SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:12
¶ dando gracias al Padre que nos hizo dignos para participar en la herencia de los santos en luz;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Colossians 1:12
Verse 12. Giving thanks unto the Father] Knowing that ye have nothing but what ye have received from his mere mercy, and that in point of merit ye can never claim any thing from him. Which hath made us meet] ikanwsanti? Who has qualified us to be partakers, &c. Instead of ikanwsanti, some MSS. and versions have kalesanti, called; and B (the Codex Vaticanus) has both readings. Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath called and qualified us to be partakers.
Of the inheritance] eiv thn merida tou klhrou. A plain allusion to the division of the promised land by lot among the different families of the twelve Israelitish tribes. The klhrov was the lot or inheritance belonging to the tribe; the meriv was the portion in that lot which belonged to each family of that tribe. This was a type of the kingdom of God, in which portions of eternal blessedness are dispensed to the genuine Israelites; to them who have the circumcision of the heart by the Spirit, whose praise is of God, and not of man.
Of the saints in light] Light, in the sacred writings, is used to express knowledge, felicity, purity, comfort, and joy of the most substantial kind; here it is put to point out the state of glory at the right hand of God. As in Egypt, while the judgments of God were upon the land, there was a darkness which might be felt yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings; so in this world, while the darkness and wretchedness occasioned by sin remain, the disciples of Christ are light in the Lord, walk as children of the light and of the day, have in them no occasion of stumbling, and are on their way to the ineffable light at the right hand of God. Some think there is an allusion here to the Eleusinian mysteries, celebrated in deep caves and darkness in honour of Ceres; but I have already, in the notes to the Epistle to the Ephesians, expressed my doubts that the apostle has ever condescended to use such a simile. The phraseology of the text is frequent through various parts of the sacred writings, where it is most obvious that no such allusion could possibly be intended.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father , etc.] To God the Father, as the Vulgate Latin and the Syriac versions read the clause; and the Complutensian edition, and some copies, God and the Father; who is both the Father of Christ by nature, and of all his people by adoption. The Ethiopic version renders it, as an exhortation or advice, give ye thanks to the Father; and so the Syriac version: but the words rather seem to be spoken in the first, than in the second person, and are to be considered in connection with ( Colossians 1:9). So when the apostle had made an end of his petitions, he enters upon thanksgiving to God: which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ; by the inheritance, or lot, is meant not the common lot of the children of God to suffer persecution for the sake of Christ, and through much tribulation to enter into the kingdom, which they are by God the Father counted and made worthy of, with the rest of saints called out of darkness into light; nor their present state and condition, having a power to become the children of God, and to be fellow citizens with the saints, to enjoy communion with them, under the Gospel dispensation, called light, in opposition to Jewish and Gentile darkness, to be brought into which state is an high favour of God; but the heavenly glory, so called, in allusion to the land of Canaan, which was divided by lot to the children of Israel, according to the will and purpose of God; and because it is not acquired by the works of men, but is a pure free grace gift of God, and which he, as the Father of his people, has bequeathed unto them; and which they enjoy through the death of the testator Christ; and of which the Spirit is the earnest; and because this glory is peculiar to such as are the children of God by adopting grace. It is no other than that inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, and which fades not away, reserved in the heavens; and designs that substance, or those solid and substantial things they shall possess hereafter; that kingdom, salvation, and glory, they are heirs of; and includes all things they shall inherit, and even God himself, who is their portion, their inheritance, their exceeding great reward, and of whom they are said to be heirs. This is the inheritance of the saints, and of none else; who are sanctified or set apart by God the Father in eternal election; who are sanctified by the blood of Christ, or whose sins are expiated by his atoning sacrifice; who are sanctified in Christ, or to whom he is made sanctification; and who are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, or have the work of sanctification begun upon their souls by him; in consequence of which they live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world. And this inheritance of theirs is in light; unless this clause should be read in connection with the word saints, and be descriptive of them; they being called and brought out of darkness into light, and made light in the Lord, light being infused into them; in which light they see light, sin to be exceeding sinful, and Christ to be exceeding precious: or this phrase should be thought to design the means by which the Father makes meet to partake of the inheritance; namely, in or by the light of the Gospel, showing the way of salvation by Christ, and by the light of grace put into their hearts, and by following Christ the light of the world, which is the way to the light of life: though it rather seems to point out the situation and nature of the heavenly inheritance; it is where God dwells, in light inaccessible to mortal creatures, and who is light itself; and where Christ is, who is the light of the new Jerusalem; and where is the light of endless joy, and uninterrupted