And you have been made complete in Christ
This phrase emphasizes the believer's spiritual fullness and sufficiency in Christ. In the context of Colossians, Paul addresses false teachings that suggest additional spiritual practices or knowledge are needed for salvation. The term "complete" signifies that believers lack nothing in their relationship with God through Christ. This echoes Ephesians 1:3, where believers are said to be blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. The concept of being "in Christ" is central to Pauline theology, indicating a union with Christ that transforms and fulfills the believer. Historically, the Colossian church faced pressures from both Jewish legalism and pagan mysticism, making this assurance of completeness in Christ particularly significant.

who is the head over every ruler and authority
This phrase asserts Christ's supremacy over all spiritual and earthly powers. In the Greco-Roman world, rulers and authorities often referred to both political leaders and spiritual beings. Paul counters any notion that other spiritual forces or human authorities could rival Christ's power. This is consistent with Ephesians 1:21, where Christ is described as being far above all rule and authority. Theologically, this affirms the sovereignty of Christ, a key tenet of Christian belief, and reassures believers of their security in Him. The imagery of Christ as "head" suggests both leadership and source, indicating that all authority ultimately derives from Him. This would have been a comforting truth for the Colossians, who lived in a time of political uncertainty and spiritual confusion.

1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the letter to the Colossians, writing to address false teachings and to affirm the supremacy of Christ.

2. Colossae
An ancient city in Asia Minor, where the church to whom Paul is writing is located.

3. Christ
Central figure in this verse, described as the one in whom believers are made complete.

4. Rulers and Authorities
Refers to both earthly and spiritual powers, over which Christ is declared the head.

5. The Colossian Church
The recipients of Paul's letter, facing challenges from false teachings and needing reassurance of their faith in Christ.Completeness in Christ
Believers are made complete in Christ, lacking nothing in their spiritual standing before God.

This completeness is not based on human effort but on Christ's finished work.

Christ's Authority
Christ's headship over all rulers and authorities assures believers of His ultimate control and power.

Understanding Christ's authority helps believers trust in His sovereignty over their lives.

Rejecting False Teachings
The Colossians were warned against teachings that detracted from Christ's sufficiency.

Believers today must discern and reject any doctrine that undermines the completeness found in Christ.

Living Out Our Identity
Knowing we are complete in Christ should impact how we live, encouraging us to walk in confidence and purpose.

Our identity in Christ should influence our decisions, relationships, and priorities.(10) Ye are complete.--Literally, ye have been filled up in His fulness, as in John 1:16. So St. Paul had prayed for the Ephesians that they might be "filled with (or rather, up to) all the fulness of God," and "grow into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 3:19; Ephesians 4:13). To partake of the divine plerorna is not the special privilege of the initiated; it belongs to all who are united to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Principality and power.--See Colossians 1:16. His headship over all angelic natures is dwelt upon (as in Hebrews 1:1-14) with obvious reference to the worshipping of angels. They are our fellowservants under the same Head. (See Revelation 22:8-9.) . . .

Verse 10. - And (because) ye are in him made complete; or fulfilled (Ephesians 1:3, 7-11, 23; Ephesians 3:18, 19; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 4:19; Galatians 3:14, 24; Galatians 5:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 2:2). A complete Christ makes his people complete; his pleroma is our plerosis. Finding the whole fulness of God brought within our reach and engaged in our behalf (Philippians 2:7; Matthew 20:28) in him, we need not resort elsewhere to supply our spiritual needs (Philippians 4:19). "In him" is the primary predicate (see Alford, Ellicott, against Meyer: comp. ver. 3): "Ye are in him" is the assumption (Romans 8:1; Romans 16:7); "(ye are) made complete" is the inference. (On the verb πληρόω (the basis of pleroma), used in perfect participle of abiding result, see notes, Colossians 1:9, 19.) This completeness includes the furnishing of men with all that is required for their present and final salvation as individuals (vers. 11-15; Colossians 1:21, 22, 28), and for their collective perfection as forming the Church, the body of Christ (vers. 2, 19; Colossians 1:19; Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 5:26, 27); for this twofold completeness, comp. Ephesians 4:12-16. Who is the Head of all principality and dominion (vers. 15, 18; Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:10, 11; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Hebrews 1:6, 14; 1 Peter 3:22). (On "principality," etc., see note, Colossians 1:16.) The Colossians were being taught to replace or supplement Christ's offices by those of angel powers (see notes, vers. 15, 18). Philo ('Concerning Dreams,' 1. §§ 22, 23) writes thus of the angels: "Free from all bodily encumbrance, endowed with larger and diviner intellect, they are lieutenants of the All ruler, eyes and ears of the great King. Philosophers in general call them demons (δαίμονες); the sacred Scripture angels, for they report (διαγγέλλουσι) the injunctions of the Father to his children, and the wants of the children to their Father.... Angels, the Divine words, walk about [comp. 2 Corinthians 6:16] in the souls of those who have not yet completely washed off the (old) life, foul and stained through their cumbersome bodies, making them bright to the eyes of virtue." In such a strain the Colossian "philosopher" may have been talking. But if Christ is the Maker and Lord of these invisible powers - (Colossians 1:15, 16), and we are in him, then we must no longer look to them as our saviours.

Parallel Commentaries ...


And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

you have been
ἐστὲ (este)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

made complete
πεπληρωμένοι (peplērōmenoi)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4137: From pleres; to make replete, i.e. to cram, level up, or to furnish, satisfy, execute, finish, verify, etc.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[Christ],
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

who
ὅς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

the
ἡ (hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

head
κεφαλὴ (kephalē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.

over every
πάσης (pasēs)
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

ruler
ἀρχῆς (archēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 746: From archomai; a commencement, or chief.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

authority.
ἐξουσίας (exousias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.


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NT Letters: Colossians 2:10 And in him you are made full (Coloss. Col Co)