Jesus was one in whom all fullness dwelt

JESUS WAS ONE IN WHOM ALL FULLNESS DWELT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Colossians1:19 19
For God was pleasedto have all his
fullness dwell in him,
New Living Translation
For God in all his fullness was pleasedto live in Christ,
English StandardVersion
For in him all the fullness of God was pleasedto dwell,
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Fulness Of The GodheadIn Jesus Christ
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19
T. CroskeryForit pleasedthe Father that in him should all fulness dwell. The
apostle thus explains the headship alike of the Church and of the universe, for
he says the indwelling of Deity was the ground of both.
I. THE NATURE OF THIS FULNESS.
1. It is not the mere manifestation of Godhead.
2. It is Godheaditself in the totality of its powers and attributes. It is "the
complete fulness and exhaustless perfectionofthe Divine essence." Itis
elsewhere described:"In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godheadbodily"
(Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9)Christ is indeed "God
manifest in the flesh" (1 HYPERLINK "/1_timothy/3-16.htm"Timothy
HYPERLINK "/1_timothy/3-16.htm"3:16). The Jedaeo-Gnosticstaughtthat
the fulness of the Godheadwas distributed or dispensed among several

spiritual agencies -"thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers" - so
as to introduce grades of angelic mediators betweenGod and man. The
apostle declares that the fulness of the Godheadrests, not in them, but in
Christ as the Word of God. Thus he is no mere emanationfrom the Divine
Being.
II. THERE IS A PERMANENTLYINDWELLING FULNESS IN HIM.
"Thatin him all the fulness should have its permanent abode." This is the
force of the original word, which is very suggestive in the light of later Gnostic
heresies. The false teachers heldthat the fulness of the Godhead as dispersed
among spiritual agencieswas partiallike a blurred image, and also
temporary. The apostle teaches:
1. That the totality of Divine Towers abides in Christ.
2. That it abides in him permanently and remains for ever, not coming and
going like a transient phenomenon. Therefore we have an inexhaustible
supply for all the needs of the Church.
III. THE PRECIOUSNESSOF THIS INDWELLING FULNESS TO US.
1. It was of the Father's "goodpleasure" that it should abide in his incarnate
Son for the welfare of the Church.
2. We are to receive "ofhis fulness and grace for grace." (John HYPERLINK
"/john/1-16.htm"1:16.)We are to grow "unto the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/4-13.htm"4:13).
The standard is nothing short of the fulness of Christ.
3. The Church is his very fulness - "the fulness of him who filleth all in all,"
because his fulness is communicated to her (Ephesians HYPERLINK
"/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23).
IV. LESSONS TO BE DRAWS FROM THIS TRUTH.
1. Greatis the mystery of godliness. (1 HYPERLINK "/1_timothy/3-
16.htm"Timothy HYPERLINK "/1_timothy/3-16.htm"3:16.)
2. Greatis the comfort of the believer in virtue of this infinite fulness. There is
fulness of wisdom to keepus from error, fulness of grace to subdue our sin,
fulness of joy to keepus from despair, fulness of mercy and pity to succourus
in our distresses."Thereforeletno man take thy crown" (Revelation
HYPERLINK "/revelation/3-11.htm"3:11);"Castnot awayyour confidence"
(Hebrews HYPERLINK "/hebrews/10-35.htm"10:35).
3. Greatis the security of the believer. It is a permanent fulness. - T. C.

Biblical Illustrator
For it pleasedthe Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19-22
The reconciling Son
A. Maclaren, D. D.I. As before we have CHRIST IN RELATION TO GOD.
1. In the use of the term "fulness," whichwas a very important term in
Gnostic speculations, there is a reference to some of the heretical teachers'
expressions. Whatfulness? (Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-
9.htm"2:9). The abundance or totality of the Divine attributes. We have no
need to look to nature for fragmentary revelations of God's character — that
He has fully and finally declared in His Son.
2. "Dwell" implies permanent abode, chosen, perhaps, to oppose the view that
the union of the Divine and human in Christ was but temporary.
3. This is the result of the Father's good pleasure. The Father determined the
work of the Son, and delighted in it.
II. Again, as before, we have CHRIST AND THE UNIVERSE, Of which He is
not only the Maker, Sustainer, and Lord, but through the blood of the Cross
reconciles allthings to Himself. Probably the false teachers had dreams of
reconciling agents. Paullifts up in opposition the one SovereignMediator
whose Cross is the bond of peace for the universe.
1. Observe the distinct reference of these words to the former clauses.
"Through Him" was creation;"through Him" is reconciliation. "All things"
were made, sustainedby, and subordinated to Him; the same "all things" are
reconciled. A significant change in the order is noticeable. "In the heavens
and upon the earth" the order of creation;but in reconciliationthe order is
reversed.
2. The correspondence showsthat the reconciliationaffects not only rational
and responsible creatures, but "things." The width of reconciliationis the
same as that of the creation. Then these words refer mainly to the restitution
of the material universe to its primal obedience, and representChrist the

Creatorremoving by His Cross the shadow that has passedovernature by
reasonof sin.
1. Man's sin has made the physical world "subjectto vanity." Man by sin has
compelled dead matter to be his instrument in acts of rebellion againstGod.
He has polluted the world by sin, and laid unnumbered woes onthe living
creatures. This evil shall be done awayby the reconciling power of the blood
of the Cross. The universe is one because the Cross pierces its heights and
depths.
2. The reference to things in heavenmay also be occasionedby the dreams of
the hereticalteachers. As to reconciliationproper among spiritual beings in
that realm, there can be no question of it. There is no enmity among angels.
Still, if the reference be to them, then we know that to the principalities and
powers in heavenly places the Cross has been the teacherof unlearned depths
in the Divine nature and purposes, the knowledge ofwhich has drawn them
nearer to the heart of God and made their union with Him more blessedand
close.
3. Sublime and greatbeyond all our dreams shall be the issue. Certain as the
throne of God is it that His purposes shall be accomplished. The greatsight of
the Seerof Patmos is the best commentary on our text (Revelation
HYPERLINK "/revelation/5-9.htm"5:9-13).
III. CHRIST AND HIS RECONCILING WORKIN THE CHURCH. We
have still the parallel kept up. As in verse 18 He was representing as giving life
to the Church in a higher fashion than to the universe, so, with a similar
heightening of the meaning of reconciliation, He is here setforth as its giver to
the Church.
1. Observe the solemn description of men before it. "Alienated," not "aliens,"
but having become so. The seatof the enmity is in that inner man which
thinks and wills, and its sphere of manifestationis "in evil works" whichare
religiously acts of hostility to God because morally bad. This is thought
nowadays a too harsh description. But the charge is not that of conscious,
active hostility, but of practicalwant of affection as manifested by habitual
disobedience or inattention to God's wishes and by indifference and
separationfrom Him in heart and mind.
2. Here as uniformly GodHimself is the Reconciler, it is we who are
reconciled. The Divine patience loves on through all our enmity, and though
perfect love meeting human sin must ever become wrath, it never becomes
hatred.

3. The means of reconcilition.(1)"The body," etc., an exuberance of language
to correct, perhaps, the error of that our Lord's body was only a phantasm, or
to guard againstthe risk of confounding it with "His body the Church," or as
showing how full His mind was of the overwhelming wonder of the fact.(2)
But the Incarnation is not the whole gospel;"through death" Christ's death
has so met the requirements of the Divine law, that Divine love cancome
freely forth and forgive sinful men.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
The reconciling work of the greatMediator
G. Barlow.I. THE UNIQUE QUALIFICATION OF THE GREAT
MEDIATOR.
1. In Him all fulness dwells.
2. It is the goodpleasure of the Father that this fulness should reside in the
Son.
II. THE RECONCILING WORKOF THE GREAT MEDIATOR.
1. The extent of the reconciliation.
(1)Sinful creatures on earth are reconciledto Godin Christ.
(2)Sinful and sinless creatures are reconciled.
(3)Sinless and unfallen creatures are brought nearer to God in Christ.
III. THE MEANS BY WHICH THE RECONCILIATION IS EFFECTED.
Lessons:—
1. The great Mediatorhas every qualification for His stupendous work.
2. The reconciliationof a disorganized universe is beyond the power of any
subordinate agent.
3. Rebellious man can be restoredto peace with God only as he yields himself
up to the greatMediator.
(G. Barlow.)
Reconciliation
J. Donne, D. D.I. IN THE PERSON THAT REDEEMSUS WE FIND
FULNESS.
1. And there had need be so.(1)He found our measure of sin full towards God.
When a river swells it will find out all the channels and overflow the whole
field; so sin hath found an issue at the ear, eye, tongue, hands, feet, and so

overflows all.(2)God's measure of angerwas full too.(3)Then it pleasedthe
Father that there should be anotherfulness to overflow these.
2. This is" all fulness," and is only in Christ. Elijah had a greatportion of the
Spirit; Elisha sees that that will not serve Him, and so asks a double portion;
but still but portions. Stephen is full of faith, a blessedfulness where there is
no room for doubt; Dorcas is full of goodworks, a fulness above faith; Mary is
full of grace, whichis a fulness above both; but yet not "all fulness." I shall be
as full as Paul in heaven, i.e., have as full a vessel, but not so full a cellar.
Christ only hath an infinite contentand capacity, and so an infinite fulness.
3. But was Christ God before, and is there a supplementary fulness? Yes. To
make Him a competent personto redeemman something was to be added to
Christ though He were God; wherein we see the incomprehensibleness of
man's sin, that even to God Himself there was required something else than
God before we could be redeemed. PerfectGod, there is the fulness of the
Redeemer's dignity; perfect man, there is the fulness of His capacityto suffer
and pay our debt. This was a strange fulness, for it was a fulness of emptiness,
all humiliation and exinanition by His obedience unto death.
4. How came Christ by all this fulness? "It pleasedthe Father."
II. THE PACIFICATION. It is much that God would admit any peace;more
that for peace He should require blood; more still that it should be the blood
of Him who was injured; most of all that is should be the blood of the Cross,
i.e., death.
1. Then there was a heavy war before; for the Lord of Hosts was our enemy;
and what can all our musters come to when He is againstus?
2. But what is the peace, and how are we included in it? A man must not think
himself included in it because he feels no effects of this war. Though there be
no blow stricken, the warremains in the time of truce. But hero is no truce.
All this while that thou enjoyestthis imaginary security the enemy
undermines thee, and will blow thee up at lastmore irrevocablythan if he had
battered thee with outward calamities all the time. But in this text there is true
peace, and one already made, and made by Him who lackednothing for the
making of it.
3. Is effusion of blood the way of peace? Thatmay make them from whom it is
drawn gladof peace. Buthere mercy and truth are met together. God would
be true to His own justice and be merciful to us. Justice required blood, for
without it is no remission. Under the law it was blood of bulls and goats;here
it is His blood. "Greaterlove," etc. (John HYPERLINK "/john/15-

