Colossians 1:26-29

"The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations [from angels and men], but is now revealed to His holy people (the saints)" Colossians 1:26.

This word, "Mystery" here, or elsewhere in the Bible is not something spooky, abstruse, or a mysterious word as it is in the English. It just means something formerly concealed and then later revealed (Eph. 3:8,9). Paul is contrasting what he is talking about against the Colossian heresy that a mystery was a secret known only to the initiated.

And he says, "which was hidden for ages and generations from angels and men"... because, you and I, "The church" were not disclosed in the Old Testament. Abraham or Moses did not know of the church. God revealed it initially in a doctrinal sense to Paul (Ephesians 3). Jesus said the church was still a future institution in Matthew 16:16-18.

The birth of the church was not until the followers of Christ were placed into the body of Christ (Acts 1:5; chapter 2; I Cor. 12:13). The mystery was that the Gentiles would be adopted into the same family status as the Jews... into one body (Eph. 3:1). There would be no wall or partition between them (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:12-14).

The Old Testament believers knew about the first coming of Christ and his second arrival. They knew (or should have known) that he was going to be crucified (Psalms 22:1-31; Isa. 53). However, they knew nothing about the church. The church was not revealed until the Apostle Paul.

27. "To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory."

Again, in 27, he says the, "mystery, which is Christ within and among you"... the Gentiles... you and I and anyone who realizes the glory, he says. This was Gods hope all along... for His people to realize His glory.

28. "Him we preach and proclaim, warning and admonishing everyone and instructing everyone in all wisdom (comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God), that we may present every person mature (full-grown, fully initiated, complete, and perfect) in Christ (the Anointed One)."

The "Him" of course is Jesus Christ! This is what Paul and the apostles preached. It is what we too want to draw man, family, friends, neighbors, and the whole world to. The word, proclaim, denotes "zeal". Paul's zeal comes from not just knowing how exciting the truth is, but because false teachers were always on his heals to seduce and it is no different today.

The different words used here for how to instruct others depends on who we are led to. We are reminded by Wesley's notes that we teach the ignorant, and admonish them that are already taught. With admonishment should follow some level of repentance.

The Amplified renders the wisdom we are trying to share with everyone as something that is comprehensive, because many times in the New Testament we are told that through The Holy Spirit, we can comprehend Gods' Word. We can have insight into the ways and purposes of God.

And the reason we lead people to Christ and to His teachings is so that we may present every person mature... full-grown, fully initiated, complete, and perfect, because in Christ we are both, Covered from our sins from Gods' view... And, being Transformed at the same time.

29. "For this I labor [unto weariness], striving with all the superhuman energy which He so mightily enkindles and works within me."

And finally, we are reminded that it is hard work spreading this good news of Christ and that our strength must come from and will come from Christ, if in fact that is whom we are operating in. And it is a superhuman strength... Amen?

Well, that concludes chapter 1. We'll pick up beginning in chapter 2 next time.

I love you.