Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
[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?
Continue reading “Colossians 2:7c – What Paul Sees”…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.”
Continue reading “Colossians 2:7b – Strong Roots”… 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.
Continue reading “Colossians 2:7a – Roots & Fruit”