Bible Study

Colossians 1:1-29, 2:1-5. In verse 24 it is written, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.” If we go back, we find it written about Him that He is the image of the invisible God, and that He made peace through the blood of His cross. Vs. 15, 20. He endured sufferings in order to reach the goal. In Hebrews 2:9-10 we find the real background for Paul’s life. It is written that the author of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings. Everything that happens to us happens so that we shall reach the goal that God has set for us. Rom. 8:28-30. Through sufferings we obtain that for which Jesus came: to reconcile us in the body of His flesh. If we look carefully at the background, we will realize why Paul had to suffer. Jesus reconciled us to God by Himself; and it is written about Him that “Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust . . . .” 1 Pet. 3:18. When we consider Jesus’ sufferings, we see their far-reaching goal. Jesus came as the Just One, but suffered unjustly. There is a great mystery behind this. Let me illustrate: A small boy went along a country road. A big boy came driving by. He took a whip and hit the small boy on the chin so that he ended up with a bruise. When he came home, he related the incident to his master, who wanted him to go and report the incident to the authorities. The boy agreed to do it. Then he went and knelt behind a shed and prayed to God to forgive the big boy. When he came home again, his master asked him whether he had reported it. The little boy said, “Yes, I have reported him to God.” This is an illustration of a profound truth that explains Jesus’ work of atonement. The big boy was unjust; the little boy was just. Did the little boy deserve the pain he had to endure? The big boy, who was unjust, should have been punished. The little boy suffered—the just for the unjust. The little boy said, “I forgive him. He should have suffered the pain that I suffered.” The little boy received the power of a just person to forgive the big boy, because he was righteous. A similar situation existed with regard to Jesus and the people. The people committed the greatest sin—they crucified Jesus. Jesus prayed for forgiveness for the people and prayed that every single person be forgiven. Now He is knocking on every single heart, asking us to receive forgiveness. Jesus suffered like a lamb; He was struck—a picture of weakness. The greatest result was obtained through sufferings. Christ was made perfect through sufferings. Jesus has left us an example, so that we may walk in His steps. We shall partake of the fellowship of His sufferings. When we have reached a certain point, He says to us: “Now you have suffered so much that your life can flow out to all of God’s people. Now I want to put some of the burdens on you. Now the time has come that I can lay the church on you, that you can embrace all of God’s people. The body was baptized on the day of Pentecost; this shall now become true in you. We shall be partakers of the Holy Spirit, anointed to be one body.” Then Christ, so to speak (this can only be touched on marginally), took Paul with Him into the fellowship of His sufferings. And Paul suffered, filling up in his flesh what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.