Paul’s View of Ministry, Col 1:24-25

(24) Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. (25) Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, (26) that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, (27) to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (28) We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. (29) For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. (Col 1:24-29)

Verses 15 through 23 of Colossians 1 conclude with, “and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.” This next section, which begins in verse 24 and extends through Chapter 2:3, will focus on Paul’s view of what ministry really is. It will focus on the attitude required for ministry, and Paul’s commission – preaching the Gospel.

Paul starts off verse 24 by talking about his suffering for the sake of the Church. His goal was to demonstrate how ministry was intended to be. The servants of God, especially the leaders of the church are not supposed to be like Jonah, bitter and resentful, but like Elijah, grateful and cheerful in whatever their circumstances. He continues in verse 25 with the scope of what ministry really is and is to be, a ministry for which the Holy Spirit has called each of us to play our part in our own unique way supporting those church leaders.

The Attitude Needed for Ministry: Rejoicing in Suffering

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. (1:24)

‘Now I rejoice’ (1:24a)

Definition: ‘rejoice’ – the Greek word, ‘chairō’ { khah'-ee-ro }, means ‘to enjoy a state of happiness and well-being, be glad.’
J.B. Lightfoot put it this way, “The thought underlying [the word ‘now’] seems to be this: ‘If ever I have been disposed to repine [feel or express dejection or discontent] at my lot, if ever I have felt my cross almost too heavy to bear, yet now—now, when I contemplate the lavish wealth of God’s mercy—now when I see all the glory of bearing a part in this magnificent work—my sorrow is turned to joy.’ ” [1]
Paul considered his sufferings to be the result of his position as an Apostle and his ministry of preaching the Gospel to all the Gentiles. And he rejoiced in any sufferings because he was fulfilling the commission that Christ Himself had given to him. Paul considered it an honor to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ and His gospel. Paul considered it an honor to suffer any afflictions for their sake. (Mt 5:11-12; Ac 5:41; Ro 5:3-5; 2 Cor 7:4; Php 2:17-18)
As any pastor, worship leader or teacher can attest, ministry is very challenging as well as demanding, but it was never intended to be a grueling and unbearable burden. Every Christian should have the same attitude as Paul’s.
The joy in the Christian life should be a natural part of our internal nature, and a natural part of our outward expression of life. That doesn’t mean we walk around with a fake, ‘plastered on’ smile. We should maintain a spirit of joy in all that Christ has done for us, even in the midst of our discouraging circumstances. In 2 Cor 4:8-9, Paul describes himself as “afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed [‘not sure which way to go’], but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” We need to constantly remind ourselves that God is always in control no matter how our outward circumstances may appear to us or others.
Humility is what generates joy in our lives. Our sin is rooted in selfish, self-centeredness. Most of us “deserve” better circumstances or treatment than we get. But focusing on ourselves, and our perceived injustices, only produces self-centeredness, which is the very thing that robs us of joy. Our focus must be centered on Christ, not our circumstances and not on ourselves.
Christian joy is a powerful testimony to the world. Unbelievers see our joy, bitterness, anger, and resentment – whatever we project. Joy draws curious people to us, people who want to know ‘why.’ Resentment, bitterness and anger pushes people away. Which do you want to be?

‘in my sufferings for your sake’ (1:24b)

