Mark 14:12-21

Mark 14:12-21

(A Bible Study Led by Dr. Larry Reynolds)

February 28, 2013

 

There are certain days in our lives that are of such significance that the details of them are indelibly etched into our memories.  Some of those days deal with great moments in history.  For me, those days I will never forget include:

·         November 22, 1963 – The day President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas

·         January 28, 1986 – The day the space shuttle challenger exploded shortly after launch

·         September 11, 2001 – The day terrorist crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and tried to crash a plane into the US Capital

And, in addition to those days marked by important historical events, there are some days that are etched into my memory because of personal events.

·         January 26, 1968 – The day Carol and I got married

·         September 4, 1973 – The day our daughter was born

·         July 8, 1978 – The day our son was born

·         January 31, 2008 – The day my father died

I can clearly remember some details of my life on those days that, had it not been for those historic events, would have longed escaped my memory.  And, no doubt, you have days in your life like that as well.

 

For the disciples of Jesus, the particular day at which we are going to begin looking in this session was one of those kinds of days.  Mark 14:12 begins Mark’s account of the day that Jesus and His disciples shared their last Passover meal together and the day that ended in Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.  I suspect that the details of the events of that particular day were indelible etched into the memories of Jesus’ disciples.

 

In this session we are going to focus on Mark 14:12-21.  This section of Mark is divided into two paragraphs.

·         14:12-16 is an interesting account of the preparations that were made for the Lord and the disciples to observe the Passover meal together

·         14:17-21 tells of Jesus’ prediction that He would be betrayed by one of His disciples

 

Mark 14:12-16 – Preparation for the Passover

Verse 12

“…on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed…” On the surface this statement would seem to be self-contradictory.  Strictly speaking, the first day of Unleavened Bread would be Friday, Nisan 15.  The Passover lamb would have been slain on Thursday, Nisan 14.  However, as I mentioned last week by the 1^st century, in Jewish thinking these two festivals were seen as a single event.  And while the Passover lamb would have been slain on Thursday afternoon, the Passover meal would have been taken the evening of that day.  Technically, in Jewish thinking, Friday began at sundown on Thursday.

 

      It was no accident that the death of Jesus occurred during the Passover celebration.  Passover was the most important feast of the Jewish year.  It commemorated the night the death angel passed over the homes of the Jewish families in Egypt who had spread the blood of a lamb on the lintel and doorpost of their homes, but killed the firstborn of all Egyptian families.  This was the final plague that God sent on the Egyptians, the one that convinced the Pharaoh to let them leave Egypt.  Exodus 12 tells the story and lays down guidelines for the observance of the feast of Passover.

 

The slaying and then eating of the Passover Lamb was a key part of the commemoration.  The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus is God’s perfect lamb, the perfect sacrifice for our salvation. 

 

When John the Baptist saw Jesus he exclaimed: ‘Behold the lamb of God … ’ (John 1:29). Paul wrote of ‘Christ our Passover lamb’ (1 Corinthians 5:7), while 1 Peter described Jesus as ‘like a lamb without blemish or spot’ (1:19), and the book of Hebrews went to extraordinary lengths to compare Jesus’ death with the sacrificial rituals of Judaism and to present it as in some way the fulfillment of them all.^[1]

 

That’s gives special meaning to the events that occurred later in this chapter when Jesus instituted what we now refer to as the Lord’s Supper or Communion.   Just as the Jews ate the Passover lamb, so the bread and the wine symbolize our taking within us the perfect Lamb of God.

 

“His disciples said to Him, ‘Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” – The Passover was to be observed within the walls of Jerusalem.  Because this was a communal meal, normally for families, they assumed they would be taking the Passover meal with Him.

 

Verse 13

“…two of His disciples…” – This is an interesting piece of information that may have special meaning.  From rabbinical sources we know that only two from each household were allowed in the temple to offer the lamb with the help of a priest.^[2]  Luke 22:8 identifies these two disciples as Peter and John.

 

“…a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water…” - It was highly unusual in this culture for a man to carry water and especially to carry it in a pitcher. If men were needed to carry large amounts of water they used sheep or goat skins, not clay pitchers.^[3]  This seems to have been a prearranged meeting.  Jesus knew that by this time the authorities were seeking to arrest and kill Him.  They knew He would be coming back to Jerusalem to observe the Passover meal.  Jesus did not want to tip them off as to where He would be.  This rather clandestine meeting with a man carrying a pitcher, who would have been easy to spot, was a way for the disciples to find the room without having to ask where they could be overheard.

