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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Col_1:3-8
3We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Col_1:3-8 Col_1:3-8 are one sentence in Greek which means they are one sustained prayer of thanksgiving for the church's faith in Christ. Opening prayers of thanksgiving for the recipients was common in Greek letters. In this letter Paul has two opening prayers (i.e., Col_1:3-8 and Col_1:9-14).
Col_1:3 "thanks" "Thanks" is a recurrent theme in this letter (cf. Col_1:12; Col_2:7; Col_3:15; Col_4:2), as "joy" is in the letter to the Philippians. Remember that Paul was imprisoned at Rome and the church at Colossae was undergoing difficult times. See Special Topic: Thanksgiving at Col_4:2.
▣ "God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" Notice the Trinity in Col_1:3; Col_1:8. See Special Topic at Eph_1:3.
▣ "Lord" The term "lord" (kurios) can be used in a general sense or in a specific theological sense. It can mean "mister," "sir" (cf. Joh_4:11; Joh_4:15; Joh_4:19; Joh_4:49; Joh_5:7; Joh_12:21; Joh_20:15), "master," "owner," "husband," or "the full God-man" (e.g., Joh_4:1; Joh_6:34; Joh_6:68; Joh_11:2-3; Joh_11:12; Joh_11:21; Joh_11:27; Joh_11:34; Joh_11:39). Good examples of both usages in one context is Joh_9:36; Joh_9:38.
The OT usage of this term (adon) came from the rabbis' reluctance to pronounce the covenant name for God, YHWH, from the Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Exo_3:14). They were afraid of breaking the commandment which said, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (cf. Exo_20:7, Deu_5:11). They thought if they did not pronounce it, they could not take it in vain. So, they substituted the Hebrew word, adon, which had a similar meaning to the Greek word, Kurios (Lord).
The NT authors used this term to describe the full Deity of Christ. The phrase "Jesus is Lord" was the public confession of faith and baptismal formula of the early church (cf. Rom_10:9-13; 1Co_12:3; Php_2:11).
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▣ "praying always for you" "Always" can relate grammatically to "pray" (NASB, NKJV, NJB) or "thank" (NRSV, TEV). Prayer and thanksgiving are inseparably linked in Paul's theology and practice. Paul prayed for them (cf. Col_1:9; Eph_1:16) and requested that they pray for him (cf. Col_4:3; Eph_6:18; 1Th_5:25). See Special Topic: Intercessory Prayer at Col_4:3. Paul mentions this again in Col_1:9. There seems to be two prayers put together.
Col_1:4 "since we heard" The plural pronoun referred to Paul and his mission team. They had heard about the problems of the false teachers and the faith of the believers from Epaphras (cf. Col_1:7-8) who founded this church.
Col_1:4-5 "faith . . . love . . . hope" This was a favorite triad of Paul's theology (cf. Rom_5:2-5; 1Co_13:13; Gal_5:5-6; 1Th_1:3; 1Th_5:8). It expresses the confidence that believers have both now (faith) and in a certain future consummation (hope). This confidence is to be lived out daily in love.
Col_1:4 "your faith" This term (pistis) may have three distinct connotations.
1. Its OT background meant "faithfulness" or "trustworthiness," therefore, it was used of believers living godly lives.
2. It was used of believers accepting or receiving God's free offer of forgiveness in Christ.
3. It was used in the collective sense of the Christian doctrine or truths about Jesus (i.e., "the faith," cf. Act_6:7 and Jud_1:3; Jud_1:20).
In several passages it is difficult to determine which is meant. See Special Topic: Faith, Believe, Trust at Col_1:2.
▣ "in Christ Jesus" The usual preposition Paul used for faith was "into" (eis) Christ, which spoke of Him as the object of one's faith, but here the preposition is "in" (en) which referred to Jesus as the sphere of existence (cf. Col_1:2; Act_17:28).
▣ "the love which you have for all the saints" Faith toward God is expressed in love toward others, especially those of the household of faith (cf. Gal_6:10). The use of the word "all" is significant in a setting disrupted by the exclusivism of the false teachers. Believers must be able to distinguish between who are saints and who ar not! For "saints" see Special Topic at Col_1:2.
Col_1:5 "the hope" Paul used this term in several different but related senses. Often it was associated with the consummation of the believer's faith. This can be expressed as glory, eternal life, ultimate salvation, Second Coming, etc. The consummation is certain, but the time element is future and unknown. Hope was often associated with "faith" and "love" (cf. Rom_5:2-5; 1Co_13:13; Gal_5:5-6; Eph_4:2-5; 1Th_1:3; 1Th_5:8).
