In the previous section, a critical look was taken at Paul’s false claims that all things were lawful for him. Now let’s look at Paul’s claim of Col 1:23-24...

 

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Col 1:23-24   

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church...

 

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The actual greek word Paul used in Col 1:24 is G5305, ὑστερήματα: hysterema. G5303 means deficiency or that which is lacking. In other words, Paul is saying that:

1.) what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ in Paul’s flesh

2.) Paul is filling up in his flesh for the sake of the church.

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Paul claims that what was lacking in his flesh of the afflictions or sufferings of our Savior, Paul was filling up in his flesh for the sake of the church.  At this point it is important to remember Acts 21:10-13, where Paul publicly proclaimed that not only was he ready to be bound in Jerusalem, but he was ready to die for the sake of Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. However, when given that opportunity in Acts 25:9-11, Paul quickly reconsidered, & appealed to Caesar! Ironically, Paul’s appeal to Caesar is exactly what Paul publicly repudiated & reprimanded the Corinthians for in 1 Co 6:1-7!

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Acts 21:10-13

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

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Acts 25:9-11

But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

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1 Corinthians 6:1-7

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

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According to Jeremiah 23:5-6 & Isaiah 44:6, YASHUSHA is the physical manifestation of YHWH; YASHUSHA is YHWH in the flesh! According to John 1:1-14, Master YASHUSHA is the Creator. Matthew 25:31-46 indicates that Adonai YASHUSHA will judge all flesh when He returns as our Righteous Judge & Eternal King.  As our Creator & the Maker of all things (John 1:1-14), & having lived a sinless life here on earth, only Adonai YASHUSHA could atone for, & forgive the sins of all human beings whom He chooses to name in His Book of Life. 

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John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. The same was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

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There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto his own, and His own received Him not.

 

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of Elohim, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Elohim. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

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Matthew 25:31-46

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? -- When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? -- Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

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Jeremiah 23:5-6

Behold, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Yahudah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, YHWH Tzidkenu.

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Isaiah 44:6

Thus saith YHWH, the King of Israel, and his redeemer, YHWH Tzb'ot; I AM the First, and I AM the Last; and beside me there is no Elohim.

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In contrast, Paul the pharisee was simply an extremely sinful man(see "Was Paul Really Blameless?"). As a result, Paul has to account for his own sins & transgressions. He was not in a position to atone for the sins & transgressions of anyone else.

 

Similarly, the “sufferings” of Paul the pharisee are absolutely of no benefit to anyone else. For Paul to try to fill up in his flesh what was “lacking in the afflictions of Christ” for the sake of the church, or anyone else, would simply be an exercise in futility.  For Paul to write & tell others that he was filling up in his flesh that which was lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of the church, is just another of Paul’s numerous, & even offensively false claims!!

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Paul himself admitted to certain lies & deceptions in Romans 3:7 & 2 Co 12:16. Isn’t Col 1:23-24 another perfect example of Paul’s offensively false claims & deceptive writings?

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Passages Referenced in Above Text

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Romans 3:7

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my LIE unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

 

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2 Corinthians 12:16

But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with GUILE.

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