Define: ‘sufferings’ – The Greek word, ‘pathema’ { path’-ay-mah }, which means ‘to be in pain, suffering, misfortune, calamity, evil, affliction.’
Define: ‘for’ – The Greek word, ‘huper’ { hoop-er ’}, which means ‘in behalf of, for the sake of, in the interest of.’ It does not mean ‘in the place of.’
Paul considered his sufferings to be for the Colossians' benefit so that they would be able to receive the gospel message and be reconciled to God. (ex. Act 13:44-14:20)
In this particular context, Paul was referring to his present imprisonment (see Act 28:16, 30). Paul always considered himself to be a prisoner of Christ Jesus (Eph 3:1; Phm 1, 9, 23; 2 Tim 1:8), and not of the Roman Empire.
“Christians are in a life and death struggle with Satan, the god of this world, and with his world system of demons and people who not only stand opposed to the light of the gospel, but who often engage in direct persecution against the messengers of the gospel. Believers, then, should never be surprised by suffering (1 Pet. 4:12); they have been appointed not only to believe in Christ, but to suffer for His sake (Php. 1:29). In fact, suffering is often an evidence of God’s righteous judgment to help prepare us for glory and eternal rewards (2 Th. 1:5). It is a means that God uses to enable us to comfort others (2 Cor. 1:5-6), and a tool that God often uses to advance the gospel message (cf. Php. 1:12-18). As Peter declares in 1 Peter 4:13, it is an honor to suffer for Christ and we are to rejoice and be glad in such suffering: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Pet. 4:12-13 ESV) To shrink back from suffering for Christ’s sake or because of persecution will always hinder the proclamation of the gospel.” [2]
It may seem quite odd to think of suffering as a cause for joy, but the NT identifies at least 5 reasons why this is true:

Suffering brings believers closer to Christ. As we see in Php 3:10 (“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings”), when it occurs as a result of preaching the Gospel, or just being a Christian, suffering helps us understand what Jesus went through on the Cross for us.
Suffering also assures believers that they belong to Christ.

John 15:18, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”
2 Tim 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
1 Pet 4:14, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Suffering brings future reward.

Rom 8:17, “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.” (NIV).
2 Cor 4:17, “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”

Suffering results in the salvation of others. Church history is full of accounts of those who came to Christ after watching the sufferings endured by Christians. Read “Foxes’ Book of Martyr’s.”
Suffering frustrates Satan. ‘How’ you say? Satan and his demons are working so that we view suffering as something that harms us, or that shows we are not walking with God. But God’s desire is to bring good out of it for our sake and those around us. [3]

‘and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church’ (1:24c) –

This message of ‘rejoicing in suffering’ was not meant only for the Colossians, or even just the Gentiles, but for the entire body of Christ. And Paul was not the only Apostle to write this. This is a universal message for all believers of all generations, that was preached by Jesus (Mat 5:12), Peter (1 Pet 1:6-9; 4:13), Paul (2 Cor 12:9-10; Col 1:24), and James (Jas 1:2-4) as well.

‘in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.’ (1:24d)

Definition: filling up – The Greek word, ‘antanaplēroō’ { an-tan-ap-lay-ro'-o }, and means to fill up, supplement, to make complete.
The meaning of this verse is the subject of a number of controversial doctrines and beliefs, and there is some debate as to what Paul was referring to here. However, there are some teachings concerning this text that are just flat wrong. So, let’s examine the beliefs and dispel several of the erroneous proposed understandings.

The most significant one is the medieval Catholic commentators that believed Paul was referring to the atonement and that Christians were able, as well as required, to continue the sufferings of Christ, to pay for sin, as if Christ’s death was not enough to pay for the sins of all mankind. This verse was the proof text for the doctrines of purgatory and indulgences. Some reformers, like John Calvin, reacted quite strongly against this suggestion (“Let, therefore, pious readers learn to hate and detest those profane sophists, who thus deliberately corrupt and adulterate the Scriptures, in order that they may give some color to their delusions.” [4]), as does Scripture. Paul has just finished demonstrating in Col 1:20-23 that it is Christ and Christ alone who is responsible for reconciling us to God. This meaning of the text is simply not possible, since it would contradict and completely undermine what he just finished saying. (Heb 7:27; 9:28; 10:10, 12; Luke 22:19-20; Act 20:28; 1 Pet 2:24)
Another understanding for this verse was that Paul was referring to the sufferings Jesus would have endured had He remained on earth. However, this meaning would appear to be imposed upon the verse since it does not read that way. Nor is there any other Scriptural support for such an understanding.
Another interesting, but incorrect interpretation defines “the afflictions of Christ” to mean the “sufferings given out to His people by Christ.” Again, this appears to be a meaning that is imposed upon the text, with no Scriptural support (2 Cor 1:4).
The last on our list of erroneous interpretations is that some commentators believed that Paul was referring to his sufferings as the afflictions of Christ, because they were similar in nature. However, Jesus’ sufferings were as Almighty God in human flesh to redeem all mankind from his sin, from Adam to His return in the clouds. So, although from a human perspective Paul’s afflictions appear similar (Rom 8:17, 1 Pet 4:13), they were nothing like Christ’s.

