Giving Thanks to God Colossians 1:1-14. Our Procedure of Study. Place in the Outline

Transcript

1 Giving Thanks to God Colossians 1:1-14 Tom Shepherd, PhD NTST658: Colossians & Philemon Summer 2014 Our Procedure of Study Note the locaion in the broader outline Present the thesis statement Outline the passage of study Translate as we go Exegete the passage ApplicaIon to today Place in the Outline A. Theology ch IntroducIon 1: Christ hymn 1: Paul s ministry 1:21-2:5 4. Christ s fullness 2: ResisIng error 2:

2 Thesis for Col 1:3-14 The blessings of God in our past are a harbinger of the deeper walk He has for our future. Outline of Col 1:1-14 A. SalutaIon 1:1-2 B. Prayer of Thanksgiving 1: Report of faith, love, hope 1: Basis in truth of the gospel 1: Epaphras role 1:7-8 Outline of Col 1:1-14 C. Prayer of Intercession 1: To be filled with knowledge 1:9 2. Worthy walk in 4 steps 1: The gracious Father 1: RedempIon in the Son 1:14 2

3 Colossians 1:1 Παῦλος ἀπόστολος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ καὶ Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδελφὸς Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, Colossians 1:2 2 τοῖς ἐν Κολοσσαῖς ἁγίοις καὶ πιστοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ, χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. The SalutaIon Author and his traits Apostle Will of God The recipients and their traits Holy Faithful Brothers 3

4 The Pa[ern of CharacterisIcs Paul and Timothy RelaIonship Colossian Believers RelaIonship Ἀπόστολος Apostle Sent by Christ to Colossians Ἅγιος Holy Separated to God s service Θέλημα θεοῦ Will of God Authorizayon Πιστός Faithful Related to God and believers Ἀδελφός Brother Related to believers Ἀδελφός Brother Related to believers Colossians 1:3 3 Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ θεῷ πατρὶ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι, We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, Epistolary Form Greco- Roman le[er wriing Similar format for 600 years Prescript Health wish/prayer Body of le[er Closing greeing Closing formula 4

5 Epistolary Form Private versus public le[ers Adolf Deissmann Le[er versus epistle Deismann s claims Counter evidence Paul s Typical Le[er Form Prescript Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ to the saints in. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving/prayer I thank my God for you every Ime I pray... Introduces themes of book Paul s Typical Le[er Form Body of the le[er Theology PracIcal instrucion Closing formula Greet The greeing in my own hand. Grace be with you. 5

6 Colossians 1:4 4 ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχετε εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints Colossians 1:5 5 διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἣν προηκούσατε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, Colossians 1:6 6 τοῦ παρόντος εἰς ὑμᾶς, καθὼς καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν καρποφορούμενον καὶ αὐξανόμενον καθὼς καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀφ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσατε καὶ ἐπέγνωτε τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ 6

7 Colossians 1:6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, Colossians 1:7 7 καθὼς ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν, ὅς ἐστιν πιστὸς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf Colossians 1:8 8 ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι. and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 7

8 The Focus of the Prayer The ChrisIan s life Focused in Christ Rooted in Gospel truth ConnecIon with leaders Hearing/Learning/Knowing Faith, love, hope The Concept of Thanksgiving The recipient of praise The goodness The relaionship The Concept of Thanksgiving God Praise Benefit Paul Friendship Colossians 8

9 The Steps of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving happens when you recognize that something good has happened and you decide to return thanks. The added steps in Colossians The Emphasis on Hearing Col 1:4 ἀκούσαντες Col 1:5 προηκούσατε Col 1:6 ἠκούσατε Col 1:9 ἠκούσαμεν Faith, Love, Hope, vv. 4-5 Paul begins with the results of the benefacion Faith toward Christ Love toward believers 9

10 Faith, Love, Hope, vv. 4-5 The cause of faith and love Hope The present reality of a future event Faith, Love, Hope, vv. 4-5 The root of hope The Word of Truth, the Gospel The Gospel s Power, v. 6-7 The presence of the Gospel The growth of the Gospel 10

11 The Reverse Order, vv. 6-8 Hearing and knowing Learning ReporIng ChiasIc Structure? Hear of love Hope laid up Heard in Word of Truth Present and growing You heard Epaphras reported Colossians 1:9 9 Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἀφ ἧς ἡμέρας ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ παυόμεθα ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι καὶ αἰτούμενοι, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ καὶ συνέσει πνευματικῇ, 11

12 Colossians 1:9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Colossians 1:10 10 περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ κυρίου εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρεσκείαν, ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ καρποφοροῦντες καὶ αὐξανόμενοι τῇ ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:11 11 ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and payence with joy, 12

13 Colossians 1:12 Μετὰ χαρᾶς 12 εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ πατρὶ τῷ ἱκανώσαντι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν μερίδα τοῦ κλήρου τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτί giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Intercessory Prayer Verses 3-8 Prayer of Thanksgiving Looking back Verses 9-14 Prayer of Intercession Looking forward Spiritual wisdom Being filled with the knowledge of His will The ChrisIan Walk Walking worthy of the Lord 4 pariciples Καρποφοροῦντες Bearing fruit Αὐξανόμενοι Growing Δυναμούμενοι Empowered Εὐχαριστοῦντες Giving thanks 13

14 The ChrisIan Walk Walking worthy of the Lord 4 preposiional phrases In all wisdom and spiritual understanding In every good work In all power Unto all endurance and payence Colossians 1:13 13 ὃς ἐρρύσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ, He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, Colossians 1:14 14 ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν, τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν in whom we have redempyon, the forgiveness of sins. 14

15 The Two Agents of Power The Father Empowerment Inheritance Light The Son of His love The Redeemer The Agents AcIons Qualified for inheritance Rescue from darkness Transfer to Kingdom RedempIon Forgiveness of sins The Reason Why Why does Paul write all this? Nice reminder? Good theology? Some trouble? 15

16 A Church in Trouble? Signs of trouble? Why did Paul write? Trouble shows up in ch. 2 False teachers SyncreIc heresy What to Do in Trouble Focus on the verical connecion Seek out the horizontal support Philippians 4: Troubles in 4 Months 1997 A Year to Forget September Job loss October 13 snow and my father s death November Sherry s surgery December Mom s surgery, Grandma s death 16

17 The Experience The shock and dread The fog Desire for normal Imes The temptaion What Carried Us Through Two things Promises of the Bible Precious friends Applying Colossians Open your eyes to people around you in trouble Ponder some way you can help, some support you can give 17

18 Thesis for Col 1:3-14 The blessings of God in our past are a harbinger of the deeper walk He has for our future. 18