Heritage Reformed Baptist Mission
COLOSSIANS
A small letter with a large meaning
The Introduction
Situated in Asia Minor in the Lycus River valley about 100 miles east of Ephesus and near the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis, Colosse was an important trade route between the East and the West. Its population included Jews with their false approach to the Gospel of Christ, as well as the normal assortment of religious hucksters that no doubt inhabited most of the Roman Empire. The city was a fertile ground for speculations and heresies. It was especially inhabited by false teachers who appear to have been teaching early forms of Gnosticism, denying the deity of Christ and promoting the worship of angels. That there was a church there is the reason the city is mentioned in the New Testament.
Who started the church at Colosse? That is a question that is the subject of some debate. The fact the letter to the church there was written by the Apostle Paul is attested by the letter itself which bears his signature at the very beginning. But that certainly is not reason to believe or, for that matter, to not believe Paul was the founder of the church there. On the other hand, it seems clear to this author from the internal evidence of the letter itself that Paul had never been to Colosse. First of all, he writes in Chapter 1, verse 4 that he “heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,” a strange statement to make if he had personally been present with them. Then, in Chapter 2, verse 1, he mentions those who “have not seen my face in the flesh,” including the folks at nearby Laodicea. It seems unreasonable to believe he had been to Colosse and not to have visited nearby Laodicea while there.
Well, then, who was the human instrument used by the Lord to found the church at Colosse? The most logical answer to that question which can be derived from Scripture is Epaphras. He is the one from whom the Colossians had “learned” the Gospel (Col. 1:7). He was one of them (Col. 4:12) and Paul writes that he had “great zeal,” not only for the Colossians, but also for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis (Col. 4:13). Obviously, Epaphras was well acquainted with the churches in those cities and the mention of his zeal would indicate he had a special interest in them, which anyone who has planted a church no doubt has and never loses. So, then, it is most logical and reasonable to assign the founding of the church at Colosse to Epaphras. Perhaps he had help from Philemon in whose house there was a church meeting (Philemon 1:2), as well as Archippus who was the pastor of that church (Col. 4:17). Each of these men, along with Apphia, who probably was the wife of Philemon (Philemon 1:2), were very likely converted to Christ under Paul’s long ministry in Ephesus during which it is written “that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10).
That there was a crisis in the Colossian church is quite evident from the content of Paul’s letter. The crisis was the invasion into the church, or at least the danger of such an invasion, by false and heretical teachings. Whether in or trying to get into the church, these teaching were definitely causing problems for the Colossian believers. The context of the letter indicates the false teachings were a combination of Eastern philosophy, Jewish legalism, pagan astrology, mysticism, asceticism, many if not all of which were expounded with a touch of Christianity. Perversion of the truth is often more damaging than outright denial. Then there were what appear to be the beginnings of the teachings of what was to become known as Gnosticism.
Gnosticism comes from the Greek word, “gnosis”, which simply means “to know.” Basically, it was (is) a man-made philosophy based on tradition rather than divine truth. It grew out of the philosophical question, “Why is there evil in this world if creation was made by a holy God?” The Gnostics’ answer to that question falsely concluded that all matter was evil and therefore a holy God could not come into contact with it. Thus the necessity for God to send forth a series of impulses (angels, planets, stars, etc.) to control the material world, especially human nature in its pursuit of perfection. These impulses negated the need for and, thus, the denial of the Person and work of Christ. Since matter was evil, He could not be God in the flesh. Therefore, His work was not enough for man to achieve his goal of perfection. As with all false teachers, they had a disclaimer. Theirs was that they were not denying the Christian faith, only lifting it to a higher level. They made Jesus Christ and His doctrine only a part of the total religious system rather than preeminent. Those who were the initiates of Gnosticism were the ones who knew the deep things of God. They were the spiritual-elite of the church. They promised people such a close union with God that they would reach “spiritual perfection.” This could be achieved by learning and observing prescribed teachings and ceremonies, striving for spiritual fullness by means of formulas, disciplines and rituals rather than faith. Such a system could (can) only change people from the outside. Those who rigidly adhered to it attained only reformation without regeneration, an eternally-fatal spiritual disease.
This, in essence, is the background leading to the writing of the letter.