13.htm"15:13);but He who saidso laid down His life shamefully and painfully
for His enemies.
III. THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO ALL TO WHOM THAT
RECONCILIATION APPERTAINS. All this was done, and yet the apostle
prays us to be reconciledto God. The generalpeace was made by Christ's
death, as a generalpardon is given at the King's coming;we have to acceptit.
1. There is a reconciliationof things in heaven.
(1)The saints, who reachedforth the hand of faith to lay hold of Christ before
He came.
(2)Angels, who were confirmed in perfectholiness and blessedness.
2. Things on earth.
(1)The creature who by virtue of it shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption.
(2)Men.
3. But the most proper and literal meaning is that all things in heaven and
earth be reconciledto God; i.e., His glory, to a fitter disposition to glorify
Him, by being reconciledto one another in Christ; that in Him, as Head of the
Church, they in heavenand we on earth be united togetheras one body in the
communion of saints (Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-10.htm"1:10).
4. Here there is still reconciliationto be made, not only toward one another on
the bond of charity, but on ourselves. In ourselves we find things in heaven
and on earth to reconcile. There is heavenly zeal to be reconciledto discretion;
heavenly purity to one another's infirmities; heavenly liberty to a care for the
promotion of scandal. Till the flesh and spirit be reconciledthis reconciliation
is not accomplished;but both are, in Christ, when in all the faculties of soul
and body we glorify Him.
(J. Donne, D. D.)
The fulness
J. Morison, D. D., T. Guthrie, D. D.I. A PARTICULAR FULNESS dwelt in
Christ. The definitive article "the" has reference not to fulness in general. It
would not be to the honour of Jesus to have all fulness whatsoever. We readof
some whose cups and platters were full of extortion and excess;of Elymas,
who was "full of subtlety," etc.;of men who were "full of envy, murder," etc.
In Jesus it is some conspicuouslyglorious fulness.
II. A DIVINE FULNESS. The apostle refers to it in Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9 — the fulness of the Godhead, not only really and

spiritually, but bodily, in an incarnated condition, and thus conspicuously,
and in such a way as made it a reasonable thing to ascribe to our Lord the
work of creationon the one hand, and the headship of the Church on the
other.
1. The Godhead is full of power. "Nothing is too hard for the Lord." All that
fulness, too, is in Jesus, so that He is able to wheelthe worlds in their orbits
and "to save to the uttermost," etc.
2. The Godhead is full of righteousness.In God is "no darkness at all." Our
Lord is "Jesus Christthe righteous," whom no one can convictof sin; and He
is so full that His righteousnessis available, not to Himself alone, but "unto all
and upon all them that believe."
3. The Godhead is full of love. "God is love." Jesus said, "Greaterlove than
this," etc.
4. Hence, too, there was in Him fulness "ofgrace and truth," of meekness,
tenderness, gentleness.
III. A PERMANENT FULNESS. "Dwelt." The Fatherdid not desire that the
fulness of Godheadshould streamthrough our Saviour, illuminating and
glorifying His nature as it passed, and then vanish. It is the same in glory "to-
day, yesterday, and for ever."
(J. Morison, D. D.)
I. THE FULNESS THAT IS IN CHRIST.
1. All fulness. Ahasuerus promised Estherthat her request should be granted
though it costhim half his kingdom. Christ offers nothing by halves. "It
pleasedthe Father," etc. Transferring Divine wealth to our accountin the
bank of heaven, and giving us an unlimited credit there, Jesus says:"All
things whatsoeverye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
2. All fulness of mercy to pardon sin. The gospelproclaims a universal
amnesty. When the lastgun is fired, and pardon proclaimedin reconquered
provinces, is it not always markedby notable exceptions? Butfrom Christ's
pardoning mercy none are exceptedsave those who exceptthemselves. It
reaches the vilest sinner. It binds a zone of mercy round the world, and perish
the hands that would narrow it by a hair's breadth. None shall be damned but
those who damn themselves. One might fancy that now all are certain to be
saved. Who will not acceptof it? Offer a starving man bread, a poor man
money, a sick man health, a lifeboat in the wreck, how gladly will they be
accepted!But salvation, the one thing needful, is the one thing man will not

accept. He will stoop to pick up a piece of goldout of the mire, but he will not
rise out of the mire to receive a crownfrom heaven. What infatuation!
3. All fulness of grace to sanctify. Why are the best of us no better, holier,
happier? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? No. He who justified can
sanctify, and with holiness give fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore.
There is efficiencyand sufficiencyin Jesus to complete what He has begun.
There are stores of grace whichare like the widow's barrel that grew no
emptier for the meals it furnished. "My grace is sufficient for thee." With a
well ever flowing our vessels neednever be empty. No earthly fortune will
stand daily visits to the bank, but this will. You may ask too little, but you
cannot ask too much; you may go too seldom, but you cannotgo too often to
the throne.
II. THERE IS A CONSTANT SUPPLYOF SANCTIFYING AND
PARDONING GRACE IN CHRIST. "Dwell," not come and go, like a
wayfaring man, like a shallow, noisy, treacherous brook that fails when most
needed, but like the deep-seatedspring that, rising silently, though affluently,
at the mountain's foot, and having unseencommunication with its exhaustless
supplies, is ever flowing overits grassymargin, equally unaffectedby the long
droughts that dry the wells and the frosts that pave the neighbouring lake
with ice.
(T. Guthrie, D. D.)
The fulness of Christ
CongregationalRemembrancer.I. THE FULNESS OF CHRIST.
1. A fulness of all Divine attributes and perfections. Omnipotence in creation;
omniscience, wisdom, and goodness in providence; grace in the dispensation
of the Spirit; justice in the grand assize, etc., are all His. Hence fulness of
worship is offered Him in heaven (Revelation HYPERLINK "/revelation/3-
2.htm"3:2) and earth.
2. A fulness of truth and wisdom for the instruction of man. John tells us that
He is full of truth; Christ says, "I am the truth"; and Paul says, "In Him are
hid all the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge."(1)All the rays of Divine
truth which have everenlightened prophets and apostles,guided wandering
sinners back to God, and blessedthe Church with purity and consolation,
were emanations from Him, the greatProphet of the Church.(2) In the
Scriptures we have the mind of Christ.(3) But while the Bible is sufficient,
such is the powerwhich prejudice, unbelief, and ignorance exert over the
mind, that the influence of Christ is requisite to the reception of the truth.

Our prayer, then, before the open Bible should be, "Openmine eyes, that I
may behold wondrous things," etc.
3. A fulness of merit to justify every believer in His name.(1)Convinced of sin,
our greatquestion is, "How can man be just with God?" It is evident that we
cannot be just in our own righteousness, norin that of the holiest saints, for
they were indebted to another for the robe they wear; nor in that of angels,
for no creature, howeverelevated, canrender an obedience exceeding the law
of his creation, and consequently canhave no works ofsupererogationwhich
can be disposedof for the benefit of others.(2)No cheering answercanreach
us but that which comes from Calvary. By His obedience unto death, the law
broken by us is honoured, its precepts fulfilled, and its penalty endured.(3) By
faith we become interested in Jesus, and thus are justified freely by His grace.
4. A fulness of powerto accomplishall the purposes for which the mediatorial
office was instituted. He sits upon the throne wielding the omnipotent sceptre
of universal dominion, and reigns over all for the benefit of the Church.
5. A fulness of grace and compassionto relieve and comfort His afflicted
servants (Hebrews HYPERLINK "/hebrews/4-14.htm"4:14).
II. IT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE FATHER THAT THIS FULNESS
SHOULD DWELL IN CHRIST.
1. It is in harmony with the Divine counsels.
2. It meets with the Divine approbation.Conclusion:The subject —
1. Directs believers to the source of all consolation.
2. Sinners to the source of all salvation.
(CongregationalRemembrancer.)
Fulness of grace in Christ
Bishop Davenant.I. By FULNESS OF GRACE we understand all those
perfections to which the term grace extends itself.
II. WHY WAS IT NECESSARYTHAT THIS FULNESS OF GRACE
SHOULD DWELL IN CHRIST?
1. The fitness of things required it, on accountof the union of His soul with the
Word. For it is proper that in proportion as anything is nearer to the
influential cause, so much the more abundantly should it partake of the
influence itself. Since, therefore, God Himself is the fountain of grace, the soul
of Christ, so near to God, cannot but abound in grace.

2. Necessityrequires it, from considerationof the end, on accountof the
relation betweenChrist and the race. Forgrace was to be bestowedonhim,
not as on a private person, but as the universal fountain from whom it might
be transfused into the rest of men. But in this fountain all the parts ought to
be full and combined. The evangelistshows thatgrace is shed abroad from
Christ (John HYPERLINK "/john/1-16.htm"1:16;Ephesians HYPERLINK
"/ephesians/4-7.htm"4:7).
III. THIS FULNESS OF GRACE IS PECULIAR TO CHRIST ALONE. To
prove which, notice: In the saints militant there is not a fulness of grace;for it
cannot consistwith so many remains of the old man: for a fulness of grace
leaves no room for sin. But not even in the very saints triumphant. Forif one
star differeth from another star in light and magnitude, then how much more
does it differ from the sun? But an objectionis raised, that the Virgin Mary,
for instance, is said to be "full of grace" (Luke HYPERLINK "/luke/1-
28.htm"1:28);and Stephen also "full of grace and power" (Acts
HYPERLINK "/acts/6-8.htm"6:8);and that therefore a fulness of grace is not
peculiar to Christ. I answer, The fulness of grace is twofold: one may be
regardedon the part of grace itself, when a man hath it in the greatestextent,
both as to every kind of grace, and in the greatestperfectionas to degree. This
is the fulness of Christ alone. The other regards grace onthe part of the
possessorwhen a man hath it as fully and as sufficiently as his state and
condition can contain. Hence observe —
1. That God is not accustomedto impose an office upon any one without at the
same time conferring upon him all those powers which are necessaryfor the
discharge of it: He lays upon Christ the office of Head of the Church; but He
also imparts to Him a fulness of grace. Therefore,whoeverthrust themselves
into offices, forthe administration of which they are altogetherincompetent,
are not called to them by God, but are impelled either by avarice or ambition.
2. Since there is a fulness of grace in Christ alone, we must expect its streams
to flow to us from Him alone:they who seek graceelsewhere committwo evils
(Jeremiah HYPERLINK "/jeremiah/2-13.htm"2:13).
(Bishop Davenant.)
The fulness of Christ the treasury of the saints
C. H. Spurgeon.I. THERE IS A GLORIOUS FULNESS IN JESUS.
1. Enough to enable a saint to rise to the highest degree of grace. If there be
anything lacking for the attainment of the Divine image, it is not a deficiency
Christward; it is occasionedby shortcomings in ourselves. If sin is to be

overcome, the conquering powerdwells in Him in its fulness; if virtue is to be
attained, sanctifying energyresides in Him to perfection.
2. Enough for the conquestof the world. The Lord God omnipotent shall reign
from shore to shore. We have in Christ all the might that is needed for
subduing the nations; let us go into His armoury, and we shall receive
invincible weapons and almighty strength.
3. Every fulness for teaching, convincing, converting, sanctifying, and keeping
unto the end.
II. THE FULNESS IS IN JESUS NOW.
1. The glory of the past exercises a depressing influence overmany Christians.
Scarcelyany Church realizes that it can do what its first promoters did. A
people are in an evil case when their heroism is historical. In Jesus all fulness
dwells for Paul, Luther, Whitfield, you and me. Christianity has not lost its
pristine strength; we have lostour faith. Why should we not have a greater
Pentecostthan Peter saw? The times have altered, but Jesus is the Eternal.
2. A greatmany have their eye on the future only. But it doesn'tsay that the
fulness shall dwell. Whatevershall yet be done by His grace may be done to-
day. Our laziness puts off the work of conquest; and want of faith makes us
dote upon the millennium insteadof hearing the Spirit's voice to-day.
3. Our churches believe that there is greatfulness in Christ, and that
sometimes they ought to enjoy it. The progress ofChristianity is to be by tides
which ebb and flow. There are to be revivals like spring, which must alternate
with lethargies like winter. But it is not the Lord's pleasure that a fulness
should reside in Jesus during revivals, and then withdraw. May we feel that
we have not to drink of an intermittent spring, nor to work with an occasional
industry!
III. THE POSITION OF THIS FULNESS IS ENCOURAGING TO US IN
THE MATTER OF OBTAINING IT. It is "in Him," where you can receive it,
in your Brother, who loves to give it. It is yours. Since Christ is yours, all that
is in Him is yours. It pleases Godfor you to partake of it. It is a matter for
gratitude that it is not placed in us, for then we should not have to go so often
to Christ; nor in an angel, who would not be so attractive as Christ.
IV. WE OUGHT TO USE THIS FULNESS.
1. Believe in greatthings.
2. Expectthem.
3. Attempt them.

