ble

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THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE

COLOSSIANS

The
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be

s, in
ordhan

men
end
, or
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have
the
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JUST AS A CHILD needs proper instruction early in life, so the early believers needed to be
set on the proper path with correct teaching. Paul wrote this letter to deal with a doctrinal
heresy that was creeping into the Colossian church. Although we are not told specifically
what this heresy was, we can pick up clues from Pauls response. The error was probably a
mixture of Judaism and an early form of Gnosticism. The Colossian church was experiencing
the same problems other early churches had encountered. Certain members were teaching
that the observance of Jewish rules about food, the Sabbath, and special festivals would
help believers to earn their salvation (see Gal. 3:2325; 4:10, 11). At Colosse, however, some
of the Gentile members were apparently also promoting a form of mysticism that claimed
that Jesus was a higher being, but not God. Paul refutes these false doctrines by pointing to
Christ. Jesus had been the focus of Pauls preaching from the beginning. In Colossians, Paul
reiterates the supremacy of Christ. It was because Jesus is divine that His death reconciles
believers to their Creator.
As in all of his epistles, Paul seems to write as though he had our own society in mind.
Even today, new cults claim to be Christian yet deny the deity of Christ and the basic beliefs
of Christianity. Many today view Jesus as no more than a great teacher. Pauls patient correction of the Colossian believers should remind us that we need to keep the worship of Jesus
Christ central in our churches.
Author and DatePauline authorship of this letter has been universally recognized throughout church history.
Paul identifies himself as the author of the letter three different times, describing himself as an apostle of Jesus
Christ and as a servant of the gospel. Furthermore Paul closes the epistle with a handwritten greeting, a characteristic of several of his letters (see 1 Cor. 16:21; 2 Thess. 3:17). The Muratorian fragment (a document written
around A.D. 180 that lists books considered by the early church to be divinely inspired) includes Colossians as a
Pauline epistle. Many church fathers also upheld Paul as the author of Colossians. These include Justin Martyr,
Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen.
Paul probably wrote Colossians while imprisoned in Rome around A.D. 60. Some have argued for other places
of origin, such as Ephesus and Caesarea, but there is not enough evidence to displace the traditional theory that
Paul wrote from his prison in Rome. Colossians is one of the four prison epistles of Paul, along with Ephesians,
Philippians, and Philemon. Because Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon have several similarities, many believe
that the three were written at about the same time.

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1914COLOSSIANS INTRODUCTION

SettingThe city of Colosse was about a hundred miles east of Ephesus, in the valley of the Lycus River. During
the Persian Wars of the fifth century B.C., Colosse was a large and strategic city. By the time of the apostle Paul,
however, it had declined into the shadows of its two sister cities, Laodicea and Hierapolis, and had become a
small merchant town on the trade route from Rome to the east.
Evangelization of Colosse probably took place during Pauls three-year stay in Ephesus. Luke records in Acts
19:10 that people throughout the Asian region heard the gospel. Apparently Epaphras was converted in Ephesus,
and after being instructed by Paul returned home to Colosse to proclaim the gospel. Evidently the church that
emerged was largely composed of Gentiles, for Paul refers to their uncircumcision, a word employed by Paul
to designate Gentiles (see 2:13; Rom. 2:2427; Eph. 2:11).
Relationship of Colossians to PhilemonThe circumstances of Colossians and Philemon are the same.
Paul is imprisoned, along with others, for preaching the gospel (4:10; Philem. 1, 23). The companions Paul lists
are identical in the two letters, with the exception of Justus, who is found only in the letter to Colossians (see 1:1;
4:914, 17; Philem. 1, 2, 10, 23, 24). Furthermore, Onesimus (the slave of Philemon) went to Colosse with Tychicus,
the bearer of the Colossian letter (4:79). Thus the two letters are companion epistles: one for the Colossian
church as a whole and one addressed to a member of that church, Philemon.
Relationship of Colossians and EphesiansThe many parallels between Colossians and Ephesians
indicate that the two letters were written about the same time. Both letters reveal the centrality of Christ and
His relationship to the church. Ephesians shows Christ as Head of the church, while Colossians extends that
imagery of His authority over all creation (see 1:1618; 2:10). In Ephesians, Paul highlights how Christians are
the members of the body of Christ, who is the Head. In Colossians, he places emphasis on Christ the Head, of
whose body Christians are members.
The differences in the epistles are significant as well. Colossians stresses the completeness of the believer
in Christ; Ephesians points to Christian unity which is found in Christ. The mystery in Colossians is that Christ is
in believers (1:26, 27), while the mystery in Ephesians is the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ. Colossians speaks
of Jesus as Lord over all creation, while Ephesians concerns itself with Christs authority over the church. Finally,
Colossians has a stronger tone because it confronts a specific false teaching in Colosse. Ephesians has a softer
tone; it does not address a specific heresy.
But with all their similarities and differences, Ephesians and Colossians together present a mature understanding of who Christ is and what His life and death mean for the believer. From prison, Paul was teaching the

The unexcavated theater (or possibly odeon) at Colosse

www.HolyLandPhotos.org

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ing
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COLOSSIANS INTRODUCTION1915

churches in Asia Minor how central the person of Jesus Christ is to the Christian faith. He is the image of God,
the source of all wisdom, and the Head of the church. He is the One who reconciles us to God and to our fellow
believers. As our Savior and Deliverer, He deserves our sincere adoration and praise.
CHRIST IN THE SCRIPTURES
Colossians is the one book in the New Testament that uniquely centers on the cosmic Christthe head of all
principality and power (2:10). Paul wants us to know that in Jesus we see the face of God: He is the image of
the invisible God (1:15). As such, Jesus divine nature and incarnation are celebrated as watershed realities. This
image of the invisible God is the Author of reconciliation (1:2022; 2:1315) and our Redeemer and Reconciler
(2:1115, 2022). Because of those facts, it only stands to reason that He is the basis for all believers hope (1:5,
23, 27).

