Colossians 1:24–29

Paul confesses that he rejoices in the tribulations which he suffers, because he sees growth in the faith of believers. Thus his suffering is not empty, when by what he suffers he adds to his life. He claims that these sufferings are joined to those of Christ, whose teaching they follow. .

And when as a preacher of Christ he was now suffering from others what he had done himself as a persecutor, "that I may fill up," he said, "in my flesh what is lacking from the afflictions of Christ"; thus showing that what he was suffering was part and parcel of the afflictions of Christ. That can't be understood of the head, which now in heaven is not suffering any such thing; but of the body, that is, the church; the body, which with its head is the one Christ.

In regard to this is that which in another place the very same apostle says: "I now rejoice in sufferings for you, and I fill up those things which are wanting of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh." He did not say "of the afflictions of me" but "of Christ," because he was a member of Christ and in his persecutions, such as it was necessary for Christ to suffer in his whole body, even Paul was filling up Christ's afflictions in Paul's own portion. .

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body's sake, which is the Church." And what is the connection of this? It seems indeed not to be connected, but it is even closely so. And "minister," he says, that is, bringing in nothing from myself, but announcing what is from another. I so believe, that I suffer even for His sake, and not suffer only, but even rejoice in suffering, looking unto the hope which is to come, and I suffer not for myself, but for you. "And fill up," he saith, "that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh." It seems indeed to be a great thing he has said; but it is not of arrogancy, far be it, but even of much tender love towards Christ; for he will not have the sufferings to be his own, but His, through desire of conciliating these persons to Him. And what things I suffer, I suffer, he saith, on His account: not to me, therefore, express your gratitude, but to him, for it is He Himself who suffers. Just as if one, when sent to a person, should make request to another, saying, I beseech thee, go for me to this person, then the other should say, "it is on his account I am doing it." So that He is not ashamed to call these sufferings also his own. For He did not only die for us, but even after His death He is ready to be afflicted for your sakes. He is eagerly and vehemently set upon showing that He is even now exposed to peril in His own Body for the Church's sake, and he aims at this point, namely, ye are not brought unto God by us, but by Him, even though we do these things, for we have not undertaken a work of our own, but His. And it is the same as if there were a band which had its allotted leader to protect it, and it should stand in battle, and then when he was gone, his lieutenant should succeed to his wounds until the battle were brought to a close.

Next, that for His sake also he doeth these things, hearken: "For His Body's sake," he saith, assuredly meaning to say this: "I pleasure not you, but Christ: for what things He should have suffered, I suffer instead of Him." See how many things he establishes. Great, he shows, is the claim upon their love. As in his second Epistle to the Corinthians, he wrote, saying, "he committed unto us the ministry of reconciliation"; and again, "We are ambassadors on behalf of Christ; as though God were entreating by us." So also here he saith, "For his sake I suffer," that he may the more draw them to Him. That is, though He who is your debtor is gone away, yet I repay. For, on this account he also said, "that which is lacking," to show that not even yet does he consider Him to have suffered all. "For your sake," he saith, and even after His death He suffers; seeing that still there remains a deficiency. The same thing he doeth in another way in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, "Who also maketh intercession for us," showing that He was not satisfied with His death alone, but even afterwards He doeth countless things.

He does not then say this to exalt himself, but through a desire to show that Christ is even yet caring for them. And he shows what he says to be credible, by adding, "for His Body's sake." For that so it is, and that there is no unlikelihood in it, is plain from these things being done for His body's sake. Look how He hath knitted us unto Himself. Why then introduce Angels between? "Whereof I was made," he saith, "a minister." Why introduce Angels besides? "I am a minister."

I fulfill what is lacking in the tribulations of Christ through my suffering, which is on your behalf. How so? Because in order to preach to you, I have had to suffer. Since Christ is the head of the body, tribulation will be generated through the word of truth for those who are in the church. These are naturally called the sufferings of Christ. .

As, however, he says elsewhere, that the Church is the body of Christ, so here also (the apostle) declares that he "fills up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh for His body's sake, which is the Church." But you must not on this account suppose that on every mention of His body the term is only a metaphor, instead of meaning real flesh.