 

Verse 14

“…owner of the house…” – It is possible that this referred to a woman named Mary who was the mother of Mark.  (See Acts 1:12 and Acts 12:12)

 

Verse 15

“…a large upper room…” – This was the location of several of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances and it became the Jerusalem headquarters for the early Christians.

 

“…furnished and ready…” – Furnished probably means rugs on the floor, a low table, and cushions for reclining.  Ready may mean the owner had gathered the necessary ingredients for the Passover meal.

 

“…prepare for us there…” - Presumably preparing the Passover meal involved roasting the lamb, setting out the unleavened bread and wine, and preparing bitter herbs along with a sauce made of dried fruit moistened with vinegar and wine and combined with spices.^[4]

 

One thing we can learn from this paragraph is that preparation is important.  Very few things that are significant or meaningful in life happen by accident.  Jesus obviously had made careful preparation for the historic events that would transpire that evening in the upper room.  Some people have the misguided idea that in the realm of the spiritual, planning and preparation indicate a lack of faith.  Jesus obviously did not buy into that kind of thinking.

 

 

Mark 14:17-21 – The Prediction of Betrayal

We saw in Mark 14:10-11 that Judas had already decided to betray Jesus into the hands of the Jewish authorities.  Now we are told that Jesus was aware of Judas’ intentions.

 

Verse 17

“And when it was evening…” - The Jewish day begins at twilight (cf. Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). This was the Passover meal because usually Jewish evening meals were in late afternoon. Only the Passover meal was eaten after 6:00 p.m., which would be the 15^th of Nisan.^[5]

 

Verse 18

“…reclining…” – Originally the Passover meal was eaten from a standing position.  Exodus 12:11 says,  “Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover.”  However, the Jews in the 1^st century had adopted the Persian custom of eating from a reclining position.  A low table, usually in the shape of a “u” to facilitate the serving of food, was surrounded by cushions.  The people would recline on their left elbow with their feet behind them and eat with their right hand.

 

“Truly…” – The word is literally “amen.”  It is from the Hebrew word for truth, emeth.

 

“…one of you…eating with Me…” – Obviously Jesus knew who the betrayer was, so why didn’t He just identify Him?  I think two reasons:

·         To emphasize that what was about to happen to Him was the fulfillment of Scripture. (See Psalm 41:9)

·         To get each of the disciples thinking about the depth of their commitment to Him.

 

Verse 19

“…one by one, ‘Surely not I?’…” – Each of the disciples, even Judas, asked this question.  Literally, the question is “It is not I, is it?”  This indicates that not one of them, not withstanding Peter’s bold statement later on that evening, was absolutely certain of the depth of his commitment to Jesus.

 

Verse 20

“…one who dips with Me in the bowl…” - Bread or meat was dipped into a central bowl of sauce. The detail emphasizes the deep personal betrayal, since table fellowship was a token of genuine friendship. [Reformation Study Bible]

 

Verse 21

“…woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed…”- Judas is an enigma. His motives for betraying Jesus are never revealed. Some see him as a noble Jewish patriot (i.e. zealot) trying to force Jesus to act militarily against Rome. Others see him as a committed Jew who was upset with Jesus’ rejection of the Oral Tradition and His fellowship with the outcasts and sinners of Jewish society. The Gospel of John depicts him as a thief from the beginning, someone who was driven by his love of money. However, Judas’ actions after Jesus’ arrest do not fit this characterization. Whatever the true motive or rationale, whatever the involvement of Satan, whatever the foreknowledge involved in predictive prophecy, Judas is responsible for his actions, as are all of us (cf. Gal. 6:7).^[6]

 

In the previous session we saw a contrast between the radical commitment of Mary who poured the very expensive vial of perfume over Jesus and the partial commitment of Judas who decided to betray Jesus.  In this passage, the self-centeredness of Judas is contrasted with the others-centeredness of Jesus who voluntarily became took the role of the Passover lamb and gave His life that we might live.

