Table of Contents
Colossians
Colossae was a small town in the Lycus valley of Asia Minor, a few miles from Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul had never been there; the church was planted by Epaphras, one of his converts, probably during Paul’s long stay at Ephesus (Acts 19:10). Now Epaphras has come to Rome with news: the Colossians are standing firm, but a smooth new teaching is circulating among them — a blend of philosophy, angel worship, and rules about food and holy days that promised a fuller spiritual life than Christ alone. Paul, a prisoner, answers by lifting Christ as high as language can go: the image of the invisible God, the Creator by whom all things were made, the One in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Believers need nothing added to Him, because they are complete in Him.
This series reads Colossians chapter by chapter, immediately following this site’s studies of Ephesians and Philippians, which were written from the same Roman imprisonment — the seventh epistle on the site. Where Ephesians celebrated the church as Christ’s body and Philippians the joy of knowing Him, Colossians centers on the Head Himself: the preeminent Christ, the shadows that pointed to Him, and the new life of those whose life is hid with Christ in God.
List Of Articles
The Image Of The Invisible God
a church offered something more than christ is shown how great he already is — the image of the invisible god, the creator of every throne and power, the one in whom all things hold together, the firstborn from the dead who made peace through the blood of his cross, and christ in you, the hope of glory
Colossians 1Ye Are Complete In Him
all the fulness of the godhead dwells in christ bodily, so nothing needs adding — not philosophy, angel worship or human rules; the handwriting of ordinances nailed to the cross, the feast-day shadows met their substance, and the weekly sabbath he made was never among them
Colossians 2Your Life Is Hid With Christ In God
risen with christ, believers seek things above and wait for him to appear — the old man put off like soiled clothing, compassion, forgiveness and charity put on, his peace ruling the heart, his word sung in the church, and his lordship reaching every home and workplace
Colossians 3Let Your Speech Be Alway With Grace
prayer that keeps on, words seasoned with salt — then a roll call of names: onesimus the runaway slave coming home as a brother, mark restored after failing, luke the beloved physician, demas who would later leave, and epaphras wrestling in prayer for the church he planted
Colossians 4