Life of Paul - Letter to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon

Series on the Life of Paul

Possible Date: 61 to 63

Scripture: Colossians

NOTE: Paul wrote all four prison books while in Rome as a prisoner. The letter to the Colossians was sent via Tychicus and Onesimus.

#Paul

#Apostle Paul

#Colossae

During these two years of house arrest, generally believed to be about 61-63 A.D., Paul writes four letters which have come to be known as the “prison epistles.” Two of them, the letter to the Colossians and the letter to Philemon, are probably written at the same time. The Book of Colossians is closely related to the books of Ephesians and Philemon. Colossians was probably written before Ephesians, with which it shares main ideas and a general outline. Ephesians seems to expand some of the key ideas of Colossians.

Paul wrote this epistle from prison, as he did Philippians and Philemon. Some scholars believe this was during the first imprisonment in Rome. Colossians could then have been written about A.D. 62, not long before Paul’s release. Yet others would place the writing of this letter during an Ephesian imprisonment around A.D. 54 or 55.

Colossae was located on the south bank of the Lycus River near Laodicea and Hierapolis in western Asia Minor, about 100 miles east of Ephesus on the important trade route between Ephesus and the Euphrates Valley. Paul had never visited Colossae, but the gospel had been preached there, as well as in Laodicea and Hierapolis, while he was in Ephesus. Although Paul has never visited Colossae, one of his companions during this time, Epaphras, has been preaching in the towns of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. Evidently, Epaphras has informed Paul of the pagan secularism which threatens the church in that region.

This letter deals primarily with doctrinal heresy that possibly mixed Judaism with some early form of Gnosticism. Jesus was super-human, but not truly God. He was greater than human beings, but not great enough to be the Savior. Those who believe in Christ must go through angels to get to the deeper levels of spirituality. Paul built a positive case for the Christian truth in order to show the Colossians the futility of ideas such as these.

In paganism, virtue is not associated with religion. Religious practice is for the purpose of warding off demons and evil ancestors--not for the purpose of being a better person. Paul sees that this notion of religion can influence even Christian worship in which slavish adherence to supposed spiritual standards misses the point of one’s being transformed into the likeness of Christ. To Paul, the Christian life is more than simply giving up bad habits. It is acquiring a newness of mind that comes from setting your heart and mind on Christ Jesus--who, as Paul says, is the image of the invisible God. Only a person with a mind of Christ can truly overcome the sins of the flesh and live according to the spirit.

Among the most popular religions of the ancient world were the so-called mystery religions. Details of the initiations, rituals, and doctrines of these religions were kept secret from outsiders. Standard elements were purification, fasting, sacrifice, and ceremonial banquets. Early Christianity showed similarities to the mystery religions, including the idea of “mystery” (Colossians 1:25–27).

The significant difference of the Greek vocabulary and style in Colossians from that of other Pauline letters raises a question of whether Paul actually wrote Colossians. Some scholars argue that the theology of the letter and the understanding and organization of the church are more developed than in letters Paul himself wrote. This may indicate that Colossians was written by one of Paul’s associates in the decade following his death (perhaps between A.D. 70–75).

NIV Study Bible Intro: Colossians

https://youtu.be/6HGD1pmgJh0