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Selected Verse: Colossians 1:19 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Col 1:19 |
King James |
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Greek, "(God) was well pleased," &c.
in him--that is, in the Son (Mat 3:17).
all fulness--rather as Greek, "all the fulness," namely, of God, whatever divine excellence is in God the Father (Col 2:9; Eph 3:19; compare Joh 1:16; Joh 3:34). The Gnostics used the term "fulness," for the assemblage of emanations, or angelic powers, coming from God. The Spirit presciently by Paul warns the Church, that the true "fulness" dwells in Christ alone. This assigns the reason why Christ takes precedence of every creature (Col 1:15). For two reasons Christ is Lord of the Church: (1) Because the fulness of the divine attributes (Col 1:19) dwells in Him, and so He has the power to govern the universe; (2) Because (Col 1:20) what He has done for the Church gives Him the right to preside over it.
should . . . dwell--as in a temple (Joh 2:21). This indwelling of the Godhead in Christ is the foundation of the reconciliation by Him [BENGEL]. Hence the "and" (Col 1:20) connects as cause and effect the two things, the Godhead in Christ, and the reconciliation by Christ. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For it pleased the Father - The words "the Father" are not in the original, but they are not improperly supplied. Some word must be understood, and as the apostle in Col 1:12 referred to "the Father" as having a claim to the thanks of his people for what he had done, and as the great favor for which they ought to be thankful is that which he immediately specifies - the exaltation of Christ, it is not improper to suppose that this is the word to be understood here. The meaning is, that he chose to confer on his Son such a rank, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence, and that there might be in him "all fulness." Hence, by his appointment, he was the agent in creation, and hence he is placed over all things as the head of the church.
That in him should all fulness dwell - That in him there should be such dignity, authority, power, and moral excellence as to be fitted to the work of creating the world, redeeming his people, and supplying everything needful for their salvation. On the word "fullness," see Joh 1:14, note, 16, note; compare Rom 11:12, Rom 11:25; Gal 4:4; Eph 1:23; Eph 3:19; Col 2:9. This is to us a most precious truth. We have a Saviour who is in no respect deficient in wisdom, power, and grace to redeem and save us. There is nothing necessary to be done in our salvation which he is not qualified to do; there is nothing which we need to enable us to perform our duties, to meet temptation, and to bear trial, which he is not able to impart. In no situation of trouble and danger will the church find that there is a deficiency in him; in no enterprise to which she can put her hands will there be a lack of power in her great Head to enable her to accomplish what he calls her to. We may go to him in all our troubles, weaknesses temptations, and needs, and may be supplied from his fullness - just as, if we were thirsty, we might go to an ocean of pure water and drink. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell (ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι)
Εὐδοκέω to think it good, to be well pleased is used in the New Testament, both of divine and of human good-pleasure; but, in the former case, always of God the Father. So Mat 3:17; Luk 12:32; Co1 1:21. The subject of was well pleased, God, is omitted as in Jam 1:12, and must be supplied; so that, literally, the passage would read, God was well pleased that in Him, etc. Rev., it was the good pleasure of the Father. Fullness, Rev, correctly, the fullness. See on Rom 11:12; see on Joh 1:16. The word must be taken in its passive sense - that with which a thing is filled, not that which fills. The fullness denotes the sum-total of the divine powers and attributes. In Christ dwelt all the fullness of God as deity. The relation of essential deity to creation and redemption alike, is exhibited by John in the very beginning of his gospel, with which this passage should be compared. In John the order is: 1. The essential nature of Christ; 2. Creation; 3. Redemption. Here it is: 1. Redemption (Col 1:13); 2. Essential being of the Son (Col 1:15); 3. The Son as Creator (Col 1:16); 4. The Church, with Christ as its head (Col 1:18). Compare Co2 5:19; Eph 1:19, Eph 1:20, Eph 1:23. Paul does not add of the Godhead to the fullness, as in Col 2:9 since the word occurs in direct connection with those which describe Christ's essential nature, and it would seem not to have occurred to the apostle that it could be understood in any other sense than as an expression of the plenitude of the divine attributes and powers.
Thus the phrase in Him should all the fullness dwell gathers into a grand climax the previous statements - image of God, first-born of all creation, Creator, the eternally preexistent, the Head of the Church, the victor over death, first in all things. On this summit we pause, looking, like John, from Christ in His fullness of deity to the exhibition of that divine fullness in redemption consummated in heaven (Col 1:20-22).
There must also be taken into the account the selection of this word fullness with reference to the false teaching in the Colossian church, the errors which afterward were developed more distinctly in the Gnostic schools. Pleroma fullness was used by the Gnostic teachers in a technical sense, to express the sum-total of the divine powers and attributes. "From the pleroma they supposed that all those agencies issued through which God has at any time exerted His power in creation, or manifested His will through revelation. These mediatorial beings would retain more or less of its influence, according as they claimed direct parentage from it, or traced their descent through successive evolutions. But in all cases this pleroma was distributed, diluted, transformed, and darkened by foreign admixture. They were only partial and blurred images, often deceptive caricatures, of their original, broken lights of the great Central Light" (Lightfoot). Christ may have been ranked with these inferior images of the divine by the Colossian teachers. Hence the significance of the assertion that the totality of the divine dwells in Him.
Dwell (κατοικῆσαι)
Permanently. See on Luk 11:26. Compare the Septuagint usage of κατοικεῖν permanent dwelling, and παροικεῖν transient sojourning. Thus Gen 37:1, "Jacob dwelt (permanently, κατῴκει) in the land where his father sojourned (παρῷκησεν A.V., was a stranger). Perhaps in contrast with the partial and transient connection of the pleroma with Christ asserted by the false teachers. The word is used of the indwelling of the Father, Eph 2:22 (κατοικητήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ habitation of God); of the Son, Eph 3:17; and of the Spirit, Jam 4:5. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| For it pleased the Father that all fulness - All the fulness of God. Should dwell in him - Constantly, as in a temple; and always ready for our approach to him. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell - As the words, the Father are not in the text, some have translated the verse thus: For in him it seemed right that all fullness should dwell; that is, that the majesty, power, and goodness of God should be manifested in and by Christ Jesus, and thus by him the Father reconciles all things to himself. The πληρωμα, or fullness, must refer here to the Divine nature dwelling in the man Christ Jesus. |
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.