Colossians 1:28

Whom we preach. The “we” is emphatic in the Greek. Paul contrasts himself and his associates with the false teachers.

Warning. Gr. noutheted, “to put in mind,” “to admonish,” “to warn” (cf. on Eph. 6:4).

Every man. The threefold repetition of these words in this verse underlines the universality of the gospel. There is no exclusiveness in Paul’s teachings, as there was in those of the false teachers. Every class of society is to be reached with the gospel of salvation.

Teaching. Besides warning, Paul also instructs. So should it be with all preaching.

In all wisdom. Some commentators understand this as stating the manner of Paul’s teaching (cf. Eph. 1:8; Col. 4:5); others, that the textbook of study for this teaching ministry is the whole field of wisdom. The former seems more in harmony with the Greek.

That we may present. Compare on v. 22. The apostle has identified himself with the work of saving souls, and now he states the goal of his ministry.

Perfect. Gr. teleios (see on Matt. 5:48). The perfection of which Paul speaks in his epistles, he clarifies in Phil. 3:12-15 (see comment there).

In Christ Jesus. This is the key phrase of the Epistle to the Ephesians (see on Eph. 1:1). It is frequent also in Paul’s other epistles. Christ is the sphere of the saint’s perfection.