Theology
Theology
This objection comes in two forms: the absence of important Pauline concepts, and the presence of concepts of which Paul makes no use elsewhere. Under the first head is the absence of such characteristic Pauline terms as justification, law, salvation, and righteousness. But this proves little, because a similar observation may be made about some of Paul’s other epistles. There was no need (and no place) for the use of every Pauline concept in every letter. Actually this argument may be used in favor of Pauline authorship. Although Paul himself did in fact omit some of his characteristic doctrines in each of his letters, it is very difficult to think of someone professing to write in Paul’s name who would omit all the Pauline topics that are absent from this letter. Surely it would be an elementary precaution to use the apostle’s most characteric doctrines.
Under the second head, this letter refers to cosmic aspects of Christ’s person (Col. 1:16-19; also 2:9-10) and to his headship over the church, viewed as his body (1:18; 2:19). It is also suggested that 1:15-20 is the adaptation of a pre-Christian hymn. This latter is no real objection, for if a pre-Christian writing has been adapted, this could just as easily have been done by Paul as by an imitator.
As for the cosmic Christ, while what is said in Colossians is an advance on what we see in the undisputed Pauline letters, we surely have the beginnings of the concept in such expressions as "one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1 Cor. 8:6), and "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil. 2:10; cf. also the στοιχεία [stoicheia, perhaps "basic principles”, from στοιχεΐον, G5122] from whom Christ set believers free [Gal. 4:3, 9]). The development in Colossians is real, but it is not divorced from its roots in earlier Pauline writings. Furthermore, Paul has the idea of the church as a body in a number of writings (Rom. 12:4-5; cf. Gal.3:28; the concept is developed in 1 Cor. 12). It is but a step from this to the idea that Christ is the head of the body. 6We cannot judge such objections as these decisive.