Colossians 1:24

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, etc.] The apostle, as soon as he had made mention of his being a minister of the Gospel, thinks and speaks of his “sufferings”; for those are what always more or less attend persons in such an office; they are appointed to them by God; Christ has foretold them of them; they are necessary for them; they must expect them, and patiently endure them: the apostle was under them now at this present time, for he wrote this epistle in his bonds when a prisoner at Rome, not for any immorality, any crime he had committed, but for Christ's sake, for his Gospel's sake, for the sake of the churches of Christ to whom he preached, for the confirmation of them, and…”

“Who--The oldest manuscripts omit "who"; then translate, "Now I rejoice." Some very old manuscripts, and the best of the Latin versions, and Vulgate, read as English Version. To enhance the glory of Christ as paramount to all, he mentions his own sufferings for the Church of Christ. "Now" stands in contrast to "I was made," in the past time (Col 1:23). for you--"on your behalf," that ye may be confirmed in resting solely on Christ (to the exclusion of angel-worship) by the glorification of Christ in my sufferings (Eph 3:1). fill up that which is behind--literally, "the deficiencies"--all that are lacking of the afflictions of Christ (compare Note, see on Co2 1:5). Christ is "afflicted in all…”

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you - For you as a part of the Gentile world. It was not for the Colossians alone, but he regarded himself as suffering on account of his labors in preaching to the pagan at large. His trials at Rome had come upon him because he had maintained that the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles was broken down, and that the gospel was to be preached indiscriminately to all mankind; see this illustrated in the introduction, Section 5. And fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ - That which I lack of coming up to the sufferings which Christ endured in the cause of the church. The apostle seems to mean: (1)That be suffered in the same…”

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up - That is, whereby I fill up. That which is behind of the sufferings of Christ - That which remains to be suffered by his members. These are termed the sufferings of Christ, Because the suffering of any member is the suffering of the whole; and of the head especially, which supplies strength, spirits, sense, and motion to all. Because they are for his sake, for the testimony of his truth. And these also are necessary for the church; not to reconcile it to God, or satisfy for sin, (for that Christ did perfectly,) but for example to others, perfecting of the saints, and increasing their reward. Colossians 1:25”

“1:24–2:5 Paul considers his own role in the widespread preaching of the Good News (1:23). 1:24 I am participating in the sufferings of Christ (literally I am filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ): While the redemptive suffering of Christ is unique and completely finished, Christ still suffers through his people in a world hostile to the message of redemption. Christ and his church will continue to suffer until God’s purposes in this world are complete (see also Mark 13:19-23; Rom 8:17-18; 1 Thes 3:3).”

“rejoice: Mat 5:11, Mat 5:12; Act 5:41; Rom 5:3; Co2 7:4; Eph 3:1, Eph 3:13; Phi 2:17, Phi 2:18; Jam 1:2 fill: Co2 1:5-8, Co2 4:8-12, Co2 11:23-27; Phi 3:10; Ti2 1:8, Ti2 2:9, Ti2 2:10 for: Col 1:18; Eph 1:23 Colossians 1:25”