So, what does this verse really mean? Let’s start with a definition.

Definition: afflictions – The Greek word, ‘thlipsis’ { thlip’-sis }, means ‘a pressure, pressing together, and used metaphorically for oppression; affliction, tribulation, distress.’
Paul was not speaking about salvation but about service. Remember from our definition of ‘affliction’, the word means ‘distress, pressure, opposition,’ which refers to the trials in our life, not death.
The Bible speaks of two types of afflictions: The first are the sufferings that represent God’s judgment on sin, (Isa 53:4; Mat 24:29; Rom 2:9) and the second are the sufferings that identify us with Christ and bring about the purity of the believer (Rom 5:3-5; 2 Th 1:4-7). The second type of affliction is designed to perfect Christians and prepare them for greater service in God’s kingdom. The believer’s attitude through all affliction should be the same declaration as the apostle Paul’s, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:18) [5] This is what Paul is referring to.
There is a spiritual union that exists between the church, which is the body of Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself. So it should be no surprise that when the church suffers, Christ suffers with her. And, we need to remind ourselves that we are not talking about the Atonement in any way in this passage. What Jesus did on the cross was complete, and nothing needed to be added to that. However, He continues to suffer through His people, because whatever we feel, He feels. Just like with your own body, when you miss the nail and hit your finger with the hammer, your brain feels that pain. The same is true when we, like Paul, are persecuted for our faith: Jesus feels that pain. Even though Paul never directly persecuted Jesus, Jesus said to him, on the Damascus road, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Jesus was telling Paul that when you persecute My people, you persecute Me. So, when Paul wrote the Colossian letter, he knew exactly what it meant to be the persecuted, as well as the persecutor. As one commentator put it, “The thought so crushing to the persecutor had become balm and glory to the prisoner, — that every blow aimed at the servant falls on the Master, who stoops from amid the glory of the throne to declare that whatsoever is done, whether it be kindness or cruelty, to the least of His brethren, is done to Him.” [6]
If Paul had not preached the Gospel, he would not have been persecuted. And because he had faithfully preached the good news, he was persecuted, but that persecution had borne a tremendous amount of fruit. Not only had many people been saved as a result of his faithfulness, but we today have his precious prison letters, Colossians and Ephesians, which are a source of teaching and comfort. And there have been others who have followed in his footsteps with prison literature, like “Pilgrim’s Progress” and “Foxes’ Book of Martyrs”.
Paul starts this verse with “I rejoice” because he received something good from his sufferings. His desire was to do the will of God in all areas of his life, and he would willingly suffer anything required to bring the gospel to any that would receive it.
But it is not only Paul that benefits from his sufferings. Others around him, as well as believers today, benefited from his sufferings, because for every suffering borne for Christ and with Him, helps to bless the Church and the world. Had Paul not preached the Gospel where he was led, it is possible that Asia Minor would still be in darkness today. And how many of us would still be dead in our sins? (ex. “It’s a Wonderful Life”) The Church is built up by repeated acts of self-denial in successive individuals and successive generations.
There is a set time when Jesus will return in the clouds for His people. But until that time, the member’s of His Church are to be about His business, their service to Christ – preaching the Gospel to the unsaved. There will be suffering that the church will endure while accomplishing this task. That would make the suffering a set amount, a known quantity. When that cup is completely filled up, when all that are called are saved, the ‘afflictions’ which are ‘lacking’ will be ‘filled up.’
So, suffering, or afflictions, are common to all (Job 5:7; 14:1; Ps 34:19); and are for the good of mankind (Jas 1:2,3,12; 2 Cor 12:7); and bring glory to God (2 Cor 12:7-10; 1 Pet 4:14) and are to be borne with patience by the God’s people (Ps 94:12; Pr 3:12). [7]
One last point. It is easy to say that the next time I will ‘rejoice in my suffering.’ Most of us have to let years pass before we are able to see the blessings that came as a result of the afflictions we endured in the name of Christ, and how Jesus was with us every step of the way. Armed with this knowledge, we still find it extremely difficult to see that the sufferings we currently endure will hold the same blessings for us months or years from now. But if we seek to maintain a close communion with Jesus, we will learn to rejoice in our sufferings, little by little. Years will turn into months, and months into weeks, as we strip away our selfish exterior and become more Christ-like, we will see Jesus working through us in ways we cannot imagine.

