chivalry |ˈ sh ivəlrē| – noun• the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, esp. courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak.

A little girl (maybe 5 years old or so) told me that the strongest knights, don’t walk around in heavy metal armor.  She said that the strong knights’ armor is soft and nice to touch…like rose petals.  This was so that all of the children could climb onto the lap of the really strong knight and be happy feeling the soft rose petals as they played.

She also told me that these knights don’t have swords, but instead have spatulas which are much better for giving out warm chocolate chip cookies straight from the baking tin to everyone around.  Sometimes they even give out milk along with the light brown cookies just out of the oven (everyone knows that cookies out of the oven are fun for kids because they’re soft and gooey and are best had with cold milk).

Another thing that this little girl told me was that these knights love having animals around them.  Not big horses or scary animals.  But fun ones like small dogs and cats.  “Yes” she said, these are the best friends for the knights.

Then all at once, this small girl’s face became intensely thoughtful.  She told me that the sad thing was that many people don’t even see these knights.  They’re around, she assured me, but sometimes grownups work all day, and don’t see the knights.

“Oh yes, the knights that I’ve seen are the strongest knights ever, that’s why their armor is made of rose petals” she said as her face lit up once more by her smile.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.      — Colossians 3:12

Happy Birthday, Jim.  You’re our postmodern knight and we love you.

13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Begins what some have referred to as the ‘Christ Hymn…’ It really paints a picture of Jesus and how we will be ‘rescued’ and ‘transferred into the kingdom,’ into God’s presence as the Israelites were rescued in Exodus.

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Any thoughts on the word redemption?
• Defined as “deliverance upon payment of ransom.”
• First instance of redeem, Exodus 6

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

Begins a number of references to creation and how Jesus is the image of God…one with Him…first.

16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers — all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

Reminded me of Eden where God walked with the Eve and Adam.

20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him –

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m still hooked on the creation story in Genesis. What I thought here was that even though we can become consumed by ourselves so much so that all we see is what is wrong with us and how we need to run and hide from God, God reconciled all things by giving Jesus to the world as an ultimate act of love and sacrifice and making The Way available for us to travel back home toward God. Provided…v.23

23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.

James 1:2-4 My brothers and sisters,1 whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. Willingly suffering for the sake of Christ’s body…the church.

How willing are we to suffer for the sake of the church? What does that look like today? Do we need to know that our suffering for the church is worth while by seeing the results of our suffering? Did Paul?

25 I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

To make The Word fully known regardless of any afflictions, prison, persecution, etc.

26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.

Mystery…thoughts on the mystery? What is the mystery? How has it been revealed?

Timothy 3:16 Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.

Romans 16:25-27 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith — to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom1 be the glory forever! Amen.

27 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.
28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
29 For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within.

For reasons outside of himself, Paul ‘toils, struggles and suffers.’ And it is Jesus as ‘The Word’ and ‘The Way’ that is the source of Paul’s energy and inspiration…it is Jesus that fuels his passion to continue to communicate faith, hope and love to others–even those he’d never met.

© 2005 ginny rogers

Strongest literary ties to Ephesians

• Shares expressions (“Fullness of God,” Col 1.19; 2.9; Eph 1.23; 3.19)
• Shares concepts (Christ’s authority over rival powers, Col 2.10; Eph 1.21-22)
• Tables of household admonitions (Col 3.18-4.1; Eph 5.21-6.9)

NRS Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters1 in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

Right away, the apostle Paul, establishes a ‘family’ setting; community.

3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

This greeting is really similar to Romans, 2 Cor, Eph, Philippians, 1 Thes, Philemon.

4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel

Paul had heard of their faith, hope and love from Epaphras…heard of the hope previously in the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ…check out 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

6 that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.

Here, I’m thinking about the Gospel bearing fruit and ‘growing’ in the whole world…the church in Colossae has also been bearing fruit as they have heard and responded to the Message. The church in Colossae is an important part of the movement of the Spirit throughout the world; connected with the rest of the world as they are bearing fruit. In order for a tree to bear fruit, it needs to have…

• Well-established roots in good soil (like in the parable of the sower in Mark 4:3)
• Time to allow the tree’s roots to be established. (in this case, the use of ‘before’ indicates that some time has passed for the word of truth to be established.)
• Plenty of water for nourishment, ‘living water’ as John 4:10 refers to Jesus
• Plenty of light in order for it to grow and prosper (Matthew 5:16, Mark 4:21-22)

With fruit, comes the seeds to plant more so that more will grow and bear fruit.

7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,

Interesting…beloved fellow servant is compared to a faithful minister.

8 and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit. (transition)

Their faith, hope and love had been communicated to others by Epaphras and what has been said about their church, community, has encouraged others in the faith to pray…unceasingly…for them so that they will continue to grow in the knowledge of God and to continue to bear fruit.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.
11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully

Verse 9 “filled with knowledge,” “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” The knowledge of God’s will lead to the people of Colossae’s strength so that they can endure whatever lies ahead…whatever they may face.

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

This verse seems to wrap up this section of Colossians with a reference back to family and community with the use of Father, inheritance and saints as in verse 2.

© 2005 ginny rogers