4. Do not talk about this, but setabout it.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The fulness of Christ
H. Brooke.The fulness ofpower which creationmanifests, and the fulness of
glory which the Church reveals, and the fulness of grace whichthe Godhead
contains, dwell in Christ. That is His fulness. But oh, "how small a portion is
heard of Him!" (Job HYPERLINK "/job/26-14.htm"26:14).A little child is
led down to our sea-coast, andis told, "Thatis the ocean";a little child is
takento the sea-coastin Canada, and is told, "Thatis the ocean";and a little
child is taken to the sea-coastin Australia, and is told, "That is the ocean."
But the oceanfills the intervening two thousand five hundred miles between
the first and second, the fourteen thousand miles betweenthe secondand
third, and the fifteen thousand miles betweenthe third and the first. They
have seenthe ocean, but its fulness fills all that lies betweenthem, and all that
is beyond the horizon which bounds their vision.
(H. Brooke.)
No limit to the fulness in Christ
T. Guthrie, D. D.I have felt it an interesting thing to stand by the grassyedge
of a rolling river, and think how it has been rolling on for six thousand years,
slaking the thirst and watering the fields of a hundred generations,:and yet
there is no sign of waste orwant there; and it is an interesting thing to mark
the sun rise above the shoulder of a mountain, or where the skyis thick with
clouds to see him leap from his oceanbed, and think he has melted the snows
of go many winters, revived the verdure of so many springs, painted the
flowers of so many summers, and ripened the corn of so many autumns, and
yet is as big and as brilliant as ever, his eye not dimmed, his strength not
abated, and his floods of glory none the less for centuries of profusion. But
what is that rolling river, what is yon bright sun, but images of the blessed
fulness that is in Jesus Christ, a fulness that should encourage the most
hopeless ofyou to hope, a fulness that should prevail upon the vilest sinner to
come, and a fulness that should animate the efforts of missionaries and of
missionary societiesto go on in the strength of Him who has all powerin earth
and heaven, who shall carry on His triumphs till the whole world has been
subdued, and all the nations of this world and its kingdoms shall "become the
kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ."
(T. Guthrie, D. D.)
Fulness of Christ cannotbe supplemented

C. H. Spurgeon.Trulythe revelation is by no means scant, for there is vastly
more revealedin the person of Christ than we shall be likely to learn in this
mortal life, and even eternity will not be too long for the discoveryof all the
glory of God which shines forth in the person of the Word made flesh. Those
who would supplement Christianity had better first add to the brilliance of
the sun or the fulness of the sea.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Reconciler
, T. Guthrie, D. D.It is greatto "reconcile";greater"through Himself";
greater, again, "through His blood"; greatestofall "through His Cross."
Here are five things to be admired — reconciliation, to God, through Himself,
by death, by the Cross.
( Chrysostom.)
The Reconciler:—
I. BY NATURE MAN IS AT ENMITYWITH GOD. As God is love, so the
carnalmind is enmity; this being so much the nature, essence, elementof its
existence, that if you took awaythe enmity it would cease to be. It is not
always in activity, but sins, like seeds, lie dormant, and only await
circumstances to develop them. This is a doctrine into which the believerdoes
not need to be reasoned. He feels it. The text takes it for granted; for what
need can there be to make peace betweenfriends? Not friends require to be
reconciled, only foes. But does God appear as reciprocating our enmity, as the
enemy of man? No; not even when He condemns him. He does not hate the
sinner, though He hates his sins. He hath no pleasure in the death of the
wicked.
II. GOD DESIRES TO BE RECONCILED TO HIS ENEMIES.
1. Man stands upon his dignity. The injured says to the injurer — and each
generallythinks not himself, but the other such — "He is to come to me; I am
not to go to him." You may tell him that it is noble to make the first advances.
"No," he says, "he must acknowledgehis offence, and I will not refuse my
hand." Strange terms for those to stand on who know the grace ofGod. If
God had so dealt with us, we should have gone to hell.
2. Does Godstand upon His dignity, the justice of the ease? Ifever any might,
it was He. No, He takes the humiliation to Himself, and might be supposedto
be the injurer, not the injured. Veiling His majesty, and leaving heaven to
seek our door, He stands, knocks, waits there, beseeching us as though it were

a favour to be reconciled. Salvationhas its fountain, not in the Cross, but in
the bosomof the Father.
III. TO MAKE OUR PEACE WITH GOD, JESUS CHRIST LAID DOWN
HIS LIFE.
1. The price of pardon was nothing less than "the blood of God."
2. Purchasing our peace at such a price, Godhas done more for us than for all
the universe besides.
(T. Guthrie, D. D.)
The atonement
W. M. Taylor, D. D.I. The influence of the blood of the CROSS ON GOD.
"Peace"cannotmean the actual reconciliationof man to God, for it is prior to
and with the design of afterwards effecting it. It must therefore have been
peace that lookedtowardGod, for He is the only other party to the enmity.
But this could not have been a change in God Himself or His purposes, for He
is immutable; nor any alterationin His feelings towards sin, for that must
ever be the abominable thing which He hates;still less the purchase of His
love for man, for the whole purpose of reconciliationsprang out of His
"pleasure." Butit is the effectproduced by the death of Christ upon God's
moral government, so that it became possible for Him to forgive righteously.
It will follow —
1. That they are greatly in error who maintain that the only purpose of
Christ's death was to reconcile man to God by the simple manifestation of
Divine love. The fact is there are two elements in the Cross — love and
righteousness — and we must allow neither to overshadow the other. If we do,
in one case the gospelwill assume the appearance ofindifference to evil, in the
other it will be made to assume an appearance ofterror.
2. That they are greatly in error who make little of the death of Christ.
"Without shedding of blood is no remission."
II. The blood of the Cross AS IT RESPECTS MAN. "Things on earth" may
perhaps be taken to mean the whole lowercreationwhich "groans and
travails in pain," etc.;but as the curse passedon the earth through man, so
must the blessing. How, then, are men reconciledto God? More than pardon
through the satisfactionof God's justice was needed;for sin has not only
broken the law, but filled the sinner's heart with enmity againstGod. But —
1. The atonement of Christ has also securedthe Holy Spirit for the
regenerationof human hearts.

2. Then the Spirit uses the story of Christ's love and death to remove the
enmity. All along the sinner has been misjudging God; but when he, through
the Spirit, is led to see that God has given Christ to secure his pardon, he
discovers that he has done God the foulestwrong, and returns in penitence
and affectionto Him.
III. The blood of the Cross As IT AFFECTS ANGELS. They, of course,
cannot be reconciledin the strict sense ofthe term; but the work of Christ has
let them see further into the heart of God, drawn them nearerto Him, and
given them a higher degree of blessedness. Conclusion:
1. All obstacles have been takenout of the way of a sinner's salvationas far as
God is concerned. If they are not saved, it is because they rejectGod's
overtures of reconciliation.
2. If the sinner passes fromearth unreconciled, there is no salvation for him.
The text says nothing of "things under the earth."
(W. M. Taylor, D. D.)
Peace throughthe blood of the Cross
J. Morison, D. D.I. THE FATHER MAKES THIS PEACE. This is
noteworthy. A different representationmight have been given — has been
given elsewhere. Christis our peace, andthrough Him we canapproach the
Father without dismay. But the teaching here is that the greattransactionof
the Cross was notneeded to enlist the interest of the Father, or to render Him
willing to rescue us, or to procure our love. It was His love that procured the
Cross. The Son cando nothing of Himself, but delights to do the will of the
Father.
II. THIS PEACE HAS BEEN MADE.
1. The idea is not that war has ceased.
(1)Alas! it has not in our world.
(2)Nor in the human heart (ver. 21).
(3)Nor in other spheres (Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/6-
12.htm"6:12).
2. But it has been made in this sense that, so far as the earth's populations are
concerned, an armistice has been proclaimed by the Lord Paramount of the
universe. A halt has been called to the legions ofretribution. All the steps have
been takenby the Divine Governorthat were needful to render it a fit, safe,
and glorious thing on His part to conclude peace, and has sent messengers to
proclaim peace to them that are afar off and to them that are nigh.

