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Colossians

Introduction

What is the Book of Colossians About?

Read this 2-minute introduction to help you find your bearings in the Bible story, and be inspired to read Colossians!

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Videos
on Colossians

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Overview of Colossians

9 Minutes | by BibleProject

This overview video illustrates for us the literary design of the book of Colossians using creative animations.

Book of Colossians Summary: A Complete Animated Overview is copyright 2016 by BibleProject and is available for viewing at www.bibleproject.com.

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The Bible Explained: Colossians

8 Minutes | by Spoken Gospel

This compelling dramatization of the book of Colossians introduces us to the main theme of the book and how it points to Jesus through spoken word poetry.

This video was originally published by Spoken Gospel on their YouTube Channel.

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Colossians Summary

5 Minutes | by Paul David Tripp 

This video is part of the series, The Gospel One Chapter at a Time, where Paul David Tripp summarizes each book of the Bible and shows how it points us to Jesus.

This video was originally published by Paul Tripp Ministries, Inc. on their YouTube Channel.

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Has the Ancient City of Colossae Been Discovered?

5 Minutes | by Drive Thru History

Where is Colossae? Do we know what it looks like, or what went on there? Discover the historical setting of this book of the Bible.

This video was originally published by Drive Thru History on their YouTube Channel.

Historical Context
of Colossians

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Accordion Content

Who wrote the letter of Colossians?

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians living in the small city of Colossae.  

From Bibles.net: Remember that the ultimate author of every book of the Bible is the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). He has written this book to equip you for life, to help you know the true God, and to give you hope (2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4). The Holy Spirit wrote Colossians for your good and to lead you into joy.

When was the letter of Colossians written?  

It was probably written c. AD 62, while Paul was in prison in Rome (Acts 27–28). This was about the same time he wrote Ephesians and Philemon. All three letters were sent with Tychicus and Onesimus. 

How did the Colossian church start?

The Setting of Colossians

c. AD 62 

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while in prison, probably in Rome. The church at Colossae was likely established during Paul’s third missionary journey as he ministered for three years in Ephesus. It appears that Paul did not personally plant the church there, but instead a Colossian named Epaphras traveled to Ephesus, responded to Paul’s gospel message, and returned to share the good news in Colossae.  

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Unless otherwise indicated, this content is adapted from the ESV Global Study Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2012 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Books

The Letters To The Colossians and To Philemon

The Letters To The Colossians and To Philemon

by Douglas J. Moo | Commentary

Difficulty: Easy

Captivated by Christ

Captivated by Christ

by Richard Chin | Commentary

Difficulty: Easy

Message Series
on Colossians

Colossians: The Complete Life by Brant Cole

Not only is this the best New Year’s message we have ever heard, but we believe Pastor Brandt did a remarkable job of helping us understand the message of Colossians. This sermon will help you see the glory and worth of Jesus, and put fire in your bones to live for the glory of his name.

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Message Series
on Colossians

Christ In You, the Hope of Glory by Sam Storms

Check out this phenomenal 23-part message series by Dr. Sam Storms. In 40-minute messages, Dr. Storms walks us through the book of Colossians, helping us know Christ better and live in light of our love for him.

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Colossians Dictionary

As you read through Colossians, you might come across words and ideas that are foreign to you. Here are a few definitions you will want to know! Note that this dictionary was created for the New International Version (NIV) Bible.

Admonition

Teaching or instruction, usually done as a warning.

Affliction

Great trouble or pain.

Alien

A person from another country; a foreigner.

Angels

Heavenly beings created by God before he created Adam and Eve. Angels act as God’s messengers to men and women. They also worship God.

Chosen People

The Jews, as descendants of Abraham, were selected by God to be “a great and powerful nation, and all nations of earth will be blessed through him” (Genesis 18:18). The New Testament declares that the Church has also become the spiritual recipient of this blessing and responsibility (see 1 Peter 2:9).

Christ

The Greek word that means “God’s Chosen One.” “Messiah” is the Hebrew word meaning the same thing. Jesus was the Christ.

Church

An assembly or gathering. The word church is used to refer both to local groups of believers in Christ (church) as well as to all believers (Church).

Circumcise

To cut an unneeded flap of skin, called the foreskin, from the penis. For the Israelites, circumcision was a sign of the special agreement (or covenant) they had with God: If they worshiped and obeyed Him, He would be their God and they would be His people. Abraham was the first Hebrew to be circumcised. After Abraham, Hebrew baby boys were circumcised when they were eight days old. Leaders in the Early Church said that it was not necessary for men or boys to be circumcised to become part of God’s family.

Condemn

(1) To find someone guilty of doing something wrong and to declare or pronounce a punishment. (2) To be against or disapprove of something because it is wrong.

Faith

(1) To be certain about the things we cannot see or to trust someone because of who he or she is. For example, a Christian has faith that Jesus is God’s Son. (2) The whole message about Jesus Christ—that He is God’s Son and that He came to take the punishment for our sin so that we may become members of God’s family. This describes the faith of a Christian.

Feasts

(1) Dinners, celebrations and banquets. (2) Jewish religious holidays and celebrations.

Firstborn

The first child born into a family. During Bible times, the firstborn son received special rights and power. He became head of the family after his father died, and he received twice as much money and property as his brothers.

Gospel

(1) Literally, “good news.” The good news of the Bible is that God sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for sin and then raised Him from the dead so that any person who believes may have new life. (2) The story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ told in the first four books of the New Testament. The books are also called the four Gospels.

Heir

Someone who has the right to receive the property or position of another person when that person dies. In Bible times, the heir was usually a son. The Bible says that anyone who is a member of God’s family is His heir. God will never die, but because we are His children, God keeps on giving us great love, care and kindness.

Mystery

A truth that is understood because of God’s revelation. The term appears only in the New Testament (mostly in the letters of Paul) and refers to God’s plan to redeem the world through Christ.

Sabbath

The weekly day of rest and worship that God set apart for all people. In the Old Testament, it is the seventh day of the week (Saturday); and today for many Jews and some Christians Saturday is still observed as the Sabbath. For Jews, Sabbath starts at sundown on Friday and lasts until sunset on Saturday. Because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, most Christians set aside Sunday as the day of rest and worship (see Acts 20:7).

Spirit

The unseen part of a person that controls what he or she thinks, feels, and does; soul. The Bible says that God is a Spirit, showing that he does not have a physical body.

Submission, submit

To choose to work with or to obey another person in a thoughtful, gentle way. The Bible says that Christians are to submit to each other in the same way that Jesus submitted to God when Jesus came to earth.

Dictionary Source

This content is from What the Bible Is All About, written by Henrietta Mears. Copyright © 1953, 2011 by Gospel Light. Copyright assigned to Tyndale House Publishers, 2015. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Tough Questions
from Colossians

We have found answers to some tough questions that we anticipate may arise as you read Colossians. We know we can’t answer every question you will have; therefore, we have written this article, so you know how to find answers for your kids: How Do I Answer Tough Questions About the Bible?

How do I wrestle in prayer like Epaphras (Colossians 4:12)?

In this wonderful, 30-minute message, Richard Coekin shows us how to follow the example of Epaphras and teaches us about prayer. You will be strengthened and motivated to pray as you listen to this message!

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What is legalism and why is it so bad?

In this helpful article, Eric Raymond gives us four reasons why legalism is so bad, and why Paul so strongly warns against it in the book of Colossians.

What does Paul mean by “I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24)?

Sam Storms first helps us understand what this phrase from Colossians doesn’t mean, and then he gives us two biblically sound interpretations, with the help of Pastor John Piper.

Does God require Sabbath keeping of Christians?

Colossians tells us to beware of those who pass judgment on us regarding how we observe the Sabbath day. In this short, three-minute article and video, Got Questions gives us the answer to whether Christians must keep the Sabbath.

What is asceticism and why does Colossians say to avoid it?

In this article, Sam Storms defines asceticism for us. He also distinguishes between good asceticism and the kind of asceticism that Colossians warns us against.

What are the “elemental spirits of the world” (Colossians 2:15)?

Colossians mentions the powers of darkness and spiritual warfare in a number of ways. In his article, Sam Storms helps us understand these references.

Insights about Colossians

The following insights are from pastors and scholars who have spent significant time studying the book of Colossians.

What is the message of the book of Colossians?

Real power does not lie with the media or our universities or our governments or armies or the Rule of Law or social justice. Nothing in this world shapes and changes lives more than the message of Jesus.

