Introduction to Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians

Table of Contents

• General Info
• Brief Survey
• Key Verses
• Author, Date and Recipients
• Historical Background
• Timeline
• Themes, Purpose & Theology
• Interpretation Hints and Challenges
• Outline

General Info

As with other New Testament (NT) letters written by the Apostle Paul, this epistle is titled according to its recipients, in this case Christians in the town of Colossae (aka Colosse).  Colossians is one of four letters that Paul wrote while under house arrest in Rome.  Thus, these books are collectively known as the Prison Epistles.  In addition to Colossians, the collection also consists of Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon.  The close similarities between Colossians and Ephesians suggest that they were written one after the other while the same thoughts were in the mind of the author.  In fact, they have been referred to as “sister letters”.  It is commonly thought that Colossians was probably written first, primarily to the church in Colossae, and that Ephesians originally may have been intended as a “circular letter” to several churches (such as Galatians that was written to various churches in southern Galatia).  See “Author, Date and Recipients” below for more info.

Like many other young churches of the day, a number of false and heretical teachings had infiltrated the members.  In that regard, they were not unlike many modern churches today.  Paul wrote his letter to call out and correct the false teachers, and to stress the sufficiency of Christ for their salvation and other spiritual needs.  The text is not clear as to the exact nature of these heretical teachings, but gives us a number of clues.  See the “Interpretation Hints  and Challenges” chapter below for additional info.

The book of Colossians was included in all of the earliest New Testament (NT) canons since there was universal acceptance of Paul’s authorship among the early church fathers.

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Brief Survey

Paul opens with the typical greetings, followed by a prayer of thanksgiving and request for God to fill his readers with spiritual knowledge (1:1-14).  He then begins his message by emphasizing the supremacy of Christ in all things (1:15-23).  He then speaks of his calling as an apostle to the Gentiles and the mystery that the gospel is now given to Jews and Gentiles alike (1:24-2:5).  See the “Interpretation Hints  and Challenges” chapter of the Intro to Ephesians for more info on this “mystery”.  Paul then warns against the errors of the false religion and philosophy that had infiltrated their church, and contrasts that with his reader’s fullness in Christ and freedom from humanistic rules (2:6-2:23).

In the final two chapters, Paul pivots to practical instructions.  First, we should be heavenly minded and focused on Christ, putting to death all corrupt and immoral desires and living in love and forgiveness (3:1-17).  He then gives instructions of obedience for husbands, wives and children (3:18-25).  He ends the letter with instructions for everyone to devote themselves to prayer and provides final instructions and greetings (4:1-18).

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Key Verses

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (1:15-20)

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.  This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (1:21-23)

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.  For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.  He is the head over every power and authority. (2:8-10)

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (2:13-15)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (3:1-4)

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (3:16-17)

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. (4:2-3)

I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. (4:18)

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Author, Date and Recipients

The author and initial recipients of the book are identified in the first two verses:  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father (1:1-2).  The personal details and close parallels with the epistles Ephesians and Philemon strengthen the case for Paul’s authorship.  In addition, many early church fathers also upheld Paul as the author, including Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen.

Paul wrote this epistle, along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon, while he was under house arrest in Rome (60-62AD, see Acts 28).  It is commonly thought that Colossians was the first of the four letters written during this time, so we can suggest a date of 60 or 61AD.  A small minority have suggested that the letter may have been written during  his incarceration at Caesarea, but this theory is generally rejected.  The letter was sent via Tychicus and the converted slave Onesimus to Colossae (4:7–9; see also Eph 6:21 and Phm 10–12).

See A Brief Bio of the Apostle Paul and the Historical Background of Acts for additional info on his life and ministry.

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Historical Background

As compared with the larger city of Ephesus, Colossae was a relatively minor town in Asia Minor, located about one hundred miles east of Ephesus in the region of the seven Asian churches of Revelation 1–3.  Since it was located in the fertile Lycus River Valley (now modern day South Central Turkey) and on the road from Ephesus to the east, Colossae had been a moderately populous center of commerce.  During Paul’s day however, much of the commerce and inhabitants had moved to neighboring cities such as Laodicea and Hierapolis.  Its population consisted of a mixture of Romans, Phrygians, Greeks, and Jews.  If not for Paul’s letter being included in the Bible, Colossae would likely have been lost to history.  The church of Colossae actually met in a house owned by Philemon.  Shortly after Paul wrote Colossians, the entire Lycus Valley was devastated by an earthquake that probably ended occupation of the city.

