The request that God “fill” suggests that there may be some spiritual vacuum that needs to be corrected. The filling is to be with the knowledge of God’s will and not some type of speculative gnosis (“knowledge”) so characteristic of false teachers. Wisdom (sophia and understanding (synesis) likewise are not some abstract intellectual concepts from [...]

The common Greek word for cancellation of a contract is chiazen, which means to write the Greek letter chi (X) across a document. Thus, the debt was crossed out. However, in Col 2, Paul uses the Greek word exaleiphein, which means to “watch over” or “wipe out.” In New Testament times, the ink used was [...]

Timotheus, our brother. The other Epistles written at this time that Timothy was then in Rome. He is named six times in the address of Paul’s letters to the churches. Timothy is mentioned in the Bible at the time of Paul’s second visit to Lystra in Anatolia, where Timothy is mentioned as a “disciple”. Paul, [...]

This letter was written to a specific audience: the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ and in this case the ones in Colossae. Not to the world.

The testimony of Stephen took this to the extreme when as he was dying said ““Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And Saul (Paul) was a witness to this. Taking a little liberality in translating I think that Paul, who himself was a persecutor of Christians at that time, saw in Stephen a [...]

One aspect of our spiritual growth is that our new nature is “being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator”

Colossians was written as a warning against certain false teachers, about whom St. Paul had probably heard from Epaphras, his “fellow-prisoner” and the founder of the Church of the Colossians. Paul denounces ascetic practices or avoiding certain foods because Christ’s death put an end to such distinctions. Believers are one in Christ, not divided between [...]

Ah yes. What I perceive as the true weight of any real pastor/minister/evangelist: Their goal is to present their members as “perfect” in Christ, which, of course, means preaching Christ and Christ crucified. They are to be pointed the way to the cross, and not by the scenic route via a denomination commitment or by [...]

Wives are asked to submit, as in give respect to their husbands. The wife is in submission as a response to the husband’s love for her and his providing, as well as his having her best interest and care at heart. The word “submit” translates from a military term (Greek: hupotasso), which means “to place [...]

What is the meaning of the expression “in the name of the Lord”? Religious authorities were extremely upset that the apostles were advocating Christian concepts. They brought Peter and John into their assembly and demanded to know, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” (Acts 4:7). The word “power” refers to [...]

The “thrones, dominions, principalities and powers” clearly are in reference to the spiritual creation of the vast host of heaven. The pagan world, whether of the ancient Greeks or of the modern New Agers, has always believed in angels, demons or spirit beings of various types and powers, and it is vital for us to [...]