Colossians - Bible Study Week 7 "Who Likes to Suffer?"

Colossians 1:24–29 (NKJV)

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, ²⁵ of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, ²⁶ the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. ²⁷ To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, 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 mightily. “

How can anyone rejoice in their sufferings? Who gets happy when they suffer especially if someone else is the beneficiary? I mean if I am suffering shouldn’t I at least get something out of it? That is how the majority of us think, but Paul was asking “How much more can I put into it?”

Paul suffered greatly by spreading the Gospel. Just read the Book of Acts some time (chapters 21-28 especially) to see just what he went through for the cause of Christ.  Paul shared the same feelings as Peter and the other apostle as stated in Acts 5:41 when they said they were “counted worthy to suffer the shame for His name.”

When he says that he fills up in his flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, he is telling them (and us) that he knows that there is much more suffering that he and others must endure to fully follow Christ.

 The next point he makes in these verses is the “mystery” that was hidden for ages and now disclosed. This mystery is the salvation of the Gentiles which he explains in the subsequent verses and is further explained in Romans 16:25–27:

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began ²⁶ but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith”

You can also read his full explanation in his letter to the Ephesians starting in chapter 3. The gist of it is that God told Abraham in Gen 22:18 that “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” and as Paul would have said, before his conversion and along with the other Jews, is that the only way the Gentiles could be saved was through conversion to Judaism (called proselytes). The good news of salvation came to the Jews first then came to the Gentiles second. We are the wild branch that has been grafted in as explained in Romans chapter 11. This salvation of the Gentiles through Jesus Christ without having to be circumcised and without strict adherence to the ceremonial and sacrificial laws is the mystery that Paul is referring to.

I want to take a minute to explain that last statement. When Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that he did not come to “destroy the law but to fulfill” He was referring to the ceremonial and sacrificial laws that were fulfilled by His sinless life and sacrificial death on the cross. The moral law is still in effect and is upheld in the New Testament. As a gentile, we are still obligated to uphold the moral laws as defined in the Ten Commandments.

Paul then gives us why he (and other teachers) preach Jesus. It is so every person can be presented before Christ in perfection. This won’t happen until we are glorified in His presence but being taught God’s Word and living by it is part of the sanctification (being set apart) process that will continue until the day of Christ Jesus. (See Phil 1:6)

It is interesting that Paul uses the words ‘warning’ and ‘teaching.’ Both words in the Greek mean “to instruct” but the word for ‘warning’ means ‘to admonish (caution or advise)’ whereas the word for ‘teaching’ means to “instruct by communication of information or skills.” What Paul is saying is that God’s Word contains information for both our sanctification (being set apart for holiness) and our edification (being built up in Christ).

So what is our application in all this?

Ask yourself these questions and you will find the application of this teaching:

1.     What am I doing for the cause of Christ? How am I suffering for Jesus and others?

2.     What is my attitude toward the Jewish people? Since they are the root that I am grafted into, how can I show them love and share the Messiah, Jesus with them?

3.     Am I allowing God to set me apart for holiness or am I still continuing to engage in sinful activities that is preventing my sanctification?

4.     Am I being edified by the Word of God by regularly attending a good Bible teaching church, attending a Bible study and studying God’s Word on my own?

I pray that you will be blessed and encourage by this weeks study!

In Christ,

Mike

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Colossians - Bible Study Week 6

Colossians 1:19-23

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

²¹ And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²² in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

The first thing we see in verse 19 is that it “pleased the Father.” The word here in the original language means “to seem good to one” and “to do willingly” and the word for “fullness” is used to describe a ship manned with all things like sailors, rowers and soldiers, etc) and was used by the gnostic false teachers to describe the sum of all divinely attributes. Since Paul was refuting these teachers, it is significant that he was using this word.

So we can read this as follows: “It seemed good to God that His Son should contain the fullness of God and all things needed to reconcile man back to Him such that He was willing to send His Son to the cross and offer up His blood to make peace.”

The most important thing we have to realize as sinners is that we need to be reconciled to God. Sin separates us from God and we were born with a dead spirit that inhibits us to have a relationship with Him.

We can’t work for our salvation because the Bible does not tell us how many good things to do and I, for one, do not want to see God with a scale comparing my good deeds and bad deeds. We are saved by faith through grace (Eph 2:8) and now we have peace with God as exemplified in the following verses:

Romans 5:1

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Eph 2:14

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation”

And another thing to note is that it is not just man who is reconciled, it is the entire universe (“things on earth or things in heaven”) and we see this in Revelation Chapter 5 when no one is worthy to open the seven sealed scroll except for “a Lamb as though it had been slain…” This lamb is Jesus Christ and the scroll is the title deed to creation. It was lost by Adam in the Fall and will be regained by Jesus Christ.