The Scope of the Ministry

Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, (1:25)

‘Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God’ –

Define: ‘minister’ – The Greek word, ‘diakonos‘ { dee-ak’-on-os }, means ‘one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister.’
Paul was ‘made a minister.’ It was not a position that he sought for himself for any selfish reasons, or something that he volunteered for. Nor was he attempting to implement any personal agenda, or exercise his power over others – that he had already done as a Pharisee. And if that wasn’t enough, he didn’t even have the ability to choose. No, Paul received his apostolic appointment directly from God. (Rom 15:15-16) And unlike his days as a Pharisee, as an Apostle, Paul never sought glory for himself – he always sought to bring glory to God.
Define: ‘stewardship’ (dispensation – KJV) – As noted above, the Greek word, ‘oikonomia‘ { oy-kon-om-ee’-ah }, means ‘the management of a household or of household affairs; the office of a manager or overseer, stewardship.’ This is a position of great responsibility and trust that frees the owner to travel and pursue other interests, believing that his household affairs are being managed properly, honestly, and ethically.
“The key idea here is that Paul saw his calling as an apostle as a divinely appointed task, a commission, a stewardship bestowed on the apostle. On the one hand, he was a servant of the church, and on the other, and more importantly, he was a steward of God and accountable to Him first and foremost. It was a stewardship that was given to him—he did not earn it or deserve it; it was a ‘grace’ gift and a privilege given to Paul from God.” [8]
Concerning his divine appointment, God is sovereign in His calling of people to service, just as He is in His calling of people to salvation. (1 Cor 12:11)
In 1 Cor 9:16-17 Paul says, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.”
In 1 Tim 3:15 Paul calls the church the “household of God”. Paul felt entrusted with a job he did not ask for, but for which he did not want to fail. Paul tirelessly traveled and preached the word. He established churches, even overseeing many that he did not start.
In a sense, this verse explains the sufferings that Paul experienced on behalf of the church that we saw in verse 24 above.

‘bestowed on me for your benefit’ –

Define: ‘bestowed’ (given – KJV) – The Greek word, ‘didomi’ { did’-o-mee }, means ‘to give one something of one’s own accord, to his advantage; to give over to one’s care, intrust, commit.’
This was a gift that was given to Paul simply because God chose to do so. Paul didn’t do anything to earn this gift. Remember, Paul had persecuted believers, presiding over the murder of Stephen, and was on his way to Damascus to continue what he had started. Nor was this a gift that was given to him for his own benefit. This was a gift for Paul to use for the benefit of others, especially the Gentiles.
Paul never sought glory for himself. He remained humble, never forgetting his past, but not letting his past hinder the purpose for which God had called him.
Contrary to popular Christian teachings today, Spiritual gifts were given to use for the benefits of others, not for personal edification. As Peter wrote in 1 Pet 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (NIV)

