Major themes in the letter to the Colossians
The Apostle Paul writes to the converted Gentiles in Colossae, emphasizing at the very beginning of the letter the value of living according to the knowledge of the truth. The Colossians had been convinced by Jewish agitators to adhere to the law of Moses, including fasting, sabbaths, rules concerning food, and holidays. They were misled by non-biblical philosophy, practiced asceticism, and worshiped angels. Paul writes to remind the Colossians of their faith experiences, namely that through baptism into death they became members of Christ, and their current task is to transform their characters by focusing on spiritual matters:
- Colossians 1 - the Word of the truth of the gospel bearing fruit among the Colossians (5,6); prayer for the Colossians that they might be fruitful in every work and increasing in the knowledge of God (9-12); believers delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of Jesus Christ (13);redemption through Jesus' blood (14); Jesus God's firstborn of all creation, all things created by him and for him (15-17); Jesus firstborn from the dead and head of the Church (18-20); Colossians were once alienated in their minds by wicked works, but are now reconciled in the body (21-23); Church is the body of Christ (24); Christ in you, the hope of glory as the mystery hidden from ages (26,27);
- Colossians 2 - all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (1-3); as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him (6); beware lest anyone rob you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men (8); in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (9); the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh (11); buried and raised in baptism (12); believers made alive by forgiveness of sins (13); the Law nailed to the cross (14); authorities made a show of publicly (15); the body is a shadow of Christ as the law foreshadowed the things to come (16-23);
- Colossians 3 - believers died and raised with Christ so they should seek the things above (1-4); members of the body are to be put to death (5-8); put off the old man and put on the new man (9-11); put on tender feelings and love as the bond of perfectness (12-14); believers called in one body (15); let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing (16); everything, whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him (17); wives need to subject themselves to husbands, husbands should love their wives, children should be obedient (18-20); whatever you do, do it heartily (23);
- Colossians 4 - I am bound to speak the mystery of Christ that I may make it clear (3,4); let your speech be always with grace, having been seasoned with salt (6); that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (12); final greetings (7-18).
Colossians 1
Col. 1:15-17
"...who is the image of the invisible God, the First-born of all creation. (16) For all things were created in Him, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist" (MKJV)
Commentary: the apostle Paul teaches of our Lord Jesus that the image of God dwells in him (bodily and spiritually). He was created first of all creation and all things were created by him and for him as God's heir.
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Colossians 3
Col. 3:1-4
"So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (3) For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
Commentary: in Colossians 3:1-4, the apostle Paul describes three stages of Christian development. In the first, believers in Christ experience the death of the body of character ('for you have died') through repentance, which leads to the rejection of those traits we identify in ourselves as leading to sin. At the same time, we experience resurrection, as the process of forming the Body of Christ within us begins (character developed in the image of the Lord). Completing this stage of spiritual development opens the way to the next stage, which for followers of Christ is a deepened growth in the knowledge of truth ('thinking about things above'). Achieving the appropriate level of spiritual maturity will, in turn, serve the faithful Church as the basis for hope in the realization of the third stage through resurrection to a spiritual nature ('then you will also appear in glory').
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