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body--and so illumine the usage of sumbibazo which also deals with speech and with
physiology.
The common meaning that united such opposite ideas in "articulate" and "colon" will
unite the apparent incongruity in the translations of sumbibazo. The "teaching",
"proving" and "assuredly gathering" are the outcome of making the subject-matter of
instruction "walk together" with the explanation. For example, in Acts 16: 10 the
apostle "put two and two together", and realized that the vision of the man of Macedonia
indicated the will of the Lord for their entry into Europe. Again, in Acts 9: 22 Paul
evidently made the known facts of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ
"to walk together" with the prophecies of the O.T. Scriptures, thus "proving that this is
the very Christ".
We now return to Col. 2: 2. "Being knit together in love" must be explained by all
the facts. To limit ourselves to Eph. 4: 16 or to Col. 2: 19 is to miss the interpretation
for ourselves. We are "members" of a body, and "members" one of another. We do
minister "nourishment", and are thus "joints of supply". But what do we minister as
nourishment? The literal body is nourished by the blood stream, and makes increase by
the various secretions of wonderful glands, but these need re-translating into spiritual
equivalents. What is the "life-blood" that nourishes the church, and that is ministered by
fellow-members? Surely it is the "truth of God" and as we say this all the references to
"teaching" and "proving", etc., immediately come into line.
If we will look again at Eph. 4: 16 and Col. 2: 19 we shall find that "the faith",
"the knowledge", "the truth", "the understanding", "the ignorance" (Eph. 4: 13-21);
"the commandments and doctrines of men" and "a show of wisdom" (Col. 2: 22, 23) are
in the context, and explain the ministry of the members of the body. So, in Col. 2: 2, the
words "being knit together in love" are followed by:--
"All the riches of the full assurance of the understanding, in order to a full knowledge
of the mystery of God--Christ. In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge" (Col. 2: 2, 3).
The subject is so vital to our spiritual growth, and there is so much to be considered
before we can conclude this section, that it will be in our best interests to devote another
article to the passage we have just quoted but not explained. We, therefore, hope to
conclude Col. 2: 2 and 3 in our next article.