Paul did not start the church at Colossae, and the letter appears to confirm that he may not have been personally acquainted with any of the believers there (2:1).  It appears from the text that Paul’s friend Epaphras may have founded the church, or at the very least, had a major part in getting the church started (1:7; 4:12–13).  Epaphras was also later imprisoned with Paul (Phm 23).

Regarding the circumstances of Paul writing the letter, Epaphras had visited Paul during his house arrest in Rome and delivered news about the churches in the Lycus River Valley (4:12).  He informed Paul that several false teachers had infiltrated the Colossian congregation and were even threatening the survival of the church.  In response, Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians, perhaps with the aid of Timothy, and had it delivered by Tychicus.

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Timeline

(1)  These dates are either one or the other (Nisan 14 Passover falling between Thursday sundown to Friday sundown on the Jewish calendar).  The earlier date is the most popular, but there are good evidences and arguments to support either date.

~ Dates are approximated.

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Themes, Purpose and Theology

Paul’s primary purpose in writing the letter was to address the false teaching that had invaded the church.  The exact nature of this heretical teaching has been the subject of many debates over the years.  See a more detailed discussion in the “Interpretations Hints and Challenges” in the next chapter below..

The overriding theme of the book is the  supremacy of Christ in all things.  We see this in the primary Christological statement in chapter 1, verses 15-20 (see “Key Verses” above).  Some scholars believe that Paul may have been quoting a hymn about Jesus that may have been popular at the time.  Whether this is true or not, these passages are one of clearest proclamations of the deity of Christ and of His equality with the Father.  This is followed  by a clear statement concerning the gospel in verses 21-23.  We were all once alienated by God due to our sinful behavior, but now all true believers are now reconciled by Christ’s ultimate sacrificial death and presented as holy before God the Father.

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 Interpretation Hints and Challenges

Two primary questions sometime arise when reading Colossians.  One is very simple while the other has been much debated.  We’ll take the simpler one first.

We return to the opening verse of Paul’s Christology, The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (1:15).  A popular problem arises from the misunderstanding of the word “firstborn”.  There are those who claim that Jesus being the firstborn refutes the truth of His eternality, that is to say that there was a time that He did not exist.  This springs from a misunderstanding of the biblical meaning of firstborn.  The Greek word for “firstborn” is prototokos and is used to primarily designate rank, privilege, and/or importance, sometimes even superseding order of birth (see Dt 21:16-17).  In the case of Jacob (aka Israel), God told Isaac’s wife Rebecca, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger” (Gen 25:23).  “Two nations” means that each child would be the father or founder of a nation.  Jacob was the father of  Israel and Esau the father of Edom.  Even though Esau was older, Jacob received the rights of the firstborn just as God had foretold (Gen 25:19-34).

In the case of Jesus, “firstborn” expresses His priority to, and preeminence over, all creation.  In our subject verse (1:15), the term stresses not only His priority to, but also his preeminence over, Creation.  This is confirmed in the next verse, For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.   And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy (1:16-18, see also Jn 1:1-3).

The second and more difficult challenge is in regard to the false teaching that had infiltrated the church at Colossae.  Although refuting this heresy was Paul’s primary purpose for writing the ;etter, the exact nature of the heresy is still debated today.  The details were no doubt familiar to the original recipients, however we don’t have their first-hand knowledge.  As we noted in our article on the Literary Genre of the Epistles, reading these letters that address specific issues for a particular church is like listening to one end of a phone conversation.  We hear Paul’s “answers”, but need to figure out the questions to determine the exact details of the issues involved.

Some scholars believe it to be a form of Gnosticism (salvation based on privileged knowledge), while others propose a type of Jewish mysticism, or maybe elements of Greek Hellenistic philosophy.  We can first begin by identifying certain clues in the text regarding this teaching.  Like many other false teachings, it attacked the supremacy of Christ (1:15–19; 2:9–10), it contained many deceptions (2:8), and it required the observance of dietary requirements and restricted other normal activities.  The false teaching also required the observance of certain Jewish religious rights and festivals (2:16) and mandated severe self-discipline.

Thus, I don’t believe we can narrow it down to only one particular heresy.  It appears to be a combination of all of the above suggestions, or possibly even multiple competing false teachings.

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Outline

Colossians can be divided into two parts.  The first two chapters contain personal matters and theological instructions.  The final two chapters focus on resulting Christian conduct.

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