Devotional Colossians 4:2-4 | New Day Hope Youtube channel with Steve Taylor

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Devotional by Steve Taylor Colossians 4:2-4 from April 12, 2023



Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving, praying at the same time for us also, that God may open for us a door of the message, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which also I am a prisoner, so that I may reveal it, as it is necessary for me to speak.

 

[Lori Jane]

4:2 alert The Colossians must stay alert for false teachings that contradict the gospel message (Col 2:8). Jesus gave His disciples a similar warning prior to His arrest (Mark 14:38).

John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Col 4:2.

 

[Lori Jane]

Grēgoreō, “To Be Watchful.” The verb grēgoreō means “to be watchful” or “to stay awake.” According to Dunn (1996, 261–62), the imagery of the verb is drawn from the idea of guard duty. The word occurs 22 times in the NT, including four references in Paul’s letters. In the Gospels, Jesus uses the term several times to urge His disciples “to stay awake” with Him in prayer (e.g., Matt 26:38, 40; Mark 13:37). In Paul’s farewell speech to the Ephesians in Acts, the apostle urges his fellow believers “to be alert” as they remember his admonitions from his years of ministry among them (Acts 20:31; compare 1 Cor 16:13). Other NT passages employ the verb as a call to vigilance against evil (1 Pet 5:8) or as a response to living in a period near the end of the ages (e.g., Matt 24:42–43; 1 Thess 5:6; Rev 3:2–3).

Derek R. Brown, Colossians, ed. Douglas Mangum, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013), Col 3:18–4:18.

 

[Lori Jane]

4:2 Stay alert or “staying awake” refers to the mental attitude of expectancy and watchfulness.

4:3–4 An open door was a common expression for an opportunity for someone to do something (Ac 14:27; 1Co 16:9; 2Co 2:12). Paul asked believers to intercede for him so he could continue to spread the gospel.


Andreas J. Köstenberger, “Colossians,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1898.