How To Study The Bible

As we go through this using the Word Study New Testament, just kind of a reminder, it's real easy to get kind of lost in all the number codes and letters and all these different things, but it's important, I think, to zero in on, in the end, what we're looking for is to get better understanding, to get a fuller understanding of what was written when they originally wrote it. Let's not get lost in all the number codes and letters and all that, but let's instead pursue those with the ultimate goal in mind that we're aiming to understand better, more deeply, what the original writing was saying.

So just kind of a frame of reference, keep that in mind. This morning I'd like us to go to a passage, in fact we could spend, well it's true of everything we've looked at, we could spend a lot more time on it. But our intent here is more to kind of get a sense of how to use this as a tool, not scratch out every little bit. Ultimately, as I was going through this with a person this last week, I said, you know, this one verse here you could spend a month on because there is indeed a lot of riches to be dug out of each verse, you know.

And so this morning we'll be taking a look at Colossians 1, 27 through 29. realizing that that actually starts in verse 24, but we can't take that big a bite here. We'll never get there. So, as we look at it, one of the things to keep in mind, sometimes when Paul writes, he writes where it's hard to figure out where to put a period. He'll go on. Colossians is a parallel book to Ephesians. And Ephesians 1 is famous Because the first chapter, he gets through saying hi. He gets from the 3rd to the 14th verse in the Greek is all one sentence.

Parsisvold, huh? He was educated at Parsisvold. Along that line, I read just recently that there's one fellow, as a matter of fact, Doug has heard his name, Arno Froese. He heads, I think, Midnight Call Ministries, and he's German. And he's convinced that German as the language will be speaking in heaven.

You know? Yeah. Because that's definitely unknown languages. Okay? So, anyway. You know, the United States, they lost the match. If I won both, they would have English. Amazing, huh? Okay. Alright, let's dig into this. Because of the way Paul writes, this actually starts in verse 24, so we're going to just start in 27 so that we have something that will fit on one screen. And we'll just kind of give a brief connection so that we know what we're talking about. So when it says, to whom? Who's the to whom? What's the prior verse end up with? Who's the to whom? What does it say in the verse before, in the end of verse 26? To the saints. Okay. So when it says to whom, it's the saints or the to whom.

Okay. All right. Now, and one other thing, when you read this, probably don't want to read all the numbers and letters with it. It sounds funny. Okay. That is to use to study. Especially be funny if you get up in front of the church on Sunday morning and you know, read it this way. Okay. We're not going to hit on every word here again, just because I'm trying to boil it down. So we're going to hit kind of key words and take a look at those.

All right. But somebody read, because these numbers are all kind of wild. Somebody read 27 through 29 for us. Just read that passage, would you? So Colossians 1.27-29, again it actually starts in verse 24 But let's take a look at one word that kind of jumps out here.

And this is the one translated, this made known. He made it known. This is for it to be disclosed, revealed. And if something is disclosed or revealed, what does that tell you about what its status was before? It was previously unknown. He's kind of lifted the curtain. That's the sense that comes across here in this made known. And what else do you notice about the verb tense? It's past tense. This has been revealed. Now, let's take a look at the next one.

Make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery. Now, here's a word that is frequently misunderstood. frequently misunderstood. And it's because in a lot of our Western, I'll have to say, Western denominations, the idea of something remaining mysterious is almost sacrosanct. This is a mystery and they'd like to keep it that way. But that's not the meaning of the word. This mystery isn't something that, boy, it's sure a mystery and it just stays that way. It means previously unknown, now revealed. Let's take a look at that word. It comes from its use particularly among the Greek mystery religions. Among the Greeks, here's the way they would use the word.

You would go into this or that particular mystery religion and they would say, hey, we've got these secrets. We've got these special secrets, and if you join our group and go through our process, you'll have these special secrets that just us folks will have. And it'll be special knowledge just for you. And that was kind of the context. And when you come and join our group, we're going to lift the curtain on these special secrets.

