The Pirates of Christian Faith
- The letter to Colossians is ascribed to Paul as its author even by the early church fathers and great thinkers.
- The first century Gnosticism was growing fast in the second century. It tried to make inroads into the churches as much as possible.
- During Paul’s imprisonment in Rome at least for two years under house arrest (Ac 28:16–31), he might have written this letter in the. c. A.D. 60.
COLOSSE: THE TOWN AND THE CHURCH
- Before Paul’s time, Colossae had been a leading city in Asia Minor. It was situated in the valley of the Lycus River. It was a big commercial hub on the great east-west trade route leading from Ephesus to the West on the Aegean Sea and to the Euphrates River in the East.
- Epaphras had come to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior during Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus. He had witnessed the experience of Salvation and shared the teachings from Paul to the people of Colossae, (cf.1:7–8; Ac 19:10).
- Very soon the Church was established but a threat emerged from heretics and their teachings. The Church needed guidance from Paul in this matter of faith. Epaphras went to visit to Paul who was imprisoned in Rome. In response to that threat, Paul wrote this letter.
- Some of them were house churches around Colossae were established along with a couple of other like Laodicea and Hierapolis comprised primarily from Gentile stock.
THE COLOSSIAN HERESY
Paul never explicitly describes the false teaching he opposes in the Colossian letter. The nature of the heresy must be inferred from statements he made in opposition to the false teachers. An analysis of his refutation suggests that the heresy was diverse in nature. Some of the elements of its teachings fall into 2 categories, Jewish and Gnostic and a mixture of both.We observe a few challenges the Church was facing with:
- Jewish Legalism.
- It held to strict rules about the kinds of permissible food and drink, religious festivals (2:16–17), observance of Mosaic Law and circumcision (2:11; 3:11).
- Jewish Asceticism.
- It was encouraging the life style like that of Pharisees and Essenes. They taught: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” etc. (2:21; cf. 2:23). It was based on more of touch and feel and experience rather than Faith.
- Religious Cult of Angel worship.
- The heavenly bodies like angels and stars influence the human existence and governance. (2:18) In order to avoid calamities and trouble, people must appease these heavenly bodies to obtain favor. Displeasing them invites displeasure and judgment. But Paul taught that God has taken the initiative to save man and creation because of His nature of Love, Grace and Sufficiency of Christ Jesus.