle, and in the hands of the Spirit are the expression of its moral virtue.
