“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”
My Notes
What Does Colossians 1:28 Mean?
Paul describes the totality of his ministry in a single verse: whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Whom we preach — the content of Paul's ministry is a person, not a system. He preaches Christ — not morality, not philosophy, not religion. The whom is Jesus himself. Everything Paul does is oriented around the proclamation of a person.
Warning every man — warning (noutheteo) means to admonish, to put in mind, to counsel with corrective intent. The ministry includes confrontation — telling people what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear. Warning is the pastoral work of redirecting someone heading the wrong direction.
Teaching every man in all wisdom — teaching (didasko) is the instructional counterpart to warning. Warning corrects. Teaching builds. In all wisdom — the teaching is comprehensive and skillful, drawing on the full depth of divine wisdom. Paul does not teach partially or superficially.
Every man appears three times in the verse — warning every man, teaching every man, presenting every man. The repetition demolishes any notion of selective ministry. Paul's work is universal in scope: every person, regardless of background, receives the same investment of warning, teaching, and presentation.
That we may present every man perfect (teleios) in Christ Jesus — perfect means mature, complete, brought to full development. The goal of all the preaching, warning, and teaching is maturity — not just conversion but completion. The presenting (paristemi) suggests a formal introduction — presenting believers before God as mature, finished, fully developed in Christ.
The verse defines ministry's content (Christ), methods (warning and teaching), scope (every person), and goal (maturity in Christ).
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does it mean that Paul preaches 'whom' (a person) rather than 'what' (a system)?
- 2.Why does ministry require both warning and teaching — and what happens when one is missing?
- 3.How does the three-fold 'every man' challenge selective or exclusive approaches to ministry?
- 4.What does it look like to pursue 'perfection' — maturity, completeness — in Christ rather than settling for the starting point of conversion?
Devotional
Whom we preach. Not what. Whom. Paul's entire ministry — every sermon, every letter, every confrontation, every teaching — is about a person. Christ. Not a system of beliefs. Not a moral code. Not a religious tradition. A person. Everything begins and ends with him.
Warning every man, and teaching every man. Two activities. Warning — the uncomfortable part. Telling someone they are heading the wrong direction. Correcting what needs correcting. And teaching — the building part. Giving people the understanding they need to grow. Both are necessary. Warning without teaching leaves people corrected but uninstructed. Teaching without warning leaves people informed but uncorrected.
Every man. Three times Paul says it. Every man warned. Every man taught. Every man presented. No one is excluded from the investment. No one is too far gone for warning. No one is too simple for teaching. No one is written off as unpresentable. Paul's vision for ministry has no VIP section and no rejected pile.
That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. The goal is not conversion alone. It is maturity. Completeness. Full development in Christ. Paul does not just want people to start the journey. He wants to present them finished — brought to the fullness of what Christ intended when he saved them.
This is what spiritual leadership looks like: preaching Christ, warning honestly, teaching wisely, investing in every person, and aiming for maturity — not just attendance, not just decisions, but completeness in Christ. Is anyone investing in your maturity like this? Are you investing in anyone else's?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Whom we preach,.... Under the above considerations; as the riches, the glory, and the mystery of the Gospel; as the hope…
Whom we preach, warning every man - This does not mean warning of danger, but “admonishing all of the claims of the…
Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the great work of our redemption by Christ. It comes in here…
we Emphatic. He has the alien emissaries in mind.
preach Slightly better, as R.V., proclaim. The Greek word recurs with…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture