The epistle to the Colossians is one of a group of epistles which were
written by Paul from prison (see PRISON MINISTRY)
and forms one of a pair with Ephesians leaving Philippians to form one of a pair
with 2 Timothy. The relationship of the Prison Epistles can be seen by the
following structural correspondence.
The Prison Epistles
AEphesians.
The Dispensation of the Mystery.
The Church which is His Body.
The Fulness. Christ the Head.
Principalities and Powers.
BPhilippians.
Try the things that differ.
Strive. Press towards the mark.
Prize. Depart. Offered.
C
Philemon. A private and affectionate letter.
AColossians.
The Dispensation of the Mystery.
The Church which is His Body.
Fulness. Christ the Head.
Principalities and Powers.
B2 Timothy.
Rightly dividing the word of Truth.
Strive. Course finished.
Crown. Depart. Offered.
Colossians supplements Ephesians, gives the same teaching in somewhat more
condensed form, and adds a large central section in the nature of a warning. The
warning has to do with ‘the prize’ of Philippians, the words, ‘let no man
beguile you of your reward’ being a translation of katabrabeuo (Col. 2:18).
‘The prize’ of Philippians 3:14 being brabeion. At the close of
this article we give a chart, setting forth the general idea of the epistle, but
we will here give the structural outline of the epistle as a whole and exhibit
the arrangement of some of its parts, and follow this with a few notes upon some
outstanding features of the epistle.
Colossians
A 1:1,2. Salutation.
B 1:3-8. Faithful ministry Epaphras.
Word of truth heard.
Ca
1:9-12. Prayer for spiritual walk. b 1:13-23. Christ before all.
In Him all consist.
D 1:23-27. The
MYSTERY manifested by God.
E 1:28 to 2:1. Preaching to
present PERFECT.
F 2:2,3.
HID. Treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
G 2:4-23.
BEWARE. Fivefold warning.
F 3:1-4.
HID. Your life, with Christ.
Cb
3:5-15. Christ is all and in all. a 3:16 to 4:1. Indwelling word,
spiritual walk.
D 4:2-11. The
MYSTERY manifested by Paul.
E 4:12,13. Prayer to stand
PERFECT.
B 4:14-17. Public ministry. Archippus.
Epistle to be read.
A 4:18. Salutation.
We follow this outline of the epistle as a whole, with one or two outlines of
the larger correspondencies.
Colossians
1:9-12 with 3:16 to 4:1
Meet for, and the Reward of the
INHERITANCE.
C
1:9-12.
A 1:9. Prayer for all wisdom.
B 1:9. Spiritual understanding.
C 1:10. Every good work.
D 1:12. Giving thanks unto the
Father.
E 1:10. All pleasing.
F 1:12. Meet for
Inheritance.
BEWARE -
Col. 2:4-23
C3:16
to 4:1.
A 3:16. Word of Christ, all wisdom.
B 3:16. Spiritual songs.
C 3:17. Word or deed.
D 3:17. Giving thanks to the
Father.
E 3:20. Well pleasing.
F 3:24. Reward of the
Inheritance.
Colossians 1:13-23 with 3:5-15
THE IMAGE.
Christ is all.
C
1:13-23.
G 1:15,16. Creator. The
IMAGE.
H 1:20. Reconciliation. Heaven and
Earth.
I 1:17,18. Christ pre-eminent.
All in Him.
J 1:20. Peace and forgiveness
of sins.
K 1:22. Holy, blameless,
unreproveable.
BEWARE -
Col. 2:4-23
C
3:5-15.
G 3:10. Created after the
IMAGE.
H 3:11. Reconciliation of Jew and
Greek.
I 3:11. Christ is all and in all.
J 3:13,15. Peace. Forgive
quarrel.
K 3:9,12. Put off, put on,
holy and beloved.
For the corresponding structure of Colossians 1:23 to 2:1 with 4:2-13, see
the article entitled MYSTERY. For structure of
the prayer of Colossians 1:9-12 and its association with the prayers of
Ephesians and Philippians, see the article THE PRAYERS
OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. For the structure of Colossians 1:13-23 see
article entitled RECONCILIATION. For the
word fullness, see article entitled PLEROMA.
We must leave these several articles to supply the necessary information
regarding the passages indicated, and turn our attention to the outline of the
great distinctive central portion. It will be seen that there are five
correctives, and we have had them set up in distinctive type so that they may be
seen together.
The key-words of Colossians and others, such as ‘above’, ‘the hope’, epiphaneia,
‘manifestation’, etc., are dealt with in articles bearing similar words in their
titles. For a fuller exposition of the whole epistle, the reader is directed to
the series of articles on Colossians in The
Berean Expositor, Vols. 20 to 25, and the section of The Testimony of the
Lord’s Prisoner devoted to that epistle.
The chart on page 183may help the reader to envisage the
teaching of this great epistle.
Colossians 2:4-23
Ra
4-8. Plausible speech. Philosophy (sophos). b 8. Traditions of men. c 8. Rudiments of the world. CORRECTIVE
8. Not after Christ.
9,10. Ye are filled full in Him.
Sd
11,12. Body of the flesh. The energy of God. e 11. Made without hands. f 11,12.
IN Whom. Circumcised and baptized. CORRECTIVE
12. Dead and buried with Christ.
10. Head of principality and
power.
Tg
14. Handwriting of ordinances. Blotted out. h 14. Nailed to cross. Taken
out of the way. h 15. Principalities spoiled.
Triumph in the cross. g 16. Observances. Let no man
judge you. CORRECTIVE17. These are shadows.
17. The body is of Christ.
Sd
18,19. Mind of the flesh. Increase of God. e 18. Voluntary humility. Vainly
puffed up. f 18,19.
OUT of Whom. Religion of angels. CORRECTIVE
19. Hold Christ the Head.
20. Ye died with Christ.
Rc
20-22. Rudiments of the world. b 22. Teaching of men. a 23. Wordy show of wisdom (sophos). CORRECTIVE23. Not in any honour.
23. Filling the flesh.