Verses 21-22 points out that we were “alienated” (means “to be shut out from one’s fellowship and intimacy”) and “enemies” (means “one who is hateful, despises God, the hostile one) to God but we have been reconciled through the death of Christ. Our ledger of bad deeds has been wiped clean.

I don’t think we can fully grasp the goodness of God’s love demonstrated to us while we were hateful, spiteful and enemies towards God.

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Verse 23 hints at losing your salvation and can be confusing if read superficially and not in context. The word “reconciled” in verse 21 is in the past tense and in the indicative mood. This means that it is a simple statement of fact that we have been reconciled. It is a past event that has occurred. Warren Wiersbe explains this pretty well so I wanted to include his comments on this:

“Paul used an architectural image in this verse—a house, firmly set on the foundation. The town of Colossae was located in a region known for earthquakes, and the word translated “moved away” can mean “earthquake stricken.” Paul was saying, “If you are truly saved, and built on the solid foundation, Jesus Christ, then you will continue in the faith and nothing will move you. You have heard the Gospel and trusted Jesus Christ, and He has saved you.”

In other words, we are not saved by continuing in the faith. But we continue in the faith and thus prove that we are saved. It behooves each professing Christian to test his own faith and examine his own heart to be sure he is a child of God” (Warren Wiersbe – The Bible Exposition Commentary)

The things we need to take away from these verses is that we have been reconciled through Christ and if we have truly been reconciled then our lives will show it. I close with the words of Jesus in John 15:5

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Colossians - Bible Study Week 5

Colossians 1:15-18
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

One thing to understand is that the false teachers in Paul’s day were very confused about Creation. They taught that matter was evil, including the human body. They also taught that Jesus Christ did not have a real body since this would have put Him in contact with evil matter. These false teachings resulted in extreme asceticism on the one hand and unbridled sin on the other. The consensus was that if your body is sinful, you either try to enslave it or you enjoy it.

In these verses, Paul explains the relationship between Christ and Creation.  The term firstborn does not refer to time, but refers to importance. Jesus Christ was not the first being created, since He Himself is the Creator of all things and preceded Creation. Firstborn simply means “of first importance” or “of first rank.” The use of this term implies both Christ’s priority to all Creation and His sovereignty over all Creation.

The next thing to notice is the phrase “image of the invisible God.” How can someone be an image of something invisible? Jesus said Himself in John 14:7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Jesus was telling His disciples that if they truly looked into His heart and His character, they would see God because He was God. The word for ‘image’ means exact representation of. Even though God is invisible, Jesus has made Him clear to us as explained in John 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time. fThe only begotten 8Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

The question we have to ask ourselves is this: “If Jesus is the image of God, are we the image of Jesus?”
1 John 2:6 says “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Are we?

We see in verse 16 that all things were created BY HIM, THROUGH HIM and FOR HIM. Paul used three different prepositions to describe this relationship between Christ and Creation (Greek: en, dia and eis). By stating that Creation was created by Jesus (en), through Jesus (dia) and for Jesus (eis), Paul is declaring not only that the Creation came into existence through Christ but that it came into existence for His good pleasure.

John 1:3 echoes this description of Jesus “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

Verse 16 also removes any doubt as to just how far Jesus’ dominion extends. It covers everything in heaven, on earth and Jesus is over every ruling body (governments, kings and yes, even our president) in heaven and on earth. That pretty much covers everything.

This is further declared by Paul when he quotes the prophet Isaiah in Romans 14:11 “For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” and in Philippians 2:10-11 “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In verse 17 “and in Him all things consist.” would be better translated “holds all things together” because the word for ‘consist’ in the Greek means ‘put or place together’ or ‘to unite parts into one whole.’ Scientists will tell you that everything consists of matter that is made of rapidly moving particles but if you ask what holds those particles together, they have no answer, but we do, it is Jesus. By declaring that Jesus not only is the Creator of all things but that He holds it all together, Paul is declaring Jesus to be God. Don’t let anyone tell you that the Bible does not claim Jesus to be God because these versus along with John 1:1 and 1:3 and others clearly state it.

In verse 18, Paul states that Jesus is the head of the body which is the church. No one denomination can claim to be the true church although many do. Some think that they have the market cornered on the Holy Spirit. They are wrong. The church is made up of every true believer. The word for ‘head represents the ‘source’, ‘origin’ and ‘leader’ of the entire church body.

