Four characteristics describe the healthy Christian in this verse. First, he or she stands firmly rooted as a tree, "born again." Second, he or she is being built up as a building (cf. 1 Peter 2:2). Third, he or she is becoming increasingly stable in the faith. Fourth, he or she demonstrates the fruit of thankfulness constantly. Four participles in the Greek text describe these characteristics. The first is in the perfect tense indicating the initial reception of new life. The last three are in the present tense revealing the ways in which new life should continually express itself. [source][source][source]
"The present passage may imply that those who lack a deep sense of thankfulness to God are especially vulnerable to doubt and spiritual delusion." [1][source]
"A thankful spirit is a mark of Christian maturity. When a believer is abounding in thanksgiving, he is really making progress!" [2][source]
"As in Romans 1:16-17 and Galatians 1:11-12, these two verses provide a brief summary sentence of the main point to be made in the body of the letter, to serve as a heading to what follows ..." [3][source]
Context Summary
Colossians 2:1-12 - Established In Their Faith
If you know Christ, you can lay your hand on the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. They are matters of daily experience. The Apostle's aim in this chapter is to put his converts on their guard against those who might divert them from their simple faith in Jesus, and their sufficiency in Him. The keynotes are Take heed and Let no one.
The first act of the Christian life is to receive Christ, and every moment afterward we must continue receiving Him. The act must become an attitude. Breathe in the love and power of Jesus. Take deep breaths. Then we shall be rooted in Him in secret, and built up in Him in our outward walk and behavior. If we have Christ, we have all God's fullness, and this is easily accessible. Like Jacob's ladder, He links us with God. What need have we for celestial beings, like those invented by the Gnostics, or for the rite of circumcision, as insisted on by the Jews? We have everything in Jesus. He has fulfilled the Law in all respects on our behalf. Let us put the waters of entire surrender and consecration between our past, our sins, and the world, and rise into His life, the life of resurrection glory and power. [source]
Chapter Summary: Colossians 2
1Paul still exhorts them to be constant in Christ; 8to beware of philosophy, and vain traditions; 18worshipping of angels; 20and legal ceremonies, which are ended in Christ
Greek Commentary for Colossians 2:7
Rooted [ερριζωμενοι] Perfect passive participle of old verb ριζοω rizoō from ριζα riza root. In N.T. only here and Ephesians 3:17. Paul changes the figure from walk to growing tree. [source]
Builded up in him [εποικοδομουμενοι εν αυτωι] Present passive participle (rooted to stay so) of εποικοδομεω epoikodomeō old verb, to build upon as in 1 Corinthians 3:10,1 Corinthians 3:12. The metaphor is changed again to a building as continually going up (present tense). Stablished (βεβαιουμενοι bebaioumenoi). Present passive participle of βεβαιοω bebaioō old verb from βεβαιος bebaios (from βαινω βαιω bainōτηι πιστει baiō), to make firm or stable. In your faith Locative case, though the instrumental case, by your faith, makes good sense also. Even as ye were taught (διδασκω kathōs edidachthēte). First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. In thanksgiving Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
Stablished [βεβαιουμενοι] Present passive participle of βεβαιοω bebaioō old verb from βεβαιος bebaios (from βαινω βαιω bainōτηι πιστει baiō), to make firm or stable. [source]
In your faith [κατως εδιδαχτητε] Locative case, though the instrumental case, by your faith, makes good sense also. Even as ye were taught (διδασκω kathōs edidachthēte). First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. In thanksgiving Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
by your faith [] , makes good sense also. Even as ye were taught (διδασκω kathōs edidachthēte). First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. In thanksgiving Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
Even as ye were taught [διδασκω] First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. [source]
In thanksgiving [en eucharistiāi)] Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
Rooted - built up [ἐῤῥιζωμένοι - ἐποικοδομούμενοι] Note the change of metaphor from the solidity of military array to walking, rooting of a tree, and then to building. The metaphors of rooting and being founded occur together, Ephesians 3:17. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:9. In Jeremiah 1:10, ἐκριζοῦν toroot out is applied to a kingdom, and the words to build and to plant follow. It must be said that ῥιζόω tocause to take root is often used in the sense of firmness or fixedness without regard to its primary meaning. Built up. The preposition ἐπί uponindicates the placing of one layer upon another. See on Acts 20:32, and see on 1 Corinthians 3:9. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:10-14; Ephesians 2:20. note also the change of tenses: having been rooted (perfect participle), being (in process of) built up and strengthened (present participle). [source]
