Read – Introduction To Colossians Part 2
- Background on the letter
- Written by Paul while in house arrest in Rome
- To a small community located between Ephesus and Hierapolis
- It is widely considered to be written to the least important city to which any of Paul’s epistles were addressed
- But the topics of the letter are some of the most important
- Paul never visited the city himself
- He did visit nearby Ephesus where he met a man named Epaphras who came to faith under Paul’s teaching
- Epaphrus was from Colossae
- So when Epaphrus returned to Colossae, he brought the gospel and founded the Colossian church
- He did visit nearby Ephesus where he met a man named Epaphras who came to faith under Paul’s teaching
- Written by Paul while in house arrest in Rome
- Now as Paul sits in Rome awaiting trial, he has time to receive visitors and write letters
- Apparently, Paul is visited by Epaphrus (or perhaps he receives a letter from him)
- Epaphrus shares with Paul that the church he was leading was battling against a long list of threats
- There were false teachers undermining the person and pre-eminence of Christ
- They were introducing man-made philosophies in place of sound Christian doctrines
- They were battling increasing legalism from Judaism and other forms of ritualism
- They were being told to venerate angels
- The church was being taught by false teachers that they must not eat certain foods or observe certain festivals
- Epaphrus shares with Paul that the church he was leading was battling against a long list of threats
- Do these kind of threats to the integrity of the church sound familiar?
- Some of us may have been in churches that were very legalistic, handing out rules and judgment left and right
- If so, then this letter was written to you
- We’ve all heard about the movement in some churches toward a kind of new age self-help appeal where “self” is key to rising above it all
- This letter was written to us
- Some of us may have been in churches that were very legalistic, handing out rules and judgment left and right
- Apparently, Paul is visited by Epaphrus (or perhaps he receives a letter from him)
- So in response to what he hears from Epaphrus, Pauls writes this letter to this small church he’s never visited
- As a side note, Paul sent this letter to Colossae with two travelers: Onesimus and Tychicus
- You may remember Onesimus (the runaway slave who belonged to Philemon)
- When Onesimus became a believer while in prison with Paul in Rome, Paul convinced him he should return to his master Philemon
- To help Onesimus’ return go a little easier, Paul sent a letter with Onesimus we call the Letter to Philemon
- Since Onesimus and Tychicus would need to travel through Ephesus to reach Colossae, Paul took advantage of the opportunity to send them with a letter for Ephesus too
- So these two men delivered the letters to the Colossians, Philemon and the Ephesians
- The other letter Paul wrote while in this period of captivity was Philippians
- You may remember Onesimus (the runaway slave who belonged to Philemon)
- As a side note, Paul sent this letter to Colossae with two travelers: Onesimus and Tychicus
- So Paul has a difficult task here
- First, he must establish some credibility with this church that has never seen him before
- Meanwhile, it’s under the influence of false teachers who won’t like what Paul has to say
- Secondly, he must contend with serious issues that are weakening the church yet do so without crushing their spirit
- Finally, Paul wants to redirect them toward the basics, the essentials of their faith so that the false teachers can’t regroup and re-gain an audience
- First, he must establish some credibility with this church that has never seen him before