Colossians

Κολοσσαείς
God exalts Christ as Lord

Colossians in various versions:

1234

0:15
words.

Contents

1.1 Structure of Colossians

2.2Author and date
3.3Historical Context of Colossians
4.4Interpretation challenges
5. 5The Colossian Heresy
6.6Historical and theological themes
7. 7Panoramic View of Colossians
8. 8Connections
9.9Notes on Colossians

CRITICAL METHOD

1) WHO WROTE THE BOOK? Pablo and Timoteo

2) WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN? 61-63 A.D.

3) WHO WAS IT WRITTEN TO? to the church of Colossae

4) WHERE WAS IT WRITTEN FROM? From the prison in Rome, Timothy on a visit.

HISTORICAL METHOD

1) WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE BOOK?

Some from Colossae were on the day of Pentecost, possibly Paul in his second
And on the third journey, he passed through Colossae, because it is close to Ephesus and the Odyssey.
Perhaps Epaphras founded the church; he brought news about it to Paul in Rome.
church, and in the final greeting, Paul says that Epaphras has a burden for them... In the
the church was entering the Jewish Legalism, commandments of men, and philosophies. One
it was the worship of angels, also wisdom, knowledge, but everything was hollow;
without foundation, it was gnosticism. And Paul speaks to them about who Jesus is, and he in us.
Colossae was a city in Phrygia, a province in central Asia Minor. The
Judaizers had infiltrated the church of Colossae, and there were others who tried
to teach a form of Eastern mysticism. Pablo wrote from his
final imprisonment in Rome, he tells the Colossians that mysticism has no
no value at all, and that there is very little value in empty rituals and ceremonies, Christ
It is above all, Pablo writes, and real joy is obtained by living life.
christian.

2) IF IT IS A EPISTLE, WHEN WAS THE CHURCH FOUNDED? Possibly afterwards

of Pentecost, or in the travels of Paul.

3) WHO IS THE CHURCH MADE UP OF? 1:2 of Jews and Gentiles.

4) WHAT ARE THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? Strengths, Epaphras them

taught, Pablo recognizes what they already know, their place, the faith and love for the church.
Weakness, it was the influence of false Gnostic doctrines and Jewish teachings.
legalists, and Paul warns them about this.

LITERARY METHOD

1) WHAT GENRE OF LITERATURE IS THE BOOK? Ideological.

PANORAMIC METHOD

1) WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA OF THE BOOK? Who is Jesus Christ, the place that
God gave it, and who are we in Him.

2) WHAT WAS THE MAIN REASON FOR WHICH THIS WAS WRITTEN
BOOK? To counteract the false concepts and Gnostic and Jewish ideas that were
contaminating the church, Epaphras informed Paul about this in Rome, things that
they were removing God and the place of Jesus Christ from their place.

PALABRAS CLAVE DE COLOSENSES.(RV1960): sabiduría, conocimiento

(know), intelligence (understanding), fullness, all, complete, faith, mystery, in him (or
in front of him, through him, etc.)

Temas:Primogénito, plenitud, libertad.

RECIPIENTS: The believers in Colossae (mostly Gentiles. Colossae was the

less important of three notable cities for their medicinal spas,
including Hierapolis and Laodicea, at the important intersection of the Lykos river valley, more than
less than 200 kilometers southwest of Ephesus); the letter must be read, like a
exchange with the church of Laodicea (4:16).
OCCASION: Epaphras, a collaborator of Paul, founder of the churches in the valley of
Lico has recently visited Pablo bringing news from the church, mostly.
good ones and others not so much.

EMPHASIS: The absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Christ, the Son of God. That Christ
forgive the sin and remove the terror from 'the principalities'; the religious rules and requirements
They do not count for anything, but the ethical life that reflects the image of God does count.
For everyone; life in the likeness of Christ affects relationships of all kinds.

PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS: Christ is presented with supremacy

absolute and all sufficiency. Colossians has similarities with Ephesians, probably
because it was written almost at the same time, but it has a different emphasis.

