Exploring Pauls Letter To The Colossians Chapters 1 2

Exploring Paul's Letter to Exploring Paul's Letter to the Colossiansthe Colossians

chapters I-IIchapters I-II

By Paul GoodhallBy Paul Goodhall

ColossiansColossians

• Colosse was situated about 100 miles east of Ephesus on a caravan route to the east, near the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis.

• The Apostle Paul had travelled through Colosse but he was not acquainted with the church there Colossians 2:1


• It is quite possible that the church was established as an outreach of Paul’s Ephesians ministry


• This letter was written by Paul between 61- 63 AD during his first imprisonment at Rome

• During this time Paul also wrote• Ephesians• Philemon • Philippians • Hebrews


• Epaphras a Colossian and minister from the church arrived in Rome informing Paul of a heresy which was growing. Paul sent the letter by Tychicus and Onesimus who also carried the letter to the Ephesians and one letter to Philemon

The Gnostic HeresyThe Gnostic Heresy

• What they Taught • Changed the Gospel into a mere philosophy• All matter is evil and God alone is holy• God could not span the gulf between himself

and man so mediatory angels are used• Classified Jesus as a mediatory angel

• This philosophy is also mixed with legalism and Judaism.

Paul’s Remedy for this false Paul’s Remedy for this false teaching teaching

• The Lordship of Jesus.

• Christian Liberty.

The Godhead of Jesus ChristThe Godhead of Jesus Christ

• Colossians 1:18 That in all things he may have pre-eminence

• This is the key phrase in the letter of Colossians. Jesus has the pre-eminence


• Jesus has the pre-eminence:

• In Creation col 1:16

• In the resurrection col 1:18

• In redemption col 1:20


• Jesus has the pre-eminence in:

• Col 1:15 image of the invisible God.• Col 1:15 firstborn of every creature.• Col 1:16 All things were created by him.• Col 1:17 He is before all things.• Col 1:17 by him in all things consist.



• Col 1:18 Head of The Church• Col 1:18 The beginning• Col 1:18 The first born from the dead.• Col 1:19 In him all fullness dwells.• Col 1:20 To reconcile all things unto himself



• Col 1:27 Christ in you the hope of glory• Col 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead

bodily.• Col 2:10 Head of all principality and power.


• In summing up Jesus Christ has the pre-eminence. He has all the power, wisdom and the glory of God are resident in him and in him all the fullness dwells bodily.

Paul’s prayerPaul’s prayer

• Colossians 1:9-13• In contrast to the intellectualism of the Gnostics Paul

prayed that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will

• As they are fruitful in every good work their knowledge of God will grow

Paul’s prayer Paul’s prayer

• This power will be God’s power in their lives to produce:

• Patience, • Longsuffering,• Joyfulness.

Translated from darknessTranslated from darkness

Colossians 1:13 -14

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins.

The power of God in actionThe power of God in action

“delivered” and “translated”

• The child of God has been delivered from the power of darkness.

• And translated into the kingdom of his dear son.

The power of God in actionThe power of God in action

• This is experienced when a person is born again according to the obedience of the Gospel as preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost Acts 2:38

The Power of God in ActionThe Power of God in Action

• In redemption we experience forgiveness of sins • The Inuit people express forgiveness as “not being able

to think about it any more” • However forgiveness goes deeper than this.

ForgivenessForgiveness

• As used in col 1:14 is the noun Aphesis it denotes a dismissal, a release.

• and is akin to the verb Aphiemi and means to things being completely cancelled in regard to debts and sin.

Image of the Invisible GodImage of the Invisible God

• Col 1: 15 who is the image of the invisible the first born of every creature

• God is a spirit and as such is invisible Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God.


• Philip asked Jesus Lord show us the father The reply of Jesus was “He that hath seen me hath seen the father”

• John 14:8,9.


• During the Apostle Paul's second imprisonment in Rome between 64 - 67 AD Paul wrote a letter to timothy in his

letter on the subject of the invisible God Paul told timothy


• Paul said in I Timothy 1:16• “And with out controversy great is the mystery of

Godliness God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory”.

The First Born of every creatureThe First Born of every creature

Col 1: 15 who is the image of the invisible God the first born of every creature.

The divine pre-eminence of The Lord Jesus Christ had been explored fully earlier in this bible study

All things reconciledAll things reconciled

• Colossians 1: 20 and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him….

• It was through the atonement provided on the cross of Calvary that reconciliation was made for all. It is only by

accepting salvation that we can be reconciled to God

If ye ContinueIf ye Continue

• Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minster

If ye ContinueIf ye Continue

• Continue In the faith• Grounded • Settled• Not moved from away from the hope of the gospel

• Our position in Christ depends upon each believer

continuing in the faith

Mystery Now Made ManifestMystery Now Made Manifest

• Colossians 1:26 – 27• Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and

from generations but now is made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory.

• When a believer is baptized with the Holy Ghost he is in Christ (I Corinthians 12:13) and Christ is in him

• The Church is Christ’s body and Jesus takes up residence in the heart of his saints.


• Chapter II

LaodiceaLaodicea

Colossians 2:1• For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for

you, and for them at Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.

Mystery of GodMystery of God

• Colossians 2:2,3• That their hearts might be comforted being knit together

in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Mystery of GodMystery of God

• Paul’s concern for these churches was that they might be united in love that they might have a clear understanding of the deity of Jesus. The amplified New Testament on the last part of verse 2 says may know more definitely and accurately and thoroughly that mystic secret of God which is Christ the Anointed one In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and enlightenment are stored up and lie hidden.

• If it were essential for the Colossians to receive the revelation that Jesus is God It is still essential that every Christian receive this revelation today.

Warning Against GnosticismWarning Against Gnosticism

• Colossians 2:8 • Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and

vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ.

• The following expressions describe the error of Gnosticism and the saint’s are warned to avoid this teaching. And those who teach this false doctrine.

Warning Against LegalismWarning Against Legalism

Colossians 2:11-17

• False doctrine is often mixed with that which has the appearance of the truth. At Colosse Judaistic teachings were mixed with Gnosticism.

Warning Against LegalismWarning Against Legalism

• At Calvary, Jesus triumphed over these which were shadows pointing towards The Lord Jesus Christ. Now he had come and he fulfilled these types. This is certainly true of both the rite of circumcision and the Sabbath. Paul states that water baptism has taken the

place of circumcision

Warning Against MysticismWarning Against Mysticism

• Colossians 2:18-19.• Let no man beguile you of your reward in voluntary

humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind And not holding the Head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together increaseth with the increase of God

Warning Against MysticismWarning Against Mysticism

• Here the worship of angels is condemned. As members of His body we do not need the mediatorial ministry of angels this includes the praying to saints and the virgin Mary. Each member of the body receives strength directly from the Head Which is Jesus Christ. This is a very simply but wonderful truth.

Warning Against AscetismWarning Against Ascetism

• Colossians 2:20-23 • Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments

of the world why as thought living in the world are ye subject to ordinances.

• Touch not, taste not, handle not,• Which things are indeed a shew of wisdom in will

worship and humility and neglecting of the body and not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Warning Against AscetismWarning Against Ascetism

• The final warning is against Ascetism If we are dead to the teaching of the world then there is no merit in self-affliction.


• This Bible study can be found on line at

• www.m3jfm.net

• Email [email protected]

Exploring Pauls Letter To The Colossians Chapters 1 2

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