COLOSSIANS OUTLINE
I. Introduction 1:1, 2
II. The preeminence of Christ in the life of the Colossians 1:314

C. A.D. 4749

Pauls first
missionary
journey

A. Pauls thanks for the Colossians faith in Christ 1:38

B. Pauls prayer for the Colossians understanding and fruitfulness

ver
st is
aks
ally,
fter

III. The preeminence of Christ in His nature and work 1:1523

derthe

IV. Pauls ministry in general and for the Colossians 1:242:7

1:914
A. The divine nature of Christ 1:1520
B. The glorious work of Christ 1:2123
V. The preeminence of Christ over false religion 2:823
A. The superiority of Christ over false philosophy 2:815
B. The reality of Christ instead of false worship 2:1619
C. The power of Christ versus false asceticism 2:2023
VI. The preeminence of Christ in Christian living 3:14:6

C. A.D. 50

The Jerusalem
council

C. A.D. 5053

Pauls second
missionary
journey

C. A.D. 5357

Pauls third
missionary
journey

A. Christ, the foundation of the believers life 3:14

B. The virtues of the believers life in Christ 3:517
C. Christ in relationships 3:184:6

C. A.D. 5456

The church at
Colosse is started

VII. Conclusion 4:718

C. A.D. 58

Paul is arrested in
Jerusalem

C. A.D. 6062

Paul is imprisoned
in Rome;
Colossians is
written

C. A.D. 67

Peter and Paul are

executed

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1916|COLOSSIANS 1:1

Greeting
aul, a an apostle of Jesus Christ by
the will of God, and Timothy our
brother,
2 To

the saints b and faithful brethren in

Christ who are in Colosse:

c Grace to you and peace from God our

Father 1 and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Their Faith in Christ

3 d We give thanks to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always

CHAPTER 1
1
2 b 1 Cor. 4:17 c Gal.
1:3 1 NU omits and
the Lord Jesus Christ
3 d 1 Cor. 1:4; Eph.
1:16; Phil. 1:3
4 e Eph. 1:15 f [Heb.
6:10]
5 g [1 Pet. 1:4]
6 h Matt. 24:14
i John 15:16 j Eph.
3:2 2 NU, M add
and growing
7 k Col. 4:12;
Philem. 23 l 1 Cor.
4:1, 2; 2 Cor. 11:23
8 m Rom. 15:30
a Eph. 1:1

1:1 Paul calls himself an apostle, a word whose root means to

send. This Greek word was first used of a cargo ship or fleet, but
later denoted a commander of a fleet. The NT employs the word to
signify an approved spokesman sent as a personal representative.
Although not every Christian is called by God to minister like Paul or

Jesus Christ
(Gk. Isous Christos) (1:1; Matt. 1:1, 18; Mark 1:1; John 1:17;
17:3; 1 Cor. 1:210) Strongs #2424; 5547
Jesus Christ is not the first and last names of Jesus, as
people are commonly named today. Jesus is His human
name, whose meaning relates to His mission to save us (see
Matt. 1:18). Christ is a description of His office: He is the
Anointed One, anointed by God to be our King, Prophet,
and High Priest. The combination of name and title is rare
in the Gospels (occurring only five times) because Jesus
was still in the process of revealing Himself as the Christ.
Once this was recognized by His followers, the combination
was used prolifically throughout the Book of Acts and the
Epistles to express the belief that Jesus is the Christ, the
promised Messiah. Paul uses the combined form at the
start of Colossians to indicate the theme of his letter, the
supremacy of Jesus Christ.

map_52_01_colossae

for you, 4 e since we heard of your faith

in Christ Jesus and of f your love for all
the saints; 5 because of the hope g which
is laid up for you in heaven, of which you
heard before in the word of the truth of
the gospel, 6 which has come to you, h as it
has also in all the world, and i is bringing
forth 2 fruit, as it is also among you since
the day you heard and knew j the grace of
God in truth; 7 as you also learned from
k Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who
is l a faithful minister of Christ on your
behalf, 8 who also declared to us your
m love in the Spirit.

the twelve apostles, every Christian is sent by God to represent Him

before the people with whom he or she comes in contact.
1:2 The Greek term translated saints means holy people. The essence of holiness is being set apart to God. All believers are saints,
not because they are perfect, but because they belong to God. in
Christ: This is a favorite expression of the apostle Paul, used some
80 times in his letters. Paul saw all of Christian experience growing
out of the believers position in Christ. Grace ... peace: Paul combines the Greek word for grace with the standard Hebrew greeting,
peace. He broadens and deepens his meaning by reminding his
readers that the ultimate source of favor and wholeness is in God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom. 1:7).
1:3 The apostle indicates the tender concern that he has for these
Christians; he is praying always for them. This common phrase
of Pauls (Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:2), which combines intercessory prayer and thanksgiving, means that each time Paul prayed,
he interceded for the Colossians and offered praise for Gods work
among them.
1:48 faith ... love ... hope: Paul often uses these three terms
together (Rom. 5:25; 1 Cor. 13:13; 1 Thess. 1:3; 5:8). Faith is in Christ.
This is the thrust of the passage. The Colossians faith was grounded
in the nature and work of Jesus Christ. Love flows from faith and
proves the genuineness of ones faith (James 2:1426). The Colossians sacrificial love for all the saints proved their true belief in
Christ. Hope refers to the result of faith, the treasure laid up ...
in heaven where our faith will find its fulfillment in the presence
of Christ. Epaphras is also mentioned in 4:12, 13 and Philem. 23.

Letter to Colosse
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9780718081997_int_06a_rom_2thess_nkjv_study_RL_PersonalSize.indd 1916

IA

Hierapolis
Colosse

300 km.
300 miles

11/6/15 2:08 PM

C
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Him

COLOSSIANS 1:15|1917

BIBLE TIMES & CULTURE NOTES

The City of Colosse

Colosse was a Roman city of Asia Minor located at the base of
8,000-foot-high Mt. Cadmus in the Lycus River valley east of
Ephesus. The city was watered by a cascade descending through
a gorge from Mt. Cadmus. It survived a devastating earthquake in
A.D. 61, but later its population moved three miles south to Chonai
(modern Honaz). It was a prosperous industrial center, especially
famous for its textiles. Judaism, Platonism, and mystery cults from
the surrounding mountain people blended into strange, often contradictory religious practices. Cultic worship of angels persisted,
with Michael as the favorite. He was credited with sparing the city
in a time of disaster. This syncretism (combining various ideas,
beliefs and practices) mired the Colossian church in debates, division, and depravity. Pauls message was clear: Christ is preeminent.

e esnts,
d. in
ome
wing
oming,
g his
God

hese
rase
cesyed,
work

rms
rist.
ded
and
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23.

Preeminence of Christ
9 n For this reason we also, since the day
we heard it, do not cease to pray for you,
and to ask o that you may be filled with
p the knowledge of His will q in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 r that
you may walk worthy of the Lord, s fully
pleasing Him, t being fruitful in every
good work and increasing in the u knowledge of God; 11 v strengthened with all
might, according to His glorious power,
w for all patience and longsuffering x with
joy; 12 y giving thanks to the Father who
has qualified us to be partakers of z the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He
has delivered us from a the power of darkness b and 3 conveyed us into the kingdom
of the Son of His love, 14 c in whom we
have redemption 4 through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins.
15 He is d the image of the invisible God,
9 n Eph. 1:15-17 o 1 Cor. 1:5 p [Rom. 12:2]; Eph. 5:17
q Eph. 1:8 10 r Eph. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; 1 Thess. 2:12 s 1 Thess.
4:1 t Heb. 13:21 u 2 Pet. 3:18 11 v [Eph. 3:16; 6:10] w Eph. 4:2
x [Acts 5:41]; 2 Cor. 8:2; [Heb. 10:34] 12 y [Eph. 5:20]
z Eph. 1:11 13 a Eph. 6:12 b 2 Pet. 1:11 3 transferred
14 c Eph. 1:7 4 NU, M omit through His blood 15 d 2 Cor. 4:4;
Heb. 1:3

