The Letter to the Colossians

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today through November 24

Paul’s letter each have their own unique qualifiers

Colossians: soaring Christology; Cosmological Christ; the strange heresy threatening the church; very intriguing and intellectually challenging.

2016: Packing it in with Packer

Who is J. I. Packer? reformed evangelical theologian; theologian emeritus for ACNA since its creation in 2009; Professor of Theology, Regent College, VancouverBorn in England to a lower middle class family; educated at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University where he heard C. S. Lewis lectures; life changing accident at 7; general editor of the ESV; countless publications

Of the Apostle Paul he has said: He is “a theologian to his finger-tips, he writes out of a mind enlightened by revelation and a heart and imagination fed by love of the Father and the Son, and the people he addresses.”

“My primary authority,” wrote Packer, “is a Bible writer named Paul. For many decades now, I have asked myself at every turn of my theological road: Would Paul be with me in this? What would he say if he were in my shoes? I have never dared to offer a view on anything that I did not have good reason to think he would endorse.”

Setting the Stage• Was Paul the author?

• 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother”

• Claims to have been written by Paul

• Many personal references: (“I, Paul, became a minister”; “I rejoice in my sufferings”; names his associates in ministry and writes “in his own hand”)

• No question of authorship until the rise of historical criticism in the 19th century.

• Paul authored Philemon; overlapping facts show same person.

Claims to be written by Paul

1:1: “Paul an Apostle….1:23,24, talks of his special ministry1:1: calls Timothy his brother4:7-15: names six other men as ministry associates4:18 writes in his own hand

Claim that written by a follower after Paul’s death: Greek is different than other letters: 87 words not found in other letters but see Philippians with 79. Style is different than Paul’s other letters but style will differ with audience and issue. Biggest issue is the theology: emphasis on tradition as authoritative, Christology is soaring and universal; church is the church universal not the local church (but see Ephesians), eschatology, the already not yet aspects of temporary dualism is a realized eschatology: “we have been raised with Christ”: and the spiritual powers already defeated.

It is reasonable to believe that Paul would have presented the same theological truths in different ways according to context he was addressing without being inconsistent with himself.

Packer did not even mention this as an issue.

Bishop Paul Barnett:Authorship of Colossians and EphesiansThe style and tone of these letters has prompted doubt that they came from the same hand that wrote Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans and Philippians.The key to this question is the little letter of Paul to Philemon, whose authorship by Paul is not in question. Present with Paul when he wrote both letters were:Aristarchus Philemon 23 Colossians 410Mark Philemon 23 Colossians 410Luke Philemon 23 Colossians 414Demas Philemon 23 Colossians 414Onesimus Philemon 10 Colossians 49Paul addressed Archippus in Colossians and Philemon:Archippus Philemon 2 Colossians 417These overlapping details indicate that both letters were written at the same time, from the same place [Ephesus probably] by the same author: Paul. The bearer of these 2 letters was Tychicus and Onesimus: Colossians 47 & Philemon 12.However Tychicus was also the bearer of the Ephesus Encyclical – Ephesians 621.So: Philemon is unquestionably written by Paul.Colossians is by the same author – i.e. Paul.Colossians, [Philemon] and Ephesians delivered by the same envoy – Tychicus. Paul wasauthor of all three letters

The Place of Letters in Paul’s Ministry

• Paul’s first letter

• 2nd missionary journey (49-51 AD)

• In Corinth when he writes first letter: 1 Thessalonians, ~50 AD

How is it that Paul came to write letters?

Communication with the congregations that he had established was essential to him and they are beginning to become more numerous. But there was something else….

1 Thessalonians

Acts 16-18: 2nd missionary journey, passes through Lystra and wants Timothyto accompany him. Goes to Troas has vision to come over to Macedonia. Goes to Philippi (Lydia seller of purple).

