Colossians

Definition and Meaning

Colossians is the twelfth book of the New Testament, a letter from the apostle Paul to the church in Colossae. It consists of four chapters. Together with Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon, it is grouped among the "Prison Epistles," the letters Paul wrote while imprisoned. Its central theme is "the preeminence of Christ": the teaching that Jesus Christ is before all things and above all things, and that nothing needs to be added to Christ for salvation.

Biblical and Historical Background

Colossae was a city in what is now western Türkiye, near Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul did not found this church himself; it is generally thought to have been established through the preaching of Epaphras (Colossians 1:7). The text states that Tychicus and Onesimus delivered the letter (Colossians 4:7–9).

Paul wrote the letter to correct false teaching that had spread in the church. The text mentions the following elements of that teaching:

• Regulations concerning food and drink, festivals, and sabbaths (Colossians 2:16)
• The worship of angels (Colossians 2:18)
• Asceticism involving harsh treatment of the body (Colossians 2:23)

This teaching is commonly called the "Colossian heresy." Scholars differ in how they identify it; one view holds that it was a mixture of Jewish legalism and early Gnostic thought. In response, Paul stresses the sufficiency of Christ. Representative passages include Colossians 1:15–20, known as the "Christ hymn," and "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9).

Paul has traditionally been accepted as the author, and preaching and teaching in Korean churches generally follow this view. Some scholars, however, argue on the basis of differences in style and theology that the letter was written by a disciple of Paul.

Use in the Korean Church

• Colossians 1:15–20 is frequently cited in teaching Christology, the study of who Christ is.
• "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord" (Colossians 3:23) is widely used in sermons on work and vocation.
• The phrase "in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing" in Colossians 3:16 is often cited as a scriptural basis for praise in worship.
• Colossians 3:18–4:1 addresses the duties of wives and husbands, children and parents, and servants and masters. This passage is used in wedding service sermons, and denominations and theologians place different emphases on how it should be applied today.
• Colossians 2:16 is a key verse in the Sabbath and Lord's Day debate. Most Protestant denominations read it as indicating that Christians are not bound by the Old Testament Sabbath regulations. By contrast, the Seventh-day Adventist Church interprets the sabbaths in this verse not as the weekly Sabbath but as ceremonial festival sabbaths connected with the sacrificial system.