Epistle To The Colossians

The Epistle to the Colossians is a book of the New Testament.

It is sent by the apostle Paul to the Church of Colosse.

Background and religious

Initially, it is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the Colossians after visiting Epaphras, evangelist of the Church of Colosse (Col. 1:7-8). Epaphras Paul told the Colossians that fell into a serious mistake: they thought they were better than others because they carefully watched some outward ordinances (Col. 2:16), needed some mortifications and worshiped angels (Col 2:18). These practices gave the impression to the Colossians that they sanctified. They also felt better understand the mysteries of the universe as the other members of the Church. In his letter, Paul takes the teaching that salvation is possible only through Christ and we must be wise and serve.

The origin of the Epistle to the Colossians

Both the issue of dating that the authenticity of this epistle remain open. If we stick to the traditional thesis that letter around the summer of 62, that is to say towards the middle of his first Roman captivity . Some think she would have rather been written during Paul's stay in Ephesus (between 54 and 57), or during captivity in Caesarea (in 58 and 60) . Finally, some think it is rather the followers of Paul who would have drafted in the late ^first century , posing as their master. The fact that the city of Colossae was destroyed by an earthquake around the year 60 is assumed that Paul wrote this letter before being made aware of this information, whether it is just an alibi which would served the disciples of Paul to pose for him.

It was at Tychicus and the Apostle Onesimus had entrusted to bring this letter to the church at Colosse (Col 4.7-9) .

The city of Colosse

"In a site of alpine beauty that overlooks Mount Cadmus crowned with eternal snow, only the remains of a theater and a , "reported the City still Colossi, situated on the Lycus , a tributary of the famous Meander , in south-west of Phrygia . At about two hundred kilometers east of Ephesus , a city of Asia Minor was positioned at a strategic point of the road that led from Ephesus to the eastern provinces ( Pisidia , Laconia , Cilicia , Syria , etc.). : "Indeed, at its height, the valley of the Lycus tightened to form a rather narrow gorge 16 km long. South of the city, Mount Cadmus dominated the landscape of his 2400 m. Colossi commanded thus access to the neck leading to the highlands . "

Colossi was once a very important city. Xenophon has called it a city "crowded, rich and extensive, thus confirming the testimony of Herodotus , who spoke from the ^fifth century BC. AD ,''a city of Phrygia'' . But in the ^first century , because of the many changes of the road system, it is only a small insignificant town: cities nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis (both mentioned in Col. 4.13), separated by about 16 and 21 km supplanted and enriched. It was, however, like Laodicea, which had become "one of the wealthiest cities of Asia "(cf. Rev 3.14-22), renowned for its fine wool in shades excellent . "The inscriptions mention of dyers at Laodicea and Hierapolis, and the adjective kolossnos meant a wool-dyed Colossus . "

In apostolic times, the Jews were very numerous in the region. It is to Antiochus the Great (223-187 BC.) that we should immigration in Phrygia and Lydia two thousand Jewish families from Mesopotamia. Many of these families were specialized in the dyeing of wool. Some of them had even managed to thrive. The excellence of the area for sheep farming has undoubtedly opened the door to a profitable trade. But if the business met with such success, it is also because the presence of these Jewish families in this country attracted other co-religionists, with whom they could easily trade .

As everywhere in the ancient world, a substantial number of slaves rubbed the class of free men and that of the freedmen. Onesimus, for example, accounted for Colossi down the social ladder, while his master Philemon belonged to the category of rich landowners .

At the time of the apostle Paul, Colossus is not what it was, "the great city of Phrygia''''Herodotus has given way to the village (polisma) mentioned by Strabo . "His trace in history will disappear gradually, while part of his name forever in the biblical canon, thanks to the nice letter from Paul . It's a terrible earthquake in the early '60s, was to destroy Colossae and Laodicea, both of which are in fact located in an area prone to earthquakes. The latter had still managed to rise from its ruins. Colossi, for its part, has never managed to regain its vitality .

