Colossians

 Letter of St. Paul to Colossae   

Title: The epistle/letter to the congregation of Colossae. Colossae was a flourished city in 5 century BC onward, but by the time of St. Paul its glory departed – Colossae turn into a small provincial town. The closest large city was Laodicea (about 9 miles north-west from Colossae). It is usually thought that Paul never visited the town, but somehow he knows about the guestroom that Philemon might prepare for him.          

Date of writing: Usually it is taken that St. Paul wrote it during his time in Rome, while waiting for the trail. The letter to Philemon mentions Paul’s intention to visit his house church. It is “assumed” that Philemon and Onesimus are from  Colossae (4:9, cp. Philemon 1:1-2,10). This means that either his trial was successful, or Paul expected a positive decision on his case soon after the letter (prior is more plausible 4:3-4).  

Structure:

a. 1:1-2, Greetings

 b. 1:3-12, Thanksgiving and prayer

  c. 1:13-23, He is … (preeminence of Christ)

   d. 1:24 – 2:5, Paul’s ministry to the Church

    e. 2:6-15, Christ vs. philosophy

    e’. 2:16-23, Biblical tradition vs. human tradition   

   d’. 3:1-17, your actions in Christ

  c’. 3:18 – 4:1, Christ revealed in the relationships   

 b’. 4:2-6, be thankful

a’. 4:7-18, Final greetings

Main themes: Very high Christology – embodiment of the Divine, and preeminence of Christ over everything. 

St. Paul introduces the theme of philosophy – as an obstruction for acceptance of the Gospel. The addiction to philosophy might have led to the lukewarmness of the congregation (cp. Rev. 3:14-22, Laodicea is the closest congregation to Colossae).

Tradition(s) is an important theme that St. Paul presents as an opposition of godly traditions (shadows of Christ) which point to him to the human/esoteric traditions (ascetic practices, worshiping of angels etc.), which have no biblical foundation.  

Main Characters: Paul, Timothy, Epaphras, Tychius, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Mark (cousin of Barnabas, cp. Acts 15:36-41), Luke, Demas, Jesus/Justus. Saint and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae. Brothers in Laodicea and Nympha and her house church.          

Reflection in other parts of the Bible: The theology of incarnation – known as high Christology – begins in the Gospel of John and his other writings.

To understand the opposition of biblical vs. human tradition it is important to think of the liturgical calendar (Lev. 23, cp. Gen 1:14).

Paul uses the same tri-part structure of a society: husbands-wives, parents-children, masters-servants as in Galatians 5 and 6. The theme of servants (bondservants/slaves) is developed even deeper in the letter to Philemon.   

Lutheran teaching: Trinitarian theology and the teaching on incarnation based on Col. 2:9 is presented in LC II:6; FC Ep. VIII:34; FC SD VII:36 etc.

The theology of infant baptism finds is support and declaration in Col. 2:11-15 (FC Ep. XII:8; FC SD XII:13).

Lutheran hymnody:

LSB 690 – Hope of the World (Col. 2:13-15)

LSB 732 – All Depends on Our Possessing (Col. 3:1-4)

Relevancy of the Book:  The letter shows us the unity of the believers through the Gospel, and only through the ministry of apostles. Paul never visited the congregation, yet he deeply cares for its faith and godliness. He wants them to be properly founded in the Word Incarnate – Jesus Christ, who is all in all: in teaching, in worship, in conduct, in care for each other. This gives us a proper perspective that we do not need to chase after the famous or illuminated “preachers” or extravagant teachers of philosophy. God cares for every congregation and a believer through the ministers that He called and ordained to preach the full counsel of God – the Scriptures – and administer the Sacraments.       

Memory verses:

3:16 – Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your heart to God.