Although it might seem inconsistent, it is actually very consistent. After he said: I was a minister of the gospel, from which I implore you not to fall away, he now shows that it is so true that I even suffer for it – and not only suffer, but also rejoice in these sufferings. And these sufferings are for you, in order to bring you benefit.

It would seem that this statement is vain and foolish, but no, on the contrary, it is full of great love for Christ. For he wishes to convince them that Christ even now still suffers for them, and that it is not through us, the apostles, that you come to God, but through Christ, albeit through our mediation (καν ημείς εν τω μέσω ώμεν). So then, what are you doing, falling away from the One who even after His death undergoes dangers for you? The meaning of his words is this: if Christ still had to suffer for you but departed and did not pay this debt, then I fulfill His debt, just as in the absence of a commander his assistant, protecting the army and occupying the commander's place, would receive wounds instead of him. For this reason he said "what is lacking" (υστέρημα), to show that, in his opinion, He has not yet endured everything. He loves us so much that even after His death, as though the former sufferings were not sufficient, He suffers in my body; for He was not content with His own death, but still performs countless acts of beneficence. Thus Paul says this not to exalt himself, but out of a desire to show that Christ even now still cares for them.

Having said that although I too suffer, but in reality these are the sufferings of Christ, he lends credibility to these words by saying that these sufferings also occur for the sake of His body. Therefore, do not consider these words boasting, but believe that He Who did not disdain to unite the Church with Himself, even now still suffers for her sake in my flesh. But if the Church is the Body of Christ and is one with Him as the Head, how then do you place angels between yourselves and thereby tear apart the unity?

He is a faithful minister. This is obvious, because he does not run away from the dangers involved in his preaching. First, he shows his attitude toward his sufferings; secondly, the fruit of his suffering (v. 24b). His attitude was one of joy, because Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, that is, for your benefit: "If we are afflicted it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer" (2 Cor 1:6). He also rejoices because of the joy of eternal life which he expects from them, and which is the fruit of his ministry: "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testimony of your faith produces steadfastness" (Jas 1:2), "Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all" (Phil 2:17).

And along with the above there is the fruit that in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. At first glance these words can be misunderstood to mean that the passion of Christ was not sufficient for our redemption, and that the sufferings of the saints were added to complete it. But this is heretical, because the blood of Christ is sufficient to redeem many worlds: "He is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 Jn 2:2). Rather, we should understand that Christ and the Church are one mystical person, whose head is Christ, and whose body is all the just, for every just person is a member of this head: "individually members" (1 Cor 12:27). Now God in his predestination has arranged how much merit will exist throughout the entire Church, both in the head and in the members, just as he has predestined the number of the elect. And among these merits, the sufferings of the holy martyrs occupy a prominent place. For while the merits of Christ, the head, are infinite, each saint displays some merits in a limited degree. This is why he says, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions, that is, what is lacking in the afflictions of the whole Church, of which Christ is the head. I complete, that is, I add my own amount; and I do this in my flesh, that is, it is I myself who am suffering. Or, we could say that Paul was completing the sufferings that were lacking in his own flesh; for what was lacking was that, just as Christ had suffered in his own body, so he should also suffer in Paul, his member, and in similar ways in others. And Paul does this for the sake of his body, which is the Church that was to be redeemed by Christ: "That he might present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle" (Eph 5:27). In the same way all the saints suffer for the Church, which receives strength from their example. The Gloss says that "afflictions are still lacking, because the treasure house of the Church's merits is not full, and it will not be full until the end of the world."

For there is an instruction of the perfect, of which, writing to the Colossians, he says, "We cease not to pray for you, and beseech that ye may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the glory of His power." And again he says, "According to the disposition of the grace of God which is given me, that ye may fulfil the word of God; the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations, which now is manifested to His saints: to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations." So that, on the one hand, then, are the mysteries which were hid till the time of the apostles, and were delivered by them as they received from the Lord, and, concealed in the Old Testament, were manifested to the saints. And, on the other hand, there is "the riches of the glory of the mystery in the Gentiles," which is faith and hope in Christ; which in another place he has called the "foundation."

Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. "Where is the wise man? where the disputer? " Where is the boasting of those who are styled prudent? For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost. He was born and baptized, that by His passion He might purify the water.

"Of which I was made," saith he, "a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me to youward, to fulfill the word of God." "The dispensation." Either he means, He so willed that after His own departure we should succeed to the dispensation, in order that ye might not feel as deserted, (for it is Himself that suffers, Himself that is ambassador;) or he means this, namely, me who was more than all a persecutor, for this end He permitted to persecute, that in my preaching I might gain belief; or by "dispensation" he means, that He required not deeds, nor actions, nor good works, but faith and baptism. For ye would not otherwise have received the word. "For you," he saith, "to fulfill the word of God." He speaks of the Gentiles, showing that they were yet wavering, by the expression, "fulfill." For that the cast-away Gentiles should have been able to receive such lofty doctrines was not of Paul, but of the dispensation of God; "for I never could have had the power," he saith. Having shown that which is greater, that his sufferings are Christ's, he next subjoins what is more evident, that this also is of God, "to fulfill His word in you." And he shows here covertly, that this too is of dispensation, that it is spoken to you now, when ye are able to hear it, and cometh not of neglect, but to the end ye may receive it. For God doeth not all things on a sudden, but useth condescension because of His plenteous love toward man. And this is the reason why Christ came at this time, and not of old.

He says: I am a servant, and of myself I do nothing. But if I am a servant, how then do you put forward the angels as servants?

By the words "according to the dispensation of God," he either says that the Lord, having ascended into heaven, sent us to preach so that you would not be abandoned and fall into despair; or he says: He permitted me to persecute the Church chiefly so that I would become worthy of trust in preaching. Or else: He did not seek works or virtue, but faith and baptism. And in this lies the greatest "dispensation of God." For who could be saved if works were required? Or else, in the words "according to the dispensation of God, which was given to me for you," that is, for people belonging to paganism, he simply speaks of the grace and power that God gave him to enlighten the Gentiles. For to persuade people who are darkened, foolish, and disobedient to accept such doctrines is not a matter of Paul's power, but of God's dispensation. And just as he called his sufferings belonging to Christ, so also concerning the spread of this teaching among them he says that it is a work of God. By the word "to fulfill," he shows that something is lacking to them. Note also in this the "dispensation of God," that the mystery has now been told to them, that they have become capable of receiving it. For God, arranging all things providentially, also providentially brought it about, of course, that the mystery was revealed now, when people could more readily accept it. Therefore, those who are scandalized by the words that in the last days the Son will bring us are foolish.

Then when he says, of which I became a minister, he shows the greatness of his ministry in three ways: first, from its origin; in the second place, from the end to which it is directed (v. 25b); and thirdly, from its purpose (v. 28).

But someone could say: "Is his a great ministry?" He answers: Yes, because I became a minister because it was given to me according to the divine office. This can be explained in two ways. First in an active sense, and then the meaning is that I became a minister so that I could dispense divine things to you, faithfully passing them on; and this power has been given to me. Secondly, it can be explained in a passive sense, and then the meaning is that Paul became a minister in so far as he was appointed by God. "And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers" (Eph 4:11); "Set apart for me Barnabas and Paul for the work to which I have called them" (Acts 13:2).

What is the end of his ministry? Certainly, not money, or his own glory. Rather, he has received it for a great purpose, that is, to make the word of God fully known. First, he shows the greatness of that for which he has received this ministry; secondly, he shows what this is, that is, that it is Christ. He shows its greatness because it has been widely proclaimed, both in an obscure form and openly.

The ministry he received was to convert the Gentiles; thus, to make fully known the word, that is, the eternal dispensation of God. In other words, by my preaching I am to show that the word of God has been fulfilled, that is, God's dispensation and plan and promise concerning the incarnation of the Word of God. Or, I am to show by my preaching the eternal dispensation of God in which he arranged that the Gentiles were to be converted by Christ to a faith in the true God. And this had to be accomplished: "Does he say and not do? Does he speak and not do what he said?" (Num 23:19), "My word that goes forth from my mouth shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it," as we read in Isaiah (55:11).

