Studies in Colossians (1)

Introduction to Colossians

“Without doubt Colossae was the least important church to which any epistle of St Paul is addressed.”^[1] The city was in the twilight of its influence and was in the midst of its decline as Paul was penning this great epistle. The authorship of Paul has been well established and virtually unquestioned until the rise of critical scholars of the 19^th century.[2] Pauline author has the united testimony until the rise of critical scholarship. Their main arguments are threefold: (1) Vocabulary differences, saying there are a number of unpauline words used. (2) Different in style. (3) Doctrinal teaching is unpauline. Vocabulary differences are not uncommon for Paul. Marshall, Travis, and Paul in their work clearly show this by comparing four same size Epistles for unique words.[3] They chart what they found:

	Galatians	Philippians	Colossians	Ephesians
Total number of words	526	448	431	529
Number of words not used elsewhere by Paul	98	85	74	94
% of words not used elsewhere by Paul	18.6	18.9	17.	17.6

Two things are clear: [1] each epistle has unique words not used elsewhere; [2] The amount of unique words is about the same in each epistle. Thus, there is nothing distinctive about Colossians on this point. His style is alledged to be verbose, and the combination of words such as wisdom and understanding (1:9) and teach and admonished being joined together is unpauline. This is pure subjective nonsense. It holds that growth and versatility of writing style is not possible, plus it overlooks that Colossians has a number of stylistic features that is found in his other writings. The argument against doctrine that is unpauline again is weak. It charges that there are an absence of usual Pauline doctrinal terms (i.e., law, justification, etc). It also uses cosmic aspects of Christ’s work not found elsewhere. Barclay notes that, “the germ of all Paul’s thought about Christ in Colossians does, in fact, exist in one of his earlier letters. In I Corinthians 8:6 he writes of one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him. In that phrase is the essence of all that Paul says in Colossians.”[4]  However, there is no need for Paul always to use the same terms and the cosmic aspects are due to the nature of the heresy found at Colossae that is found nowhere else. In reality the critics have not produced a serious or reasonable argument against Paul as being the author. 

The City

At one time, Colossae was a great city.  It was located 100 miles to the east of Ephesus in the Lycus valley. It had a large Jewish population since Antiochus the Great exiled hundreds to Jews to the area. However, the population was by far more Gentile, either native Phrygians or Greek colonists. Thus, the city in Paul’s day was still a cosmopolitan city with different cultural and religious elements that were mingled together. But now Hierapolis was overtaking the city in influence in the area. Colossae was clearly on the downhill slide, losing population and influence. Although Paul had not been to this city (1:4; 2:1), and it is never mentioned in Acts, Paul wrote an important epistle to the saints in this location. What may not be influential in or to this world is important to God. God works as much in the churches of little influence as much as in the mega churches. Interestingly, the archaeologists spade has never touched this city even through its location has been known for a long time.

As to the local assembly, Epaphras seems to have begun the church (1:7; 4:12-13). He taught the Word to them (1:7) as well as probably Laodicea and Hierapolis. He may have been one of the first circuit riders, preaching in these cities on a circuit as a representative of Paul. Archippus also was one of the leaders of the church (4:17; Philemon 2). The Church may have met in the house of Philemon. There are three important observations that are made about this assembly.

·         The church was an indirect result of Paul;’s ministry. Although he had never been to the church, It is clear that Epaphras was a student of the Paul and went back to found the church (1:7; 3:12).

·         While there was a Jewish population, the Church seems to be composed largely of Gentiles (1:21, 27; 2:13). The vices listed in Colossians 3:5-7 are distinctively Gentile.

·         The church was facing both doctrinal problems and had serious practical problems.

The Problem

The purpose of this epistle is to combat false teaching and teachers. Bible students have struggled to identify this problem and there have been many debates as to just what this false teaching was in Colossae. There are some 44 opinions as to its identity of the apostasy by 19^th and 20^th century scholars.^[5] Was it Gentile or Jewish in origin?  What was the Colossians heresy? “By ‘the Colossian heresy’ is meant the ‘philosophy and empty deceit’ against which the Colossian Christians are put on their guard in Colossians 2:8.”^[6] The only information concerning this philosophy or teaching that we have is from the epistle. It has been noted “that such false teaching is entirely plausible within the development of late Second Temple Jewish thought in general and first-century Asia Minor in particular.”[7] Paul identifies the problem as that of “the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (2:8). Galatians 4:3, 9 indicate that this phrase applies to circumcision and the requirements of the Law. Thus, strong Jewish ritualism seems to be present (2:8, 11, 16; 3:11). In Colossians 2:16 we read of festivals, new moons, and Sabbath days. Clearly the reference is to Jewish Sabbath, although festivals and new moons were a part of non-Jewish tradition and worship. “Contrary to Orthodox Judaism, the false teachers were encouraging the veneration of angels who they believed controlled the operations of nature to some degree (2:18-19).”^[8]  While elements fall within Jewish thought; there are those that are outside the boundaries of Jewish thought and practices. It is likely that these Jewish elements were mixed with the philosophy of asceticism. This asceticism is found in two extremes. First, the deprivation of the human body. In other words, they deprived the flesh to become more spiritual. Second, extreme licentiousness. This is because the body was held in contempt, thus to be abused sexually and physically.

Thus, what we may have is a sect that mixes Judaism with Greek asceticism and mysticism. Bruce identifies it as “Merkabah Mysticism.”^[9] It is an early form of “Jewish Gnosticism,”^[10] which held to a super spiritual experience where one enters the Pleroma (fullness), which is the “sphere of divinity with it potencies, aeons, archons, and dominions.”^[11] It reduced Christ to that of a being or creature, rather than creator. It held that matter was evil. It held that the deeper spiritual knowledge was only for those with superior intellects. Salvation was based on knowledge of secrets that only the super intellectuals or super spiritual could understand. It holds that the matter is evil and thus gravitated to one of the two extremes—legalism or licentiousness.

Both extremes were an attack on the centrality of Jesus Christ that would rob them of their completeness in Christ. Paul in this letter, places emphasis on the preeminence and supremacy of Christ. A.T. Robertson notes that in this epistle, Paul “exalts Jesus Christ, while the Gnostics degraded him.”^[12] “Contrary to the attempts of the heretics to limit Christ’s person and work, Paul exalts them, contrary to their attempt to reduce Him to the position of one among many, Paul, in agreement with the entire apostolic community, crowns Him Lord of all” declares Johnson.^[13] Paul clearly presents the answer to the problem as Christ.

There is no question that the problem at Colossae had these characteristics:

·         False teaching about Jesus Christ. It was an insufficient Christology. This is evident by two elements in the epistle: First, the strong teaching about the supremacy and deity of Christ (Col. 1:15-22; 2:9). Second, warning to stay firmly grounded in Christ and to beware of deception concerning Christ (1:22-23; 2:8). Paul gives a straightforward defense against the devaluing of the person and work of Christ.

·         False teaching about the duty and practices of spiritual living. It was the false pagan philosophy, Jewish traditionalism, and syncretistic. The forms are: [1] legalism. Legalism is the conforming to a code of conduct based up law or codes for the earning of God’s acceptance. It warns against it (Col. 2:16). [2] Mysticism. Mysticism is part of many world religions and philosophies. Elements are direct spiritual experience or reality, bypassing objective truth in favor of experiential and therefore subjective truth. It makes man his own God. It is the root of the modern New Age movement. Keathley notes that, “The New Age movement promotes a belief in monism. Monism is the belief that all is one, that everything is interrelated, interdependent, and interpenetrating. It promotes the hideous idea that humanity, nature, and God are not separate from each other.”[14] It is progressive in nature gaining more and more inside knowledge of “secret truth” that only the more advanced may possess. Paul argues that the true wisdom is found in the mystery, which is Chris in you (Col, 1:27-28; 2:3, 9-10). [3] Asceticism. This teaches the body is evil. It preaches extreme denial and harsh treatment of the body. He addresses this in Col. 2:20-23. 

The Purpose of Colossians

Paul wrote Colossians for the following reasons:

·         First, to instruct and warn them of the danger imposed by the false teachers. Paul believed in preparedness and prevention. Paul’s purpose is “to provide the resources that the Colossian Christians need to fend off some kind of false teaching to which they are exposed.”[15] They are not to be taken captive by the false philosophy of these men (2:8). It was an alluring seduction (2:4).

·         Second, he is concerned for their spiritual development. He wants to express his personal interest in the believers (1:3, 4; 2:3).

·         Third, he centers upon legalistic rules and regulations as superficial (2:16, 20-21).

·         Fourth, he wanted to warn them against vices of the flesh (3:5ff).  His emphasis is that it is through Christ alone we have victory over these vices (2:11-13; 3:1-4:6).

·         Fifth, He wants to counteract the deceit and arrogance that threaten the person and work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Jesus Christ; His deity, supremacy and sufficiency (chps. 1-2). He stresses his aim in Col. 1:28: “…we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.” From there he goes on to accentuate the practice of the Christian life in light of the centrality of Christ (chps. 3-4). Wrong doctrine leads to wrong living and correct doctrine to correct living.

Colossians Today

Colossians is as relevant today as it was in the days of Paul. Wiersbe has an important word regarding the relevance of Colossians for our day:

The church today desperately needs the message of Colossians. We live in a day when religious toleration is interpreted to mean “one religion is just as good as another.” Some people try to take the best from various religious systems and manufacture their own private religion. To many people, Jesus Christ is only one of several great religious teachers, with no more authority than they. He may be prominent, but He is definitely not preeminent.

