The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians
The town of Colosse was located on a ridge overlooking the Lycus River Valley in Central Asia Minor. At the time of Paul's writing, its neighboring cities, Laodicea and Hierapolis were becoming more important while Colosse was in a period of decline. Travelers were using a newer road that went through the other two cities, but bypassed Colosse. Churches were established in all three of these cities by Epaphras (Colossians 4:12-13 says, "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.) and Timothy , but Paul never visited the believers there personally (Colossians 2:1 says, "For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;"). However, he did tell Philemon , a native of Colosse, that he was hoping to visit him (Philemon 1:22 says, "But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you").
Paul is believed to have written to the Colossians about 60 AD during his first imprisonment in Rome. While most agree it was written about the same time as Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians, it is not certain which was written first. Epaphras, also a native of Colosse, came to visit Paul in prison and gave him a report not only of the progress being made there but also of the problem with false teachers who had gained a foothold in the church. Paul sent the letter back with Onesimus (Philemon's Slave) and Tychicus (Colossians 4:7-9 says, "All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here"), but for some unknown reason Epaphras did not return at that time (Colossians 4:12 says, "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God").
Paul's purpose in writing this letter was to refute heretical teaching that was influencing the Colossian church. Paul's references to circumcision, food regulations, and feast days (Colossians 2:11-16 says, "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:") indicate that this heresy involved Judaistic tendencies. It differed from the heresy in Galatia in that integrated an early form of Gnostic philosophy, which consisted of ascetic ideas (Colossians 2:20-23 says, "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh") and the worship of angels as intermediaries between God and man (Colossians 2:18-19 says, "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God"). Supposedly, one could achieve perfection by progressing through a number of initiations and levels of wisdom in spiritual mysteries. This is wrong.
Instead of refuting the false teachings point by point, Paul shows that all things are fulfilled in the person of Christ. He stresses that all wisdom and spiritual understanding can be found in the God-Man who redeemed them and now holds authority over all things (Colossians 1:9-2:19). He then goes on to explain the relationship of "mortifying" the deeds of the flesh to being alive through the Spirit (Colossians 2:20-3:17). Finally he gives practical injunctions for Christian behavior (Colossians 3:18-4:6).
Colossians 1:7 says, "As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ;"
Epaphras (Colossians 4:12 says, "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." AND Philemon 1:23 says, "There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;") was one of Paul's friends and associates, called by him a "fellow bondservant" and "fellow prisoner." Epaphras evangelized the cities of the Lycus Valley in Phrygia under Paul's direction and founded the churches of Colosse, Hierapolis, and Laodicea. Later, he visited Paul in prison in Rome, and it was his news of the conditions in the churches of the Lycus Valley that caused Paul to write the Book of Colossians.
Colossians 1:9 says, "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;"
The heresy that prevailed in Colosse as well as in other contemporary churches was Gnosticism (Colossians 2:8-23).
Colossians 1:15-18 says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 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."
In the first verse of this passage, Jesus Christ is presented as the image of God, the invisible One (John 1:18 says, " No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him"). Eikon, "image", always assumes a prototype (the original form from which it is drawn), not merely a thing it resembles (e.g., the reflection of the sun in the water is an eikon). Paul was telling the Colossians that Jesus Christ has a "prototype," God the Father who is invisible. The relationship between Christ and the Father God is not coincidental.
The other significant word is prototokos, translated as "firstborn." What it means in this passage is that Christ holds the same relation to all creation as God the Father, because He is above all creation.
Colossians 2:8-23 says, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the 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. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."
Gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning "knowledge." This heresy was repudiated not only by the writers of many New Testament epistles, but also by the church fathers, who lived in the period after the early church. It is the church fathers that give a knowledge of Gnosticism's general tenets.
The Gnostics separated matter from thought. They concluded that matter was evil, and formulated the idea that the possession of knowledge was the only requirement for Salvation. This is why they did not want to attribute humanity to Jesus Christ because to them, material things were evil. Docetism