Congregational Evangelism

My friend Mark Keown has recently published Congregational Evangelism in Philippians: The Centrality of an Appeal for Gospel Proclamation to the Fabric of Philippians (Paternoster Biblical Monographs). Here, Mark is responding to the claim that Paul understood the proactive missionary task as the vocation of a few gifted people (apostles and evangelists, but perhaps others). Although Mark has focussed specifically on Philippians in his response, I believe that Colossians has something to say about this matter.

This is clear in studying Colossians 4:2-6. Houlden, followed by Dunn, suggests that mission was the task of the apostle, while the church was meant to pray.[1] I find this an awkward suggestion given that Paul, in this specific pericope, has been speaking of the mission in vss. 2-4, and the speaks directly to the issue of congregational mission (whether corporate or individual) in vss. 5-6.

While we must concur that Paul sees the congregation's prayers as intrinsically linked to his mission, we must not therefore assume or deduce that it is only apostles and their co-workers who are required to engage in the mission of God. Even Dunn, pg. 261 notes that "the evangelistic overtones and opportunities implied in 4:5-6 (in ordinary conversations) should not be ignored."

In fact, the logic of the verse is compelling: a) Conduct yourseves wisely before outsiders, b) make the most of the time you have, c) let your speech be gracious, d) seasoned with salt (Matt 5:13-16), e) ready to answer anyone who asks. This seems to be a list of instructions building on the previous elements noted. a) Conduct sets the context and either validates or invalidates what they will proclaim. b) Take the opportunities that arise in your daily lives. c) Proclamation should be done in welcoming a charitable manner so as to not offend or insult others, but the gospel should be shared, d) and when the gospel is shared, people will have questions, e) which means followers should be ready to respond!

I'm not quite sure in what other context these statements would gain coherence.

[1] Houlden, Paul’s Letters from Prison, pg. 215-216 and Dunn, The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon, pg. 261. This is also the position adopted by John Dickson, Mission-Commitment in Ancient Judaism and in the Pauline Communities: The Shape, Extent and Background of Early Christian Mission (Mohr Siebeck, 2003). Incidently, Chapter 3 Heralds and partners of Dickson's book, which deals with this topic, is available online, just follow the link to a PDF.

Paul’s Gospel

Recently I was reading John Dickson’s book, Promoting the Gospel, which has an appendix on the content of the gospel. Dickson makes the following summary statement:

The gospel message is the grand news about how God’s coming kingdom has been glimpsed and opened up to the world in the birth, teaching, miracles, death and resurrection of God’s son, the Messiah, who will one day return to overthrow evil and consummate the kingdom for eternity.

I very much appreciate the eschatological element within this summary, as it is often overlooked, or neglected. Colossians implies an eschatological aspect of the gospel (Col. 1:5, 23). In fact, Luke’s narration of Paul’s presentation to the Athenians (Acts 17:22-31) suggests an eschatological item in the announcement. Thus, we should be weary of appeal’s to Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:8 and others as the summary content of Paul’s declaration. There may have been other elements present, which for various reasons, have not been included in the summaries often quoted. Joel Willitts has recently noted this concerning 1 Cor 15:1-8 (See also the comments).

Paul nowhere gives us a full description of the gospel that he proclaimed. If Luke’s description in Acts is of any help to us, then we must admit that contextual factors shaped what elements of the gospel Paul highlighted and focussed on, or perhaps even left out! Now of course, central elements of Paul’s “great news of victory” would definitely include the resurrection, but there may be other elements either emphasised or neglected depending on the audience to whom Paul was speaking.

Colossians 1:9-12a

Colossians 1:9-12a

Because of this, since the day we heard, we have not stopped praying for you and requesting that you may be filled with the knowledge of YHWH’s will by means of the Spirit’s wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him,

a) bearing fruit in every good work and

b) growing in the knowledge of YHWH,

c) being empowered with all the strength that comes from His glorious power, so that you are prepared to endure everything with patience,

d) joyfully giving thanks to the Father...

This seems an apt way to understand the various parts of this complex sentence which forms a single sentence from vs. 3-14. SHA! Although, we should quickly admit that this structure is by no means certain.

I think Paul is highlighting four specific areas that the Colossians can focus on in seeking to live worthy of the Lord (Jesus), fully pleasing to Him. As Sumney notes:

While this is a comprehensive goal, it is also vague, so the writer proceeds to fill his idea with content. He specifies four elements of the life he is commending or four modes in which it is manifested: bearing fruit in good works, growing in knowledge of God, being empowered by God, and giving thanks.

