Direct Bible Discovery
By Ronald W. Leigh
Appendix A2 – Sample Results – Book Study – Colossians
Revised Feb. 10, 2017
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The book chosen for this study is the Book of Colossians.  You should not read this appendix until after you begin your own study of Colossians.  This appendix is not designed to present a full study of the book; rather, it merely illustrates various parts of the study procedure.  Thus, only selected portions from only four of the eight steps in the procedure are included.  If you merely read this appendix without doing your own study of Colossians, you will receive a distorted picture of the correct book study procedure.  You will profit much more if you carefully work through each step given in Chapter 17 on your own.  Then, after you complete each step, refer to this appendix and compare your results with whatever results are included here.

It is not important that your results be identical to the results given here. It is important, however, that you do your own work by carefully following the procedures given in Chapter 17.

Step 1 -- Pray         覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧

Step 2 -- Survey

First impressions of the book of Colossians

1.  Writer/place/time:  Both Paul and Timothy are mentioned in the first verse and the plural pronoun "we" is repeated in the first several verses.  However, both 1:23 and 4:18 read "I, Paul," and between those two verses the author uses mostly singular pronouns.  Thus, Paul is considered the writer of the book.  References to "chains" (4:3,18) and "fellow prisoner" (4:10) indicate Paul was writing from prison.  No further indications of the time of writing are given.

2.  Recipients/place:  The letter was written to "the brothers in Christ at Colosse,"  a town in southern part of the Roman province of Asia.  (Asia in the New Testament refers to the Roman province, which was in the western half of modern Asia Minor, or Turkey.)  They had heard the gospel from Epaphras (1:7), perhaps while Paul ministered for two years in Ephesus (Acts 19:10).  Epaphras was now in prison with Paul (Philemon 23).  The letter was probably delivered to Colosse by Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7-9; compare Ephesians 6:21-22).

3.  Main events: (no narratives)

4.  Occasion/purpose:  Paul has heard a good report about these believers (2:4,8-9).  He states that his "purpose" (2:2) is that they be encouraged, united, and gain insight, and this probably refers to his overall goal in ministry on their behalf rather than narrowly to his purpose in writing this letter.  Nevertheless, the general tenure of the book indicates a very similar purpose – encouragement, exhortation to pure and confident living, with supporting instruction on the nature and work of Christ.  That instruction about Christ involves an emphasis on the deity and supremacy of Christ.  This emphasis, together with the warnings regarding ill founded philosophy, worship of angels, and legalistic practices (2:6-23) constitutes a second purpose for writing.

Sometimes Paul and Peter refer explicitly to "false teachers" (for example, 2 Peter 2:1, compare 2 Timothy 4:3-4).  And sometimes specific individuals are named (such as Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1 Timothy 1:20).  While we do not find such phrases or named individuals in Colossians, there is certainly a strong warning against false teaching in such phrases as the following:

One would guess that the possibility of the Colossians being deceived, taken captive, judged, or disqualified strongly motivated Paul to include the warnings found in chapter 2.

What we are here calling the second purpose is taken by many commentators as the primary purpose, even the sole purpose, for the writing of this letter.  It is referred to as "the Colossian problem" or "incipient gnosticism."  However, it seems ill advised to dogmatically state that the letter's main purpose was to combat incipient gnosticism for three reasons.  First, explicit references to aspects of gnosticism are limited to chapter 2.  Second, the letter does not seem to be organized around the threat of gnosticism as much as it is around the ideas of growth and consistent Christian living.  Third, the exact nature of gnosticism and the degree of its threat to the Colossian church are difficult to describe with any certainty, either from this letter, other parts of the New Testament, or non-biblical writings.

Miscellaneous note:  Regarding the "letter from Laodicea" (4:16) -- "It is probable that the Laodicean letter referred to here is now lost, although some believe it is the one known to us as 'Ephesians'." (from J. Ithel Jones' commentary, see Step 7)

5.  Type of literature:  An epistle.  It is obviously in the form of a personal letter.  But at the same time is was intended for a wider audience than just the believers at Colosse (4:16), so it was more than just casual, personal correspondence.  For that reason it may be more appropriate to use the term epistle to describe it than the term letter.

