The Epistle to the Colossians
The Epistle to the Colossians.
Although its authorship is disputed, the book takes the
form of a letter from Paul to the church in Colossae.
While traditionally attributed to Paul, disagreements
exist among scholars because of issues such as language
(48 words appear in Colossians that appear nowhere else
in the Pauline corpus, 33 of these occur nowhere else in
the N.T.), style (This letter has a strong use of
liturgical-hyminic style which is used nowhere else in
Paul's work as extensively), and the presence or absence
of characteristic Pauline concepts. However, the
differences between these elements in this letter and
one commonly considered the genuine work of Paul (e.g. 1
Thessalonians) are explained by advocates of Pauline
authorship by human variability, and the apparent use of
an amanuensis in composition. Paul's authorship is also
confirmed by many of the church's early key figures such
as Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen,
and Eusebius, though most of these references are much
later than Paul, and several of them have proved
unreliable for other identifications. It has also been
suggested that the epistle was co-authored by Paul's
"apprentice," Timothy (Colossians 1:1). This might be
one of the causes for so much controversy over
authorship.
Ostensibly it was written by Paul at Rome during his
first imprisonment there (Acts 28:16, 30), probably in
the spring of AD 57, or, as some scholars think, AD 62,
soon after he had written his Epistle to Ephesians. If
the letter is not considered to be an authentic part of
the Pauline corpus it might be dated during the late
first century, possible as late as the 80's
Like some of his other epistles (e.g., those to
Corinth), this seems to have been written in consequence
of information which had been conveyed to him of the
internal state of the church there by Epaphras (1:4-8).
Its object was to counteract false teaching. A large
part of it is directed against certain speculatists who
attempted to combine the doctrines of Eastern mysticism
and asceticism with Christianity, thereby promising
believers enjoyment of a higher spiritual life and a
deeper insight into the world of spirits. Paul argues
against such teaching, showing that in Christ they had
all things. He sets forth the majesty of his redemption.
The mention of the "new moon" and "Sabbath days" (2:16)
shows that Gnostic 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).
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