 

In the book Holy Sweat , Tim Hansel writes the following: 

 

In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man’s name was Angus McGillivray. Angus was a Scottish prisoner in one of the camps filled with Americans, Australians, and Britons who had helped build the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai. The camp had become an ugly situation. A dog-eat-dog mentality had set in. Allies would literally steal from each other and cheat each other; men would sleep on their packs and yet have them stolen from under their heads. Survival was everything. The law of the jungle prevailed...until the news of Angus McGillivray’s death spread throughout the camp. Rumors spread in the wake of his death. No one could believe big Angus had succumbed. He was strong, one of those whom they had expected to be the last to die. Actually, it wasn’t the fact of his death that shocked the men, but the reason he died. Finally they pieced together the true story.

The Argylls (Scottish soldiers) took their buddy system very seriously. Their buddy was called their “mucker,” and these Argylls believed that is was literally up to each of them to make sure their “mucker” survived. Angus’s mucker, though, was dying, and everyone had given up on him, everyone, of course, but Angus.

He had made up his mind that his friend would not die. Someone had stolen his mucker’s blanket. So Angus gave him his own, telling his mucker that he had “just come across an extra one.”

 

Likewise, every mealtime, Angus would get his rations and take them to his friend, stand over him and force him to eat them, again stating that he was able to get “extra food.” Angus was going to do anything and everything to see that his buddy got what he needed to recover.

But as Angus’s mucker began to recover, Angus collapsed, slumped over, and died. The doctors discovered that he had died of starvation complicated by exhaustion. He had been giving of his own food and shelter. He had given everything he had—even his very life. The ramifications of his acts of love and unselfishness had a startling impact on the compound. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12).

As word circulated of the reason for Angus McGillivray’s death, the feel of the camp began to change. Suddenly, men began to focus on their mates, their friends, and humanity of living beyond survival, of giving oneself away. They began to pool their talents—one was a violin maker, another an orchestra leader, another a cabinet maker, another a professor. Soon the camp had an orchestra full of homemade instruments and a church called the “Church Without Walls” that was so powerful, so compelling, that even the Japanese guards attended. The men began a university, a hospital, and a library system. The place was transformed; an all but smothered love revived, all because one man named Angus gave all he had for his friend. For many of those men this turnaround meant survival. What happened is an awesome illustration of the potential unleashed when one person actually gives it all away. [^{Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel, 1987, Word Books Publisher, pp. 146-147]}]

 

What happened in that upper room in Jerusalem on the evening of Passover is a graphic reminder that the reason Jesus came to our world was to give His all for us.  And because He did that, it makes all the difference in the world in our lives.

---

^[1] Drane, J. W. (2000). Introducing the New Testament (Completely rev. and updated.) (83). Oxford: Lion Publishing plc.

^[2] Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Vol. Volume 2: The Gospel according to Peter: Mark and I & II Peter. Study Guide Commentary Series (176). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

^[3] Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Vol. Volume 2: The Gospel according to Peter: Mark and I & II Peter. Study Guide Commentary Series (176). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

^[4] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Mk 14:16). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[5] Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Vol. Volume 2: The Gospel according to Peter: Mark and I & II Peter. Study Guide Commentary Series (177). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

^[6] Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Vol. Volume 2: The Gospel according to Peter: Mark and I & II Peter. Study Guide Commentary Series (177). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

CrossPointe Colossians Study -Session 6

­­­Colossians Study – Session 6

CrossPointe Community Church – Denton, TX

February 17, 2013 - Larry Reynolds, Teacher

 

III.     The Sufficiency of Christ (2:8-23) - This section is both and at the same time the most important and the most difficult part of Colossians.

·        It is the most important because it gets to the very heart of why Paul wrote this letter.  He wrote to reinforce to the Colossians the absolute supremacy and complete sufficiency of Jesus.  This passage, as much as any passage in the NT, spells out how Christ is fully sufficient for all of our needs.

·        It is the most difficult because it is filled with allusions to the false teaching plaguing the church at Colossae of which we have only second hand knowledge.  All we really know about the false teaching is how Paul responded to it.  In these verses we are hearing Paul’s refutation of a system of thought with which the Colossians would have been very familiar.  One thing is crystal clear about the false teaching.  The false teachers were saying that Christ, alone, was not sufficient for our salvation.  In addition to belief in Christ, for a person to be saved that person had to participate in certain religious rituals.  So Paul stresses in this part of Colossians the complete sufficiency of Christ for all of our needs.

 

       Verse 8 is obviously an introductory statement.  It is unclear whether it introduces only the paragraph ending in v.15 or the larger section ending in v.23.  I am going to deal with v.8 as a stand alone verse, then we will explore vv.9-15 as a unit.