1. Structure of Colossians

The Head of the Church

Key Verse: 1:18 "And He is the head of the body, which is the church, who is the"
the firstborn from the dead so that in everything he might have the
preeminence.

1:1 Santos in
Colossian Doctrine
THE WHO

Doctrine 1:15 He is Preeminence ES

Walk in Him
HE
Doctrine

3:5 To die in
You all practice
DO AND LET RESURRECTED
Practice 3:18 Do
CON
GREETING
Practice 4:7 Grace with CHRIST
you all
 2. Author and date
3.
Pablo is identified as the author at the beginning (1:1, 23; 4:18), as is customary.
in their epistles. The testimony of the early church, including key figures such
like Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, and Eusebius, confirm that
the opening statement is genuine. Additional evidence for the fact that Paul
he is the author coming from the close parallels of the book of Philemon, which is
universally accepted as a letter that was written by Paul. Both were
written (60-62 A.D.) while Paul was a prisoner in Rome (4:3, 10, 18; Phm 9, 10,
13, 23); in addition to the names of the same people (Timothy, Aristarchus, Mark,
Epaphras, Luke, Onesimus, and Demas appear in both epistles, showing that
both were written by the same author around the same time. For
biographical information about Paul see the Introduction to Romans:Author.
4.
5.
6. Historical Context of Colossians

Colossae was a city in Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia (part of Turkey)
Moderna), about 160 km east of Ephesus in the region of the seven churches of
Revelation 1-3. The city was located by the Lico River, not far from where it flowed in the
Maender River. The Lico Valley was located in Colosas at a width of about 3.2 km and
Mount Cadmus rose more than 2,400 meters above the city.

Colossae was a prosperous city in the fifth century BC when the Persian king Xerxes
(Ahasuerus, Est 1:1) was marching through the region. The black wool and the dyed ones (made
the gypsum deposits (gis) that were in the area) were products
important. Furthermore, the city was located at the junction of the main routes.
trade from north to south and from east to west. However, for Pablo's day,
the main road had been redirected through the nearby city of Laodicea, and from
this way went around Colossae and led it to its decline and to the cities
neighbors like Laodicea and Hierapolis will prosper.

Although the population of Colosas was predominantly Gentile, there was a large colony
Jewish that dates back to the days of Antiochus the Great (223-187 BC). The population
the mixed community of Jews and Gentiles was manifesting itself both in the
composition of the church as in the heresy that plagued it, the
which contained elements of both Jewish legalism and pagan mysticism.

The church in Colossae began during Paul's ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19), the
which lasted three years. Its founder was not Paul, who had never been there (2:1);
who is Epaphras (1:5-7), who apparently was saved during a visit to Ephesus, and
probably the church in Colossae began after he returned home. Several
Years after the Colossian church was founded, a dangerous heresy arose.
to threaten her, an unidentified one with no particular historical system.
It contained elements of what would later come to be known as Gnosticism: that
God is good, but matter is evil, that Jesus Christ was merely one of a
series of emanations descending from God and being less than God (a belief that
led them to deny their true humanity), and that a secret, knowledge that
it was above the Scriptures it was necessary to be enlightened and for the
salvation. The Colossian heresy also included aspects of Jewish legalism, for
example the need for circumcision for salvation, observation of rituals
ceremonials of the AT law (laws of food, festivities, days of rest) and
rigid asceticism. He also referred to the worship of angels and experience
mystique. Epaphras was so concerned about this heresy that he undertook the long journey of
Colossians to Rome (4:12, 13), where Paul was a prisoner.

This letter was written from prison in Rome (Acts 28:16-31) at some point.
between 60-62 A.D. and, therefore, it is referred to as an epistle of the
prison (along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon). It could have been composed almost of
contemporary way with Ephesians, and initially sent with that epistle and
Philemon by Tychicus (Eph 6:21, 22; Col 4:7, 8). Paul wrote this letter to warn
the Colossians of the heresy they were facing, and he sent the letter with Tychicus, who
I was accompanying the runaway slave, Onesimus, back to his master,
Filemon, a member of the Colossian church (4:7-9). Epaphras stayed in Rome.
(Film 23), maybe to receive more instructions from Pablo.