Sumney, Colossians, pg. 48

Other than 3:16, this is arguably one of the more difficult passages to structurally understand. The exegesis is straightforward, but first breaking it up into its structural units is a difficult task... What's interesting to note here is that this all starts and finishes with the work of God. It is Paul praying for the Colossians that they would know God's will, via the Spirit's wisdom and understanding that compels them to live a life worthy of the Lord. And it is bearing the Lord's fruit, which I take to mean his tasks and vocation, growing in knowledge of Him, being empowered by Him (by the Spirit?), while Joyfully giving thanks to Him that this is accomplished. It is the work of God from start to consumation. Something those involved with the vineyard should always remember...

Prayer in Colossians 4

In my devotions this morning, I came to Colossians 4, where Paul addresses general issues, but also requests prayer. As someone who regularly moves in contexts where the gospel is on trial, and I'm the one trying to defend it, I found this invitation to prayer, particularly moving. Currently, I'm also enjoying David Crump's book: Knocking on Heaven's Door: A New Testament Theology of Petitionary Prayer. It is one of the best books on prayer I've ever read, plus it is filled with exegetical insights, deep theological reflection, and much pastoral wisdom.

Today I'm off to JHB (or Jozi, as it is affectionately termed). There I will preach the gospel to many young people gathered from all around this great city. So, if you're the praying type, pray that God not only opens a door, but helps the preacher be faithful to the apostolic message, explaining it clearly - as he should!

4:2-4 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, 4 so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.

Paul’s faithfulness to his calling (both to preach and to pray) was, in part, a consequence of the devoted intercessions offered by brothers and sisters in Christ. He was held up, buoyed toward heaven, by the supportive petitions of numerous communities dotted throughout the Mediterranean. To this degree, Paul’s urgency was a partial fruit of the communal intensity shared among his many disciples and prayer partners, wedded undoubtedly with a deep sense of mutual responsibility.[1]

The advancement of apostolic mission requires and invites prayer from the people of God. It is a necessary feature of Paul’s mission that he asks for those who are faithful to continually pray for him and those with him as they seek to minister to fellow believers, announce the gospel of King Jesus, and establish faithful communities of followers devoted to the King and the kingdom.

So pray!

[1] David Crump, Knocking on Heaven’s Door: A New Testament Theology of Petitionary Prayer, (Baker, 2006) pg. 245

Bearing Fruit in Colossians and Intertextual Echoes

So I'm reading D. J. Moo's commentary on Colossians, and it's very good. But then I get to this quote on verse 6:

The language bearing fruit and growing is reminiscent of the Genesis creation story, where God commands human beings to “be fruitful and increase in number” (Gen. 1:28; see also 1:22). After the flood the mandate is reiterated (Gen. 8:17; 9:1, 7), and the same language is later used in God’s promises to Abraham and the patriarchs that he would “increase” their number and “multiply” their seed (e.g., Gen. 17:20; 28:3; 35:11). The nation Israel attains this blessing in Egypt (Gen. 48:4; Exod. 1:7) but then, or course, suffers judgement and dispersal. So the formula appears again in God’s promises to regather his people after the exile (Jer. 3:16; 23:3). Paul may, then, be deliberately echoing a biblical-theological motif according to which God’s original mandate to humans finds preliminary fulfilment in the nation Israel but ultimate fulfilment in the worldwide transformation of people into the image of God by means of their incorporation into Christ, the “image of God.”

Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon, pg. 88

When I wrote my exegesis of this verse, I didn't come close to anything like this, which begs my perennial question related to so-called intertextual issues. How do we know this was in the mind of Paul, and not just in the mind of D.J. Moo? I mean, it sounds great, but with what confidence can we suggest this was Paul's intention? Or is it just a guess?

The Colossian Hymn – a radical proposal?

Ok, so I’ve been thinking outrageous thoughts today, and this one is about as outrageous as it’s going to get, possibly because it has some verisimilitude.

What if the first part of the Colossian Hymn started at vs. 12-14, and was addressed to the Father? With the second part of the Hymn addressed to Jesus? Here’s my tentative translation:

Giving thanks joyfully to the Father:

Who has enabled you to share in the inheritance

of the saints in the light.

Who has rescued us from the tyranny of darkness

and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

[[Transition]]

Who has redeemed us,

and pardoned our transgressions.

