making the scriptures plain

Notes

Although Paul had not actually met all the believers in Colosse, he had heard about their faithfulness and enthusiasm. Since Christ had rescued them from the 'power of darkness', he urged them to continue in their faith, carrying out the Lord's will.

From this chapter, we get a clearer picture of the person Jesus Christ. He was God made visible; the Creator; Lord of all; Head of the body of believers; the Peacemaker. Through His death, said Paul, Christ reconciled these believers to God. So He now presented them holy and blameless. And Paul presented them perfect in Christ Jesus through his preaching and teaching. The ancient mystery was now revealed, that Christ could live in the hearts of Gentile believers!

The Colossians were complete in Christ who is Lord of all. They should not be trapped into believing that they were still judged as sinners through the laws that Moses wrote. Jesus dealt with those at the cross. The laws about eating, drinking and festivals in fact pointed to the future, to Christ. These laws relate to the world not to things in Heaven where Christ sits at God's right hand, and where they were spiritually. For when Christ appears His people shall also appear with Him in glory.

You are a new person in Christ's image. It doesn't matter if you are Jew or Gentile, slave or free. So support and forgive one another. Be thankful. Do everything in Jesus' name, and behave right because of Him, doing whatever the Lord has given you to do.

These words of encouragement were aimed to reassure the Colossians that Jesus was all they needed to be saved. They were urged to choose good out of love and principle rather than to follow rules in an attempt to be righteous. Jesus, their Lord and God, had paid it all on the cross and their lives were now hid in Him. And this message comes down through the centuries, just as valid now as it was then, for everyone who chooses to believe it.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

Col.1.1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
Col.1.2 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.
Col.1.3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col.1.4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

Col.1.7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;

Being fruitful in every good work

Col.1.9 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;
Col.1.10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Col.1.11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Col.1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col.1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

To reconcile all things unto himself

Col.1.15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col.1.16 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:

Col.1.17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col.1.18 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.

Alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works

Col.1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col.1.20 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.
Col.1.21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col.1.22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus

Col.1.24 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:
Col.1.26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col.1.27 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:

Col.1.28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

So walk ye in him

Col.2.2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col.2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Col.2.5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

Col.2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Rooted and built up in him

Col.2.7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Col.2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col.2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col.2.10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Buried with him in baptism

Col.2.11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Col.2.12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Col.2.13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col.2.14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col.2.15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col.2.17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Col.2.20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Christ sitteth on the right hand of God

Col.3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col.3.3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col.3.4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Col.3.10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

Col.3.11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col.3.13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Col.3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Ye also have a Master in heaven

Col.3.17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Col.3.18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
Col.3.20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Col.3.24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Col.4.1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

I am also in bonds

Col.4.3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Col.4.7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

Col.4.11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

Take heed to the ministry

Col.4.12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Col.4.17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.