III. He has made peace THROUGHTHE BLOOD OF THE CROSS. The idea
is that at a very greatcostHe has made the peace. The Fatherwhile infinitely
loving the Son saw it to be a fitting thing to surrender Him to a cruel death.
But in the endurance of the crucifixion there was a manifestationof high
regard for the law, hatred to sin, and love of the sinner.
IV. HE IS NOW LABORING TO SECURE THE ACCEPTANCE AND
EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PEACE. Not only did the Divine Father make
peace 1,800years ago, andthen leave sinners to acceptit or rejectit,
indifferent as to the result. "My Fatherworkethhitherto, and I work." Both
Father and Son are working togetherat every point in the world of matter
and on every heart in the world of mind.
(J. Morison, D. D.)
Peace by the blood of Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.There is a young girl in heaven now, once a member of our
Church. I went with one of my beloved deacons to see her when she was very
near her departure. She was in the last stage ofconsumption. She said to me,
"It is sadto be so very weak, but I think, if I had my choice, I would rather be
here than be in health, for it is very precious to me. I know that my Redeemer
liveth, and I am waiting for the moment when He shall send His chariotof fire
to take me up to Him." I put the question, "Have you not any doubts?" "No,
none, sir; why should I? I claspmy arms around the neck of Christ." "And
have not you any fear about your sins?'" "No, sir; they are all forgiven. I trust
the Saviour's precious blood." "And do you think you will be as brave as this
when you come actually to die?" "Notif He leaves me, sir; but He will never
leave me, for He has said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
And you, that were sometime alienatedand enemies in your mind
Reconciliationby Christ
F.W. Robertson, M.A.1. There are only two kinds of goodnesspossible, thatof
those who have never erred, that of those who have been recovered. It is plain
that ours must be the latter.
2. Appointed to these are two kinds of happiness, the blessedness ofentire
ignorance of guilt, and the blessednessofforgiveness, the latter of which is
superior in intensity and fulness.
3. There are two kinds of friendship, that which has never had a shock, and
that which, after having been doubted, is at lastmade sure. The happiness of

the lastis perhaps the greater, as illustrated by the parable of the Prodigal.
This leads us to our subject — Reconciliation.
I. ESTRANGEMENT.
1. Its cause. "Wickedworks,"voluntary deeds. Sin is not merely a foreign
disease introduced into the constitution. You are a responsible individual,
have done deeds that are wrong of the mind, hand, tongue.
2. Its result.(1) Alienation — the feeling that God is our enemy. Alienation was
a more forcible expressionthen. There is now little difference betweenthe
alien and the citizen. But the alien from the Jewishcommonwealthhad no
powerto share in its religious privileges, and was popularly regardedas a
"dog." In the Roman commonwealththe word had a still strongermeaning; it
was to be separatedfrom the authority and protectionof Roman law, and to
be subject to degrading penalties. Hence Paul's protestat Philippi against
scourging, as he was not an alien. Paul's conceptionof alienationis given in
Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/2-12.htm"2:12 it is to have no place in
the universe, to feelGod your enemy, to be estrangedfrom Him and banished
from His presence. Whatis this but hell?(2) Enmity againstGod. The
illustration of the process we have seenin every day life. Strength of
attachment settles down to indifference, and at lastto hatred.
2. secretsenseofwrong intrudes, and we cannotescape, save by throwing the
blame somewhere. Bydegrees a cankeredspotbegins, you irritate it until the
mortification becomes entire, and alienation settles down into animosity. And
such is the history of alienationfrom God. Different characters arrive at it in
different ways.(a)Weak minds throw the blame on circumstances, andregard
themselves as victims of a cruel fate, the blame belonging not to them, but
God.(b) In the case ofstrongerand more vicious characters, humiliation
degrades, and degradationproduces anger. The outcastturns with defiance
on respectability merely because it is respectable. So some sinners stand at
bay, as it were, to their Maker.
II. RECONCILIATION.
1. Christ has reconciledman to God.(1)By exhibiting the characterofGod.
The sacrifice ofChrist was the voice of God proclaiming love.(2) When the
mind has comprehended this, then comes the blessedfeeling of reconciliation.
The change of feeling within us changes Godto us.
2. Christ has reconciledman to man.(1) Men have tried other methods. Let
the political economistcome forwardwith his principle of selfishness and tell
us that this is that by which alone the wealth of nations can accrue. He may
get a nation in which there are a wealthy few and a miserable many, but not a

brotherhood of Christians. Try the principle of moral rule; say that men
should love one another — will that make them? You may come forward with
the crushing rule of political authority. PapalRome has tried that and failed.
She bound up the masses ofthe race as a gigantic iceberg;but she could give
only a temporary principle of cohesion.(2)Therefore we come back to the
Cross:through this alone we learn that there is one Father, one Elder
Brother, in whom all canbe brothers. Catchthe spirit of that Cross, the spirit
of giving, suffering, loving, and man will be reconciledto man.
3. By the Redeemer's atonementman becomes reconciledto himself. That is
necessarybecause itis so hard to forgive ourselves. You may obtain remission,
but you cannot get back the feeling of self-respectand unity within. The
sacrifice ofChrist was surrender to the will of God; go and sacrifice yourself
for the happiness of others, and the calm feeling will come.
4. Man becomes reconciledto duty. There is no discord more terrible than
that betweenman and duty. There are few of us who fancy we have found our
proper places in this world. We think that we are fit for higher things. But
study that marvellous Life and you will see that the whole of its details are
ungenial, mean, trivial, wretchedcircumstances. It is not by change of
circumstances, but by fitting our spirits to the circumstances in which God
has placedus, that we can be reconciledto life and duty. If the duties be not
noble, let us ennoble them by doing them in a noble spirit.
(F.W. Robertson, M.A.)
The nature and issues of reconciliation
J. Spence, D. D.I. THE CHRISTIAN'S PAST CONDITION.
1. Alienation. The idea is that of belonging to a different community, morally
at a distance from God. Man's spirit formed for God is naturally averse from
Him. No soonerwas our first father guilty than he fled from the presence of
his Maker.(1)This alienationis spiritual death, for the soul cannot realize its
true life away from God.(2)The spirit of alienation is hostility.
2. The seatof this enmity is in the thought and feeling. It need not be
apparent. If we are wilfully separatedfrom one to whom we owe love and
allegiance, hardthoughts of him to justify ourselves will arise and then enmity
of heart. Men may profess to like an ideal God, but the God of the Bible who
claims their affectionand service is no objectof attraction to the natural
mind. Take any gathering of men and you canintroduce no subject more
forbid ding than that of God.

3. This hostility has an outward embodiment in the practicalsphere of wicked
works not necessarilyinto flagrant vice. Every act of disobedience is evil,
howevercompatible with socialvirtue and refinement, because rebellion
againstGod.
4. This is a melancholy indictment, but a true one. Perhaps the darkestcount
againsthumanity is that in regions of civilization and culture there can be so
much that is pleasantand elevating without any recognitionof God.
II. THE CHRISTIAN'S PRESENTPRIVILEGE.
1. It is not Godwho is said to be reconciled. Godis reconciledin Christ, and is
seeking to reconcile the world unto Himself.
2. In this reconciliation—(1)Friendship is restored. The alienationand
enmity are removed, and the sinner brought nigh. No friendship canbe
compared with this: that of the world workethdeath, this is life and glory.(2)
Fellowshipis resumed. Man was formed for this, but sin interrupted it, and
now in it man finds his highest enjoyment.
3. But how does it come? "In the body of His flesh," etc.(1)The assumption of
a human body brought Jesus into fraternal relationship with men.(2) His
death brings us into relationship.
4. The apostle utterly demolishes these theories which make little of the death
of Christ while they profess to make much of His life and teaching.
III. THE CHRISTIAN'S FUTURE PROSPECT(ver. 23).
(J. Spence, D. D.)
The personalblessings ofreconciliation
G. Barlow.I. SIN HAS PLACED MAN IN ANTAGONISM TO GOD.
1. Man is estrangedfrom God. Sin severs the soulfrom God. The principle of
cohesion— the consciousnessofrectitude — is gone, and the sinner, breaking
awayfrom the centre of all goodness, drifts into the wilderness of alienation.
Sin leads man to shun the Divine presence and disregard the Divine overtures.
It is a state of dangerand spiritual death. How few are conscious ofit!
2. Man is hostile to God. Enmity follows estrangement, and both have their
seatin the mind. The mind of man opposes the mind of God, sets up a rival
kingdom, and organizes anactive rebellion againstthe Divine Ruler (Romans
HYPERLINK "/romans/8-7.htm"8:7). If the hostility is not always open, it is
in the mind.
3. Man's estrangementand hostility are evident in his actions.

II. MAN IS RECONCILED TO GOD IN CHRIST.
1. The distinguished blessing. "Now hath He reconciled."
2. The gracious medium of the blessing. "In the body of His flesh through
death."
III. THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN RECONCILIATION IS TO PROMOTE
MAN'S HIGHEST BLESSEDNESS.
1. The highest blessedness ofman consists in his moral purity. "To present
you holy."
2. In His personalblamelessness.
3. In His freedom from censure.
(G. Barlow.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19)Forit pleasedthe Father.—(1)
The constructionis doubtful. There is nothing corresponding to “the Father”
in the original. Our rendering involves the supply of the nominative God, i.e.,
“the Father,” or Christ to the verb, so that the sentence may run, the Father
or Christ determined of His goodpleasure that, &c. The supply of the
nominative “Christ” is easiergrammatically; but it accords ill with the
invariable reference ofall things, both by our Lord Himself and His Apostles,
ultimately to the goodpleasure of the Father. Moreover, the verb is so
constantly used of God that the supply of the nominative “God,” though
unexampled, is far from inadmissible. The simplest grammatical construction
would, indeed, be to take “the fulness” as the nominative, and render for in
Him all the fulness (of God) was pleasedto dwell. But the personificationof
“the fulness,” common in Gnostic speculation, is hardly after the manner of
St. Paul. Perhaps, on the whole, the rendering of our version (which is usually
adopted) is to be preferred; especiallyas it suits better with the following
verse. (2) The sense is, however, quite clear, and is enforcedby Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9, “InHim dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godheadbodily.” On the word “fulness” (pleroma), see Note on Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23. The “fulness ofthe Godhead” is the
essentialnature, comprising all the attributes, of Godhead. The indwelling of
such Deity in the humanity of Christ is the ground of all His exaltationas the

“Head,” “the beginning,” the “firstborn from the dead,” and the triumphant
King, on which St. Paul had already dwelt. By it alone canHe be the true
MediatorbetweenGod and man.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary1:15-23 Christin his human nature, is
the visible discoveryof the invisible God, and he that hath seenHim hath seen
the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory
of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begottenbefore all the creation,
before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing
eternity, and by which the eternity of God is representedto us. All things
being createdby Him, were createdfor him; being made by his power, they
were made according to his pleasure, and for his praise and glory. He not only
createdthem all at first, but it is by the word of his powerthat they are
upheld. Christ as Mediatoris the Head of the body, the church; all grace and
strength are from him; and the church is his body. All fulness dwells in him; a
fulness of merit and righteousness,ofstrength and grace for us. God showed
his justice in requiring full satisfaction. This mode of redeeming mankind by
the death of Christ was mostsuitable. Here is presented to our view the
method of being reconciled. And that, notwithstanding the hatred of sin on
God's part, it pleasedGod to reconcile fallenman to himself. If convinced that
we were enemies in our minds by wickedworks, and that we are now
reconciledto God by the sacrifice and death of Christ in our nature, we shall
not attempt to explain away, nor yet think fully to comprehend these
mysteries; but we shall see the glory of this plan of redemption, and rejoice in
the hope setbefore us. If this be so, that God's love is so greatto us, what shall
we do now for God? Be frequent in prayer, and abound in holy duties; and
live no more to yourselves, but to Christ. Christ died for us. But wherefore?
That we should still live in sin? No;but that we should die to sin, and live
henceforth not to ourselves, but to Him.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleForit pleasedthe Father - The words "the Father"
are not in the original, but they are not improperly supplied. Some word must
be understood, and as the apostle in Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-
12.htm"1:12 referred to "the Father" as having a claim to the thanks of his
people for what he had done, and as the greatfavor for which they ought to be
thankful is that which he immediately specifies - the exaltationof Christ, it is
not improper to suppose that this is the word to be understood here. The
meaning is, that he chose to conferon his Son such a rank, that in all things he
might have the pre-eminence, and that there might be in him "allfulness."