These six considerations having therefore been traversed, as if they were the six steps of the throne of the true Solomon, by which one arrives at peace, where the true peaceful one rests in a peaceful mind as in an interior Jerusalem; and as if also the six wings of the Cherub, by which the mind of the true contemplative, filled with the illumination of supernal wisdom, may be borne upward; and as if also the first six days, in which the mind must be exercised, so that it may at last arrive at the sabbath of rest; after our mind has contemplated God outside itself through vestiges and in the vestiges, within itself through the image and in the image, above itself through the similitude of the divine light shining upon us and in that light itself, insofar as is possible according to the state of wayfaring and the exercise of our mind; when at last in the sixth step it has arrived at this point, that it contemplates in the first and highest principle and the mediator of God and men, Jesus Christ, those things whose likenesses can in no way be found in creatures, and which exceed all keenness of the human intellect: it remains that, in contemplating these things, it should transcend and pass beyond not only this sensible world, but also itself; in which passing over, Christ is the way and the door, Christ is the ladder and the vehicle, as it were the mercy seat placed upon the ark of God and the mystery hidden from the ages.

All the prophets, therefore, and the law spoke by means of the Demiurge,-a silly god, he says, (and themselves) fools, who knew nothing. On account of this, he says, the Saviour observes: "All that came before me are thieves and robbers." And the apostle (uses these words) "The mystery which was not made known to former generations." For none of the prophets, he says, said anything concerning the things of which we speak; for (a prophet) could not but be ignorant of all (these) things, inasmuch as they certainly had been uttered by the Demiurge only.

Having said what we have come to, and showed the lovingkindness of God and the honor, by the greatness of the things given, he introduces yet another consideration that heightens them, namely, that neither before us did any one know Him. As he doth also in the Epistle to the Ephesians, saying, neither Angels, nor principalities, nor any other created power, but only the Son of God knew. And he said, not simply hid, but "quite hid," and that even if it hath but now come to pass, yet it is of old, and from the beginning God willed these things, and they were so planned out; but why, he saith not yet. "From the ages," from the beginning, as one might say. And with reason he calleth that a mystery, which none knew, save God. And where hid? In Christ; as he saith in the Epistle to the Ephesians, or as when the Prophet saith, "From everlasting even to everlasting Thou art." But now hath been manifested, he saith, "to His saints." So that it is altogether of the dispensation of God. "But now hath been manifested," he saith. He saith not, "is come to pass," but, "hath been manifested to His saints." So that it is even now still hid, since it hath been manifested to His saints alone.

Wherefore, if they were not wise who were so called, nor those of later times, who did not hesitate to confess their want of wisdom, what remains but that wisdom is to be sought elsewhere, since it has not been found where it was sought. But what can we suppose to have been the reason why it was not found, though sought with the greatest earnestness and labour by so many intellects, and during so many ages, unless it be that philosophers sought for it out of their own limits? And since they traversed and explored all parts, but nowhere found any wisdom, and it must of necessity be somewhere, it is evident that it ought especially to be sought there where the title of folly appears; under the covering of which God hides the treasury of wisdom and truth, lest the secret of His divine work should be exposed to view. Whence I am accustomed to wonder that, when Pythagoras, and after him Plato, inflamed with the love of searching out the truth, had penetrated as far as to the Egyptians, and Magi, and Persians, that they might become acquainted with their religious rites and institutions (for they suspected that wisdom was concerned with religion), they did not approach the Jews only, in whose possession alone it then was, and to whom they might have gone more easily. But I think that they were turned away from them by divine providence, that they might not know the truth, because it was not yet permitted for the religion of the true God and righteousness to become known to men of other nations. For God had determined, as the last time drew near, to send from heaven a great leader, who should reveal to foreign nations that which was taken away from a perfidious and ungrateful people.

Having spoken about what we have received, Paul points to yet another advantage, namely that before us no one knew this mystery. He calls a mystery that which no one knew except God, and not simply "hidden" (κεκρυμμένον), but "concealed" (ἀποκεκρυμμένον). And the expression "from the ages" means: since the ages began.

