Letter to the Colossians

Colossians is a New Testament letter traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul. It is one of four “prison letters,” which Paul wrote while he was in prison. The other three are Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon. Paul said that he was in prison when he wrote Colossians (Colossians 4:3, 10; compare Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Philippians 1:12–14; Philemon 1:9–10).

Paul sent three of these letters to churches in Asia Minor. He connected each letter with his coworker Tychicus (Colossians 4:7–9; Ephesians 6:21–22). This may indicate that Paul wrote the letters at about the same time and that Tychicus delivered them.

Who Wrote the Letter to the Colossians?

When and Where Was the Letter to the Colossians Written? Who Was It Written For?

What Was the Background of the Letter to the Colossians?

Why Was Colossians Written? What Does It Teach Us?

What Is the Content of the Letter to the Colossians?

Although the tradition that Paul wrote Colossians is well-established, many scholars today question its authorship. Their doubts focus on two main areas: theology and style.

First, some scholars question whether Paul wrote Colossians because of its theology. The letter develops several major theological themes in ways that differ from Paul’s undisputed letters.

Colossians develops its teaching about Christ from a hymn in 1:15–20. The hymn calls Christ “the firstborn over all creation.” It teaches that all things came into existence through him and continue to exist through him. It also says that the fullness of God lives in him. The hymn presents Christ’s death not only as victory over sin, the law, and death, but also as victory over spiritual rulers and powers.

To some scholars, this hymn suggests that the Christology in Colossians is more "exalted" than in Paul's undisputed letters. However, Paul often regarded Christ as highly exalted. He said that Christ created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6). He also taught that Christ is Lord over the whole created order by quoting another hymn (Philippians 2:6–11). The situation in Colossae also required strong statements about Christ. False teaching had entered the church, so Paul needed to explain clearly who Christ is.

Colossians seems to teach about "the last things" and baptism differently than Paul's undisputed letters. In Corinthians, Paul based his teachings on the Jewish idea of "two ages." Judaism taught that "this age" is under evil powers, but in "the age to come," God will free the world.

Paul uniquely taught that the age to come began with Christ's arrival, though the fullness of it is yet to come. He saw the time between Christ's first and second comings as a period of conflict. Christ "must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25). Through his mission, Christ is freeing the present age from evil powers, but the conflict will continue until his second coming. Therefore, Christians live in hope of his future appearance. Colossians does not emphasize this future hope as much (though see 3:1–4); instead, it focuses on a hope already present in heaven (1:5).

The teaching about baptism in Colossians reflects its emphasis on hope that believers already experience in the present. In Romans, Paul taught that baptized Christians live by faith in the risen Lord and hope for their future resurrection (Romans 6:1–11).

In Colossians, however, he said that baptized believers have not only died with Christ but have already been raised with him (Colossians 2:12–13; 3:1). Their future hope is not described as resurrection. Instead, they wait for the life that is now hidden with Christ in God to be revealed (3:2–3).

Romans also says that Christians have died to sin through baptism, so they no longer need to serve sin. Colossians says that, in Christ, Christians died to "the spiritual forces of the world" (2:20). This phrase can be translated literally as the "basic elements of the universe."

Many scholars understand this phrase to mean the basic religious teachings of the world. However, there is also strong reason to understand it as "the spiritual forces of the world" as the Berean Standard Bible translates it. In either case, the emphasis in Colossians differs from the emphasis in Romans, even if the meaning is not completely different.

Many people think Paul did not write the Letter to the Colossians. They believe a follower of Paul wrote it later. However, the differences are in perspective or emphasis, not contradictions.

The second reason to question Paul's authorship of Colossians is related to vocabulary and style. The short letter uses 34 words not found elsewhere in the New Testament. Also, common terms Paul used are missing where you might expect them.

The style of the letter, while similar to Ephesians, is different from Paul's other letters. In those, he usually develops his thoughts in an argumentative style common to Jewish scribes and teachers. Colossians has features found in hymns, liturgies, and early Jewish and Christian teachings. However, these differences in theology and style do not prove someone else wrote Colossians.

The date of Colossians depends on where Paul was imprisoned when he wrote it. Traditionally, scholars believe that all four "prison letters" came from Rome. If this is true, Paul would have written them between AD 60 and 62.

The book of Acts mentions three places where Paul was imprisoned:

Philippi,

Caesarea, and

Rome.

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians before the last two imprisonments. In that letter, Paul said he had already been in prison many times (2 Corinthians 11:23). Ephesus is a likely place for one of those imprisonments (see Acts 19–20; 1 Corinthians 15:32; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10).

