CHRISTALAYA BIBLE STUDY:

COLOSSIANS

Growing Up Into the Fullness of Christ

Colossae: Geography and History

Colossae: Geography and History

Located in the Roman province of Phrygia – current day Turkey.

One of 3 cities in the valley of the R. Lycus – the other two being Hierapolis and Laodicea.

Located about 20 km and 13 km upstream from Hierapolis and Laodicea respectively and 150 km east of Ephesus. The „lukewarmness‟ of Laodicea mentioned in John‟s letter to it is an allusion to the cold fresh water at Colossae from snow fed streams and the healing hot springs of Hierapolis as opposed to the tepid, dirty waters at Laodicea.

Colossae: Geography and History

Its main product was a wool and a related textile

industry. The wool – called colossinus – was pinkish in

color because of a dye used that was obtained from a

local variety of cyclamen flowers.

Laodicea also started producing

a black wool which its rich

aristocracy started wearing as

more fashionable than the pink

produced at Colossae.

Colossae: Geography and History

From 5th c. BC it was a large city.

It lay on an important trade route between the

Middle East and Rome.

In the 1st c. AD Colossae had diminished in size

mainly because Laodicea commissioned its own

roads which were better than the ones maintained

by Rome.

Colossae: Archaeology

The site was identified toward the end of the 19th

century but it has not yet been excavated.

Flinder‟s University in Adelaide, Australia is planning

an excavation. But the government of Turkey is

opposing this to avoid potential conflicts with the

local Muslim population at the village of Honaz

near the mound of Colossae.

Colossae: Demography

The population of Colossae consisted mainly of

people of Phrygian origin, though strongly

influenced by the Greco-Roman culture.

By the beginning of the 1st c. AD close to ten

thousand Jews had moved to and settled in the city.

Due to its being on a major trade route, people

from all parts of the Roman world had chosen to

settle there.

Most of those who believed the gospel would have

been Gentiles with some Jews.

The Church at Colossae

Paul had never been to Colossae and probably

never did even though in Philemon 22 he mentions a

desire to visit the city.

The church was founded by Epaphras probably

during Paul‟s third missionary journey (AD 54-58)

when he spent almost three years at Ephesus.

Probably met at Philemon‟s house.

The Letter to the Church at Colossae

Probably written during Paul‟s imprisonment in Rome

(c. AD 61-62).

Delivered to the Colossians by Tychicus who was

accompanied by Onesimus, Philemon‟s runaway

slave. Tychicus also carried the letter to Philemon

and a letter to the church at Laodicea, which is lost

to history.

Written to counter a number of errors which were

threatening to subvert the faith of the Colossian

Christians.

Paul‟s Qualifications

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God”

Paul says that he is an authorized emissary who speaks

for the one who sent him

Paul‟s authority is delegated to him by Jesus himself

Paul‟s mission is the direct result of God‟s will

Paul‟s Views about the Colossians

“to the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in

Colossae”

oi[ a[gioi (hoi hagioi) means those who are consecrated,

or set apart, to and by God

pi,stij (pistis) means faithful, trustworthy, reliable, and

believing

a;delfo,j (adelphos), in its plural form, is used in a non-

gender specific manner to mean brothers and sisters

Paul‟s Greeting

“grace to you and peace from God our Father”

Normal salutation was ca,rein (charein), meaning hail

from which our word hello is derived

Paul uses ca,rij (charis), meaning favor, goodwill, kindness,

mercy. Related to Hebrew word nx (chen)

Romans regarded peace not as an absence of war, but

the rare situation that existed when all opponents had

been beaten down and lost the ability to resist. This is

what the pax Romana meant.

Paul uses eivrh,nh (eirene), meaning wholeness, harmony, or

well being