·        In the NASB verse 8 begins with the phrase “See to it...”...I don’t think that is nearly a strong enough translation of the word Paul used to begin this verse...it is the same word Jesus used in Mark 12:38 when He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”...it’s also the word Paul used three times Philippians 3:2 when he wrote, “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision...”...the word means to be on guard, to watch out, to beware...and in these verses Paul points out to the Colossians and to us the primary thing we are to be on guard against, we are to watch out for, we are to beware of...

·        It is important that we not misread the warning of v.8...Paul is not saying that philosophy in any form is necessarily evil...the word philosophy simply means “the love of wisdom”...this is the only place in the NT in which this word is used...however, elsewhere in the Bible, especially in the book of Proverbs, we are told to seek wisdom...and in the book of Acts Paul demonstrates on several occasions his ability to engage in philosophical debates...

·        And Paul is not saying here that all philosophy is evil...but, he is saying that we are to be on guard against the kind of philosophy which is characterized by “empty deception”...the grammar of v.8 indicates that the phrase “empty deception” describes the kind of philosophy about which Paul is warning his readers...it is a philosophy void of real truth and it’s ultimate intent is to deceive us or lead us astray...

·        In first part of v.8 Paul speaks of being taken “captive” by such empty, deceptive philosophy...and the word translated “captive” is a compound word made up of a word which means “to carry off” and a word which means “spoils or booty”...was used to describe an army carrying off the spoils or booty of war...Paul is saying that we are in a spiritual battle...need be on guard constantly against our spiritual enemy who will attempt to use false reasoning, empty deception to lead us astray...

·        If you’ll look carefully at the text of Colossians 2:8 you will see three specific characteristics of this false philosophy which we are to avoid—

 --False philosophy looks to human reasoning rather than divine revelation for its source of authority - That’s the meaning of the phrase “according to the traditions of men” means...false philosophies arise out of human reasoning which is passed down from generation to generation...Christianity however arises out of divine revelation...at the very root of Christianity is the presupposition that God has chosen to reveal Himself to His creation...and He has done so fully and completely in Jesus Christ...revelation, not reason, is the authority upon which Christianity rests...

--False philosophy focuses more on creation than on the Creator - The phrase the NASB translates “according to the elementary principles of the world” is one of the most debated phrases in Colossians...the word translated “elementary principles” had numerous meanings...

o   It originally was used to denote the letters of the alphabet and came to mean the basic elements, the ABC’s of learning...if Paul is using the word in that way he is saying the false philosophy is simplistic, elementary, not very advanced, in spite of what its proponents would have you believe...

o   However, the word translated “elementary principles” was used another way...could mean the basic physical elements of the world, specifically the moon, stars, and other physical bodies to which many ancient people attached supernatural powers...since later in this chapter Paul refers to false teachers observing the new moon and worshiping angels, I suspect that’s the primary meaning of this verse...Paul is saying that false philosophy is so concerned with creation that if fails to see the true Creator...in our day such false philosophy can be seen in the astonishing number of people (48% of Americans according to a recent poll) who believe in astrology, that the movement of the stars and planets somehow reflects our souls and governs our lives, [Garland, p.160] and such false philosophy can be seen in those who practice the age old philosophy of pantheism, believing that nature itself is God...

--False philosophy does not have a clear understanding of Christ - Paul says in the last part of v.8 that such teaching is not “according to Christ”...the ultimate test of any system of thought or any philosophy is how that system views Jesus...and so, in vv.9-10, Paul makes four great affirmations about Christ that spell out precisely who He is and what He has done for us…

 

·        Colossians 2:9-10 is the thesis statement of Colossians – “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.”  Those verses affirm four fundamental biblical teachings about Jesus:

·        He is fully God – The entire, complete, whole, fullness of god dwells in Him permanently.

 

--“for” links v.9 to v.8...the warning of v.8 is based upon the true identity of Christ as revealed in v.9...

 

--”in Him” by its position at the first of the sentence is emphatic...the idea is that in Christ and Christ alone all the fullness of Deity dwells...

 

--”all the fullness” is taken straight from the words of the false teachers...they taught that the fullness of God was distributed among a number of heavenly beings who had somehow spun off the true God...Paul says not so...all of God is in Jesus...