Hence, by his appointment, he was the agentin creation, and hence he is
placed overall things as the head of the church.
That in him should all fulness dwell - That in him there should be such
dignity, authority, power, and moral excellence as to be fitted to the work of
creating the world, redeeming his people, and supplying everything needful
for their salvation. On the word "fullness," see John HYPERLINK
"//biblehub.com/john/1-14.htm"1:14, note, 16, note; compare Romans
HYPERLINK "//biblehub.com/romans/11-12.htm"11:12, Romans
HYPERLINK "/romans/11-25.htm"11:25;Galatians HYPERLINK
"/galatians/4-4.htm"4:4;Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-
23.htm"1:23;Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/3-19.htm"3:19;
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9. This is to us a most
precious truth. We have a Saviour who is in no respectdeficient in wisdom,
power, and grace to redeem and save us. There is nothing necessaryto be
done in our salvationwhich he is not qualified to do; there is nothing which
we need to enable us to perform our duties, to meet temptation, and to bear
trial, which he is not able to impart. In no situation of trouble and danger will
the church find that there is a deficiency in him; in no enterprise to which she
can put her hands will there be a lack of powerin her greatHead to enable
her to accomplishwhat he calls her to. We may go to him in all our troubles,
weaknessestemptations, and needs, and may be supplied from his fullness -
just as, if we were thirsty, we might go to an oceanof pure waterand drink.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary19. Greek, "(God)was well
pleased," &c.
in him—that is, in the Son (Mt 3:17).
all fulness—rather as Greek, "allthe fulness," namely, of God, whatever
divine excellence is in God the Father(Col 2:9; Eph 3:19; compare Joh 1:16;
3:34). The Gnostics usedthe term "fulness," for the assemblage of
emanations, or angelic powers, coming from God. The Spirit prescientlyby
Paul warns the Church, that the true "fulness" dwells in Christ alone. This
assigns the reasonwhy Christ takes precedence ofevery creature (Col 1:15).
For two reasons Christ is Lord of the Church: (1) Because the fulness of the
divine attributes (Col 1:19) dwells in Him, and so He has the powerto govern
the universe; (2) Because (Col1:20)what He has done for the Church gives
Him the right to preside over it.
should … dwell—as in a temple (Joh 2:21). This indwelling of the Godheadin
Christ is the foundation of the reconciliationby Him [Bengel]. Hence the

"and" (Col1:20) connects as cause andeffectthe two things, the Godheadin
Christ, and the reconciliationby Christ.
Matthew Poole's Commentary A learnedman reads it: For all fulness pleased
to dwell in him. Others: He liked, or approved, that all fulness should dwell in
him, bringing instances forthat construction of the word
it pleased.
For it pleasedthe Father; it is true the word Fatheris not in the Greek text,
nor in the oriental versions, but is well understood and supplied from the
context, Colossians HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-12.htm"1:12, where the
apostle gives thanks to the Father, and then describes his dear Son in the
following verses, and here in this adds a cogentreasonwhy he should be the
Head of his church, since the Son of his love, (in whom he is well pleased,
Matthew HYPERLINK "/matthew/3-17.htm"3:17),is he alone in whom he
likes to dwell with all fulness or all fulness, doth will to abide.
That in him should all fulness; here is another all, and a fulness added to that
all; an all for parts, a fulness for degrees;a transcendencyin all, above all. It
is of the Father’s goodpleasure that Christ, not here consideredsimply, as the
Son of God, but respectively, as Head of his church, and Mediator, should be
the subjectof this all fulness, which is not directly that of his body mystical,
Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23. But:
1. Originally, the fulness of the Godhead, whereby he hath an all-sufficiency of
perfections for his mediatory office upon the mystical union, which none other
hath or can have, Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9 John
HYPERLINK "/john/1-14.htm"1:14:of which more distinctly in the next
chapter.
2. Derivatively, a fulness of the Spirit and habitual grace, Luke HYPERLINK
"/luke/1-80.htm"1:80,with John HYPERLINK "/john/1-16.htm"1:16,33
3:34; holiness, wisdom, power, perfectly to finish his work, John
HYPERLINK "/john/17-4.htm"17:4 19:30, and other excellenciesfor the
reconciling (as it follows)and actual influencing of his body, Psalm
HYPERLINK "/psalms/130-7.htm"130:7,8 Mt28:18 John HYPERLINK
"/john/5-20.htm"5:20 Romans HYPERLINK "/romans/1-4.htm"1:4 1
HYPERLINK "/1_corinthians/5-4.htm"Corinthians HYPERLINK
"/1_corinthians/5-4.htm"5:4;with 2 HYPERLINK "/2_corinthians/12-

9.htm"Corinthians HYPERLINK "/2_corinthians/12-9.htm"12:9 Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/context/ephesians/1-20.htm"1:20-22Hebrews HYPERLINK
"/hebrews/7-25.htm"7:25,26Re 5:6,12.
Dwell; and this all fulness doth not only lodge in him for a time, but resideth
and abideth in him; it is not in him as the Divine glory was awhile in the
tabernacle of Moses,and the temple of Solomon, but dwells constantly in him,
not as a private person, but a universal principle; as Head of the body, (as well
as reconciler), to fill up the emptiness of man with the abundant grace that
perpetually resideth in him.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleForit pleasedthe Father,.... The phrase,
"the Father", is not in the original text, but is rightly supplied; since he is
expresslymentioned in the context, as he who makes the saints meet to be
partakers of the heavenly glory; who deliver, them from the powerand
dominion of sin, and translates them into the kingdom of his dear Son; and
who, by Christ, reconciles allthings to himself, Colossians HYPERLINK
"//biblehub.com/colossians/1-12.htm"1:12, andwhose sovereignwill and
pleasure it is,
that in him should all fulness dwell: by which is meant, not the fulness of the
deity, though it is read by some the fulness of the Godhead: which seems to be
transcribed from Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9;but
though all the perfections of God are in Christ, as eternity, omnipotence,
omniscience, omnipresence,immutability, independence, and necessary
existence, and every other, or he would not be equal with God; nor could all
the fulness of the Godheadbe said to dwell in him, should anyone be wanting;
yet this is a fulness possessedby him, that does not spring from, nor depend
upon the Father's goodwill and pleasure; but what he naturally and
necessarilyenjoys by a participation of the same undivided nature and essence
with the Fatherand Spirit: nor is the relative fulness of Christ intended,
which is his church, so called, Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-
23.htm"1:23;and will be so when all the electare gatheredin, and filled with
all the gifts and gracesofhis Spirit, and are arrived to the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ; for though every believerdwells in Christ, and
Christ in him, yet the church is not said to dwell in Christ, but Christ in the
church; moreover, as yet she is not his fulness, at leastin the sense she will be,
and much less canshe be said to be all fulness: nor is this to be understood of
Christ's fulness of fitness and abilities, as God-man and Mediator, to perform
his work and office as such; though this may be takeninto the sense ofthe text
as a part, yet is not the whole;but rather chiefly that dispensatory

communicative fulness, which is, of the Father's goodwill and pleasure, put
into the hands of Christ to be distributed to others, is here designed. There is a
fulness of nature in Christ; the light of nature is from him, and communicated
by him to mankind; the blessings ofnature are the blessings ofhis left hand,
which he distributes to his people as he thinks fit; and all things in nature are
subservient to his mediatorial kingdom and glory. There is a fulness of grace
in him, out of which saints receive, and grace for grace, ora large abundance
of it; the fulness of the spirit of grace, and of all the graces andgifts of the
Spirit is in him; and of all the blessings ofgrace, as a justifying righteousness,
pardon of sin, adoption, sanctification, evenof all that grace that is implanted
in regeneration, that is necessaryto carry on and finish the goodwork upon
the soul; there is a fulness of all light and life, of wisdom, and strength, of
peace, joy, and comfort, and of all the promises of grace, both with respectto
this world and that which is to come; and there is also a fulness of glory in
him, not only the grace, but the glory of the saints, is laid up and hid with him,
and is safe and secure in him: this is said to dwell in Christ, which implies its
being in him; it is not barely in intention, design, and purpose, but it is really
and actually in him, nor is it in any other; and hence it comes to be
communicated to the saints:and it also denotes the continuance of it with him;
it is an abiding fulness, and yields a continual daily supply to the saints, and
will endure to the end of time, and be as sufficient for the lastas the first
believer; it is like the subjectof it, the same yesterday, today, and for ever:
and it also intends the safetyof it: the saints' life both of grace and glory is hid
with Christ, and is secure, it is out of the reachof men and devils, and can
never be lost, or they deprived of it; and all this is owing not to any merits of
men, to their faith and holiness, or goodworks, whichare all the fruits of this
fulness, but to the good will of God; "it pleasedthe Father" to place it here for
them; it was owing to his goodwill to his Son, and therefore he puts all things
into his hands; and to his electin him, for, having loved them with an
everlasting love, he takes everlasting care ofthem, and makes everlasting
provision for them; it was his pleasure from all eternity to take such a step as
this, well knowing it was not proper to put it into the hands of Adam, nor into
the hands of angels, nor into their own at once;he saw none so fit for it as his
Son, and therefore it pleasedhim to commit it unto him; and it is his goodwill
and sovereignpleasure, that all grace should come through Christ, all
communion with him here, and all enjoyment of him hereafter; which greatly
enhances and sets forth the glory of Christ as Mediator, one considerable
branch of which is, that he is full of grace and truth; this qualifies him to be
the head of the church, and gives a reason, as these words be, why he has, and
ought to have, the preeminence in all things.