Paul uses it a different way. He uses the same word, but he makes clear This isn't anything special in terms of a secret group. He uses that word made known as a, this is completely open. This is now no longer, hey, join our little secret group and now you've got it. Instead, he takes the word which had previously been used as, this is our secret little group and we've got this knowledge. He turns it around and instead says, this is something we proclaim to everybody. It's been made known to all the saints. Every one of them.

See the difference there? It is one of the ways in which Paul used words that were used in one way, but he explained them and used them in a slightly different way. Okay? And this is an example. And in here it even says, to the calling of the Gentiles, the fact that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of Christ by the gospel is called the mystery or the mystery of Christ. That's something that is, and there are actually over a dozen places where he uses the word mystery and applies it to different things. And this is one of those things that was previously unknown, now revealed. That the Gentiles would be involved.

How did that first happen? Remember in the book of Acts? How is it first made known? Okay. But you think in the book of Acts, can you think of the account? That's what I'm aiming for, is the account. Pardon? Well, at Pentecost, but notice that at Pentecost there were just Jews, right? So it actually happened after Pentecost, although there was definitely a revelation that took place then, but the Gentiles' involvement happened how? Remember that?

Okay, here's Peter. And he's being told, eat this stuff. Right? And he says, oh no. Three times. Okay? He had this vision. Eat this stuff. Oh no. Okay? And it was after that that he goes to the Gentiles and he sees that yes, the gospel is for the Gentiles too. And it was such a shocking revelation that when he went back to the leadership group there in Jerusalem, He had some explaining to do. He said, Peter, what's going on? Where's Stan? You've been hanging around with Gentiles. And then he explained to them. And they go, oh.

Big revelation. Paul, of course, had additional insights into that. But that's something that was previously unknown, now revealed. So that's this word mystery. We should resist the idea that it's something that is clouded and remains so. The way Paul uses the word is definitely the opposite. It was clouded. It now most certainly no longer is. Let's take a look at the next part there.

This mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you. And we covered this word in before. And in means entirely in. entirely in, as if to be surrounded by, enveloped in. So Christ in you, it means entirely in you, completely in you. You haven't got a little bit of Jesus. It's not like you're 10% pregnant, right? You have Christ in you, it's a 100% thing. That's the meaning of that word.

But the next word I'd like to take a look at is the hope of glory. the hope of glory. And the reason I think it's important to take a look at it, again, it's one of those situations where our English use of the word hope is kind of different, isn't it? Our English use of the word hope is, well, I hope this happens. It looks like Nancy right now over there trying to help me have that baby. I hope the baby comes. But there's no certainty, right? I hope the baby comes today. Well, they had hoped that for several days.

That hope is not an expectation, it's kind of probabilities, isn't it? The word that he uses for hope here is not a matter of probabilities. This word, elpis, sounds like help us, right? Elpis. And it is, in this case, it's an expectation. An expectation. Now, one of the sayings here on planet Earth is, you know, nothing's sure but death and taxes, you know? There is an expectation, doesn't mean you're looking forward to it, but there's an expectation, okay?

It's a 100% thing. And that's what this word is communicating. It's a 100% thing. When it says our hope is in Christ, it isn't, boy, I sure hope he comes, you know? Boy, I sure hope I'm saved. I sure, you know, hope I'm going to be with him. It's a 100% certain expectation, and that's the difference. Now, it uses a word here, metonymy, and that's a figure of speech. You can forget the fancy word if you want.

But the idea is, it doesn't say, Christ in you, who is the hope of glory. Paul kind of contracts it, doesn't he? Christ in you, the hope of glory. So the understanding being that the hope of glory is Christ. So that's what that word is referring to. Christ Himself is, and His being in us, is our expectation of glory.

That's what He's communicating. Let's take a look at the next part there. The next, whom we preach, and interestingly that word preach means like proclaim. So this is public, which is contrary to what they did with the mysteries. See, remember the Greek mysteries was a, we got this secret thing and you join our group and you get this special knowledge. He said, no, none of that. We just go out and proclaim it. We just lay it out there for everybody. See the difference?

So when he was saying this, this mystery that we go out and proclaim in the public square, that was like, whoa! That never happens. You've got this secret mystery. I mean, all the mystery religions wanted you to join their group, and then you get the secret knowledge.

Here he says, whom we preach. We proclaim it publicly, right out in the open. See the difference? A real contrast. We read it and we say, okay, I understand. They were reading and they were going, what? You do what? This was shocking stuff. See the difference there? You're proclaiming something you don't dare proclaim. They would take an oath. An oath that I'm going to die if I reveal the secret or reveal the mystery. Now here's Paul coming and saying, I'm just going to lay it right out in front of everybody.

That's why this was shocking stuff. These were shocking words, not just, oh yeah, I know what that means. drop the jaw, open the eyes, gasp, kind of words. But then, he says, warning. Now, there's more to that word than our typical idea of warning. Here's what that's talking about. Nusateo, it means to place in the mind.

You see that? It isn't just a matter of going out and saying something, it's a matter of of communicating so that you're sure it's entered in their mind. You're sure it's there in their thinking. You see the difference? The idea of warnings focuses on the person who is making the proclamation. This focuses on making sure that the people get it. See that?

Place it in their mind. Place it in their mind. How do you know that you've placed something in somebody's mind? There's an interaction and a feedback, isn't there? So this word isn't just, alright, I warned you. By the way, it doesn't speak your language, but this is an interactive thing that says, I placed it in their mind and know that they've received that. You see that? A difference there, isn't there? Okay, let's take a look at the next part.

Now, one of the things you notice, the next word there is every. Let me bump that up so it's more visible. We preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every. That word every keeps showing up, doesn't it? I'm sorry, what? Ah, okay. But there's something very interesting about the way this word is used. He uses it three times. Three times there in one sentence. You'd get the idea it's important, wouldn't you? And that word can be used in two ways. The Greek word that's behind that can be used in two ways. It can mean all and the total, but when it's used with this singular, the intent is each individual.

You get that? So it's different from saying, alright, I wasn't told this mass of people, and this mass of people, and that big group. His intent is each individual. Each and every single one. You see the difference there? It's different because he's looking at each individual person as opposed to just this mass of people. This large group. So he's making a definite point, isn't he?

Each man. Every man. every single one. Yes. Yes. Excellent. And I think here's something, you know, last week we looked at the Great Commission and I think, you know, as we looked at it, a lot of people were kind of saying, hey, this says something different than what we thought it did. The focus here, he's saying three times every man And he's talking about each individual. That's the meaning of the Greek. And he's saying it three times. That's telling you each and every single one. Single one. And your one-on-one idea is right.

Our tendency as believers is to rely entirely on this mass communication. Large groups and to carry to an extreme like the televangelists and all that kind of thing. We, because of our ability to communicate in groups using our technology, We've come to rely on that, but in truth that shift is away from what Paul's mandate is here. We've tended to just say, if I told it to the group, I've told everybody.

But the warning, that word warning, is place it in their minds. You look here, the focus on every man, every man, every man. There's much more of an individual focus here, one-on-one. than what we have tended to shift to. And I'm speaking at large as a church. We've shifted towards just the large group being the answer.

And what we get definitely from this message is don't think just because you talked to the group that you got it done. See the key there? That's real different, isn't it? That's a substantial difference from, okay, I've told the group, I'm done. Now, let's take a little deeper look there.

Here this word translated every, easy word, pas. And in this case it's every, meaning each one. Each one. Each individual. And so after the warning every man, placing it in their mind, teaching every man. Now let's look at that word teaching. It's the next one here. Teach, instruct by word of mouth. Teach, instruct by word of mouth.

This word, and he notices it's connected with this other word that's translated warning. This is something that's coupled with it. It's laying down every jot and tittle. It's exhaustive. Not just do a little bit of teaching here and there. It's systematically teaching.

Making sure it's placed in each person's mind. That's the coupling or the link that's going on there. In all wisdom that we may present. Now that we may present, well what's that we may present thing about? That's interesting. Let's take a look at that one. This idea of present means to stand near them. Ah, to stand near them. Who are you doing the presenting to? Huh? But think of this, that we may present every man complete in Christ. Present every man. Who are we going to be presenting to? What's that presenting about? Are we going to stand in front of a mirror? Pardon?

