Colossians Chapter 1A

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Thanksgiving and Prayer.

This letter begins with one of greetings to the Colossians with love and thanksgiving. It also was more than likely co-authored by Timothy, though scholars are divided. I say this because of how the opening is narrated as “we” until verse 23. After this Paul continues with “I”. https://hermeneutica.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/did-paul-and-timothy-write-colossians/

Also, scholars are perplexed by the different language and style, though a lot is Pauline, not all and they wonder if it was written by someone other than Paul. I believe again it was Paul writing with the help of Timothy who was with him. Dictionary of Paul and his letters pg.150

Timothy had a Gentile father and Jewish mother. From the language used about Timothy in the New Testament, some scholars estimate he would have been about 21 or 22 when he joined Paul in Acts, chapter 16.

Read Colossians 1:1-2

  • Vs.2 – The translation says, “to the Saints”. Saints was a change from what the original text had which was “Holy Ones”. The term in the original Greek of this letter was “Hagiois”. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint “Hagiois” appears 20ish times. The writers of the Septuagint translated the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) from Hebrew into Greek. The word “Hagiois” in Hebrew is “Qadosh” Let’s look a 2 specific examples of where Hagiois or Qadosh appear. Psalm 89:5 and Psalm 89:7.
    • This is the Spirit beings God created in Heaven before He created humans. What Paul is telling the Colossians, in a subtle way, is they are Holy Ones just like the Spirits in Heaven and part of God’s family.

Read Colossians 1:3-8

  • Vs.3-4 – He starts off with “we”. Talking about him and Timothy. Again, this is why I believe Timothy was a co-author for parts of this letter. “We heard of your faith and the love you have for the Saints”. What is Paul stating here? 2 things:
    • 1 – We heard of your faith. How?
      • Epaphras. He was the one that brought the message to the Colossians and is telling Paul about what is going on in this church. Good and bad.
    • 2 – the love you have for the Holy Ones (Saints). What Saints did the Colossians love?
      • The love (agape) they had for all Christians. Jesus gave His disciples and apostles the commandment to love (agape) all Christians and it still applies to us today. John 13:34 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
  •   Vs 5 – The hope laid up for you in Heaven. What is Hope?
    • The modern meaning of hope is indicating some uneasiness or uncertainty about the future. I hope things will get better, but when we say this, most of the time, we are being sarcastic. We really don’t think it will happen.
    • The New Testament meaning of hope is an absolute certainty about the future. An attitude of expectancy and confidence that God will do what He said He would do.
      • This hope is echoed in Colossians 1:27 – “glory of this mystery and hope of glory, which is Christ in us” and in Titus 1:2 – “in hope of eternal life…”
    • This is another area that Post Millennialist (Partial Preterist) call the “Already, but not yet” which I refenced in the Galatians study.  They have hope because the Second Coming of Christ had not happened. But we are no longer hoping because His fulfillment and Second Coming is complete. It is fulfilled so no need to hope, we have the eternal glory and are in God’s family today.
  • Of this you have heard before in the word of truth, the Gospel.
    • The noun Gospel comes from the Greek word “euangelion” which means Good News. The Greek verb euangelizo means to “bring or announce good news”.
      • David Curtis says this: Both words are derived from the noun angelos, which means: “messenger.” In Classical Greek, a euangelos was one who brought a message of victory or other political or personal news that caused joy. Further, the noun euangelion became a technical term for the message of victory, though it was also used for a political or private message that brought joy. Both the noun and the verb are used so extensively in the New Testament that it developed a distinctly Christian flavor. As the angel told the shepherds: Luke 2:10-11 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings [euangelizo] of great joy which will be to all people. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
    • Here Paul wants the Colossians to understand that what they heard and believed is the truth. Truth is not relative
      • When Christ claimed that truth exists, He also implied that falsehood exists. If you meet someone who says, “Christ is true for you, but not for me. Tell them “You are entitled to your own private opinion, but you are not entitled to your own private truth!” David Curtis
      • If Christianity is true, then all other religions are false. If Christianity is false, then which religion is true? They are not all equal. They can’t be.  
      • What we hold as sacred, our Bible, tells us that all religions are false and there is only one way to God. The truth of the Gospel. John 14:6 and Acts 4:12
  • Vs.6 – God chose humans to spread the Gospel. As we have the knowledge of the “good news”, we are obligated to share it any and every way we are capable because we don’t know who knows and God may choose us at that moment to open a person’s heart to Christ.
    • Paul more than likely wrote this in prison in Rome. As stated in the intro Colossians is 1 of 4 “prison epistles”. As he travels, he is seeing Christianity spreading throughout the known world of the Roman Empire. As F.F. Bruce says, “Paul’s motto might well have been The Whole Gospel to the Whole World” – The Epistles to the Colossians
  • Vs. 7-8 – Epaphras brought the gospel to the Colossians. More than likely Epaphroditus is his full name. Paul describes him as fellow servant and express the brotherhood that Paul felt for him and all the others working through Christ to spread the “Whole Gospel to the Whole World”. Epaphras has told Paul all about the Colossians and their love and their heresy. Paul says, he (Epaphras) has made known to us (Paul and Timothy) your love (Colossians) in the Spirit, which can be read “by” the Spirit. Agape love.

Read Colossians 1:9-10

  • Vs. 9 – Paul and Timothy have not ceased to pray for the Colossians that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all Spiritual wisdom and understanding. What does that mean Spiritual wisdom and understanding?
    • Spiritual Maturity.
      • Paul wants all of the believers to grow in maturity of Spiritual matters. Paul never prays for physical things for the believers, it’s always for Spiritual maturity. Philippians 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:15-19. The pagans and non-believers are abandoned in their disbelief. Romans 1:28.
      • We get this maturity through studying the Word of God. Unlike the Colossians we have everything God wants us to know at our fingertips (Bible). What He wants for our life. What is right and what is wrong. What is truth and what is lies. Who we are in Christ and the joy that knowledge can bring once we are mature in His Word. As believers the Spirit calls us to the Word. We want to know truth, and then share it.
  • Vs. 10 – Once we are mature, we can fully please Him, bear fruit and increase in the knowledge of the one true God.

Read Colossians 1: 11-14

  • Vs. 11 -12 – Paul prays that God gives them power to endure the suffering, to endure the false teaching, to overcome the slander and hatred the Christians endured because of their belief. May the power of God give them patience to wait on the coming of the Lord. God through Jesus has made all believers “qualified” to share in the inheritance that the Holy Ones of Light in the Heavenly realm enjoy (Spirit beings in Heaven). We are also Holy Ones through Jesus Christ to share in the counsel of the living God.
  • Vs. 13 – Believers have been delivered out of darkness and transferred to Christ’s Kingdom. How has this happened?
    • Because of what Jesus did and through Him we are Holy Ones of God.
  • Vs. 14 – What is Darkness in the Bible?
    • Symbolic of ignorance, falsehood, delusion, sin, and Satan. Luke 22:53. Anyone who opposes Christ is acting on the power of darkness.
    • Through Christ we have been delivered out of darkness and into the light. We are the Sons of Light. John 12: 35-36