As part of the New Testament Survey Course, Session 21 provides an overview of the letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in the city of Colossae. This is one of the prison letters of Paul, written from his imprisonment in Rome. (Course taught at Harare Theological College - 2016)

2. OVERVIEW
• Part of Paul’s Prison Letters

3. Letter To Problem Theme
Ephesians Church None
Church
Nature + Purpose
Colossians Church
Extra
for Salvation
Christ
Supreme + All-Sufficient
Philemon Individual
Division
ex-slave+Master
Reconciliation
to Slave as Brother
Philippians Church None Unity + Joy
Overview: Paul’s Prison Letters

4. Overview : From Paul in Rome

5. Overview : Questions
 Who was the writer & recipient ?
 Is this letter mainly responding to problems or personal ?
 What was the challenge believers were facing in Colossae ?
 What is the style / approach of this letter ?
 What is the purpose ? Why did Paul write this letter ?
 What is the overall theme of this letter ?
 How does the direction of this letter change from 1st to 2nd half ?
 In what way is Christ supreme ?
 What is this legalism, asceticism & mysticism ?
 What is our position in Christ ?
 What difference should it make to our way of living ?

6. OUTLINE
• From / To
• Situation
• Approach / Style
• Purpose
• Theme

7. Outline
From :
 Paul in prison - Rome
To :
 Church in city of Colossae
Date :
 A.D. 61 (28 years after Christ’s death)
Problem :
 False Teaching – Christ is not sufficient for salvation

8. City of Colossae
 In Asia Minor
 Near larger Cities of Ephesus & Laodicea
 Small unimpressive Town

9. Church of Colossae
 Mostly Gentiles
 Founded by Epaphras (1:7)
 Paul did not start church : His fellow Missionary did
 Paul’s mission strategy = evangelise & start churches in main cities
& send out his fellow missionaries to smaller towns in the region
 Paul had not met them – but still prayed much for them (1:3,9)

10. Problem
Infected by False Teaching :
 Requiring: self-Denial (asceticism) + extra rules to be saved (Jewish
legalism) + worshiping angels (Mysticism) (2:8-23).
 Dangerous mixture of Local Jewish & pagan folk religion
Danger of False Teaching :
 Take people captive through HOLLOW and DECEPTIVE philosophies
(2:8). Depend on HUMAN traditions (rituals and works).
 Under-cut Truth + Freedom of the Gospel with Deceit & Chains

11. Approach of Letter
 Focus : on this Local Church
 CORRECTIVE Letter - to correct problems of the city church
 Very Persuasive (like a lawyer arguing his case)
 (Similar to Galatians in approach)

12. Colossians = Corrective Letter

13. Colossians Ephesians
Christ in relation to the
COSMOS
Christ in relation to the
Church
Emphasis - Christ as the
HEAD of the Church
Emphasis - the Church as
the BODY of Christ
Tone: More Personal; Local Tone: Less Personal; Lofty
Combats Error DIRECTLY Combats Error INDIRECTLY
Comparing Colossians & Ephesians

14. Purpose
 To correct false teaching
• To assist believers being lied to by false teachers who
were telling them they need MORE than just Christ.
• To enable believers to know the supremacy of Christ &
their position in Christ so as not to be pulled in by these
extra myths & rules & rituals & worship of angels

15. Theme :

16. Theme =
Supremacy + Sufficiency of Christ
 THEREFORE – Salvation is Complete
 BECAUSE – Christ being God is full able to deliver / save from death
 AS A RESULT – No extra laws to be saved

17. STRUCTURE
• Structure of every Letter
• 1st half 2nd half
• Structure of this letter

18. Structure of every Letter
 At that time = standard Greek structure of writing Letter
 Paul used = similar structure for most letters
1. From + To
2. Thanksgiving + Prayer
3. Foundation of Christ
4. Living Application of being in Christ
5. Final greetings from Paul and fellow missionaries
6. Closing = grace + peace

19. Direction: 1st half 2ndhalf
• Paul’s Teaching = from Doctrine to Application
• From: What Christ did for us to living this out
• From Supremacy of Christ to Freedom in Christ
to Submission to Christ

