Colossians 1:9

In view of the Colossians’ trust in Christ, Paul and his companions had been praying consistently for them. They had prayed both thanksgivings and petitions since they had heard of the Colossians’ reception of the Word and their consequent love, which the Holy Spirit produced in them. Specifically they asked that God would give them full and exact knowledge of all His desires for them. The Greek word translated "knowledge" is epignosis. This word can mean either full knowledge or more precise knowledge. [Note: Lightfoot, p. 136; J. Armitage Robinson, St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, pp. 248-54.] Probably Paul prayed for greater knowledge in both respects. This word always describes moral and religious knowledge in the New Testament. Especially it refers to full and comprehensive knowledge of God’s will that rests on the knowledge of God and of Christ. [Note: Cf. Lightfoot, p. 138.] Gnosis ("knowledge") was a favorite term of the gnostic philosophers, and Paul undoubtedly had them in mind when he prayed for epignosis for his readers.

The "will" (thelematos) of God is what God has revealed in His Word to be correct regarding both belief (faith) and behavior (works, morality; cf. Colossians 4:12; Acts 22:14; Romans 12:2). In the broadest sense, the will of God is the whole purpose of God revealed in Christ. [Note: Vaughan, p. 177.]

"For a theist who believes that God’s active purpose determines the ordering of the world, lies behind events on earth, and shapes their consequences, one of the most desirable objectives must be to know God’s will." [Note: Dunn, p. 69.]

This knowledge included wisdom (the broadest term covering the whole range of mental faculties) and understanding (how to apply wisdom in specific cases).

"’Wisdom’ and ’understanding’ probably should not be treated separately but should be looked on as expressing a single thought, something like practical wisdom or clear discernment." [Note: Vaughan, p. 177.]

This interpretation takes the words as a hendiadys. This knowledge would come to them only by the illumination of the Holy Spirit ("spiritual wisdom"). The false teachers in Colosse were evidently promoting what they called a deeper knowledge attainable only by the privileged few.

"The false teachers promised the Colossian believers that they would be ’in the know’ if they accepted the new doctrines. Words like knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding were a part of their religious vocabulary; so Paul used these words in his prayer." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:110.]

"The true antidote to heresy is always a deeper and richer knowledge of the truth concerning Jesus Christ." [Note: Johnson, 472:341.]