The Book of Colossians

Prepared by:
Sarah Jean M. Taquindingan
 Epap
hras
to P bring
aul C s wo
ol . 1 rd
Paul in prison :8
Acts 28:30-31
Paul
Col. 4:3,18 by T sends
ychi
A.D. 60-63 cus a letter Colossae
Writes Col.
4:7-
Ephesians 8
Philippians
Colossians
Philemon
 Introduction
 Who?
• Paul, the author (1:1,23; 4:18)
• Colossians, the recipients (1:1,21,27)
• Epaphras, the minister (1:7-8)
• Tychicus, the letter carrier (4:7-8)
 Introduction
 Why?
• To warn against human philosophy (2:8)
• To tell the Colossians about Paul (4:7-8)
 Introduction
 When?
• Paul was in prison, A.D. 60-63
(Acts 28:30-31; Col. 1:24; 4:3,18)
 Where?
• Paul in Rome (Italy)
• Collossians in Asia Minor, SW Phrygia, near
Laodicea and Hieropolis (4:13,16)
 Introduction
 What?
 Salutation (1:1-2)
 Paul’s Prayers in Christ (1:3-12)
 The Preeminence of Christ in Christian Doctrine (1:13 - 3:4)
 Person (Preeminence) of Christ (1:13-23)

 Paul’s Preaching of Christ (1:24-29)

 Prize in Christ (2:1 - 3:4)

 The Preeminence of Christ in Christian Conduct (3:5 - 4:17)

 Putting On of Christ (3:5-17)

 Personal Practices in Christ (3:18 - 4:6)

 Partners of Christ (4:7-17)

 Benediction (4:18)
 Introduction
 How?
• Paul addressed the danger of human
philosophy by reminding the Colossians of
the preeminence of Christ
• Theme: the “All-Sufficiency of Christ”
(1:9,11,15-19,20,28; 2:2-3,9-10; 3:11,16;
4:12)
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:1-8
 Christians are to be saints (holy, set
apart), faithful (dependable, trustworthy)
and brethren (family)
 Christians should be thankful to God and
pray for their brethren
 True faith and love can be “heard”
(demonstrated for others to see)
 Hope of heaven motivates us to stay
active
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:1-8

 The gospel is for all the world

 The gospel is to bear fruit in our lives and
increase
 Christians are to be fellow-servants
 Christians must show true “love in the
Spirit”
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:9-14
 Prayer for others must be earnest and
constant
 We can be filled with the knowledge of
God’s will, wisdom and understanding
when we study the Bible
 Knowledge of God’s word should be
applied and should lead to walking
worthily, bearing fruit and every good
work
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:9-14

 Knowledge of God’s word should increase

through study
 Knowledge of God’s word brings
strength, power, patience, longsuffering
and joy
 We should thank God for our inheritance,
our deliverance, our transfer, our
redemption and our forgiveness
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:15-23

 When you want to know what God is like,

look at Jesus
 Jesus is Creator, not created
 All things are created unto him (for his
glory and service)
 Jesus is head – HE gives the orders, not us
 Jesus is the beginning – HE founded the
church, not us
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:15-23

 Jesus is preeminent – HE is first, not us

 Jesus is fully God (divine, deity)
 Reconciliation comes through Jesus’ cross
 We must live holy, without blemish and
unreprovable lives
 We must continue in the faith after we
begin in the faith
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:15-23

 We are to be grounded, steadfast and not

moved away
 The gospel is for all creation
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:24-29

 Sometimes we suffer for others

 We must rejoice in our sufferings
 All Christians are to be humble ministers
(servants) of God
 We must carry the gospel to the lost
 God’s word is made known; can be known
 Applications for Today
Colossians 1:24-29

