Authorship
The town of Colossae, neighboring the more prominent cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis, lay ioo miles east of Ephesus, capital of the Roman province of Asia. Colossians addresses a primarily Gentile audience, as evidenced by the references to their fleshly uncircumcision (2:13) and their pre-Christian alienation (1:21) - language that parallels the specifically Gentile address of Eph. 2:11-13.
Authorship
Several factors support Paul's composition of this "Prison Epistle" during his house arrest in Rome: the presence with him of Onesimus, a runaway slave from Colossae, whose anonymity would be guaranteed in the distant, populous imperial capital; Paul's freedom to receive visitors other than personal friends; and the presence of Luke, who accompanied him to Rome (Acts 27-28).
The site of ancient Colossae, a thriving commercial center at the junction of the main route from Ephesus to the Euphrates until the road to Pergamum was moved to the west. (www.HolyLandPhotos.org)
Colossians shares striking literary parallels with Ephesians. Some verses and passages appear nearly word for word in both letters. Each epistle expounds the metaphor of the bodily unity of Christ and the church, with Colossians emphasizing the preeminence of Christ as its head. Scholars who question Paul's authorship of these letters generally credit the composition of both to a single associate of the apostle well versed in his theology.
The Letter
At the time of writing, Paul has never visited the church in Colossae, but its founder, Epaphras, has brought him news about the congregation. Epaphras may well have embraced Christianity during Paul's evangelistic sojourn in Ephesus (Acts 19); so here Paul, as spiritual grandfather of the Colossian church, exercises his apostolic authority to teach and admonish its members. Apparently a mix of heresies devaluing Christ threatens orthodox belief and practice among the Christians of Colossae (esp. 2:8-23).
1:112 Celebrating the Colossians' Faith
Paul names as his coauthor Timothy, recruited toward the beginning of the apostle's second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-5). The "saints" (Christian believers) of Colossae, whose faith Paul celebrates and supports in prayer, comprise a church founded by Epaphras, a missionary associate possibly converted during Paul's Ephesian ministry and now working with the incarcerated apostle (4:12). He calls Epaphras a "bondservant" to convey his voluntary, lifelong dedication to serving Christ N. 7). Paul appears not to know personally the recipients of his letter, but only to know them by reputation (vv. 4, 9; 2:1). "Spiritual wisdom," which he prayerfully seeks for the Colossians, means the practical outworking of moral knowledge, as summarized here in the description of leading lives that please the Lord: doing good, remaining faithful, displaying patience, maintaining joy, and giving thanks to God. His qualification of believers to "share in the inheritance" evokes the metaphor of adoption into his family of "saints" slated to gain eternal life (v. 12; cf. Eph. i:5; Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 4:1-7).
1:13-23 Christ Outranks Creation
As "light" equals salvation (1:12), Paul now equates "darkness" with condemnation - a prominent theme in the Gospel of John. These verses summarize the Gospel in terms of Jesus as the "Light of the world" by emphasizing the universal preeminence of Christ as foundational for the redemption of creation he made possible through his death on the cross. In the Old Testament, "redemption" encompasses the substitutionary payment of financial and moral debts and the fulfillment of obligations on behalf of another person (Exod. 13:11-16; Lev. 25:25-49; Ruth 4:4-6). As used by Paul, redemption refers specifically to the self-sacrificial death of Christ to pay on behalf of believers their moral debt of sin (v. 14). On the visible revelation of God in Christ (v 15), cf. John 1:14,18. The designation of Jesus as the "firstborn" of all creation does not refer to the account of creation, but conveys in culturally relevant terms his unique status as the privileged heir of God the Father. In verse 18, "firstborn" status with respect to resurrection from the dead accords to Christ universal supremacy. Note God's selfless initiative in providing redemption through his firstborn heir, whereas in the Law God mercifully provided for the redemption of the firstborn heirs of his chosen people (Exod. 13:15). The "fullness" indwelling Christ affirms the totality of his divine nature (v. 19; 2:9).
1:24-2:7 Christian Suffering
To make redemption possible, Jesus suffered persecution in its ultimate form - execution. But making the availability of redemption known entails suffering by proclaimers of the
gospel such as Paul. His suffering does not help Christ redeem human beings, as though Jesus' work on the cross fell short of that task; rather, Paul's suffering represents the continuing consequences of helping to fulfill the ascended Christ's ongoing, earthly mission of redemption, namely, proclaiming its universal availability - the newly unveiled "mystery" that spells good news for Gentiles. That Paul does not bemoan, but, rejoices in his sufferings on behalf of the Colossians and their fellow Christians in neighboring Laodicea (2:1) should bolster their faith, against the arguments of false teachers pushing perversions of the truth about Christ (2:4). Underlying Paul's comments is his denial that the suffering of Christians betrays weakness on the part of their Lord. In fact, it is precisely his divine preeminence that qualified him for supreme, substitutionary suffering, rather than freeing him from it (cf. 1:13-20).
2:8-23 Countering Heresy
Paul counters the so-called "Colossian heresy" which elevates the rule-oriented teaching and tradition of mere human beings over the spiritual freedom enabled by the fully divine Christ. A mix of Judaistic legalism (vv. 16, 21), asceticism (self-abasement), and angel worship (v. 18) threatens the religious re-enslavement of Colossian believers. Paul exposes the ineffectiveness of such practices for salvation and proclaims the nullification of the Law by the crucified Christ, who actualizes the hope of salvation held out by the Law but unattainable through it N. 17). Baptism (v. 12) symbolizes the believer's unity with Christ. Being made "alive together with him" includes symbolic circumcision of the heart, which eliminates the need for physical circumcision as the indicator of true membership in the community of God's elect. Freedom from the rules of Judaism, however, does not license Christians for moral abandon.
3:1-4:6 New Life in Christ
Unity with Christ involves both dying to sinful behavior and rising to righteous conduct, facilitated by the heavenward focus of the mind. Death to sin includes abandoning such vices as Paul lists in 3:5-9; resurrection to righteousness includes pursuing such virtues as appear in verses 12-17. Between these lists, the apostle highlights one of his favorite themes: Christian unity, brought about by inner renewal that obliterates ethnic, ritual, cultural, and socio-economic barriers (3:11). ("Scythians" here designates a group of ancient, nomadic tribes considered the most barbarous of barbarians.) Paul's exhortations to mutual subjection and respect between members of a household (3:18-4:1) parallel his admonitions in Eph. 5:22-6:9. In 4:3-6, the apostle urges the Colossians to pray for his wisdom in preaching the gospel and for their own wisdom in witnessing by word and deed. Gracious speech, "seasoned with salt;' means speech unspoiled by the kinds of vices listed in 3:8.
4:718 Concluding Remarks and Greetings
Though a prisoner, Paul enjoys freedom to communicate through correspondence. Presumably, he sends his letter through his coworker Tychicus, apparent courier of Ephesians also (Eph. 6:21-22). His traveling companion, the homeward-bound slave Onesimus, features as the subject of Philemon.
Paul concludes by conveying greetings from the only Jewish Christians (coworkers "of the circumcision") currently with him. Evidently Epaphras also evangelized in nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis. Luke joined Paul during his second missionary journey. The "letter from Laodicea" (v. 16) may refer to Ephesians, probably a circular epistle intended for churches in the vicinity of Ephesus. Archippus appears to have inherited from Epaphras leadership of the Colossian church. By penning the closing greetings himself, Paul endorses the contents of the entire letter.