Colossians 1:1-8
Download a PDF here:
In this verse, Paul introduces himself as an "apostle of Jesus Christ" and clarifies that he is such "by the will of God."
While some scholars, including E.W. Bullinger, parse out differences of emphasis between "Jesus Christ" and "Christ Jesus", I am not convinced that these differences are anything more than incidental.
In his other writings, Paul gives more insight into his apostleship "by the will of God". In Acts and 1 Timothy 1:15-16, he elaborates on his journey to becoming an apostle. In Colossians, he will go on to explain how his apostleship has been specifically shaped through the revelation of the mystery, which came years after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus (see Galatians 1:11-2:8).
It's crucial to note that the date of the writing of Colossians is long after the Jerusalem council (as recorded in Acts 15 and Galatians 2:1-2). This timeline allows Paul to write extensively concerning the mystery revelation in the book of Colossians.
Paul claims "Timotheus our brother" as a co-author. The exact role that Timothy played in the creation of this book is uncertain. Was he simply the amanuensis, writing down Paul's words? Was he the courier, tasked with delivering the letter? Or was he there for moral support, standing beside Paul in concurrence and encouragement? We simply do not know. It is also possible that Paul mentioned Timothy to endorse his ministry to the people of Colosse.
Colosse was an ancient city in the western part of modern-day Turkey, known as Asia Minor in the Roman times. It was one of the important cities in the Lycus Valley, and its location made it a significant commercial hub. It was not far from Laodocea. Both cities eventually declined into ruins.
As for Paul, though it is not explicitly stated within the letter, it is widely accepted by biblical scholars that he wrote this epistle from Rome during his first imprisonment. This would place him a great distance from Colosse at the time of writing. It is unknown whether Paul had visited the city at any time.
In verse 2, Paul extends a customary greeting of "Grace to you and peace from God our Father." This greeting is not exclusive to Paul but is also used by other New Testament authors. Peter, for example, uses a similar greeting in his epistles (1 Peter 1:2, 2 Peter 1:2). The use of this greeting demonstrates an intention to connect with the recipients of the letter on a personal and spiritual level, emphasizing the grace and peace that comes from God.
Interestingly, Paul adds the word "mercy" to his greeting in the following letters: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. These are letters to individuals, with the book of Philemon being writen to “the church in thy house” (Philemon 1:3). It is unknown why Timothy and Titus get the added “mercy” to the greeting, and is perhaps of little meaning.
Of more interest is the phrase "To the saints and faithful brethren". At first glance, this may appear to refer to one group. However, the conjunction can clearly imply two groups: one called "saints" and another called "faithful brethren". An example of this grammatical structure can be found in Philemon 1:1-2, where the letter is written to several individuals using the same grammatical structure. The grammar does not require a singular group or a duality, but it allows for either interpretation, that is, the linguistic analysis alone does not decisively favor one interpretation over the other.
For our purposes, we will examine the possibility of two distinct groups within the audience of Paul's letter: "saints" and "faithful brethren". We will assume that "saints" refers to believers of Jewish heritage and "faithful brethren" to believers of Gentile heritage. It's important to remember that those of Jewish heritage, due to their covenantal obligations, might receive instructions that wouldn't apply to those outside such obligations. Overlooking the possibility of these two distinct groups could lead us to misinterpret the scripture, inadvertently assigning obligations or promises where they don't belong. Therefore, it's crucial to "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) while interpreting this letter.
In this verse, Paul expresses his thankfulness and testifies to his continual prayers for the Colossians. Though this verse is very specific to its initial audience, hence the black coding, it offers us a glimpse into Paul's heart, characterized by a spirit of gratitude and prayer.