Colossians: An Introduction

Be Grounded in Christ: A walk through the book of Colossians

Blog 1- Introduction to the letter (Vs. 1:1-2)

I am excited to blog about Colossians because of the focus on the supremacy of Christ. Paul shows how the believer is complete in Christ and needs nothing more than to be fully clothed in Him to grow spiritually and be protected from heresy.

I plan to give a summary explanation and challenge of the text covered rather than a full exegesis of the passage. However, if you are interested in a fully explanation I would be glad to post it or send it to you.

We begin where every good book study should, with the three A’s- Author, Audience, and their Association.

Author- Paul (and Timothy)

Not only does the scripture directly attribute this letter to Paul (vs. 1:1, 23; 4:18) the personal details the author gives of himself, his life, and his relationships fit perfectly with the apostle Paul. Although there are some 55 Greek words used in this letter that are not found in any of Paul’s other books, we know that Paul was well educated and had a wide vocabulary, plus this was a unique topic that would require words not needed elsewhere.

Audience- Believer’s in the city of Colossae

Colossae, once a powerful military and commercial city, was now a minor city on the decline and surrounded by cities that outgrew her. There was a very mixed audience of people in this city. Jews, Greeks, Romans, military families, and people from many differing ethnic backgrounds who settled there for commercial interests.

Association

Paul did not plant this church; in fact we have no written revelation that Paul even ever went to the city. However, while Paul was on his third missionary journey he spent about 3 years in the city of Ephesus that was located about 100 miles east of Colossae. While there it seems that he discipled a man named Epaphras (or at least Epaphras was saved by listening to Paul’s teaching). Epaphras then took Paul’s gospel of Christ to them as well as other neighboring cities. So Paul had their respect because he was the one whom discipled the man who brought them the gospel and could therefore write a letter they would appreciate and respond to. (1:7-8)

After Epaphras spread the gospel to these cities he went to visit Paul in his Roman imprisonment. Since Paul was only under house arrest he could have visitors and Epaphras reported to Paul everything he observed and experienced which then prompted Paul to write this letter of warning and encouragement to the Church in Colossae.

 Date- _A.D.60-61

Paul wrote this letter during his first Roman imprisonment when he was under house arrest, the same time and place he wrote the other letters we often refer to as The Prison Epistles that include Ephesians, Philippians and Philemon.

Some say the since the theology of this book is more along the lines of John’s writing about Christ as the Logos in the gospel of John, which reveals Christ as God and Creator, that the author of this letter must have borrowed from it and been written after John’s gospel which was written near the end of the 1^st century about 90 A.D. However, we know that Paul had been given special revelation about who Christ was from both Galatians (1:12) as well as the book of Philippians (2:5-8). So Paul had no reason or need to “borrow” from any other NT author.

These people also say that one of the heresy’s Paul is refuting in the letter is the Gnosticism of the 2^nd century and therefore give it a very late date.  However, heresies don’t just appear one day out of the blue they are developed over years, especially heresies popular enough to warrant a letter from God through the apostle Paul. So it can easily be seen that Paul is dealing with the early stages of a heresy that would later become full blown Gnosticism.

Paul’s Purpose for writing this Letter

To refute false teaching in and around the church and bring a new focus on Christ. We don’t have the false teachings directly stated but we can deduct from the truths that Paul so strongly emphasizes what he is arguing against. Some of the heresies the church faced include:

• Secular philosophy- Human traditions based on the principles of this world
• Jewish Legalism- Observance of dietary laws, religious festivals and celebrations, the Sabbath
• Mystical teaching- Worship of angels and Personal visions
• Asceticism- The body is evil and should be physically punished to discipline it to overcome sin

The primary thing all these heresies have in common is that they undermine the preeminence and sufficiency of Jesus Christ alone.

 Some of what we learn about Christ

• The head of all principalities and powers (2:10)
• The Lord of creation (1:16-17)
• The Author of reconciliation (1:20-22; 2:13-15)
• The basis of the believer’s hope (1:5, 23, 27)
• The source of the believer’s power to live the new life (1:11, 29)
• The believer’s Redeemer and Reconciler (1:14, 20-22; 2:11-15)
• The embodiment of full deity (1:15, 19; 2:9)
•   The Creator and Sustainer of all things (1:16-17)
• The Head of the Church (1:18)
•  The resurrected God-man (1:18; 3:1)
•   The all-sufficient Savior (1:28; 2:3, 10; 3:1-4)

The Letter

The letter is neatly divided up into two main sections. The first half has to do with the doctrine of Christ; the second half has to do with us living our Life in Christ. We learn that the believer knowing of their secure position in Christ is the foundation of their successful growth in Christ.   This again is Paul’s consistent philosophy of sanctification and spiritual growth, the believer’s position and freedom in Christ.

The thrust of this letter and the application Paul hopes for is based on a truth we must all realize, that in Christ we have everything we need for life and Godliness. There is no need for anything else and everything else actually hinders our spiritual growth by taking our attention away from Christ. Paul didn’t want the Colossians practicing both, it is Christ and Christ alone who is sufficient and therefore should have sole preeminence in our lives.

This is why “We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.” (Col. 1:27-28)

My prayer is that we would first understand the sufficiency of Christ and then live in submission to Him. I believe this book will help us to do just that and will result in us living in such away that the glory of Christ is better revealed through our lives and you would experience the joy and benefit that comes from focusing solely on Him for everything.