Truly Human

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. "

What is Paul saying here in his letter to the new community of "Jesus-believers" at Colosse? What does it mean for us today?

Each of us has had many, many teachers over the course of our life. Who sticks out in your life as a teacher? Why do you consider them a teacher? Now some will say, "Everyone is my teacher" or, "Life is my teacher." Yeah, well that's not what I'm talking about.

The way I'm using 'teacher' here is someone who not only embodies the knowledge or wisdom that you value, but they are a master at transmitting that mastery to others, perhaps even to you. As an example from my own pursuit of stellar musicianship, I have had the privilege of private or Master Class study with musicians who, for me, embodied unsurpassed fluency with the language of music. What's more, some of them were master teachers as well. Studying "at the feet" of a master is - with all its challenges, corrections, and inspirations - a great joy.

In the world of ancient Judaism, a valued occupation (for the most part exclusive to males) was the study of the Torah of Moses. But where would one go to learn? The first place would be the father, but if the father was not able to educate his sons they would seek to study "at the feet of" a master. The "Torah Master" was considered to be the source of traditional learning. One accessed the ancient traditions not through the private study of a text (Note: no "books" back then - only expensive scrolls which were used for public reading), but by spending significant amounts of time with one who received the traditions a generation or two ahead of you. While much of this discipleship depended upon memorization of sacred text, the bulk of the transmitted tradition was in the "how to," ranging from tying shoes to washing hands, from breaking bread to interactions with others. There was no action the master could take that was not understood by the student-disciple as an expression of the sacred tradition - as "Torah."

What does all this have to do with Paul's statement in Colossians that "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"(2:9)? Well, because they were so used to the "master/student" culture, the Jews loyal to Yeshua of Nazareth after His ascension were having to learn to discern between traditions that aligned with the Messiah's instructions and those that did not. Only by "walking in the Spirit" could they keep in touch with their Rabbi. Indeed, there were other individuals who claimed to be "the Messiah," other teachers who claimed to represent the "authentic" revelation from God. (Such advertisements can be very tempting, especially in times of uncertainty and persecution or when self-doubt presses on our door.) However, the Apostle Paul encouraged the Colossians to stay focused on the Head, and affirmed Christ's complete sufficiency - even in his apparent physical absence - as their One Teacher. While teachers come and go in our lives, we will always only have one Teacher.

The Greek phrase behind the "dwelling bodily" idea is more literally "en-housed," if there was such a word in English. He is it. If you want to know God, go to Jesus. He is not some disembodied spirit. He is the fullness of God in the flesh. As the Gospel of John begins, "The word became flesh and tabernacled among us." In His resurrection He did not abandon His humanity. Rather, he became truly human - more human than you or I. And it is through Him and only Him, in simple faith, that we can receive God's fullness for our own lives.

That is why Paul, in the very next line of Colossians, begins, "And you are complete in Him."