 Christ must be in us in order to have hope

 Proclaiming, admonishing (warning) and
teaching God’s word makes every one
complete (mature) in Christ
 Hard work must characterize the Christian
 God works in us mightily
 Applications for Today
Colossians 2:1-7
 Like Paul, we must strive hard to work for
other brethren, even those who we have
never seen
 Christians can be comforted and unified in
love and the knowledge of God’s word
 All true wisdom and knowledge is found in
Christ
 Do not be deceived or beguiled by
persuasive speech
 Applications for Today
Colossians 2:1-7
 Christians can walk orderly and steadfastly
even though an apostle is not present
 It is a joy to hear of that Christians are
orderly and steadfast
 Christians can walk with a firm foundation
– rooted, built up, established in the faith –
as they were once taught
 Christians should be thankful for their walk
and teaching in Christ
Old Testament Circumcision New Testament Circumcision
Genesis 17 Colossians 2:12; Rom. 2:28-29;
Philippians 3:3
For Jews only For all people
Uncircumcised, outside the Uncircumcised, outside the body
nation of Christ
Circumcision with hands, Circumcision without hands,
circumcision of foreskin, physical, circumcision of heart, spiritual,
external, removes the flesh inward, removes sin

Essential to be in the Jewish Essential to be in the Lord’s body

nation

Not necessary today Necessary for today, necessary

(Gal. 5:2-6; 6:15) for salvation
 Applications for Today
Colossians 2:8-23

 Jesus is fully divine (deity)

 Christians are “full” with all spiritual
blessings
 Christians are circumcised in heart
(Rom. 2:28-29; Phil. 3:3)
 Christians die to sin and are raised to walk
in newness of life
 Applications for Today
Colossians 2:8-23

 The Old Law…

• What it was – ordinances
• What it did – against us
• How long did it last – the cross
• Why was it given – a shadow
• What this means – let no one judge you
 Applications for Today
Colossians 2:8-23

 Wealthy Christians need to be careful not

to be robbed of their prize
 The body (church) must be unified and
growing
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:1-4
 Christians need to set their mind and focus
on heaven, not earth
 Christ is now reigning at the right hand of
God
 Christians died to sin when they were
baptized
 Christ is supposed to be our life
 Christians will be glorified when Christ
returns
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:5-9

 Christians can and must stop any sinful

habit they have
 Sin (fornication, etc.) is defined by God’s
word, not society or culture
 Covetousness is idolatry
 Christians who continue in sin are
disobedient and will face God’s wrath
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:5-9

 Some sins lead to other sins (passion leads

to fornication, covetousness leads to
idolatry, anger leads to shameful speaking,
etc.)
 Contrasts in Colossians 3
 Died with Christ  Raised with Christ
 Mind on the earth  Mind on heaven
 Put to death/away/off  Put on
 Old man  New man
 Fornication,  Compassion,
uncleanness, passion, kindness, lowliness,
etc. etc.
 Wrath of God  Beloved of God
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:10-17

 Sins removed must be replaced with holy

conduct, or else the sins will return
 Our “image” we follow is Jesus Christ
 We forgive as the Lord forgave us
(conditioned upon repentance)
 Love will bind and unify Christians together
 Peace is to be the ruler / arbitrator in all
that we do
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:10-17

 The word of Christ is to dwell in us richly,

not poorly
 We teach and admonish when we sing
 We must have New Testament authority
for all we say and do
 Thankfulness should characterize our lives
(2:7; 3:15,17; 4:2)
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:18 – 4:1
 Christians have guidelines to follow in
every aspect of their life (the Lord, home,
community, employment, government,
local church)
 Husbands, wives, parents and children
have roles and responsibilities to fulfill in
the Lord
 Employees (servant) and employers
(master) have roles and responsibilities to
fulfill in the Lord
 Applications for Today
Colossians 3:18 – 4:1

 “In all things” (children, servants) is

qualified by the rest of scripture
 Subjection (wives), love (husbands),
obedience (children) are all qualified by the
rest of scripture
 Christians do what is right because the
Lord is watching and rewarding
(3:18,20,22,23,24,25; 4:1)
 Applications for Today
Colossians 4:2-18
 Pray with regularity, watchfulness and
thanksgiving
 Pray for open doors and then walk through
them
 The way that we preach is just as
important as the content
 Our conduct, time and speech must be
wise and proper in the presence of
outsiders
 Applications for Today
Colossians 4:2-18

 Christians are beloved brothers, servants

and slaves in the Lord, prisoners, workers
 Christians need comforting and need to
comfort others by the way they live
 Pray for other Christians to stand fast
 Work hard for other Christians
 My Favorite Verse
Colossians 3:23

“Whatever you do, work at it

with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for
human masters”
Thank You Doc Henry For journeying w/ us!
God bless you always and your family. Thank
for being our professor .