AUTHOR

Some modern critical scholars have expressed doubt about Paul’s authorship of Colossians despite the fact it contains autobiographical statements from Paul and even begins with a salutation in which the author names himself as Paul. The misgivings typically have to do with the style of the letter (judged to be slightly different from that of other Pauline letters) and the theology of the letter (thought to be more developed than that in Paul’s other writings). The weight of such concerns diminishes significantly, however, when we consider the letter’s setting, which demanded a different theological response than what was called for by a Judaizing faction threatening the church—the danger Paul addressed in other letters. Some of the critical scholars also have too narrow a perspective on the versatility of an ancient author in expressing himself differently on different occasions.

Colossae was located about one hundred miles inland from Ephesus in the Roman province of Asia (modern Turkey). Paul wrote this letter sometime between AD 60–62, probably from Rome.

THEMES IN COLOSSIANS

Extreme self-denial, the invocation of angels, visionary experiences, and the scrupulous observation of religious rites characterized the practices of a factional group in the Colossian church. In his pastoral concern about this dangerous teaching, the apostle Paul wrote the church a letter, calling them to a renewed appreciation of their sovereign Lord and Redeemer and urging them to live consistently with the full implications of their relationship to Jesus.

Older commentators identified the opponents’ teaching as Gnosticism (the belief that salvation is found through hidden knowledge and that matter is evil whereas spirit is good). Some more recent commentators suggest it was a form of Jewish mysticism. Historical evidence from local folk practices, however, suggests the faction causing trouble was invoking angels as a means of warding off attacks of evil spirits. Paul’s bottom-line message to the church, then, was to hold on firmly to Christ rather than rely on angelic mediators and pseudo-spiritualistic practices.