COLOSSIANS
It was located on a ridge overlooking the Lycus River in the central area of Asia Minor. It was once a booming city or prosperous trade, but by the time of Paul's writing had become almost an unknown town. You see people began to use the Roman Road, traffic started going through Laodicea and Hierapolis causing a period of decline for Colosse. The history of these three cities, Colosse, Hierapolis and Laodicea were closely associated. At one time the city of Colosse owed it's wealth to red woolens, called Colossinus.
It is believed that Paul wrote this epistle in about AD 60 during his first Roman imprisonment. It is thought that the church was founded by Epaphras (Col. 1:7-8, 4:12), but it is believed that Paul also had his hand in the work; though we believe he never visited the city. The majority of the saints there were Gentiles (2:13), and they were making good progress in the faith. Paul rejoiced over their continued good spiritual condition (2:5)..BUT the church there was being exposed to a local heresy that threatened their spiritual blessings in Christ. (2:8 18)
It is not for certain which of the prison epistles (PhIlemon, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians) was written first. Epaphras, a native of Colosse came to see Paul in prison, we do not know but it appears he also was imprisoned at that time.(Philemon 23).He informed Paul of the good things happening in Colosse but of false teachers seemingly getting a foothold there. Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians and sent it by the hands Onesimus (Philemon's slave), and Tychius (Col. 4:7-9), but for some unknown reasons, Epaphras did not return with them. (4:12) Remember Tychius also carried Paul's letter to the Ephesians and the one to Philemon (Eph. 6:21).
Paul's writing this letter was to refute this false teaching that was influencing the church there. It would seem this heretical teaching was in part Jewish because of the terms Paul uses like, circumcision, feast days and food regulations (Col. 2:11-16). There was heresy in Galatia as well but this was different, involving an early form of Gnostic philosophy which held to ascetic ideas (Col. 2:20-23), also this heresy included the worshiping of angels, saying they are to be intermediaries between God and man (Col. 2:18, 19). This heresy also taught that you can reach perfection by going through a number of initiations and levels of spiritual mysteries and wisdom. Wow...false teaching for sure. Sounds like today doesn't it?
This new "movement" exposed a false philosophy (Col 2:8), appearing to be an early form of Gnosticism. They believed that matter was evil, they denied the divined creation of the universe, believing that spiritual beings and angels exists been God and men, advocating that these beings be worshiped (Col.2:18), and stressed "secret knowledge" attained as the means of attaining salvation. This heresy did not deny Christ, but took him off the throne, he was not regarded as divine or creator of the universe, and his death meant nothing to them as far as salvation is concerned. They believed his death had no "saving" merit.
Paul did not refute the heresy point by point..but showed that ALL THINGS are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He told them ALL WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING can and is found in the God-man, the one who redeemed us, and he holds authority over all things (Col.:9-2:19). Paul uses great wisdom here, there is no way to refute error than by speaking the truth, this s the complete answer to error, both theological and practical.
In the book of Colossians, the supremacy and adequacy of Christ is stressed throughout every page. He is full God (Col 2:9), as creator (Col 1:16), preeminent over the universe and the church (1:17,18), and as savior (1:20,21). Because Christ is over all, the Colossians can rest on and in him alone, no need for angelic beings, or anything else, Christ meets all spiritual needs. The Colossians should center their lives on God the father through him alone and depend on him only for salvation, and so should we, refusing to rely on secret knowledge, vain philosophy,or legalistic ideas to secure divine favor.
There are similarities to the books of Colossians and Ephesians, I call them "sister epistles" Some 75 of the 105 verses in Colossians can be found in Ephesians. Colossians stresses that the church is the body of Christ ( Col 1:18), this doctrine is further talked about in Ephesians. Colossians stresses Jesus as Head, while Ephesians emphasizes the church as his body.
