Colossians chapter 1

vs 21

I think it's interesting that 'evil behaviour' causes us to be enemies 'in our minds' - there's a crossover of mind/body dualism if ever I saw one.

But what exactly does 'enemies in our minds' mean? The most simple reading would seem to be that we only thought we were enemies of God. But we know that we really were enemies of God. So I assume that Paul means 'hostile in mind' (NASB) - that we had a mind that was hostile towards God.

vs 22

Christ's physical body - so it really was a physical death of an actual person. Which to me seems that sin has a physical death component. Anyway, this act has caused us to be reconciled and made holy.

vs 23

But it is conditional on a firm faith in the gospel. And not just any gospel - Paul goes to the length of pointing out that it must be the gospel they heard from him!

vs 24

Interesting that the NIV has suffered in the past tense, whereas the TNIV changes it to the present tense. The NIV also doesn't specify that they were Paul's sufferings, although all my other translations do.

This verse is important, because in it Paul is pointing out, more clearly than anywhere else in the Bible, that Christ's sufferings were lacking in one regard for the salvation of all by the gospel Paul preached. It is something that Paul is able to take up in his own body.

vs 25

Here it is. It is the service of presenting the gospel to all people. Which includes the Colossians.

vs 26

Paul says this mystery has been hidden, but it hasn't, not really. The OT was fairly open about it, but it wasn't until now really that the emphasis has been put on it. To Paul, it is now time to fulfil this mystery.

This mystery of the gospel is a fairly common theme throughout Paul's books, and it pretty much always means the same thing.

vs 27

The mystery is pretty much always tied up in Christ and ministry to the gentiles. The exact reading of this passage makes the mystery about Christ's indwelling in the Christian, but its involvement with gentiles is equally mysterious. If you like, it is a mystery within a mystery. And both now have been revealed, because Paul's ministry isn't to keep things mysterious, but to make them known.

vs 28

This is a great summary of P&T's ministry. What they do, how they do it, and to what end.

vs 29

And even though Paul acknowledges that it is the power of Christ which works in him so powerfully, he still notes that it is a strenuous work that he does. God's power doesn't make our works easy, it makes them possible.