The Book of Acts ends with Paul in prison in Rome. Four letters – Philippians, Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians – are known as the Prison Epistles, since all make reference to Paul being in prison. Paul, however, was imprisoned in Caesarea and possibly in Ephesus, besides Rome, so the placement of any one of the Prison Epistles must be considered tentative. Philemon was written about AD 62, AD 70-75 is when Paul’s followers wrote Colossians and Ephesians (?). c/o The Chronological Study Bible, Thomas Nelson
Marilyn Hickey Ministries – Christ is the head of the church; Doctrine – Christ’s preeminence; Redemption, Creator, the church and ministry; They used horoscopes; it compares diet and spiritual living; Paul never visited it, just heard of it (see verses 4 and 9)
Salutation
Paul, an apostle (sent one) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
Thanksgiving
We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Never say (3x) Amen for when we pray, we pray to Him, we should never say amen . . .:)
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; (not Catholic; sinners?)
Is our faith in Christ known to the public, or do we hide it? How about our love for others?
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel (Great News)
6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;
I was pleasantly surprised to recently learn 2/3 of the world has heard of Christ, not ½.
7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,
8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Prayer
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Never Say Amen / Word of Knowledge – 1 Corinthians 12
10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all power (dunamis – dynamite), according to His glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; Some of you are learning patience here since you won’t be leaving anytime soon.
joyously
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. The Father qualified us.
Are we thankful for our food, clothing, shelter, family, friends, faith, etc.? REDEMPTION
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but Christ is our Redeemer, our “coupon”, so we don’t have to go to hell.
The Preeminence of Christ / His Divine Person / Creation
He (Christ) 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.
18 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. KEY VERSE
His Reconciling Work
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.
Because He shed His blood, we have peace with the Father & others.
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
This is a good reminder for those of us in prison. I wonder what Paul’s fellow inmates were like.
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach
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.
The Great News gives us hope.
The Apostle of Christ / Paul’s Service / Ministry
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
This is a challenging statement. Do we give Christ the glory when we suffer?
25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, (And praising of Thy Name - Glasgow, Scotland)
26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, GOD IS MYSTERIOUS SOMETIMES.
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
It’s a mystery how WE have The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit in us, which gives others hope.
28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. WE NEED TO GENTLY CORRECT OTHERS SOMETIMES.
Christ completes us. That’s why we sometimes impose ashes, to make a public proclamation of faith in Him.
29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power (dunamis), which mightily works within me.
That’s why I pray that we have the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit working in and through us.
We need His power, not ours, otherwise we burn out.
Are we bearing fruit, inviting people to church / Bible studies / prayer meetings?
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds
This is a good reminder for those in prison. I wonder what Paul’s fellow inmates were like.
My purpose, based on YWAM, CRU and the Vineyard is “To Know God and to make Christ known in the power of the Holy Spirit by winning, building and sending out worshipping disciples”
Notes from biblegateway.org:
a. Colossians 1:1 Lit through
b. Colossians 1:1 Lit the
c. Colossians 1:2 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
d. Colossians 1:3 Or always give...praying for you
e. Colossians 1:4 Or toward
f. Colossians 1:4 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
g. Colossians 1:5 Lit the heavens
h. Colossians 1:5 Or of the gospel
i. Colossians 1:6 Or it is in all the world also, bearing
j. Colossians 1:6 Or spreading abroad
k. Colossians 1:6 Or came to fully know
l. Colossians 1:9 Or real knowledge
m. Colossians 1:10 Lit unto all pleasing
n. Colossians 1:10 Or growing by the knowledge
o. Colossians 1:10 Or real knowledge
p. Colossians 1:11 Lit the might of His glory
q. Colossians 1:11 Lit unto all
r. Colossians 1:11 Or patience with joy
s. Colossians 1:12 Lit unto the portion of
t. Colossians 1:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
u. Colossians 1:13 Lit Who rescued
v. Colossians 1:13 Lit authority
w. Colossians 1:13 Lit the Son of His love
x. Colossians 1:15 Lit Who is
y. Colossians 1:16 Or in
z. Colossians 1:17 Or has existed prior to
aa. Colossians 1:17 Or endure
bb. Colossians 1:19 Or all the fullness was pleased to dwell
cc. Colossians 1:19 I.e., fullness of deity
dd. Colossians 1:20 Lit the heavens
ee. Colossians 1:23 Or in faith
ff. Colossians 1:23 Lit became
gg. Colossians 1:23 Or servant
hh. Colossians 1:24 Lit of
ii. Colossians 1:25 Lit became
jj. Colossians 1:25 Lit make full the word of God
kk. Colossians 1:26 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
ll. Colossians 1:28 Lit in
mm. Colossians 1:28 Or perfect
nn. Colossians 1:29 Lit working
oo. Colossians 1:29 Lit in power