Who is the image of the invisible God,

Firstborn over all creation,

Because in him were created all

Things in the heavens and on the earth,

The seen and the unseen

Whether they be thrones or dominions

Or powers or principalities

Everything created through him was also created for Him

And he is before everything and everything coheres in him.

And he is the head of the body, the church.

Who is the beginning

The Firstborn from the dead

In order that he might take pre-eminence in all things

Because in him is pleased to dwell the fullness of GOD

And through him is reconciled everything for him,

Making peace through the blood of his cross

Whether things on earth or in the heavens

Now, I have not consulted any commentaries yet, and I have done no research, but this does strike me as at least possible… Back to the books to find out where I may have gone astray in my thinking…

Leadership in Colossae

Colossians 1:7

This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of the Messiah on our behalf...

καθὼς ἐμάθετε ἀπὸ Ἐπαφρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ συνδούλου ἡμῶν ὅς ἐστιν πιστὸς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν διάκονος τοῦ Χριστοῦ

Such a designation for leaders, even apostles, in the church speaks an important word about what it means to be called to such offices. Leaders are to see themselves as slaves of God. Paul even says in 2 Cor 4:5 that he is a slave of the Corinthians. This understanding of the place of the church’s leaders excludes the possibility of claiming status and privilege based upon that position. It calls for leaders to understand themselves as those who work in serve to the church rather than as those in charge who demand deference… This language for leaders certainly required the readers to adopt understandings of community and leadership that were contrary to those of other institutions in their world; such language calls them to envision a type of leadership that is consist with the gospel rather than with cultural expectations.

Sumney, Colossians, pg. 41

Colossians 4:2

τῇ προσευχῇ προσκαρτερεῖτε γρηγοροῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ

Working on Colossians today, I followed my usual pattern of trying to do as much exegetical work as possible without consulting the commentaries. When I got to the word highlighted above, keeping alert; being watchful, I didn't realise that I would depart from many of the major commentaries. I take it to refer to being watchful or alert in prayer, and this with thanksgiving. But most commentators take it as a reference to the eschaton, or the immenent return of Christ (So Moo, O'Brien, Dunn, et. al.).

While Moo is right that this term refers often (12 out of 22 times) in eschatological contexts, I'm not convinced that this is the referrent here. Given the context of Colossians 4, I would suggest that it refers to being aware of God speaking, or doing something in response to the devoted prayers of his people. Besides, Paul only uses the word 4 times, and only in 1 Thess 5 is the context eschatological. The reference in 1 Cor 16:13 is clearly not.

So can we can extrapolate from one word, to an eschatological context? For this word to be a "catch-word", we would have to assume a strong awareness of the Jesus traditions of Matt 25 and Mark 13 where this word is used. Is this plausible? I can't imagine the Colossians listening to this message and jumping to an eschatological interpretation based on the memory of Jesus tradition, so if this is what Paul meant, he is being exceptionally vague. Rather, this must refer to being aware of God's Spirit moving in the congregation in response to the prayers of His people - similar perhaps to 1 Thess 5:16-22 (on this passage see Witherington's commentary, which links prayer and praise to prophecy which would then possibly answer the prayers and cause further praise).

Does this make sense? Have I missed something?

Introducing Colossians...

The reference to the Christians having been delivered by God from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son (v. 13) sets the stage for the remaining discussion in the letter, which concerns itself with both the intellectual and the moral consequences of having been delivered from the “dominion of darkness.” Such a radical shift has apparently been difficult for the Colossian Christians to absorb completely, and this letter is an attempt to spell out the consequences of that shift.[1]

The first strophe is at pains to point out that there is no order of reality, visible or invisible, natural or supernatural, that was not created through the agency of Christ (Col 1:16). This means that, apart from Christ, the whole of creation would have no coherent centre and would fly apart or revert to the chaos from which it emerged (1:17). Christ is thus not only the agent of creation, he is also the agent of the world’s preservation.[2]

It may be that the Colossians confronted a religious amalgam made up of parts of Judaism and parts drawn from the worldview that permeated the Hellenistic world, with its fear of malevolent astral powers that would wreak havoc on the unwary.[3]

Whatever the origin of this “heresy,” it is clear that it argued that one needed to do more than just trust in Christ if one was to survive in a world dominated by powerful supernatural forces. One needed somehow to propitiate those forces. Against this, Paul argues for the total sufficiency of Christ… By his death and resurrection, he has defeated all other supernatural powers as surely as a Roman emperor has defeated the enemies he brings back to Rome and parades through the streets before their execution (that is the figure called forth by the language of 2:15). The Colossians are free to ignore this “heresy,” with its calls for further acts needed to protect a person from the depredations of evil supernatural powers, because Christ, working in the full and embodied power of almighty God, has in fact become ruler over all other powers that exercise any kind of rule in any portion of reality (2:9). Relation to Christ is quite literally relation to Almighty God, and hence any need to worry about any other spiritual powers, malevolent or otherwise, is rendered irrelevant.[4]