 

--”Deity” - Only place in NT this word occurs...it’s a strong word meaning the very essence of God...as one NT scholar put it, the word means “...the whole glorious total of what God is...” [Moule, quoted by Vaughan, p.72]

 

--”dwells” means to settle down, find a permanent home...the word is in the present tense indicating a continuing state...the thought is that in Christ the fullness of God permanently resides...

 

·        He is fully man – The fullness of God dwells in Him in bodily form.

 

--”in bodily form” is a reminder of Christ’s humanity...and it’s important to see that the present tense verb “dwells” goes not just with the Deity of Jesus but also the humanity of Jesus...as one writer put it, “The One who took upon Himself human nature at Bethlehem will keep that humanity for all eternity.  He will forever be the God-Man.” [MacArthur, p.103]

 

·        He is fully sufficient – Fullness of life is found in relationship with Him.  Every need that we have can be met in Him.

 

--”...in Him you have been made complete...” ...the word translated “complete” is the verb form of the word translated “fullness” in v.9...follow Paul’s logic here...

--Jesus is fully God and fully man...

--we live in union with Jesus...

--therefore, in Jesus we are made full or complete...

The false teachers troubling the Colossians would never have agreed with that logic...they said for a person to be spiritually complete that person needed something in addition to Jesus...but Paul says, “Not so!  When you have Jesus, you have everything you need.  In Him you are made full or complete.”  John Wesley put it this way: “Thou O Christ art all I need, More than all in Thee I find.” [Quoted by Vaughan, p.73]

 

·        He is Lord of all – All things are subject to Him.

 

--”He (Jesus) is the head over all rule and authority...”...this is the second time in Colossians Paul used the word “head” to describe Jesus...in 1:18 Paul says that Jesus is the “head” of the church...now in 2:10 says He is the “head” over all that exists...the word translated “head” carries the idea of being the source of life and lord over something...the point is that Jesus is supreme...He is Lord over everything...

 

I love the way the Living Bible paraphrases Colossians 2:9-10:  “For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so you have everything you need when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ.  He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.” [TLB]

 

 

The remainder of this paragraph (vv.11-15) give us a detailed description of how Jesus has made us complete. 

 

·        In Jesus we have complete salvation (11-12)

     The false teachers who had infiltrated the church at Colossae were teaching that Jesus alone was not enough to save...they said a person needed Jesus plus something else...what that something else was varied from false teacher to false teacher...and from vv.11-12 we can conclude that some of them were saying that physical circumcision was necessary for salvation...

 

     And in these verses Paul points out a person is not made right with God through outward acts such as circumcision...instead, as the last part of v.12 says, we are made right with God “through faith in the working of God...”...and that phrase “working of God” points to the Christ event, specifically the death and resurrection of Jesus which is symbolized in baptism...

 

     The point of all that is salvation is in Jesus and Jesus alone... apart from a faith commitment to Jesus--which means believing Jesus is Who He said He is and believing that Jesus had done for us what He said He would do--nothing else is needed for salvation…

 

 

·        In Jesus we have complete forgiveness (13-14)

V. 13 describes us as being “dead in your transgressions”…that is, we were utterly defeated by sin and powerless to break the chains of sin in our lives.

 

     V. 14 says there was outstanding “certificate of debt” against us...that phrase translates a word taken from the legal vocabulary of the 1^st century...word was used to describe a variety of legal documents and one of those documents was a note of indebtedness...when someone borrowed money or purchased something on credit, much like in our day, they would sign a document specifying the amount of the debt and the terms of repayment...

 

     The thrust of v.14 is that we had such a debt...it was valid and it had come due...and we were unable to meet our obligation...we were about to be foreclosed upon when Jesus stepped in and “canceled” our debt...the word translated “canceled” in the NASB means to blot-out, wipe-out, or erase...it was often used in the 1^st century to describe the wiping away of ink from a writing material so the material could be used again...

 

     And the point is that our lives were stained and marred by sin... we were about to be overwhelmed by the weight of it...and Jesus came to wipe our sins away...and the last part of v.14 says he accomplished that by nailing our sins to the cross...that is, it was  through His death on the cross that Jesus canceled our indebtedness...

 

     John’s Gospel tells us that just before He died on the cross Jesus cried out, “It is finished”...the word He used is “tetelestai”...it means completed, done, over...it was the word often written across a note of indebtedness when the obligations were met...it’s comparable to our phrase “Paid in full” which you sometimes see stamped across some bill...