This is His dispensation, that the mystery is now revealed. He did not say "accomplished," but "revealed." However, even now it is not for all, but for His saints. So that even now it remains hidden from some. Therefore let not those people deceive you, for they do not know it.

But God arranged that this be accomplished by Paul's ministry, and so Paul says, to make fully known this mystery (it is called a mystery insofar as it is hidden), because this mystery which has been hidden is this word: "I have a secret, I have a secret" (Is 24:16). This mystery was hidden for ages, that is, from the beginning of the ages, and it was hidden from all the generations of men, who were unable to know this: "the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God" (Eph 3:9). For even though the early philosophers seem to have said something about Christ's divinity, either as being his own or appropriated (as Augustine found in the works of Plato, such as that "in the beginning was the Word," and things like that), yet none could know that the Word was made flesh. But you ask if this was not known by the prophets? I reply that it was, insofar as it pertained to the Gospel; but it was not known as explicitly as the apostles knew it.

Next, he deals with the revelation of this mystery. First, he shows to whom it was revealed; secondly, why it was revealed to them (v. 27).

He says that this mystery is now made manifest, that is, in this time of grace: "Behold now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor 6:2). This is the knowledge of the saints: "She gave him knowledge of holy things" (Wis 10:10); "He showed his friend that it belongs to him, and that he can approach it" (Job 36:33).

The mystery which has been hidden from the ages, he asserts, has now been revealed, that is, shown forth in the time of the apostles: that the Gentiles have been admitted without circumcision to the faith of Christ, which was promised to the Jews. .

For there is an instruction of the perfect, of which, writing to the Colossians, he says, "We cease not to pray for you, and beseech that ye may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye may walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the glory of His power." And again he says, "According to the disposition of the grace of God which is given me, that ye may fulfil the word of God; the mystery which has been hid from ages and generations, which now is manifested to His saints: to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations." So that, on the one hand, then, are the mysteries which were hid till the time of the apostles, and were delivered by them as they received from the Lord, and, concealed in the Old Testament, were manifested to the saints. And, on the other hand, there is "the riches of the glory of the mystery in the Gentiles," which is faith and hope in Christ; which in another place he has called the "foundation."

Let not others therefore deceive you, for they know not. Why to them alone? "To whom He was pleased," he saith. See how everywhere He stops the mouth of their questions. "To whom God was pleased to make known," he saith. Yet His will is not without reason. By way of making them accountable for grace, rather than allowing them to have high thoughts, as though it were of their own achieving, he said, "To whom he was pleased to make known." "What is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." He hath spoken loftily, and accumulated emphasis, seeking, out of his great earnestness, for amplification upon amplification. For this also is an amplification, the saying indefinitely, "The riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." For it is most of all apparent among the Gentiles, as he also says elsewhere, "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy." For the great glory of this mystery is apparent among others also, but much more among these. For, on a sudden, to have brought men more senseless than stones to the dignity of Angels, simply through bare words, and faith alone, without any laboriousness, is indeed glory and riches of mystery: just as if one were to take a dog, quite consumed with hunger and the mange, foul, and loathsome to see, and not so much as able to move, but lying cast out, and make him all at once into a man, and to display him upon the royal throne. They were wont to worship stones and the earth; but they learned that themselves are better both than the heaven and the sun, and that the whole world serveth them; they were captives and prisoners of the devil: on a sudden they are placed above his head, and lay commands on him and scourge him: from being captives and slaves to demons, they are become the body of The Master of the Angels and the Archangels; from not knowing even what God is, they are become all at once sharers even in God's throne. Wouldest thou see the countless steps they overleaped? First, they had to learn that stones are not gods; secondly, that they not only are not gods, but inferior even to men; thirdly, to brutes even; fourthly, to plants even; fifthly, they brought together the extremes: that not only stones but not earth even, nor animals, nor plants, nor man, nor heaven; or, to begin again, that not stones, not animals, not plants, not elements, not things above, not things below, not man, not demons, not Angels, not Archangels, not any of those Powers above, ought to be worshiped by the nature of man. Being drawn up, as it were, from some deep, they had to learn that the Lord of all, He is God, that Him alone is it right to worship; that the virtuous life is a good thing; that this present death is not death, nor this life, life; that the body is raised, that it becomes incorruptible, that it will ascend into heaven, that it obtains even immortality, that it standeth with Angels, that it is removed thither. But Him who was there below, having cleared at a bound all these steps, He has placed on high upon the throne, having made Him that was lower than the stones, higher in dominion than the Angels, and the Archangels, and the thrones, and the dominions. Truly "What is the riches of the glory of this mystery?" Just as if one should show a fool to be all at once made a philosopher; yea rather, whatsoever one should say, it would be as nothing: for even the words of Paul are undefined. "What is the riches," he saith, "of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you?" Again, they had to learn that He who is above, and who ruleth Angels and dominions, and all the other Powers, came down below, and was made Man, and suffered countless things, and rose again, and was received up.

All these things were of the mystery; and he sets them down together with lofty praise, saying, "Which is Christ in you?" But if He be in you, why seek ye Angels? "Of this mystery." For there are other mysteries besides. But this is really a mystery, which no one knew, which is marvelous, which is beside the common expectation, which was hid. "Which is Christ in you," he saith, "the hope of glory, whom we proclaim," bringing Him from above.

Lest you should ask why it was revealed only to the saints and not to all, he added: "to whom He willed." And the will of God is always supremely wise. Of course, he could have said "to the worthy," but he did not say this, wishing to teach humility to those who were deemed worthy of this, so that they, knowing that they received the revelation by the blessing or grace of God, would think of themselves humbly and not highly, as though they had received it by merit. And giving weight to what had been accomplished, he did not simply say "to make known the glory of the mystery," but "the riches of the glory" of the mystery, which was made manifest in a special way among the Gentiles, as he also says elsewhere: and the Gentiles glorified God for His mercy (cf. Rom. 15:9). For although it is revealed to others as well, it is not to such a degree as to those who were more senseless than stones and who worshipped stones and creeping things. Just as if someone were to take a mangy and emaciated dog, unable even to move, and make him a man and seat him on a royal throne, he would be glorified more than if he had done this for a man who was not greatly in need. And he well said: "in this mystery." For there are other mysteries too, but this is the mystery par excellence, which no one knew, which runs contrary to common custom and expectation — namely, the reception of the Gentiles into the Church.

Explaining what "riches" is and what "mystery" is, he says: "Christ in you," that is, that you have come to know Christ and He is in you. And he sets this forth with praise, in order to attract them more strongly. For if Christ is in you, then how do you call the angels benefactors? And "the hope of glory" is Christ, because through Him we hope to attain eternal glory; or because Christ is our glorious and unashamed hope.

It was revealed to his saints not because of their own merits, but because of God's good pleasure; thus Paul says, to them God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery: "All that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you" (Jn 15:15); "Yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will" (Mt 11:26). To make known the riches of the glory of this mystery, because by the fact that such things had been hidden, God now appears superabundantly glorious. For God was formerly known in Judea, but through this mystery of the conversion of the Gentiles the glory of God is made known to the entire world: as we read in John (17:4), "I glorified thee on earth." And this is to be done among the Gentiles, that is, it is to be accomplished among them: "Let us rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God" (Rom 5:2); "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Rom 11:33). This mystery, which is Christ, i.e., which we obtain through Christ, is the hope of glory, which had formerly been promised only to the Jews: "The believers from among the circumcised were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles" (Acts 10:45); "Justified by faith, let us have peace toward God; and let us glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God" (Rom 5:1-2); "The root of Jesse, who stands as an ensign of the people, will be called on by the Gentiles" (Is 11:10). So far Paul has indicated the origin and end of his ministry.