The word the RSV translates as “nature” and the NRSV as “self” (“old nature/self” in 3:9, “new nature/self” in 3:10) is the Greek word meaning “human being.” What is described is the “old” and “new humanity,” the point being that as persons develop within the structure of the Christian faith, they have the opportunity, now that sin’s hold has been broken, to become new human beings, with a human nature renewed now in the true image of their Creation. The image of God, lost to Adam in his rebellion against God, can now be recovered and restored because of the new reality God has introduced into the world with the death and resurrection of Christ. That is why the church is so central for Paul’s theology: it is the new community that be begin to reshape a humanity previously warped and corrupted by sinful rebellion against God.[5]

The second guideline Paul enunciates here is the need to do everything one does in the name of Jesus Christ, by whose self-sacrificing love the new reality has been brought into being. This guideline suggests that if one cannot perform an act in the name of Jesus, one ought not to do it.[6] [3:17]

Tychicus, named first, is apparently the one who is to deliver this letter. It was customary in the Greco-Roman world for the bearer of a letter to expand on its context and answer any questions the recipients might have about the letter or the situation of the sender (so 4:9b).[7]

[1] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 409

[2] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 409

[3] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 414

[4] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 414

[5] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 415

[6] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 415

[7] Achtemeier, Green, Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, pg. 416

Stuckenbruck on Colossians

The author discourages the Colossian Christians from becoming involved in a series of practices which he regards as superfluous to one’s basic identity in Christ.[1]

Because the structure of the universe, whether heaven or earth, has been fashioned through the agency of Christ in creation (1:15-20), the state of being ‘raised with Christ’ and being devoted to ‘things that are above’ (3:1-2) require that one take seriously the created order as a whole. Hence attentiveness to what is ‘above’ finds legitimate expression, not in asceticism of the body or through participation in angelic life, but in love, mutual support, and ordered behaviour within the framework of existing relationships in the Christian community (3:5-14) and of existing social structures in the world (3:18-4:1).[2]

The hymn’s emphasis that throne’s, dominions, rulers, and powers were – along with everything else – created through the agency of Christ 1:13-22 (1:16) helps the author diminish the importance being attached to the angelic and elemental powers which the readers are being tempted to adhere to (2:8, 18, 20).[3]

The Christ event not only has brought forgiveness of sins and reconciliation (1:13, 20, 21; 2:13), but is the very framework within which the readers are to structure their lives. Through baptism they have been initiated into the triumph of Jesus’ death over the legal demands and inimical powers (2:14-15) and they have already been ‘raised with Christ’ (2:13; 3:1), whereby they may ‘put on’ a new form of life in which ethnic, social, and religious distinctions no longer count in the same way as before (3:9-11, 12-14). Hence it is imperative that the readers realise not only what their identity is in relation to the Christ event, but also that this be the sole basis on which they grow into maturity (2:6-7, 19). It is in Christ that they are to convert their identity into appropriate ethical and social behaviour (3:5-8; 3:18-4:1); in Christ spirituality and life in the community have their foundation; and in Christ the ‘glory’ destined for God’s people will become fully manifest (1:26-7; 3:4).[4]

[1] Stuckenbruck, “Colossians and Philemon” in The Cambridge Companion to Paul ed. J. D. G. Dunn (Cambridge), pg. 122

[2] Stuckenbruck, “Colossians and Philemon”, pg. 123

[3] Stuckenbruck, “Colossians and Philemon”, pg. 124

[4] Stuckenbruck, “Colossians and Philemon”, pg. 124-5

Brown on Colossians

If these observations [concerning the Colossian Philosophy] leave a picture filled with uncertainties, that is an honest estimate of the state of our knowledge of the teaching... Those who write with great certainty about it are, to a considerable extent, guessing. Of course, there is nothing wrong with guessing, provided that all are aware of how much guesswork is involved. At this distance in time and place we may not be able to decipher all the elements that went into the syncretism attacked in Colossians or identify the end-product with precision.

Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, pg. 607

The Colossian hymn professes that Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God – God’s Son in whom all things were created, in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through whom all things were reconciled to God. How within fifty years (at the latest) did Christians come to believe that about a Galilean preacher who was crucified as a criminal?

Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, pg. 617

Colossian Hymn

Larry Hurtado briefly discusses the Colossian hymn/poem in his massive study: Lord Jesus Christ. Drawing on the work of Christian Stettler, Der Kolosserhymnus: Untersuchungen zu Form, traditionsgeschichtlichem Hintergrund und Aussage von Kol 1,15-20 WUNT 2/31 (Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000) Hurtado comes to the following conclusions:

• On account of the self-contained nature of the passage, its compact phrasing, and its cadences (more evident in the Greek than in translation), 1:15-20 is widely thought to be a devotional poem or “hymn.”[1]
• Unity and coherence speak against adaptation of an existing hymn.
• Probably originated in the context of Christian worship.
• Conceptual categories most likely derived from Greek speaking Jewish circles [LXX].
• Stettler characterizes this as a “Christ-Psalm” lauding Jesus in the cadences of the Psalter.

What is most interesting to note is the lack of attention paid to προτοτοκος. Hurtado does not even entertain the thought that the mutation/explosion among early Christians as to the worship of Jesus, may have gone astray from monotheism to an adoptionistic Christology [a thought entertained by Dunn in Christology in the Making?]. Unless προτοτοκος is adequately dealt with, this conclusion remains a distinct possibility. Col 1:15-20 must be carefully exegeted to see if this conclusion is warranted. Failing that, an analysis of devotion to Jesus within a monotheistic framework remains incomplete.

I hope to address προτοτοκος in an upcoming blog...

Your thoughts?

[1] Hurdato, Lord Jesus Christ, pg. 505

Colossians & Devotion

Thinking through Colossians recently has persuaded me that Hooker's thesis about the problems and thus the purpose of Colossians is fundamentally correct, though we may demur on specific details. Larry Hurtado has written that:

Without detracting in any way from the significance of the christological affirmations expressed in Colossians, however, the text is not in fact primarily an exercise in doctrinal development or speculative innovation. Instead it mainly represents a practical concern to motivate and reinforce the behaviour of the intended readers, both devotionally and in the wider scope of their lives, so that they should aim to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (3:17; and similarly Eph. 5:20).

[Hurdato, Lord Jesus Christ, pg. 510]

With this in view, we must contend that Colossians was written as a pastoral exhortation to a fledgling community of faith, trying to make its way in an imperial and pagan context. "Devotion" to Jesus was Paul's central concern. Either to persuade Gentiles to adopt Jesus as LORD and thus abandon all other claims to authority over their lives or to encourage those who have pledged allegiance to the King to work this out in every area of their lives. Devotion to Jesus is thus the theme of Colossians and its central concern. It is an exhortation to a theology of, a praxis for and a relationship with the Creator and Redeemer: Jesus the Messiah.

Colossians 1:9

Vs. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

The response on behalf of the Colossians leads the team to pray that their knowledge of God’s intentions will be increased, and that this will be full of spiritual skill [1] and understanding. It appears the apostolic teams is convinced that sharing with them the content of their prayers will also encourage them to both pray the same sorts of prayers, and seek to implement what is being requested. Rhetorically then, Paul and the team are modelling spiritual formation. They are encouraging the Colossians by commending their behaviour which has led them back to God in thanksgiving and prayer.

The fact that they continually pray for these believers also hints at an intensity of prayer that is aware of God’s intervention.[2] Therefore, it must be seen that Paul is here looking for and expecting the intervention of YHWH, through his Spirit. God is not aloof, or far away, but rather interactive within the churches and the world. As Dunn comments:

For a theist who believes that God’s active purpose determines the ordering of the world, lies behind the events on earth, and shapes their consequences, one of the most desirable objectives must be to know God’s will. The corollary, spelled out in the following phrases, is that such knowledge gives insight into and therefore reassurance regarding what happens (often unexpected in human perspective) and helps direct human conduct to accord with that will. Such desire to know and do God’s will is naturally very Jewish in character and was, not surprisingly, shared by Jesus and the first Christians.[3]

To know what one does, and what one wills is a good indicator of what kind of person you are dealing with. Actions speak louder than words, and Paul here builds momentum for describing the great act of GOD in rescuing us from the dominion of darkness. This in turn sheds light on the very identity of GOD which is then disclosed in the famous hymn of 1:15-20. What God does, declares who God is. What God wills, declares God’s character and identity. These elements are all interconnected, and circularly related. Knowledge feeds purpose, which incites action, which then leads to insight and the cycle continues. Thus, the petition is that they might be “filled” with knowledge. This indicates that it will affect every facet of their lives.