Okay, you're teaching each unbeliever, but notice here he's shifting, he's saying, that we may present. Now is the end of our teaching and our warning, okay? The end being, and so these are believers, we warn them, we taught them systematically, that we may present every man mature in Christ.

He doesn't say here explicitly, but this standing by, here's the sense that I get. Us standing before the Lord. standing with this person and saying, okay, I introduced John Smith here, and I've spent time with John Smith and taught and discipled him. And the Lord's saying, I can reward that. Okay?

This is a presenting that isn't just standing in front of a mirror or having an awards ceremony in the church. But this is a presenting before the Lord. Because that's what Paul was aiming for, wasn't he? And this presenting isn't just sort of an announcement with a big group.

This is one by one, because you're going to present each one, right? One by one, you're going to stand before the Lord with the person that you've been teaching. And the Lord will judge with each one how you've been doing. Not with the intent of condemnation, but with the intent of what can he reward. See the difference there?

So this presenting isn't just a big ceremony in front of a bunch of people. This is a one-by-one standing. Standing with them as they're presented. Present every man. Again, here's this every man thing. And let's ask a question here. Is this every male?

There are two words that are typically translated man. in the Greek, and one is Aeneir, and that specifically means males. This one is Anthropos, we get our word anthropology from it, and it basically means human. It's to distinguish between human beings and other beings and creatures. basically means humans.

So presenting every person, every person, every person. Warning every person. Teaching systematically every person. Presenting, standing with them before the Lord, every person. That's right. So this message here, the previous one was Christ speaking to the disciples. Here's Paul writing to the church at Corinth. Same message, really. That's my reason for picking it. Different people, different context, same message. Same message. And as a matter of fact, one of the synonyms listed for teaching here is discipling. Now, that we may present every man perfect in Christ. No zits, right? What is this perfect talking about? Completed. It's important for us to think about that because if we're not careful we can kind of get off track, can't we? So let's take a look at it.

The Greek word is teleos and it has the idea similar to what we looked at last week where in the part of the Great Commission where it's translated, I'll be with you always, even to the end of the world, where the intent of that is a purposeful termination. This has a similar idea and it's a similar word. Finish, that which has reached its end term limit, hence complete, full, wanting and nothing. Looking down at the middle there at the blue highlight, when used in a moral sense referring to God's expectation of us, it means completely blameless. We talk at this church about our position and our condition. Essentially what we're saying is someone who knows how to walk in their condition such that it is in agreement with their position. Do you see that?

We're not to come here and just have worship services. We're not to come here and just have classes where people stuff their heads full of stuff. We're to come together as believers, and that may mean a context other than just gathering together in a big lump here, but we're to come together in believers such that we are carrying out these very things, placing in people's minds, teaching them systematically, so that in the end they know, not just knowledge-wise, but experientially, How do I, in my condition here on planet Earth, live in such a way that it's consistent with my eternal position? You see the picture? That's the mandate. So, just, you know, having services, gathering together as a group of people is not enough by itself.

This is the goal, the end towards which we're aiming. Okay? A real difference, isn't it? Okay, let's look at the rest of that. Right side up helps. May present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. And notice earlier, what was it? Christ in you. And what is this saying? You and Christ. Christ in you. You and Christ. Both.

Then he says, whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working. Yes, and that really is another good way to convey it as well. How does that communicate something different that gives you a better understanding, that word complete? What do you think of?

The total, right? Total. Right. If I came to you and I said, hey, I want to sell you this car, and you look at it and you say, this is great, but it has no wheels. You're going to say, huh? It's not complete. It may be fine as far as it goes, but it needs everything.

And I think that's a very good point, Doug, that essentially This completeness needs to be taken there. If we take a believer just part way and say, okay, you've had enough, that's not the full picture. There is an end point that the Lord wants to take us to. And so the word complete is a good way to convey that. It rounds out the meaning.

Okay? Anyway, verse 29. striving according to His working which worketh in me mightily." Suppose I just said striving and put the period there. What does that tell you? What's that? Not much. It's not enough, is it? Ah, yes, a critical, critical difference.