 

 

·        In Jesus we have complete victory

     V.15 refers to a common practice in the 1^st century...when an nation was defeated in battle, the conquering army would take the leaders of the defeated nation and bring them back to the capital of the conquering nation...then, on a designated day, there would be a great parade to honor the victors and humiliate the defeated... the leaders of the defeated nation would be stripped of their clothing, placed in chains or cages, and marched through the streets of the city as trophies of war...V.15 says that is what God has done to “the rulers and authorities” which means the spiritual forces of evil and wickedness...the verse says God has made a “public display of them”...they have been defeated and humiliated...

 

     And the last part of the verse says this victory was won through “Him” meaning Jesus or, as some versions read, through “it” meaning the cross of Jesus...either way, the meaning is essentially the same...on the cross Jesus won the victory over evil...it was complete, thorough, lasting...it is still in effect today...

 

Why is it important to give emphasis to both the His deity and humanity and humanity of Jesus?  What happens when we de-emphasize either of those aspects of His nature?

 

What are some specific ways that relationship with Jesus brings “fullness” to our lives?

 

Jesus transformed an instrument of death and defeat (the cross) into an instrument of victory.  What does that say about how we deal with the challenges we face in life?

CrossPointe Colossians Study - Session 5

­­­Colossians Study – Session 5

CrossPointe Community Church – Denton, TX

February 10, 2013 - Larry Reynolds, Teacher

 

II.   The Ministry of Paul (1:24—2:7) - At the end of Colossians 1:23, at which we looked last week, Paul described himself as a “minister”...that word literally means “servant” and the Bible teaches that every Christian is a minister, a servant of Christ and others...and in the verses that follow from 1:24 all the way down to 2:8, Paul describes in detail how he goes about the task of ministering or serving...

 

The thesis statement of this section, in my opinion, is the first part of v.25 where Paul writes, “Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship of God bestowed on me for your benefit…”

 

     “I was made…” – Reminiscent of 1:1 where Paul said he was “…an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God…”

 

     “minister” – diakonos – Means servant.  Paul viewed himself as a servant of the body, the church.  He understood that the church did not exist for him, but he for the church.

 

     “according to the stewardship of God…” – oikonomia – Our word economy comes from this word.  Means manager, as in manager of a household.  Paul was responsible to God for his ministry.

 

This larger passage describes Paul’s ministry.  Tells us four things about his ministry.

 

1.     It is a ministry of suffering (24)

 

“now” – It would be easy to overlook that little word, but there’s important truth behind it...sometimes that word is used merely in a transitional since to move us from one thought to another...like when we say, “Now listen to what I’m about to say...”...and sometime the word is used to denote time...like we say, “I’m going to leave now”...in this verse used in the sense of denoting time....at this precise moment I rejoice...that’s significant because at the moment in which Paul wrote these words he was in prison...and to make matters worse, was there on a bogus charge...and what he is saying is, “Even at a time like this my life is characterized by joy...”

 

“in my sufferings” - He didn’t rejoice because he was suffering. But, he was able to rejoice in the midst of suffering.

 

“for your sake” – At the time of this writing Paul was in prison because of his work with Gentiles like the people of Colossae.

 

“I do my share … in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” – That is a difficult phrase to interpret.  Some interpret that phrase to mean that the redemptive suffering of Christ on the cross was not enough to accomplish our salvation...we too must suffer to be saved...two things make that interpretation suspect—

          --it contradicts the broader biblical teaching about Christ’s redemptive suffering...

--the word translated “afflictions” is not used anywhere in the Bible to refer to redemptive suffering...

I think what Paul means by this statement that as he serves and as he suffers for the sake of gospel, Jesus is with him in a special way...as Paul suffers, Jesus is alongside suffering with him...that’s one of the first lessons Jesus taught Paul when he asked him on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4)

 

 

2. It is a ministry of preaching (25-29)

If you will look carefully at these verses, you’ll see that Paul says several specific things about our message...for example, he describes our message as—

--”the word of God” in v.25...that phrase can mean two things...it can mean the message which comes from God...that is, the source of the message is God, Himself...it is not something of human origin...or it can mean the message which is about God...that is, the focus of the message, the subject of the message is God and His plan for our lives...in relation to the good news about Jesus, both of those meanings are accurate...the gospel comes from God and it is about God...

