Rooted into Thankfulness (Col 2:6-10)
Verse 7 There are four very important verbs in this verse.
• Be rooted, to build, to be strengthened, and to overflow
o And these verbs each build on each other.
• The verb here is “to be rooted” or even “to be firmly rooted”
o It’s a passive participle.
o Passive means the action is happening to us, the deepening is happening to us.
o It’s also a participle, so it’s on going.
o This isn’t a one-time thing, this is an ongoing process
You could render this as “be allowing your roots to grow down deep”
• and let your lives be built on him. It’s the verb “to be built.”
o Definition “To finish the structure of which the foundation has already been laid.”
o We started with allowing our roots to go deep, now we continue to build upon those deep roots.
o It’s also in the passive, the building is happening to us.
o It’s also a particle so it’s ongoing. Continually being built.
• These two verbs, be rooted and to build also switch from the perfect tense to the present tense.
o That simply means that the rooting has to happen first and then the building.
• Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught. It’s the verb “to be strengthened”
o And yes, it’s a passive participle. The strengthening is happening to us.
As a result of being rooted and built upon.
o And it’s an ongoing process as well.
• We are being strengthened into the truth. Which of course is Jesus, He is the Truth the Way and the Life.
• Now we get to the final verb in the verse and you will overflow with thankfulness.
o The verb to overflow is now active. Which means we are the ones doing the work of overflowing.
o It’s also a participle, so it’s ongoing.
o We are to continually overflow, or gush with abundance.
• But what are we overflowing? With giving thanks! With thankfulness
Verse 8 It’s the verb “make a captive of” Referring to making one a slave
• But unlike the verbs to be rooted, to build and to be strengthened which were all in the passive.
o This verb, “to make captive” is in the active
• We are the ones to take the action of becoming a captive, we take ourselves captive to these false teachings.
Verse 9 This verse is also the antidote to the human reason of the last verse.
Verse 10 In Christ all the fullness of God dwells, and now because of our union in Christ, that same fullness has been made complete in us.
