COLOSSIANS #5
(Much of the material comes from Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft.)
Conclusion
A. Commendation of Tychicus 4:7 9
COLOSSIANS 4:7 18
7 As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond
servant in the Lord, will bring you information
8 For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our
circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;
9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They
will inform you about the whole situation here.
B. Greetings from Paul’s Friends 4:10 14
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings, and also Barnabas’ cousin MARK (about whom you received instructions, if he comes to you, welcome him);
I I and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his
greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and
fully assured in all the will of God.
13 For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis;
14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.
C. Introduction Regarding This Letter 4:15 18
15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her
house.
16 When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and
you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
17 Say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."
18 1, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be
with you.
Summary of the Book of COLOSSIANS
The structure of the epistle follows the familiar Pauline pattern, in which a doctrinal section (what to believe) is followed by an exhortation (how to act). In opposing false teaching, Paul emphasizes the exalted nature of the lordship of Jesus Christ and its significance for those who have been joined to Him. As lord of creation, Jesus embodies the fullness of deity; as head of the Church and reconciler of his people, he effectively mediates in his person the redemptive relation of man to God (Col 1: 15 22; 2:9). To establish the sole sufficiency of Jesus as Lord and Redeemer (in opposition to the Gnostic substitution of redeeming disciplines and an abundance, of mediating powers), Paul stresses both aspects of Christ’s character. 1: 15 2:23 is the what to believe section
1:1-2:23 What to Believe Section
Part One: The Supremacy of Christ in the Church (1: 1 2:23)
1. The Preeminence of Christ 1:15 2:3
A. Christ Is Paramount in Creation 1:15 18
COLOSSIANS 1:15 2:23
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through
Him and for Him.
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
19 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
B. Christ Is Predominant in Redemption 1 19 23
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood
of His cross; through Him I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
C. Christ Is Predominant in the Church 1:24 2:3
28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.
2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
II. The Freedom in Christ 2:4 23
A. Freedom from Enticing Words 2:4 7
4 1 say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.
6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
B. Freedom from Vain Philosophy 2:8 10
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according
to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than
according to Christ.
9 For in Him all the Fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
C. Freedom from the Judgment of Men 2:11 17
11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the
removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him
through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He
made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was
hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
D. Freedom from Improper Worship 2:18 19
18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self abasement and the
worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held
together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
E. Freedom from the Doctrine of Men 2:20 23
20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21 "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use) in accordance with the
commandments and teachings of men?
23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self made religion and self abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
3:1 4:6 How to act section
Part Two: The Submission to Christ in the Church (3:1 4: 6)
1. The Position of the Believer 3:1 4
Colossians 3
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where
Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
II. The Practice of the Believer 3:5 4:6
A. Put Off the Old Man 3:5 11
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity,
passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of
disobedience,
7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech
from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the
image of the One who created him
11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between G reek and Jew, circumcised and
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
B. Put On the New Man 3:12 17
12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Family Relations
C. Personal Commands for Holiness 3:18 4:6
1. Holiness in Family Life 3:18 21
18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord
21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
2. Holiness in Work Life 3:22 4:1
22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service,
as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
4:1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
3. Holiness in Public Life 4:2 6
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so
that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak
5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
This letter was written in about 60 AD to the church, to remind them that Christ is the center of Christian life. That Christ is the head of the church and we as members of this church are to follow the example and words of Christ in all aspects of our lives not only in the church community, but also in the world in general. Since Christ has returned to the Father He has left us to continue the work He started and to let us know that He will come back and when He does we, each one of us will have to answer to Him for our action or lack of actions.
MATTHEW 25:31 46
31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne
32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to cat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him,"Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
38 "And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 "When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 "The King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;
43 1 was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
44 "Then they themselves also will answer,"Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’
45 "Then He will answer them,"Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
These are the questions the elders, the deacons, the preacher and you the members of this congregation will have to answer. How do you think we will do? If there is the least doubt in anyone mind then the odds are we will not go with the sheep. The good news is if that doubt is here we can change it before Christ comes back. All we have to do is to follow His word.
PLAN OF SALVATION
ROMANS 10: 17
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
HEBREWS 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
ACTS 2:38
3 8 And Peter said to them, "Repent,"
MARK 16:16
16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
MATTHEW 7:21
"Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven."
