Outline of Colossians

Michael J. Penfold

 

Author: Paul, who had never met the Colossians (Col 1:7, 2:1)

 

Recipients: The Colossian assembly consisted of converted Phrygians (ex-worshippers of Cybele and Dionysius), Greeks and Jews all of whom met in Philemon's house (Col 4:9, Philem :23). This assembly had been formed through the labours of Epaphras (Col 1:6-7).

 

Place of Composition: Prison in Rome (Col 4;3, 4:18)

 

Date of Composition: Around AD 61-64

 

Delivered by: Onesimus and Tychicus at the same time as the epistles to Philemon and the Ephesians (Col 4:7-9, Philem :10-11, Eph 6:21-22)

 

Outline:

1:1-14 Salvation of the Colossians (Personal)

1:15-23 Supremacy of Christ (Doctrinal)

1:24-2:7 Stewardship of Paul (Ministerial)

2:8-3:4 Sufficiency of Christ (Polemical)

3:5-4:6 Sanctification of the Colossians (Practical)

4:7-4:18 Salutations of Paul and others (Personal)

 

Reasons for the Epistle:

1. To encourage, strengthen and stabilize the assembly at Colossee

2. To refute false teaching in four of its forms: philosophical, ritualistic, ascetic and mystical.

3. To instruct the Colossians regarding how to live the Christian life. 

 

Flow of Thought:

 

Ch 1 - Christ the Supreme One

• Paul greets the Colossians, recaps on their salvation and expresses his desires for their spiritual growth.
• He enumerates the blessings they have received (what Christ has done), before expounding the nature and work of Christ (what He is) and its effect on the Colossians.
• Thus Paul counters the two problems facing the Colossians:
• Firstly, the very real possibility of a lapse into the pagan sensuality from which they had been delivered, and secondly the very real danger of accepting a false solution to that threat as presented by the Essene Gnostics (philosophy, asceticism, religious observance, mysticism etc.)
• Paul then explains his ministry of suffering and preaching the revealed truth of God with all his God-given energy, which had the perfection of the Colossians as its ultimate goal.

Ch 2 - Christ the Sufficient One

• Paul elaborates further. He reveals that his consuming passion is to ensure the Colossians really enjoy the fullness of Christ, as opposed to becoming embroiled in the dead end of philosophy, religious observance, mysticism and the worship of angels.
• The Colossians’ spiritual circumcision, death and resurrection in Christ are the centre and circumference of all spiritual life and continuing to walk in the good of such truth is the true path to maturity.
• Paul warns the Colossians:

Not to be deceived by clever words (v4)

Not to be kidnapped by philosophy (v8)

Not to be taken to task over religious observances (v16) and

Not to be robbed of their reward by mysticism (v18)

• Through the cross, God has done five things: forgiven, wiped out, nailed, disarmed and triumphed. Thus the whole Essene/Gnostic package is a waste of time. Far from curbing the flesh, it actually in a subtle way gives it a smug sense of satisfaction.

Chs 3 & 4 - Christ the Satisfying One

• In light of their death and resurrection with Christ, the Colossians must now 'seek heaven' and 'think heaven'. The earthly system with which they have been associated is no more.
• This, not Gnosticism, is the way to live a successful Christian life!
• This new way of living will affect them in five ways:

Personally - They will live holy lives (3:5-11)

Corporately - They will live harmonious lives (3:12-17)

Domestically - They will live happy lives (3:18-21)

Commercially - They will live honest lives (3:22-4:1)

Evangelically - They will live honourable lives (4:2-6)

Paul ends the epistle with various salutations and comments about ten individuals.

 

There are six prominent words in Colossians: Body, Wisdom, Knowledge, Fullness/Fill, Mystery and Walk. The epistle builds its message around these words, teaching that if one who is a member of Christ's body is filled with Christ-like wisdom and knowledge, he will have a complete walk in Him. Thus the supreme Christ becomes the sufficient Christ providing all that the believer needs to live a victorious Christian life.

Penfold Books offers the following resources on the above subject