7.Interpretation challenges

Those sects that deny the deity of Christ have clung to the description of
He as "the firstborn of all creation" (1:15) as proof that he was a being
created. Paul's statement that believers will be 'holy and without blemish'
the irreproachable ones
to some to teach that believers can lose their salvation. Some have
arguing for the existence of purgatory based on Paul's statement,
"I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (1:24), while
What others see as support for the baptismal regeneration (2:12). The identity of the
The letter of Laodicea (4:16) has also caused much discussion.
 8. The Colossian Heresy

Pablo never explicitly describes the false teachings to which he refers.

opposition in the Letter to the Colossians. The nature of the heresy is inferred by the
statements he made in his opposition to false teachers. An analysis of his
refutation suggests that the heresy was of various natures. Some of the
elements of those teachings were:

1. Ritualism. This was subject to strict rules regarding the types of food.
and permissible drinks, religious festivities (2:16; 17) and circumcision (2:11;
3:11)
2. Asceticism. 'Do not take...do not taste, do not touch' (2:21; 2:23).
3. The worship of angels. See 2:18.
4. Disdain for Christ. This is suggested by Paul's emphasis on the
supremacy of Christ (1:15-20; 2:2-3, 9).
5. Occult sciences. The Gnostics prided themselves on having that knowledge.
(see 2:18 and Paul's emphasis in 2:2-3 on Christ, "in whom are
hidden are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
6. Trust in human wisdom and traditions. (2:4, 8)

These elements seem to fall into two categories: the Judaic and the Gnostic.
thus, it is likely that the Colossian heresy was a mix of extreme Judaism and
the first stage of Gnosticism.
(NIV Study Bible. p 1899, 1900)

9.Historical and theological themes

Colossians contains teachings in several key areas of theology,

including:

The deity of Christ (1:15-20; 2:2-20)

2. Reconciliation (1:20-23)

3. Redención (1:13, 14; 2:13, 14; 3:9-11)

4. Election (3:12)
 Forgiveness

6. Nature of the church (1:18, 24, 25; 3:11, 15)

7. Refute the heretical teaching that threatens the Colossian church

(cap.2)

10.Panoramic View of Colossians

Pablo had been sentenced to two years in prison because of his faith.
(1:24; 4:3, 10, 18; Acts 28:30). How would he react to sad news (2:8, 20–21)?
about people he had not yet met (1:4, 7, 8; 2:1), but for whom he cared
was it very troubling (2:1–3; 4:18)? This was the dilemma that the apostle Paul faced.
when Epaphras, the founder of the church in Colossae, visited him in Rome for several days
(1:3–8; 4:12; Phm 1:23). In the year 60 A.D., Paul was motivated to write this letter to the
church of Colossae (1:1, 23; 4:18) and sent it with the efficient Tychicus and one of his
own team, Onesimus (4:7–9). Colossae was located in the valley of the Lykos River in
Phrygia, a region of Asia Minor. Its inhabitants were natives of Phrygia, colonizers.
Greeks and many Jews. Paul had traveled through this area, but had not visited.
Colossians (2:1). During his second missionary journey he did not visit Colossae because the Spirit
Saint had forbidden him to preach in Asia (Acts 16:6). On his third trip, he again
once passed by the city, choosing instead to travel through 'the upper regions' to
Ephesus (Acts 19:1). During Paul's long ministry there, however, it is clear that
he considered not only Colossae, but also Hierapolis and Laodicea as part of his
area to be taught (2:1; 4:13, 15–16).

