Monday, June 25, 2007

Colossians 1:12

In my next few entrees I will be looking at Colossians 1:12 – 17, there is no real reason why I picked this text other then it was part of my reading today and it seemed to jump off the page at me. I will do my best to try to explain what I saw in it, while trying to stay theologically sound.

(Col 1:12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Just as the apostle makes an end of his petitions to God for the Colossians, he starts into this portion of text with thanks giving for what God has done in and for them and us already.

What God hath done in us:

Which hath made us meet the Greek word used here is ἱκανόω hikanoō.
Meaning to make sufficient
, or abundant. * note * the text does not say who Has made us. That does not mean that it is not saying “who hath made us”, I struggled with this because I believed that it was saying “who hath made us” in its context, yet it would seen to imply that it is the act of giving thanks that hath made us meet to be partakers. It was not until I looked at the word it’s self and saw that “which” is really nothing more then a representative for a noun or a thing. We call that a pro noun relative, or a substitute. In it’s usage in this verse it is the pro noun of God the father, which (ß he he he! I used it!!) is the same as saying,” who hath made us”. With all that said I can now make my point that, God made us meet, or sufficient to be partakers of the inheritance. It was not of us, for as we all know there is none good. Let us take this fast minute to praise our Lord and King! For he and he alone hath made us sufficient to be partakers!!!

of the inheritance - A plain allusion to the division Of the Promised Land among the different families of the twelve tribes of Israel. This was a type of the kingdom of God, in which portions of eternal blessedness are dispensed to the genuine Israelites; to them who have the circumcision of the heart by the Spirit, whose praise is of God, and not of man.

What God hath done for us:

Of the saints in light - Connect with inheritance: the inheritance which is in light. This need not be limited to future glory. The children of God walk in light on earth. And so the inheritance it’s self, maybe a reference to the future glory that awaits us. “In light” maybe a reference to the grace God flows out onto his children in their current state.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

1 comment:

Christina said...

Dave~
I usually don't post comments on blogs but when I read this I was excited. Today in my study of "Trusting God" (Bridges) I was reading and the verses we looked at were the same ones as this post. God moment! ;-) Anyhow, i wanted to share w/you where the author goes w/these verses (if you're interested read on):

"The Bible teaches that God not only created the universe but that He upholds it and sustains it continuosly. All things are indebted for their existence to the continuous sustaining action of God excercised thru His Son...He constatntly sustains, provides for and cares for us EVERY moment of every day"-Bridges

If you now go to Hebrews 1:3 it states: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Reread the verses you are looking at in this study and think on this: "If we are to trust God, we must learn to se that He is CONTINUOUSLY at work in EVERY aspect and EVERY moment of our lives. No one can act outside of God's sovereign will or against it. He either permits it to happen, or brings it about himself. He brings all events to their appointed end!" (Bridges)