Colossians 2:2-3 WEL That their hearts may be comforted by being knit together in love and into the all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, into the full knowledge of the mystery of the God, even of Father and of the Christ 3 In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Definitions
B1 Assurance
C1 The Greek word is πληροφορία plērophoría.
C2 It means full assurance and confidence.
C3 Two examples of the same word
D1 Hebrews 10:22 ISV let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
D2 1 Thessalonians 1:5 NLT For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.
C3 Example
D1 We have faith that Jesus is the Messiah. This is most reasonable.
D2 We have faith, we believe, that Jesus will return for us. This is most reasonable.
D3 We have hope that this will happen—maybe, even today. This is reasonable.
D4 We have assurance from the character, teaching, and life of Jesus.
E1 That what He told us is the truth (authenticated by the miracles He did in His earthly ministry).
E2 That His promises are true.
E3 This is the solid ground we can stand on. It is the proof (most reasonably so) of what He taught. We can rest. We can have peace. We have the full assurance of understanding. It is not hidden. It is revealed.
B2 Understanding
C1 The Greek word is σύνεσις sýnesis.
C2 It means full understanding, that is, not just the facts but why—the principles of why the facts work a certain way. It is usually used as spiritual insight. See Mounce here and Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Copyright © 2006 by William D. Mounce.
C3 Two example of the same word.
D1 Luke 2:47 EMTV And those who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers.
D2 2 Timothy 2:7 GNB Think about what I am saying, because the Lord will enable you to understand it all.
C4 Paul wants them to have a solid faith based on truth and the revealed teaching about Jesus and what Jesus taught in His ministry. It is not hidden. Compare: Luke 10:21 NLT At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
B3 Full knowledge
C1 The Greek word is ἐπίγνωσις epígnōsis.
C2 It means precise and correct knowledge (Thayer), acquaintance, discernment, recognition (Abbott-Smith).
C3 Two examples of the same word.
D1 Philippians 1:9 LSV and this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge, and all discernment. Robertson comments on this
May abound (περισσευηι — perisseuēi). Present active subjunctive of περισσευω — perisseuō may keep on overflowing, a perpetual flood of love, “yet more and more” (ετι μαλλον και μαλλον — eti mallon kai mallon), but with necessary limitations (river banks), “in knowledge” (εν επιγνωσει — en epignōsei in full knowledge) “and all discernment” (πασηι αιστησει — pāsēi aisthēsei). The delicate spiritual perception (αιστησις — aisthēsis old word from αιστανομαι — aisthanomai only here in N.T. as the verb only in Luke 9:45 in N.T.) can be cultivated as in αιστητηριον — aisthētērion (Hebrews 5:14)
D2 2 Timothy 3:7 ESV always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
C4 Paul wants them (and us) to have full knowledge about God, even the Father and the Son. This would be God’s character traits, worldview, lifestyle, plans, rules, etc. We can know.
B4 Mystery
C1 The Greek word is μυστήριον mystḗrion.
C2 It means things that are hidden as thoughts, plans, knowledge. For, the natural human cannot know these things about God without God initiating it. It is why Jesus came into the world.
C3 Two uses of the word:
D1 Matthew 13:11 NIV He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
D2 1 Corinthians 2:6-9 NLT Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God--his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
B5 Wisdom
C1 The Greek word is σοφία sophía.
C2 It means σοφία (sophia), GK 5053 (S 4678), 51x. sophia is a word meaning “wisdom.” It denotes the capacity to not only understand something (Acts 7:22) but also to act accordingly (Col 1:9; 4:5). It is the latter that separates wisdom from knowledge. (Mounce)
C3 Two examples of its use.
D1 Natural human wisdom: Acts 7:22 NLT Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in both speech and action.
D2 Colossians 1:9 NLT So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.
B6 Knowledge
C1 The Greek word is γνῶσις gnōsis.
C2 It means knowledge, that is, knowing facts.
C3 Two examples of the word.
D1 Only God has perfect knowledge. We can know if we study the Bible and ask Him. Romans 11:33 GNB How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways?
D2 Concerning Jesus: Philippians 3:8-9 GNB Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith.
B7 The difference between knowledge and wisdom is this. Knowledge is a list of the facts. Wisdom is how to use the facts to build, teach, live, etc. There is human wisdom, which will be destroyed, and God’s wisdom, which is eternal. God has complete and perfect knowledge (omniscience) and wisdom (omnisapience).
Some thoughts
B1 Paul fears that the Colossian believers will be swayed by the false views of the Gnostics and other esoteric teachers.
C1 Fears that they might be swayed by the false promises of secret wisdom that only their few teachers have.
C2 Fears that they might be swayed by the false promise, “Come and join us to learn the true wisdom that can only be learned by listening to our teachers.”
C3 What we need to learn is that there are still this type of teachers.
D1 “You cannot learn the true interpretation of Scripture unless you join us, listen to our teachers, and buy our books.”
D2 “You cannot learn by studying on your own.”
D3 “You must be passive, in the silence, bypassing your brain, seeking the presence of God who will give you true knowledge and guide. You cannot get this from a book [that is the Bible, what they term is the old manna], you have to listen to our teachers and get the fresh manna directly from God.”
B2 Paul teaches these believers and us that we CAN know the mystery of God, even of Father and the Messiah. It is not hidden. It is revealed. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 EMTV All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be proficient, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.
B3 From Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament: This Christ is now described as the One "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." This statement contains two thoughts. (1) All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. The false teachers claimed to have, through their relation with a supposed hierarchy of supernatural beings, a higher knowledge than that possessed by ordinary believers. Against this, Paul argues that all wisdom and knowledge are in Christ and that their treasures are accessible to every believer. (2) The treasures of wisdom are in Christ in a hidden way. "Hidden" does not, however, mean that they are concealed but rather that they are laid up or stored away as a treasure.
We can have confidence of what we read and learn from the Scriptures in its plain, normal sense can lead us to live a richer Christian life having the worldview, lifestyle, and attitudes that please our Lord Jesus.
