`Dr. Robinson gives a new thought from Col. 2:9, "for in Him dwelleth all

the fulness of the Deity in a bodily way, and ye are filled (or,

fulfilled) in Him".  This is usually taken to refer to the Godhead

residing in the Lord's body in all its completeness.  But Dr. Robinson

says this would be to neglect Paul's special use of the terms "fulness"

and "body" in his epistles.  The empty deceit of the philosophical

despoiler can only give tradition and world -elements in place of the

heavenly Christ.  For in Christ dwells all the fulness of the Deity,

expressing itself through a body: a body, in which you are incorporated,

so that in Him the fulness is yours.  The next words in Col. 2:10 might

be taken as confirming this thought, literally, "And you are, in Him,

ones -having -been -filled -full".

`Dr. Robinson continues, "Thus St. Paul looks forward to the ultimate

issue of the Divine purpose for the universe.  The present stage is a

stage of imperfection: the final stage will be perfection.  All is now

incomplete: in the issue all will be complete.  And this completeness,

this fulfilment, this attainment of purpose and realisation of ideal, is

found and is to be found (for to St. Paul the present contains implicitly

the future) in Christ -- in Christ `by way of a body'; that is to say, in

Christ as a whole, in which the head and the body are inseparably one.

Even beyond this the apostle dares to look.  This fulfilled and completed

universe is in truth the return of all things to their creative source,

through Christ to God, `of Whom and through Whom and unto Whom are all

things', -- `that God may be all'"`.

See article on Body1.