If I put the period at the end of striving, that means, boy, you better work hard because everything you've got, Take it and just suck it right out of you. But that's not what he said, is it? What he says here, according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Related verse, and real parallel to it, Ephesians 2.10, we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that he has prepared beforehand that we might walk in them, Okay? It's his working, isn't it?

Not ours. Yes, he is striving, but not by Paul's human fleshly effort. It's the Lord's effort through him. Offhand, I believe that's probably ergoth is the word. In physics, we use a unit of work as erg. It is work. That's a good translation of it. Another way to think of it, though, is energy. Energy. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Explicitly, the Greek word for power is dynamis.

But that's not a good way to present it in terms of, this is movement, this is energy, this is something in action, okay, to get the full sense of it. And this, where it says, let me put it up here so you can see it a little better, where it says, oh that didn't help, there, according to his working, which worketh, and you notice the numbers that are above each one of those are right next to each other, they're very closely related words. Yeah, Tom? Well, I'm not sure I could divide it that way, but let me put this to it.

Denomos is the kind of shade of meaning is more in the realm of authority, okay? We get our word dynamite from it, but people kind of get the idea we're supposed to be explosive, and that's not the idea. Yeah? It's kind of like, if you look at it in a different way, it's like Teddy Roosevelt coming along saying, I'll eat softly and bury it in the dirt.

That means the energy's there to use. It doesn't have to use it, but it's there. Yeah, but I think the focus is, yes, it's God's energy which he can apply, right? It's God's energy which he can apply. Now let's take a kind of sum total look, and again, we've hit high spots on this, and even at that I've taken a slice of the passage so that we can get through it in one session. But this is how I would translate that, using kind of the information we've got.

Colossians 1.27-29, and I put in bracket His saints, so we know to whom it is, okay? That's from verse 26. His saints to whom God desired to make known in an experiential way, what is the wealth of the glory of this secret made known among the Gentiles, which is Christ entirely in you, the expectation of the glory whom we are constantly announcing." And again, those were shocking words to the Greeks.

What? You've got a mystery and you're just announcing it? You don't do that! you don't do that, but he was, placing it in each person's mind and systematically instructing every person in every wisdom, so as to make them disciples, put that in brackets, in other words that's the implied meaning there, in order that we may stand by each one in presentation as spiritually mature in Christ Jesus. to which end I am constantly laboring to the point of exhaustion. How about that?

Engaging in a contest in which I am controlled by his energy which operates in me in power. Powerful words, huh? And look at this. Engaging in a contest. He essentially uses uses a phraseology there that is reflective of the Greek games. He says, this is something I'm putting an Olympic effort into. But he doesn't say, it's my effort. I'm controlled by his energy which operates in me in power. All this, he's saying, is something that needs to be done as Christ working through me. His power in me and not my own.

Big difference there, isn't there? Big difference. It's not an invitation to go out and wear yourself to the bone and say, boy Lord, I've worked myself to the bone here. Aren't I great? Don't I measure up? If we end up with that thought, we've missed the point, huh?

The truth is, the truth is that a great percentage of the church does not understand just what you just said. The truth is that a great percentage of the church is still out there holding the law over people's heads and saying, you better do it. Margaret Eccles was saying, she was at a church just this last week where there's 400 ladies in the Bible study. And she said, the leader is getting up in front of 400 ladies and say, OK, how can we remind ourselves to obey the law this week? How can we remind ourselves to live under the law? Whoa!

That gives me apoplexy. I'm anaphylactic. That floors me. Because that is entirely contrary, as you pointed out, entirely contrary to what Paul's message is here. What was conveyed to those ladies is toxic. It's spiritually toxic because it truncates the end of this verse. It just truncates, it cuts it off. It puts the period at stride and just leaves it there. It's not the whole message.

Okay, let's pray. Lord, indeed, the calling that you have for us is frankly humanly impossible. It cannot be done. Thank you that it can't be done, but by your power and your energy and your strength, that it must be your accomplishment or it's not even worth beginning. But thank you, Lord, that we can have a hope that is certain that you are in us and we in you entirely and 100%. And Lord, we count upon that as we walk through this day. In Jesus' name, amen.