1:12 qualified: The word means to be able or authorized

for a task. Believers can never be qualified on their own;
instead God must make them sufficient through Jesus
Christ. The tense of the verb points to qualifying as an
Unexcavated tell at Colosse. A tell is a mound of ancient ruins
act in the past rather than a process. Ordinarily to qualify
including several layers built over each other through time.
for an event or a position, we have to prove ourselves.
1995 by Phoenix Data Systems
However the inheritance (see v. 5) that believers receive
is not one that they have earned but is based on being
qualified by God. The Father qualifies us for eternal life
Epaphras probably was Pauls convert and fellow prisoner. He most with Him, whereas the Son will reward us at the end of the race (Rev.
likely started the church in his hometown of Colosse.
22:12). The term saints probably does not refer to the angels of
1:912 Pauls prayer for the Colossian Christians is a model for us. God as in 1 Thess. 3:13. Instead Paul uses the word for the believers
As soon as he heard of the new faith of the Colossians, he began at Colosse.
interceding with God for them, asking Him to give them knowl- 1:13 Delivered ... conveyed: God has liberated believers from the
edge, wisdom, strength, and joy. He prayed that the new believers at dominion of darkness. The apostle uses the common symbolism of
Colosse would grow into Christian maturity so that they might walk light and darkness for good and evil, for Gods kingdom and Satans
before God, pleasing Him and producing good works.
kingdom, that is found throughout the NT. The kingdom from which
1:9 Pauls chief concern is that the Colossians might have full knowl- believers have been rescued is the kingdom of darkness (see this
edge of Gods will. The desire to serve God will be in vain without imagery in John 1:49; Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 1:5).
a proper understanding of the One we want to serve. Thus Paul 1:14 The Greek word redemption points naturally to the payment
prays that the Colossians might be filled with full knowledge that of a price or ransom for the release of a slave. The slavery from which
encompasses all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Wisdom believers are released is not physical but spiritual. They are freed
is the practical outworking of knowledge (see James 3:17), and that from bondage to sin by forgiveness of sins through the blood of
knowledge cannot be separated from the spiritual understanding Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7).
that comes through the discernment given by the Holy Spirit.
1:1520 Paul interrupts his description of his prayers for the Colos1:10 In addition to the full knowledge of the Lords will mentioned in sians with a song of praise. These verses are generally recognized as
v. 9, Paul desires that the Colossians may walk worthy of the Lord. an early Christian hymn celebrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ.
Paul wanted the Colossians to live in a manner that adequately re- 1:15 firstborn over all creation: Firstborn could denote a priority
flected what God had done for them and was doing in them. Being in time or in rank. The word does not describe Christ as the first
worthy of God is a phrase that occurs in ancient pagan inscriptions being created in time because the hymn proclaims that all things
throughout Asia. It pictures someones life being weighed on scales were created by Him and that He is before all things. Jesus is the
to determine its worth. If these devotees to false gods knew they eternal One who was before all creation. The idea of firstborn in
had to walk in a worthy manner, certainly Christians should dedicate the Hebrew culture did not require that one be the first son born.
their lives to the living God in order to please Him.
This was not the case with either Isaac or Jacob. But they were the
1:11 according to His glorious power: This phrase means that be- firstborn in the sense that they were rightful heirs to the line of their
lievers are empowered not in proportion to their need but according fathers. Being firstborn referred more to rank and privilege than
to Gods strength. So then, Paul desires to see nothing less than the to order of birth. Since Christ is God, He is supreme in rank over
very power of God Himself at work in the Colossian believers. Like all creation. Yet He is not only the transcendent deity who created
Samsons (Judg. 14:19), a believers strength comes from God alone. us; He is the One who died on our behalf (see Phil. 2:618) and was

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1918|COLOSSIANS 1:16
e the

firstborn over all creation. 16 For f by

Him all things were created that are in
heaven and that are on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or g dominions
or 5 principalities or 6 powers. All things
were created h through Him and for Him.
17 i And He is before all things, and in
Him j all things consist. 18 And k He is
the head of the body, the church, who
is the beginning, l the firstborn from the
dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.
Reconciled in Christ
19 For it pleased the Father that m in
Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and

15 e Ps. 89:27; Rev.

3:14
16 f John 1:3; Heb.
1:2, 3 g [Eph. 1:20,
21; Col. 2:15] h John
1:3; Rom. 11:36;
1 Cor. 8:6; Heb. 2:10
5 rulers 6 authorities
17 i [John 17:5]
j Heb. 1:3
18 k 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph.
1:22 l Rev. 1:5
19 m John 1:16
20 n Rom. 5:1; Eph.
2:14 o 2 Cor. 5:18
p Eph. 1:10
21 q [Eph. 2:1]
r Titus 1:15 s 2 Cor.
5:18, 19
22 t 2 Cor. 5:18;
[Eph. 2:14-16]

subsequently raised from dead. Thus He is also the firstborn from

the dead (v. 18). The first One who experienced the true resurrection
(see 1 Cor. 15:20).
1:16 This early Christian hymn emphasizes the superiority of Christ
over all creation. Christ is the One who created all things, whether
they be material or immaterial, seen or unseen. This idea is in direct
contradiction to the false teaching, later known as Gnosticism, that
was developing in the Colossian church. In general, Gnostics believed that various angelic beings were the creators of the earth and
that Christ was one among many of these angels. All things were
created through Him and for Him: Not only did Jesus create all
things; everything was created for His purposes (see Heb. 1:2, where
Christ is said to be the heir of all things). But the glory of the earth,
the heavens, or the sun, moon, and stars cannot be compared with
the glory of His new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
1:18 Following the celebration of Christs authority over all creation,
this early Christian hymn proceeds to proclaim His authority over
the church. He is the head of His own body, which is the church.
No one should underestimate the significance of the church, for
it is in fact Christs body. The sovereign Creator of the universe, as
Head of the church, provides leadership and oversight over it. No
wonder He is so jealous for it (see 1 Cor. 3:16, 17). firstborn from
the dead: Christ was the first to be raised from the dead. His own
resurrection guarantees that the church will one day be resurrected
(see 1 Cor. 15:1228).
1:19 fullness: The opponents of Paul, and later the Greek Gnostics, seem to have used this word as a technical term for the sphere
between heaven and earth where a hierarchy of angels lived. The
Gnostics viewed Christ as one of many spirits existing in this hier-

n by Him to reconcile o all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or

things in heaven, p having made peace
through the blood of His cross.
21 And you, q who once were alienated
and enemies in your mind r by wicked
works, yet now He has s reconciled 22 t in
the body of His flesh through death, u to
present you holy, and blameless, and
above reproach in His sight 23 if indeed
you continue v in the faith, grounded and
steadfast, and are w not moved away from
the hope of the gospel which you heard,
u [Eph. 5:27]; Col. 1:28 23 v Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:7
1 Cor. 15:58