 

--a ”mystery” in v.26...in our language the word mystery carries the idea of something we don’t understand...however, that’s not how Paul uses the word...in Paul’s vocabulary, “mystery” means a secret which has been revealed...the false teachers infecting the church at Colossae claimed to have secret knowledge about spiritual things known only to them... Paul says the greatest secret of all is no longer hidden...it is the fact that it’s possible for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, to have a personal relationship with God through a faith commitment to Jesus...in a nutshell, the “mystery” to which Paul refers is “Christ in you” as v.27 puts it...

 

--“we proclaim Him” - That simple statement really says it all...the thing the world should be hearing from us the good news of the birth, life, teachings, ministry, death, resurrection, and saving power of Jesus... the word translated “proclaim” in this passage means to declare publicly a truth or happening...and we declare truth, not just with our words but with our lives...our attitude toward others...our general demeanor...our disposition will have much more impact on those who come into contact with us than our words...

 

“every man” – Notice the repetitive use of the phrase “every man” This was a radical concept in the first century world...

·        Most people with a Jewish heritage would never agree that God cared about and had use for every person...to their way of thinking, non-Jewish people, were unimportant to God... they could not bring themselves to believe that God would care about saving Gentiles...that attitude was prevalent even among many of the early Christians...when Peter and Paul first began to share the gospel with non-Jewish people, their doing so was a source of great conflict in the early church...

·        The false teachers who had infiltrated the church at Colossae would certainly never agree that God cared about and had use for every person...to their way of thinking, not every person was capable of understanding real spiritual truth...spiritual truth was reserved for the special, chosen few...

 

As one writer put it: “The fact is that the only thing in this world which is for every person is Christ.  It is not every person who can be a thinker.  There are gifts which are not granted to every person.  Not every person can master every craft or even every game.  There are those who are color blind and to whom the loveliness of art means nothing.  There are those who are tone deaf and to whom the glory of music does not exist.  Not every person can be a writer or a student or a preacher or a singer or a speaker.  Even human love at its highest is not granted to all people.  The one thing which is for every person is Jesus Christ.  There are gifts a person will never possess.  There are privileges a person will never enjoy.  There are heights of this world’s attainment which a person will never scale.  But to every person there is open the good news of the gospel, and the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, and the transforming power which can bring holiness into life.” [Barclay]

 

 

 

3.     It is a ministry of intercession (2:1-5) - When we read these verses in a moment you will notice that the word prayer is not used in this text...the paragraph begins with Paul saying, “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf...”...since Paul wrote these words while in prison, chained to a Roman guard, his ministry on behalf of the Colossians was limited to a ministry of prayer...and it is interesting that Paul used the word “struggle” to describe this ministry of prayer...it is the word “agon” from which our word agony comes...the word carries the idea of strenuous activity or difficult work...in effect Paul says “I want you to know that I am so concerned about your spiritual welfare and I care for you so much that I agonize over you in prayer...”...now look at Colossians 2:1-5 to see what Paul asks of God on their behalf...

 

It is interesting what Paul did not ask of God on behalf of the church at Colossae...

     --there is no mention in this prayer of Paul interceding for their material prosperity...that was not Paul’s main concern for them...

          --there is no mention of their physical health...that was not Paul’s main concern for them...

Paul’s main concern for the Colossians is expressed in v.4 in the phrase “...that no one may delude you with persuasive argument...”...”persuasive argument” was a legal term used to describe the words of a lawyer who was trying to make wrong appear right and right appear wrong…in other words, Paul was concerned that some smooth talking false teachers not lead them astray from the basic truths of the gospel...

 

So that they would not be led away by false teachers, Paul continually asked of God three things on their behalf…

 

a.     “…that their hearts may be encouraged…” - Word translated “encouraged” is “parakaleo”...literally it means “to call alongside”...because a person can be called alongside another for many reasons, the word has a wide range of meanings...among them are entreating, exhorting, appealing, comforting, and strengthening...seems to me the idea of strengthening best fits the context of what was happening in Colossae...they were being besieged by false teachers...and they needed strength to stand against them... William Barclay cites an example of the use of parakaleo in classical Greek: “There was a Greek regiment which had lost heart and was utterly dejected.  The general sent a leader to talk to it to such a purpose that courage was reborn and a body of dispirited men became fit again for heroic action.  That is what parakaleo means here.  It is Paul’s prayer that the Church may be filled with that courage which can cope with any situation.” [Barclay, p.129]  Paul prayed that their “hearts” be encouraged or strengthened...in our vocabulary we use the word “heart” either literally to refer to the organ in our body which pumps the blood or figuratively to refer to our feelings or emotions... when we say someone broke my heart we are saying that person hurt my emotions/feelings...however, in Bible “heart” does not generally refer to the seat of emotions...it refers to the seat of thinking or intellect...often used as synonym for the mind...So when Paul prays that their “hearts may be encouraged” he is saying “I pray that you minds be strengthened...”...and that is precisely what the Colossians needed and that is precisely what we need to keep from getting thrown off course...