Geneva Study BibleForit pleasedthe Father that in him should {m} all fulness
dwell;
(m) Mostplentiful abundance of all things pertaining to God.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary HYPERLINK
"/commentaries/meyer/colossians/1.htm"HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-
19.htm" HYPERLINK "/commentaries/meyer/colossians/1.htm"Colossians
HYPERLINK "/commentaries/meyer/colossians/1.htm"1:19.[43]ὍΤΙ]
Confirmatory of the ἽΝΑ ΓΈΝΗΤΑΙ Κ.Τ.Λ., just said: “aboutwhich divinely
intended ΓΊΓΝΕΣΘΑΙἘΝ ΠᾶΣΙΝ ΑὐΤῸΝ ΠΡΩΤΕΎΟΝΤΑthere can be no
doubt, for it has pleased, that in Him, etc.” How could He, who was thus
destined to be possessorofthe divine fulness and reconcilerofthe world, have
been destined otherwise than to become ἐν πᾶσιν πρωτεύων! This
confirmation, therefore, does not refer to the statement that Christ is the
Head of the church (Steiger, Huther, comp. Calovius), which has already its
confirmation by means of Ὅς ἘΣΤΙΝ ἈΡΧῊ Κ.Τ.Λ., nor at all to ἘΚ ΤῶΝ
ΝΕΚΡῶΝ (Hofmann, following up his incorrect explanation of these words),
as if the reasonwere specifiedwhy Christ should have gone to His high
dignity as beginner of a new world by the path of deepestabasement—a
thought which Paul would have knownhow to express quite differently
(comp. Php HYPERLINK "/philippians/2-7.htm"2:7 f.) than by the bare ἐκ
τῶν νεκρ., which is currently used everywhere of resurrectionfrom death,
and without conveying any specialsignificance ofhumiliation. Noryet does
Paul move in a circle, by putting forward in Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19 as ground of proof that from which in Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-15.htm"1:15 (ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν κ.τ.λ.)he had
started (de Wette); for Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19
is a historicalstatement (observe the aorists), whereas Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-15.htm"1:15 expressedwhatChrist is, His
habitual being.
ἐν αὐτῷ]although belonging to ΚΑΤΟΙΚ., is prefixed in emphatic
transposition(Kühner, II. 2, p. 1101).
ΕὐΔΌΚΗΣΕ]He was pleased, placuit ei, that, etc. As to this use of εὐδοκεῖνin
the later Greek (1 HYPERLINK "/1_corinthians/1-21.htm"Corinthians
HYPERLINK "/1_corinthians/1-21.htm"1:21;Galatians HYPERLINK
"/galatians/1-15.htm"1:15, etal.), for which, in the classicallanguage, δοκεῖν
merely was employed, see Fritzsche, ad Rom. II. p. 370. On the accusative

with infinitive, comp. 2 HYPERLINK "//apocrypha.org/2_maccabees/14-
35.htm"Ma HYPERLINK "//apocrypha.org/2_maccabees/14-35.htm"14:35;
Polyb. i. 8. 4. The subject, whose pleasure it is, is not expressed;but that it is
God, is obvious from the context, which in ἵνα γένηται κ.τ.λ. has just stated
the divine purpose. Among Greek authors also ὁ Θεός is not unfrequently
omitted, where it is self-evident as the subject. See Kühner, II. 1, p. 30 c.
According to Ewaldand Ellicott (also Weiss, Bibl. Theol. p. 428, ed. 2, and
Rich. Schmidt, Paul. Christol. p. 208), πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα is the subject; and the
whole fulness is a new expressionfor the Godhead, inasmuch as, going as it
were out of itself, it fills something separate and thus becomes visible (= ‫דובכ‬
,ΝᾶΠ;egasu .T .N morf troppus tuohtiW .(ΑΜῦΕΝΠ,ςΟΓΌΛ ,ΑΞΌΔ ,‫יהוה‬
too, would be unsuitable for the subject of εὐδόκησε;and εἰς αὐτόνin
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-29.htm"1:29clearlyshows that Θεός
is conceivedas subject, to which εἰρηνοποιήσας then refers. According to
Hofmann (comp. also his Schriftbew. II. 1, p. 357 f.), Christ is meant to be the
subject of εὐδόκ. Colossians HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20 itself,
and Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-9.htm"1:9, oughtto have
precluded this error. Throughout the whole of the N. T. it is never Christ, but
always the Father, who in respectto the work of redemption to be executed
gives the decree, while Christ executes it as obedient to the Father; hence also
Paul, “beneficium Christi commemorans, nunquam dimittit memoriam
Patris,” Bengel. Comp. Reiche, Comment. crit. p. 263.
πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικ.]that in Him the whole fulness was to take up its
abode. The more precise definition of the absolute ΠᾶΝ ΤῸ ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑis
placed beyond doubt by the subjectto be mentally supplied with
ΕὐΔΌΚΗΣΕ,[44]namely, τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ Θεοῦ (Ephesians HYPERLINK
"/ephesians/3-19.htm"3:19;comp. ΤῸ ΠΛΉΡ. Τῆς ΘΕΌΤΗΤΟς, Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9). ΤῸ ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑ, the significationof
which is not to be defined actively: id quod rem implet (in oppositionto Storr,
Opusc. I. p. 144 ff., Bähr, Steiger), but passively:id quo res impletur (see
generallyon Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-10.htm"1:10;Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/3-19.htm"3:19, Fritzsche, adRom. II. p. 469), has
here, as in Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/3-9.htm"3:9, the derivative
generalnotion of copia, πλοῦτος, like the German Fülle. What is meant,
namely, is the whole charismatic riches of God, His whole gracious fulness of
εὐλογία πνευματική (Ephesians HYPERLINK"/ephesians/1-3.htm"1:3), of
which Christ became permanent (ΚΑΤΟΙΚῆΣΑΙ) possessorand bearer, who
was thereby capable of fulfilling the divine work of reconciliation(see the
following ΚΑῚ ΔΙʼ ΑὐΤΟῦ ἈΠΟΚΑΤΑΛΛΆΞΑΙ Κ.Τ.Λ.). The case is

otherwise in Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9, where the
divine essence (τῆς θεότητος)is indicated as the contents of the ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑ,
and the ΚΑΤΟΙΚΕῖΝ of the same in Christ is affirmed as present and with
reference to His state of exaltation. It would be an utterly arbitrary course
mentally to supply here the τῆς θεότητος, Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9, and to regard both passagesas anecho of Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23, where the notion of ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑis
a very different one (in opposition to Holtzmann). Inasmuch as the
charismatic ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑof God, meant in our passage, dweltin Christ, and
consequentlyChrist was the possessoranddisposer of it, this divine fulness is
not in substance different from the πλήρωμα Χριστοῦ, out of which grace
passedover to men (John HYPERLINK "/john/1-16.htm"1:16;Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/4-13.htm"4:13). The thought and expressionin 1
"/1_corinthians/15-28.htm"15:28 are different from our passage, and
different also from Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23. Beza
aptly observes:“cumulatissima omnium divinarum rerum copia, quam
scholasticigratiamhabitualem … appellant, ex qua in Christo, tanquam
inexhausto fonte, omnes gratiae in nos pro cujusque membri modulo
deriventur;” comp. also Bleek. Observe, atthe same time, the stress lying on
the πᾶν, in contrastto a merely partial imparting out of this fulness, which
would have been inadequate to the object of reconciling the universe. The
ontologicalinterpretation of the “fulness of the nature of God” (Huther,
Dalmer, Weiss;Oecumenius, and Theodoret:the nature of the Θεὸς λόγος;
Calovius and others: of the communicatio hypostatica, that is, of the absolute
immanence of God in Him, comp. Ernesti, Urspr. d. Sünde, I. p. 222;Rich.
Schmidt, Paul. Christol. p. 201)does not correspondto the idea of εὐδόκησεν,
for doubtless the sending of the Son, and that with the whole treasure of
divine grace, into the world (John HYPERLINK "/john/3-17.htm"3:17)for
behoof of its reconciliationand blessedness, wasthe actof the divine pleasure
and resolve;but not so the divine nature in Christ, which was, onthe
contrary, necessaryin Him,[45] although by His incarnation He emptied
Himself of the divine mode of appearance (δόξα or μορφή, Php HYPERLINK
"/philippians/2-6.htm"2:6 ff.). The divine nature is presupposed in what is
here said of Christ. Comp. Gess, v. d. Pers. Christi, p. 85. Some (see especially
Steiger, Bähr, and Reuss)have regardedτὸ πλήρωμα as derived from the
Gnostic terminology of the false teachers, who might perhaps, like Valentinus,
have given this name to the aggregate ofthe Aeons (see Baur, Gnosis, p.
157),[46]andin oppositionto whom Paul maintains that in Jesus there dwells
the totality of all divine powers of life, and not merely a single emanated

spirit; but this view is all the more unwarranted, because Paulhimself does
not intimate any such polemical destination of the word; on the contrary, in
Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/3-19.htm"3:19 also he uses πᾶν τὸ
πλήρωμα τ. Θεοῦ evidently without any reference of the kind. And if he had
wished to place the whole fulness of the efflux of divine power in contrastto
an assertedsingle emanation, he must have prefixed, not ἐν αὐτῷ (in Him and
in none other), but πᾶν (the whole πλήρωμα, not merely a single constituent
element of it) with the main emphasis, and have logicallysaid: ὅτι πᾶν τὸ
πλήρωμα εὐδόκησενἐν αὐτῷ κατοικῆσαι. Hofmann (comp. his Schriftbew. p.
29, 359), who in generalhas quite misunderstood Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19 f. (comp. above on εὐδόκησεν), takes πᾶν τὸ
πλήρωμα as “the one-like totality of that which is;” and holds that the will of
Christ (to which εὐδοκ. applies) canonly have been, “that that may come to
dwell in Him, which otherwise would not be in Him, consequently not what is
in God, but what is out of God.” This idea of the immanent indwelling of the
universe in Christ, repeatedby Schenkelin the sense of Christ being the
archetype, would be entirely alien to the N. T. view of the relation of Christ to
the world, and is not indicated either at Ephesians HYPERLINK
"/ephesians/1-10.htm"1:10 orhere in the context by τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ
συνέστηκεν. Christ is not the place for the world, so that ultimately all comes
to dwell in Him, as all has been createdin Him and has in Him its subsistence;
but the world originatedand maintained through Him, which He was to
redeem, is the place for Him.[47] If Paul had really entertained the obscure
paradoxicalconceptionattributed to him by Hofmann, he would have known
how to express it simply by τὸ πᾶν (or τὰ πάντα) κατοικῆσαι, orby τὸ
πλήρωμα τοῦ παντὸς (or τῶν πάντων) κατοικῆσ. Lastly, at utter variance with
both the word and the context, some have basedon Ephesians HYPERLINK
"/ephesians/1-22.htm"1:22 f. the interpretation of πλήρωμα as the church. So
already Theodoret:πλήρ. τὴν ἐκκλησίανἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς
τῶν θείων χαρισμάτωνπεπληρωμένην. Ταύτηνἔφη εὐδοκῆσαι τὸνΘεὸνἐν τῷ
Χριστῷ κατοικῆσαι, τουτέστιναὐτῷ συνῆφθαι, and recently in substance
Heinrichs, Baumgarten-Crusius, and others; comp. also Schleiermacher, who,
in accordancewith Romans HYPERLINK "/romans/11-12.htm"11:12;
Romans HYPERLINK "/romans/11-25.htm"11:25,understands “the fulness
of the Gentiles and the collective whole of Israel,” the dwelling of whom in
Christ is the “definitive abiding state,” whichthe total reconciliation(see the
sequel) must necessarilyhave preceded, as this reconciliationis conditioned by
the factthat both parties must have become peaceful.
κατοικῆσαι]The πλήρωμα is personified, so that the abiding presence, which

