Colossians 1:1-20 notes

colosse

city in modern turkey

situated along a trade route in lycus valley

destroyed by an earthquake in 1st century ad

Primary gentiles - but possibly 50,000 jews

Pauls writes to them 60-62ad when in prison

1:7 Epaphras - thought to be the founder/pastor of this church

2:1 infers Paul had never been to the church of Colosse

many times Pauls planted churches, but not this one

This letter addresses some unknown heresy

Epaphras has gone to visit Paul

Humanism 2:8 - man is the center of this universe, not God. Legalism 2:11-17 - Jewish thinking to follow rules and rituals to get in God’s good favor

Mysticism 2:18-19 - emphasis on the supernatural and spiritual things. They were worshipping angels.

Asceticism 2:20-23 - depriving yourself of anything that is pleasureable because nothing fun can be from God

Possibly Gnosticism

There were so many religions then that people often picked and mixed parts of the religions they wanted

Paul pointed more to the solution than to the problem

Paul’s answer to everything is the Supremacy of Christ

Chapters 1 and 2 are doctrinal

Supremacy of Christ

Chapters 3 and 4 are practical

Submission to Christ

Paul Prays:

1:9 - knowledge of God’s will

1:10 - live a life worthy of the Lord