Some Notes on Colossians
Today I'm sharing some notes about Paul's letter to the Colossian church. You can read a little bit about the Colossian church and how they first came to hear the gospel of Jesus in Colossians 1:7-12. Colossae was a city in what today is Turkey. In writing to this church, the Apostle Paul along with his ministry team, had a great many instructions, and encouragements. Below are some of my notes in studying Colossians for a Bible Overview class I'm honored to teach.
What are some of the central points of Paul & Timothy’s letter to the Colossians?
Questions:
What did you used to be? (1:12–13, 21, 27; 2:13; 3:5–7)
What God in Christ has made you to be? (2:9-14)
Because of what God has made us to be, what should you leave behind? (3:5-11)
Because of what God has made us to be, what should you do? (3:12-17)
What Specific instructions are given for different people in Christ? (3:18-4:6)
What Specific instructions are given for individuals? (4:7-18)
If you want to study and come up with your own answers to the above questions, DO NOT SCROLL DOWN. I share my notes and comments on these questions down below.
Observations:
1. What did you used to be? (1:12–13, 21, 27; 2:13; 3:5–7)
1:12-13 - We were once “unqualified” since we have now been qualified, we were in need of rescue. We were outside the kingdom of his son.
1:21 - We were once alienated from God, enemies in our minds, due to our evil behavior.
1:27 - We at one point did not know (something), But God’s generous grace has made known a mystery (Christ)
2:13 - We were dead in our sins in the uncircumcision of our flesh, we were (past tense) dead.
3:5-7 - We used to walk in these ways, our life was once lived with these things.
2. What God in Christ has made you to be? (2:9-14)
2:10 - fullness or completeness
2:11 - We’ve been circumcised that isn’t fleshly
2:11 - something old has been put off
2:12 - We've been buried, we’re dead to something now
2:12 - We’re alive to something now as we have been raised with him!
2:13 - God made us alive when we were dead. This was not an act that we did.
2:13 - God forgave us all our sins!
2:14 - God canceled our legal debt before him. Our debt is nailed to the cross “It’s nailed to the cross and we bear it no more praise the Lord oh my soul it is well!”
3. Because of what God has made us to be, what should you leave behind? (3:5-11)
3:5 - Put to death the old things that are dead to us.
3:5 - Put to death these things: sexual immortality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed (these things are idolatry)
3:8 - Get rid of these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language from your lips
3:9 - Do not lie to each other
3:9 - The old lies and idolatry are dead and gone so don’t go back!
3:10 - We are now being “renewed”, made new, made different
3:11 - No longer do the distinctions and differences of the old life matter
4. Because of what God has made us to be, what should you do? (3:12-17)
3:12 - We are now Chosen people, Holy, dearly loved,
3:12 - We should “clothe” ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
3:13 - We should bear with each other and forgive one another
3:13 - Our forgiveness should be patterned after the Lord’s forgiveness of us
3:14 - Put on (clothe ourselves) with love (love is the active ingredient to bind all these together)
3:15 - Submit/Give/Allow/Subject ourselves to the rule of the peace of Christ
3:16 - Let the message of Christ dwell among us, what is our focus as Christians other than the message of Christ?
3:16 - We are to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, using the means of Psalms, hymns, songs from the spirit, singing to God with gratitude in our hearts.
3:17 - All that we do should be able to be done in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks. If we cannot do something without giving thanks to God the Father through Jesus, we probably should not be doing it.
5. What Specific instructions are given for different people in Christ? (3:18-4:6)
3:18 - Wives “submit”
3:19 - Husbands “love” and “do not be harsh”
3:20 - Children “Obey”
3:21 - Fathers “Do not embitter your children” (do not lead them into discouragement)
3:22 - Slaves “Obey” and do so with “sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord”
4:1 - Masters “provide your slaves with what is right and fair” - who is the master over you?
4:2 - “devote yourselves to prayer”
4:3 - Pray that God may open a door for our message...proclaiming Christ!
4:4 - Pray that the message may be proclaimed clearly!
4:5 - Be wise in the way you act towards those outside the church - make the most of every opportunity!
4:6 - Let your conversation be always full of grace
6. What Specific instructions are given for individuals? (4:7-18)
4:7 - Tychicus (maybe the letter carrier?) will tell all the news about Paul. The reason he’s coming is to encourage the Colossian church.
4:9 - Onesimus is coming along as well! He was returning as he was one of the Colossians. Maybe this is after the letter to Philemon? Or an additional trip? Maybe the same trip as the letter to Philemon?
4:10 - Aristarchus sends greetings (We’re not told he’s one of the Colossians, although they must have known of him as he is only named without any descriptions much beyond that).
4:10 - Mark the cousin of Barnabas. He’s coming (maybe) and the Colossians have instructions to welcome him.
4:11 - Jesus Justice sends greetings (all of these maybe, Mark and Jesus both Jews, unlikely that Tychicus, Onesimus, or Aristarchus were Jews)
4:12 - Epaphras is one of the Colossians (and also a fellow servant of Christ Jesus). Epaphras was a prayer warrior “wrestling in prayer for you” why? So that “you may stand firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured”.
4:13 - Paul vouches for Epaphras that he is working FOR THE COLOSSIANS (maybe supported by? Working for their benefit?) and for the Laodiceans and Hierapolians
4:14 - Luke the Doctor (potentially writer of Luke’s gospel and Acts) along with Demas send greetings.
4:15 - Paul wants his greetings given to those at Laodicea (there was regular communication between Colossae and Laodicea) and to a woman who hosts a church (Nympha).
4:16 - Exchange letters with Laodicea and make sure you both read each other's letters.
4:17 - Archippus is to be encouraged/warned/guided/supported to continue the work given by the Lord.
4:18 - the last instruction is “remember my chains”. Remember Paul’s suffering love for Christ.