Colossians

Literary Style and Beauty:  Macrostructure

            I suggest that the arrangement of this letter is straightforward, with a Main Argument (#5), which begins with the Theme and then has two large sections, each introduced by reflection on the exalted Christ (B.1 and C.1), but without any other special literary devices.  It is beautiful that the long opening prayer (1:9-14) and praise (1:15-20) anticipate the Main Argument.

Large Outline

1. Prologue (1:1-14)

            A.  Paul’s greeting (1:1-2)

            B.  Paul’s thanksgiving for them (1:3-8)

            C.  Paul’s prayer for them (1:9-14)

(Body of Letter)

2.  Praise to the exalted Christ (1:15-20)

            A.  Before creation and in creation (1:15-17)

            B.  Preeminent in resurrection and incarnation (1:18-19)[1]

• Note the reversal of the usual order

C.  Cosmic effect of the cross (1:20)

3.  Reconciliaiton of the Colossians as sinners (1:21-23)[2]

• Crucial to salvation:  the death of Christ and their perseverance.

4.  Paul’s ministry (1:24-2:5)

            A.  Paul’s commitment to the Gospel (1:24-29)

• v.24 is very deep; the mystery of Christ, v.27 (a motif in the letter)
• Summary of Paul’s purpose in ministry, v.28:  to present every person complete in Christ.

B.  Paul’s commitment to the Colossians (2:1-5)

• Mystery of Christ, 2:2-3

5.  Main Argument:  Applications of the Supremacy of Christ (2:6-4:6)

            A.  Theme (2:6-7)

• Note foundation in Christ, so “walk” in Him – cf. Ephesians on “walk”

B.  The Person and Work of Christ render unnecessary any human traditions or rules

      (2:8-23)

            (1)  Jesus Christ is the fullness of God and believers are “complete” in His

       exaltation (2:8-10)[3]

(2)  The new circumcision (= infant baptism) and especially the power behind it,

       namely, the death and resurrection of Christ (2:11-15), is superior to:

            (a)  all Jewish legalism (2:16-17)

            (b)  all mysticism (2:18-19)

            (c)  all asceticism (2:20-23)

            C.  The Christian life is the most exalted calling (3:1-4; 6)[4]

                        (1)  Based on the exaltation of Christ Himself (3:1-4)

                        (2)  “Put off” the old (3:5-11)

                        (3)  “Put on” the new (3:12-17)

                        (4)  Relationships in the home (3:18-21)

                        (5)  Relationships at work (3:22-4:1)

                        (6)  In prayer (4:2-4)

                        (7)  In speech to others (4:5-6)

6.  Personal Notes (4:7-17)

            A.  Paul’s Jewish Christian companions (4:7-11)

            B.  Paul’s Gentile Christian companions (4:12-14)

            C.  Messages for various friends (4:15-17)

(End of body of letter)

7.  Conclusion (4:18)

• Final greeting, prayer request, benediction

Author and Purpose

            Paul wrote this letter (1:1; 4:18!) to a church he had never visited (1:4; 2:1),[5] but which had been founded by Epaphras (1:7; 4:12), who was probably converted by Paul and who ministered in Colossae under Paul’s authority (1:7) during the time of his ministry at Ephesus (Acts 19:10).  Paul wrote this letter around the same time as Philemon[6] and Onesimus, the bearer of the letter to Philemon, was to accompany Tychicus, the bearer of the letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:7-9; Philem. 12).

            This church was mostly Gentile (1:21, 27; 2:13) and even the founder, Epaphras, was a Gentile.[7]  Paul’s main concern in this letter was to refute false teaching so the church would not go astray (1:23; 2:4; etc.) and to present the depth of true teaching so the church would be even more firmly established and “complete” in Christ (2:2, 5-7; 4:12; 1:28-29; etc.).  The precise nature of the false teaching or teachings is not easy to determine, but the key elements are in Outline 5.B.(2)(a-c) (and 2:8).  Since Paul counters with the exaltation and sufficiency of Christ,[8] the error most likely detracted from the Person of Christ, an error which became fully developed in the Gnosticism of the second century.  Since he counters Judaizing tendencies (see especially (a) above), that error was involved, too, but nothing like in Galatia or even at Philippi, since Paul is much less severe in Colossians (compare Gal. 1:6-9 and Phil. 3:2-3).

            This letter has a beautiful balance on the aspects of the Person and Work of Christ, and its emphasis on believers being/becoming “complete” in Christ is another significant balance between justification (as in 2:10) and sanctification (as in 1:28-29; cf. 4:12).[9]

Commentary:  Applications of the Supremacy of Christ

1.  The Trinity

            The teaching about the Trinity in this letter may be compared to its “skeleton”: a basic structure to support everything else.  The following collection of “bones” is arranged according to each Person, with details about the Son, Jesus Christ.

