Paul had received a unique function to fulfill in the body of Christ. He ministered the gospel of reconciliation to unevangelized Gentiles primarily (v. 25). He explained his ministry to his readers so they would appreciate the reconciling work of God more deeply and to stimulate them to press on to maturity.
This verse is ". . . probably the most controversial in the letter."76
It might have seemed ironical that Paul was in prison, in view of what he had just said about the success of the gospel. Therefore he quickly explained that his afflictions were part of God's plan, and he rejoiced in them. Paul could rejoice because he knew his imprisonment would benefit his readers through his ministry to them in this letter if in no other way. Furthermore he regarded his sufferings as what any servant of Christ could expect in view of the world's treatment of his Master.
". . . the word thlipseon(AV [NASB and NIV], afflictions') is never used in the New Testament of the atoning sufferings of Christ. We, therefore, must reject any conception of a treasury of merit, such as Roman Catholics allow, composed of Christ's sufferings plus the sufferings of the saints and dispensed as indulgences.
"If we also dismiss the interpretations which understand Paul to be referring to sufferings demanded by Christ or suffered for His sake (the natural sense of the genative is opposed to this), we are still left with several alternatives."77
One view is that the phrase "Christ's afflictions"refers to the quota of sufferings the church must undergo corporately before the end of the age (cf. Matt. 24:6; Heb. 11:40; Rev. 6:11).78However this idea is foreign to the context that stresses the contribution Paul's sufferings made to the Colossian's welfare. Paul's point was not that his sufferings relieved the Colossians of their share of sufferings for Christ (cf. 1:28-29; 2:1-2).
A second view is that Paul was saying his sufferings were similar to Christ's. Both he and Christ suffered for believers, Christ on the cross and Paul presently.79Yet Paul wrote here of Christ's sufferings. They were His own.
A third view is that the sufferings of Christ to which Paul referred are those sacrificial works the Lord left for believers to perform.80As Christ suffered during His ministry, so Christians suffer during our ministries. However if this is what Paul meant, why did he speak of them as Christ's afflictions? This view, as the preceding two views, expresses a Scriptural revelation, but that revelation does not seem to be Paul's point here.
A fourth view, the one I prefer, regards the afflictions of Christ as Christ's actual sufferings now, not on the cross but in and through Paul whom He indwelt (cf 2 Cor. 11:23-28).81When believers suffer, Christ also suffers because He indwells us (cf. Acts 9:4).
"It is no wonder, then, that Paul rejoiced in his sufferings. Seen in the light of his union with Christ, they were transfigured and made an occasion for fellowship with Him, as well as a benefit to the body, the church."82
Paul's role in the household of God (the meaning of "stewardship") was that of a servant who fully expounded God's revelation for the benefit of his Gentile readers.
"He was a servant of the church, but in the deepest sense he was a steward of God."83
This revelation included a "mystery."This term refers to a truth previously unknown but now revealed by God. In the Greek world it also referred to the secret ceremonies of pagan cults that only the initiated knew. Paul's use was similar with the difference that God had now revealed this secret.
"The movement of world history is a linear progression which has also been directed by a secret purpose determined from the beginning by the one God."84
God had hidden this new revelation from human understanding for ages past. Paul expounded it more fully in Ephesians 3:3-9 and only gave its essence here as "Christ in [among] you [Gentiles]"(cf. Rom. 8:10; 2 Cor. 13:5; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:13-14; 3:17).
"For Christ to be amongthe Gentiles involved being inthose who believed. And He was and is for them the hope of glory, the pledge that they shall share in His glory to come (cf. 3:4)."85
That God would save Gentiles was no new revelation (e.g., Isa. 49:6), but that He would dwell in them and deal with them on the same basis as He did Jews was new revelation. Those who rejected this revelation insisted that Gentiles had to become Jews before they could become Christians (cf. Acts 15:1).
"At least four defining characteristics of the church are described as a mystery. (1) The body concept of Jewish and Gentile believers united into one body is designated as a mystery in Ephesians 3:1-12. (2) The doctrine of Christ indwelling every believer, the Christ-in-you concept, is called a mystery in Colossians 1:24-27 (cf. Co. 2:10-19; 3:4, 11). (3) The church as the Bride of Christ is called a mystery in Ephesians 5:22-32. (4) The Rapture is called a mystery in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. These four mysteries describe qualities that distinguish the church from Israel."86
Progressive dispensationalists, along with non-dispensationalists (i.e., covenant theologians), interpret the mystery of Christ in us as the realization of the Old Testament promise that God would put His Spirit within believers (Ezek. 36:27; cf. 37:14).87Normative dispensationalists take this mystery as new revelation that Christ would indwell believers in the church.88The difference is not in the Spirit and Christ distinction; both positions see unity between the Spirit and Christ. The difference is the concept of the church, though both progressive and normative dispensationalists see the church as distinct from Israel. Progressives view the church as the present predicted phase of the messianic (Davidic) kingdom. Normatives see the church as distinct from the messianic (Davidic) kingdom and not predicted in the Old Testament.
"It is striking that for the third time in these opening paragraphs the theme of hope is given central place in the gospel (1:5, 23, 27 . . .). This is an appropriate note on which to wind up this brief reference to the mystery of God's purpose shaped from before the ages and generations and now moving toward its eschatological climax."89
Paul proclaimed this new revelation as a completed fact. The word katangellomen, translated "proclaim,"implies its completed character.
"Counseling' (nouthetountes) and teaching' (didaskontes) describe two attendant circumstances of Paul's preaching. The former word . . . has to do with the will and emotions and connotes warning. Here it relates to non-Christians, the thought probably being that the apostle sought to awaken each of them to his need of Christ. . . . Teaching,' which probably refers to a ministry for converts, stresses the importance of instruction in proclaiming the Word. With all wisdom' seems to express the way the teaching was done."90
Negative admonitions and positive teaching presented through wise (appropriate) methods were necessary to bring all people, not just the privileged few as in Gnosticism, to full maturity in Christ. Paul had the imminent return of Christ in view as the time when he desired to present every person mature in Christ (cf. Eph. 4:13). Paul proclaimed a Person, not a philosophy. Note that he did not just preach the gospel message but the whole counsel of God. His goal was not just to get people saved but to lead them to maturity in Christ (cf. Matt. 28:20).
"Here again there may be a gentle reminder that any of the Colossian recipients tempted to look elsewhere for a fuller' experience and wisdom need to look, and should look, no further than Christ for their completion.'"91
"Paul took time to minister to individuals; note the repetition of every man' in Colossians 1:28. If we minister to only a few believers, we are helping the whole church."92
Paul had to expend physical, mental, and spiritual energy toiling to this end. Sometimes he had to strive and contend with adversaries in the world as well as with his own flesh and the devil. Nevertheless the supernatural power of the indwelling Christ energized him.
"The root [of the Greek word translated "works,"energoumenen] generally refers to supernatural power, whether God's or Satan's."93
"The entire statement shows that through faith in Christ we can link our life with a source of strength that enables us to rise above our natural limitations."94
Paul's view of his ministry was certainly a high one. He would have despaired had he not learned the sufficiency of God's grace in his life (2 Cor. 12:9).
