Colossians — Introduction & Outline

The external attestation has been consistent for Pauline authorship. This is substantiated internally. Paul refers to himself in 1:1,23 and 4:18 and there are numerous references to the apostle's familiar associates (4:7,9-12,14,17). The close link with Philemon and the parallels with Ephesians, both accepted as Pauline, suggest the author is the same. Those who question this conclusion do so with the claims that vocabulary and thought are not Pauline, the Christology is too developed, and the heresy combatted is a much later form of Gnosticism. But vocabulary and expression can change with subject matter and the circumstances of the writer. Also, there is no reason why Paul could not have had a well developed Christology later in his ministry, as John did in his (Cf. John 1:1-18). Finally, there is much evidence that the heresy of Gnosticism, if indeed that is what is refuted, was present in incipient form at the time of Paul's writing. The evidence for authorship remains overwhelmingly in favor of Paul.

As with the other prison epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon), the time of writing was during Paul's imprisonment in Rome referred to in Acts 28:30. Evidently, Colossians was penned before Philippians because there is no mention of his pending trial. It may have been written before or at the same general time as Philemon, since both were apparently sent by Tychicus with Onesimus (4:1-9; Phile. 10-12). Therefore, the date can be placed around A.D. 61.

Colossae was a small and declining city of Phrygia in the Roman province of Asia. It lay one hundred miles east of Ephesus in the Lycus valley and was bordered by Laodicea and Hieropolis (Cf. 4:13). The city was populated by native Phrygians, Greeks, and a Jewish element.

The only information about the church there is gleaned from the letter itself. Paul indicates he had not visited Colossae (2:1), and there is no mention in Acts, yet his influence on the church was significant. The church was actually founded by Epaphras (1:4-8) who probably came to Christ during Paul's third missionary journey. At that time Paul spent three years in Ephesus, allowing his gospel ministry to spread to all the surrounding areas of Asia (Acts 19:10; Acts 20:31). This fact, plus the probability that the cities were frequented by travelers from both places, insure Paul's influence on the Colossian church.

Epaphras, the leader of the flock in Colossae, was counted as a close companion of Paul's in the ministry and in Paul's imprisonment (4:12-13; Phile. 23). The church itself was mostly Gentile as indicated in 1:21,27, and 2:13.

The epistle was written in response to a report of a heresy threatening the Colossian church. The report was delivered by Epaphras, who also told Paul the good news of the Colossians' faith and love (1:7-8; 2:1-5). The exact nature of the heresy can be deduced somewhat from the information in Paul's letter. It was based in human argument, or philosophy (2:8-10), and had all the markings of Judaistic legalism (2:11-17). This was the common heretical threat that plagued Paul throughout his ministry. The Colossian threat also contained elements common to the later Gnostic religion such as mysticism, worship of angels, asceticism, and the devaluation of the body (2:18-23). Some incipient form of Gnosticism may have mixed itself with the Judaistic legalism. The heresy has not yet taken hold in the church (2:4), so Paul is prompted to write before it spreads. He takes the opportunity of Onesimus' return to Philemon in Colossae to send the letter.

The immediate purpose of the letter is to prevent the Colossians from straying into heresy by explaining the truth about the person and work of Christ. Christ is presented as preeminent in the universe and the church (1:15-18) and sufficient for the Christian's maturity, because all the fullness of the Father is in Him (1:19; 2:9). Therefore, the Christian is complete in Him (2:10). Christ's work was also sufficient for a full redemption (1:13-14; 2:13-15).

Two more purposes complement the immediate doctrinal concern. The second purpose is to strengthen and confirm the faith of the Colossian believers so that they continue to bear fruit in their Christian lives (1:10,23,28; 2:5-7). The third purpose is to instruct the believers in the practical implications of the preeminency and sufficiency of Christ (chs. 3-4).

The letter begins with a personal note, moves to a doctrinal presentation, then to a polemical section, and finally ends with practical instruction. The greeting indicates Paul's commendation of their faithfulness (1:1-2), but the fullest expression is in his personal thanksgiving and prayer for the Colossians (1:3-14). He is moved to such a response because of Epaphras' report of their faith and love inspired by hope, and the fruit of the gospel manifested in them (1:3-8). His prayer for them (1:9-14) is appropriate for those threatened by heresy. He prays for their spiritual insight and understanding, their Christian walk, and their spiritual strength (1:9-11). This would form an adequate prophylactic against error. His thanks to the Father (1:12-14) is for the completeness of their common salvation in Christ. This understanding defends against those who would suggest the Savior did less.

The doctrinal section of the epistle sets forth the supremacy of Christ's person in creation and in His body (1:15-29). He is preeminent in His position over all things (1:15-18). He is the the image of God and the One in the highest rank over the universal creation, which he sustains (1:15-17). His preeminence extends to the church, His body (1:18).

Christ also is presented as preeminent in His work of reconciliation (1:19-23).

Having the fullness of the Father (1:19), He fully reconciled all things to Himself by His work on the cross (1:20). This applies to the Colossian Christians in their past, present, and future experience (1:21-23). Their future presentation in Christ will be blameless if they continue on their present course of faith and fidelity to the apostolic gospel (1:23). Paul is giving a powerful reason to avoid contamination from the heresy threatening them.

The preeminency of Christ is demonstrated in Paul's ministry (1:24-29) as he suffers in prison for the sake of Christ's church (1:24). He has preached the gospel as a steward (1:25) charged with the duty of revealing the mystery of the inclusion of the Gentiles in Christ's body (1:26-27). He preaches Christ in order to make each believer complete (1:28), thus implying that nothing else can do this. Christ is all and everything to the believer in His person, work, and relationship to the church. The believer's sufficiency is to be found in Him and nowhere else.

Paul now begins to address the heretical threat in a polemical section that argues for Christ's sufficiency for His church (2:1-3:4). First, he argues for Christ's sufficiency over philosophy (2:1-10). The heretics had approached the Colossians with clever speculations and human ideas which were nothing more than worldly wisdom (2:8). But Paul wants the Colossians to be edified fully through an intimate understanding of the riches of wisdom and knowledge in Christ (2:2-3). This will protect them from persuasive and appealing reasoning (2:4). Paul rejoices in their present faithfulness to the truth in Christ, but encourages further growth and experience (2:5-7). He warns that their completeness as Christians is based on the fullness of the Godhead found in Christ, not in human speculation (2:8-10).

Next, he confronts another aspect of the heresy by showing the sufficiency of Christ over legalism (2:11-23). Christ's work sufficed in every aspect of their salvation (2:11-15). He spiritually circumcised them, united with them through baptism, gave them life by forgiving their sin, and destroyed their spiritual enemies. Since Christ so provided for them in His work, Paul warns against those who would emphasize human efforts for merit toward God or those who would direct devotion towards any other being except Christ (2:16-19). He follows with an exhortation based on the sufficiency of Christ for the believer (2:20-3:4). Since they died with Christ to all legalistic demands, they should not subject themselves to human regulations, which in the end, profit nothing (2:20-23). Instead, they should seek the kind of things which are consistent with their resurrected life hidden in Christ (3:1-4). Paul's appeal is for conduct based on the believer's position, which is "with Christ...at the right hand of God" and "with Christ in God" (3:1,3). This forms the basis for his more specific practical instructions that follow.

Paul's presentation of the preeminence of Christ over all things, especially the church, leads him to state practical implications for those who are related to Christ in His body. The practical segment of the letter concerns believers' submission to Christ in His body (3:5-4:6).

This is first of all an individual surrender in relationship to their new position in Christ (3:5-17). In view of this position (3:1-4), they must put off the old life, which is inconsistent with the new (3:5-11). In its place Paul lists virtues of the new life (3:12-17). Love is singled out as the most important (3:14), and the lordship of Christ is to be the motivation (3:17).

The new life also affects relationships within social structures, so Paul discusses their submission in the social realm (3:18-4:6). Household duties are listed first (3:18-4:1). In his appeals to wives and husbands (3:18-19), children and parents (3:20-21), and servants and masters (3:22-4:1), Paul continually reminds them of their position in Christ and their relationship to Him. He is obviously writing from the perspective that Christ is supreme in His body, the church. Paul also discusses their duties to the unsaved world (4:2-6). In relation to prayer, this means personal diligence as well as prayer for Paul in his gospel ministry (4:2-4).

Finally, their walk and speech should reflect their higher kind of life (4:5-6).

The letter closes with several personal remarks (4:7-18). First, there is a commendation of its carriers, Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7-9). The letter to Philemon gives the circumstances for the return of his slave, Onesimus. Paul uses this event to send the Colossians his letter. Second, there is a number of greetings from Paul's companions (4:10-14). Finally, he gives his own greeting, instructions about reading the letter, advice to Archippus, and a benediction (4:15-18).

The epistle to the Colossians is designed to prevent heresy from seeping into the church. The emphasis on the supremacy of Christ is the basis for their salvation as well as their sanctification. Since Christ is sufficient for every need of the believer, and He is in them and they in He, nothing else can substitute. Therefore, Paul encourages the Colossians to continue and to grow in Christian maturity according to the sufficiency that is in Christ.

1. The Introduction 1:1-2

   1. The authors 1:1
   2. The readers 1:2a
   3. The greeting 1:2b
2. Personal: The Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Colossians 1:3-14

   1. Paul thanks God for the Colossians. 1:3-8

      1. The fact and frequency of his thanks 1:3
      2. The cause of his thanks 1:4-8
      1. They have faith and love. 1:4
      2. They are inspired by their hope of heaven. 1:5
      3. They are bearing fruit in the gospel. 1:6
      4. They have Epaphras ministering on their behalf. 1:7-8
      1. They heard the gospel from him. 1:7
      2. Paul heard of their love from him. 1:8
   2. Paul prays for the Colossians. 1:9-14

      1. He prays for their knowledge and wisdom. 1:9
      2. He prays for their walk. 1:10
      3. He prays for their spiritual strength. 1:11
      4. He gives thanks to the Father. 1:12-14
      1. Because He qualified us for the inheritance 1:12
      2. Because He transferred our citizenship 1:13
      3. Because He redeemed us from our sins 1:14
3. Doctrinal: The Supremacy of Christ in His Body 1:15-29

   1. Christ is preeminent in His position. 1:15-18

      1. His position over creation 1:15
      2. His relationship to creation 1:16-17
      3. His position over the Church 1:18
   2. Christ is preeminent in His reconciling work. 1:19-23

      1. The divine character of the Savior 1:19
      2. The reconciliation of all things 1:20
      3. The reconciliation of the Colossians 1:21-23
      1. Their past reconciliation 1:21-22a
      2. Their future presentation 1:22b-23
   3. Christ is preeminent in Paul's ministry. 1:24-29

      1. Paul's suffering for the Church 1:24
      2. Paul's message to the Church 1:25-27
      1. As a stewardship from God 1:25
      2. As the mystery revealed to the saints 1:26-27
      3. Paul's purpose in ministry to the Church 1:28-29
4. Polemical: The Sufficiency of Christ in His Body 2:1-3:4

   1. The sufficiency of Christ over philosophy 2:1-10

      1. Paul has concern for their pure knowledge of Christ. 2:1-5
      1. The great intensity of his concern 2:1
      2. The edifying purpose of his concern 2:2-3
      3. The protective purpose of his concern 2:4
      4. The joyful attitude in his concern 2:5
      2. Paul admonishes them to walk in Christ. 2:6-7
      3. Paul warns them against false philosophy. 2:8
      4. Paul explains their fullness in Christ. 2:9-10
   2. The sufficiency of Christ over legalism 2:11-23

      1. Paul explains Christ's sufficiency 2:11-15
      1. He made them spiritually circumcised. 2:11
      2. He made them buried and raised in baptism. 2:12
      3. He made them alive by forgiving their sin. 2:13-14
      4. He triumphed over the powers of evil. 2:15
      2. Paul warns them in view of Christ's sufficiency. 2:16-19
      1. The warning against being judged by legalists 2:16-17
      2. The warning against false worship 2:18-19
      3. Paul exhorts them in view of Christ's sufficiency. 2:20-3:4
      1. From the believer's death with Christ 2:20-23
      1. The rebuke of subjection to regulations 2:20-22
      2. The worthlessness of such regulations 2:23
      2. From the believer's resurrection with Christ 3:1-4
      1. The exhortation to seek things above 3:1-2
      2. The basis of life with the risen Christ 3:3-4
5. Practical: The Submission to Christ in His Body 3:5-4:6

   1. Submission in the believer's individual life 3:5-17

      1. They must put off the old life. 3:5-11
      1. The exhortation to put to death the old members 3:5-7
      1. The description of the old members 3:5
      2. The consequence of the old way of life 3:6-7
      2. The exhortation to put off the old sins 3:8-11
      1. The list of old sins 3:8-9a
      2. The basis for the transaction 3:9b-11
      2. They must put on the new life. 3:12-17
      1. The virtues to put on in the new life 3:12-14
      2. The principles to follow in the new life 3:15-17
   2. Submission in the believer's social life 3:18-4:6

      1. Duties in relation to the household 3:18-4:1
      1. The duties of wives and husbands 3:18-19
      2. The duties of children and parents 3:20-21
      3. The duties of servants and masters 3:22-4:1
      1. Servants are to obey. 3:22-25
      2. Masters are to be fair. 4:1
      2. Duties in relation to the unsaved 4:2-6
      1. The duty in prayer 4:2-4
      1. The exhortation to be steadfast in prayer 4:2
      2. Paul's request for his gospel ministry 4:3-4
      2. The duty in conduct toward the unsaved 4:5-6
6. The Conclusion 4:7-18

   1. Paul's commendation of those bearing the letter 4:7-9
   2. The greetings from Paul's companions 4:10-14
   1. From his Jewish companions 4:10-11
   2. From his Gentile companions 4:12-14
   3. Paul's concluding remarks 4:15-18
   1. His personal greeting 4:15
   2. His instruction about the reading of epistles 4:16
   3. His message to Archippus 4:17
   4. His benediction 4:18