Colossians 2:7 - Exposition

Rooted and builded up in him ( Colossians 1:23 ; Colossians 2:5 ; Ephesians 2:20 , Ephesians 2:21 ; Ephesians 3:18 ; Ephesians 4:16 ; 1 Corinthians 3:9-12 ; Jud 1 Corinthians 1:20 ; Luke 6:47 , Luke 6:48 ). "Rooted" is perfect participle, in, plying an abiding fact ("fast rooted"); while "builded up" (literally, upon or unto ) is in the present tense of a continued process, the prefix ἐπὶ also implying growth and gain ( Colossians 1:6 , Colossians 1:10 ; Colossians 2:19 ). Meyer and Ellicott view ἐν αὐτῷ as a mere complement of the latter participle: "being builded in him." This weakens the force of both prepositions ( ἐπὶ and ἐν ), and the emphasis of the repeated "in him." The ideas of planting and building are similarly combined in 1 Corinthians 3:9 ; Ephesians 3:18 ; and rooted is a figure applied to buildings in ether Greek writers (Lightfoot). "Christ is the ground for the roots below, and the foundation for the building above" (Meyer). And stablished in (or, by) your faith, according as ye were taught ( Colossians 1:5-7 , Colossians 1:23 ; 1 Corinthians 1:6-8 ; 1 Thessalonians 3:2 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 ; 1 Peter 5:9 , 1 Peter 5:10 ). ἑν before πίστει ("faith") is struck out in the Revised Text, and is probably a correct gloss. The instrumental dative, preferred by Meyer and Lightfoot, does not accord so well with Ephesians 3:5 and Colossians 1:23 (comp. Philippians 1:27 ; 1 Corinthians 16:13 ; 1 Timothy 5:8 ; 2 Timothy 4:7 ; 1 Peter 5:9 ). "Stablished" ( βεβαιούμενοι , being kept firm ) is present in tense, like "builded up" ( Colossians 1:6 , see note): comp. Romans 4:16 ; Philippians 1:7 ; Hebrews 3:6 ; Hebrews 6:19 ; Hebrews 13:9 ; and distinguish from στηρίζω , to make stable, fix firmly. In "as ye were taught" the apostle reminds his readers again of their first lessons in the gospel ( Colossians 1:5-7 , see notes; 2 Thessalonians 2:15 ). Abounding in it, with thanksgiving; or, abounding in thanksgiving ( Colossians 1:3 , Colossians 1:12 ; Colossians 3:15 , Colossians 3:17 ; Colossians 4:2 ; Ephesians 5:4 , Ephesians 5:20 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ; Hebrews 13:15 ). The Revisers relegate "in it (your faith)" to the margin, following the judgment of Tischendorf and Tregelles; while Westcott and Hort, Alford, Ellicott, Lightfoot, retain the words in the text. The reading "in him," found in the Vulgate and leading Western documents, throws doubt on these words; but it is difficult to see why they should have been inserted if not authentic, and they might easily be confused by a copyist with the foregoing "in him." The second ἐν , if ἐν αὐτῇ be retained, becomes ἐν of accompaniment, and may be rendered "with," as in Colossians 1:29 ; Ephesians 6:2 . (On "thanksgiving," see note, Colossians 1:12 .)