            (1)  Father:  1:2; 1:3; 1:9-13; 1:27; 2:2; 2:19; 3:3; 3:6; 3:10; 3:12; 3:17

            (2)  Son:

                        (a) in relation to believers, general:  1:4; 1:27-28; 2:5; 2:6-7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:19;

     3:13; 3:15; 3:16; 3:17; 3:24; 4:3

(b)  eternity:  1:15; 1:17

(c)  creation:  1:15-17

(d)  incarnation:  1:19 (emphasis on Deity); 2:2-3; 2:9 (emphasis on both Deity

       and humanity; very strong)

(e)  death:  1:14; 1:20; (cosmic effect!); 1:22; 1:24; 2:12; 2:14; 2:15 (cross as

       triumph!); 2:20

(f)  resurrection:  1:18; 2:12; 2:13; 2:15; 3:1

(g)  ascension/dominion:  1:13; 1:18; 1:22; 1:27-28; 2:10; 2:15; 3:1; 3:3; 4:1

(h)  second coming:  3:4

            (3) Spirit:  1:8 (and general Trinity: 1:6, 7, 8)

            Notice the strong emphasis on the Supremacy of Christ, as in Ephesians.  Especially apt is the way the literary style emphasizes “so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything” (1:18 end[10]).  But perhaps Colossians has a better “blend” of all the aspects of the Work of Christ even than Ephesians.  Inquire:  analyze and meditate upon the Trinity collection above.[11]  Especially note the strong teaching about the incarnation and death of Christ in this letter as well as the theme of exaltation.  Of course, Ephesians has much more about the Spirit and “corporate sanctification.”  What kind of “spiritual food” is Colossians?  And what is its distinctive nourishment?

2.  Indicative and Imperative

            The imperative part of this letter begins with the Theme in point 5 (2:6-7, so “walk”) in one sense, but in another way it begins with the “therefore” in 3:5 (based on 3:1-4 and on the chapters preceding).  Inquire:  What would it mean to consider 5.B as an imperative?  as an indicative?  Certainly in 5.C (2)-(7) we see the familiar Pauline imperative, and the “put off”/ “put on” motif may be even clearer here than in Ephesians 4.  Inquire:  Does this imperative section in Colossians add anything new to your collection of NT commands?  Are there some subtle differences with the same commands in Ephesians?

3.  Paul’s Prayer

            Add Paul’s prayer for the Colossians to your collection of Paul’s prayers (and use them I your prayer life for Christians you know!).  The one here is especially long (1:9-14).  Inquire:  Analyze each phrase of this prayer.  Does one part flow into another?  What is based on what?  Compare with other prayers of Paul.

4.  Paul’s Praise

            Following the prayer I have discerned a long praise to the exalted Christ (1:15-20).  Inquire:  analyze each phrase of this, too.  Why does it alternate between different stages in the existence/ministry of Christ?  Do you see Paul’s grand conception of Christ as the Ultimate Being and His Work as of cosmic significance?  What are some parallels in other letters of Paul?

5.  Paul’s Ministry

            Paul has a profound conception of his ministry in this letter, too.  Inquire:  What does he mean by “mystery” (1:26-27; 2:2)?  In what sense is the mystery Christ Himself (2:2-3) and in what way is it Christ in the believer (1:27)?  Paul wants every person to become[12] “complete” “in Christ” (1:28):  what does that mean?  Are there parallel ideas in the NT?  Do you share in that ministry/vision?  (Advanced Inquire:  what does he mean in 1:24?  On the one hand, be careful of heresy in your interpretation; on the other hand, do justice to what he claims here…does the idea of “corporate sanctification” help you to understand this?)

6.  Perseverance

            Paul is concerned about these believers going astray into errors and so he has a very strong passage about the necessity of perseverance (1:23).  It is very strong because it puts an “if” after all the glorious things he has said in the previous verses!  Actually this fits the indicative/imperative style:  the “must persevere” imperative cannot be minimized by concentrating on the indicative.[13]  (Notice the “if” in 1 Corinthians 15:2!)  Inquire:  What other “ifs” does this agree with in Paul?  Does it fit with passages where he worries/fears that his work is “in vain”?  How does all that harmonize with the “eternal security” of true believers?

7.  The Things Above

            Another “if” leads into the clearly imperative section in 3:1.  There is a great combination of exalted ideas/realities in 3:1-4.  Inquire:  How do you seek the things above?  What things are they, in particular?  Have you felt your “life” “hidden with Christ in God”?  Do some parallels in Romans help to understand these things?

8.  Corporate Sanctification

            The “one body” is mentioned in 3:15, surrounded by v.14 and vv.16-17.  Inquire:  does the idea of “corporate sanctification” help us understand the depth of 3:14-17?  How?  Is v.16 a model for individual life and congregational life?  How is v.17 a climax or summary of the whole passage to that point?  Can you think of any parallels?

9.  More Deep Questions

            In the parts about prayer and speech to others (4:2-6), does Paul say anything that he does not say elsewhere?  Consider 4:2 as being closely tied with 3:16.  Link 4:5-6 with Ephesians 5:15-17:  how does what precedes and what follows that Ephesians passage help us understand how to apply and live the Colossians passage?  (Are you learning a method for deep Bible study??)

Enough on that letter…

…but how would you feel if Paul addressed you like he did Archippus (4:17)?!     

SOLI DEO GLORIA!