Colossians 3:1

My Notes

What Does Colossians 3:1 Mean?

Colossians 3:1 opens with a conditional that assumes its truth: "If ye then be risen with Christ" — ei oun sunēgerthēte tō Christō. The "if" isn't doubt — it's premise. Since you have been raised with Christ (the verb is aorist passive: you were raised, it happened, it's done), here's what follows. Your resurrection with Christ isn't future. It's past tense. You've already been raised into a new kind of life.

"Seek those things which are above" — ta anō zēteite. The imperative zēteite means to seek actively, to pursue, to make something the object of your constant pursuit. Ta anō — the things above, the heavenly realities, the priorities of the realm where Christ currently operates. The seeking isn't passive contemplation. It's directional pursuit — orienting your desires, your decisions, your attention toward what's above rather than what's around.

"Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" — hou ho Christos estin en dexia tou theou kathēmenos. The right hand of God — the position of supreme authority, executive power, and active rule. Christ isn't floating in an ethereal space. He's seated — kathēmenos, enthroned, governing. The things above aren't abstract. They're anchored in a specific location: wherever Christ is ruling from. To seek the things above is to seek the priorities of the One who sits at God's right hand.

The logic is identity-based: because you've been raised with Christ, seek where Christ is. Your position determines your pursuit. Dead people seek earthly things. Risen people seek heavenly ones.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What are you actively seeking right now — and does it align with 'the things above'?
• 2.How does the past tense of your resurrection ('ye have been raised') change the seeking from obligation to identity?
• 3.What does it practically look like to seek the priorities of Christ's throne room in your daily decisions?
• 4.Where have your pursuits been earthbound when they should have been oriented upward?

Devotional

You've been raised. Now seek accordingly.

Paul doesn't say "try to be risen" or "hope you'll be risen someday." He says: since you have been raised — past tense, accomplished, done — here's what your raised life looks like. Seek the things above. Not the things around. Not the things below. The things where Christ sits, at the right hand of God, governing the universe.

The word seek is active. This isn't passive drifting toward spiritual things when they happen to float into view. It's pursuit — the same intentional, directional energy you give to career advancement, relationship building, or financial planning. Except aimed upward. At the priorities of a risen Christ on an active throne.

What are "the things above"? They're not vaporous spiritual abstractions. They're the values of Christ's kingdom: justice, mercy, truth, love, reconciliation, holiness — every priority the enthroned King is actively governing by. When Paul says seek above, he means align your daily decisions with the operating system of Christ's throne room. Let the priorities of the King who raised you determine what you pursue.

The problem isn't that you seek. You're wired to seek. You pursue things all day long — achievement, comfort, approval, security, pleasure. Paul isn't asking you to stop seeking. He's asking you to redirect. You've been raised. Your address has changed. Your pursuits should match your new zip code.

What are you seeking today — and does it match where you've been placed?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture