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Monday, 12 December 2011

Day 347: Paul writes to the Colossians

Another of Paul’s letters, written while he was in prison
Paul’s prayer for the Colossians
Colossians 1:1-14
The pre-eminence of Christ
Colossians 1:15-23
Paul’s labour of love
Colossians 1:24-29, 2:1-3
His joy in them
Colossians 2:4-7
Warning against erroneous beliefs
Colossians 2:8-23
The believer's walk
Colossians 3:1-25, 4:1-6
Closing greetings and instructions
Colossians 4:7-18

This is a lot to get through in one day - a whole letter, with some very elevated theology.  Payul talks to them about how Christ is second to none - he is the one who make God known to us, and in him, Paul works tirelessly for the sake of all. He doesn’t want them to get seduced by any other philosophy, and there seems to be some rival for their allegiance, which had a lot of commands and observance that he tells them aren’t worth the candle.
One of the problems they faced seemed to be how to overcome sin. The alternative beliefs that they were toying with imposed harsh rules to keep people holy. Paul doesn’t want them to do this, because he thinks it won’t work. Instead, he urges them to discover the new life of Christ within them, and to do everything “in Christ.” By this, I think he means, have Jesus in mind all the time, Do everything for his sake, aim to please him every minute of the day. Enjoy his peace, and know his strength.
Paul finishes with some news about himself and others that the Colossians would know, and commends them to God, telling them to swap letters with Laodicea, to whom it seems he had also written. Well, the Laodiceans didn’t look after their letter as well as the Colossians, because it has been lost, so we will never know what he said to them.

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