Paul is making it clear that it all begins with Christ. His phrase “Firstborn from the dead” is interesting because I was thinking, “But what about Lazarus and the young girl that were raised from the dead.” Jesus was the first to be raised from the dead to an immortal body. That is what Paul is referring to. Again, no matter how you describe Christ, he is preeminent. He is the first!

Colossians - Bible Study Week 4

Colossians 1:12-14

“..giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption 4through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

I am going to cover these three verses as if they were one because they all tie together and describe one thing:  Christ’s atoning death on the cross.

The first thing to note is that it says were “qualified” to be “partakers of the inheritance.” We have already discussed the inheritance in a previous lesson but as a reminder here are the verses that explain what this inheritance is:
1 Peter 1:4 “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”

2 Tim 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

So how were we qualified?

This word for “qualified” in the New King James Version replaced the phrase “hath made us meet” from the King James Version and in the Greek means  make sufficient, render fit and to equip one with adequate power to perform duties of one.

Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross was the qualifying act that made us sufficient and rendered us fit to enter into the presence of God. Understand that before you come to Christ, you are at war with God whether you know it or not.
Romans 5:10-For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

The key word there is “enemies.” Romans 5:10 is a perfect compliment to our verses this week because it emphasizes what Christ did for us but moreover, what condition we were in before the cross.

Verse 13 is better translated in the NIV because the words used more accurately represent the Greek words -  Col 1:13 “ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (NIV)

Since we could not deliver ourselves from the guilt and penalty that sin brings, Jesus had to come because He could and did deliver us. The penalty from sin is eternal separation from God forever. That is what we were facing!

But we were not just delivered from an eternity apart from God, we were delivered from the power of Satan! Jesus did not set us free with no where to go, He rescued us from Satan’s grasp and brought us to the bosom of God.

The phrase  "His dear Son" >/b>has be translated “the Son of His love.” This should remind us that His kingdom is a kingdom of love as well as a kingdom of light.
1 John 1:5-7 “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

The problem is that even though we have been rescued from darkness, some still want to hide and live in darkness with their sin. As long as you stay in the darkness and continue a lifestyle of sin, you still not be in fellowship with God. We must walk in the light of Christ and with Christ. Only then are we cleansed from our sin.

For homework, read  John 15:1-11 as it teaches about abiding in Jesus, the true vine.

Till next time…

Have a Blessed week!

Book of Colossians Study - Weeks 2 and 3

Chapter 1:3-8
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope 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, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 

First thing to notice is that Paul was always giving thanks and praying for those in the church  (See Cor 1:4, Eph 1:16, Phil 1:3). Paul understood the struggles that came with being a Christian and was continually praying for the saints and for their perseverance.
In verse 5, he mentions “the hope which is laid up for you in heaven.” What hope is he referring to? Look at the following verses: 1 Peter 1:4 “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you”

2 Tim 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

The hope that is laid up for us in heaven is Jesus Christ. He is “the blessed hope” in Titus 2:13. And this hope is not some uncertain belief that may or may not happen. The hope we have in Christ is the confidence in what God will do in the future. This confidence should lead to a greater trust in God and a deeper love for others as well as influence our lives if we are truly believers.

We also read in these verses that the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ had to come to Colosse. Understand it was not native to the area. It was brought by Epaphras who was a citizen of Colosse  (Col 4:12). Had met Paul at some point and came to know the Lord Jesus Christ, probably in Ephesus. He was most likely the pastor of the church in Colosse. He was visiting Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome. We do not know if Epaphras was arrested as well or a “voluntary prisoner.” All we do know is that he took the Good News back home. Mark 5:19 tell us what Jesus said to the demon possessed man that he cast the demons out of. The man wanted to stay with Jesus but Jesus said, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”

We are to take the gospel of Christ to our homes, our families and our friends. We need to let the good news spread and touch the lives of others.

When we become Christians and are convicted of our sins, we sometimes feel the need to become the sin patrol and point out others sins. Sins that we were committing, along side of them, previously. That usually causes a division and casts us in a negative light.

We are to share God’s Word and caution against sin, but we should focus on the forgiveness of Christ and the price He paid for that sin. It is when we truly recognize the price that Jesus paid, that we truly recognize the seriousness of our sin.

The last thing we will look at in these verses is found in verse 6 where it says the Gospel is “bringing forth fruit.”

If we are truly saved, it should be evident in many ways: We will hate sin, feel horrible and repent when we do and want to do good works and help others. These are just a few things. If Christ is in our hearts, it will be reflected in our lives.