w [John 15:6];

un
am

Sa

you
ing
sak
25 o
ing
wa
of
hid
f bu

27 g

archy between God and all people. However, Paul used the term
fullness to refer to the complete embodiment of God. Christ is the
only Intercessor for human beings and fully embodies all of Gods
nature (1 Tim. 2:5). No other intermediary, whether person or group,
is able to stand in our place before the Father. Only Jesus can do this.
1:20, 21 reconcile all things ... now He has reconciled: This
phrase shows the significance of Christs work on the Cross. It does
not mean that all people will be saved, since many passages clearly
say that unbelievers will suffer eternal separation from God (see
Matt. 25:46). The work of Christ will overthrow the damage effected by the Fall and change all of creation from a position of enmity
to a relationship of peace and friendship (see Rom. 8:2023; 2 Cor.
5:1820).
1:22 body of His flesh: The false teachers at Colosse were telling
the believers that redemption could only be accomplished through
a spiritual being. They rejected Christs incarnation. According to
them, Jesus could not have had a physical body. Thus Paul uses
two terms, body and flesh, to clearly state that Christ became man
and experienced a physical death. holy ... blameless ... above
reproach in His sight: We who were once enemies of God and
alienated by our own wicked works will one day be presented as
above reproach on account of Christs death for us.
1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith: The perseverance of the
Colossians was proof of the reconciling work of Christ on their behalf
(vv. 21, 22). every creature under heaven: Paul uses this exaggeration to illustrate the rapid spread of the gospel. Compare Acts 17:6,
where the apostles are said to have turned the world upside down,
even though their ministry up to that point had been limited to a
small portion of the eastern Mediterranean region.

Firstborn over Creation

The translation of 1:1517 has posed a problem for many who study this important passage about Jesus relation to creation. The passage reads, literally, He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, because by means of
Him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth. . . . All things have been created through Him and from Him.
He is before all things and by means of Him all things were made to exist. This text of Scripture avers the same teaching
about Jesus as found in John 1:1, namely, that He preceded creation and is the cause of all creation. Some advocate an
unorthodox view from this passage in saying that Jesus was in reality the first creature that God the Father created and
that Jesus then was used by God to create all other creation. They do so by arguing that firstborn of all creation means He
was first thing created, and that the subsequent verses should be translated all other things have been created through
Him and He is before all other things.
The difficulty of this attempt to deny Jesus Christ His stature as Creator is that of all creation in the Greek is a genitive
case, the meaning of begotten, and the fact that the Greek word for other does not occur in the text at all. First in
the statement speaks of Christs priority to creation and sovereignty over all creation. The words of all creation are the
object of firstborn rather than firstborn being the object of of all creation. Second, begotten is not the same as
creation; the words are clearly distinguished in the passage. God begets the Son, but the Son creates the world. When a
man begets, he begets a man; when God begets, He begets God and this is from eternity. Creation, on the other hand, is
not the same as God. Third, to put other in the passage is foreign to the discussion of the text and is merely an attempt
to explain away the meaning of the text that Jesus the Creator created all things.

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xw

11/6/15 2:08 PM

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I
g

COLOSSIANS 2:7|1919
x which

was preached to every creature

under heaven, y of which I, Paul, became
a minister.

Sacrificial Service for Christ

24 z I now rejoice in my sufferings a for
you, and fill up in my flesh b what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for c the
sake of His body, which is the church,
25 of which I became a minister according to d the 7 stewardship from God which
was given to me for you, to fulfill the word
of God, 26 e the 8 mystery which has been
hidden from ages and from generations,
f but now has been revealed to His saints.
27 g To them God willed to make known
what are h the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles: 9 which is
i Christ in you, j the hope of glory. 28 Him
we preach, k warning every man and
teaching every man in all wisdom, l that
we may present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor,
striving according to His working which
works in me m mightily.

23 x Mark 16:15;
Acts 2:5; Rom.
10:18; Col. 1:6
y Acts 1:17; Eph. 3:7;
Col. 1:25
24 z 2 Cor. 7:4
a Eph. 3:1, 13
b [Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor.
1:5; 12:15]; Phil. 2:17
c Eph. 1:23
25 d Gal. 2:7
7 dispensation or
administration
26 e [1 Cor. 2:7]
f [2 Tim. 1:10]
8 secret or hidden
truth
27 g 2 Cor. 2:14
h Rom. 9:23 i [Rom.
8:10, 11] j 1 Tim. 1:1
9 M who
28 k Acts 20:20
l Eph. 5:27
29 m Eph. 3:7
CHAPTER 2
1 a Phil. 1:30; Col.
1:29; 4:12; 1 Thess.
2:2 1 struggle
2 2 NU omits both
of the Father and
3 b 1 Cor. 1:24, 30

1:24 In this verse, Paul is not saying that Christs death was insufficient (see 2:1115) or that somehow he was a coredeemer with
Christ. Paul is making the point that a Christian will endure the sufferings that Christ would be enduring if He were still in the world
(see 2 Cor. 1:5; 4:11). Christ had told His disciples that if the world
hated Him it would hate His followers. If people persecuted Him
they would persecute His followers (John 15:19, 20). Paul believed
he was suffering the afflictions God wanted him to endure. Instead
of facing his difficulties with dread, Paul saw his troubles as a time of
joy (Rom. 8:17; Phil. 1:29; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:2; 3:35; 2 Tim. 3:12), because
they were producing an eternal reward (2 Cor. 4:17).
1:26, 27 The mystery referred to in these verses is similar to the
mystery spoken of in Eph. 3:810. In Greek pagan religions, a mystery was a secret teaching reserved for a few spiritual teachers who
had been initiated into an inner circle. Paul uses the word to refer
to knowledge that had been hidden from ages and from generations (see 2:2; 4:3; 1 Cor. 2:7; 4:1; Eph. 3:4, 9; 5:32; 6:19; 1 Tim. 3:9,
16), but was now being revealed by God. The Lord had revealed this
mystery to Paul and called him to be a steward of it (see Eph. 3:5).
The mystery is that Christ now lives within Gentile believers: Christ
in you, the hope of glory. This is in harmony with Ephesians. In
that letter, Paul states that the mystery is the union of Jews and
Gentiles in one body, Christs church (Eph. 3:6).