"Whom we," not Angels: "teaching" and "admonishing": not imperiously nor using constraint, for this too is of God's lovingkindness to men, not to bring them to Him after the manner of a tyrant. Seeing it was a great thing he had said, "teaching," he added, "admonishing," which is rather like a father than an instructor. "Whom," saith he, "we proclaim, admonishing every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom." So that all wisdom is needed. That is, saying all things in wisdom. For the ability to learn such things exists not in every one. "That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." What sayest thou, "every man"? Yea; this is what we are earnestly desirous of doing, he saith. For what, if this do not come to pass? the blessed Paul endeavored. "Perfect." This then is perfection, the other is imperfect: so that if one have not even the whole of wisdom, he is imperfect. "Perfect in Christ Jesus," not in the Law, nor in Angels, for that is not perfection. "In Christ," that is, in the knowledge of Christ. For he that knows what Christ has done, will have higher thoughts than to be satisfied with Angels.

We preach, but not the angels. How then after this do you consider them ministers? And he expressively said: καταγγέλλομεν – we proclaim below, that is, as if bringing Him down from on high,

Not in a commanding way and not with compulsion. For this too is characteristic of divine goodness — to draw to itself not by force, but through exhortation and teaching. By "admonishing" you may understand the lessons of the active life, and by "teaching" — the explanation of dogmas.

To teach this successfully, all manner of wisdom is needed, borrowing what is necessary now from Scripture, now from reason, now from Greek writers, just as Paul also taught the Athenians by way of their own altar.

What do you say? "Every man"? Yes, he says, we are concerned about this. But if this is not fulfilled, it is not our fault. And "perfect" not in the law and not in relation to the angels, but "in Christ Jesus," that is, in the knowledge of Christ; for that is imperfect.

Now he mentions its function. In regard to this he does three things. First, he indicates its function; secondly, its fruit (v. 28b), and in the third place, the help he was given (v. 29).

Its function is to announce Christ; and he shows this function and the method he used: "Announce his ways among the Gentiles" (Ps 9:11); "That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you" (1 Jn 1:1). He states his method when he says, warning every man; this is a complete proclamation, because it is to every person, and not just the Jewish people: "Teach all nations" (Mt 28:19). His method is to teach the truth and to refute what is false, and so he says, warning every man, or unbeliever, in this life: "The weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God" (2 Cor 10:4); and it also consists in teaching every man in all wisdom, which is the knowledge of God: "To know you is complete righteousness, and to know your power is the root of immortality" (Wis 15:3); "Among the mature we do impart wisdom" (1 Cor 2:6).

The fruit of this in this life is that men are brought to perfection; and so he says, that we may present every man, that is, of any condition, mature, not in the law, but in Christ. "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5:48). But is everyone bound to perfection? No, but it should be the goal of the preacher. Now the perfection of charity is of two kinds. One is from a necessity of precept, that is, that one not allow into his heart anything opposed to God: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Mt 22:37). The other perfection of charity is from a necessity of counsel, which is that one give up even those things that are lawful; and this kind of perfection goes beyond what is required. But for this Paul had God's help.

"Whereunto I labor also, striving." And he said not, "I am desirous" merely, nor in any indifferent way, but "I labor, striving," with great earnestness, with much watching. If I, for your good, thus watch, much more ought ye. Then again, showing that it is of God, he saith, "according to His working which worketh in me mightily." He shows that this is the work of God. He, now, that makes me strong for this, evidently wills it. Wherefore also when beginning he saith, "Through the will of God." So that it is not only out of modesty he so expresses himself, but insisting on the truth of the Word as well. "And striving." In saying this, he shows that many are fighting against him. Then great is his tender affection.

He was not satisfied with merely naming the labor, but added the word "I strive," in order to show the vigilance, the strictness of his life, and everything else that is characteristic of those who strive. So then, if I labor for your benefit, how much more ought you to labor?

Having said "I labor," he shows that this too is the work of God. For He who gives me strength for this clearly desires it. Therefore at the beginning he also said: "an Apostle by the will of God." He shows by this also that many wage war against him. For the power of God would be manifested more strongly when there would be many opponents.

And so he says, For this I toil, striving against unbelievers and sinners: "Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim 2:3); "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4:7). And Paul does this with all the energy, "the grace of God is with me" (1 Cor 15:10), which he inspires within me, because God does this in me mightily, that is, by giving me the might or power: "Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high," as we read in Luke (24:49).