it was to have according to the divine εὐδοκία in Christ, appears conceived
under the form of taking up its abode;in which, however, the idea of the
Shechinah would only have to be presupposed, in the event of the πλήρωμα
being representedas appearance (‫דובכ‬ ‫.)הוהי‬ See onRomans HYPERLINK
"/romans/9-5.htm"9:5. Comp. John HYPERLINK "/john/1-14.htm"1:14.
Analogous is the conceptionof the dwelling of Christ (see on Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/3-17.htm"3:17)orof the Spirit (see Theile on Jam
HYPERLINK "/james/4-5.htm"4:5)in believers. Comp. also 2 HYPERLINK
"/2_peter/3-13.htm"Peter HYPERLINK"/2_peter/3-13.htm"3:13. In point of
time, the indwelling of the divine fulness of grace according to God’s pleasure
in Christ refers to the earthly life of the Incarnate One, who was destined by
God to fulfil the divine work of the ἀποκαταλλάξαιτὰ πάντα, and was to be
empoweredthereto by the dwelling in Him of that whole divine πλήρωμα.
Without having completedthe performance of this work, He could not
become ἐν πᾶσιν πρωτεύων; but of this there could be no doubt, for God has
causedit to be completed through Him (ὅτι, Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19). Ernesti, Urspr. d. Sünde, I. p. 215 f. (comp. also
Weiss, Bibl. Theol. p. 428, ed. 2), refers εὐδόκησε κ.τ.λ. to the heavenly state
of Christ, in which God, by way of reward for the completion of His work, has
made Him the organof His glory (Php HYPERLINK "/philippians/2-
9.htm"2:9); he also is of opinion that ἈΠΟΚΑΤΑΛΛΆΞΑΙ in Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20 does notapply to the reconciliation
through His blood, but to the reunion of all createdthings through the exalted
Lord, as a similar view is indicated in Php HYPERLINK "/philippians/2-
10.htm"2:10. But this idea of the ἈΠΟΚΑΤΑΛΛΆΞΑΙ is just the point on
which this view breaks down. For Colossians HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-
21.htm"1:21 clearlyshows that ἈΠΟΚΑΤΑΛΛΆΞΑΙ is to be takenin the
usual sense of the work of reconciliationcompletedthrough the
ἹΛΑΣΤΉΡΙΟΝ ofChrist. Moreover, that which Christ receivedthrough His
exaltation was not the divine ΠΛΉΡΩΜΑ, but the divine ΔΌΞΑ.
[43] Holtzmann, after having rejectedvv. 14–18 entirelyas an interpolation,
allows to stand as original in vv. 19, 20 only the words: ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν
καταλλάξαι, to which καταλλ. there is then attachedin ver. 21, as object, καὶ
ὑμᾶς, also you, with reference to ἡμᾶς in ver. 13. How daring and violent, and
yet how paltry (rescuing merely the καὶ ὑμᾶς), would the procedure of the
author thus have been!
[44] Hence not: “la totalité de l’être qui doit être realisée dans le monde,”
Sabatier, l’apôtre Paul, p. 209.

[45] As in the Son of God in the metaphysicalsense;hence the original being
of God in Him cannot be conceivedmerely as ideal, which was to develope
itself into reality, and the realization of which, when it at length became
perfect, made Him the absolute abode of the fulness of Godhead. So
Beyschlag, Christol. p. 232 f., according to whom Christ would be conceived
as “man drawing down upon himself” this indwelling of God. He is conceived
as the incarnate Son (comp. ver. 13 ff.), who, in accordancewith the Father’s
decree, has appearedas bearer ot the whole fulness of salvation. For He was
its dwelling not merely in principle, but in fact and reality, when He appeared,
and He employed it for the work, which the Fatherdesired to accomplishby
Him (ver. 20). Comp.
Expositor's Greek Testament HYPERLINK
"/commentaries/egt/colossians/1.htm"HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-19.htm"
HYPERLINK "/commentaries/egt/colossians/1.htm"Colossians
HYPERLINK "/commentaries/egt/colossians/1.htm"1:19. This verse with
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20shows how the Son was
able to hold the position assignedto Him in Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-18.htm"1:18. Further, this verse leads up to Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20. The thought is then: All the fulness
dwelt in the Son, therefore reconciliationcould be accomplishedthrough the
blood of His cross, and so He became the Head of the body.—εὐδόκησεν.
Three views are takenas to the subjectof the verb. (1) Meyer, Alford,
Lightfoot, Oltramare, Haupt and the greatmajority of commentators supply
ὁ Θεός as the subject. (2) Ewald, Ellicott, Weiss, Sodenand Abbott make
πλήρωμα the subject. (3) Conybeare, Hofmann and Findlay supply ὁ υἱός or
Χριστός. In favour of (3) the unique emphasis on the sovereigntyof Christ in
this passageis urged, also that it prepares the way for the reference of
ἀποκαταλλάξαι and εἰρηνοποιήσας to Christ, in accordance withEphesians
HYPERLINK "/context/ephesians/2-14.htm"2:14-16;Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/5-27.htm"5:27. Itis also true that the subjectfrom
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-15.htm"1:15is, for the most part, the
Son. But the usage ofPaul leads us to think of the Father, not of the Son, as
the One who forms the eternal purpose (Ephesians HYPERLINK
"/ephesians/1-9.htm"1:9, 2 HYPERLINK "/2_corinthians/5-
19.htm"Corinthians HYPERLINK "/2_corinthians/5-19.htm"5:19). Nordoes
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20run on naturally. If the
Son is the subject of “was wellpleased,” the obvious interpretation of διʼ
αὐτοῦ ἀποκ. is to reconcile through the fulness, which is highly improbable.

We should accordinglyhave to give to διʼ αὐτοῦ a reflexive sense, and
translate “through Himself,” which is grammatically possible, but not natural.
There is the further objectionwhich it shares with (1) that a change of
subjects to the infinitives is required, πλήρωμα being the subject of κατοικ.,
while that to ἀποκατ. is Θεός or υἱός. But it is less awkwardin (1) than in (3),
for the former does not make the Son at once the originatorand the Agent of
the plan of reconciliation. Against(1), besides the objection just mentioned, it
may be said that the construction with εὐδόκ. is unusual, for its subject is
elsewhere in the N.T. the subjectof the following infinitive (this tells against
(3) also), and that in a passageofsuch importance the subjectcould not have
been omitted. But for the omission of the subject Lightfoot compares Jam
HYPERLINK "/james/1-12.htm"1:12;Jam HYPERLINK "/james/4-
6.htm"4:6. What, however, is really decisive in its favour is the difficulty of
accepting (2). The expression“all the fulness was well pleased” is very strange
in itself. But what is much strangeris that the fulness was not only pleasedto
dwell in Him, but through Him to reconcile all things unto Him. And the only
natural course is to refer εἰρνηνοπ. to the subject of εὐδόκ., but the masculine
makes it difficult to regardπλήρ. as that subject. We should therefore
translate “God” [or “the Father”]“was wellpleased”.—πᾶντὸ πλήρωμα. On
πλήρωμα the detachednote in Lightfoot, pp. 255–271,should be consulted,
with the criticism of it in an article on “The Church as the Fulfilment of the
Christ,” by Prof. J. Armitage Robinson(Expositor, April, 1898), also
Oltramare’s note. Lightfoot urges in oppositionto Fritzsche that πλήρωμα has
always a genuinely passive sense, notthe pseudo-passive sense“id quo res
impletur” which Fritzsche gave it, and which is really the active “id quod
implet,” but that which is completed. The basis of the decisionis that
substantives in -μα, since they are derived from the perfect passive, must have
a passive sense. But, as Prof. Robinsonpoints out, these substantives have
their stem not in -μα but in -ματ, and therefore are not to be connectedwith
the perfectpassive. He reaches the conclusionthat if a generalsignificationis
to be soughtfor, we may saythat these nouns represent“the result of the
agencyof the corresponding verb”. If the verb is intransitive the substantive
will be so; if it is transitive and the substantive corresponds to its object the
noun is passive, but if the substantive is followedby the object of the verb in
the genitive it is active. According to the double use of πληροῦν to “fill” and to
“fulfil,” πλήρωμα may mean that which fills or that which fulfils, the fulness,
fulfilment or complement. Oltramare comes to the conclusionthat the word
means perfection, and interprets this passageto mean that ideal perfection
dwelt in Christ. Accordingly he escapesthe question what genitive should be
supplied after it. It does not seem, however, that the word meant moral

perfection. Many think that θεότητος shouldbe supplied after πλήρωμα, as is
actually done in Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9. Serious
difficulties besetthis view. If we think of the eternalindwelling, we make it
dependent on the Father’s will, an Arian view, which Paul surely did not hold.
Alford’s reply to this (endorsed by Abbott) that all that is the Son’s right “is
His Father’s pleasure, and is ever referred to that pleasure by Himself,” is
anything but cogent, for εὐδόκησενrefers to a definite decree of the Father,
and the obvious meaning of the words is that it lay within the Father’s choice
whether the πλήρωμα should dwell in the Sonor not. It might refer to the
exaltation of Christ, in which the Son resumed that of which He had emptied
Himself in the Incarnation. This would follow the reference to the
resurrectionin Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-18.htm"1:18. Butthe
order does not indicate the true logicalor chronologicalsequence. Colossians
HYPERLINK "/context/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19-20give the ground (ὅτι) on
which the Son’s universal pre-eminence rests, and Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20 is quite incompatible with this reference to the
exalted state, co-ordinatedas κατοικ. andἀποκατ. are by καὶ. But neither
does it suit the incarnate state, which was a state of self-emptying and
beggary;even if we could attachany very definite meaning to the words that
in the Incarnate Son the Fatherwas pleasedthat all the fulness of the
Godheadshould dwell. We should, therefore, probably rejectthe view that τὸ
πλήρωμα means the fulness of the Godhead. Since the co-ordinate clause
speaks ofreconciliationthrough the blood of the cross, it seems probable that
we should regard Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-19.htm"1:19 as
asserting suchan indwelling as made this possible. We should therefore with
Meyer explain τὸ πλ. as the fulness of grace, “the whole charismatic riches of
God” (so also De W., Eadie, Alf., Findl.). Haupt thinks that the full content of
the Divine nature is referred to, but with specialreference to the Divine grace,
and so far he agrees withMeyer. We should also, with Meyer, interpret the
indwelling as having reference to the sending of the Son in the incarnation.
The Fatherwas pleasedthat He should come “with the whole treasure of
Divine grace”. Thus equipped His death procured reconciliation. Gesstakesit
similarly, though he thinks, on the whole, that a gradual process is referred to.
Findlay’s modification of this in favour of a reference to the Ascension(for
which he compares Ephesians HYPERLINK"/context/ephesians/1-
20.htm"1:20-23)must be rejectedon the grounds mentioned above. The
decree of the Father may be supra-temporal, as Haupt thinks, the aoristbeing
used as in Romans HYPERLINK "/romans/8-29.htm"8:29,though it is more
obvious to take it as referring to the time when He was sent. Two other
interpretations of τὸ πλ. may be mentioned. Theodoretand other Fathers,