Not Philosophy but Christ

For I want you to know what a great
a conflict 1 I have for you and those
in Laodicea, and for as many as have
not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their
hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches
of the full assurance of understanding,
to the knowledge of the mystery of God,
2 both of the Father and of Christ, 3 b in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 Now this I say c lest anyone should
deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For
d though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am
with you in spirit, rejoicing 3 to see e your
good order and the f steadfastness of your
faith in Christ.
6 g As you therefore have received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 h rooted and built up in Him and established

4 c Rom. 16:18; 2 Cor. 11:13; Eph. 4:14; 5:6 5 d 1 Thess. 2:17

e 1 Cor. 14:40 f 1 Pet. 5:9 3 Lit. and seeing 6 g 1 Thess. 4:1
7 h Eph. 2:21

1:28 perfect: The concept of perfection in the NT means completeness or maturity. Here the reference is probably to the coming
of Christ, when every believer will experience the completion of
Christs work in him or her (see 1 Cor. 13:10).
1:29 Paul toiled and agonized for the perfection of his fellow believers (see v. 28), not in his own strength but by the power of God
working in him.
2:1 Laodicea was a sister city of Colosse about 11 miles away. The
two churches were to share their letters from Paul (see 4:16).
2:2, 3 Though the false teachers at Colosse spoke of initiating people
into a superior knowledge, Paul tells his readers that they can understand the mystery (see 1:26, 27) of God without this false philosophy.
The Gnostics sought knowledge as an end in itself, but Paul reminds
the Colossians that true knowledge will demonstrate itself by bringing people together in Christian love in the church. Note how Paul
joins the Father and Christ together, emphasizing their common
deity and unity. The Gnostics would view Jesus only as an emanation
from the Father, sharing a portion of the attributes of deity. Paul not
only emphasizes Jesus deity, but also explains that He possesses all
wisdom and knowledge. The Gnostics thought only certain knowledgeable people could join their elite group; Paul teaches that every
believer has access to complete wisdom found in Christ.
2:6, 7 Just as the Colossian believers had begun with Christ, so Paul

The Preeminence of Christ

CHRIST

In universal
government

In reconciliation

In wisdom and
knowledge

In religious
observance

In Christian living

The visible image of

God (Col. 1:15)
The agent of creation
(1:16)
The Sustainer (1:17)
The Head of the
church (1:18)

Pleases the Father

(1:19, 20)
Reconciles us through
His death (1:21, 22)
Lives in us as our
hope of glory (1:27)

The source of all treasures (2:2, 3)

Worldly philosophy
does not conform to
Him (2:8)

We are alive in Him

(2:1113)
No need for legalism and ritualism
(2:16 23)

He is our life (3:3)

We can avoid immorality and can bless
others (3:5 14)

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1920|COLOSSIANS 2:8

in the faith, as you have been taught,

abounding 4 in it with thanksgiving.
8 Be ware lest anyone 5 cheat you
through philosophy and empty deceit, according to i the tradition of men, according to the j basic principles of the world,
and not according to Christ. 9 For k in
Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead 6 bodily; 10 and you are complete in
Him, who is the l head of all 7 principality
and power.
Not Legalism but Christ
11 In Him you were also m circumcised
with the circumcision made without
hands, by n putting off the body 8 of the
sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of
Christ, 12 o buried with Him in baptism,
in which you also were raised with Him
through p faith in the working of God,
q who raised Him from the dead. 13 And

7 4 NU omits in it
8 i Gal. 1:14 j Gal.
4:3, 9, 10; Col. 2:20
5 Lit. plunder you or
take you captive
9 k [John 1:14]; Col.
1:19 6 in bodily form
10 l [Eph. 1:20, 21;
1 Pet. 3:22] 7 rule
and authority
11 m Deut. 10:16
n Rom. 6:6; 7:24;
Gal. 5:24; Col.
3:5 8 NU omits of
the sins
12 o Rom. 6:4
p Eph. 1:19, 20
q Acts 2:24
14 r [Eph. 2:15,
16]; Col. 2:20
9 certificate of debt
with its
15 s [Is. 53:12; Heb.
2:14] t Eph. 6:12
16 u Rom. 14:3
1 feast day
17 v Heb. 8:5; 10:1
2 Lit. body

encourages them to continue in their walk with Him. Paul uses

four words to describe the Colossians walk with Christ. The tense
of the word translated rooted denotes a complete action; the believers have been rooted in Christ. The next three words, built up,
established, and abounding, are in the present tense, showing
the continual growth that should characterize every Christians walk
with Christ.
2:8 This verse has been used at times to teach that Christians should
not study or read philosophy. This is not Pauls meaning. Paul himself was adept at philosophy, evidenced by his interaction with the
Stoic and Epicurean philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:134). Paul was
warning the believers not to be taken in by any philosophy that does
not conform to a proper knowledge of Christ. The false teachers at
Colosse had combined worldly philosophies with the gospel. These
philosophies are spoken of by Paul as the basic principles of the
world, which some have interpreted as spirits or angels who
supposedly control a persons life (see Gal. 4:3, 9). It seems more
likely that the term principles refers to the elementary rules and regulations that certain teachers were seeking to impose on believers
according to the dictates of human philosophies. Pauls strongest
indictment against the heretics was that their teaching was not
according to Christ, and thus they were not walking with Christ
(see Pauls exhortation in vv. 6, 7).
2:9 In this verse Paul clearly proclaims the Incarnation, the fact that
God became a man bodily. This contradicts the Gnostic idea of the
inherent evil of physical bodies and the claim that Jesus is merely a
spirit. The Gnostics thought the fullness of God had been divided
among a number of angelic beings, the last creating the material
world. In contrast, Paul says that the fullness of God exists in Christ.

fullness of the Godhead

(Gk. plrma ts theottos) (2:9) Strongs #4138; 2320
The Greek word plrma indicates plenitude and totality. The Gnostics used the word to describe the totality of
all deities. Both Paul and John used the word to describe
Christ, who is the fullness, the plenitude of God, for all the
fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily (1:19; 2:9).
Since all of Gods fullness resides in Christ, every spiritual
reality is found in Christ. In Him, we lack nothing. The Greek
word theottos for Godhead is used only here in the NT and
designates the totality of Gods nature and person. All the
fullness of the Godhead dwells or permanently resides
in the body of Jesus, the God-man.

you, being dead in your trespasses and

the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has
made alive together with Him, having
forgiven you all trespasses, 14 r having
wiped out the 9 handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was
contrary to us. And He has taken it out
of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 s Having disarmed t principalities and
powers, He made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them init.
16 So let no one u judge you in food or
in drink, or regarding a 1 festival or a new
moon or sabbaths, 17 v which are a shadow
of things to come, but the 2 substance is of
Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and
worship of angels, intruding into those
things which he has 3 not seen, vainly
18 3 NU omits not

