Colossians The supremacy of Christ…

Colossians Written by… –“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother…” (1:1) –“I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” (4:18) –But scholars have their doubts… For some, but not all, of the same reasons as they doubt genuine Pauline authorship for Ephesians, they also doubt Colossians as genuinely written by Paul. –E.g., “later” theology, signs of institutionalization (e.g., household code), some stylistic difference in writing

Colossians But –Important to note that not all of the arguments against Pauline authorship of Ephesians apply to Colossians e.g., stylistic and theological differences are far less between Colossians and undisputed Paulines than between Ephesians and undisputed Paulines Ephesians is a “based” on Colossians—Colossians is not apparently “copied” from something else The content directed at a specific context and the conclusion of Colossians with its mention of very many specific people speaks to its authenticity (are a much more exaggerated attempt to make it look authentic!) –Some scholars see a very close link with the undisputed Philemon (compare Phil. 1:1-2, with Col. 4:7-17) Leads some to conclude that Philemon and Onesimus are from Colossae –Some Pauline scholars like J.D.G. Dunn will argue it is written late in the life of Paul by Timothy and Paul gives more freedom to Timothy to craft the letter, merely signing off at the end (4:18) Certainly that would explain how it functions as a sort of “bridge” between authentic Paulines and a letter like Ephesians which most scholars consider deutero-Pauline.

Colossians Recipients –“To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae” But not also Paul assumes Laodiceans will read this letter and Colossians will read Laodicean letter (Col. 4:16) –Colossae was a city in Western side of Asia Minor

Colossians

If written by Paul, then likely late in his career and during his Roman imprisonment (say circa CE) –Other scholars argue the traveling between Paul and Colossae implied by Colossians and Philemon means an Ephesian imprisonment is more likely If deutero-Pauline then scholars favor a date sometime after his life but before 80 CE (to account for Ephesians “borrowing” its contents)

Colossians Key texts of interest –What appears to some to be a “Christ-hymn” in 1:15-20 –The opponents behind 2:8-23 –The first household code (3:18-4:1)