The city of Colosse lay in the beautiful Lycus Valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus. It had been an important town during the Persian War of the fifth century B.C. Since then new trade routes had carried most traffic to its neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis and had left Colosse only a country village.1The inhabitants were mainly Greek colonists and native Phrygians when Paul wrote this epistle, though there were many Jews living in the area as well. Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) had relocated hundreds of Jewish families from Mesopotamia to this region.
"Without doubt Colossae was the least important church to which any epistle of St Paul is addressed."2
Churches had taken root in Colosse, Laodicea (4:16), and probably Hierapolis (4:13). Paul had not visited the Lycus Valley when he wrote this epistle (1:4; 2:1), but he had learned of the spread of the gospel there through Epaphras (1:8) and probably others.3
Epaphras seems to have been the founder or one of the founders of the Colossian church (1:7; 4:12-13). He was a Colossian and had instructed the Christians there (1:7) and probably in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Perhaps Paul led him to Christ, maybe at Ephesus (cf. Acts 19:10).
Epaphras may have traveled to Rome to meet with Paul to secure his help in combating the influence of false teachers that were preaching in Colosse. Archippus may have stood in for Epaphras during his absence (4:17; Phile. 2).
The only information available to help us reconstruct the heresy threatening the church comes from indirect allusions and the emphases in this epistle. We conclude that the false teachers were not giving the person and work of Christ proper interpretation or emphasis. They were distorting and minimizing these doctrines. The false teaching also contained a philosophic appeal, whether Oriental or Hellenistic we cannot be sure (2:8). Notwithstanding there was an emphasis on higher knowledge of the cosmic order. There were also elements of Judaistic ritualism and traditionalism present (2:8, 11, 16; 3:11). However, contrary to orthodox Judaism, the false teachers were encouraging the veneration of angels who they believed controlled the operations of nature to some degree (2:18-19). There was an emphasis on ascetic self-denial (2:20-23) and apparently the idea that only those with full knowledge of the truth as taught by the false teachers could understand and experience spiritual maturity (1:20, 28; 3:11). These emphases later developed into Gnosticism, though in Colosse the Jewish emphasis was more prominent than in later Greek Gnosticism.4It is easy to see how such a cult could develop and gain adherents in the Greek-Jewish culture of the Lycus Valley.
". . . given . . . various factors . . ., including the probable origin of the Colossian church from within synagogue circles, the likely presence of Israelite sectarianism within the diaspora, the lack of other evidence of Jewish syncretism in Asia Minor, and the readiness of some Jews to promote their distinctive religious practices in self-confident apology . . ., we need look no further than one or more of the Jewish synagogues in Colossae for the source of whatever influences were thought to threaten the young church there."5
The primary purpose of the letter was clearly to combat this false teaching. The two main problems were the doctrine of Christ and how this doctrine affects Christian living. The primary Christological passages (1:14-23; 2:9-15) present Christ as absolutely preeminent and perfectly adequate for the Christian. The Christian life, Paul explained, flows naturally out of this revelation. The Christian life is really the life of the indwelling Christ that God manifests through the believer.
Paul probably wrote this epistle from Rome toward the middle or end of his first house arrest there between 60 and 62 A.D. He experienced confinement though he enjoyed considerable liberty there for about two years. Many of Paul's fellow workers were with him when he composed this epistle (4:7-14). This view of the letter's origin generally fits the facts better than the Caesarean and Ephesian theories of origin.
There are many similarities between Ephesians and Colossians. The major distinction between them is that in Ephesians the emphasis is on the church as the body of Christ. In Colossians the emphasis is on Christ as the head of the body. Stylistically Colossians is somewhat tense and abrupt whereas Ephesians is more diffuse and flowing. Colossians tends to be more specific, concrete, and elliptical while Ephesians is more abstract, didactic, and general. The mood of Colossians is argumentative and polemical, but that of Ephesians is calm and irenic. The former is a letter of discussion; the latter is a letter of reflection.6Paul evidently wrote both letters about the same time. These two epistles, along with Philippians and Philemon, constitute the Prison Epistles of Paul.7
Three purposes emerge from the contents of the epistle. Paul wanted to express his personal interest in this church, which he had evidently not visited. He wrote to warn the Colossians of the danger of returning to their former beliefs and practices. He also refuted the false teaching that was threatening this congregation. The outstanding Christian doctrine that this letter deals with is Christology. Paul's great purpose was to set forth the absolute supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
"The church today desperately needs the message of Colossians. We live in a day when religious toleration is interpreted to mean one religion is just as good as another.' Some people try to take the best from various religious systems and manufacture their own private religion. To many people, Jesus Christ is only oneof several great religious teachers, with no more authority than they. He may be prominent, but He is definitely not preeminent.
"This is an age of syncretism.' People are trying to harmonize and unite many different schools of thought and come up with a superior religion. Our evangelical churches are in danger of diluting the faith in their loving attempt to understand the beliefs of others. Mysticism, legalism, Eastern religions, asceticism, and man-made philosophies are secretly creeping into churches. They are not denying Christ, but they are dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful place of preeminence."8
The whole message of this epistle finds expression in 2:9-10a. The two declarations in this sentence are the great revelations of the Colossian letter.
The fullness of the godhead is in Christ. This is an eternal fact that is always true. The Greek word translated "deity"(theotetos) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It does not mean divinity. Divinity is an attribute of God. Deity is the essence of God. It is not enough to say Jesus Christ was divine. In a sense every person is divine. Jesus Christ was deity. He alone possesses the unique nature of God. In Him the fullness of essential deity dwells in bodily manifestation. The Apostle Paul expounded Christ's fullness in three respects in this epistle.