 

b.     That they would be “…knit together in love…”  - Don’t let that word “knit” mislead you...in our language “knit” is sort of a delicate word... whenever my grandmother Reynolds would sit down, she would always have in her hands knitting needles and in her lap some garment which she was making...and that fragile, delicate image is the image the word “knit” tends to bring to my mind.  However, there is nothing fragile about the word Paul uses here.  In first century this word was a medical term, used to describe the mending of broken bones.  I’ve read that when a broken bone heals properly that the place of fusion becomes stronger than the surrounding bone.  And what Paul is saying here is that Christians should be so bound together, so close to each other, that nothing or no-one can drive a wedge between them. 

 

c.       That they would have “...a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself...” - I like the way The Living Bible paraphrases the last part of v.2 and v.3...listen to what it says: “...that you will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding.  For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself.  In him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [TLB]  The secrets of God are not hidden away in the so-called secret books of the Gnostics.  They are hidden in Christ and are available to all who come to Him.

 

Verse 5 describes Paul’s desire for them.

          “good discipline” – Military term denoting orderliness…

          “stability” – A solid front…not weak…caving in at first sign of pressure…

 

 

4.     It is ministry of exhortation (6-7) – Basically in these verses Paul encourages his readers to do three things:

 

a.     To Remember their initial commitment to Christ…”As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord…” points to something that happened in past time...something which they have already done...there was a definite point in time in the past when they made a decision about who Jesus is and accepted Him into their lives...they received/accepted Him into their lives as—

          --”Christ” - Christ is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah...they received Him as the Anointed One, the Promised One, the One God promised to send ages before through the prophets of the OT...

          --”Jesus” - That name is a reminder of His earthly mission as Savior...the name literally means “salvation is from Jehovah” ...to say “Jesus saves” is almost redundant because “Jesus” means “savior”...

          --”Lord” - That title is a reminder of His deity...as Paul says a little later in this chapter, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity [God] dwells in bodily form...”

Paul instructs them and he instructs us to look back and remember our initial commitment to Christ...

 

b.     To continue to grow and mature in the faith…”…so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built-up in Him, established in your faith…”  The verb “rooted” is in the perfect tense carrying the idea of a completed action in past time.  It happened once and for all.  The verbs “walk…built-up …established…” are in the present tense indicating continuing action… Warren Wiersbe points out that behind each of those verbs is a special picture of the Christian life...

          --”Walk” pictures the Christian life as a pilgrimage in process...it is a journey which begins with our conversion and continues until we get to heaven and perhaps even beyond...this is one of Paul’s favorite ways of describing the Christian life...

          --”Built-up” pictures the Christian life as a building under construction...the foundation is laid at the time of conversion but on that foundation a structure is being built...the building continues until we get to heaven and perhaps even beyond...

          --”Established” pictures the Christian life as a school...the word translated “established” carries the idea of “being strengthened through learning”...Christians are continually being taught by God’s Spirit and God’s Word, and the teaching continues until we get to heaven and perhaps even beyond...

 

c.      To abound in thanksgiving … “overflowing with gratitude…”  ...that is, a spirit of thanksgiving should bubble out of our lives...thanksgiving is a major theme of Colossians...at least six times in the four chapters of this letter Paul stresses the importance of having a grateful heart...And there is a good reason for that...those who lack a deep sense of gratitude to God and especially vulnerable to being led astray... as one writer put it: “Those who bubble over with gratitude for what God has already done are not easy prey to anxiety and doubt.  They have no need or desire to look for fulfillment elsewhere and cannot be taken in by false promises or shaken by bigoted detractors.” [Garland, NIV Comm., p.140]

 

Colossians 2:6-7 – “And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him.  Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him.  See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.” [TLB]

 

What does the brief description of Paul’s ministry in Colossians 1:24-2:7 say to you about what we should be doing as God’s people in our world?