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Table of Contents

References and Abbreviations

Introduction to Colossians

The City of Colossae

The Peoples of Colossae

History of the Church

Occasion of the Letter

Authorship

Place and Date of Origin

The Nature of the "Colossian Heresy"

Who Are the False Teachers?

Purpose of the Letter

1. A Prayer for the Colossian Believers (Colossians 1:1-14)

The Situation

Paul and Timothy, the Senders (1:1)

To the Colossian Believers (1:2)

Thanksgiving for the Colossians Faith and Love (1:3-6)

The Gospel is Multiplying (1:5b-6)

God's Grace (1:6b)

Epaphras, the Faithful Minister (1:7-8)

Paul's Prayer for the Colossian Believers (1:9-12a)

Knowing God (1:9-10)

Bearing Fruit (1:10b)

Dominion of Darkness, Kingdom of Light (1:12-13)

The Father's Salvation (1:12-14)

2. The Supremacy of Christ (Colossians 1:15-19)

Hymn to Christ (1:15-20)

Christian Hymns in New Testament Letters

1. Image of the Invisible God (1:15a)

2. Firstborn Over All Creation (1:15b-16)

3. Before All Things (1:17a)

4. In Him All Things Hold Together (1:17b)

5. Head of the Body, the Church (1:18a)

6. The Beginning (1:18b)

7. Firstborn from Among the Dead (1:18c)

Preeminence (1:18d)

Fullness of God Dwells in Him (1:19)

3. Christ the Reconciler (Colossians 1:20-23)

Reconcile All Things to God (1:20a)

Making Peace through His Blood (1:20b)

Alienation Contrasted with Reconciliation (1:21-22)

If You Continue (1:23)

The Hope of the Gospel (1:23)

4. Paul's Labors for the Church (Colossians 1:24-2:5)

A Servant of the Gospel and the Church (1:23, 25)

Suffering for You (1:24)

Paul's Commission (1:25)

The Mystery of Christ in You Gentiles (1:25-27)

Christ in You, the Hope of Glory (1:27b)

Present Everyone Perfect in Christ (1:28-29)

Struggling in Prayer (2:1)

Complete Understanding (2:2-3)

Let No One Deceive You (2:4-5)

5. Freedom from Legalism (Colossians 2:6-23)

Characteristics of our Relationship with Christ (2:6-7)

Deceptive Philosophy (2:8)

The Fullness of Deity in Bodily Form (2:9-10)

God in the Flesh

Complete in Him! (2:10)

Spiritual Circumcision (2:11-12)

Made Alive in Christ (2:13-14)

The Written Code is Cancelled (2:14)

Disarming the Evil Spiritual Powers (2:15)

Discarding the Shadow for the Reality (2:16-17)

Mystical Jewish Practices (2:16-18)

Connection with the Head (2:19)

The Emptiness of Human Regulations (2:20-23)

6. Guidelines for Holy Living (Colossians 3:1-17)

Set Your Mind on Things Above (3:1-2)

You Have Died (3:3-4)

Your Life Is Hid (3:3-4)

Put to Death Your Old Practices (3:5-8)

Sinful Behaviors (3:5-8)

Put to Death Sexual Sins (3:5-6)

Put Off the Sins of Anger and the Tongue (3:8)

Don't Lie (3:9)

The New Self, Being Renewed (3:9-10)

One in Christ (3:11)

Cloth Yourselves with Virtue (3:12)

Forgive Each Other (3:13)

Love (3:14)

Peace and Thankfulness (3:15)

Teaching, Exhorting, and Singing (3:16)

Songs, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs (3:16b)

Do Everything in the Name of Jesus (3:17)

7. Christian Households (Colossians 3:18-4:1)

Wives, Submit to Your Husbands (3:18)

Husbands, Love Your Wives (3:19)

Children, Obey Your Parents (3:20)

Fathers, Don't Provoke Your Children (3:21)

Slaves and Employees

Slaves, Obey Your Masters (3:22)

As Working for the Lord, Not Men (3:23-25)

God Is Our Employer or Master

Masters, Be Fair to Your Slaves (3:25-4:1)

Churches, Be Fair to Your Church Employees

8. Final Instructions and Greetings (Colossians 4:2-18)

Devote Yourselves to Prayer (4:2)

Paul Requests Prayer for His Ministry Team (4:3-4)

Prayer for Success of the Mission (4:3-4)

Prayer for an Open Door (4:3)

Prayer for Clarity of Speech (4:4)

Wisdom Toward Outsiders (4:5-6)

Guidelines for Conversations with Non-Christians (4:6)

Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7-8)

Onesimus (4:9)

Aristarchus, Mark and Jesus Justus (4:10-11)

Epaphras (4:12-13)

Luke and Demas (4:14)

Greetings to the Church at Laodicea (4:15-16)

Command to Archippus (4:17)

Remember My Chains (4:18)

9. Paul's Letter to Philemon

Introduction to Philemon

Greetings (verses 1-3)

Encouragement to Philemon (verses 4-7)

Paul's Prayer for Philemon (verse 6)

Paul's Appeal on Behalf of Onesimus (verses 8-13)

Respect for Philemon's Will (verses 14)

A New Relationship (verses 15-16)

The Appeal: Welcome Him (verses 17-21)

A Gospel Partner (verse 17)

Prepare a Guest Room (verse 22)

Personal Greetings (verse 23-24)

What Happened to Onesimus?

What Do We Learn from this Letter?

Grace (verse 25)

Appendix 1. Participant Handouts

Appendix 2. Songs and Hymns from Colossians