Posted by Some believers in the church at Colossae were in danger of being led astray from the truths of God’s inerrant and infallible Word. Certain false teachers suggested that believers should add ‘superior’ wisdom and knowledge to their faith in the Lord Jesus. However, these Colossian Christians were losing sight of the fact that—in Christ—they possessed all the wisdom and knowledge necessary for their daily walk with God.
Thus, concerning Christ as the exclusive source of these spiritual blessings, the apostle Paul writes:
COLOSSIANS 2:3 ESV
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
3a in whom… (ESV).
That is, in Christ are hidden or concealed the entire treasury of wisdom and knowledge. The mysteries of God are concealed in Christ—and in Christ exclusively. Through Christ alone, these mysteries are made known to the believer. The Holy Spirit takes the things of God and reveals them to us, but only by degrees or stages and in proportion to our faith and growth in grace.
In Christ, wisdom and knowledge remain hidden or reserved until the right time. However, through his Spirit, the Lord Jesus discloses by stages or degrees both spiritual wisdom and spiritual knowledge to each believer throughout their life’s walk with God. That spiritual treasury can never be exhausted. In Christ, it is an infinite resource—always available to every saint of God who calls upon and worships God in spirit and truth.
Thus, Paul assures the saints at Colossae that Christ will never fail them or fail to meet their needs. However, they must abide in God’s Word to continue growing in grace, wisdom and knowledge. They must search the Scriptures frequently and prayerfully, heeding or obeying the will of the Lord as revealed therein, forsaking sin, and pursuing righteousness and holy living—as the Spirit of God guides and directs them through his unerring and unchanging Word.
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. We must abide in him, searching his Word daily to understand his teachings correctly, as the Holy Spirit guides us. Then, we will experience something of the rich blessings that God has prepared for all his people–all those who love him with all their heart and soul.
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Adapted from the author’s NT Expository Notes: Colossians, chapter 2 verse 3 (forthcoming). © 2022 Gordon Lyons
Gordon Lyons 