The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 109

God for us'.' (Heh. ix. 24), ~?d whom o?c dlly we shall sec (eh. iii. 1-4; Phil. Ill. 20, 21; 1 Pet. 1. 8, 9; 1 John 111. 2; Acts 1. 11)-" the Man Christ Jt'slls" "who is over nil, God blessed for ever" (Rom. ix. 5). This was the vision that dying' Stephen beheld in the presence of Saul of Tarsus (Acts vii. 05-60), which ere long appeared to himself (Acts ix. 3-6) and was henceforth evermore before his eyes. And since he has assumed it Christ's humanity is also pe,manent. The fulnessof the Godhead still dwells in him bodily'. He will not cease to be man any more thau he can cease to be (ft)d. His relationship to his human brethren, and the remembrance of his earthly sorrows, of" the wounds that he received in the house of his friends," are too precious to him for that. He is still "the Lamb, in the midst of the throne," who is" the Shepherd" of his heavenly flock (Rev. vii. 17), the "Firstbom out of the dead" among the "many brethren" that have eternal life in him (eh. i. 18; Rom. viii. 29). And heaven for us is "to be where he is," "to see him as be is" ( eh. iii. 4; Phil. i. 23 ; 2 Cor. v. 8; John xii. 26; xvi i. 24 • l John iii. 2)-" the Man Christ Jesus,"" the Lord of glory"! "All the fulness of th~ Godhead, in bodily form! "-a mystery compared with which the contradictions that so often baffle and vex us are trifles indeed; and yet an indubitable fact, that astonishes heaven (Eph. iii. 10; 1 Pet. i. 12) and glorifies the earth, and that fills struggling, sinful mortals "'ith a sense of Divine sympathy, an assurnuce of forgiveness and help that make all things possible. 2. But Christ's fulness does not ~imply "dwell in him," terminating in himself; it is an active, outjlowing fulness, that seelcs to make us in turn complete in him (ver. 10; Eph. i. 23; iii. 19; iv. 8-13; John i. 14, 16; xvii. 22, 23, 26). The Judaizers of Colossre, as we understand their position, were urging on their Gentile disciples that they should complete their imperfect Christian state by circnmcision and ibe adoption of various ritual observances (including worship of the angels along with Chri~t) and bodily austerities (vers. 16-23). These requirements they enforced by philosophical reasoning, under considerations of the symbolic meaning of ancient rites and the beneficial effect upon the soul of the regimen prescribed as cleansing and elevating to its proper level man's spiritual nature. St. Paul acknow- ledges by implication that, to a certain extent (but see ver. 23 b), the aim of this teach- ing is right; but the means it inculcates he utterly disallows, being "not according to Christ." The whole tendency of the system was to draw away attention and trust from Christ. Other objections, such as might easily present themselves, he does not care to argue. (1) In him ye were circumcised. "The inward reality of which this rite was the imperfect and prophetic symbol, the consecration of the present life to God, the putting off of the old sinful nature, the body of the flesh, bas already taken place in yo1L This is the circumcision of Christ, the change from sin to holiness, from moral filthiness to pnrity; and you know that you hnve passed through it, if yon are in Mm (1 Cor. vi. 11; GaL iii. 27; v. 24; Rom. xiii. 14). Do not grasp at the shadow when you have the BUbstance. De content to believe that in this, the 'one thing needful,' you are complete in him." (2) From this point the apostle goes a step further back, exactly on the line of his previous teaching in Rom. vi., respecting the connection of sanctification with justification, when be adds, "having been buried with him in your baptism 1 wherein also ye were raised with him." For a state of sinfulness is a state of death. The sinner lies immediately under the wrath of God (eh. i. 21; iii. 6; Eph. ii. 3; Rom. v. 10); and that anger, with the sense of alienation it brings and the shadow of condemnation it casts upon the conscience, is virtually death, is the c.eath of death (comp. Rom. vii. 24, 25 _and viii. 1, 2). 'fhere is no clea~isiog _of the soul of a_ de~d sinner till this sentence JS repealed, and" the love of God" 1s agarn "shed abroad rn bis heart" (Rom. v. 5). Christ gi,ves life that he may give purity (eh. i. 21, 22; Rom. vi. 13 • 'l'itus ii. 14; 1 Pet. ii. 24}-purity with life. And life comes through his resur- rection· by the same law, the same power, which "raised Jesus our Lord from the dead," ~re our souls also raised from their death of sin. 'l'he operation in both cases is equaUy supernatural and Divine. The first event is the warrant and the 11ledge of the second. The return of our Surety and Champion from the grave assures us that his sacrifice is accepted and his victory complete (eh. i. 18; Rom. iv. 25; Acts ii. 32-36; xiii. 34-39 • John :n.19, 20). On this fact our faith in him as Lord and Saviour rests (Rom. iv. 24; vi. 7-11; x. 9; 2 Cor. iv. 14); it is a "faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead." Through this faith we are justified-forgiveness becomes onrs (ver, 13; eh. i. 14; Rom. v.1); and in this consciousness of pardon sinful man first OIJ, 11. 1-23.] 'fHE EPISTLE ·ro THE COLOSSIANS. 103