When Paul and Silas were asked to leave Philippi after their extraordinary prison release by God, they took the major Roman road further into Macedonia to the major city of the province, Thessalonica. There they spent a few weeks, first in the synagogues, as was their practice. They had initial success, with several Jewish conversions and even more Gentiles coming to Christ (Acts 17:1–4). However, their initial success was short-lived, as severe persecution broke out and they were forced to leave Thessalonica and travel first to Berea, and then further south to Athens in the province of Achaia (Acts 17:5–10, 15–16).Paul clearly did not want to leave Thessalonica and felt his ministry there had just begun. Both in Berea and later in Athens, he had wanted to return. So from Athens he sent Timothy to find out how the Thessalonians were holding up under the pressure (3:1–2). Timothy returned with very encouraging news (3:6), and that is when he wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians.

Why didn’t he just pay them a visit or send word via Timothy?

The Place of Letters in Paul’s Ministry

• What caused him to write that first letter?

• 1 Thess. 2:17-18 “But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.”

• “But Satan hindered us.” Result?

• Rom. 8:28: A dozen more letters over the next decade

17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.

Romans 8:28 in action And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The Place of Letters in Paul’s Ministry

• Why write rather than give oral instruction?

• Takes seriously the pastoral care of his congregations because he was called by Jesus Christ himself on the road to Damascus.

• Saul the “zealot”: “For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.” Gal. 1:13; Acts 9:1; 26:11; 8:3; 22:4

• Damascus Road (told three times in Acts); a “verily, verily” moment.

The narration of Paul’s conversion experience takes up more space in the NT than any other event except for the crucifixion. Its effect on Paul cannot be over emphasized.

Acts 9:1; 26:11; 8:3; 22:4 Saul the zealot, “still breathing threats and murder”, “in raging fury” “laid waste the church”; he “persecuted” “this Way to the death.” Zealot was covenantally orthodox and an adherent to Pharisaism and they acted immediately to end any threat to that orthodoxy. His ferocious assault drove believers out of Jerusalem. Paul Barnett: “Outrage at the blasphemous Christology of a crucified pretender”

Damascus Road:

To Saul, the Pharisee of pharisees, taught by Gamaliel, F.B. Meyer: “the glory of God on the face of Jesus”. “There is no conceivable method of divine manifestation that can excel the light that shines from the face of Jesus. They were human features that looked down on the Jewish persecutor through the open doorway of heaven, but they were aglow with the light of the Shekinah that passed between the pieces of Abraham’s sacrifices, shone in the burning bush, lighted the march of Israel through the Red Sea , and at the dedication of Solomon’s temple drove the priests before its waves of billowy glory from the holy place into the outer court. Saul beheld the glory of God in the face of Jesus whom he persecuted.”

1Cor. 9:1:  Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? Referring to Jesus post resurrection appearances he says: 1 Cor. 15:8 “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

The Place of Letters in Paul’s Ministry• Gal 1: 11-12 (“received through a revelation of Jesus

Christ”).

• Gal 1: 15-17 (“set me apart before I was born”).

• Romans 1:1 (“set apart for the gospel of God”).

• 1 Cor. 9:16 (“For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”)

• Personal, direct calling like OT prophets: Is. 6:1-9 (“Here am I send me.”)

• Serious obligation like OT prophets: Ezek. 3:18 (“his blood I will require at your hand.”)

Gal. 1: 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal. 1: 15-16 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles

1 Cor. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Is. 6: 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “

Ezekiel 3:16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

The Place of Letters in Paul’s Ministry

• Pastoral, Community Documents

• Written to be spoken aloud like a conversation or preaching

• Written to be shared in community Col. 4:16

• Except for Romans, addressed to those already in the faith about real issues among them.

• Not literary letters (e.g., Cicero). Address real people and circumstances.

• implications for exegesis: closely tied to the situation they address.

Col. 4: 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

The Place of Letters in Paul’s Ministry• Reading Paul’s Letters

• differ widely in their tone because they are specific to different circumstances

• Philippians projects a deep love.

• Galatians, a tone of exasperation bordering on anger.

• Romans is a detailed exposition of Paul’s salvation theology.

• Their structure is typical for 1st century: opening, body and closing.

• Unusually long, e.g. Romans (+7000), Colossians (1577). Even shortest, Philemon (328), is longer that a typical 1st century letter.

