Background

It is probable and believed that Epaphras traveled to Ephesus (Acts 19:10) from Colossae and listened to Paul reason daily in the hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9). Colossae was an agrarian town about 120 miles east of Ephesus. After visiting and listening to Paul at Ephesus, Epaphras returned to Colossae and began sharing the gospel until the church was birthed in that city (1:7-8).

In time, there arose some false teaching and likely a false teacher, maybe a Jewish shaman-like figure. This teacher became a pseudo-spiritual guide, leading the church into asceticism, angel worship, and vision obsession, making the church at Colossae sensual of thinking (2:16-18) as they began to add spiritual experiences to their worship of Jesus to gratify their emotional appetites.

The Message of the Letter 

At any rate, Epaphras took the concerning news of this false teaching to Paul, who was in prison (4:3) in Rome (Acts 27-28). Paul, in turn, wrote his letter to Colossae, seeking to warn them of the dangers of an ascetic (the practice of severe self-discipline) and spiritualistic teaching being pushed upon the church at Colossae by those false teachers. In this letter, Paul was seeking zealously to bring the followers of Colossae back under the supremacy of Christ. Specifically, Paul’s goal was to return the Colossian church to a focus on Jesus, His death and Resurrection, and the fullness they had in Him.

The Content of Each Chapter

In each chapter, Paul reveals Jesus in all of His great splendor.

• In chapter one, we see Jesus as the very image of God, the Lord of all creation, the Reconciler of the world.

• In chapter two, we see Jesus as the very fullness of God, the Head of all authority, the Forgiver of sins, and the Defeater of satanic forces.

• In chapter three, we see Jesus as the resurrected and seated Lord whom the Colossians are called upon to follow.

• In chapter four, we see Jesus as the One whom the message and work are all about.

Or, we can see the book divided according to themes as Paul wrote:

• Prayer for the Colossians’ Growth in Jesus (1:1-12)

• Declaration of Jesus as Sovereign Over All Creation and the Church (1:13-29)

• Warning to the Colossians Against Heresy or False Teaching (2:1-23)

• Exhortation to the Colossians of a Life Dedicated to Christ (3:1-4:6)

• Explanation of the Mission of Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7-9)

• Greetings from All His Associates (4:10-15)

• Encouragement of Communication with the Laodicean Church (4:16-18)

A Couple of Curious Observations About Colossae

The church was not founded by Paul but likely Epaphras, a leader Paul trained in Ephesus, who was aided in the planting of the church by Timothy.

The membership of the church was believed to be largely Gentile.

Philemon, the slave owner, and his slave Onesimus were from Colossae.

Concerning the False Teaching at Colossae

Paul was likely dealing with a couple of different groups of false teaching, primarily Jewish legalism and oriental mysticism. The first taught pleasing God on the back of self-discipline and the observance of certain religious rights. The second taught pleasing God on the back of transcendent and extraordinary spiritual experiences.