Colossenses 3

Colossenses 3:16

Henry has an excellent note on the Word dwelling richly in believers writing that… it must dwell in us, or keep house, not as a servant in a family, who is under another’s control, but as a master, who has a right to prescribe to and direct all under his roof. We must take our instructions and directions from it, and our portion of meat and strength, of grace and comfort, in due season, as from the master of the household. It must dwell in us; that is, be always ready and at hand to us in every thing, and have its due influence and use. We must be familiarly acquainted with it, and know it for our good, Job 5:27. It must dwell in us richly: not only keep house in our hearts, but keep a good house. Many have the word of Christ dwelling in them, but it dwells in them but poorly; it has no mighty force and influence upon them. Then the soul prospers when the word of God dwells in us richly, when we have abundance of it in us, and are full of the scriptures and of the grace of Christ. (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible) UBS Handbook - In all its richness is a metaphor for all the resources and blessings which are to be found in the Christian message. The phrase in all its richness may characterize either the message or the way in which the message must live in the believer. The meaning is essentially the same in either case. In the first instance, one may speak of the “the wonderful message” and in the second instance, “must live in a wonderful way.” George Mueller - The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. I solemnly state this from the experience of 54 years. The first 3 years after conversion I neglected the word of God. Since I began to search it diligently the blessing has been wonderful. Great has been the blessing from consecutive, diligent, daily study. I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time over the word of God. Richly (4146) (plousios from adjective plousios [4146 see uses below] = rich, in turn from the noun ploutos = wealth, abundance, riches) is an adverb which pertains to that which exists in a large amount with the implication of its being valuable in large amount, in abundance and so can be translated rich or richly. The basic sense is "fullness of goods." A literal sense would be a "rich man." The figurative sense (as in this passage) describes rich in something (non-material). Plousios (actually the related word ploutos) gives us our English word plutocrat which describes a person whose power derives from their wealth. Plousios describes incredible abundance, extreme or vast material wealth, enormous affluence, great prosperity, immense riches, magnificent opulence, extravagant lavishness. NIDNTT - The word-group associated with ploutos is related to polus, much, and means initially abundance of earthly possessions of every kind. Later its meaning divided in two directions. In the one it meant riches in a technical and material sense. In the other it was more general, and occurs with a qualifying word, generally in the gen., e.g. riches of wisdom, honour, mercy, etc. All the words in this group can bear this double meaning: plouteo, be or become rich; ploutizo, make rich; ploutos, possession of many goods, super-abundance of something, riches; and plousios, as an adjective, wealthy, rich and as a noun a rich man. The adjective plousios (4146) is much more common than the adverb (28x in 28v) = Matt 19:23, 24; Mt 27:57; Mark 10:25; 12:41; Luke 6:24; 12:16; 14:12; 16:1, 19, 21, 22; 18:23, 25; 19:2; 21:1; 2Cor 8:9 (describes the wealth of Christ!); Eph 2:4 (God "rich in mercy"); 1Ti 6:17; Jas 1:10,11; 2:5, 6; 5:1; Rev 2:9; 3:17 (Note the deception produced by riches in the church at Laodicea and the striking contrast with spiritual riches in the church in Rev 2:9!); Rev 6:15; 13:16 To dwell in us “richly” has the twofold meaning of quantity and degree; it means abundantly, applying it and using it in all its teaching, but also using it constantly, at all times and in all circumstances. Plousios - 4x in NAS - abundantly(1), richly(3). Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct (present imperative - paraggello = to transmit a order. Used by doctor to give instructions or prescription. It was used as a military command calling for unhesitating and unqualified obedience) those who are rich (plousios 4146) in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope (Life in Christ is an endless hope, but without Him it is a hopeless end) on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy (“A lavish emphasis to the generosity of God” - Parry). Titus 3:6-note Whom (Titus 3:5 - refers to the Holy Spirit, cp Ro 5:5) He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 2 Peter 1:11-note for in this way (What way? see context - 2Pe 1:10 and preceding verses) the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. The truths of Scripture should permeate every aspect of the believer’s life and govern every thought, word, and deed. John