Back to Colossians

Setting the Stage

• To whom did he write it?

• 1:2 “To the saints and faithful brothers (and sisters) at Colossae”

~100 miles

Colossae was located about 100 miles from Ephesus. Colossae was noted for its brutal winters, lovely springs and hot summers.

Ephesus

Lycus Valley Cities

Syria and the Euphrates

Colossae is the oldest among the three by 2-300 years, ~480 BC. Laodicea ~ 261-246 BC. Hierapolis ~ 197-160 BC. All three are on an east to west trade route.GEOGRAPHY: Laodicea and Hierapolis are face to face and within sight of each other ~6 miles across the Lycus Valley. They overhang the valley on opposite sides. Colossae is about 10 miles upriver and the river divided the town. Easily traveled in a single day, there was a community of interests between the three cites so issues that affected the spiritual life of the Christian communities in each of these cities were likely common. This area was known for its earthquakes. Laodicea was destroyed at least twice and rebuilt. The subterranean chaos associated with being where a plate engaged another plate moving in the opposite direction was visible on the surface in another way. Hierapolis was known for its hot springs with supposed medicinal properties (Strabo, Greek geographer, says the city was full of self made baths) and also for the Plutonium that had a hot spring that emitted vapors that were immediately fatal to those who stood over it and inhaled them.The streams and waters around the Lycus had a high mineral content which was useful to the principal trade in these cities: dyed woolen goods. There were dyers guilds in each. The valley was very fertile and fed large flocks of sheep. Laodicea was known for its glossy black wool.

Laodicea was well-known in the ancient world for its wealth. Laodicea was also known for its medical school that concocted an eye salve. The major weakness of Laodicea was its lack of a water supply. This need was met by bringing water from Denizli, six miles south of Laodicea, through a system of stone pipes (another sign of Laodicea’s wealth). That water was known to be tepid because of its 6 mile transit whereas that of Hierapolis was hot and of Colassae, cold.

John drew upon the geography and culture of Laodicea to point out their spiritual weakness in Revelation.15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

As Jesus tells John, the Laodiceans, while they may have had material wealth, were spiritually poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3:17)—an obvious reference to the textile and banking industry and medical school of Laodicea. According to Jesus, what the Laodiceans needed more than anything else was the true gold, white (not black) garments, and eye salve that only Christ could give (Rev. 3:18)

Hierapolis

Laodicea

Colassae

The excavated sites of Laodicea and Hierapolis give some evidence of their wealth. Colossae has not been excavated.

Southern view: The “tell” of Colossae in the foreground with the Turkish city of Honaz and the mountain Cadmus in the background.

Likely destroyed in a large earthquake that destroyed Laodicea in ~63-64 AD. Another testimony to the wealth of Laodicea was that it was rebuilt without Roman financing by its citizens.

ColossinusCyclamen

Colossae was known the world over for its red/purple wool.The color was so well known that Pliny the elder, Roman soldier/naturalist, 1st century books on Natural History, used the color of the Colossian wool to describe the color of the cyclamen bloom.

Setting the Stage• When did Paul write this letter?

• Col. 4: 3 “…I am in prison….” Where was he a prisoner?

• “Captivity Epistles”, letters written from prison: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians and 2 Timothy,

• Acts: Luke lists three imprisonments, Philippi (1 night,16:19-34), Caesarea Maritima (two years, 23:23-26: 32; 24:27), Rome (two years, 28:11-31)

• But Ephesus? “far more imprisonments”, 2 Cor. 11:23 + Christian tradition

• Majority view 60-62 AD (Rome) but might be 52-55 AD (Ephesus)

No indication in Acts or Colossians of when written unless a clue as to where he was when he wrote it

2 Cor. 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

• How did he write this letter?