This is an age of “syncretism.” People are trying to harmonize and unite many different schools of thought and come up with a superior religion. Our evangelical churches are in danger of diluting the faith in their loving attempt to understand the beliefs of others. Mysticism, legalism, Eastern religions, asceticism, and man-made philosophies are secretly creeping into churches. They are not denying Christ, but they are dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful place of preeminence.[16]

A Sister Epistle

Colossians is a sister epistle to Ephesians. Of the 95 verses in Colossians, 78 have a mark resemblance to Ephesians. Many believe that Ephesians is really the epistle originally sent first to the Laodiceans (Col. 4:16). It is believed that it was a circular epistle and ended up in Ephesus. However, no real proof of this exists. Both Colossians and Ephesians have the same general theme: Christ and the Church. The church is always local in Colossians, but it is universal in Ephesians. In Ephesians the theme is “the Church in Christ.” In Colossians it is “Christ in the Church.” They complement and supplement each other. Gromacki gives these related contrasts:^[17]                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Colossians

• Completeness in Christ
• Mystery of Christ in the body of the believer
• Emphasis on Christ as the Head of the Body of Christ.

Ephesians

• Oneness in Christ
• Mystery of Jews and Gentiles as one in the Body of Christ.
• Emphasis on the Church as the Body of Christ.

There is also similarity in the wording of the two epistles. In both we find exact words and/or short phrases (cf. Eph. 1:1c and Col. 1:2a; Eph. 1:4 and Col. 1:22; Eph. 1:7 and Col. 1:14; Eph. 1:10 and Col. 1:20; Eph. 1:15 and Col. 1:3-4, and others). Exact phrases or sentences are found (Cf. Eph. 1:1a and Col. 1:1a; Eph. 1:1b and Col. 1:2a; Eph. 1:2a and Col. 1:2b; Eph. 1:13 and Col. 1:5; Eph. 2:1 and Col. 2:13; Eph. 2:5b and Col. 2:13c, Eph 4:1b and Col 1:10a; and Eph. 6:21-22 and Col. 4:7-9). In fact, in the closing verses are identical in the Greek, with 29 consecutive words; Colossians adds the words “and fellow bond slave.”  Likewise, the theological concepts are alike:

• Eph. 1:3 and Col. 1:3                          a prayer of thanksgiving
• Eph. 2:1 and Col. 1:21                        alienation
• Eph. 2:15 and Col. 2:14                      the Law’s antagonism
• Eph. 4:1 and Col. 1:10                        walk worthy
• Eph. 4:15 and Col. 2:19                      growing to maturity
• Eph. 4:19 and Col. 3:5                        sexual impurity
• Eph. 4:22, 31 and Col. 3:8                  be kind to one another
• Eph. 4:32 and Col. 3:12-13                 lay aside sin
• Eph. 5:4 and Col. 3:8                          our speech
• Eph. 5:18 and Col. 3:16                      filling of the spirit
• Eph. 5:22 and Col. 3:18                      wives subject to husbands
• Eph. 5:25 and Col. 3:19                      husbands love your wife
• Eph. 6:1 and Col. 3:20                        obedience of children 
• Eph. 6:4 and Col. 3:21                        fathers provoke not your children
• Eph. 6:5 and Col. 3:22                        slaves obey masters
• Eph. 6:9 and Col. 4:1                          Master-slave relationship
• Eph. 6:18 and Col. 4:2-4                     Paul’s request for prayer.

These are truly sister epistles. Both epistles delivered by Tychicus to churches in the same area.

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^[1]  J.B. Lightfoot, ST. PAUL’S EPISTLES TO THE COLOSSIANS AND TO PHILEMON, [London, MacMilllian, 1890], 16.

[2]  For an analysis and defense of the authorship is provided concisely in Pao, W. David, ZECNT COLOSSIANS & PHILEMON, [Grand Rapid, Zondervan, 2012], 20-23  

[3] I. Howard Marshall, Stephen Travis & Ian Paul, EXPLORING THE NEW TESTAMENT, Volume 2, [Downers Grove IL, Inter-Varsity Press, 2002], 160.

[4]  William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians (Philadelphia, The Westminster Press, 2nd ed., 1959), 122.

^[5]  H. Wayne House, “Doctrinal Issues in Colossians: Part 1: Heresies in the Colossians Church,” BIBLIOTHECA SACRA, [Dallas TX] January 1992, 46. This publication will be footnoted as BIB-SAC from this point on.

^[6]  F.F. Bruce, “The Colossian Heresy,” BIB-SAC., July 1984, 195.

[7]  Poa, ZECNT: COLOSSIANS & PHILEMON, 21.

^[8]  Thomas Constable, NOTES ON COLOSSIANS, [www.soniclight.com, 2004], 2.

^[9]  Bruce, “Heresy,” 202.

^[10]  Ibid. 203.

^[11]  Ibid. 203.

^[12]  A.T. Robertson, PAUL AND THE INTELLECTUALS, [Nashville, Broadman, 1959], 21.

^[13]  S. Lewis Johnson, “Studies in Colossians: Part 1,” BIB-SAC, July 1961, 245-246.

[14]  J. Hampton Keathley III, PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS: AN EXEGECTICAL AND DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY, [Scripture Press, www.bible.com] 1.

[15]  Douglas J. Moo, PNTC: THE LETTERS TO THE COLOSSIANS AND TO PHILEMON, [Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2008], 47.

[16]  Warren W. Wiersbe, BE COMPLETE, (Victor Books, Wheaton, Ill., 1981), 18.

^[17]  Gromacki, STAND PERFECT, 16.