Colossians 1:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

NIV: To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

NASB: to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

CSB: God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

NLT: For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

KJV: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

NKJV: To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The "mystery" of Christ mentioned in the previous verse was both for Jews and Gentiles. In addition to mystery, Paul here notes God's sovereignty, which is His perfect and all-encompassing knowledge and control. The revelation came only when God chose to make it happen. This mystery was "great" both in content and impact among the Gentiles, including to the Colossian believers.

The glory of this mystery "is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Christ came to earth and also now lives in those who believe. Interestingly, this is the one place in Paul's letters he uses the explicit phrasing of Christ "in you." He seeks to make the gospel message very personal for these Colossian Christians, whom he has never personally met. With Christ in you, as a saved believer, you have the "hope of glory." In other words, a believer can be confident of eternity with Christ in heaven when he or she knows Christ is already in them now.

Colossians 1:24–29 completes this passage with an emphasis on Paul's work as a minister. According to Paul, his suffering is a service he offers for the sake of Christ, on behalf of the other believers. Paul's work for the sake for the church is just that: work. He is striving, fighting, and ''toiling'' on behalf of his faith. All the same, Paul recognizes that anything he accomplishes is only through the power given through Christ.

In chapter 1, Paul introduces himself, along with his co-author Timothy. As he often does, Paul gives thanks for what he hears about the faith of the believers in Colossae. Paul includes a prayer for their growth and spiritual strength. The letter then transitions to praise of Jesus, describing Him as absolutely supreme. All created things were made through, by, and for Him. And, since it was His sacrifice which saved us from sin, we can have confidence in our eternal destiny.

Colossians chapter 1 is mostly focused on describing Christ as supreme. Jesus is not only the God of creation, He is the ultimate authority over all created things. The penalty for sin has been completely removed because of His perfect sacrifice. These are foundational ideas which Paul will use to set up his later points. In chapters 2, 3, and 4, Paul will explain why contrary claims are untrue, and show the right way for Christians to live out what we believe about Jesus.

The book of Colossians describes Christ as superior to all other teachers, faiths, and philosophies. In this letter, written from prison, Paul once again tackles false teachings. Among these errors are claims that Christians need to give up all physical enjoyments, that they should worship angels, and that they need to rely on the wisdom of an elite few. These problems are consistent with an ancient heresy known as Gnosticism. In response, Paul explains that Christ is supreme, and sufficient for our salvation.

Accessed 5/3/2024 3:05:26 PM