Narrator: Onesimus
Primary Scriptures: Colossians 1-4
Story Summary: Paul’s letter to the churches in Colossae
Location: Roman Empire; Asia; Colossae
Time:
AD 30 Jesus crucified and resurrected; Pentecost; Holy Spirit arrives
AD 48 Paul’s “famine visit” to Jerusalem; First Missionary Journey starts
AD 50 Council at Jerusalem; Start of Second Missionary Journey.
AD 53 Start of Third Missionary Journey
AD 61 Paul writes Colossians while imprisoned
Suggested Memory Scriptures: Colossians 1:10, 15-17, 27; 2:2, 8, 23; 3:1-2, 5, 9-11, 14-15, 17
This episode presumes Paul wrote Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon at the same
time, and sent them by Tychicus and Onesimus. Colossians may have been written to all of the
churches in the Lycus Valley, not just one particular church among them. Based on Colossians
4:2, Paul probably wrote and sent a letter to the church at Laodicea at the same time, but no
copy of that letter is known to exist.
Paul lived in Ephesus for three years during the Third Missionary Journey, so he
personally knew most people in the church of that large city. It is possible the church at
Colossae was started during that period by one of the people working with Paul. The Bible
doesn’t say whether Paul had been to Colossae or if he personally knew its leaders.
Based on Philemon 1:1-2, Philemon was a leader in the church at Colossae. Onesimus
was a runaway slave owned by Philemon, and Paul was sending him back to Philemon. You can
rightly guess Paul’s instructions about slaves and masters in both Ephesians and Colossians
were pointed straight at Philemon while also intended for all other Christians. For this reason, it
is profitable to read those passages and Philemon at the same time to get better context.
Colossians 2:8 and 2:16-28 are indications the church at Colossae was being influenced
by false teachers. In response to this, and in an effort to make sure the Colossians knew the
true Gospel, Paul spends much of the first part of the letter explaining the Gospel and the
supremacy of Christ while refuting false teachings. One of the most powerful of Paul’s
statements is found in Colossians 1:15, which says Jesus is the exact image or representation of
God, the firstborn over all creation. This verse would be instrumental throughout the coming
centuries as theologians tried to understand the true nature of Christ.
As you read Chapters 3 and 4, remember the Christians in Colossae needed to learn the
fundamentals of living with Christian morals. They grew up in as society where people
worshiped false gods, and participated in drunkenness and sexual immorality as normal
behavior. They needed to learn to behave properly as individuals and as family members.
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