the language here is enigmatic -- @Magenta my dear purple sister disagrees with my opinion here, and has good reason to -- as far as I have been self-taught ((which is not really being taught so take this with salt)) about Greek, the grammar can either be read as a command "search!" or a statement of factual observation "you search.."
I take it as a command. in my opinion, Jesus is telling them, search! because you think there is life in these words! and these are about Me!
Magenta takes it as a statement of fact. you people search, thinking there is life in these -- and they're speaking about Me, THE Life!
either way, I think, John 5:39 tells us what the whole purpose and meaning of scripture is. it's testimony of the person & work of the Messiah. Magenta and I both reach this same conclusion no matter how different the little nuances of our understanding may be
I couldn't agree more. The Holy Work of Jesus is exactly what this Book is about. If it were not for the Work of Jesus, namely, Colossians 2:9-15, there would not only be no reason for the Bible to be written but because of Colossians 2:9-15, there would be no reason to create the world. Our Salvation depends upon the Work of Christ, and without it, there can be no Salvation. In order for Adam and Eve to eat of the Tree of Life and Live forever with Christ, all they would have needed to do, if allowed, was to walk to it and eat. It is the same today, for Colossians 2:9-15 shows that Salvation is entirely the Work of Christ. Adam and Eve would have received the same Salvation and Gift of Eternal Life that we receive today, for Christ has always been.
Christ does four basic things:
1. Grants the ability to Truly and actually Repent (which means to ultimately have changed and improved.
2. Circumcises the Heart, specifically of the Carnal State, Sinful Nature, Sin Nature, Mind of Satan, the Curse of Adam and Eve . . . whatever we want to call it . . . Jesus removes that evil Veil so that we can finally see the Truth. Simply put . . . Jesus enables us to become exactly who He intends us to be, and this is initially done by relieving the Curse that has assured death. Christ defeats it through His Holy Operation of Faith (as the KJV puts it in Col 2:9-15).
3. The Death of Jesus pays the debt for our sin. He willingly exchanged His Life for our life, so that we might be free of the penalty for our sins. Hung on the cross, Jesus took our Curse and literally became, embodied, or took upon Himself that Curse for us all. He is unbelievable!
4. Jesus grants the Holy Spirit. And amazingly, the Spirit, too, grants Spiritual Gifts and abilities. But notice that verse 10 of Colossians 2:9-15 says that we are "whole and complete" in Christ. Isn't that amazing?! So check out what Paul says AFTER that . . . he then moves on to explain [how] a person becomes whole and complete in Christ.
Truly, there is no passage that explains the Work of Christ in the way that Colossians 2:9-15 does. I gleefully warn each reader . . . if you focus on Col 2:9-15 every day for a year . . . your doctrine won't be the same by the time your halfway done (with that year).