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Introduction to Colossians - The Fruit of the Gospel
Most of you will be much more familiar with the book of Colossians since I finished up a sermon series on it not too long ago. There's is so much in this first reading that it would be difficult to get into all of it, so I have just a few thoughts.
First, make sure you pay close attention to 1:15-20, which is one of the most important and well-known passages about the eternal nature and power of the Son that there is.
Second, a reflection: Paul praises the Colossians for being known for their faith and love. What are YOU known for? If someone were to describe you in one or two words, what would they be? But don't overlook where the POWER for faith and love come from (verses 5-6): the Gospel. The Colossians are known for these things because they know the Gospel and have been transformed by it. Know the Gospel. Understand it. Be transformed by it.
Now, some of the usual introductory stuff:
"RECIPIENTS AND OCCASION
A. The church was apparently started by Epaphras (cf. 1:7, 8; 2:1; 4:12–13), who was probably converted by Paul at Ephesus (cf. Col. 1:7–8 and compare 2:1). It was mostly made up of Gentiles (cf. 1:21; 3:7). Epaphras came to Paul in prison to report a problem with false teachers who taught a mixture of Christianity with Greek philosophy called gnosticism (2:8) and Jewish legalism (cf. Jewish elements, 2:11, 16, 17: 3:11; angel worship, 1:16; 2:15, 18 and asceticism 2:20–23). There was a very large Jewish community in Colossae which had become very Hellenistic. The essence of the problem centered around the person and work of Christ. The gnostics denied that Jesus was fully man but affirmed that He was fully divine because of their eternal antagonistic dualism between matter and spirit. They would affirm His Deity but deny His humanity. They also denied His mediatorial preeminence. For them there were many angelic levels ( eons ) between a good high god and humanity; Jesus, even though the highest, was only one of the gods. They also tended to be intellectually exclusive (cf. 3:11, 14, 16, 17) and emphasized a special exclusive secret knowledge (cf. 2:15, 18, 19) as the path to God instead of Jesus’ atoning, vicarious sacrifice and mankind’s repentant faith response to His free offer of forgiveness.
B. Because of this theological, philosophical atmosphere, the book of Colossians emphasizes
1. The uniqueness of the person of Christ and His finished work of salvation.
2. The cosmological ownership, reign and significance of Jesus of Nazareth - His birth, His teachings, His life, His death, His resurrection and His ascension! He is Lord of all!
PURPOSE
Paul’s purpose was to refute the Colossian heresy. To accomplish this goal, he exalted Christ as the very image of God (1:15), the Creator (1:16), the preexistent sustainer of all things (1:17), the head of the church (1:18), the first to be resurrected (1:18), the fullness of deity in bodily form (1:19, 2:9) and the reconciler (1:20–22). Thus, Christ was completely adequate. Believers “have been given fullness in Christ” (2:10). The Colossian heresy was completely theologically inadequate to provide spiritual salvation. It was a hollow and deceptive philosophy (2:8), lacking any ability to restrain the old sinful nature (2:23).
A recurring theme in Colossians is the complete adequacy of Christ as contrasted with the emptiness of mere human philosophy. This adequacy is expressed in the cosmic Lordship of Jesus. He is owner, creator and sovereign over all things, visible and invisible (cf. 1:15–18)." [1]
Introduction to Colossians - The Fruit of the Gospel
Most of you will be much more familiar with the book of Colossians since I finished up a sermon series on it not too long ago. There's is so much in this first reading that it would be difficult to get into all of it, so I have just a few thoughts.
First, make sure you pay close attention to 1:15-20, which is one of the most important and well-known passages about the eternal nature and power of the Son that there is.
Second, a reflection: Paul praises the Colossians for being known for their faith and love. What are YOU known for? If someone were to describe you in one or two words, what would they be? But don't overlook where the POWER for faith and love come from (verses 5-6): the Gospel. The Colossians are known for these things because they know the Gospel and have been transformed by it. Know the Gospel. Understand it. Be transformed by it.
Now, some of the usual introductory stuff:
"RECIPIENTS AND OCCASION
A. The church was apparently started by Epaphras (cf. 1:7, 8; 2:1; 4:12–13), who was probably converted by Paul at Ephesus (cf. Col. 1:7–8 and compare 2:1). It was mostly made up of Gentiles (cf. 1:21; 3:7). Epaphras came to Paul in prison to report a problem with false teachers who taught a mixture of Christianity with Greek philosophy called gnosticism (2:8) and Jewish legalism (cf. Jewish elements, 2:11, 16, 17: 3:11; angel worship, 1:16; 2:15, 18 and asceticism 2:20–23). There was a very large Jewish community in Colossae which had become very Hellenistic. The essence of the problem centered around the person and work of Christ. The gnostics denied that Jesus was fully man but affirmed that He was fully divine because of their eternal antagonistic dualism between matter and spirit. They would affirm His Deity but deny His humanity. They also denied His mediatorial preeminence. For them there were many angelic levels ( eons ) between a good high god and humanity; Jesus, even though the highest, was only one of the gods. They also tended to be intellectually exclusive (cf. 3:11, 14, 16, 17) and emphasized a special exclusive secret knowledge (cf. 2:15, 18, 19) as the path to God instead of Jesus’ atoning, vicarious sacrifice and mankind’s repentant faith response to His free offer of forgiveness.
B. Because of this theological, philosophical atmosphere, the book of Colossians emphasizes
1. The uniqueness of the person of Christ and His finished work of salvation.
2. The cosmological ownership, reign and significance of Jesus of Nazareth - His birth, His teachings, His life, His death, His resurrection and His ascension! He is Lord of all!
PURPOSE
Paul’s purpose was to refute the Colossian heresy. To accomplish this goal, he exalted Christ as the very image of God (1:15), the Creator (1:16), the preexistent sustainer of all things (1:17), the head of the church (1:18), the first to be resurrected (1:18), the fullness of deity in bodily form (1:19, 2:9) and the reconciler (1:20–22). Thus, Christ was completely adequate. Believers “have been given fullness in Christ” (2:10). The Colossian heresy was completely theologically inadequate to provide spiritual salvation. It was a hollow and deceptive philosophy (2:8), lacking any ability to restrain the old sinful nature (2:23).
A recurring theme in Colossians is the complete adequacy of Christ as contrasted with the emptiness of mere human philosophy. This adequacy is expressed in the cosmic Lordship of Jesus. He is owner, creator and sovereign over all things, visible and invisible (cf. 1:15–18)." [1]
[1] Robert James Utley, vol. Volume 8, Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, Then Later, Philippians), Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 1997), 5.
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