followedby some moderns, have explained it to mean the Church. But the
indwelling of the πλ. prepares the way for the reconciliation, in consequence of
which the Church first becomes possible. Norcouldπλ. by itself mean this; in
Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-22.htm"1:22 the reference is supplied
by the context. More possible is the view that it means the universe = τὰ
πάντα, Colossians HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-16.htm"1:16 (Hofm., Cremer,
Godet, who compares “the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness of it”). In that
case the genitive supplied would be τῶν πάντων from Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20. Butif the reference in this be to the
summing up of all things in Christ (Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-
10.htm"1:10), it is excluded by the fact that the indwelling of the fulness is
contemporaneous with the incarnate state. A more plausible interpretation
would be to regard τὰ πάντα as dwelling in Christ before His death, and by
sharing that death, attaining reconciliationwith God. This would be an
extensionof the Pauline thought that all men died when Christ died (2
"/2_corinthians/5-14.htm"5:14). But it would be an extensionprecisely
corresponding to that of the scope ofredemption in Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20, forwhich, indeed, it would admirably prepare the
way, the universe dwelling in the Son that His death might be universal in its
effects. Thatthe Son is not only Head of the race, but Head also of the
universe, is a familiar thought in these Epistles, and as His acts are valid for
the one so also for the other. Nothing more is implied for the relation of the
universe to Christ than of the race, and if the main stress be thrown on angels
and men, there is nothing incongruous in the idea. Whether Paul would have
used it in this sense without fuller explanation is uncertain; but in any case a
genitive has to be supplied. A further question must be briefly referred to,
that of the origin of the term. Severalscholars think it was alreadyin use as a
technicalterm of the false teachers atthe time when the letter was written.
This is possible, and in its favour is its absolute use here; but, if so, it is
strange that Paul should use it with such different applications. It is more
probable that its origin is due to him.—κατοικῆσαι. The word expresses
permanent abode as opposed to a temporary sojourn. Bengelsays aptly “Haec
inhabitatio estfundamentum reconciliationis”.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges19. Forit pleasedthe Father, &c.]
“The Father” is supplied by the translators (A.V. and R.V., and the older
versions from Tyndale (1534)downwards, exceptthe Roman Catholic
Rhemish (1582)which reads “in Him it hath well pleasedal fulnes to
inhabite.” The Old Latin reads in ipso complacuit omnis plenitudo inhabitare;

the Vulgate, in ipso complacuit omnem plenitudinem inhabitare.—
Grammatically, the Greek admits three possible explanations: (a) “Forin Him
all the Plenitude was pleasedto take up Its abode;” (b) “ForHe (the Son) was
pleasedthat all the Plenitude should take up Its abode in Him;” (c) “ForHe
(God, the Father) was pleasedthat all the Plenitude should take up Its abode
in Him (the Son).” What decisiondoes the context, or other side-evidence,
indicate? The explanation (b) is discredited as assigning to the Son a
determining choice which the whole context leads us to assignto the Father.
The explanation (a), adopted and ably defended by Ellicott, is that of the Old
Latin Version. It is grammatically simple, and it is capable of doctrinal
defence;“the Plenitude” of the Divine Nature being takento include the
actings of the Divine Will as the expressionof the Nature, and so to signify the
Divine Personality(here, of course, that of the Father). But it is in itself a
surprising and extremely anomalous expression;and it becomes still more so
when we read on, and see what are the actions attributed to the same Subject,
and that the Subject appears in the masculine gender in the word rendered
“having made peace” (see note below), while the word Plerôma (Plenitude) is
neuter. On the whole we believe (c) to be the true explanation, with Alford,
and Lightfoot, who compares James HYPERLINK"/james/1-12.htm"1:12;
James HYPERLINK "/james/4-6.htm"4:6 (the better supported reading in
eachcase);“the crown which He (unnamed) promised;” “the Spirit which He
(unnamed) causedto dwell in us.” He points out also that the noun (eudokia)
kindred to the verb here is often, and almost as a habit, used of God’s “good
pleasure” where God is not named.
all fulness] Lit. and better all the Fulness, allthe Plenitude. Cp. below
Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9;“allthe Fulness of the
Godhead;” a phrase of course explanatoryof this which is so nearly connected
with it. Lightfoot (pp. 323–339)discussesthe word with greatcare and
clearness,and brings out the result that the true notion of it is the filled
condition of a thing, as when a rent is mended, an idea realized, a prophecy
fulfilled. He shews that the word had acquired a technicalmeaning in St
Paul’s time, in Jewishschools ofthought, a meaning connectedespeciallywith
the eternally realized Ideal of Godhead; the Divine Fulness;“the totality of
the Divine Powers and Attributes.”—See further our note on Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-22.htm"1:22, where the Church is called “the
Plenitude of” the Son.
dwell] The verb denotes permanence;should take up its lasting abode. Does
this “taking up the abode” referto Eternity, or to Time? to the time-less

communication of Godhead from the Father to the Son, or to a
communication coincident with the completion of the Incarnate Son’s
redeeming work? We think the latter, in view of the following context. From
eternity, eternally and necessarily, the Plenitude “took up,” “takes up,” Its
abode in Him as to His blessedPerson. But not till His Work of death and
resurrectionwas accomplishedwas He, historically, so constituted as that It
“took up Its abode” in Him as Head and Treasury for us of “allgrace.” This
now He is, lastingly, everlastingly.
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK
"/commentaries/bengel/colossians/1.htm"HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-
19.htm" HYPERLINK "/commentaries/bengel/colossians/1.htm"Colossians
HYPERLINK "/commentaries/bengel/colossians/1.htm"1:19.[1]Εὐδόκησε,
He was well-pleased)viz. God [Engl. Vers. the Father]. This must be supplied,
in accordancewith the mind of Paul, who, while he mentions the benefit
conferredby Christ, never fails to remember the Father. As to the Father’s
being well-pleasedin the Son, comp. Matthew HYPERLINK "/matthew/3-
17.htm"3:17 : Forεὐδοκῶ with the accusative and infinitive following, see 2
HYPERLINK "//apocrypha.org/2_maccabees/14-35.htm"Ma HYPERLINK
"//apocrypha.org/2_maccabees/14-35.htm"14:35. Moreover, onΕὐΔΌΚΗΣΕ,
He has been well-pleased, depend to reconcile, and having made peace.—πᾶν
τὸ πλήρωμα, all the fulness)ch. Colossians HYPERLINK
"/context/colossians/2-9.htm"2:9-10;Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-
2.htm"2:2, Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/4-12.htm"4:12;Colossians
HYPERLINK "/colossians/4-17.htm"4:17, Colossians HYPERLINK
"/colossians/1-9.htm"1:9;Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-
25.htm"1:25;Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23, note. Who
can fathom the depth of this subject?—κατοικῆσαι, to dwell) constantly, as in
a temple, in which it [the fulness] is ready at hand for us. This indwelling is
the foundation of the reconciliation.
[1] Ἐν αὐτῷ, in Him) namely, the Son. The words regarding either the Father
or the Son must be carefully distinguished both in this and in the following
chapter.—V. g.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 19.
(b) For in Him he was pleasedthat all the fulness should dwell;
Vincent's Word StudiesIt pleasedthe Father that in Him should all fullness
dwell (ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησενπᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι)

Εὐδοκέω to think it good, to be well pleasedis used in the New Testament,
both of divine and of human good-pleasure;but, in the former case, always of
God the Father. So Matthew HYPERLINK "/matthew/3-17.htm"3:17;Luke
HYPERLINK "/luke/12-32.htm"12:32;1 HYPERLINK "/1_corinthians/1-
21.htm"Corinthians HYPERLINK "/1_corinthians/1-21.htm"1:21.The
subject of was well pleased, God, is omitted as in James HYPERLINK
"//biblehub.com/james/1-12.htm"1:12, andmust be supplied; so that, literally,
the passage wouldread, Godwas well pleasedthat in Him, etc. Rev., it was the
goodpleasure of the Father. Fullness, Rev, correctly, the fullness. See on
Romans HYPERLINK "/romans/11-12.htm"11:12;see on John
HYPERLINK "/john/1-16.htm"1:16. The word must be taken in its passive
sense - that with which a thing is filled, not that which fills. The fullness
denotes the sum-total of the divine powers and attributes. In Christ dwelt all
the fullness of God as deity. The relation of essentialdeity to creationand
redemption alike, is exhibited by John in the very beginning of his gospel, with
which this passageshould be compared. In John the order is: 1. The essential
nature of Christ; 2. Creation; 3. Redemption. Here it is: 1. Redemption
(Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-13.htm"1:13);2. Essentialbeing of
the Son(Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-15.htm"1:15);3. The Sonas
Creator(Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-16.htm"1:16);4. The
Church, with Christ as its head (Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/1-
18.htm"1:18). Compare 2 HYPERLINK "/2_corinthians/5-
19.htm"Corinthians HYPERLINK "/2_corinthians/5-19.htm"5:19;
Ephesians HYPERLINK "//biblehub.com/ephesians/1-19.htm"1:19,
Ephesians HYPERLINK "//biblehub.com/ephesians/1-20.htm"1:20,
Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/1-23.htm"1:23. Pauldoes not add of the
Godheadto the fullness, as in Colossians HYPERLINK"/colossians/2-
9.htm"2:9 since the word occurs in direct connectionwith those which
describe Christ's essentialnature, and it would seemnot to have occurredto
the apostle that it could be understood in any other sense than as an
expressionof the plenitude of the divine attributes and powers.
Thus the phrase in Him should all the fullness dwell gathers into a grand
climax the previous statements - image of God, first-born of all creation,
Creator, the eternally preexistent, the Head of the Church, the victor over
death, first in all things. On this summit we pause, looking, like John, from
Christ in His fullness of deity to the exhibition of that divine fullness in
redemption consummated in heaven (Colossians HYPERLINK
"//biblehub.com/colossians/1-20.htm"1:20-22).

There must also be takeninto the accountthe selectionofthis word fullness
with reference to the false teaching in the Colossianchurch, the errors which
afterward were developedmore distinctly in the Gnostic schools. Pleroma
fullness was used by the Gnostic teachers in a technicalsense, to express the
sum-total of the divine powers and attributes. "From the pleroma they
supposedthat all those agenciesissuedthrough which God has at any time
exerted His power in creation, or manifested His will through revelation.
These mediatorialbeings would retain more or less of its influence, according
as they claimed direct parentage from it, or traced their descentthrough
successive evolutions. But in all cases this pleroma was distributed, diluted,
transformed, and darkenedby foreignadmixture. They were only partial and
blurred images, oftendeceptive caricatures, oftheir original, broken lights of
the greatCentral Light" (Lightfoot). Christ may have been ranked with these
inferior images of the divine by the Colossianteachers.Hence the significance
of the assertionthat the totality of the divine dwells in Him.
Dwell(κατοικῆσαι)
Permanently. See on Luke HYPERLINK "/luke/11-26.htm"11:26. Compare
the Septuagintusage of κατοικεῖνpermanentdwelling, and παροικεῖν
transient sojourning. Thus Genesis HYPERLINK
"//biblehub.com/genesis/37-1.htm"37:1, "Jacobdwelt (permanently, κατῴκει)
in the land where his father sojourned (παρῷκησενA.V., was a stranger).
Perhaps in contrastwith the partial and transient connectionof the pleroma
with Christ assertedby the false teachers. The word is used of the indwelling
of the Father, Ephesians HYPERLINK "/ephesians/2-22.htm"2:22
(κατοικητήριοντοῦ Θεοῦ habitation of God); of the Son, Ephesians
HYPERLINK "/ephesians/3-17.htm"3:17;and of the Spirit, James
HYPERLINK "/james/4-5.htm"4:5.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
Colossians HYPERLINK "https://biblia.com/bible/nasb95/Col%201.19"1:19 For it was
the [Father's] good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (NASB: Lockman)

Jesus was one in whom all fullness dwelt

Jesus was one in whom all fullness dwelt

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