Colossians

CHARACTERISTICS AND PECULIARITIES OF COLOSSIANS

COLOSSIANS 1

Jump-Starters 3

Jesus is the “fullness,” and that makes all the difference  1:19

Jesus is the image of God.  1:15

Jesus is the firstborn of all creation. 1:15

COLOSSIANS 2

Jump Starters 1

Christ is the mystery (2:2)?

Two sets of problems at Colossae

“Shortcuts” for “walking” (2:7)

Relationship of covenants (2:14)

COLOSSIANS 3:18-4:1:  MAJOR IDEAS

Virgil Warren, PhD

Marriage, parenting, and business are all interpersonal processes.

            These relationships are specialized IP processes that have additional features.

            Additional features must be added in such a way that they do not vitiate their                                 underlying interpersonal character.

COLOSSIANS JUMPSTARTERS

Companion passages:  Colossians 3:18-4:1; Ephesians 5:22-6:9

What subjects are involved here?

What is headship/submission (correlative terms)?

Theory of Christian leadership

Three primary means of impacting other people’s actions:

GNOSTICISM AND THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS

Virgil Warren, PhD

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY

Virgil Warren, PhD

                  A prevalent idea in current religious studies is that Christianity as we know it became associated by way of historical process with the Roman government. The line of descent from Jesus that history preserved was that line of development, both as to its viewpoints and its literature. Petrine Christianity as represented by the Judaizers was the main contrast to Pauline Christianity and its international universalism. Government influence suppressed and destroyed the writings of “heretics” as measured by the preserved standard, and generally disenfranchised its people. So, the understanding of Jesus as well as the canonical literature that has descended to us results from historical processes and no more represent a “legitimate,” or true, understanding of Jesus than other traditions did.

THE COLOSSIAN HERESY

Virgil Warren, PhD

THE ORIGIN OF GNOSTICISM AND ITS BEARING ON THE

DATE OF COLOSSIANS

Virgil Warren, PhD