Keith West
Mark Wattenbarger
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 50:35 — 15.9MB)
The letter to the congregation at Colossae was written during Paul’s first prison term in Rome around 61 A.D. Paul was not directly acquainted with the believers at Colossae, but had received information regarding their false teachings which prompted this letter. Compare the instructions to the Colossians to those for the Ephesians, especially regarding the role of husbands, wives and children. Paul emphasized Christ as Lord of creation and Head of the Church. Actions that detract from the uniqueness and centrality of Christ are against the faith.
I wish to examine the third and fourth chapters of Colossians by backing up to the second chapter. It is apparent that the saints in Colossae suffered from a confused attempt to follow a fusion of Greek philosophy (Col. 2:1-10), Jewish legalism (Col. 2:11-17), Oriental mysticism (Col. 2:18-19) and asceticism (Col. 2:20-23). Paul counters these distractions from the true Faith by reminding the Chosen of Christ’s cosmic and central significance as Lord of creation and Head of the Church (Col. 1:15-23). Rather than seeking to accommodate earlier teachings with the knowledge of faith derived from God’s grace, those in Colossae (and by extension the faithful today) should aspire to emulate the New Man (Rom. 6:8). Through experience (i.e. works), we should become in this world what grace will make manifest in the next. This is our calling, our duty and our privilege (James 2:17 and Ephesians 2:10).
Through the Scriptures, various writers instruct the faithful regarding this timely salvation (derived from eternal salvation through God’s grace). Paul organizes the characteristics of the calling of the risen with Christ into five groups: everyday life, home life, servant-master relations, prayer, and personal testimony.
The letter ends with personal remarks by Paul to the congregation. Rather than dismiss these comments as irrelevant to all except those at Colossae, substitute the names recorded with the names of family and friends. In this way, we can receive a sense of the humanity of the early Church. They loved and laughed, prayed for wisdom and received correction through instruction as necessary. We are connected to Colossae despite an almost 2000 year gap in that we all seek those things which are above.
Grace be with you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Published: 2010-10-31 by KW
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