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The Epistle to the Colossians is a book of the Bible New Testament . Although its authorship is disputed, the book takes the form of a letter from Paul to the church in Colossae . AUTHORSHIP While traditionally attributed to . OCCASION OF WRITING Ostensibly it was written by Paul at Rome during his first imprisonment there (, or, as some scholars think, 62 , and soon after he had written his Epistle To Ephesians . Like some of his other ascetics were judging the body of Christ for "eating and drinking" and observing the "feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths." In response, Paul commands the saints to "let no one judge you...but the body of Christ," i.e. the Church itself, which was observing these biblical holy days (Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 3:31). Paul focuses much of his epistle to the Colossians in combating the teachings of the early Gnostic sects, particularly ascetics (see Col. 2:4-23). CONTENT OF THE LETTER Like most of Paul's epistles, this consists of two parts: a doctrinal and a practical. The doctrinal part comprises the first two chapters. His main Theme is developed in chapter 2. He warns them against being drawn away from Him in whom dwelt all the fullness of the deity (2:9), and who was the head of all spiritual powers. Christ was the head of the body of which they were members; and if they were truly united to him, what needed they more? Paul could see that they had grown spiritually because of their love for all the set-apart ones in Christ (1:4 & 8). He knowing this wanted them to grow in wisdom and knowledge that their love might be principled love and not sentimentality (1:9-11). "Christ in you is your hope of glory!" (1:27) The practical part of the epistle (3-4) enforces various duties naturally flowing from the doctrines expounded. They are exhorted to mind things that are above (3:1-4), to mortify every evil principle of their nature, and to put on the new man (3:5-14). Many special duties of the Christian life are also insisted upon as the fitting evidence of the Christian character. . (The apocryphal Epistle To The Laodiceans is almost universally believed to be a Forgery based on this instruction.) He then closes this brief but striking epistle with his usual autograph salutation. There is a remarkable resemblance between this epistle and that to the Ephesians. REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY
EXTERNAL LINKS Online translations of the Epistle to the Colossians: Related articles:
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