As a result, more scholars now suggest that Paul wrote the prison letters there. If true, Paul wrote Colossians between AD 52 and 55. However, most agree that all the "prison letters" were written in Rome. They date Colossians to to AD 60–62.

Identifying the teaching that endangered the church at Colossae is challenging. The issue is not a lack of data but rather an abundance of it. Historical research has revealed much about the religious beliefs and practices in the first-century Roman world. Asia Minor was especially rich in religious diversity. Many people belonged to multiple religious sects and often chose ideas and practices from several religions. Christians were also influenced by these tendencies.

Paul did not clearly define the false teaching in Colossae. Instead, he responded to several issues without fully explaining them. We can try to identify the false teaching by studying Paul’s answers. We must use his responses to work out the main beliefs of the teachers he opposed.

Some scholars believe this false teaching came from a sharp division between the body and the spirit. This view later became common in Greek and Eastern Gnosticism, a religious movement that claimed to offer special knowledge. Later Gnostics taught that the physical world is evil and that only what is free from physical matter is good.

Other scholars point to Paul’s warnings about food rules, religious festivals, Sabbaths, and physical circumcision. They believe the false teaching developed from Jewish beliefs.

Because people often combined ideas from different religions and philosophies, both views may contain some truth.

Paul described the false teaching as a "philosophy" based on human tradition (2:8). His prayer for the believers in Colossae, along with several other comments, suggests that he was opposing the idea that this philosophy gave certain people special knowledge, perhaps through magic (1:9–11; 1:26–28; 2:2–3).

This philosophy was based on what Paul called "the spiritual forces of the world" (literally, "the basic elements of the universe"). This phrase can be understood in two main ways.

First, the word translated "basic elements" can mean objects arranged in a row or series, such as the letters of the alphabet. Hebrews 5:12 uses the term in this way when it speaks about the "basic principles" of God’s word.

Second, Greek writers used the phrase for the four physical substances they believed formed the world:

earth,

water,

fire, and

air.

A Greek text from the first century BC describes the followers of the philosopher Pythagoras. It uses several of the same words that Paul used when he wrote about the false teaching in Colossae.

In this text, a messenger of the highest gods carries the soul through all the elements of the world. The journey begins with the lower elements of earth and water and moves toward the highest element. A pure soul remains in the highest element. An impure soul returns to the lower elements.

People were believed to gain purity through self-denial and certain religious practices. The upper air contained the sun, moon, and stars. People regarded them as gods who controlled human lives. They also believed that spiritual powers filled the air around the earth and deserved honor.

In this way, the elements of the world became connected with gods and spiritual powers. These powers were believed to hold people captive and control their future. People also believed that magical knowledge and religious ceremonies could help them escape this control. They might even use these practices to make the spiritual powers serve their own purposes.

In summary, the phrase "the spiritual forces of the world" can mean basic religious teachings or the spirit powers of the universe. The statements in Colossians suggest the latter meaning.

Through his cross, Christ triumphed over the rulers and authorities and publicly exposed them (2:15). They do not control the world order, Christ does (1:16–20). The "fullness" of God lives in Christ, not in a distant god (1:19; 2:9). The spirit powers are under Christ's authority (2:10) and exist because of him (1:16). The "worshiping of angels" was a practice that likely included giving special honor to "spiritual forces." Paul was deeply concerned, and wanted to be clear that this practice was wrong and could have serious consequences (2:18).

A central belief of the false teaching in Colossae seems to have been that God was distant and could not be reached directly. Two details support this view.

The strong interest in angels and spiritual powers suggests that people believed they could approach God only through a long series of spiritual beings. They may have viewed Christ as one of these beings, perhaps as the highest among them..

This teaching seems to have separated the supreme God from the created world. It treated the physical world as evil. Therefore, people believed they had to escape its influence before they could approach God.

How could people bypass or influence the angelic powers that blocked them from reaching the high God? How could they free themselves from the control of physical matter? The false teaching in Colossae offered magical wisdom and insight as the solution.

By worshiping angels and following special days and rituals (2:16–18), seekers could appease the intermediaries and connect with the divine "fullness." Through self-abasement, self-denial, and achieving visions (2:18, 21–23), they could escape the material world's influence. Self-denial, such as abstaining from food and possibly sexual relations ("do not touch" in 2:21), was likely practiced during special times to attain "vision" of God. Otherwise, the philosophy seemed to allow freedom for indulgent behaviors (3:5–11).

A warning in Colossians 2:8 highlights the main purpose of the Letter to the Colossians. The recipients of the letter are warned not to follow anyone who "takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ." A false teaching was spreading and threatening the congregation's well-being, so Paul wrote Colossians to oppose it.