In Him [ἐν αὐτῶ] Rather than upon Him, as might have been expected. In this and in the Ephesian epistle, Christ is represented as the sphere within which the building goes on. Compare Ephesians 2:20. The whole upbuilding of the Church proceeds within the compass of Christ's personality, life, and power. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 2:7
Matthew 13:21Yet hath he not root in himself [ουκ εχει δε ριζαν εν εαυτωι] Cf. Colossians 2:7 and Ephesians 3:18 ερριζωμεμοι errizōmemoi Stability like a tree. Here the man has a mushroom growth and “endureth for a while” What a picture of some converts in our modern revivals. They drop away overnight because they did not have the root of the matter in them. This man does not last or hold out. [source]
Ephesians 3:18Rooted and grounded [ἐῤῥιζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι] Compare Colossians 2:7, and see note. Grounded or founded, from θεμέλιον foundationThe dwelling in Ephesians 3:17would naturally suggest the foundation. Rooting and grounding are consequences of the strengthening of the Spirit and of Christ's indwelling. [source]
Ephesians 3:17Being rooted and grounded in love [εν αγαπηι ερριζωμενοι και τετεμελιωμενοι] But it is not certain whether εν αγαπηι en agapēi should go with these participles or with the preceding infinitive κατοικησαι katoikēsai (dwell). Besides, these two perfect passive participles (from ριζοω rizoō old verb, in N.T. only here and Colossians 2:7, and from τεμελιοω themelioō see also Colossians 1:23) are in the nominative case and are to be taken with ινα εχισχυσητε hina exischusēte and are proleptically placed before ινα hina Ephesians 3:18 should really begin with these participles. Paul piles up metaphors (dwelling, rooted, grounded). [source]
1 Peter 2:5Living stones - built up - a spiritual house [] It seems as though Peter must have had in mind the conception embodied in Christ's commission to him, of a building erected upon a rock. The metaphor of a house built of living stones is violent, and sufficiently characteristic of Peter; yet it pictures, in a very striking way, the union of stability, growth, and activity in the ideal church. Note the transition from babes growing (1 Peter 2:2) to stones built up. But, as Salmond remarks, “In Paul we have even bolder instances of apparent confusion of metaphors, as when, in one breath, he represents believers as at once walking, rooted, and built up in Christ (Colossians 2:6,Colossians 2:7). [source]
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ῥιζόω
Sense: to cause to strike root, to strengthen with roots, to render firm, to fix, establish, cause a person or a thing to be thoroughly grounded.
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πίστις
Sense: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: περισσεύω
Sense: to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure.
Greek Commentary for Colossians 2:7
Perfect passive participle of old verb ριζοω rizoō from ριζα riza root. In N.T. only here and Ephesians 3:17. Paul changes the figure from walk to growing tree. [source]
Present passive participle (rooted to stay so) of εποικοδομεω epoikodomeō old verb, to build upon as in 1 Corinthians 3:10, 1 Corinthians 3:12. The metaphor is changed again to a building as continually going up (present tense). Stablished (βεβαιουμενοι bebaioumenoi). Present passive participle of βεβαιοω bebaioō old verb from βεβαιος bebaios (from βαινω βαιω bainōτηι πιστει baiō), to make firm or stable. In your faith Locative case, though the instrumental case, by your faith, makes good sense also. Even as ye were taught (διδασκω kathōs edidachthēte). First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. In thanksgiving Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
Present passive participle of βεβαιοω bebaioō old verb from βεβαιος bebaios (from βαινω βαιω bainōτηι πιστει baiō), to make firm or stable. [source]
Locative case, though the instrumental case, by your faith, makes good sense also. Even as ye were taught (διδασκω kathōs edidachthēte). First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. In thanksgiving Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
, makes good sense also. Even as ye were taught (διδασκω kathōs edidachthēte). First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. In thanksgiving Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
First aorist passive indicative of παρελαβετε didaskō an allusion to εματετε parelabete in Colossians 2:6 and to εν ευχαριστιαι emathete in Colossians 1:7. [source]
Hence they had no occasion to yield to the blandishments of the Gnostic teachers. [source]
