Some rought sermon notes:
Paul’s Letter to the Colossians
How to Read Colossians
I. Introduction: How to Read the Letters of Paul
1. All the letters of Paul have the same basic outline.
A. Opening of Salutation (sender, addressee, greeting)
Colossians 1:1-3
B. Thanksgiving (including such features as prayer for spiritual welfare, remembrance of the recipients, the eschatological climax {the end times})
Colossians 1:3-14
C. Body of the letter (beginning with introductory formulae and concluding with eschatological and travel material).
Colossians 1:15-3:4 (Including the Hymn to Christ 1:15-20)
D. Moral Exhortation (Paraenesis)
Colossians 3:5-4:5
E. Closing (final greetings and benediction).
Final greetings Col. 4:7-17
Benediction Col 4:18
2. Paul’s letters where written in the first century, in a specific time to a specific people. They unite us with the first Christians by letting us get a glimpse of what their world was like, and how they lived the Christian life. We find that they where not so different from us. They all had many of the same questions and struggles that we do!
3.In order to read and understand one of Paul’s letters well we must read throughout them completely in one sitting. You would not read a letter from your boyfriend/girlfriend in separate settings would you? Of course not you will read the whole thing. It should be the same way with Paul’s letters because God has written us His letters in the Bible!
II. Colossians- The primary purpose of Colossians was to refute false teachings with in the Church. Fights a Jewish Heresy that was not legalistic, but more mystic and cultivated a Spiritual elitism in the church. The letter is split into two major parts the first, dealing with false teaching, is found in 1:3-2:23 (dealing with false teaching), and the second is made up of exhortations to proper Christian living.
A. General outline
I. Opening Greeting (1:1-2)
II. False teaching rebuked (1:3-2:23)
III. Encouragement to live a good Christian life (3:1-4:17)
B. What is the letter concerned about?
Paul in Colossians is fighting a false Jewish teaching. The Jews in Colossae believed that the believer could go the presence of God by asceticism (harsh treatment of the body), fasting. The group Paul was facing seems to have had 6 teachings that Paul felt the need to challenge and restate the Christian position on Jesus Christ. The false teachers believed:
1) An inferior view of Christ, which is combated by Paul in 1:15-20. This passage about Jesus seems to imply that the false teachers did not believe Jesus to be divine, nor did they believe that Jesus was the sole source of redemption.
2) The Colossians where to be aware of plausible sounding philosophies that were not of Christ.
3) The heresy involved legalistic observance of traditions, circumcision, and various dietary, and festival laws. (2:8.11,16,21;3:11)
4) The false teachers encouraged the worship of angels and lesser spirits. (2:8,18)
5) Asceticism, the deprivation or harsh treatment of one’s body was promoted (2:20-23)
6) The false teachers claimed to posses special insight which made them the ultimate source of truth (2:18-19)
All six of these false teachings Paul combats in his letter to the Colossians. Many of these same things go on in our world and even with in the Church! There are always false teachers in the world, and in the church. This is why we must read scripture and study to the best of our ability in order to combat false teaching whenever it arises.
“The teaching of the letter to the Colossians is concerned with those aspects of the gospel which were chiefly threatened by the Colossian heresy—the uniqueness of the Person Christ, in whom the fullness of God was embodied; the perfection of the redeeming reconciling work which he accomplished by his death on the cross, and the spiritual liberty enjoyed by all who by faith were united to him.” New Testament Scholar F.F. Bruce
Paul’s Letter to the Colossians
How to Read Colossians
I. Introduction: How to Read the Letters of Paul
1. All the letters of Paul have the same basic outline.
A. Opening of Salutation (sender, addressee, greeting)
Colossians 1:1-3
B. Thanksgiving (including such features as prayer for spiritual welfare, remembrance of the recipients, the eschatological climax {the end times})
Colossians 1:3-14
C. Body of the letter (beginning with introductory formulae and concluding with eschatological and travel material).
Colossians 1:15-3:4 (Including the Hymn to Christ 1:15-20)
D. Moral Exhortation (Paraenesis)
Colossians 3:5-4:5
E. Closing (final greetings and benediction).
Final greetings Col. 4:7-17
Benediction Col 4:18
2. Paul’s letters where written in the first century, in a specific time to a specific people. They unite us with the first Christians by letting us get a glimpse of what their world was like, and how they lived the Christian life. We find that they where not so different from us. They all had many of the same questions and struggles that we do!
3.In order to read and understand one of Paul’s letters well we must read throughout them completely in one sitting. You would not read a letter from your boyfriend/girlfriend in separate settings would you? Of course not you will read the whole thing. It should be the same way with Paul’s letters because God has written us His letters in the Bible!
II. Colossians- The primary purpose of Colossians was to refute false teachings with in the Church. Fights a Jewish Heresy that was not legalistic, but more mystic and cultivated a Spiritual elitism in the church. The letter is split into two major parts the first, dealing with false teaching, is found in 1:3-2:23 (dealing with false teaching), and the second is made up of exhortations to proper Christian living.
A. General outline
I. Opening Greeting (1:1-2)
II. False teaching rebuked (1:3-2:23)
III. Encouragement to live a good Christian life (3:1-4:17)
B. What is the letter concerned about?
Paul in Colossians is fighting a false Jewish teaching. The Jews in Colossae believed that the believer could go the presence of God by asceticism (harsh treatment of the body), fasting. The group Paul was facing seems to have had 6 teachings that Paul felt the need to challenge and restate the Christian position on Jesus Christ. The false teachers believed:
1) An inferior view of Christ, which is combated by Paul in 1:15-20. This passage about Jesus seems to imply that the false teachers did not believe Jesus to be divine, nor did they believe that Jesus was the sole source of redemption.
2) The Colossians where to be aware of plausible sounding philosophies that were not of Christ.
3) The heresy involved legalistic observance of traditions, circumcision, and various dietary, and festival laws. (2:8.11,16,21;3:11)
4) The false teachers encouraged the worship of angels and lesser spirits. (2:8,18)
5) Asceticism, the deprivation or harsh treatment of one’s body was promoted (2:20-23)
6) The false teachers claimed to posses special insight which made them the ultimate source of truth (2:18-19)
All six of these false teachings Paul combats in his letter to the Colossians. Many of these same things go on in our world and even with in the Church! There are always false teachers in the world, and in the church. This is why we must read scripture and study to the best of our ability in order to combat false teaching whenever it arises.
“The teaching of the letter to the Colossians is concerned with those aspects of the gospel which were chiefly threatened by the Colossian heresy—the uniqueness of the Person Christ, in whom the fullness of God was embodied; the perfection of the redeeming reconciling work which he accomplished by his death on the cross, and the spiritual liberty enjoyed by all who by faith were united to him.” New Testament Scholar F.F. Bruce
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