The Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Colossi. A prison letter, it warns believers false teachings: Asceticism, self-denial, or voluntary suffering – belief that punishing self, you please God.
How can I know I am a true believer?
Colossians 1:4- Do you love the word of God? Do you love being with fellow believers? You have the Promise of Heaven.
The “mystery” of Colossians 1:25-27 is explained. It is the secret program that the ascended Lord Jesus Christ committed first to the Apostle Paul, and the same program He then revealed to all of mankind by the Holy Spirit through Paul’s letters, Romans through Hebrews.
The letters to the Colossians and Philemon should be considered together. The letters to the Colossians and Philemon should be considered together. Both letters are written from “Paul and Timothy”. Compare verses:
Colossians 1:1 …and Timotheus our brother, Philemon 1 … and Timothy our brother,…
Colossians 4:9-10 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. … if he come unto you, receive him. Philemon 12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him,…
Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus,… Philemon 2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:,
Colossians 4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus…
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
Philemon 24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
Colossians is written while Paul is in prison (Colossians 4:10, 4:18). The bearer of the letters was apparently Tychicus (Colossians 4:7), and the collection of letters he was carrying probably included Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21-22). Mark has obviously now been reconciled with Paul, unlike the situation at the beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 15:26-31). Demas (Philemon 24) is still with Paul, though later he will “forsake” him (2 Timothy 4:10). The question as to the date of the letter thus comes down to which prison – Caeserea or Rome? It is impossible to be dogmatic, but the fact that Paul has few Jewish companions (Colossians 4:11) seems more likely in Rome than in Caesarea, which is in the land of Israel. Also, the work and gospel of Mark is connected to Rome, and since Mark is with Paul when this letter is written, a Roman origin seems more likely. This would place the letters of Colossians and Philemon at the same time, around 61-62 A.D.
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