11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Vs. 11 - “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,”
Note: the wisdom of God was revealed (from v. 10) in Christ Jesus our Lord (v. 11). And God had planned it to happen and to be revealed in just this way.
Vs. 12 - “in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”
This verse illustrated one of those interesting paradoxes (not the right word to describe this phenomenon) of the faith. We are in Christ, yet we have access through our faith in Christ. We are in Christ; Christ is in us (Col 1:27). Our access to God the Father is through Christ (John 14:6). though faith in Christ (John 3:16, 18, 6:29). Because of God’s love for His own, we are allowed to come into His presence, and boldly, with confidence, because of Christ (Heb 4:16, 10:19, 35; 1 John 2:28; 2 Cor 3:4; Eph 2:18).
Vs. 13 - “Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.”
“Therefore”- looks to the phase “Because of our bold confidence access God the Father” (v. 12).
"not to lose heart at my tribulations" - With the possible exception of verse 3:1 this is the only mention (in this letter) of any trouble for Paul. It is very possible that Paul had written of his predicament before. No doubt that the circumstances of a well-known early church figure as Paul was well known anyway (See: Col 1:24ff; Phil 2:17)
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