Colossians 2: 7 – Having been rooted and being built up

…having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being confirmed in the faith according as you were taught, superabounding in it with thanksgiving.

There is a remarkable change of verb forms in this verse: the Colossians had been rooted (=completed) and are being built up (=unfinished). From the day the Colossians learned the truth of the Gospel of Epaphras, it bore fruit among them (1:6,7). How could that be other than that they were indeed rooted in “Christ Jesus the Lord”? But in the meantime the process of being built up would continue.

The imagery of ‘being rooted’ and ‘bearing fruit’ is taken from living nature, such as a tree. However, the imagery of ‘being built up’ is taken from a building. But in both comparisons the essence is: standing firm. A rooted tree is fixed in the ground. And a building is founded on a solid foundation. Paul uses these metaphors to make it clear that the Colossians could only progress if they were confirmed in the faith as they had been taught. One can only progress by staying in one place! Certainly, both growth and construction indicate movement, but always upwards!  Not horizontally, but vertically. In the same way the Colossians would also grow and be built up from the solid foundation of faith!

Delen: