Colossians 1:24?

[sawdust]

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

What did Paul mean by the emboldened bit?

peace

 

[justified]

Honestly, no one knows. There are a few ideas, but there's not an answer that has received a consensus among the scholarly community.

 

[Nazaroo]

Let's hope he wasn't getting one of the nuns to spank him.

 

[AngCath]

One interpretation is that it may refer to a concept in apocalyptic thinking known as the "messianic woes" which must be endured before the end time. in short, it is not Christ who needs to suffer more, but his body, the Church, that will endure suffering before the final restoration.

 

[PreacherMan4U]

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

What did Paul mean by the emboldened bit?

peace

A. T. Robertson gives the following explaination of this verse.

Colossians 1:24:

Now I rejoice (νυν χαιρομεν). This is not a new note for Paul. See him in jail in Philippi (Ac 16:25) and in 2Co 11:16-33; Ro 5:3; Php 2:18.

Fill up on my part (ανταναπληρω). Very rare double compound verb (here only in N.T.) to fill (πληροω) up (ανα), in turn (αντ). It is now Paul's "turn" at the bat, to use a baseball figure. Christ had his "turn," the grandest of all and suffered for us all in a sense not true of any one else. It is the idea of balance or correspondence in αντ as seen in Demosthenes's use of this verb (De Symm., p. 282), "the poor balancing the rich." And yet Christ did not cause suffering to cease. There is plenty left for Paul and for each of us in his time.

That which is lacking (τα υστερηματα). "The left-overs," so to speak. Late word from υστερεω, to come behind, to be left, to fail. See Lu 21:4; 1Th 3:10; 2Co 8:14; 9:12.

For his body's sake (υπερ του σωματος αυτου). As Paul showed in his exultation in suffering in 2Co 11:16-33, though not in the same sense in which Christ suffered and died for us as Redeemer. Paul attaches no atoning value whatever to his own sufferings for the church (see also verse 18).


Mike

 

[filosofer]

Mike, while you have helped the discussion with that from Robertson, it seems you overlooked the more critical issue. Note that it is our PAQEMWSIN ("suffering"), but it is QLIPSEWN ("afflictions") of Christ. In other words, they are not co-equal, nor co-determinate. So the one who mentioned "eschatological afflictions" that become ours because we are united with Christ, result in our present suffering.

In Christ's love,
filo

 

[PreacherMan4U]

Mike, while you have helped the discussion with that from Robertson, it seems you overlooked the more critical issue. Note that it is our PAQEMWSIN ("suffering"), but it is QLIPSEWN ("afflictions") of Christ. In other words, they are not co-equal, nor co-determinate. So the one who mentioned "eschatological afflictions" that become ours because we are united with Christ, result in our present suffering.

In Christ's love,
filo

Good point!

 

[ghs1994]

I don't know if Paul was alluding to the way he was going to die, knowing that he would suffer severe affliction before his death as Christ did. To experience the things Christ did physically and spiritually.

 

[OPAL]

Colossians 1:24

Paul said in Phil. 3:10, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."

Paul counted it a great honor to suffer for the gospels sake. The early Christians were also suffering great persecution. It appears that Paul was giving them courage in their sufferings.

II Tim 3:12, " Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Judy

 

[sawdust]

I really appreciate your responses, but I am still none the wiser. What exactly are the afflictions that Christ never endured/were lacking? Paul recognised he was suffering them so they must be revealed in scripture somewhere.

peace

 

[davidoffinland]

What exactly are the afflictions that Christ never endured/were lacking? .

peace

From Finland.

What do you mean? This is confusing!

Shalom, David.

 

[sawdust]

From Finland.

What do you mean? This is confusing!

Shalom, David.

Well the verse says this:

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Col.1:24

The question I am asking is: what is still lacking in regards to Christ's afflictions? or .. What afflictions did Christ lack? Paul says he "fills them up in his flesh", so does this mean they are physical afflictions?

peace

 

[GenemZ]

Well the verse says this:

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Col.1:24

The question I am asking is: what is still lacking in regards to Christ's afflictions? or .. What afflictions did Christ lack? Paul says he "fills them up in his flesh", so does this mean they are physical afflictions?

peace

Well... Here is a translation from some notes taken by a member of my church when our pastor (who teaches from the Greek) exegeted this passage.

