Thomas Aquinas Commentary Colossians 2:5-10

"For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:" — Colossians 2:5-10 (ASV)

Previously, the apostle warned the Colossians against falling away from the faith because of deceptive language. Here, he gives the reason for this advice, which is based on the good things they already possess—blessings they should not destroy, but allow to grow. He first calls to mind the blessings they have, and second, he shows how these should grow within them (v. 6). Regarding the first point, he explains how he knows about their spiritual blessings before mentioning what they are (v. 5b).

Paul says, For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing. He is saying, in effect, that although he has not preached to them or seen their accomplishments with his own eyes, he is nevertheless with them in spirit through his love, rejoicing in their blessings. He quotes, “For though absent in body I am present in spirit” (1 Corinthians 5:3), and adds, “A wise son makes a glad father” (Proverbs 10:1). This knowledge was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, which is why he says, yet I am with you in spirit, just as Elisha said, “Did I not go with you in spirit when the man turned from his chariot to meet you?” (2 Kings 5:26).

He rejoices, he says, because he sees their good order—that is, their well-ordered way of life, for “All things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). This is like how “The stars remaining in their order and courses fought against Sisera” (Judges 5:20). He also rejoices in the firmness of their faith in Christ, for “God’s firm foundation stands” (2 Timothy 2:19). This faith is in Christ, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, rooted and founded in love” (Ephesians 3:17), and it is in him that “the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). The goodness of this temple consists in its firm foundation, which is faith, and in a proper superstructure, which is why Paul mentioned both order and firmness.

In verse 6, he urges them to protect these blessings: first, by advancing in them; second, by persevering in them; and third, by giving thanks. Therefore, he says, just as you received Christ Jesus, so you must live in him, not in a distorted way. As we read in Romans, “Hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9).

The Church is sometimes compared to a spiritual building: “God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:17). At other times, it is compared to a tree because it produces fruit. The foundation of a building is to the structure as the roots are to the tree, because both are the source of strength—and this source is Christ. “In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples” (Isaiah 11:10); “For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Paul thus uses the expressions rooted, like strong branches, and built up in him and established, like solid stones. They will be like this if they persevere in the faith. For “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), and the text continues, “Resist him, firm in your faith.” They are to live in Christ just as they were taught, that is, in the true faith: “If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9). They are to be abounding in thanksgiving, giving many thanks, as we read in 1 Thessalonians: “Giving thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18); “Having been saved by God out of grave dangers, we give him great thanks” .

Next, in verse 8, he warns them not to be deceived by empty wisdom. He first gives the warning and then provides the reason for it (v. 9). The warning itself has two parts: first, an exhortation to avoid whatever can deceive them, and second, an identification of the source of this deception (v. 8b).

A person can be deceived by worldly wisdom in two ways: sometimes by the actual principles of philosophy, and sometimes by fallacious arguments. Paul teaches them to beware of both: See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy—that is, by philosophical teachings. For “Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray” (Isaiah 47:10), and many have turned from the faith after being deceived by philosophy: “Man has become foolish in his knowledge” (Jeremiah 10:14). Regarding the second way, he warns against empty deceit, which is based on the misuse of words: “Let no one deceive you with empty words” (Ephesians 5:6).

But how are they being deceived? One who deceives another must present something that seems reasonable but is not. Paul first shows the basis of this apparent reasonableness, which is twofold. The first is the authority of the philosophers, about which he says, according to human tradition—that is, according to what is handed down by some who rely on their own judgment: “The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath” (Psalms 94:11).

The second source of apparent reasonableness is the constructs of human reason, which occurs when a person tries to measure or judge matters of faith by the principles of the natural world instead of by divine wisdom. Many are deceived in this way. Paul says they should not be deceived by those judging according to the elements of the universe, and not according to Christ. As it is written, “They were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists” .

