Overview Article
The letter to the Colossians combines some of the deepest and most sublime teaching about Christ with some very basic instructions for life. As strongly as any other book in the New Testament, Colossians reminds us that Christ must always be preeminent in a Christian’s affections and worship.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 18
Places 3
Key Terms 82
Themes
The Christ Hymn: Christ’s Divine Nature 8 The passage in Philippians 2:6–11 is often called the Christ Hymn. This section reveals what early Christians believed about Jesus Christ. The hymn shows that early Christians believed Jesus existed before his birth o... The Mystery of the Good News 5 In his letters, the apostle Paul often uses the word mystery to describe the good news about Jesus (some translations use the word secret ). Sometimes, Paul uses mystery as a way of referring to the good news itself (... God’s Sabbath Rest 3 The idea of God's Sabbath rest (as described in Hebrews 4:1–11 ) has been difficult for many scholars to understand. It includes ideas from the Old Testament, like the promised land as a place to rest from slavery and... Circumcision 3 Many ancient cultures practiced circumcision, the removal of the male foreskin (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). God chose circumcision as a sign of a covenant (special agreement) that focuses on descendants. God promised to m... Overcoming the Devil 3 The New Testament writers believed in the reality of evil and the dangers of the spiritual world. They saw Satan, also known as "the evil one" or "the devil," as a serious threat. The devil blocks the work of God's pe... The Church 3 The church is the community of people who acknowledge Christ as Lord and obey him ( Ephesians 5:21–24 ). The New Testament word for "church" comes from the Greek word ekklēsia (meaning "a group of people who gather to...
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Early Christian Heresies 2 The Greek word hairesis , which first means "choice," refers to a sect or faction . For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism, as were the Pharisees ( Acts 5:17 ; 15:5 ). They called early believers in Jes... God’s Servant 2 In Isaiah 40–66 , God's servant is very important and appears often. The servant announces a new order of justice and righteousness to the world ( 42:3–4 ). He prepares the world for God's arrival ( 52:7 ). Who is the... Legalism 2 The law was very important to the Jewish people. Their understanding of religion often focused on following rules and ceremonies. This was natural to them because God had given his law to the Jewish people. He did thi... The Church as a Living, Active Body 2 The apostle Paul considered the church as the living body of Jesus Christ made up of believers. Paul did not make any formal difference between professional church leaders and ordinary members, where only the leaders... The Resurrection of Jesus 2 The Bible clearly describes how Jesus physically rose from the dead through God's power. However, many other explanations have been suggested: Jesus did not actually die. He fainted and later woke up in a cold tomb. S... The Resurrection of the Dead 2 Jesus spoke about a future resurrection for everyone. God will raise up all people to eternal life or to judgment ( Mark 12:26–27 ; John 5:28–29 ; 6:39–40 , 44 , 54 ; 11:25–26 ; see also Luke 20:34–36 ). When Jesus re... The Unknown God 2 The apostle Paul spoke to the Areopagus, the high council of the city of Athens ( Acts 17:19 ). He spoke to people who did not share his belief in the God of Abraham and Moses. This God had revealed himself, " On many... Baptism 2 Baptism has been a key part of Christianity since it began ( Acts 2:38 ). In Judaism, "baptism" and "baptize" referred to a religious cleansing ceremony. The law of Moses required water to cleanse people from ceremoni... Circumcision in the New Testament 2 Circumcision, which is the removal of the male foreskin, was common in the ancient Near East (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). For Jews, it held religious importance as a sign of the covenant (special agreement) God made with... Holiness and Sexual Purity 2 The Bible teaches that people should be holy in their sexual relationships. God created humans as sexual beings. The first command God gave to Adam and Eve was to "Be fruitful and multiply" ( Genesis 1:28 ). This mean... Loving Others 2 Jesus said that loving your neighbor is the second most important commandment in the Old Testament ( Mark 12:31 ). The command to love sums up the entire Old Testament law ( Matthew 22:40 ; compare 7:12 ; 9:9–13 ; 12:... The Message of Reconciliation 2 Reconciliation is a term found throughout the New Testament. It means making peace and repairing broken relationships. When two people reconcile, they stop being enemies and become friends again. In the same way, thro... The Promise of New Life 2 The resurrection is a key belief in Christianity. Without it, the Christian faith has no value ( 1 Corinthians 15:14 ). God promises that his people will share in this resurrection with Christ ( Colossians 3:1 ). It i... The Sovereignty of God 2 People often think they can control everything that happens in their lives through their own choices and actions. But the Bible teaches us something different. It shows us that God has the highest power and authority...