Here goes:

"I now rejoice in the sufferings on your behalf and fill up in turn the deficiency the things lacking with reference to the pressures of Christ in my flesh on behalf of His body . . . which is the church."

He is not speaking of suffering what Jesus did not suffer. He is speaking of needing to suffer because of the spiritual warfare resisting him, so he can take the deficiency of his congregation who lacked what he had to give to them (needing to be taught knowledge of Truth that they lacked).

Because of that need to fill up what was lacking, Paul was to experience the same kind of resistance that Christ suffered in the flesh when he was resisted by evil. Paul was sharing in the same type of sufferings Christ did. Why? Resistance of evil when the truth goes forth to claim new souls.

1 Peter 4:13 niv
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Paul was leading the way for others in sharing in the same type of suffering Jesus had experienced. Why? Because his congregatoin was lacking, having a deficiency, needing to grow in grace and truth.

For Paul to get them where they should be it required that he suffer pressures from evil. What was lacking was not suffering that Christ did not know. But what he needed to give them (truth) which required Paul to go through suffering to do so. Sufferings in his flesh like Christ experienced.

Romans 8:17 niv
"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Those who did follow Paul's teaching also faced suffering of their own sufferings in being resisted by evil. That was part of Paul's suffering as well. To see others have to suffer in order to secure truth in their hearts. It required that Paul always encourage them, yet he himself needed to suffer until he could get them to reach maturity in Christ.

Galatians 4:19 niv
"My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."

From what I have been taught, and from what I can recall..... that sounds about right to me.

1 Peter 2:21 niv
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."

Those who desire sound teaching will need to suffer in order to gain the truth they need to become strong in the Lord.

1 Peter 5:10 niv
"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

Paul was required not to suffer only for his own growth, like most of us do. But, also because of what was lacking in others. Those needing sound teaching.

Hope that helps.....

Grace and peace, GeneZ

 

[sawdust]

Well... Here is a translation from some notes taken by a member of my church when our pastor (who teaches from the Greek) exegeted this passage.

Here goes:

"I now rejoice in the sufferings on your behalf and fill up in turn the deficiency the things lacking with reference to the pressures of Christ in my flesh on behalf of His body . . . which is the church."

He is not speaking of suffering what Jesus did not suffer. He is speaking of needing to suffer because of the spiritual warfare resisting him, so he can take the deficiency of his congregation who lacked what he had to give to them (needing to be taught knowledge of Truth that they lacked).

Because of that need to fill up what was lacking, Paul was to experience the same kind of resistance that Christ suffered in the flesh when he was resisted by evil. Paul was sharing in the same type of sufferings Christ did. Why? Resistance of evil when the truth goes forth to claim new souls.

1 Peter 4:13 niv
"But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Paul was leading the way for others in sharing in the same type of suffering Jesus had experienced. Why? Because his congregatoin was lacking, having a deficiency, needing to grow in grace and truth.

For Paul to get them where they should be it required that he suffer pressures from evil. What was lacking was not suffering that Christ did not know. But what he needed to give them (truth) which required Paul to go through suffering to do so. Sufferings in his flesh like Christ experienced.

Romans 8:17 niv
"Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Those who did follow Paul's teaching also faced suffering of their own sufferings in being resisted by evil. That was part of Paul's suffering as well. To see others have to suffer in order to secure truth in their hearts. It required that Paul always encourage them, yet he himself needed to suffer until he could get them to reach maturity in Christ.

Galatians 4:19 niv
"My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."

From what I have been taught, and from what I can recall..... that sounds about right to me.

1 Peter 2:21 niv
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."

Those who desire sound teaching will need to suffer in order to gain the truth they need to become strong in the Lord.

1 Peter 5:10 niv
"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

Paul was required not to suffer only for his own growth, like most of us do. But, also because of what was lacking in others. Those needing sound teaching.

Hope that helps.....

Grace and peace, GeneZ

That is crystal clear. Thankyou so very much.

peace