(REFLECTIONS ON Colossians 2:1-10)

Paul begins today’s Scripture writing,

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face.”

Paul is addressing the church in Colossae, a church in Laodicea, and all those in that region who had not personally seen his face. Paul here speaks of the breadth of his struggle for the churches in that region.

It is likely that Paul did not personally know many of the brothers and sisters in that region, because although he ministered extensively in Asia Minor, there is no record that his missionary journeys took him to Colossae or Laodicea.

Although he did not know them personally, this did not lessen his care and concern for them. What then was this great struggle that Paul wrote about? The Greek word Paul uses for “struggle” refers to intense effort associated with athletic competitions, wrestling matches, symbolizing his great effort, concern, and spiritual labor for the believers.

His struggle is so great, that his love and concern for those that he has not personally met, is very real and very strong. Paul struggles in the faith so that their hearts may be encouraged, united in love, and that they may have a faith resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ.

Paul wants these believers to grow in confidence and maturity in Christ. Paul’s struggle is also in his concern that they may be misled.

4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive arguments.

Paul desires that as the church received Christ Jesus the Lord, that they may walk in Him and grow in faith. That is why Paul pleads with them writing,

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

This is Paul’s struggle, his concern, his spiritual labor for the believers, that they that know Christ, may continue in Christ, and walk with Him, rather than turn Christ into something other than God’s path to salvation for the world.

Brothers and sisters, Paul’s struggle and concern were real, and his spiritual labor was a labor of love. If Paul struggled, contended, and fought so hard to defend the truth that Christ is everything, and if his burden was to guard the church’s understanding of Christ, then shouldn’t the church reciprocate this level of struggle, wrestling, and effort to focused living for Christ?

Paul said in Philippians 1:21,

“to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Paul’s life was completely turned over to Christ, His Lord, His Savior, and his life was Christ’s alone. That is the example set before us, and this challenge is not only for Colossae, Laodicea, or the church of his time, but for us today.

Are we going to live for Christ alone, that we no longer live, but to let Christ live in us, or are we going to let the philosophy and empty tradition, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, capture our hearts, rather than Christ?

Just as Christ died for us, and Paul gave up his life for Christ, let us too be a church that struggles on behalf of Christ so that all that is left of us, is Christ alone.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Colossians 2