TheoMaps

Colossians

Outline of Colossians: Christ above all

The Son, in whom all God's fullness dwells, is supreme over creation and the church; complete in Him, walk in Him, not in rules and shadows.

5 parts15 movements4 chapters21 sections

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

Paul thanks God for the fruitful gospel, prays they will walk worthily, praises the supreme Son, and applies His reconciling work to them.

  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.

    To the saints … at Colossae 1:1–2 · Bearing fruit and growing 1:3–8 · The kingdom of His beloved Son 1:9–14 · The firstborn over all creation 1:15–20 · He has reconciled you 1:21–23 · Christ in you, the hope of glory 1:24–29

Greeting 1:1–2

To the saints and faithful brothers at Colossae.

Thanks for the fruitful gospel 1:3–8

Faith and love springing from hope; the gospel growing everywhere; learned from Epaphras.

Prayer to walk worthily 1:9–14

Filled with knowledge, bearing fruit, thanking the Father who brought them into the Son's kingdom.

The supremacy of the Son 1:15–20

Lord of creation and of the new creation: all things made through Him, all things reconciled through His cross.

Reconciled, if you continue 1:21–23

Once hostile, now reconciled by His death, to be presented holy, if they continue in the faith.

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

Paul suffers and strives to make known the mystery, Christ in you, in whom all the treasures of wisdom are hidden.

Christ in you, the hope of glory 1:24–29

Paul's sufferings and labor serve the church and the mystery now revealed to the saints.

Struggling for them 2:1–5

That they may know Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom are hidden, and not be deceived.

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

As they received Christ, they must walk in Him: complete in Him, they need no philosophy, shadows, angels or ascetic rules.

  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.

    All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 2:1–5 · Continue to walk in Him 2:6–7 · You have been made complete in Christ 2:8–10 · Circumcision … not by human hands 2:11–15 · A shadow of the things to come 2:16–19 · If you have died with Christ 2:20–23

Walk in Him 2:6–7

The thesis: go on in Christ as you began, rooted, built up and thankful.

Complete in Him 2:8–15

All the fullness dwells in Christ; in Him they were circumcised, buried, raised, forgiven, and the powers disarmed.

Shadows and the substance 2:16–19

Food laws and holy days were shadows of Christ; angel worship loses hold of the Head.

Dead to the world's rules 2:20–23

Rules that look wise cannot restrain the flesh; those who died with Christ are free of them.

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

Raised with Christ, believers seek the things above, put off the old self and put on the new, and serve the Lord at home and in the world.

  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.

    Set your minds on things above 3:1–4 · The new self 3:5–11 · Over all these virtues put on love 3:12–17 · It is the Lord Christ you are serving 3:18–25

Seek the things above 3:1–4

Their life is hidden with Christ in God and will appear with Him in glory.

Put off, put on 3:5–17

The new self renewed in the Creator's image; compassion, forgiveness and love; Christ's word dwelling richly.

The household in the Lord 3:18–4:1

Wives and husbands, children and fathers, slaves and masters serve the Lord Christ.

Prayer and wise speech 4:2–6

Pray watchfully with thanks and for an open door; act wisely toward outsiders with gracious speech.

Part 5 · Couriers and greetings 4:7–18

Tychicus and Onesimus bring the news; Paul's companions send greetings; the letter is to be read at Laodicea; Paul signs it.

  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.

    A Master in heaven 4:1 · Devote yourselves to prayer 4:2–6 · Tychicus … with him … Onesimus 4:7–9 · My fellow workers for the kingdom of God 4:10–14 · The letter from Laodicea 4:15–18

Plus What TheoMaps holds for the outline of Colossians

  • The 21 section notes, one for every section of Colossians
  • How each of its 15 movements leads into the next, in its own words
  • The shape of Colossians: 4 repeated words and phrases and 7 literary patterns

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Written and reviewed by AJ Reyes. Reviewed . How we write the notes

