Preface to Colossians
“To the eyes of reason, the cross is the center of sorrow and the lowest depth of shame as Jesus dies an evildoer’s death. How different, however, is the view that presents itself to the eyes of faith. Faith knows no shame in the cross. It sees no ground for scorn; but it hurls indignant scorn at sin, the enemy that pierced the Lord. Faith regards the cross not as the emblem of shame but as the token of glory. It tells that the cross was Jesus Christ’s field of triumph. There He fought and there He conquered.” – Charles Spurgeon.
This Epistle is written to teach the doctrine of Christology. The study of Christ.
Resources for Study:
- The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
- The ancient city of Colossae.
- Map of Paul’s journeys though he never went to Colossae.
- Free eBook – How to Study the Bible – 1 hour intro for beginners
Who wrote Colossians? Paul wrote Colossians while in prison in Rome (Acts 28:16 & 28:30-31) and it is possible Timothy transcribed or helped in some way. (F.F. Bruce commentary on Colossians pg40).
This letter is 1 of 4 of what is called Paul’s “prison epistles”. The other 3 letters being Ephesians, Philippians and Philemon. It is stated in most commentaries that the letter to the Colossians was written sometime between A.D. 60-63. I believe this date range is correct and couldn’t be any later as some commentaries suggest (A.D. 64) The A.D. 64 theory does hold up because there was a massive earthquake that destroyed Colossae around that time period. To corroborate this timeframe there was one early historian who wrote about it. Eusebius, an early church father, who said it happened in A.D. 64. There was one other historian who wrote about an earthquake in Colossae, his name was Tacitus, a Roman historian and politician who claimed it was A.D. 61. I side with Eusebius on A.D. 64 because if it did happen in A.D. 61. like Tacitus said, then why would Paul have written to a church that no longer existed. This earthquake destroyed the city. The A.D. 64. date for this earthquake seems logically and makes more since than the A.D. 61 date. https://ashleydfarmer.wordpress.com/tag/colossae/
Why was Colossians written? Paul receives word about the church in Colossae from Epaphras who is referenced in Colossians. His name is short for Epaphroditus who we also meet in Philippians and in Philemon He is Paul’s “fellow captive” and is the man who started the church in Colossae. This letter that Paul wrote describes what scholars call the “Colossian heresy”. Within this small church in Colossae there are a lot of Gentiles, but there are Judaizers in the area coming in and causing problems, and Paul is compelled to write to them. Paul never visited Colossae, but heard through Epaphras about different ideas these Judaizers and other Greek pagans were bringing into the church to undermine the new Christian’s faith. Some of the things being taught were “keeping with the festivals, new moons, and practicing the Jewish sabbath. It’s what Paul called “elements”, or religious practices. Also, there is “angle worship” being taught within the Colossae church. All kinds of mixed religions of Jewish origin and Greek origin (Platonism) infiltrating the little church. These Greek teachings would later become what is known as the Gnostics. Naked Bible Podcast on Colossians.
Where was Colossae? – The ancient city of Colossae, was an ancient Roman territory of Phrygia in Asia Minor, on the southern edge of the Lycus Valley near the larger and more significant sites such as Laodicea in the Lycus River Valley. This is what is today called Turkey. Jesus addresses other cities in this valley in the Book of Revelation, but Colossae is not mentioned, probably because after 64 A.D. it did not exist.
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