Colossians 1:25 - Exposition

Of which I became a minister ( 2 Corinthians 4:5 ; 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 ; 2 Corinthians 11:28 , 2 Corinthians 11:29 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 ; Acts 20:28 ; 1 Peter 5:1-4 ). His sufferings are, therefore, matter of duty, as well as of joy. As the Church's minister, he is bound to toil and to suffer in whatever way her welfare requires. Elsewhere he styles himself "minister of the gospel" ( Colossians 1:23 ; Ephesians 3:7 ), "of God," "of Christ," "of a new covenant" ( 2 Corinthians 3:6 ). (On "minister," see note, Colossians 1:7 . According to the stewardship of God, that was given me to you-ward ( Ephesians 3:1-13 ; 1 Corinthians 4:1-4 ; 1 Corinthians 9:17 ; 1 Timothy 1:4 , R.V.; 1 Timothy 3:15 ; Luke 12:42 ; Luke 16:2-4 ; Hebrews 3:2-6 ; 1 Peter 4:10 ). οἰκονομία ("economy") is first "house-management," then "administration" generally the οἰκόνομος ("house-steward") was a confidential upper servant, frequently a slave, who controlled the general arrangements of a large establishment, and was responsible immediately to the master. Such an office the apostle holds, along with others ( 1 Corinthians 4:1 ), in the Church, "the house of God" ( Ephesians 2:19-22 ; 1 Timothy 3:15 ; 2 Timothy 2:20 : this conception, like that of "the body of Christ"—comp. note on 2 Timothy 2:18 —is fully developed only in the later Epistles). In this office he "administers the gospel" ( 1 Corinthians 9:17 , 1 Corinthians 9:18 ), "the grace of God" ( Ephesians 3:2 ; 1 Peter 4:10 ), and here more especially "the mystery" of Colossians 1:26 , Colossians 1:27 (comp. Ephesians 3:9 , R.V.). In Ephesians 1:10 and Ephesians 3:2 , the οἰκονομία is referred to God himself, the supreme Dispenser in his own house. This office "was given" him, and specifically as "toward the Gentiles" (for "you" points to the Colossians as Gentiles, verses 24, 27, notes; Ephesians 3:1 , Ephesians 3:2 ; Romans 11:13 ), when he first became a servant of Christ ( Acts 9:15 ; Acts 22:21 ; Acts 26:16-18 ; Galatians 1:15 , Galatians 1:16 ; 1 Timothy 1:11-15 ; Romans 15:15 , Romans 15:16 ). Some interpreters connect "to you-ward" with the word "fulfil," but less suitably (comp. Ephesians 3:2 ; Romans 15:16 ). To fulfil the word of God ( Romans 15:16-19 ; Romans 16:25 , Romans 16:26 ). "To fulfil" (see Ephesians 3:9 , 24, and "fulness," Ephesians 3:19 ; also Colossians 2:9 , Colossians 2:10 ; Colossians 4:12 ) is either "to complete," to give full development and extension to the gospel message ( Ephesians 3:5 , Ephesians 3:6 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:1 ; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 ; Romans 15:19 ; Acts 20:20 , Acts 20:21 , Acts 20:27 ); or "to accomplish" the prophetic word ( Romans 9:24-26 ; — Romans 15:8-12 ; Acts 15:15-17 ), as in Acts 13:27 , and frequently in the Gospels. This verb πληρόω , however, is not used by St. Paul elsewhere in the latter sense, and the former precisely suits the context (compare parallels from Romans). Other interpretations—"to preach abundantly," "to continue Christ's preaching" ( Ephesians 2:17 ; Hebrews 2:3 ), "to execute the Divine commission"—miss the sense of the verb. The word which it is the object of the apostle's ministry to fulfil, and in regard to which he had a special stewardship, is none other than—