The Cost and Privilege of Being a Gospel Servant
Colossians 1:24-29
While Christ's atoning suffering is complete once for all, his sufferings continue through his servants.
Audio from the author
#Gospel
#suffering
#Christ
Published January 16th, 2017; Updated February 7th, 2022
Diagram
Arc
Commentary
Diagram
NT
Colossians 1:24-29
na28
vsnum
Colossians 1:26
subjectverb
solid
drop
equal
revrocket
line
pred
ἐφανερώθη
νῦν
prepphrase
pstack
cword
τοῖς
ἁγίοις
αὐτοῦ
text
δὲ
ὁ
θεὸς
ἠθέλησεν
directobject
shelf
vertical
infinitive
γνωρίσαι
οἷς
ἐν
τοῖς
ἔθνεσιν
quoteshelf
τὸ
πλοῦτος
predicate
τί
τῆς
δόξης
τοῦ
μυστηρίου
τούτου
ὅ
ἐστιν
Χριστὸς
ἐν
ὑμῖν
equals
table
ἡ
ἐλπὶς
τῆς
δόξης
ἡμεῖς
καταγγέλλομεν
ὃν
participle
rocketship
νουθετοῦντες
διδάσκοντες
ἄνθρωπον
πάντα
ἄνθρωπον
πάντα
καὶ
ἐν
σοφίᾳ
πάσῃ
ἵνα
παραστήσωμεν
ἄνθρωπον
πάντα
τέλειον
ἐν
Χριστῷ
Colossians 1:28
Colossians 1:27
κοπιῶ
καὶ
ἀγωνιζόμενος
κατὰ
τὴν
ἐνέργειαν
αὐτοῦ
τὴν
ἐνεργουμένην
ἐν
ἐμοὶ
ἐν
δυνάμει
εἰς
ὃ
Colossians 1:29
Colossians 1:24
χαίρω
Νῦν
ἐν
τοῖς
παθήμασιν
ὑπὲρ
ὑμῶν
ἀνταναπληρῶ
τὰ
ὑστερήματα
τῶν
θλίψεων
τοῦ
Χριστοῦ
ἐν
τῇ
σαρκί
μου
ὑπὲρ
τοῦ
σώματος
αὐτοῦ
ὅ
ἐστιν
ἡ
ἐκκλησία
Colossians 1:25
ἐγὼ
ἐγενόμην
διάκονος
ἧς
κατὰ
τὴν
οἰκονομίαν
τοῦ
θεοῦ
τὴν
δοθεῖσάν
indirectobj
μοι
εἰς
ὑμᾶς
smartline
dashed
free
ttext
πληρῶσαι
τὸν
λόγον
τοῦ
θεοῦ
τὸ
μυστήριον
τὸ
ἀποκεκρυμμένον
ἀπὸ
τῶν
αἰώνων
ἀπὸ
τῶν
γενεῶν
καὶ
diagram
Arc
Colossians 1:24-29
na27
esv
Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
καὶ ἀνταναπληρῶ τὰ ὑστερήματα τῶν θλίψεων τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ὑπὲρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία,
(let me explain what is happening in my sufferings which also explains my joy in my sufferings and also what I mean that my sufferings are for your sake:) in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
ἧς ἐγενόμην ἐγὼ διάκονος κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς
(let me explain more about my unique role on behalf of the church:) I became a servant of the church because a stewardship from God was given to me for you,
πληρῶσαι τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ,
(my stewardship is to) make the word of God fully known,
τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν γενεῶν
(by Word of God I am especially referring to ) the mystery which has been hidden from the ages and from the generations
- νῦν δὲ ἐφανερώθη τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ,
but now it is revealed to his saints.
negativepositive
οἷς ἠθέλησεν ὁ θεὸς γνωρίσαι τί τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν,
(Let me say even more about this mystery:) God chose to make known to the [saints] how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery,
ὅ ἐστιν Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς δόξης•
(Here is the deepest explanation of the mystery:) [the mystery] is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
ideaexplanation
ὃν ἡμεῖς καταγγέλλομεν
(The way we make known the word of God is that) we are proclaiming Him,
νουθετοῦντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον
( in that we are) warning everyone
καὶ διδάσκοντες πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ,
and ( in that we are) teaching everyone with all wisdom,
series
actionmanner
ἵνα παραστήσωμεν πάντα ἄνθρωπον τέλειον ἐν Χριστῷ•
in order that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
εἰς ὃ καὶ κοπιῶ
(the means to that end is that) I am toiling for the maturity (of the saints) ,
ἀγωνιζόμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐν δυνάμει.
( in that I am) struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
bilateral
na27
discourse
Commentary
Paul now begins to unpack for the Colossians what it means that he is a servant of the gospel (v. 23; cf. apostle in v. 1). Verse 24 reveals both the cost and the privilege of being a servant of the gospel. While Christ's atoning suffering is complete once for all, his sufferings continue through his servant Paul who has been entrusted in a special way with a stewardship (25b) to make known to the Gentiles the mystery of "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (26-27). Paul suffers (with rejoicing!--v. 24a) as he labors and struggles (with God's energy!--v. 29) in order to present the Colossians mature in Christ (28d). He does this through warning and teaching them God's Word (28bc).
notes
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.