Through The Bible

Session #51 – Colossians

April 27, 2005

Colossians is one of Paul’s shortest letters, but also most exciting.

• The early church was full of wonder about the Gospel. Paul shares that wonder with the people.
• Paul speaks of holiness, the Gospel, Jesus Christ, and the Church. These might seem to be broad strokes of the theological brush but we should remember this is a particular letter – written to a particular group of people in a specific situation.

In reading Colossians, it seems that the content is centered on the question: Where is God’s true presence to be found and who may gain access to that presence?

Some have likened Colossians to a flower.

• It has grown from a small bud, to a large bud, and then the flower opens up revealing layer upon layer of features that were there all the time but inside.
• How does this image ‘unfold’ in Colossians?
• (1.24-2.5) the maturity Paul is seeking in the Colossians he now is taking one step further by writing about it to the Colossians.
• (2.6-7) maturity comes from walking in Christ. We have been buried and raised in Christ (2.12).
• (2.8-19) maturity is hindered when we get sidetracked – Paul speaks of some of these off-target beliefs and influences in this section.
• (2.20-3.4) detailed instructions of living in Christ.

• Everything in the letter points back to the main section (1.15-20) – the supremacy of Christ.

Circumstances of Colossians

Colossae was neither a large nor important town on the banks of the Lycus River (now in modern Turkey).

• At one point in its history, it was large and important but now had been upstaged by neighbors (Laodicea – about 10 miles away; Hierapolis – about 6 miles away).
• The church appears to have been started by Epaphras (1.7-8). There also, we presume, would have been a Jewish synagogue there based on Acts 15.21.
• Often when there was a strong Jewish influence in the area of a young church, young Christians were made to believe that a completion of their faith could be made by also converting to Judaism.

The Problems in the Colossian Church

The Gospel was being diluted or watered-down by some false teachers.

• Christ’s status was being lessened by some false teachers.
• Some other mystical practices were being promoted linked to Gnostic, Judaic, or pagan beliefs (see 2.18 where angels are apparently being worshipped; see also Jewish connections in 2.16).

Authorship of Colossians

• Not all biblical scholars are convinced that Paul wrote Colossians.
• Some theology and writing style seems to be un-Pauline.
• Evidence against Pauline authorship is weak enough that the safest route is to assume Paul wrote Colossians and that the developments in theology and writing style simply point to the breadth of Paul’s ability.

Date and Place of Writing

• Paul is in prison (4.3).
• Colossians is often considered one of the four “Letters from Prison” (the others are Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians).
• Where was the imprisonment? Three possibilities: Ephesus (2^nd Corinthians 1.8; 1^st Corinthians 15.32), Caesarea (Acts 24.27), and Rome (Acts 28.16).
• Ephesus is often considered the most logical place for Paul’s imprisonment when he wrote Colossians.