How Paul Understood His Own Suffering
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church Colossians 1:24
Paul now completes the introduction of himself with an unusually full description of his ministry. He wants the Colossians, who until now had only heard about him second hand, to understand his reasons for writing. Having put them on the map of the divine purposes in Christ (1:21-23), Paul now places himself on that map. His whole ministry – his suffering, preaching, teaching, hard work and prayer – has had them in view for some time. This letter is simply one more facet of his total God-given work, which includes responsibility for them.
The idea in Paul’s mind that his suffering is on behalf of those he writes to is not unknown (2 Corinthians 1:6; Ephesians 3:13). But can there be anything lacking in Christ’s sufferings that requires Paul’s or any other believer’s sufferings to be complete?
Two concepts might explain Paul’s thinking. The first is the understanding of the church as Christ’s body. What is true of Christ is true of His body and what is true of the body, here suffering, is true of Christ.
The second, developed out of Old Testament hints by some intertestamental and Rabbinic writers, is part of the view that history is divided into two ages – the present (evil) age (Galatians 1:4) and the age to come (c.f. Matthew 12:32). When the moment arrives for history to move from one to the next, God’s people will suffer extraordinary tribulations, which were understood as the birth-pangs of the new age (Romans 8:22). These would be either the accompaniment or the foreshadowing of the Messiah.
Paul’s use of this idea, like all his re-using of Jewish material, was reshaped by the facts of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Instead of the old and new ages standing back to back, he understood them as overlapping. Jesus’ resurrection had inaugurated the new age, but the old would continue alongside it until the second coming. The whole time-span between Jesus’ resurrection and return constituted the turnaround of eras, and the whole time period would be characterised by tribulation. Such suffering is regarded as evidence that the sufferers really are God’s new people. Paul then can rejoice in his sufferings and not just despite them. As the Messiah was to be known by the path of suffering He chose, so His people are to be recognised by the suffering they endure.
In this sense Paul can speak of filling up the afflictions of the Messiah. He is not adding to Calvary. The word Paul uses here translated ‘afflictions’ is never used of the cross. He is experiencing the principle classically illustrated by Calvary. Christ suffered for others and Paul sees the same principle outworked in his own life. His suffering won’t save the Colossians from their sin but it might save them some present suffering. By drawing the enemy’s fire onto himself, he might allow the church some respite from the attacks they might otherwise be facing. The verb ‘fill up’ has a prefix before it that carries the thought of ‘instead of.’
Christian leaders today find themselves under attack. The media often assaults them with twisted stories that defame their character and integrity. Following the principle outlined here, these same leaders are taking the fire that might otherwise be aimed at us. We need to support our Christian leaders during these times in prayer and any other encouragement open to us.