• dictated to an amanuensis (secretary)

• Packer: “best of his dictated letters just as a piece of writing”

Setting the Stage

e man u n sis

• use of an amanuensis was common

• not limited to wealthy; marketplace hired

• co-worker, e.g., Timothy

• transcriber, contributor, composer

• Paul apparently used: 1 Cor. 16.21; Gal. 6:11, Col. 4:18; 2 Thess. 3:17; Philemon 19; Rom. 16.22 (Tertius)

• Writing materials, 2 Tim. 4:13-13 (bring “the parchments”)

1 Cor. 16:21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.Gal. 6:11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.Col. 4:18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.2 Thess. 3:17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.Philemon 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.Romans 16:22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

1st century ink pretty well standardized: red (ochre, gelatin, gum and beeswax) and black (lampblack or ground charcoal mixed with gum arabic). Black was cheaper but not water resistant.Pens: juncos maritimas, reed with point cut and small slit“Paper”: parchment (calf, goat or sheep), papyrus (5-15 feet wrist thick reeds on banks of the Nile. Came in rolls of 20 sheets and 12 feet long, per PlinyNotebooks made of parchment, membranae, 2 Timothy 4:13: 13 “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.” Used to records thoughts, drafts or could have been copies of schools or even of his letters

Why did Paul write this letter?• Epaphras to Paul: “a strange form of heresy”, J B Lightfoot,

1886.

• The desire to be more than “merely Christian”.

• “If they must be Christians let them at least be Christians with a difference.” C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, (London: Geoffrey Bles, 1942), p. 126.

• “Work on the horror of the Same Old Thing”; promote the dangers of “mere understanding”, Lewis, SL

• “For the descriptive adjective “unchanged” we have substituted the emotional adjective “stagnant”.” Lewis, SL

The desire to be more than “merely Christian”.

In C.S. Lewis classic, The Screwtape Letters, a senior devil, Screwtape, counsels his apprentice-nephew, Wormwood, in the art of “caring” for his human patient. In this letter he tells Wormwood “the patient” must be made to appreciate the need for more than “mere Christianity.”CLICK“The real trouble about the set your patient is living in is that it is merely Christian. They all have individual interests, of course, but the bond remains mere Christianity. What we want, if men become Christians at all, is to keep them in the state of mind I call ‘Christianity And’. You know— Christianity and the Crisis, Christianity and the New Psychology, Christianity and the New Order, Christianity and Faith Healing, Christianity and Psychical Research, Christianity and Vegetarianism, Christianity and Spelling Reform. If they must be Christians let them at least be Christians with a difference. Substitute for the faith itself some Fashion with a Christian colouring.”

How is that done?

The “enemy” has balanced their love of change with their need of the permanent, for instance the seasons of the year. Spring is a novelty but always as a permanent recurrence. Humans want/need change so take advantage of their desire for the novel. Make change an end in itself. Like exaggerating the pleasure of eating to produce gluttony, “we” take the pleasantness of change and create the demand for absolute novelty. CLICKThe way to do this is to work on the horror of the Same Old Thing; promote the dangers of “mere understanding”.

“The horror of the Same Old Thing is one of the most valuable passions we have produced in the human heart—an endless source of heresies in religion, folly in counsel, infidelity in marriage, and inconstancy in friendship.”

• What was the foundation of the “strange heresy” at Colossae?

• “Real” Christianity is more than “mere” Christianity, it’s Christ + ____________

• “Satan is an expert on extras.” J. I. Packer

Introduction: Paul and Timothy to Christians at Colossae

• 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God’s will”

• Paul declares his identity and his authority to those who know him only by reputation

• Jesus, human name of the son of God

• Christos=Messiah, not a label but a proclamation of identity

• through God’s will

Packer: Paul has become the “big brain of the Gentile ministry”

Introduction: Paul and Timothy to Christians at Colossae

• “and our brother Timothy”

• Paul’s frequent companion since near the beginning of 2nd missionary journey (Acts 16:1-3)

• 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, 1 and 2 Thessalonians

• 1:2 “To the saints and faithful brothers (and sisters) at Colossae.”

Timothy was likely converted on Paul’s first missionary journey and joined him on his second.

2 Corinthians: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother”; Philippians: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus….”; Philemon: “Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother”; 1 Thessalonians: “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy”; 2 Thessalonians: “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,”