And (because) ye are in him made complete; or fulfilled (Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 1:7-11, Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 3:18, Ephesians 3:19; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 4:19; Galatians 3:14, Galatians 3:24; Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 2:2).
A complete Christ makes his people complete; his plēroma is our plērosis. Finding the whole fulness of God brought within our reach and engaged in our behalf (Philippians 2:7; Matthew 20:28) in him, we need not resort elsewhere to supply our spiritual needs (Philippians 4:19).
"In him" is the primary predicate (see Alford, Ellicott, against Meyer: comp. Colossians 2:3): "Ye are in him" is the assumption (Romans 8:1; Romans 16:7); "(ye are) made complete" is the inference. (On the verb πληρόω (the basis of plēroma), used in perfect participle of abiding result, see notes, Colossians 1:9, Colossians 1:19.
) This completeness includes the furnishing of men with all that is required for their present and final salvation as individuals (Colossians 1:11-15; Colossians 1:21, Colossians 1:22, Colossians 1:28), and for their collective perfection as forming the Church, the body of Christ (Colossians 1:2, Colossians 1:19; Colossians 1:19; Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 5:26, Ephesians 5:27); for this twofold completeness, comp.
Ephesians 4:12-16. Who is the Head of all principality and dominion (Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:18; Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:10, Philippians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Hebrews 1:6, Hebrews 1:14; 1 Peter 3:22).
(On "principality," etc., see note, Colossians 1:16.) The Colossians were being taught to replace or supplement Christ's offices by those of angel powers (see notes, verses 15, 18). Philo ('Concerning Dreams,' 1.
§§ 22, 23) writes thus of the angels: "Free from all bodily encumbrance, endowed with larger and diviner intellect, they are lieutenants of the All ruler, eyes and ears of the great King. Philosophers in general call them demons ( δαίμονες); the sacred Scripture angels, for they report ( διαγγέλλουσι) the injunctions of the Father to his children, and the wants of the children to their Father.
… Angels, the Divine words, walk about [comp. 2 Corinthians 6:16] in the souls of those who have not yet completely washed off the (old) life, foul and stained through their cumbersome bodies, making them bright to the eyes of virtue."
In such a strain the Colossian "philosopher" may have been talking. But if Christ is the Maker and Lord of these invisible powers—(Colossians 1:15, Colossians 1:16), and we are in him, then we must no longer look to them as our saviours.