20. Structure
Focus The Supremacy of Christ
1:1-2:23
Submission to Christ
3:1-4:18
Divisions
Introduction
1:1-1:14
PreeminenceofChrist
1:15-2:3
FreedominChrist
2:4-2:23
PositionoftheBeliever
3:1-3:4
PracticeoftheBeliever
3:5-4:6
Conclusion
4:7-4:18
Topics Doctrine Application
What Christ Did for Us What Christ Does Through Us
Place Rome
Time c. A.D. 60-61

21. SECTIONS
• Chapters
• Central Messages

22. Sections
Supremacy of Christ
1. (Ch. 1:1-4) = Greeting + Thanksgiving
2. (Ch. 1:5-2:3) = Supremacy of Christ
3. (Ch. 2:4-2:23) = Freedom in Christ
Submission to Christ
4. (Ch. 3:1-4) = Position of the Believer
5. (Ch. 3:5-4:6) = Practice of the Believer
6. (Ch. 4:7-18) = Final Greetings

23. 2. Supremacy of Christ (Ch. 1:5-2:3)
 Christ’s supremacy over all things
 Christ is :
 “image of God” (15).
 “firstborn over creation” (15).
 “creator of all things”(16).
 “sustainer of all things” (17).
 “head of the church” (18).

24. Key Verses : Supremacy of Christ
Colossians 1:15-16 ESV
 “He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation. For by him all things
were created, in heaven and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities - all things were
created through him and for him.”

25. 3. Freedom Christ (Ch. 2:4-2:23)
Fully Saved in Christ without :
 Extra Rules / Laws to be Saved (Legalism)
 Extra Self-Denial from certain foods (Asceticism)
 Extra Worship / Beliefs in Angels or Visions (Mysticism)
As a Result of Salvation :
 Live for Christ
 Submit / Obey Christ (John 15)
 Not to be saved - but because already saved: now living for Him

26. Key Verses : Freedom in Christ
Colossians 2:8-9 ESV
 “See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the
world, and not according to Christ. For in him the
whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”

27. 4. Position of the Believer (Ch. 3:1-4)
 Have taken off old self when saved (3:9)
 Old Self died (2:20, 3:3)
 New life in Christ (3:1)
 Have put on new self when saved (3:9)
 Called to daily live out what we are now positionaly in Christ

28. Key Verses : Position in Christ
Colossians 3:2-4 ESV
 Set your minds on things that are above, not on
things that are on earth. For you have died, and
your life is hidden with Christ in God. When
Christ who is your life appears, then you also will
appear with him in glory.

29. 5. Practice of the Believer (Ch. 3:5-4:6)
Live out new position in Christ :
 Get Changed : Take off dirty clothes (evil attitudes+actions) (3:5-11)
: Put on clean clothes (Godly attitudes+actions) (3:12-14)
Put to death
 sexual immorality, impurity, evil passion, evil desire, covetness, anger,
malice, slander, obscene talk, lying
Put on
 compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forgiveness,
love, peace (fruits of the Spirit)
 ( very similar to Ephesians 4:21 – 5:21)
 (+ Work vigorously in all things - as for the Lord not for people (3:23))

30. Key Verses : Live for Christ
Colossians 3:15-17 ESV
 let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to
which indeed you were called in one body.
 And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly, teaching and admonishing one
another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your
hearts to God.
 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him.

31. 1. Benware. 1990. Survey of the New Testament.
2. Berding & Williams. 2008. What the New Testament Authors Really
Cared About
3. Tenney. 1985. New Testament Survey.
4. Zondervan. 1995. NIV Study Bible.
5. Crossway. 2008. ESV Study Bible.
Recommended Books : References

32. Overview : Questions
 Who was the writer & recipient ?
 Is this letter mainly responding to problems or personal ?
 What was the challenge believers were facing in Colossae ?
 What is the style / approach of this letter ?
 What is the purpose ? Why did Paul write this letter ?
 What is the overall theme of this letter ?
 How does the direction of this letter change from 1st to 2nd half ?
 In what way is Christ supreme ?
 What is this legalism, asceticism & mysticism ?
 What is our position in Christ ?
 What difference should it make to our way of living ?