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▣ "laid up for you in heaven" This was a metaphor for the divine protection of the believers' hope (cf. 2Ti_4:8; 1Pe_1:4).
The false teachers could not affect the believers' consummated salvation (hope).
▣ "you previously heard" This is an aorist active indicative of a compound term, "to hear" and "before." This referred to Epaphras' preaching of the gospel, to which the Colossians had already personally responded by faith. Believers must hear, respond, obey, and persevere.
▣ "in the word of truth, the gospel" This phrase can be understood in several ways.
1. instrumentally they heard the truth by means of the gospel
2. temporally they had heard the gospel
3. appositionally as a way of identifying the gospel as the truthful word
Notice how in Col_1:6 the gospel is characterized as "the grace of God in truth." See Special Topic: Truth in Paul's Writings at Eph_1:13.
Col_1:6 "in all the world" This referred to the Greco-Roman world. This was a common NT overstatement (hyperbole), which because of Mat_28:18-20; Luk_24:46-47; Act_1:8, became a reality.
The Greek term (kosmos) had several usages. It could refer to
1. this physical planet
2. humanity that inhabits the surface of this planet
3. the philosophies, governmental structures, educational institutions and religious systems of fallen mankind which allow them to function in independence from God
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▣ "constantly bearing fruit and increasing" These are both present participles. The first is middle voice and the second passive but in this context there is no theological distinction implied, but it does illustrate the covenant balance of human and divine actions. Bearing fruit is the sign of regeneration (cf. Col_1:10; Mat_13:1-23; Joh_15:16; Gal_5:22-23; Jas_2:14-26).
NASB "understood"
NKJV "knew"
NRSV "comprehend"
TEV "came to know"
NJB "recognized"
This is an intensified Aorist active indicative form of the Greek term epignôskô which implies "to fully and experientially know." The Colossians received the gospel which is both a person and a truth (combining the meaning of "know" from Hebrew and Greek). This was Paul's reaction to the heretics' false emphasis on human knowledge (cf. Col_1:9-10).
▣ "the grace of God in truth" This refers to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which finally and fully expresses the nature and character of deity to the human race. Believers' ultimate hope is in the unchanging, merciful character of God (i.e., Mal_3:6).
The Greek word "grace" (charis) was used in Koine Greek (200 b.c.-a.d. 200) and the Septuagint (250-100 b.c.) in several different senses-charm, beauty, gracefulness, a matter of approval, a benefit, an act of favor, or a provision. In the NT it was primarily used of the undeserved, unmerited love and mercy of the triune God which gives righteousness and restores fellowship to fallen mankind (cf. Eph_4:4-7). The emphasis was always on the worth of the giver (God), not the receiver (mankind). All that was needed God has provided! All that the individual can do is respond (cf. Eph_2:8-9)!
For "truth" see Special Topic: "Truth" in Paul's Writings at Eph_1:13.
Col_1:7 "Epaphras" (cf. Col_4:12-13; Phm_1:23). He was the founder of three of the churches (Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea) in the Lycus River Valley, and Paul's representative (cf. Col_1:7). He was probably converted during Paul's stay at Ephesus (cf. Act_19:10). His name was a shortened form of Epaphroditus which was etymologically related to the goddess Aphroditus. Another man by this same name is mentioned in Php_2:25; Php_4:18. However, he was from a different geographical area.
NASB "a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf"
NKJV, NRSV "of a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf"
TEV "Christ's faithful worker on our behalf"
NJB "A trustworthy deputy for us as Christ's servant"
The ancient Greek manuscripts vary on the pronouns. Some have "our" and others have "your." "Our" seems textually best because it is found in the early Greek manuscripts P46, à *, A, B, D*, F, and G. But the United Bible Society's scholars felt "your" was original because of its place in the early church fathers' and the early Latin, Aramaic, and Coptic translations (cf. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 619-620).
Col_1:8 "your love in the Spirit" This is, surprisingly, the only specific reference to the Holy Spirit in the letter although He is, perhaps, alluded to in "filled" in Col_1:9 and "indwell" in Col_3:16. The object of the Spirit-engendered love may be
1. other believers
2. Paul and his mission team
3. Epaphras
4. all the above and even the lost