Colossians 2:5 Commentary and Bible Study

The apostle Paul says, I hear all about you and I can see you in my mind’s eye, and I take note of you, I look with wonder. ‘Behold’ is a big word. Looking, implying with great joy and wonder.And the first thing he notices is their order, and then he goes on to mention their steadfastness. And you can see the apostle is writing from a Roman prison, because what he has clearly got in mind is the parades of the Roman soldiers, held outside his prison every morning, every evening. He sees their drill, he sees them lining up in formation, he can see their order. They are taking to their different ranks and their steadfastness, which is an interesting word which has something to do with the strength of the body of men, and he sees a square of Roman soldiers all formed up. He can see their kind of solid unity. He can imagine them rushing into battle and the strength of the core of that body of men: their steadfastness, their unbreakability. Well the Colossian church does not go on parade, of course not. But he hears about them that the members of that church are humble people who work together – it is clearly a working church. And their hearts are knit together in love and they are humble men and women. Some of them probably highly educated, some of them have known high station. But regardless, they have their pastors and their elders and they work together. They are strong together in all the ministries they undertake and the things they do.