Part 11 (1/2)

THIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES

COLOSSIANS. PHILEMON. EPHESIANS. PHILIPPIANS.

THE QUESTION AT ISSUE

+The Supremacy of Christ.+--These Epistles mark a new stage in the writings of Paul. The great question discussed in the second group of Epistles was in regard to the terms of salvation. The question now at issue (in Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians) is: What is the nature, the rank, the dignity of the Mediator of salvation?

Is He one of a series of Saviors? Does He belong to some angelic order (Col. 2:18), or, does He stand supreme (Col. 2:8, 9, 19) and solitary? Is He the Head and Chief of all creation (Col. 2:19; 1:16). Other matters are discussed in these Epistles, but this is the great doctrinal question and burden of the Apostle's thought.

+The Reason for the Raising of this Question+ was the development of certain false religious beliefs among which were, ”asceticism, the wors.h.i.+p of angels, revelings in supposed visions and belief in emanations.” These ”degraded the object of faith and so destroyed its meaning and power.”

+The Answer to the Question.+--Paul is in no doubt as to the supremacy of Christ. All his argument is to show the Deity of Christ. He holds ”aloft the true object of faith namely, the supreme Divine Savior Himself, in opposition to speculation which would degrade and deny to Him the eminence which belongs to Him” (Col. 1:15-20; Eph. 1:10, 20-23; 3-9; Philippians 2:5-11).

+Present Day Attention+ has been focused upon this matter of the supremacy of Christ. Was he human or divine? The arguments of Paul still hold good for a stout belief in the Divine Christ. The writings of the Great Apostle are all characterized by his grasp of fundamental things; they serve their purpose for the modern church in bringing it back to Jesus Christ as the only Savior, as they also in times past corrected the errors of the early church.

THE WRITING OF THE EPISTLES

+The Interest+ in these Epistles is heightened by the fact that they were written during Paul's first Roman imprisonment of which Luke gives all too brief an account (Acts 28:30,31). They have been called from this fact, ”The Epistles of the First Imprisonment.” It is a marvel that Paul with his surroundings could have written in such a masterly way and handled such lofty themes in a manner which has commanded the attention of the thinking world ever since his day and age.

+The Sending of the Epistles+--Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians were evidently dispatched from Rome by the same messenger, Tychicus (Col. 4:7, 9; Eph. 6:21).

Philippians was sent by the hand of Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25; 4:18).

THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS

The Church at Colossae--The city of Colossae was situated about 110 miles east of Ephesus where Paul spent so long a time during his third missionary journey (Acts 19:10). We have no record of any visit of Paul to this city or how the church was founded (Col. 2:1).

It is supposed that Ephaphras might have organized this church (Col. 1:7).

+The Occasion+ (and purpose) of this Epistle was evidently the coming of Epaphras to Rome to consult Paul about the affairs of this church (1:7, 8).

In chapter 2:8-23 we have some account of the things which were troubling this Christian community and drawing them away from faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

False teachers had appeared at Colossae who were confusing the minds of the Christian converts. The starting point of the error of teaching was the old oriental dogma that matter is evil and the source of evil (2:8), that as G.o.d is good the world could not have come directly from G.o.d. To bridge the chasm between G.o.d and the matter of the world a long chain of intermediate beings was conceived to exist. This doctrine played havoc with the simplest moral conceptions for if matter is evil, and its source, then man's sin is not in his will, but in his body. Redemption from sin can come only through asceticism and the mortification of the flesh.

The result of all this was a lowering of the dignity of Christ, taking away His saving power and the ”subst.i.tution of various ascetic abstinences and ritualistic practices (2:20) for trust in Him, the wors.h.i.+p of angels (2:18), and a reveling in dreams and visions.” ”This was kindred to a type of speculation which later became rife under the name of Gnosticism.”

To these ideas Paul opposed the true doctrine of the Heads.h.i.+p of Christ (2:19) and that He is the only link between G.o.d and the universe (1:15-17). ”By Him were all things created (1:16) that are in heaven and that are in earth.” Christ is the only Mediator (1:13, 14).

In this faith there is no place for ascetic mortification.

Evil is in our unwillingness to live the life in Christ. In Christ we are dead to sin and risen with Him to a life of holiness (2:20-23; 3:1-4). Christ is not only our Redeemer (1:14) and the Head of the church, but the source of creation and its Lord (1:16, 17). We have a similar error (against which Paul warns) taught to-day by the speculative thinker, who fills the world with forces which leave no room for the working of a personal will.

+Central Thought+--Jesus Christ the sole Savior of men and Mediator between G.o.d and men (1:13-14), the Creator (1:16; 2:9) and Head of the church (1:18).

Exhortation to follow Christ (3:1-4).

+Time and Place.+--This Epistle was written at Rome and sent by the messenger, Tychicus, (4:7, 8, 18) to the church at Colossae about 63 A.D.

Paul also directed that it be read to the church at Laodicea (4:16).

+Princ.i.p.al Divisions and Chief Points.+

1. Introduction (1:1-12) Salutation. Thanksgiving for their faith and prayer for their increase and knowledge of the will of G.o.d.