The letter to the Colossians was another of the “Prison Epistles” that Paul wrote while he was under house-arrest while awaiting his trial in Rome.
This letter was written in approximately 62 AD.
First, let us consider the city itself.
Colosse
The church of Colossae features prominently in the New Testament as the recipient of two Pauline epistles, though its history and significance after the first century is unclear. The church was probably founded in the city of Colossae
sometime in the middle of the first century AD while Paul
was in Ephesus (Acts 19:10). It is debatable whether Paul himself went to Colossae before writing to the church there,
though the evidence seems to indicate that he did not (Colossians 1:7; 1:9; 2:1). The church was presumably
established through the preaching of Epaphras, one of Paul’s
friends and coworkers (Colossians 1:7; 4:12–13).
Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians probably sometime around AD 60. He was encouraged by reports of their faith
and love and wanted them to continue in their dedication to
God and one another. He warned them against false
doctrines and reiterated key truths about Christ and the 371
church. As a city, Colossae was noted for its broad
acceptance of diverse beliefs and the prevalence of
syncretism, making Paul’s admonishment against false
teachings and harmful religious practices highly relevant.
The letter of Philemon is also addressed to a church in Colossae and may have been delivered at the same time as
Colossians. Paul urges his friend Philemon, apparently a prominent member in the Christian community at Colossae,
to forgive his runaway slave Onesimus and “welcome him
as you would welcome me” (Philemon 1:17). The
pseudepigraphal Apostolic Constitutions, written centuries after the apostles died, asserts that Philemon later became the bishop of Colossae. This claim is impossible to verify or disprove with the historical data currently available.
The church of Colossae continued for several centuries in one form or another. How long it continued, and what significance it maintained, is a debated topic. Theodoret, a
Christian theologian in the fifth century, claimed that Philemon’s house remained at Colossae and could still be viewed ( Colossae in Space and Time: Linking to an Ancient City, Cadwallader, A., and Trainor, M., ed., Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2011, p. 303). Epiphanius, the bishop of Colossae,
was recorded present at the Council of Chalcedon, while Kosmas, a later bishop, apparently participated in the Quinisext
Council.
The city of Colossae was an important economic hub for much of its history, renowned for its textile production. It was located in the region of Phrygia, which is now a section
of modern-day Turkey. Scholars throughout history have
generally agreed that the city had declined sharply by Paul’s time, retaining only a shadow of its former glory. It was ravaged by an earthquake around AD 60 and eventually
faded from prominence, with most of its population slowly
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drifting into more favorable locations nearby. This view has
recently been challenged by several scholars who contend that Colossae retained more importance than has
traditionally been acknowledged, even into the Byzantine era. Due to the lack of archaeological excavation at the site of Colossae, this remains an ongoing debate. Some sources
treat the city of Chonai as a continuation of Colossae, while others regard them separately.1
Cities grow as they develop commercial centers that provide
jobs for their residents. The ancient city of Colossae was built on a major trade route through the Lycus River Valley
in the Roman province of Asia Minor (in the southwest corner of modern-day Turkey). There the Colossians
manufactured a beautiful dark red wool cloth ( colossinum) for which the city became famous. But Colossae’s
importance as a business center diminished significantly around 100 BC, when the neighboring city of Laodicea was
founded as an active and commercially aggressive
competitor. The two towns, along with neighboring
Hierapolis, were destroyed by earthquakes in AD 17 (in the
reign of Tiberius) and again in 60 (in the reign of Nero).
Rebuilt after each earthquake, Colossae never regained its early prominence, and by 400 the city no longer existed.2
Overview of the Book of Colossians
Purpose
(1) General, a message of good will, to exhort and edify believers (2) Special, to counteract doctrinal errors growing out of the misture of Judaistic teaching, combined with the vagaries of oriental and philosophic speculation. These heresies tended to obscure the divine glory of Christ.
Characteristics
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The epistle presents a considerable resemblance to Ephesians both in thought and language, yet has a distinct message of its own. In Ephesians, Paul dwells upon the thought of the church as the body of Christ, while in Colossians he emphasizes Christ as the head of the church. The warning against trusting in world wisdom which appears in 1 Corinthians, reappears in Colossians.