Paul addressed the false teaching by comparing it with the correct teachings the Colossians had received from traditions. These traditions were most likely delivered by Epaphras (1:7; 4:12–13).

Through Christ, God had made them his unique people, his church (1:12–14). The false teachers threatened to remove the Colossians from this special position by convincing them not to stay loyal to Christ, the head of the church (2:18–19). Therefore, the traditions Paul mentioned mainly focus on Christ or the church. The teachings about Christ relate to the impressive hymn about him (1:15–20; mentioned again in 2:9–10), while those about the church are mainly linked to baptism.

In 1:15–20, Christ is honored as the Creator and Redeemer of everything. The "all" refers to the entire universe. It includes the earth, the heavens, the visible and invisible, the church, and universal powers. Everything, including heavenly powers, exists, is sustained, and has a purpose because of Christ. He is not just another heavenly mediator. He is all-important, with all of God's fullness in him (1:19; 2:9), and through him, people find fulfillment (2:10).

Paul focused on the importance of Christ’s death. In the hymn of Colossians 1, he described Christ's reconciling work with the phrase “making peace through the blood of his cross” (1:20). He compared the readers' past and present experiences. They were once alienated from God in both attitude and behavior. Now, they are reconciled “by Christ’s physical body through death” (1:21–22). As a result of this reconciliation, God transforms human character.

The death of Christ restores relationships between people and God. It also frees them from the hostile intentions of the "powers and authorities." These powers seem to be demonic agents who accuse humans based on "decrees that stood against us" tied to laws. Paul told the Colossians that God removed the basis for these accusations by nailing it to the cross (2:14). On the cross, God publicly exposed and triumphed over the accusers (verse 15). Christ's death was not a tragedy but a life-changing victory over sin and evil powers.

The church is the "body" of Christ (1:18, 24), with Christ as the head and source of life (2:19). It is a community that God has prepared to share in the heavenly inheritance with the saints. He has rescued it from the powers of evil and allowed it to share in the power of the future age, "the kingdom of His beloved Son" (1:13). Therefore, the church should not fear "powers" and "authorities" but share in Christ's victory over these hostile powers.

When writing to the Colossians, Paul used a typical letter format. It included:

a greeting,

a thanksgiving,

a prayer,

the main message, and

closing remarks.

The greeting (1:1–2) sends regards to the church from Paul and Timothy. Next, he expresses thanks for the community's good state (1:3–8) and prays that the Colossians gain knowledge of God's will, leading to good behavior (1:9–11).

The first part of the letter's body calls the Colossians to praise and then quotes and applies a great hymn about Christ (1:12–23). It starts with a thanksgiving to the Father for choosing them as his unique people (1:12–14). A hymn follows, celebrating Christ as the Creator and Redeemer of everything (1:15–20). The Colossians share in the results of Christ’s reconciling work (1:21–23).

The second part of the letter's body describes Paul's work as an apostle (1:24–2:5). His job was to reveal God's mystery about Christ to the Gentiles (1:24–29) and specifically to the churches of Colossae and Laodicea (2:1–5).

The third part of the letter's body highlights Paul's main concern for the Colossian congregation. They should follow the teachings about Christ that they had first accepted and avoid false teachings (2:6–23). They should live according to these teachings (verses 6–7) and be cautious of false philosophies (verse 8).

The hymn from 1:15–20 is mentioned again, emphasizing Christ's divine authority (2:9–10) and his triumph over spiritual forces (verses 11–15). Because of Christ's power, the Colossians are urged not to follow the rules and beliefs of false teachings (verses 16–23).

The fourth part of the letter urges the church to live as Christians should (3:1–4:6). Those who have risen with Christ should focus on heavenly things (3:1–4). They should abandon the negative items of the vice list (verses 5–11) and adopt the positive items of the virtue list (verses 12–14).

In worship, they should act in a unified and orderly manner (3:15–4:1). The "household code" about marriage, children, and slavery (3:18–4:1) appears in a section about worship (3:15–17; 4:2–6). The code's most urgent advice is for wives and slaves, who especially seek the equality promised in the gospel (Galatians 3:28; see Colossians 3:11). Paul likely used the code to promote order during public worship.

Paul ended his letter by saying that Tychicus and the newly converted slave, Onesimus, would update the church about his situation (4:7–9). He then included several greetings (verses 10–18).

See also Acts of the Apostles, Book of the; Apostle, Apostleship; Colossae, Colosse; Paul, The Apostle.