In relation to creation He is the originator and sustainer of all things (1:16-17). This includes all life.
In relation to redemption He is the first-born from the dead (1:18). Resurrection presupposes death. Death is due to sin. Between creation and resurrection there was sin and death. In resurrection Christ was victor over sin, death, and the grave. He is the master of death.
In relation to reconciliation Christ is the maker of peace (1:19-20). The result of Christ's victory over death is peace. He is the reconciler of all things that sin has separated. His reconciliation affects both people and the created world. In Christ we see all the fullness of deity: creating, rising triumphantly out of death, and reconciling to the farthest reaches of the universe. That is the Christ of Christianity.
The second declaration is that in Christ God makes us full (2:10a). Not only is the fullness of the godhead in Christ, but the filling of the saints is in Christ too. Paul explained what this means.
First, it means God restores us to our true place in creation in Christ. We can regain the scepter and the crown as kings of the earth under God's authority. God has sent us out into all the cosmos to make Christ known. Unfortunately we do not always realize our position. We choose instead to grovel among the world's garbage heaps. Nevertheless in this sense God makes us full in Christ. We come into a new relationship to all creation through Christ. God restores us to our divinely intended position in creation in Him. We are His trophies.
Second, God restores us to our true relation to Himself through Christ's resurrection. God communicates His very life to us so that we take our rightful place as subject to God. God does not break our will. He captures our will by the indwelling grace of Christ's life. God makes us full in this sense too. We are His instruments.
Third, God restores us to true fellowship with Himself in Christ. We not only receive from God, but we can also give to God in service. Thus our fellowship is reciprocal. We are His partners.
We experience fullness in Christ for in Him God restores us to our true place in creation, to our true relation to Himself, and to our true fellowship with Himself. This restoration enables us to cooperate with God in His purposes. We become not only trophies of His grace but His instruments and even His partners in our generation. In view of this revelation Paul made a threefold appeal.
The first appeal is a warning against a false philosophy (2:8). Paul described this false philosophy in two ways.
It is the tradition of men, which is essentially speculation. In this context Paul meant human guessing that leaves God out of His universe.
It is also the rudiments of the world. This philosophy is rudimentary because it tries to explain everything within the limits of the material. The material part of life is rudimentary.
We correct this false philosophy by recognizing that Jesus Christ is the solution to the problem of the universe. When we realize that Jesus Christ is the first-born (first in rank and sovereignty, not in temporal sequence) then we gain a true view of the universe. He is the great cohesive agent in the universe.
Paul's second warning is against false mediation (2:16-18).
Paul pointed out that ceremonies such as observing certain kinds of foods and festivals are only shadows. We should not think that observing these ceremonies will improve our relationship to God. We have Jesus Christ who is the substance to which these ceremonies pointed.
Another type of false mediation involves the worship of angels. We should have nothing to do with this practice because we have direct access to Jesus Christ. He is the Creator and Master of all creatures including the angels.
To summarize, we should not allow religious ceremonies or created mediators to come between ourselves and Christ.
Paul's third warning is against false confidences (2:20-23).
Our enemy may tempt us to have confidence in the opinions of others. When false teachers say, "Do not touch this or taste that or handle something,"we may think those statements are authoritative. Paul urges us not to follow such opinions but to get our direction from the Lord Jesus.
Our enemy may tempt us to put confidence in ascetic practices of abstention and self-affliction. Paul tells us to forget these things and to set our thinking on the things of Christ rather than on ourselves.
When we have a true view of Jesus Christ He will be the focus of our thinking. That view will deliver us from the domination of the flesh. We need to base our confidence on God's Word rather than on human traditions that do not reflect scriptural revelation accurately.
The matter of supreme importance to the church is her doctrine of Christ. Our Christian life and service will flow out of our doctrine of Christ. We are what we think. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he."Not only must Christ occupy the central place in our lives, but our understanding of Christ must be accurate. We can avoid all the errors Paul warned against in this epistle by keeping a proper view of Christ.
I. Introduction 1:1-14
A. Salutation 1:1-2
B. Thanksgiving 1:3-8
C. Prayer 1:9-14
II. Explanation of the person and work of Christ 1:15-29
A. The preeminent person of Christ 1:15-20
1. In relation to God the Father 1:15a
2. In relation to all creation 1:15b-17
3. In relation to the church 1:18-20
B. The reconciling work of Christ 1:21-29
1. As experienced by the Colossians 1:21-23
2. As ministered by Paul 1:24-29
III. Warnings against the philosophies of men ch. 2
A. Exhortation to persevere in the truth 2:1-7
1. Paul's concern 2:1-5
2. Paul's exhortation 2:6-7
B. The true doctrine of Christ 2:8-15
C. The false doctrines of men 2:16-23
IV. Exhortations to practical Christian living 3:1-4:6
A. The basic principle 3:1-4
B. The proper method 3:5-17
1. Things to put off 3:5-11
2. Things to put on 3:12-17
C. The fundamental relationships 3:18-4:1
1. Wives and husbands 3:18-19
2. Children and parents 3:20-21
3. Slaves and masters 3:22-4:1
D. The essential practice 4:2-6
V. Conclusion 4:7-18
A. The bearers of this epistle 4:7-9
B. Greetings from Paul's companions 4:10-14
C. Greetings to others 4:15-17
D. Paul's personal conclusion 4:18
