Colossians 1:24

[thereselittleflower]

'Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.'

Especially that last part. 'In filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.' What is he talking about?

 

 

I think Your Closest Friend is correctly hitting upon some of what this verse means.

 

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

 

And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

 

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

 

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church

 

 

The sufferings Paul speaks of is a sharing in the sufferings of Christ and all that entails.    Paul, and we, are made to be partakers with Christ in His sufferings, sharing in His sufferings for the sake of the Body of Christ, not just for our own sake.

 

The Greek is very strong here:

 

"fill up" translates the Greek word  "antanaplēroō":

 

 to supplement:—fill up.

 

This is a verb in the Present Tense,  Active Voice, and Indicative Mood

 

This means this "filling up" is happening in the present time (present tense),  the subject, Paul, is the doer of the action (active voice), and  this is a simple statement of fact (indicative mood).

 

So this is something Paul is actively doing himself right then and this is simply factual

 

 

"that which is behind" translates the Greek word  hysterēma:

1. deficiency, that which is lacking

 a deficit; specially, poverty:—that which is behind, (that which was) lack(-ing), penury, want.

 

 

"afflictions" translates the Greek word "thlipsis":

 

 pressure (literally or figuratively):—afflicted(-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.

 

 

Sometimes what is difficult to understand in words, is much more easily grasped through a picture -  a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

 

Perhaps the most clear, greatest picture we have of what Paul is talking about here occurred during Christ's Passion where Simon literally shared in Christ's sufferings for a short while:

 

"As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross."

 

 Matthew 27:32

[Leonardo Von]

On 7/24/2015 at 6:14 AM, Pamelasv said:

'Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.'

Especially that last part. 'In filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.' What is he talking about?

 

Dear sister Pamelasv,

 

Grace and mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

On 7/24/2015 at 6:06 PM, Deborah_ said:

The pains and sorrows of the present age are labour pains – an essential part of the process through which the new creation will be brought about (John 16:21,22; Mark 13:8). The people of God are not immune from this process; indeed, we are called to embrace it (Romans 8:22,23).

 

I liked much of your observation, sister Deborah.

 

On 8/2/2015 at 2:25 PM, thereselittleflower said:

 

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

 

And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

 

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

I also liked of the references you quoted, sister Thereselittleflower. I only suggest, sister, that you quote the references so that everyone who desires can know where find them in the Holy Scripture (in this case, 2Corinthians 1.5,6 and Philippians 3.10).

With this excerpt we can learn that Jesus is God suffering (Psalms 86.15; 145.8; 1Corinthians 13.4), i.e., He suffers whenever that we must suffer by consequence of our sins or because we need to support the sins of others by love life of them (so that they have chance to meet Jesus and His gospel).

As sister Deborah said, there are afflictions that we must pass until Christ is formed within us in the life of those who He gives us:

 

·        “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” (Galatians 4.19).

 

In other words, we must fulfill all Jesus want to suffer for love to His church through us.

May Jesus give us courage and force so that we persevere until the end and be saved (see Matthew 24.13).