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Colossians

The Epistle to the Colossians, written by Paul and Timothy during Paul's imprisonment in Rome around A.D. 60-62, addresses false teachings threatening the faith of the Saints in Colossae. Paul emphasizes the divinity and saving work of Jesus Christ, correcting misconceptions about spirituality and urging the Colossians to focus on Christ for redemption and spiritual maturity. The letter serves as a guide to counteract errors and promote true understanding of the gospel.

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Brince Mathews
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16 views2 pages

Colossians

The Epistle to the Colossians, written by Paul and Timothy during Paul's imprisonment in Rome around A.D. 60-62, addresses false teachings threatening the faith of the Saints in Colossae. Paul emphasizes the divinity and saving work of Jesus Christ, correcting misconceptions about spirituality and urging the Colossians to focus on Christ for redemption and spiritual maturity. The letter serves as a guide to counteract errors and promote true understanding of the gospel.

Uploaded by

Brince Mathews
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Introduction to the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians

Paul wrote his Epistle to the Colossians because of a report that they were falling into serious error. False teachings and practices in
Colossae were influencing the Saints there and threatening their faith. Part of this epistle’s value lies in how it identifies and exposes
falsehoods while emphasizing Jesus Christ’s divinity and saving work.
Who wrote this book?
The Epistle to the Colossians was sent by Paul and Timothy (Colossians 1:1, 23; 4:18). Paul apparently handwrote his own salutation at
the close of the epistle (Colossians 4:18), indicating that a scribe, perhaps Timothy, had assisted him in writing the body of the letter.
When and where was it written?
Paul wrote this epistle during his first imprisonment in Rome, around A.D. 60–62. Paul probably wrote the Epistle to the Colossians
around the same time he wrote Philippians, Ephesians, and Philemon.
To whom was it written and why?
This epistle was written to the faithful Saints in Colossae, a site in modern-day Turkey. Paul instructed the Colossian Saints to share the
letter with the members of the Church in nearby Laodicea (Colossians 4:16).Paul wrote this epistle “after he was visited by Epaphras, the
evangelist of the Church in [Colossae] [Colossians 1:7–8]. Epaphras told Paul that the Colossians were falling into serious error—they
thought they were better than other people because they carefully observed certain external ordinances [Colossians 2:16], denied
themselves certain physical wants, and worshiped angels [Colossians 2:18]. These practices made the Colossians feel they were being
sanctified. They also felt they understood the mysteries of the universe better than other Church members. In his letter, Paul corrected
them by teaching that redemption comes only through Christ and that we are to be wise and serve Him”
Distinctive features of this book
In the Epistle to the Colossians, Paul countered the false teachings in Colossae by emphasizing the divinity, saving mission, and
preeminence of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15–23). He taught that Christ is the very image of God the Father, the Creator, the Head of the
Church, the first to be resurrected, and the Redeemer. He is “the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:10), and He fulfills His
divine mission under the direction of the Father (Colossians 1:19; 3:1).
Paul warned against those who taught that true spirituality was gained through special rituals, festivals, and diets (Colossians 2:16–18, 20,
23). He taught instead that spiritual maturity and knowledge of God is manifest through setting our “affection on things above”
(Colossians 3:2), eliminating unrighteous acts (Colossians 3:5–9), and developing Christ like attributes (Colossians 3:12–17). Paul
counseled his readers to become “grounded and settled” in the gospel (Colossians 1:23) as well as “rooted and built up in [Jesus Christ],
and stablished in the faith” (Colossians 2:7).

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