Listen to what Jesus said in John 15:2-5 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Pay extra attention to verse 5. If we truly abide in Christ and are branches attached to His vine, we will bear fruit. My pastor friend, David Reed in Delaware said that if we are not producing any fruit, maybe we are attached to the wrong vine! Because if we are, we will be separated and thrown in the fire as stated in verse 6  “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

I think we have covered enough for this time. Read  verses 9-14 for the next time and post any thoughts or questions you may have.
Week 3


Colossians 1:9-11
“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy”


These verses start off with “For this reason…” For what reason? We have to go back and look at the previous verses to find the answer. Paul was so overjoyed that he had heard about the Colossians faith and good works that he and his companions were constantly praying for them.


[Quick Note for Reflection: Sometimes when we hear that others have come to the Lord we can be critical and think to ourselves, “What? They can’t be saved. I’ll believe it when I see it” Instead we ought to be praising God and praying for their new found walk with Christ and coming alongside to help them and encourage them and most importantly, shining our light and setting a good Christ-like example.]


Let’s begin our study ( a little longer one this week) by looking at the things Paul is praying for in these verses:


“filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”
How many of us can say we know God’s will for our lives? A few maybe but when we think of “God’s Will” we tend to think of the specific purpose for our lives and that one thing that God wants us to do. God’s will is much more than that. Verses like 1 Thess 4:3 and 5:18 tell us that it is God’s will for us to abstain from sexual immorality and to give thanks in everything. 1 Peter 2:15 tells us that it is God’s will for us to do good so foolish people will be silenced. God’s will for our lives is more than just a specific purpose or certain area of ministry, it is a way of life that is a reflection of Christ.


“that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him”
Can we say that our lives are worthy of the price that Jesus paid? When someone does something for us really nice or gets us a gift when we didn’t expect it, we tend to desire to want to repay that person or really show appreciation for the gift that was given to us. How much more should be show appreciation to Jesus for hanging on a cross and dying for us? Our desire should be to please God in the way we live our lives because instead of  condemnation he showed us grace.  Paul conveyed this same desire to the people in Ephesus in Eph 4:1 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” 


and to the Philippians in Phil 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”


and to the people in Thessalonica in 1 Thess 2:11-12 “as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”


“being fruitful in every good work”
Read what Jesus said in Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”


What type of treasures do we have in our heart? What types of fruit are produced by it? Good or Evil? As Christians, we are to produce good fruit. We do not do good works to get saved, We do good works because we are saved.


“and increasing in the knowledge of God”
We need to be increasing in the knowledge of God. Not just memorizing scripture but understanding what Jesus did and understanding how He wants us to live.


Eph 4:10 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” 


This is a verse that every pastor should have highlighted, circled and underlined in his Bible because it clearly defines the key responsibility and duty. That is to equip and edify (instruct and uplift) the people of the church to do the work of ministry. The word “minister” means servant. Jesus gave us the ultimate example when He washed the feet of the disciples. Pastors should be teaching God’s Word and helping others be raised up so they can serve the Lord with the gifts given them.


This verse also says that we all need to come to the unity of the faith. It does not say “to unity OF faith” as others would teach today. It means that we should all be coming together in unity to the faith of Jesus Christ.


“strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power”
In the Greek language, the words for “strengthened”, “might” and “power” can all be translated as “power” but they are all not the same Greek word.


However, “strengthened” and “might” do come from the same Greek root word, “dunamai” which is where we get our word for “dynamite.” The word for “strengthened” means, clearly enough, to strengthen and the word for “might” means inherent power, to be able to do something, to be capable, strong and powerful.


Now the word for “power” is a synonym of “dunamai” called “kratos.”


[You will all be Greek scholars after this.. Seriously, not to make this too scholastic but sometimes the understanding of the original language is important because the Greek language has so many more words than our language to describe one thing so bare with me a little.]


“Kratos” is a word for power that means manifested power, mighty, dominion, great with power and is used only of God in the NT. There are 6 total words (at least listed in my Strong’s Lexicon) for power and 3 are used in this verse. Why these three? After studying these definitions we can translate this verse to read as follows: “Be strong with all your might being empowered by the might of God’s glory.”


Warren Wiersbe commented on this verse saying, “The grace of our Christian lives is but a result of God’s power at work in our lives. Spiritual growth and maturity can come only as we yield to God’s power and permit Him to work in us.”


“all patience and longsuffering with joy”
“Patience” deals with circumstances and means endurance when things get tough. It doesn’t mean sitting back and waiting for the problem to solve itself.  To borrow a quote “Patience is endurance in action. It is not the Christian sitting in a rocking chair, waiting for God to do something. It is the soldier on the battlefield, keeping on when the going is tough.”


A good example can be found in Hebrews 12:1 “…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”


“Longsuffering” deals with people.  The word literally means “slowness in avenging wrongs.” When someone wrongs us we tend to want revenge. We may say to ourselves, “I am not like that, I am a Christian now and I can forgive and leave vengeance to God.” But what if someone hurt your spouse or your kids. Would you seek revenge? Would turn to Lev 24 or Exodus 21 and shout “Eye for an eye!” or would you turn to Matthew 5:38 and read “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also”


The danger is a lack of endurance often results in despondency or losing heart, whereas a lack of patience often leads to wrath or revenge. The last two parts of this verse actually go together telling us that we can have patience and longsuffering through the power that only comes from God.


I know I was going to go all the way through to verse 14 but there is just so much stuff in those verses that go with other versus in John and 1st John among others that I want to put that off to next time.

Book of Colossians Study - Part 1 "Greetings and Background"

Let's begin our study of the Pauline Epistle to the church in Colossae with a little background study of the city and the church.

Colossians – Background (Excerpts from Warren Wiersbe’s Bible Exposition Commentary)

Colossae was one of three cities located about 100 miles inland from Ephesus. The other two cities were Laodicea and Hierapolis (Col 4:13, 16) his area was a meeting point of East and West because an important trade route passed through there. At one time, all three cities were growing and prosperous, but gradually Colossae slipped into a second-rate position. It became what we would call a small town. Yet the church there was important enough to merit the attention of the Apostle Paul.

All kinds of philosophies mingled in this cosmopolitan area, and religious hucksters abounded. There was a large Jewish colony in Colossae, and there was also a constant influx of new ideas and doctrines from the East. It was fertile ground for religious speculations and heresies!

The interesting this is that Colosse may have never been mentioned in the Bible without this letter. Paul did not start this church nor did he ever visit it. But he had heard of their faith (Col 1:4,9) and send them a letter to encourage him. I am sure glad he did because there is so much in this letter that we need to learn from.

When we examine the persons involved in the prison correspondence of Paul (see Eph., Phil., Col., Phile., and 2 Tim.), we can just about put the story together of how the Colossian church was founded. During Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, at least two men from Colossae were brought to faith in Jesus Christ—Epaphras and Philemon (see Phile. 19). Epaphras apparently was one of the key founders of the church in Colossae, for he shared the Gospel with his friends there (Col. 1:7). He also had a ministry in the cities of Hierapolis and Laodicea (Col. 4:12–13).

Philemon had a church meeting in his home (Phile. 2). It is likely that Apphia and Archippus, mentioned in this verse, were respectively the wife and son of Philemon, and that Archippus was the pastor of the church (Col. 4:17).

There is a good lesson for us here: God does not always need an apostle, or a “full-time Christian worker” to get a ministry established. Nor does He need elaborate buildings and extensive organizations. Here were two laymen who were used of God to start ministries in at least three cities. It is God’s plan that the Christians in the large urban areas like Ephesus reach out into the smaller towns and share the Gospel. Is your church helping to evangelize “small-town” mission fields?

The Colossian assembly was predominantly Gentile in its membership. The sins that Paul named (Col. 3:5–9) were commonly associated with the Gentiles, and his statement about the mystery applied more to the Gentiles than to the Jews (Col. 1:25–29). The church was probably about five years old when Paul wrote this letter.

Chapter 1: 1-2

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJV)

To fully understand Paul’s letters, we need to understand the character of Paul. He was a Pharisee (Jewish religious leader) that new the Hebrew scriptures thoroughly (or so he thought) and was present at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58) and would persecute Christians (Acts 8:3). His name was Saul during this time. But on that fateful day when he was on the way to Damascus to arrest Christians, Saul was met by the Lord Jesus and chosen to be His servant (Acts 9). 

The word “apostle” means ‘messenger, one who was sent’ and the word for “will” means ‘desire or pleasure.’ So we can reword this to say, “A messenger who was sent by Jesus Christ for His pleasure…” This is the same greeting that Paul used in Gal 1:3. In other letters, he uses words like slave or bondservant (depending on your translation) but the Greek word “duolos” (bondservant) means ‘willful slave.’

One interesting note is that Paul always used the same greeting in verse 2 in all his letters. “Grace and peace to you” and always in that order signifying that we can never have peace without God’s grace. In his letters to Timothy and Titus, he added the word “mercy.”

Next week we will get into verses 3 through 8 and discuss their faith in Christ.

Till next time…

God Bless,

Mike