2:10 Paul illustrates the adequacy of Christ by demonstrating how

the Colossian believers are complete. In Christ, the Colossians have
put off the power of sin and the flesh (v. 11), have received new life
(vv. 12, 13), have been forgiven, have been delivered from requirements laid down by human traditions (v. 14), and have been freed
from the powers of spirit beings (v. 15). There is nothing that the
Christian needs to add to what was received in Christ at the time
of conversion. Paul emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ in order
to refute the Gnostics and the Judaizers who respectively believed
that special knowledge or works were necessary to make a Christian
complete.
2:11 Whereas all Jewish males were required to receive physical circumcision, the circumcision that is from Christ is without hands
(see Deut. 10:16 for this idea in the OT). Rather than the mere removal of flesh, Christian circumcision is the spiritual removal of sin from
the heart, taking part in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.
2:12, 13 buried ... in baptism: Baptism is the symbol of the believers association with Christs death on the Cross. Water baptism
itself does not bring forgiveness of sins, but Paul uses the rite to help
explain the work of the Spirit. The early church would never have
understood the idea of an unbaptized Christian. Baptism and faith
were considered to be the outward and inward realities of being
a Christian (see Acts 2:38; 10:47, 48; 16:33; Rom. 6:35). Some have
highlighted Pauls close association of baptism and circumcision
in this passage as an indication that water baptism is a sign of the
New Covenant, just as circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic
covenant.
2:14 nailed ... to the cross: Not only were our personal sins forgiven at the Cross, but those rules that condemned us have also been
removed by the death of Christ.
2:15 Principalities and powers allude to Satan and the fallen angels. Paul is describing Christs victory on the Cross over the powers
that opposed Him and that were against Gods faithful people. To
describe this victory, Paul uses the spectacle of the military triumph,
when prisoners of war were stripped and paraded before the populace behind the conquering general. Satan and his forces thought
the Cross would be their victory and Christs defeat. In reality, at the
Cross the Lord vanquished His foes, took away their weapons, and
made a public spectacle of them.
2:1619 In view of Christs victory over His enemies, we should not
be controlled by those powers and practices over which Christ has
already triumphed. The false teachers in Colosse were tempting the
Colossians to bind themselves with the outward observances of
Judaism, such as the Jewish dietary restrictions. These were merely a
shadow of Christ. Judaism and its rites pointed to Christ. Paul warns
the believers in Colosse not to let others bind them to regulations
from which Christ has already freed them. false humility: People

9780718081997_int_06a_rom_2thess_nkjv_study_RL_PersonalSize.indd 1920

11/6/15 2:08 PM

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COLOSSIANS 3:13|1921

BIBLE TIMES & CULTURE NOTES

False Teaching at Colosse

The doctrine that was infecting Colosse would
eventually be called Gnosticism. This was a
prominent Christian heresy in the second
and third centuries. Gnosticism taught that
special knowledge was needed for a soul to
break from the physical realm into the spiritual realm. As this false doctrine developed, it
claimed that salvation could only be obtained
through such special knowledge. In this way
the Gnostics replaced faith with intellect.
Gnosticism followed the Greek philosophy
that matter was inherently evil. Only nonphysical, spiritual realities were good. Gnosticism
affected a persons morality in one of two
ways: One tendency was indulgence; the other
was asceticism. Pauls opponents at Colosse
were ascetics. They found legalism alluring,
and the strict Jewish laws (see 2:16) meshed
easily with their harsh, self-denying rituals.
Paul warned his readers that such rituals were
useless and had no spiritual value (2:2023).

puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not

holding fast to w the Head, from whom all
the body, nourished and knit together by
joints and ligaments, x grows with the increase that is from God.
20 4 Therefore, if you y died with Christ
from the basic principles of the world,
z why, as though living in the world, do
you subject yourselves to regulations
21 a Do not touch, do not taste, do not
handle, 22 which all concern things
which perish with the usingb according to the commandments and doctrines
of men? 23 c These things indeed have an
appearance of wisdom in self-imposed
religion, false humility, and 5 neglect of

19 w Eph. 4:15
x Eph. 1:23; 4:16
20 y Rom. 6:2-5
z Gal. 4:3, 9 4 NU, M
omit Therefore
21 a 1 Tim. 4:3
22 b Is. 29:13; Matt.
15:9; Titus 1:14
23 c Rom. 13:14;
1 Tim. 4:8 5 severe
treatment,
asceticism

CHAPTER 3
1 a Rom. 6:5; Eph.
2:6; Col. 2:12 b Ps.
68:18; 110:1; [Rom.
8:34]; Eph. 1:20
2 c [Matt. 6:19-21]
3 d [Rom. 6:2; 2 Cor.
5:14; Gal. 2:20]; Col.
2:20 e [2 Cor. 5:7]
4 f [1 John 3:2]
g John 14:6 h 1 Cor.
15:43
5 i [Rom. 8:13]
j [Rom. 6:13] k Eph.
5:3 l Mark 7:21;
1 Cor. 6:9, 18; 2 Cor.
12:21; Gal. 5:19; Eph.
4:19; 5:3, 5
6 m Rom. 1:18;
Eph. 5:6; Rev. 22:15
n [Eph. 2:2]
7 o 1 Cor. 6:11; [Eph.
2:2]; Titus 3:3
8 p Eph. 4:22;
1 Pet. 2:1
10 q Rom. 12:2;
2 Cor. 4:16 r [Rom.
8:29] s [Eph. 2:10]
11 t Rom. 10:12;
[1 Cor. 12:13]; Gal.
3:27, 28 u Eph. 1:23
12 v [1 Pet. 1:2]
w Luke 1:78; Phil.
2:1; 1 John 3:17
13 x [Mark 11:25]

who do not champion salvation in Christ alone often appear to be

humble. But their search for a new spiritual experience or advocacy
of some work as necessary for salvation is actually human pride.
They do not want to submit to Gods plan of salvation revealed in
the Bible.
2:2023 regulations: Since believers have been released from
ritualistic observances why should they let others bind them down
again (see Rom. 6:314)? No human work can be added to the merit
of Christs death. His work on the Cross is the only acceptable work in
Gods eyes. The legalistic commands of others are a self-imposed
religion and are of no value for salvation.
3:14 Pauls exhortations in ch. 3 are practical applications of the
doctrine he has presented in ch. 2. if ... you were raised with
Christ: Paul ties his ethical teaching (v. 5) to the doctrine of the Resurrection (see 2:12, 13). Set your mind on things above: The false
teachers were instructing the Colossians to concentrate on temporal
observances; in contrast, Paul instructs them to concentrate on the
eternal realities of heaven. The Greek verb for set emphasizes an
ongoing decision. Christians must continually discipline themselves
to focus on eternal realities, instead of the temporal realities of this
earth. A Christians life is no longer dictated by this world but is hidden with Christ. The Greek word for hidden indicates that God has
accomplished this in the past so that it is a present reality.

the body, but are of no value against the

indulgence of the flesh.
Not Carnality but Christ
If then you were a raised with Christ,
seek those things which are above,
b where Christ is, sitting at the right hand
of God. 2 Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the c earth. 3 d For you
died, e and your life is hidden with Christ
in God. 4 f When Christ who is g our life
appears, then you also will appear with
Him in h glory.
5 i Therefore put to death j your members which are on the earth: k fornication,
uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and
covetousness, l which is idolatry. 6 m Because of these things the wrath of God is
coming upon n the sons of disobedience,
7 o in which you yourselves once walked
when you lived in them.
8 p But now you yourselves are to put
off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your
mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since
you have put off the old man with his
deeds, 10 and have put on the new man
who q is renewed in knowledge r according to the image of Him who s created
him, 11 where there is neither t Greek
nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, u but
Christ is all and in all.