Now, the higher a cause, the more superior its effect. Therefore, those who wish to investigate certain effects in terms of inferior causes are deceived. For example, if one were to study the movement of water only in terms of the power of water itself, he could not know the cause of the ocean's tides; to do this, he would have to consider the water in relation to the power of the moon. Thus, people are even more deceived when they consider the effects proper to God in terms of the elements of the world. This is the reason for the apparent plausibility of their arguments.

Alternatively, according to the elements of the universe could mean measuring the truth of faith by the truth of created things. Or perhaps Paul said this in reference to idolaters who worshiped idols, saying that Jupiter was the heavens. Or, he could have been referring to the Jewish people. In that case, the text would be understood this way: they were deceived by the philosophy and reasoning of those trying to convince them to observe the ceremonies of the law. These ceremonies would be according to the elements of the universe, that is, according to bodily observances: “We were slaves to the elements of the world” (Galatians 4:3). However, our first explanation is better.

When Paul says, for in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily, he gives the reason for his warning: whatever is not according to Christ should be rejected. But is Christ so great that all other things should be rejected for him? The author answers that he is, and demonstrates this in three ways: first, by considering Christ's divinity; second, by his relationship to believers (v. 10a); and third, by his relationship to the angels (v. 10b).

Therefore, whatever is contrary to Christ must be rejected, because he is God. We must prefer him to everything else, for in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily. Now, God is in all things in various ways. He is in some things, like a stone, because they participate in a likeness to his goodness. Such things are not God, but they possess something of God—not his substance, but a likeness of his goodness. Consequently, the fullness of divinity does not dwell in them, because he is not present in them according to his substance. God is also in holy minds by an activity, as they attain him through love and knowledge. In this way, God is in them by grace, not bodily, but according to the effects of grace. And he is not there in his fullness, but only through limited effects. But God is present in Christ bodily, and this can be explained in three ways.

First, a body is distinguished from its shadow. As Scripture says, “These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:17). God can therefore be said to indwell in two ways: as a shadow or bodily—that is, really. He dwelt in the first way under the Old Law, but in Christ he dwells bodily, that is, really and truly.

Second, this passage can be explained by saying that God dwells in the other saints only with respect to their souls, not their bodies: “For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh” (Romans 7:18). But the divinity dwells in Christ bodily because God’s indwelling in the saints is by an activity—love and knowledge—which are actions of the rational mind alone. God dwells in Christ, however, by assuming a man into the unity of his person. Thus, whatever relates to this man is indwelt by God, so his flesh and mind are indwelt because both are united to the Word: “And the Word became flesh” (John 1:14).

Third, God is in things in three ways. One way is common to all things: by his power, presence, and essence. Another way is in the saints: by grace. The third way is found only in Christ: by union. Now, a body has three dimensions, and the fullness of the divinity superabounds in Christ in these ways, which is why the deity is said to be in him bodily. The fullness of the divinity is in Christ by length, because it extends to all things; by breadth, in its charity; and by depth, in its incomprehensibility.

Nestorius was mistaken on this point when he said that this union was brought about entirely by an indwelling, with the Word merely dwelling in the flesh. But the Apostle does not agree, for he says in Philippians 2:7, “He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.” When one dwells in a man, he does not empty himself; one empties oneself by becoming man. Paul continues, “being born in the likeness of man.” Therefore, Christ is indwelt not in the sense that the one indwelling and the one dwelt in are distinct, but in the sense that Christ is both man and God, in whom the fullness of the deity dwells.

Then, when Paul says, and you have come to fulness in him, he shows the same truth by relating Christ to others. He is saying, in effect, that you have received all things from Christ: “From his fulness have we all received” (John 1:16). We should note that the Platonists taught that all divine gifts come to humanity through the mediation of separated substances (like angels), and this is true even according to Dionysius. But it is a special reality that we receive divine gifts immediately from him who is the fullness of the angels: “The only Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known” (John 1:18); “It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him” (Hebrews 2:3).

Paul continues, saying that Christ is the head of all rule and authority [or, “principality and power,” two orders of angels]. He is their King and Lord, though not by a likeness of nature, which is the way he is the head of humanity. Paul mentions these particular orders of angels because they seem to have a certain preeminence.