happiness; and where the saints are blessed with the clear, full, and beatific vision of God in Christ, and of Christ as he is, seeing him, not through a glass darkly, but face to face. This may be said in reference to a notion of the Jews, that the light which God created on the first day is that goodness which he has laid up for them that fear him, and is what he has treasured up for the righteous in the world to come f4 . Now the saints meetness for this is not of themselves; by nature they are very unfit for it, being deserving of the wrath of God, and not of an inheritance; and are impure and unholy, and so not fit to partake of the inheritance of saints, or Holy Ones, and much less to dwell and converse with an holy God; and being darkness itself, cannot bear such light, or have communion with it: but God the Father makes them meet, which includes all the acts of his grace towards them, upon them, and in them; such as his choosing them in Christ, and their inheritance for them; in preparing that for them, and them for that; blessing them with all grace, and all spiritual blessings in Christ; putting them among the children by an act of adoption, of his own sovereign will and free grace, and thereby giving them a goodly heritage, and a title to it; justifying them by the righteousness of his Son, and so making them heirs according to the hope of eternal life, and forgiving all their trespasses for Christ's sake; cleansing them from all in his blood, so that being the undefiled in the way, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, they are fit for the undefiled inheritance; regenerating them by his Spirit, and implanting principles of light and life, grace and holiness, in them, without which no man shall see the Lord, or enter into the kingdom of heaven. One copy, as Beza observes, reads it, which hath called us to be partakers, etc. and so does the Ethiopic version. And all such as the Father has thus called, and made meet, shall certainly be partakers of the inheritance; they partake of it already in Christ their head, and in faith and hope, having the Spirit as an earnest and pledge of it, and will wholly and perfectly enjoy it hereafter: for though, like Canaan's land, it is disposed of by lot, by the will, counsel, and free grace of God, yet will it not be divided into parts as that was; there is but one undivided inheritance, but one part and portion, which all the saints shall jointly and equally partake of, having all and each the same right and title, claim and meetness. For which they have abundant reason to give thanks to the Father, when they consider what they were, beggars on the dunghill, and now advanced to sit among princes, and to inherit the throne of glory; were bankrupts, over their head in debt, owed ten thousand talents, and had nothing to pay, and now all is frankly, forgiven; and besides, a title to, and meetness for, the heavenly inheritance, are freely bestowed on them; and particularly when they consider they are no more worthy of this favour than others that have no share in it, and also how great the inheritance is.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-14 - The apostle was constant in prayer, that the believers might be fille with the knowledge of God's will, in all wisdom. Good words will not d without good works. He who undertakes to give strength to his people is a God of power, and of glorious power. The blessed Spirit is the author of this. In praying for spiritual strength, we are no straitened, or confined in the promises, and should not be so in ou hopes and desires. The grace of God in the hearts of believers is the power of God; and there is glory in this power. The special use of thi strength was for sufferings. There is work to be done, even when we ar suffering. Amidst all their trials they gave thanks to the Father of our Lord Jesus, whose special grace fitted them to partake of the inheritance provided for the saints. To bring about this change, thos were made willing subjects of Christ, who were slaves of Satan. All wh are designed for heaven hereafter, are prepared for heaven now. Thos who have the inheritance of sons, have the education of sons, and the disposition of sons. By faith in Christ they enjoyed this redemption as the purchase of his atoning blood, whereby forgiveness of sins, an all other spiritual blessings were bestowed. Surely then we shall dee it a favour to be delivered from Satan's kingdom and brought into tha of Christ, knowing that all trials will soon end, and that ever believer will be found among those who come out of great tribulation.
Greek Textus Receptus
ευχαριστουντες 2168 5723 τω 3588 πατρι 3962 τω 3588 ικανωσαντι 2427 5660 ημας 2248 εις 1519 την 3588 μεριδα 3310 του 3588 κληρου 2819 των 3588 αγιων 40 εν 1722 τω 3588 φωτι 5457
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Made us meet (ikanwsanti). See on 2 Cor. iii. 6.
To be partakers of the inheritance (eiv thn merida tou klhrou). Lit., for the portion of the lot; that is, the portion which is the lot. Compare Acts viii. 21, where the two words are coordinated.
In light (en tw fwti). Connect with inheritance: the inheritance which is in light. This need not be limited to future glory. The children of God walk in light on earth. See John iii. 21; xi. 9; xii. 36; Eph. v. 8; 1 Thessalonians v. 5; 1 John i. 7; ii. 10.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:12 {Who made us meet} (twi hikanwsanti hemas). Or "you" (humas). Dative case of the articular participle of hikanow, late verb from hikanos and in N.T. only here and #2Co 3:6 (which see), "who made us fit or adequate for." {To be partakers} (eis merida). "For a share in." Old word for share or portion (from meros) as in #Ac 8:21; 16:12; 2Co 6:15 (the only other N.T. examples). {Of the inheritance} (tou klerou). "Of the lot,"for a share of the lot." Old word. First a pebble or piece of wood used in casting lots (#Ac 1:26), qen the allotted portion or inheritance as here (#Ac 8:21). Cf. #Heb 3:7-4:11. {In light} (en twi fwti). Taken with merida (portion) "situated in the kingdom of light" (Lightfoot).
