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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMatthew Poole Commentary - Colossians 1:27 - 1:27
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To whom God would make known; he refers the manifestation purely to God’s good will and pleasure, as Christ himself doth, Mat_11:26,27 Lu 10:21; so in the like case, Rev_9:18; that having mentioned saints, none might conceit it was for foreseen faith, but the Colossians might value their privilege, reverently receive that grace which was not given to all: in short, to restrain curiosity why God would not do it otherwise or sooner, he cuts the knots of all questions, only by signifying his sovereign pleasure, he would make it known to them; elsewhere, this mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, Eph_1:9, which was not to be touched till he thought meet to make it known.
What is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: some refer the glory to mystery, as glorious mystery, because it lets forth Divine glory, and promiseth it to believers, Luk_2:14; others, and the most, rather to riches, and that either as its epithet, {Col_1:11} the glorious riches of this mystery, or noting the subject, for salvation of the church amongst the Gentiles, Eph_1:18 3:7,8. It is usual with the apostle to use the word riches to set forth abundance, Rom_2:4,11:33 Eph_1:7: here, for the praise of the gospel, he would signify a very great and most abundant glory, far surpassing any former ministration, 2Co_3:8,18. In the law those riches {Eph_2:7} were not only imperfectly and obscurely discovered, but scatteredly with broken beams, as the sun in water when the water is disturbed; one attribute shining out in one work, another in another; but now the harmony of the Divine attributes in man’s redemption shines out most fully, clearly, and gloriously, contracted in Christ, who is the object and revealer of the mystery by his Spirit, the glory whereof breaks forth with much more splendour amongst the Gentiles, Rom_15:7-9 1Co_2:10 2Co_3:9,18; all glory before was but a shadow to this. Col_2:17 2Co_3:18 Gal_3:1 Heb_10:1.
Which is Christ in you; which is Christ, amongst, for, or in them, i.e. who not only was preached amongst them, but whom they possessed, and who dwelt in them by faith, Eph_3:17; the revelation being accompanied with the power of the Spirit in the translating them by his glorious power from the kingdom of darkness into his kingdom, Col_1:13 Luk_17:21 Gal_2:20 4:19 Eph_3:5,7.
The hope of glory; so is not only the object, 1Ti_1:1, but the ground of their expectation of glory, he in whom the mystery begins and ends, 1Ti_3:16; out of whom all are hopeless of being happy, Eph_2:12, and in whom all have strong consolation, Heb_6:18.