TITLE. AUTHOR AND DATE
The title “Colossians” is due to the letter dedicated to the Christians in
Colossae. The author without a doubt is the apostle Paul –one of his
“prison” letters– in the introduction 1:1, 23; 4:18 and in many details of
the style of Paul. Externally Ignatius Martyr, Theophilus of Antioquia,
Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian and Origins, the Canon of
Moratoria an of Marcion accept Colossians. The date in which it was written
must be 61-62 A.D. from the prison of Rome. It does not mention the
destruction of the Temple, which is prophecy of Jesus Christ - Yahshua.
RECIPIENTS AND PURPOSE
Paul writes to the church of Colossae to correct doctrinal errors that
appear and spread from Gnosticism and Judaism, to the pagan worship and to
rites o Judaism. To confirm them in trusting that in Jesus Christ – Yahshua
they have all the support, whether physical or spiritual. He points out that
they must not let themselves be deceived by “philosophies and vain deceit”
2:8, mentioning man traditions and rudiments of the world.
HISTORIC CONTEXT
Paul did not found the church of Colossae, but a disciple called Epaphras
1:5-8, to whom Paul gives recognition of his pastoral work. Colossae in
times of Paul was no longer in its apogee, as it was in the V century B.C.
in times of Ahasuerus (Xerxes, Esth. 1:1) when it was a commercial city, a
crossing of roads next to river Lycus, famous for black wool, would lose its
position in favour of Laodicea. The church of Colossae was mixed between a
majority of Gentiles and the converted Jews. Paul is found battling against
heresies like the cult to the mediating angels, and pagan Gnosticism in
which they would receive a superior revelation to the rest of the apostles,
that Christ did not die, but the man Jesus. On the other side the legal
judaizers who wanted to impose the salvation by the works of the Law. Paul
tells that Christ is the Head of the Body of the Church and the unity, is
the mediator of the believer with God and the “image” of the invisible God
and the “firstborn” of all creation. In prison in Rome, for about two years,
Paul also writes to the Philippians and to Philemon.
THEOLOGICAL TEACHINGS
Colossians 1, together with John 1 and Hebrews 1 are inspired teaching of
the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ – Yahshua. Jesus is King over all:
“the image of the invisible God” 1:15. The Creator and Sustainer of all
1:16:17, the “head of the body which is the Church” 1:18. Christ is
reconciliation: the only one who pleased the Father, 1:19-20, who through
His death reconciled us with God, 1:21-22, our only hope 1:27. He is the
wisdom: in whom are the richness and hidden treasures of the wisdom and
knowledge, 2:2-3, superior to all human philosophy 2:8. He is the perfection
and through His work fulfils the law for us, 2:11-13, and maintains us holy
with our life hidden in Him, 3:3-14.
POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIVE PROBLEMS
Colossians were attacked by Gnostic heresies. The divinity of Christ in the
Text of 1:15 “firstborn of every creature” was and is used to argue that He
was created and not eternal. Paul argues in verse 16 of Colossians 1, on his
side that in Him (Yahshua) all things were created, even more he sais “…by
Him all things were created… …and He is before all things, and all things by
Him consist” or Colossians 2:9 “for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily”. The “holy and unblameable and unreproveable” (1:22-23)
about the affirmation of Paul about the Christian character, is argued for
those who postulate that salvation may be lost. The “purgatory” based in
“…fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh…”
(1:24). The identity of the letter to Laodicea in 4:15-16.