The error that had infiltrated the church of Colosse was complex. It contained
elements of Jewish legalism (2:11–16), asceticism (2:20–23), and speculations
philosophical (2:8). Perhaps this was the precursor to what in the second and third
century was known as Gnosticism. This occult philosophy denied both the full
deity as the full humanity of Jesus Christ (cp. 2:9, 1:19), and advocated for the
adoration of intermediaries between God and man (2:18–19). In refuting this insidious
teaching, Pablo did not confront it strongly because these ideas were not yet
completely developed. Nor does he reprimand the believers of Colossae,
most of whom were not converted of theirs (v. Panoramic View of Philemon).
Rather, the apostle uses an effective strategy: the clear presentation of the truths.
of the gospel. For that reason, this letter contains one of the most powerful images
of the Son of God (1:15–20; 2:9–15). Paul wants his readers to understand
clearly that an understanding of God's grace motivates Christians to
allow Christ to have the first place in everything (1:6, 18).

In a longer than usual greeting, Pablo begins the letter by thanking

God for the response of the Christians of Colossae to the gospel that Epaphras had already given them.
He had announced (1:3–8). He prays that they continue to grow in wisdom, so that
that they fully come to understand what their redemption involves through
Christ (1:9–14). Those prayers were appropriate because the heretical teachers
they boasted of having superior knowledge (2:3–4). In the rest of chapter 1 and in
In chapter 2, Paul writes about the supremacy of Christ. The position planned by God.
for His Son (1:15–23), the mystery of God proclaimed by Paul (1:24–2:3) and the
salvation of God provided through Christ (2:4-23), all this points to Jesus Christ
occupying the first place in everything (1:18). He is the eternal truth of God, the answer to
every form of prevailing error in Colossae.

With these truths clearly exposed, Paul indicates how the supremacy of
Christ must be applied in the daily Christian life. Chapters 3 and 4 (up to verse 6)
they deal with these practical matters. To the dynamics of the new life of the believer (3:1–17)
the duties of that new life at home (3:18–21), at work (3:22–
4:1), in the prayer (4:2–4) and among the unbelievers (4:5–6). In the final greetings,
Pablo mentions several people who were with him in Rome or in Colossae (4:7–
17), and concludes with his own signature (4:18).

This first letter, of the four that Paul wrote during his first
imprisonment in Rome stands out as a testimony that the best antidote
For heresy, it is the biblical point of view of the person and work of Christ.
Hernandez,
́ E. A., & Lockman Foundation (La Habra, C. (2003). Study Bible:
LBLA. (Col). La Habra, CA: Editorial Funacion, Publishing House for the Foundation
Biblical Lockman.

11.Connections

Like with all primitive churches, the problem of Jewish legalism in Colossae.
it was a great concern for Pablo. The concept of salvation was so radical
grace, apart from the works, which for those immersed in the law of the Old
Will, they found it very difficult to understand it. As a consequence, there was a
ongoing movement among the legalists, to add certain requirements of the law to
this new faith. Firstly, among them was the requirement of circumcision, which
it was still practiced among some of the converted Jews. Paul contradicted this error
in Colossians 2:11-15, where it declares that the circumcision of the flesh is no longer
necessary, because Christ had come. His was the circumcision of the heart, not of
the flesh, rendering the ceremonial rituals of the Old Testament already unnecessary
(Deuteronomy 10:16, 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4, 9:26; Acts 7:51; Romans 2:29).

12.Notes on Colossians

¿Who we are in ¿Who is Christ and what has he done Questions in Colossians
Christ? fact?
What was happening in New Paragraphs Colossians on Wikipedia
Colossus Will
Background of Colossians City of Colossae * EPISTLES CONTEXT
Occasion of Colossians The Church of Colossae * EPISTLES
HERMENEUTICS
Vpanoramic view of Paragraphsfrom Colossians Comment byColossians
Colossians
BOutline of Colossians Archaeology of Colossians Studying Colossians
Why read Colossians?

This letter is an important part of biblical history, both for its exaltation
of Christ as a reminder that behavior does matter, but only for
to be a reflection of the character of Christ and his redemption