However, it takes spiritual skill to be able to see this. It takes a heart that is devoted to God, a mind that is open to God and the disciplined practice of paying careful attention. It’s a skill and an art to hearing the voice of GOD and being invited to contemplate the supreme excellency of the divine nature. And that is what Paul is preparing the audience for. This is why Paul and company pray this for the church. The prayer of the apostles is that they will be given the insight to see what God’s will is, in every situation they face.[4] This will then commence a chain reaction of understanding and implementing that will compel them further into the purposes and knowledge of God’s will for them. Prayer is thus a catalyst for provoking momentum amongst these followers of Jesus, just as it has provoked momentum among the apostolic team in their prayer and mission.

[1] It appears that within the context, the writer has ‘practical wisdom’ as the intended meaning here. Thus sofiva/, is better rendered “skill.” This is something they must know how to do well, not just something they must know.

[2] O’Brien, Colossians and Philemon, pg. 20

[3] Dunn, Colossians, pg. 69

[4] O’Brien, Colossians and Philemon, pg. 20 notes that “the petition is that God might fill the Colossian Christians with a perception of his will, which consists of an understanding of what is spiritually important.”

Colossians 1:9-10

I'll begin this section by quoting Colossians 1:9-12 in Rob Lacey's beautiful language.

So from day one of hearing your story we’ve been pushing your case with God, asking him to fill you in on his plans via his spiritual wisdom package. Why? So your lifestyle will ring true. So they’ll look at you and it’ll be obvious you belong to the King. So you’ll make God happy in every category of life- getting on with good things, getting to know him personally because you’re plugged into his power supply, which is dazzling, long lasting, the only high worth having. So you’ll be bubbling with joy- and you’ll know who to credit: the one who’s signed you in for a chunk of inheritance (tax free).

The language employed here allows a unique insight into Paul's intentions...

Colossians 1:7-8

Vs. 7. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,

The gospel is wrapped up in peoples lives. It’s relational, connecting people from various streams of life into a global family that is on a mission to New Frontiers in God and in this world. Epaphras was sent to the city, possibly by Paul, to plant a work of God among them. He has served this church well, and is part of a larger team (“our beloved servant”) of people working together within the kingdom to establish local communities of people who have embraced Jesus and “the way” that he is.

The verb used (“as you learned”) may imply that Epaphras had seen his task in Colossae not simply as winning them to faith but as instructing them in the traditions and parenesis without which they would have no guidelines in translating their faith into daily living (Rom 16:7; 1 Cor 4:6; Phil 4:9).[1]

Epaphras is thus, an emissary of the gospel, part of Paul’s team[2] and loyal to the gospel story of King Jesus. He has taught the Colossians the gospel and is commended by Paul. Paul probably notes this to reinforce his leadership among them and to convey to them that they should continue to follow him faithfully.

Vs. 8. and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Paul finishes this section by reminding the Colossians that he is well aware of their situation, and of the “love” commitment that they have for one another and for himself. Paul’s apostolic oversight of this church is thus relational, even to a community that he has not met or established. They, Paul and others, had commissioned Epaphras to serve in Colossae by planting and establishing a church, but this community of faith is not an isolated entity, rather it is part of a much larger family network of relationships. There appears to be constant communication in the early Church as different communities work together to announce God’s presence and power among them. However, the “love” which connects them is no ordinary kind of love, but rather a “love in/by the Spirit.”

The love that mirrors the love of God in Christ can only be aroused and sustained by the Spirit of God. The phrase carries overtones of an inspiration that wells up from within, charismatically enabled (Rom. 2:29; 1 Cor. 12:3, 9, 13; 14:16; 1 Thes. 1:5), and that depends on continued openness to the Spirit if its quality of unselfish service of others is to be maintained.[3]

This community of believers is powered by and moved by love that has its origins in the work of the Spirit among them. This is the only direct reference to the Spirit in Colossians, but there are many other hints that infer the work of the Spirit among them, and thus we should not conclude that Spirit activity was somehow absent from their community experiences (cf. Col. 3:16).

[1] Dunn, Colossians, pg. 64

[2] Dunn, Colossians, pg. 63 notes that “It may have been Paul’s missionary strategy to concentrate his own energies in major cities, which sending out mission teams to towns in the region (Acts 19:10).”

