Colossians: Christ above all

Where Colossians sits

In the story

Act VI, Church · Rome, AD 60s and later

In the Bible

New Testament · Letters · book 51 of 66

Before it in the story

Ephesians

After it in the story

Philemon

From Paul's Roman imprisonment to a small church in the Lycus valley that he never visited: the New Testament's fullest statement of Christ's supremacy over creation, the powers and the church, sent with Ephesians and Philemon.

Colossians summary

Paul writes from prison to a church he has never visited, founded by Epaphras in the Lycus valley, because a teaching is drawing it toward a fuller spirituality of rules, holy days, angels and visions. He thanks God for their faith and love and for the gospel bearing fruit in all the world, and prays that they may walk worthy of the Lord, thanking the Father who brought them into the kingdom of His beloved Son (1:1–14). Then he sets the Son before them: the image of the invisible God, firstborn over all creation, in whom, through whom and for whom all things were created and hold together; head of the church, firstborn from the dead, in whom all the fullness dwells, through whom God reconciles all things by the blood of His cross (1:15–20). They too are reconciled, if they continue in the faith (1:21–23), and Paul labors to make known the mystery, Christ in you, the hope of glory (1:24–2:5). Therefore, as they received Christ Jesus as Lord, they must walk in Him (2:6–7). No philosophy may take them captive, for all the fullness of deity dwells in Christ bodily and they are complete in Him: circumcised without hands, buried and raised with Him, forgiven, the record of debt nailed to the cross and the powers disarmed (2:8–15). So no one may judge them by food laws and holy days, which were shadows of Christ, or by angel worship and visions, and since they died with Christ they need not submit to ascetic rules that cannot restrain the flesh (2:16–23). Raised with Christ, they are to seek the things above, put to death the old ways and put on the new self, compassion and love, with the word of Christ dwelling in them (3:1–17), and live in their homes as serving the Lord (3:18–4:1). They are to pray and speak with grace (4:2–6). Tychicus and Onesimus bring the news, the same companions who greet Philemon send greetings, and the letter is to be read also at Laodicea (4:7–18).

Colossians in context

Written by

Paul the apostle, with Timothy (1:1), signing in his own hand (4:18)

Written to

The saints and faithful brothers at Colossae (1:2), a mostly Gentile church in the Lycus valley of Phrygia, who learned the gospel from Epaphras, with Laodicea and Hierapolis nearby (1:7; 2:1; 4:13)

Setting

Written from imprisonment, most likely in Rome, with Ephesians and Philemon; Tychicus carried the letters, and Onesimus, the runaway slave of a Colossian household, returned with him (4:7–9; Phlm 10–12)

When

c. AD 60–62, from Rome. Some place it in an earlier imprisonment at Caesarea (c. AD 59) or Ephesus (AD 52–55) (see contested).

Why

To show the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ against a teaching that added rules, holy days, angel worship and visions to Him; to call the Colossians to go on walking in Christ as they received Him; and to set out the new life of those who died and rose with Him, in the church and the home.

Themes of Colossians

• The supremacy of Christ
• Complete in Christ
• Reconciled through the cross
• The mystery revealed
• Union with Christ
• Shadow and substance
• The new self
• Thanksgiving

Key verses in Colossians

• Colossians 1:13–14

  He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

• Colossians 1:15–16

  The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.

• Colossians 1:18

  And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

• Colossians 1:19–20

  For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.

• Colossians 1:27

  To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

• Colossians 2:6–7

  Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

• Colossians 2:9–10

  For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

• Colossians 2:13–14

  When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!

• Colossians 2:17

  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

• Colossians 3:1–4

  Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

• Colossians 3:17

  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians chapter by chapter

Part 1 · Thanks, prayer and the supremacy of the Son 1:1–23

1. 1
   Colossians 1: The image of the invisible God

   The beloved Son is supreme over creation and the church; by His cross God has reconciled all things, and you.

Part 2 · Paul's labor for the mystery 1:24–2:5

Part 3 · Complete in Christ: the warning 2:6–23

1. 2
   Colossians 2: Complete in Christ

   All God's fullness dwells in Christ, and you are complete in Him: do not go back to shadows, rules and angel worship.

Part 4 · Raised with Christ: the new life 3:1–4:6

1. 3
   Colossians 3: Raised with Christ

   Raised with Christ, set your minds above: put off the old self, put on the new, and live in your homes as for the Lord.

Part 5 · Couriers and greetings 4:7–18

1. 4
   Colossians 4: Tychicus will tell you all the news

   Masters answer to a Master in heaven; pray, speak with grace, and receive Paul's couriers and greetings.

See the outline of Colossians