The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 130

the ho.nd that could move them. But that was not enough; he wished to have influ- ence with them in impressing on them what his striving was, and so he writes; and, as he writes, feeling the difficulty that ar0se from their not having seen him in the flesh, he exclaims, "I would that ye knew how greatly I strive for you." 2. The end of his striving. "That their hearts may be comforted," There are positions in which Churches and individuals stand in need of heart-comfort. Our English word" com- forted" is etymologically " being made strong." "Fortified " belongs to the same root. And the one meaning passes into the other. If our hearts are sad, we feel unnerved f.Jr work. But if, amid our trials, we have comfort, we feel strong for work. (1) Com- fo1·ted in the way of having unity of feeling. "They beiug knit together in love." It is no ordinary union of Christians that is pointed to here. It is such a welding of them together as is not easily torn asunder. What an uncomfortable thing is di vision! How much to be desired in the way of comfort when, however assailed, Christians can pre- sent a united front I And the union which is not easily broken up can only subsist in love. And the love must not be a mere negative, or pretence; but must be a neep, per- vading feeling. It is only when love avails to break down selfishness, to excite mutual interest between the members of a Christian society, that there is knitting together or the strong bond that is referred to in the third chapter. (2) Comforted in the way of having unity of sentiment. "And unto all riches of the full assurance of understand- ing." Unity of feeling he desired for them; but as the cause (not the consequence) of unity of sentiment. When there is unity of feeling in a high degree, thesCl questions can be calmly, patiently looked at without risk of a rupture. 1Ne have to aim at a right state of the understanding. "Give me understanding" is the repeated prayer of the psalmist.. Our understanding is given us to examine into facts, to plan aright for our conduct, to avoid mistakes, to detect errors. And we are constituted so that we can not only judge, but have the assurnnce that we are judging correctly. There is an assurance which is begotten of ignorance, of self-conceit. That is very different from the assurance which is the result of patient investigation, of steady contemplation. There is a self-evidencing power of the truth. The words of God, when we closely examine them, shine in their own light. There is a peculiar satisfaction in our being sure of our seeing the truth. When our eyes have been enlightened by the Spirit, we can say with confidence," One thing I know, that whereas I was bliud, now I see." It is this certainty extending over a wide range that is here represented as being the wealth of the under- sto.nding. This is of far more value than material riches which men heap up and know not who shall gather them. What a man gains in the way of clear convincing percep- tion of things he can never lose. He who engages in the pursuit of these riches shall gather them in his own everlasting being. And, having begun to have an assuring view of truth, he shall go on to all riches of the full assurance of understanding. "That they may know [unto the thorough knowledge of] the Mystery of God, even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." This is parallel to the foregoing, and points to the Christian state of the understanding. All things are dark to us at first; we have, by reflection, to clear away the do.rkness. '!'here is one thing which is pre-eminently dark, which we could never have found out for ourselves; it is here called " the mystery," and is explained to be Christ. He is the Mystery of God in this sense-that in him lay hidden all the thought and purpose of God. The theosophists ~poke of hidden things, and made much of wisdom in general and also of a special insight. The apostle declares that all the treasures that they pretended by their sophia and gnosis to discover arc hidden in Christ, and that it is by coming to the thorough knowledge of him that we get possession of the hidden treasures. The object, then, of the apostle's striving for the Colossians, as for others, was (in view of what follows) this, that, unitedly, in the use of their understanding, they might come to such an appreciation of Christ as would lay open to them all the hidden tre,,sures. If they had that, then they would be carried away by no false sophia and gnosis. II. RELATION TO THE SITUATION. 1. .J,,'xposure of the Colossians. "Tl.Jis I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech." He directs himself specially to the Colossians. He has been telling them about his great striving for theru, aud about the key to the hidden treasmes, in order to put them ou their guard. 'l'hcy were in the presence of danger. There wero teachers (of whom we sl1,,\l hear more) that hacl designs on them. '!'hey used a persuasive form of speech (in a bad sense). Tht'Y h,,ll  124 THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. [en. rt. 1-23.