Sources for these notes (45)
  • The Reformation Study Bible (ESV), ed. R. C. Sproul
  • Notes on Colossians, Thomas L. Constable
  • ESV Global Study Bible, Introduction to Colossians
  • Commentary on Colossians, chs. 1-2, John Calvin
  • Commentary on Colossians, ch. 3, John Calvin
  • Exposition of the Entire Bible: Colossians 1-2, John Gill (Bible Hub)
  • Exposition of the Entire Bible: Colossians 3, John Gill (Bible Hub)
  • Saint Paul's Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon (1875), J. B. Lightfoot
  • The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians (Pulpit Commentary, 1907), introduction and analysis, G. G. Findlay
  • Colossians 2:11-12, the Circumcision/Baptism Analogy, and Infant Baptism, J. P. T. Hunt, TynBul 41.2 (1990) 227-44
  • The Relationship of Circumcision to Baptism with particular reference to Colossians 2:11-13, R. E. H. Uprichard, Irish Biblical Studies 2.4 (1980) 203-10
  • Does Baptism Replace Circumcision? An Examination of the Relationship between Circumcision and Baptism in Colossians 2:11-12, Martin Salter, Themelios 35.1 (2010) 15-29
  • An Exegetical Appraisal of Colossians 2:11-12, Richard C. Barcellos, in Recovering a Covenantal Heritage (repost, Effectual Grace 2014)
  • The Second Chapter of Colossians, G. R. Beasley-Murray, Review and Expositor 70.4 (1973) 469-79
  • The Hymnic Structure of Colossians 1:15-20, Wayne McCown, EQ 51.3 (1979) 156-62
  • Colossians 1:15-20: An Early Christian Hymn? The Arguments from Style, John F. Balchin, Vox Evangelica 15 (1985) 65-94
  • Poetry and Theology in Colossians 1.15-20, N. T. Wright, NTS 36.3 (1990) 444-68 (extract)
  • Colossians and Philemon (New Covenant Commentary, 2011), chapter on 1:15-20 (sample), Michael F. Bird
  • Defending the Christian Sabbath, Ben Carlson, CBTS (2024)
  • Is the Sabbath Still Required for Christians? (40 Questions, Q. 37), Thomas R. Schreiner, TGC (2010)
  • Sabbaths Or Sabbath In Colossians 2:16-17?, R. Scott Clark, Heidelblog (2014)
  • Review of Ron du Preez, Judging the Sabbath, Jason C. Meyer, Themelios 35.1 (2010)
  • Paul and the Sabbath, Jon English Lee, Founders Ministries (2013)
  • Review of Perspectives on the Sabbath: Four Views, The Gospel Coalition
  • Colossians 1:24 Again: The Apocalyptic Motif, Richard J. Bauckham, EQ 47.3 (1975) 168-70
  • The Pattern of Christ's Sufferings: Colossians 1:24 and Philippians 3:10-11, Andrew C. Perriman, TynBul 42.1 (1991) 62-79
  • Caesarea, Rome, and the Captivity Epistles, Bo Reicke, in Apostolic History and the Gospel, ed. Gasque and Martin (1970) 277-86
  • Die 'Irrglaube' in Kolosse: aanbidding van of met engele in Kolossense 2:18?, Kobus Kok, HTS Teologiese Studies 66.1 (2010)
  • Dwelling on Visions: On the Nature of the so-called 'Colossians Heresy', Robert M. Royalty Jr., Biblica 83 (2002) 329-57
  • Deutero-Pauline Hypothesis: an Attempt at Clarification, Arthur G. Patzia, EQ 52.1 (1980) 27-42
  • Greek text of Col 4:7-8 and Eph 6:21-22 (Nestle 1904), Bible Hub
  • A Discourse Analysis of Colossians 2:16-3:17, Gregory T. Christopher, Grace Theological Journal 11.2 (1990) 205-20
  • The Christian Way of Life: The Paraenetic Material in Colossians 3:1-4:6, Roy Yates, EQ 63.3 (1991) 241-51
  • The Relationship Between Paul's Gospel of 'All One in Christ Jesus' (Gal. 3:28) and the 'Household Codes', Stephen Motyer, Vox Evangelica 19 (1989) 33-48
  • Sectarian Parallels: Qumran and Colosse, Edwin Yamauchi, Bibliotheca Sacra 121 (1964) 141-52
  • New Commentaries on Colossians: Survey of Approaches, Analysis of Trends, and the State of Research, Nijay Gupta, Themelios 35.1 (2010) 7-14
  • Review of Douglas J. Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (Pillar), Jason C. Meyer, Themelios 35.1 (2010)
  • Colossians in the ESV Study Bible: An Interview with Clinton Arnold, TGC
  • The Imprisonment That Could Have Happened (and the Letters Paul Could Have Written There), Joel White, JETS 61.3 (2018) 549-58
  • St. Paul in Rome: 4. The Epistle to the Ephesians, F. F. Bruce, BJRL 49.2 (1967) 303-22
  • MorphGNT: SBL Greek New Testament, morphologically tagged
  • Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament, Felix Just
  • Old Testament Passages in the New Testament, Precept Austin
  • Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, John Gill
  • The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)