Exploring Colossians

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians with the purpose of strengthening the Christians against the false teaching that was infiltrating their church. The precise nature of the problem in Colossae is not known for certain, but the letter itself makes it clear that there were two main influences at work, namely: religious legalism and human philosophy. By their very nature, they threatened to undermine the faith of the believers by substituting human effort or human wisdom for the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Legalism in the church is a system whereby an attempt is made to please God by adherence to rules and regulations. This appeals to the fallen nature of man as being more reasonable, more appealing, than the acceptance of God's grace. Philosophy, on the other hand, amounts to human wisdom which disregards the divine will and gives human logic higher importance than God's Word. Both systems glorify man and place the focus of attention on human sufficiency. The truth is that any system which teaches independence from God, however good or intelligent it may appear to be, is counterfeit. Exploring Colossians is a verse-by-verse commentary on this famous letter. It seeks to explain Paul's teaching in a way that anyone can understand. It avoids technical or obscure arguments and focuses on the devotional nature of the book, with the purpose of encouraging and strengthening readers in their faith. Colossians, more than most New Testament letters, reveals the sovereignty of Christ, and readers of the commentary are gently led to see the importance of this in their daily lives.