‘so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God’ –

Define: ‘fully carry out’ (fulfill – KJV) – The Greek word, ‘pleroo’ { play-ro’-o }, means ‘to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full, to the top; to render full, i.e. to complete; to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out.’
“that I might fully carry out” – Paul was driven to fulfill the ministry that God had bestowed on him. In Acts 20:24, Paul says, “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” He considered the ministry that God had given him to be more important than his own life. It was both a mission and a mandate on his life that he continually sought to complete. It wasn’t enough to just preach the word to all that he encountered; he wanted that word to be effectual in their lives, he wanted it to change them.
“the preaching of the word of God” – In Acts 20:27, Paul calls it, “declaring … the whole purpose of God.” Paul set his mind to completely do the will of God in everything he did. He did not stray from that narrow purpose. It was his desire to preach the whole counsel of God to whomever God led him, never once shrinking from his duty or compromising the message. Wherever God led him, he went. (ex. Act 16:6-7)
Some translations make it sound as if it is all upon Paul, his responsibility to make sure that the gospel is ‘fully known.’ But as inspired by God, it already has the power to change the hearts and lives of those who simply read it. As N.T. Wright points out, “‘The word of God’ is, for Paul, a power let loose in the world, embodied in the true gospel message (see 1:6). It must be allowed to have its full effect, to be ‘fulfilled’ in that sense.” [9] Paul understood that it wasn't about him, that it wasn’t about his abilities. His calling was to be faithful to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; it was God’s place to draw the hearts of those that heard the Gospel to Himself. Paul’s commission was to fully carry out that task – to preach the Gospel to all the Gentiles he encountered on his travels. Paul was not responsible for whether they accepted that message. His job was to be faithful to his calling.
As with Paul, we are not called to win the entire world to Christ. God has given each of us a limited sphere of influence. The same was true of Jesus, who limited His ministry in the following ways: [10]

God’s Will – John 5:30, He says, “I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” We should never be about empire building.
God’s Timing – the gospel of John repeatedly speaks of Jesus’ hour as not having come yet (cf. 2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:27; 13:1; 17:1). He refused to do anything until the right time.
God’s Objective – Mat 15:24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Jesus knew that God had not sent Him to reach the entire world in three short years.
God’s Kingdom – Jesus refused to be drawn into political controversies of His day (cf. Mat 22:21). He kept the political and spiritual realms separate, a lesson the contemporary church seems to have lost.
God’s People – He realized that He could only pour His life into a few men, 12. And of the 12, He spent most time with only three: Peter, James and John.

(24) Now I rejoice [to be glad, to enjoy a state of happiness] in my sufferings [calamity, evil, affliction] for your sake [on your behalf], and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up [supplementing, making complete] what is lacking [deficient] in Christ’s afflictions [tribulation, distress]. (25) Of this church I was made a minister [a servant, one who executes the commands of another] according to the stewardship [the management of another’s household affairs] from God bestowed [entrusted, committed, given of one’s own accord] on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out [to complete, to accomplish] the preaching of the word of God, (Col 1:24-25)

Footnotes

[1] J. B. Lightfoot’s Commentary on Colossians, p/o the Online Bible, Computer Program, © 1987-2005.
[2] J. Hampton Keathley III, Paul’s Letter to the Colossians: An Exegetical and Devotional Commentary, 10. The Supremacy of the Work of Christ Part 3, The Propagation of Christ’s Work (Col. 1:24-2:3).
[3] The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, p 75.
[4] John Calvin’s Commentary on Colossians, p/o the Online Bible, Computer Program, © 1987-2005.
[5] Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, p/o the Online Bible, Computer Program, © 1987-2005.
[6] Expositor's Bible Commentary, p/o the Online Bible, Computer Program, © 1987-2005.
[7] Easton Bible Dictionary, p/o the Online Bible, Computer Program, © 1987-2005.
[8] J. Hampton Keathley III, Paul’s Letter to the Colossians: An Exegetical and Devotional Commentary, 10. The Supremacy of the Work of Christ Part 3, The Propagation of Christ’s Work (Col. 1:24-2:3).
[9] N. T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 12, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 95, p/o Logos Bible Software, Faithlife, LLC, © 2023.
[10] The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, p 77.

The primary sources for this study use J. Hampton Keathley III, Paul’s Letter to the Colossians: An Exegetical and Devotional Commentary, from bible.org, Copyright ©1996-2020 Bible.org, and all attributions are reprinted with permission granted by bible.org, and John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, (Moody Bible Institute: ©1992).

This study uses many of the commentaries, dictionaries and the Greek Lexicon which are all part of 'The Online Bible', Computer Program, © 2023, Larry Pierce, http://www.onlinebible.net/, unless otherwise referenced. See Greetings and Thanksgiving, Colossians 1:1-4 for full attribution.

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), p/o Logos Bible Software, Faithlife, LLC, © 2023.

All Scriptures quotes are from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 Revision, unless otherwise noted. Verse links from Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/

Search This Blog

shadmans Musings