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give a multitude of different translations, so we shall proceed to examine in fuller detail
the actual words given by inspiration of God.
"Let no man beguile you of your reward."--The word that demands attention here is
katabrabeuo. Kata means "against", and brabeuo means to be a judge or umpire, and so
to assign the prize in a public game. Brabeuo occurs in Col. 3: 15 where the peace of
God is said to "act the umpire (rule) in your hearts"--a precious thought. Brabeion is a
prize. It is found in I Cor. 9: 24 and Phil. 3: 14, "The prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus". We are therefore not without guidance as to the subject of this section.
It has to do with the prize. Now Colossians, whilst running very parallel with Ephesians,
has much in its central section that bears upon Philippians. Philippians is the epistle of
the "prize" and the "perfecting", and if we look at Col. 1: we shall find under the idea of
being "presented" the two aspects of truths set forth by Ephesians and Philippians. We
shall distinguish between that which can never be lost, and that which may be lost, and
return to Col. 2: with clearer views:--
The first presentation.
"In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and
unreproveable in His sight" (Col. 1: 22).
The second presentation.
"Warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present
every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. 1: 28).
The first presentation rest solely upon the finished work of Christ; the second
involves the idea which is found in the word "perfect"--of pressing on to the end. In the
first no effort of our own could ever present us "holy"; in the second we stand in need of
"warning".
Satan does not waste his energies in attempting to deprive us of our acceptance in the
Beloved. "Your life is hid with Christ in God." Scripture nowhere says: "Hold that fast
which thou hast, that no man take thy life", but it does say: "Hold that fast which thou
hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 3: 11). Satan was permitted to touch everything
belonging to Job except his life.
The same is true of all the redeemed. There is a prize to be won, a crown to be gained,
but no man is crowned except he strive lawfully. If therefore Satan can turn the saint
away from the fullness of Christ, and get him occupied with other means and ways--be
they ordinances, days, feasts, meats, drinks, false humility, neglect of the body,
unscriptural mediators, or any other thing save "holding the Head"--then the prize is lost,
the saint dishonoured, and above all the Saviour robbed, for what is a crown to us, but an
added crown to Him?
We now approach the steps that lead to the loss of the prize.
"In a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels."--The word "voluntary" is a
translation of thelon, from thelo = "to will". A great number of renderings have been
offered. Some see in thelon en an equivalent to the Hebrew of I Sam. 18: 22, "hath