Christian maturity involves recognizing that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found not at Oxford or Harvard, or in the media, or in the opinion polls, or whomever the latest guru is this week. Nor are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge found in your favorite Christian website, your favorite celebrity pastor and definitely not in the author of this book!

All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found solely in Jesus Christ.

—Richard Chin

Source: Chin, Richard. Captivated by Christ. Sydney, Australia: Matthias Media, 2019.

What is the main theme of the book of Colossians?

Colossians was addressing the situation in the 1^st century that is very much like the situation in the 21^st century. Both in terms of what we believe—ideology—and also in terms of how we live– the very practice and everyday living of our lives.

What was going on was a false teaching about Jesus. And because they were thinking wrongly about Jesus, they were thinking wrongly about every aspect of the Christian life, including the way they should live…

What is the theme of this book? The preeminence of Jesus Christ. Along with the book of Revelation, no book exalts the preeminence of Christ more than the book of Colossians.

—Danny Aiken

Source: Aiken, Danny. “Colossians.” Podcast Audio. This podcast originally appeared here at The Gospel Coalition.

What does the book of Colossians teach us about our Christian identity?

Colossians 4 introduces another phase of our life in Christ, the outer life. We found we must build within, cultivating the virtues of the new life in Christ, but we also want our new life to be seen and felt among others (see Colossians 4:5). This is the way we present Christ to the world. Remember, “Christians” mean “little Christs.” Biographies of Christ are not written only by great authors such as John Paul Meier or fictionalized by such writers as Anne Rice. Christ’s life did not end when the Gospels were completed. Christ is living in us. His life is told today in living epistles that are known and read by all people who see us.

—Henrietta Mears

Source: This content is from What the Bible Is All About, written by Henrietta Mears. Copyright © 1953, 2011 by Gospel Light. Copyright assigned to Tyndale House Publishers, 2015. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Where do we find true wisdom?

There can be no wisdom apart from a relationship with Christ. Remember how the Queen of Sheba came from far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. However, Jesus said of himself in Matthew 12, “The Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42).

Others spoke of God’s wisdom; Jesus is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24; 30)! Others spoke of truth; Jesus is the truth (John 14:6)! Others proclaimed God’s forgiveness; Jesus brought God’s forgiveness by his death (Colossians 1:22).

Is it any wonder why Paul could say in Colossians 2:3, “In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

—Randy Smith

Source: Randy Smith, quoted from his message, “Am I Wise or Foolish” from the series, Proverbs II on Proverbs 1:1-7, preached at Grace Bible Church on August 27, 2017. Quote retrieved from Grace Quotes at gracequotes.org.

Wisdom can be none other than the eternal Son of God. The Apostle Paul calls Him “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). In him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). If you want to get to know the God of wisdom, study the life of Jesus Christ. As a boy, he “kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). When he began his public ministry, he taught with such penetrating perception and amazing authority that people asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these miraculous powers?” (Matthew 13:54) He confronted the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees with such crisp thinking that they could not answer him (e.g. Matthew 22:46). They had the finest theological minds of the day, but their mouths were stopped before the wisdom of Jesus Christ. God gave the world the most complete and comprehensive demonstration of his wisdom possible when he sent his Son to earth.

—Richard Strauss

Source: Richard L. Strauss, Treasures of Wisdom. Copyright © 1996-2023 Bible.org, published with permission.

Colossians Playlist

Discover music inspired by the message and content of the book of Colossians.

All Things Together

by Andrew Peterson | Contemporary

Whatever You Do (Colossians 3:15-17)

by Sing Scripture | Children’s

Things That Are Above (Colossians 3:1-4)

by Sing Scripture | Pop

Whatever You Do (Colossians 3:17, 23)

by Slugs & Bugs | Children’s

Treasure Of Jesus

by Steven Curtis Chapman | 70s, 80s, 90s

Death Was Arrested

by North Point Worship feat. Seth Condrey | Praise & Worship

Do Everything

by Steven Curtis Chapman | Contemporary

Before the Throne of God Above

by Sovereign Grace feat. Kristyn Getty | Praise & Worship

Christ In Me

by Jeremy Camp | Pop

Christ Be All

by Grace Worship | Contemporary

More Songs

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