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A | 1: 9. That ye might be complete as to the knowledge of His will.
B | 1: 25. The dispensation . . . . . to complete the Word of God.
C | 2: 10. Ye are complete in Him.
A | 4: 12. That ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
B | 4: 17. Take heed to the ministry . . . . . that thou complete it.
The prayer of Epaphras (Col. 4: 12) brings together the prayer (Col. 1: 9) and the
desire (Col. 1: 28) of the apostle. It is important enough to justify repetition in this
connection:--
Paul's prayer (Col. 1: 9).--Complete in knowledge of His will.
Paul's desire (Col. 1: 28).--Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Epaphras' prayer (Col. 4: 12).--Perfect and complete in all the will of God.
The desire of Paul (Col. 1: 28) is associated with "warning": "Warning every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus." This shows that the prayers of Col. 1: 9-12 and of 4: 12 have in mind the great
central theme of the epistle (Col. 2: 4-23) summed up in the word Beware.
Moreover, the first great cure for the error that was creeping into Colosse is this same
thought. Why, says the apostle, be spoiled by an empty (vain) philosophy? In Christ
dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete (filled full) in Him.
Why be occupied with shadows? The body is of Christ (Col. 2: 16, 17).
There is a still further connection seen when we compare Col. 3: 16, 17 with
Eph. 5: 18-20:--
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit;
speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5: 18-20).
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to
the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Col. 3: 16, 17).
The parallel is too obvious to require any elaboration. That which demands attention
here is the truth that emerges by comparing the opening words of each quotation. In
Ephesians Paul says, "Be filled with the Spirit". In Colossians he says, "Let the Word of
Christ dwell in you". What a gigantic system of false teaching has been built upon the
words, "Be filled with the Spirit"! It constitutes practically the key-text and basis of all
"Pentecostal" movements, and, in spite of the context, has led to much "excess". The
parallel leads us to see that to be filled with the Spirit is to be indwelt richly by the word
of Christ.
An examination of the original of Eph. 5: 18 not only shews the basic error of
Pentecostalism, but the true meaning of the apostle. The verb pleroo, "to fill", in the
passive, takes two cases following: (1). the genitive, which shows what the vessel is