Jeff Englund

December 21, 2024December 20, 2024

Colossians 2:10b – Those With Power

He is the head over every power and authority.

Summary: The fact that Jesus is head over “powers and authorities” does not mean that every ruler obeys their Maker.

It is no surprise that Paul has been talking about Jesus. It is Jesus (the Christ) whom we have received as Lord. It is in Jesus that we live our lives, and it is in Jesus that we are rooted and built up (Colossians 2:6-7).

This same Jesus is the one we have been taught about and in whom we place our faith. Knowing Jesus fills us with gratitude, and we overflow with thankfulness (ibid).

Jesus Christ is the “fullness of the Deity (God)” in the flesh. When we place our faith in him, we, too, are “brought to fullness” and filled with God’s Light (John 8:12).

Oh, and one more thing…

“He [Jesus] is the head over every power and authority.”

Knowing the world as we do, and understanding how corrupt many “authorities” are, how do we make sense of this?

Let’s imagine for a moment that you have been promoted and, for a short period of time, will be “head over every power and authority.” Your new office is on top of a distant mountain in a secret location. You have a direct line to every “power and authority,” but…

… you cannot force people to answer their phones or even respond.

Ultimately, you can fire those who go against your instructions. If their behavior is bad enough, you can put them in prison (or worse). The one thing you cannot do is be with each person at every moment, telling them what to do and ensuring they obey.

Sitting in your office atop the mountain, it begins to snow. You look out over the world below—the cities and nations that make up the different regions. Reports come in describing what is happening in each area. In some places, your people are treated well, and your leaders are doing your will. In others, sadly—seemingly in most—you are being ignored.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”* And so, the people you rule over tend to be corrupted by the very power they have been given to rule over others.

What do you do?

Jesus knows that there are bigger issues at stake than mere obedience for the sake of obedience. His concern is not so much for his reputation or authority, but for those who believe in him and place their faith in him (see Matthew 13:24-30).

The mountaintop Jesus sits on is much higher, and his view encompasses not just the places of the world but every soul that has ever existed on it. It is the salvation of these souls that is important to him. The temporary rulers we see in power on earth will ultimately be called to account. God bless those who have obeyed Jesus, and heaven help those who have not.

Application: Trust Jesus. He knows what he is doing.

Food for Thought: Why do rulers with power and authority get to have free will just like the rest of us?

*Lord Acton, circa 1887 (Different kind of “Lord.”)

Please click ‘’Continue Reading” for comments.

December 20, 2024December 20, 2024

Colossians 2:10a – Brought to Fullness

…and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.

Summary: Being brought to fullness in Christ is like going to the spiritual candy store and getting to eat all you want.

Paul begins his sentence with the words, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form …” and ends them with today’s passage, “…and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.”

Have you ever seen a fountain where water flows into a bowl and then overflows into another bowl? Sometimes, there will be three bowls, each flowing into the other.

The picture Paul’s words paint is similar to the fountain. The fullness of God flows into Christ, and Christ flows into those who believe in him.

December 19, 2024December 19, 2024

Colossians 2:9 – Full of Jesus

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form …

Summary: Sometimes we have to experience something to know what it is. When it comes to understanding the spiritual reality of Jesus, tasting is believing.

It is interesting how God’s Spirit weaves patterns in the fabric of our lives (John 3:8). Today, before writing this meditation, I was at a Bible Study discussing a similar question. In this passage, Paul writes:

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

The last part of his sentence reads, “… attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

December 18, 2024December 18, 2024

Colossians 2:8d – The Path to Unity

…rather than on Christ.

Summary: As we come to the end of this verse, Paul points us, once again, to the only one who can save us: Jesus.

Wait a minute! How did we get here again?

Let’s review:

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

In this one sentence, Paul has outlined a major threat to those of us who believe in Jesus. A “hollow and deceptive philosophy” is a persuasive argument that looks substantial on the outside but inside is empty, void of any real value.

December 17, 2024December 17, 2024

Colossians 2:8c – Spiritual Dangers

…and the elemental spiritual forces of this world…

Summary: With three simple words the NIV translation of Paul’s letter transports us into the realm of the unknown. As we ponder what Paul means, we find a warning against pagan beliefs.

Whenever I read this passage, I stop and pause when I get to the phrase “elemental spiritual forces.” The wording is very unusual. The idea of “elemental spiritual forces” intrigues me, and I find myself wondering what Paul is talking about.

December 16, 2024December 16, 2024

Colossians 2:8b – A Touchy Subject

… which depends on human tradition …

Summary: This passage continues Paul’s thoughts on protecting the church from “hollow and deceptive philosophy.” The challenging part is trying to figure out what he is talking about.

In this passage, Paul explains a bit more about the “hollow and deceptive” philosophies that he has in mind. Here, he adds that they depend on “human tradition.” Interestingly, the word Paul uses for “tradition” has a particular meaning in Greek.

“Parádosis” is the Greek word for “a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law:—ordinance, tradition” (Strong’s G3862). It appears that he was thinking of the Jewish believers who insisted that circumcision was still necessary for salvation (See Galatians 2:12 and Titus 1:10).

December 14, 2024December 15, 2024

Colossians 2:8a – A Can of Worms

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy …

Summary: In this passage Paul cautions believers against teachings and philosophies that distract from the heart of the gospel.

Paul opens up a can of worms with this passage. “Why?” you ask. Because, Dear Reader, someone has to decide what a “hollow and deceptive philosophy” is.

The Bible is generally acknowledged as the principal authoritative document for all of Christianity. Even so, people find things to argue about. Sometimes it feels like the more we have to argue about, the happier we are as Christians!

December 13, 2024December 13, 2024

Colossians 2:7c – What Paul Sees

[continue to live your lives in him]… and overflowing with thankfulness.

Summary: Understanding why Christians should be thankful requires understanding the fundamentals of what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul expects us to be thankful.

This is a theme that comes up often in his writing. In this instance, he connects our life in Christ to thankfulness.

Why?

Why should we be thankful?

December 12, 2024December 13, 2024

Colossians 2:7b – Strong Roots

…strengthened in the faith as you were taught …

Summary: Sometimes it helps to look at other translations when studying a verse. In this passage, the use of the ESV translations sheds new light on the meaning of Paul’s words.

For this section of the text, let’s switch it up a little and look at another translation:

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7, ESV)

Notice how the ESV handles Paul’s use of “bebaioō” (Strong’s G950). Instead of saying we should be “strengthened in the faith,” the ESV uses the phrase, “established in the faith.”

December 11, 2024December 12, 2024

Colossians 2:7a – Roots & Fruit

… rooted and built up in him …

Summary: As Paul continues his thought about living our lives in Christ, he leans on metaphors that have a rich history in the Bible.

Paul is writing about the Christian life. He begins by saying, “just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him…” And then he adds, “rooted and built up in him.”

Essentially, Paul is mixing metaphors here. To be “rooted” is a reference to a metaphor used to describe life in Christ as being part of a plant (John 15:1-8). All plants have roots. It is the root that anchors the plant in the soil while at the same time pulling life-giving water and nutrients from the soil.