BACKGROUND NOTES ON PAUL'S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

Author
     The letter was written by the apostle Paul, assisted by Timothy, and delivered to the church by Tychicus,who also delivered the letter to the Ephesian church. He had never been in Colosse, but spent a long time establishing the church in Ephesus. Converts from Ephesus started the church in Colosse.

Why was it written?
     Epaphras visited Paul and brought news about the churches in the Lycus River Valley (Ephesus, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse). Some false teachers were active in the region, with Colosse apparently the center of the heresy. We do not know all the details of the Colossian heresy, but the core teaching was that Jesus was a created being, less than God, not truly the Saviour. This was coupled with certain Jewish elements (circumcision, diet, holy days), esoteric Greek-inspired philosophy, veneration of angels as a necessity for salvation, and emphasis on secret knowledge (2:18) - maybe one of the forerunners of Gnosticism, which became a serious problem at the end of the first century. It was a syncretistic blend of elements Greek, Jewish, and mystery religions, but the essence once again was that Jesus was not enough for salvation.
Paul's answer to this was to present Jesus in all his glory, as the fulness of God.

How and when was it written?
     Paul wrote this letter during his first imprisonment while waiting for his first trial before Caesar, about AD 61.

First audience and destination:
     Colosse was an unimportant town, about 160 kilometers east of Ephesus, in the Roman province of Asia. It's sister cities Hierapolis and Laodicea was better-known, with Ephesus the key city of the province. The gospel was brought to Colosse by Epaphras (1:7), while Paul was in Ephesus on his third missionary journey. Paul had never visited the church, but had "heard" of their faith.

Literary style:
     A standard first-century epistle, written in Paul's typical style using Koine (common) Greek.

Special themes:
The central theme of Colossians is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who is fully God and the only one who can bring salvation and reconciliation to all. The following themes are emphasized:
· The Supremacy of Christ: First over creation, first from the dead, having supremacy in everything
· Fulness: The fulness of God dwelt bodily in Christ, and His fulness now lives in believers
· Freedom: Paul puts great emphasis on freedom from rules & regulations, holy days and special observances, and "hollow and deceptive philosophy".
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Special features
· Paul does not dissect the false teaching (we have to infer it from the text), but he presents the answer: The proper view of Jesus Christ.
· The absolute pre-eminence of Christ: Paul's most intense teaching on the nature and work of Christ is found in this letter (1:15-20 and 27, 2:9-15, etc.)
· The immanence of God: The Colossian heresy apparently taught that God was far removed from humanity and had to be aproached through a series of intermediaries - against this Paul taught that God is near to us, in us, through the work of Christ alone.
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General structure:
¤ Salutation - Chapter 1:1-2
¤ Thanksgiving prayer - Chapter 1:3-14
¤ Main Body - Chapter 1:15-4:14
· The pre-eminence of Christ - Chapter 1:15-23
  ·· In creation - Chapter 1:15-17
  ·· In redemption - Chapter 1:18-23
· Paul, the apostle of Christ - Chapter 1:24-2:7
  ·· Paul's service - Chapter 1:24-29
  ·· Paul's concern for the church - Chapter 2:1-7
· Warning against and refutation of false teaching - Chapter 2:8-23
  ·· Warning against godless philosophy - Chapter 2:8-10
  ·· Warning against Judaistic ceremonialism and legalism - Chapter 2:11-17
  ·· Warning against angel worship - Chapter 2:18-19
  ·· Warning against asceticism - Chapter 2:20-23
· The Christian answer to these false teachings - Chapter 3:1-4:6
  ·· Set your mind on things above - Chapter 3:1-4
  ·· Put off the old man - Chapter 3:5-9
  ·· Put on the new man - Chapter 3:10-17
  ·· Responsible living in various primary relationships - Chapter 3:14-4:1
  ·· Call to prayer and proper conduct - Chapter 4:2-6
· Paul's co-workers - Chapter 4:7-14
  ·· Commending his messengers - Chapter 4:7-9
  ·· Greetings from his friends - Chapter 4:10-14
¤ Conclusion - Chapter 4:15-18
· Greetings - Chapter 4:15
· Command to read and exchange epistles - Chapter 4:16
· Personal exhortation to Archippus - Chapter 4:17
· Personal signoff, request for prayer - Chapter 4:18