Historians report that the population had a Phrygian character "in relation to the volcanic nature of the soil . This temperament was notably marked by "a tendency to mysticism and orgiastic excitations and Cybele . "Maybe, asks Daniel Furter, ? "In any case, this character" volcanic "offered a fertile ground for religious expansion .

Moreover, by its strategic position on the "great trade route from west to east," Colossus was, more than its neighbors, while maintaining contact with various religious movements and intellectuals of the time . Rhetoricians, philosophers, preachers itinerant (and often mercenary) came into effect in all directions to spread their systems and new doctrines. Thus, on the merits of paganism universal and millennium, to "piggyback" various cults "rites of mythology Greco-Roman imperial cult, which had developed from Pergamon, mysteries, prgnose, Judaism, occultism (cf. Acts 19) . "The syncretism of all kinds were so in vogue, which probably explains the writing of the Epistle to the Colossians, while young churches of the Lycus had to cope with different religious pressures and the danger real mix of primitive Christianity with pagan beliefs popular. "Christians are also needed to be warned against the licentious manners of their fellow citizens, that Paganism does not repressed, but rather encouraged . "

The Church of Colosse

We know that Paul was not the founder of the Church of Colosse. He only "heard about which, like a ray from the pure light of the Gospel, illuminated Colossi and neighboring cities that are Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul collaborators have, in fact, leave Ephesus for a ministry to the cities along the Lycus and founded three churches .

A number of biblical scholars argue that it Epaphras who founded the Church of Colosse . The texts, however, no mention anywhere of an explicitly that to him goes the credit of having established community Colossians. We know, for cons, it has played a major role not only in the Church of Colosse, but in that of Laodicea and Hierapolis that of . If not the founder of these churches, however, Paul seems to designate him as "the primary responsibility for the congregation "Colossae; to him, in fact, that Paul gave instructions for Colossians (Col 1.7). It's also him that the apostle makes this beautiful testimony: "I bear him testimony that he takes great pains to you" (Colossians 4:12-13). Paul also describes as his "beloved fellow servant" and a "faithful minister of Christ" (Col. 1.7).

The message of Paul to the Colossians:

(Colossians 1:13-20)

"13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

"14 by means of which we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.

"15 It is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

"16 because by means of him all . In addition to Epaphras, Philemon and Onesimus, we have already mentioned, we also know Archippus (Col 4.17) and sister Appia (Phm 1.2) . These different names, said Kuen, "Pagans are typically . But it is also possible that there was in the community of Colossae few Jews converted. Indeed, readers seem familiar with the customs and rituals as well as some Jewish teachings of Judaism (Col 2.16-18) and they know the Psalms (Col 3.16). According to Kuen, "such knowledge, they were being transmitted by the ancient Jews among them, or by heretics who had obviously had contacts with Judaism .

The Church of Colosse grew normally (Col 1.6) and remained steadfast in faith (Col 2.5-7). But she was also threatened by various dangers: that of falling into immorality of paganism (Col 3.5-11) and to be seduced by heresy (Col 2.8-23). Furter Daniel says:

A few years had sufficed for the spiritual and numerical growth of the community: theological and ethical developments that involve the letter contains a certain maturity in believers in Colosse. This does not prevent them from great danger against which the apostle Paul would warn them in writing to them .

Church of Colossae, however, would disappear completely from the Christian story after the letter of the apostle, while Laodicea and Hierapolis were called upon to play an important role in the first few centuries . For example: the series of letters to the churches of Asia, the Apocalypse has no message to the community of Colossae, Laodicea and Hierapolis while there are both.

Summary

Chapter 1 contains the greetings of Paul to the Colossians.

Chapters 2 and 3 are doctrinal and contain statements about the redemptive role of Christ, the danger of false worship and the importance of the resurrection.

Chapter 4 teaches that the saints must be wise in all.

References

• Christianity portal

Leave a Reply