Character of the New Man

12 Therefore, v as the elect of God, holy
and beloved, w put on tender mercies,
kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 x bearing with one another,
and forgiving one another, if anyone
has a complaint against another; even

3:58 While obedience to rules cannot bring salvation, those who

are saved ought to live worthy of that salvation. Thus Paul gives
the Colossians instructions concerning proper conduct. He states
in negative and positive terms the kind of life that God wants Christians to live. Although the believers at Colosse were once captivated
by the evil practices listed in vv. 5, 8, 9, they were to abandon such
practices.
3:9, 10 The analogies between the old man and our old sinful
ways and the new man and our new lives in Jesus Christ parallels
Pauls discussion in Rom. 6 about dying to sin and living for Christ.
The two words old man and new man do not refer to the Christians
fleshly and spiritual natures. Instead, Paul describes our former unredeemed life as the old man, and our life as Gods child as the new
man. The new man has the image of the new creation in Christ, just
as the old man bears the image of our fallen nature. The old man is
under an old master, Satan, while the new man has a new master,
the Spirit of God living within.
3:11 barbarian: In the Roman Empire a person who did not speak
Greek was despised. Scythian: An uncultured person who came
from the area around the Black Sea. Greek ... Jew ... slave ...
free: This list is similar to the list in Gal. 3:28. In both places the point
is not the functions of the persons in the body of Christ, but equal
acceptance of all the groups into Gods family.

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1922|COLOSSIANS 3:14

as Christ forgave you, so you also must

do. 14 y But above all these things z put on
love, which is the a bond of perfection.
15 And let b the peace of God rule in your
hearts, c to which also you were called
d in one body; and e be thankful. 16 Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom, teaching and admonishing one
another f in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord. 17 And g whatever you
do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through Him.
The Christian Home
18 h Wives, submit to your own husbands, i as is fitting in the Lord.
19 j Husbands, love your wives and do
not be k bitter toward them.
20 l Chil dren, obey your parents m in
all things, for this is well pleasing to the
Lord.
21 n Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 o Bondser vants, obey in all things

14 y 1 Pet. 4:8
z [1 Cor. 13] a Eph.
4:3
15 b [John 14:27;
Phil. 4:7] c 1 Cor.
7:15 d Eph. 4:4
e [1 Thess. 5:18]
16 f Eph. 5:19
17 g 1 Cor. 10:31
18 h 1 Pet. 3:1 i [Col.
3:184:1; Eph.
5:226:9]
19 j [Eph. 5:25;
1 Pet. 3:7] k Eph.
4:31
20 l Eph. 6:1 m Eph.
5:24
21 n Eph. 6:4
22 o Eph. 6:5;
[1 Tim. 6:1]; Titus
2:9; 1 Pet. 2:18
23 p [Eccl. 9:10]
24 q Eph. 6:8
r 1 Cor. 7:22 1 NU
omits for
25 s Rom. 2:11
CHAPTER 4
1 a Eph. 6:9
2 b Luke 18:1
c Col. 2:7
3 d Eph. 6:19
e 1 Cor. 16:9 f Eph.
3:3, 4; 6:19 g Eph.
6:20 1 hidden truth

3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly is apparently a

parallel thought to Pauls statement in Eph. 5:18 where he says to be
filled with the Spirit. Both here and in Ephesians, the result of being
filled with the Spirit or the word of Christ is singing (Eph. 5:1921).
The psalms are the psalms found in the OT, the songbook of the
early church as well as of Israel. The hymns would be the songs of
the church that reflected the new truth in Christ. Examples of such
hymns are found in 1:1520; Phil. 2:511; 1 Tim. 3:16. Spiritual songs
may have been other kinds of songs praising God.
3:17 In this verse, Paul sums up how Christians should live. We
should commit everything we do or say to Jesus and continually
thank God for all His good gifts (see Eccl. 12:13, 14).
3:18, 19 Based on the kind of Christian life to which believers are
called, Paul gives some practical guidance. General applications
like be good or love everybody are very difficult to follow, so
Paul seeks to apply moral truths to the daily lives of the Colossians
(see Eph. 5:216:9). The Colossian home would usually consist of
father, mother, children, and servants. Paul gives instructions to each
group. The first is for wives to submit. The word submit is a military

peace
(Gk. eirn) (1:2; 3:15; Eph. 2:17; Phil. 1:2; 4:7) Strongs #1515

rule
(Gk. brabeu) (3:15) Strongs #1018
The Greek term eirn has a variety of meanings, including
unity, tranquility, and concord, and corresponds to the
Hebrew word shalom, which primarily means wholeness.
In the NT, the Greek word is used for a harmonious relationship between people (Rom. 14:19), the order produced
by a ruling government (Acts 24:2), and the reconciliation
between God and a person through the saving work of
Christ (Eph. 2:17). In 3:15, Paul encourages the believers to
let the peace of God rule in their hearts. The Greek word
for rule means to act as umpire or to arbitrate. The peace
of God should act as our umpire when anger, envy, and
other such passions arise in our hearts.

your masters according to the flesh, not

with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in
sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 p And
whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord and not to men, 24 q knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the reward
of the inheritance; r for 1 you serve the
Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong
will be repaid for what he has done, and
s there is no partiality.
Masters, a give your bondservants
what is just and fair, knowing that
you also have a Master in heaven.

Christian Graces
2 b Continue earnestly in prayer, being
vigilant in it c with thanksgiving; 3 d meanwhile praying also for us, that God would
e open to us a door for the word, to speak
f the 1 mystery of Christ, g for which I am
also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 h Walk in i wisdom toward those who
are outside, j redeeming the time. 6 Let