Note the change of metaphor from the solidity of military array to walking, rooting of a tree, and then to building. The metaphors of rooting and being founded occur together, Ephesians 3:17. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:9. In Jeremiah 1:10, ἐκριζοῦν toroot out is applied to a kingdom, and the words to build and to plant follow. It must be said that ῥιζόω tocause to take root is often used in the sense of firmness or fixedness without regard to its primary meaning. Built up. The preposition ἐπί uponindicates the placing of one layer upon another. See on Acts 20:32, and see on 1 Corinthians 3:9. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:10-14; Ephesians 2:20. note also the change of tenses: having been rooted (perfect participle), being (in process of) built up and strengthened (present participle). [source]
Rather than upon Him, as might have been expected. In this and in the Ephesian epistle, Christ is represented as the sphere within which the building goes on. Compare Ephesians 2:20. The whole upbuilding of the Church proceeds within the compass of Christ's personality, life, and power. [source]
For Paul's emphasis on thanksgiving, see Romans 1:21; Romans 14:6; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 4:15; 2 Corinthians 9:11, 2 Corinthians 9:12; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Timothy 2:1, etc. Εὐχαριστός thankful εὐχαριστεῖν togive thanks, εὐχαριστία thanksgivingare found only in Paul's writings. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Colossians 2:7
Cf. Colossians 2:7 and Ephesians 3:18 ερριζωμεμοι errizōmemoi Stability like a tree. Here the man has a mushroom growth and “endureth for a while” What a picture of some converts in our modern revivals. They drop away overnight because they did not have the root of the matter in them. This man does not last or hold out. [source]
Compare Colossians 2:7, and see note. Grounded or founded, from θεμέλιον foundationThe dwelling in Ephesians 3:17would naturally suggest the foundation. Rooting and grounding are consequences of the strengthening of the Spirit and of Christ's indwelling. [source]
A thoroughly Pauline phrase, riches of kindness (Romans 2:4), riches of glory (Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:16; Philemon 4:19), riches of fulness of understanding (Colossians 2:7), riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8), and in Ephesians 2:7 “the surpassing riches of grace.” [source]
But it is not certain whether εν αγαπηι en agapēi should go with these participles or with the preceding infinitive κατοικησαι katoikēsai (dwell). Besides, these two perfect passive participles (from ριζοω rizoō old verb, in N.T. only here and Colossians 2:7, and from τεμελιοω themelioō see also Colossians 1:23) are in the nominative case and are to be taken with ινα εχισχυσητε hina exischusēte and are proleptically placed before ινα hina Ephesians 3:18 should really begin with these participles. Paul piles up metaphors (dwelling, rooted, grounded). [source]
Notice the emphasis on the duty of thanksgiving placed at the close of the exhortations. See Colossians 1:12; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 3:15; Colossians 4:2. [source]
The second inscription, concerning the purity of the church. For of Christ rend. of the Lord ( κυρίου ). Ὁνομάζων namethonly here in Pastorals. It means to give a name to, to style, as Mark 3:14; Luke 6:14; 1 Corinthians 5:11: to pronounce a name as having a special virtue, as in incantation, as Acts 19:13: to utter a name as acknowledging and appropriating what the name involves, as a confession of faith and allegiance. So here. Comp. Romans 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Isaiah 26:13. For ὄνομα namesee on 2 Thessalonians 1:12. Ἁποστήτω ἀπὸ ἀδικίας departfrom iniquity. For the verb, see on 1 Timothy 4:1. Mostly in Luke and Acts. Comp. Numbers 16:26; Isaiah 52:11. Whatever may be implied in God's election, it does not relieve Christians of the duty of strict attention to their moral character and conduct. Comp. Philemon 2:12. The gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8) is exhibited in making one a coworker with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). The salvation bestowed by grace is to be “carried out” (Philemon 2:12) by man with the aid of grace (Romans 6:8-19; 2 Corinthians 6:1). What this includes and requires appears in Philemon 3:10; Philemon 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:13-16, Ephesians 4:22ff.; Colossians 2:6, Colossians 2:7. [source]
It seems as though Peter must have had in mind the conception embodied in Christ's commission to him, of a building erected upon a rock. The metaphor of a house built of living stones is violent, and sufficiently characteristic of Peter; yet it pictures, in a very striking way, the union of stability, growth, and activity in the ideal church. Note the transition from babes growing (1 Peter 2:2) to stones built up. But, as Salmond remarks, “In Paul we have even bolder instances of apparent confusion of metaphors, as when, in one breath, he represents believers as at once walking, rooted, and built up in Christ (Colossians 2:6, Colossians 2:7). [source]
Present active participle of εποικοδομεω epoikodomeō old compound with metaphor of a house (οικος oikos), common in Paul (1 Corinthians 3:9-17; Colossians 2:7; Ephesians 2:20). [source]