[3] Dunn, Colossians, pg. 65

Colossians 1:5-6

Vs. 5. because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel...

The reason Paul and others have heard of their faithfulness and love for the church is because they are motivated by “the Hope lad up for you in heaven.”

Hope can have either a subjective sense, referring to the at of hoping, to expectation, yearning or desire, or it can have an objective sense, referring to what one hopes for (1 Thess 5:8; Gal 5:5; Rom 8:24-25). The descriptive phrase “kept for you in heave” makes it clear that the second or objective sense is in view here.[1]

Christ’s victory, and their participation in this victory through allegiance with Christ, provokes them to action. It’s a confidence in what Christ has done that sets them free to explore ways to know him, and make him known. Hope inspires exploits for the King and his kingdom. Heaven beckons a life-long reaction to God’s grace revealed in Christ Jesus, the Lord. But how can one talk of hope, without immediate reference to the gospel? Thus, Paul is quick to note that “hope” is found in the proclamation of great news, the world changing news that is, Jesus the King.

Vs. 6. that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.

This message has come to them in the “true story” or “message of truth” which is, the gospel: the announcement of Jesus’ victory through his life, death and resurrection which means that he is none other than the LORD. This is the story of which they have now become part of and which they are telling and living. The story of God’s kind intervention, the announcement that Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah is Lord, is having a global impact. Seeds are not just being planted and scattered, rather they are already gathering in a harvest. There is an immediate participation and reception of God’s grace and kindness which has included them. The consequences and effects of this narrative proclamation have been grasped and applied to their lives. There is possibly a rhetorical strategy here, whereby saying that they have “truly comprehended” the gospel, the Colossians will question whether or not they have, and then make sure that they have. Paul is pastorally very concerned that believers and followers of Jesus fully know and understand what it means to confess Jesus the King, as LORD.

[1] Thompson, Colossians and Philemon, pg. 20

Colossians 1:3-4

Paul notes that they, (as leaders [Tim & Epaph?] or as a church?), pray for the believers in Colossae. This isn’t just a once off prayer, but many “prayers” have been prayed for this bursting community of faith. The reason for which will be mentioned later. The direction of thanks and prayer is towards God. Probably because of what God has been doing in the community. God is thus seen to be the source of their flourishing and impact. Note that this is not some impersonal or abstract God, but rather the Father. The intimacy expressed here is one which must have been strange for a Pharisee who grew up in fear of the Almighty and transcendent God. But now, given the fact of Jesus and all that that entails, God is now close. So close the only language to express this is in familial language. God is our Father, the source of all good things. Why? Because of the Lord Jesus Christ and all that he has done, accomplished and is busy doing through his church, the body of Christ.

Vs. 4. The linking of the word “for” to this next verse is important as Paul develops his thought. The causal factor in Paul’s and Timothy’s [and their team or base Church’s?] thankfulness is the testimony of “faithfulness” for Jesus and his mission, which they are accomplishing “in Christ”. They have held on to what was delivered unto them, and they have persevered in putting into practice what was given to them in the gospel. The sphere of this activity is all “in Christ Jesus” by which Paul means a life lived in intimacy with Jesus and a life reflecting the reign of Jesus. But this raises the interesting question of what it is that they were doing, that made their faith/fullness well known, even to Paul? If principally the message of Jesus is an "open secret" to be seen in human lives, not just read in a sacred book, then what is it that these Christians were doing that made their life in Christ newsworthy to the rest of the Christian community? Something for contemporary disciples of Jesus to ponder often...

Back to Colossians

Well, after a much needed holiday and finishing off some other important projects, let me take a tour back into the world that is Colossians...

Colossians 1 1-2 Paul, an apostle of King Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

This letter, which I tend towards being authored by Paul (written by Tim?), begins with a characteristic introduction about Paul’s calling and authority. Paul labels himself an ‘apostle of Christ’ and this is ‘by the will of God.’ Apostolic ministry is rather vague in scholarly writing. I don’t think that the western world has quite grasped what it is that Paul and other apostles did. Paul was a massive pioneer, much like Bill Gates with Microsoft. His aim was to make Jesus a household name, and quite frankly [with a little help from friends and GOD], he did a pretty good job. So when Paul writes Colossians we must not forget that Paul is on a massive mission and he never loses sight of that mission. With that in mind, Paul reminds this congregation that he has authority over them, despite this church not being specifically birthed by himself. The church is united and working together, and apostolic leadership sets the tone and the pace of early Christianity. Paul is concerned here to instruct them, and they must heed his message as one sent by ‘the will of God.’