you
son
how

Fin

mi
wil
sen
tha
and
mu
is o
you

gre
Bar
str
him
Th
kin
cis
to

bon

5 h Eph. 5:15 i [Matt. 10:16] j Eph. 5:16

term meaning to arrange oneself under another and indicates a

voluntary submission, not an unthinking obedience. The parallel
passage of Eph. 5:21 may speak of mutual submission, as some have
suggested. Either way it is clear that submission does not denigrate
the one who submits. The husband is commanded to love his wife
(Eph. 5:25 says as Christ loved the church). In his headship, he is to
seek her highest good, not his own welfare. He is to honor her and
be considerate of her, and not to be bitter or harsh.
3:20, 21 Children and fathers also have admonitions from the
apostle. Children are to obey. Yet the all things should not be taken
as an absolute. When Gods truth and anyones demands come into
conflict, a child should obey God. Furthermore, a father should be
careful not to frustrate his children or discourage them. Regulations
should be reasonable, not arbitrary. The father should train his children the same way God disciplines and teaches him.
3:2225 Bondservants, obey ... your masters: The question
of slaves and masters may appear to be out-of-date and inapplicable to modern society, but on second glance there are important
principles in this passage. Even though slavery might not be officially condoned or practiced today, the admonition to work hard as
though one was working for God, and not people, applies to employees. the reward of the inheritance: The strong motivation to
serve someone well is found in the future reward that Christ gives to
those who are faithful in this service. We normally think we receive
eternal rewards for spiritual practices like reading the Bible, prayer,
or evangelism. Here Paul asserts that all work done to the honor of
Christ will bring an eternal reward (see 1:22, 23; 2:18).
4:1 Masters: Paul does not concern himself only with servants or
employees. Employers also have a duty not to take advantage of
employees. Instead they should offer a just wage, proper benefits,
and adequate rest. In contemporary societies, many of these benefits are required by government regulations. But how much better
when Christian employers treat their employees well for the Lords
sake, knowing that they too have a Master in heaven.
4:2 Paul encourages the Colossians to be diligent in thanksgiving
and prayer, especially praying for himself and his coworkers as they
worked at spreading the gospel. Even the apostle Paul requested
and needed the prayers of others to support him.
4:5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside: Early Christians were often viewed with suspicion, distrust, and disdain. They
were considered atheists because they would not worship the gods

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COLOSSIANS 4:18|1923
k with

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your speech always be

grace,
soned with salt, m that you may know
how you ought to answer each one.
Final Greetings
7 n Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful
minister, and fellow servant in the Lord,
will tell you all the news about me. 8 o I am
sending him to you for this very purpose,
that 2 he may know your circumstances
and comfort your hearts, 9 with p Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who
is one of you. They will make known to
you all things which are happening here.
10 q Ar is tarchus my fellow prisoner
greets you, with r Mark the cousin of
Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome
him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus.
These are my only fellow workers for the
kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort
tome.
12 s Epa phras, who is one of you, a
bondservant of Christ, greets you, always

6 k Eccl. 10:12
l Mark 9:50 m 1 Pet.
3:15
7 n Acts 20:4; Eph.
6:21; 2 Tim. 4:12;
Titus 3:12
8 o Eph. 6:22 2 NU
you may know our
circumstances and
he may comfort
9 p Philem. 10
10 q Acts 19:29;
20:4; 27:2; Philem.
24 r Acts 15:37;
2 Tim. 4:11
12 s Col. 1:7; Philem.
23 t Rom. 15:30
u Matt. 5:48; 1 Cor.
2:6 3 NU fully
assured
13 4 NU concern
14 v 2 Tim. 4:11;
Philem. 24 w 2 Tim.
4:10
15 x Rom. 16:5;
1 Cor. 16:19 5 NU
Nympha 6 NU her
16 y 1 Thess. 5:27;
2 Thess. 3:14
17 z Philem. 2
a 1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim.
4:5

of Rome and Greece. Many labeled them as unpatriotic because they

would not burn incense before the image of the emperor. Some
accused the early Christians of participating in orgies because of
their talk of love feasts (Jude 12). Others harbored suspicions that
Christians were really cannibals, who ate and drank the blood and
the body of the Lord. With such misrepresentations of Christian
belief and practice running rampant, it was very important for misunderstandings to be dispelled by the virtuous and impeccable
lives of Christian believers.
4:7, 8 Tychicus was an intimate friend of Pauls who came from
the province of Asia. He had accompanied Paul on part of the third
missionary journey. He probably delivered this letter and answered
questions about Pauls condition in prison.
4:9 The slave Onesimus probably accompanied Tychicus to
Colosse. Pauls letter to Philemon would have been carried along
with the letter to the Colossians. It dealt with a personal situation
between Philemon and his slave Onesimus, so Paul wrote a separate
letter to him.
4:1015 Paul greets a number of friends and introduces and commends several who work with him. The apostles great warmth and
true appreciation for his beloved coworkers comes through in these
few verses. This should remind us that no one is an island. We all
need the support of each other in the work of God. Aristarchus,
a Jew from Thessalonica, had been traveling with Paul since the
riot that occurred in Ephesus on his third missionary journey (Acts
19:29; 20:4). Evidently he remained with Paul even when he was
imprisoned in Rome (27:2). Mark is the author of the Gospel of Mark.
At the beginning of his second missionary journey, Paul had refused
to take Mark with him (Acts 15:3740). Evidently the two had been
reconciled, for Paul commends him here and in 2 Tim. 4:11. Luke is
the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. He accompa-

t laboring

fervently for you in prayers,

that you may stand u perfect and 3 complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear
him witness that he has a great 4 zeal for
you, and those who are in Laodicea, and
those in Hierapolis. 14 v Luke the beloved
physician and w Demas greet you. 15 Greet
the brethren who are in Laodicea, and
5 Nymphas and x the church that is in
6 his house.
Closing Exhortations and Blessing
16 Now when y this epistle is read
among you, see that it is read also in the
church of the Laodiceans, and that you
likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
17 And say to z Archippus, Take heed to
a the ministry which you have received in
the Lord, that you may fulfill it.
18 b This salutation by my own hand
Paul. c Remember my chains. Grace be
with you. Amen.
18 b 1 Cor. 16:21; 2 Thess. 3:17 c Heb. 13:3

nied Paul on many of his missionary journeys. Demas would later

abandon Paul (see 2 Tim. 4:10).
4:16 There are numerous theories as to the identity of the Laodicean
letter mentioned in this verse. Whether it is one of the other NT
letters, like 1 or 2 Thessalonians or Ephesians, or whether it is a lost
epistle probably cannot be determined.
4:18 This salutation by my own hand: The apostle dictated his
letters to a secretary, but it was his custom to give a greeting in his
own handwriting at the end (see 2 Thess. 2:1, 2; 3:17). This served to
personalize and authenticate the letter.

perfect
(Gk. teleios) (1:28; 4:12; Rom. 12:2; Phil. 3:15; James 1:4)
Strongs #5046
This Greek word is an adjective derived from the word telos,
meaning end, limit, or fulfillment. Paul uses telos to
speak of Jesus Christ as the complete fulfillment of Gods
law (see Rom. 10:4). In his letter to the Colossians, Paul uses
teleios to speak of the completion or perfection of Christians (1:28; 4:12). The perfect Christian is a mature Christian, who has endured trials (James 1:4) and has learned to
express Gods love to others (3:14). By loving others, we not
only are made complete in and through Christ but we also
see Gods love perfected in us (see 1 John 4:12). Just as
Paul pressed on towards the goal of perfection (Phil. 3:12
14) to which Christ had called him, so we too should make
perfection in Christ our goal, a goal that will be completely
achieved when that which is perfect comes (1 Cor. 13:10).

ving
hey
sted

hrishey
ods

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