Paul writes, not just to the leaders of this community of faith, but to the whole church. In a stunning phrase that could possible be the big idea that Paul will spend unpacking in this epistle, Paul notes that they are ‘in Christ and in Colossae.’ This is a loaded statement. I suggest that if the Colossians, and us, would fully grasp this statement, then problems and issues, such as the one’s the Colossians faced and the one’s we face, would be aided and helped along because of the freedom and joy that it brings. To live in Christ is to live the life of Christ in relationship with Christ. Christians first live in the sphere of King Jesus, and then in the geographical sphere of their respective localities. If this pivotal truth can be grasped from the start of reading this letter, one shall already have grasped one of the central arguments it proposes: Christ is enough. You don’t need anything else.

A formal benediction, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father” ends off this opening remark and “indicates a prayerful concern for the readers.”[1] If this is the case, then Paul wants his readers to be aware that this is not an imposition of authority but the heart of a true pastor ‘at large’ who is taking time to care for this specific flock by sending them a letter that will aid their spiritual journey through fierce terrain. ‘Peace’ must be seen as the contrast of ‘pax’ the peace which Rome provides. But this will be explicated later in this letter. For now, we must merely alert the readers that Paul’s opening quotation of this benediction, sets the atmosphere for what will follow. Just as God is their Father, in an intimate and personal relationship, so Paul’s concern for them imitates that closeness of relationship. Both grace and peace are gifts from an almighty God who cares deeply for his people. And it is God’s care for his people that has lead Paul to write this letter with an imitated concern.

Paul’s character in this letter will strive to be both gracious and peaceful so that they may follow Jesus faithfully and remain true to their identity as ‘saints’ of the most High.

[1] O’Brien, Colossians and Philemon, pg. 5

Colossians - Links

As I'm busy working my way through Paul's letter to the Colossians, I thought I'd offer a few links that may prove helpful to some:

• Colossians: Robert W. Wall (Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is professor of biblical studies at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington.
• e-Catena: Colossians 1
• Edgar Goodspeed: The Letter to the Colossians
• NAB Introduction
• Daniel Wallace's Introduction
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Epistle to the Colossians
• Jeanie C. Crain's Introduction to Colossians
• Articles about Colossians by Brian Walsh explore Colossians in the context of empire.
• Reconciliation and the Blood of the Cross: Forgiveness and Subversive Politics in Paul by Sylvia C. Keesmaat explores Romans 13:1-7 and Colossians 1:15-20 as subversive challenges to imperialism. Available in PDF format.
• Barth L. Campbell, Colossians 2:6-15 as a Thesis: A Rhetorical-Critical Study.

From Peter Kirby, we also gain this quote from Werner Kummel Introduction to the New Testament, who adduces several considerations in favor of authenticity (op. cit., p. 345):

If the substantive differences of Col can be understood on the basis of the concrete polemical argument of the letter, then there are substantive matters which support the assumption of Pauline authorship as well. (a) The assumed relationship of the writer to the readers corresponds in several points to Phlm: in both letters there are greetings from Epaphras, Aristarchus, Mark, Luke, Demas (Col 4:10 ff; Phlm 23 f); both letters mention the sending of Onesimus (Col 4:9; Phlm 12) and have special words for Archippus (Col 4:17; Phlm 2). These agreements do not occur in the same relationships and formulations, however, so that the thesis is unconvincing that the indubitably Pauline Phlm has been imitated by a non-Pauline writer only in these personal remarks. (b) The household admonitions in Col 3:18-4:1 show a remarkably small christianizing, especially in compraison with Eph 5:22-6:9, which is much less easily understood for a non-Pauline writer than for Paul himself. (c) In contrast to Eph, the use of the formulas en cristo and en kurio in Col correspond completely to Paul's usage. (d) J. Knox has pointed out that the letter, which was intended for Laodicea (4:16a) was probably addressed to the smaller city Colossae because Onesimus was from Colossae and Paul sought contact with the community in which Onesimus' master lived, since it was he to whom Phlm brought so grave a request. Besides, the unusually comprehensive rule for slaves is best understood (3:22-25) if the business with the slave Onesimus were to be settled at the same time. Even though all these arguments may not be of equal weight, together they strengthen the supposition that Col originated with Paul.

This seems to be quite sensible, and commentators like Wright and others have nuanced the argument for Pauline authorship to make it rather plausible. But the evidence must still persuade some who err on the side of scepticism.