6.  Main thrust:  There does not appear to be a single idea around which every section revolves.  However, more space is devoted to exhortations than to any other element, including exhortations to remain strong and not be led astray, and exhortations to wise and pure living and unity.  Perhaps the book is summed up in a nutshell in 2:6-7.

7.  Major divisions:  See Step 3 below.

Step 3 -- Divisions

The book divides naturally into the following immediate context units (ICUs):
 

1:1-2    I. Greeting (from Paul & Timothy, to the Colossians)
1:3-8   II. Our thankfulness for your faith & love due to the hope of the gospel
1:9-23  III. Our prayer for your spiritual health, in view of all God and his Son have done
1:24 - 2:5   IV. My struggle for you and your understanding of God's mystery: Christ in you
2:6-23    V. Warnings regarding human wisdom and prohibitions in contrast to your new life in Christ
3:1-17   VI. Your resurrection with Christ requires a new life of purity and love for each other
3:18 - 4:1  VII. Instructions for wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters
4:2-6 VIII. Prayer for us and wisdom toward outsiders
4:7-18   IX. Messengers, lots of greetings, reading instructions, etc.

Step 4 -- Scrutinize Colossians 1:9-23

2.  Respace the text (1:9-23, NASB)

(NOTE:  The above re-spacing ignores textual footnotes and italics found in the standard printed versions of the NASB.)

The phrase "the Father" in verse 19 is not in the Greek.  This can easily be seen by observing the italics in a standard printed version of this passage in the NASB, or by examining this verse in a Greek interlinear.  Notice the different approaches taken in the following three translations:
 

NIV "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, . . . " (no notes)
NASB "For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, . . ."
(The NASB uses italics in the main text "to indicated words which are not found in the original . . . Greek but implied by it.")		 Alternate reading found in the notes:
For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in Him, . . .
NRSV "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, . . ." (no notes)

3.  Outline the ICU (1:9-23)

A traditional outline of this ICU might look like this:

III. Our prayer for your spiritual health, in view of all God and his Son have done  (1:9-23)
      A.  Prayer for the Colossians wisdom, holy living, and growth  (9-12a)
      B.  The position of the Colossians in the kingdom of Christ  (12b-23a)
            1.  The Father transferred you into the kingdom of the Son  (12b-13)
            2.  The Son, our savior, is the divine creator and risen head of the church  (14-18)
            3.  God reconciled you through the Son's death to present you holy, so keep the faith  (19-23a)

A symmetrical outline, which may do more justice to this particular passage, might look like this:

III. Our prayer for your spiritual health, in view of all God and his Son have done  (1:9-23)
      A.  Prayer for the Colossians wisdom, holy living, and growth  (9-12a)
            B.  The Father transferred you into the kingdom of his Son  (12b-13)
                  C.  The Son, our savior, is the divine creator and risen head of the church  (14-18)
            B'.  God reconciled you through the Son's death to present you holy  (19-22)
      A'.  Exhortation for the Colossians to keep the faith  (23a)

4.  Note the function of this ICU (1:9-23)

Colossians 1:9-23 includes two major parts:

The opening phrase "For this reason" appears to refer back to their faith and hope due to the gospel they had heard (3-8).

The closing clause, "the gospel . . . of which I, Paul, was made a minister" serves as a transition introducing the next section about Paul's struggle on their behalf.

5. Ask six standard questions (1:9-23)

Asking the question "when?" reveals the following sequence of stages:
 

1 2 3 4 5 6
Former position Evangelism Conversion Saved position Christian
life & growth		 Eternal state
In darkness,
alienated,
evil deeds		 Epaphras
takes the
gospel		 Delivery,
transfer,
redemption,
forgiveness
of sins		 In the
kingdom,
reconciled		 filled with
knowledge,
walk worthy,
increasing,
continuing		 Hope,
heaven,
inheritance,
presented holy
13, 21 5-7 13  13, 22 10, 23 5, 12, 23,

Compare the discussion of Asking "When?" in section 2:6-23.

Where does the death of Christ fit in this?  It is the logical basis for stage 2 and 3.  (The same sequence applies both before and after the time of Christ.)  It is the gospel (stage 2) which is the key to the entire process.  Compare Romans 1:16.

Also, although no geographical locations are given in this section, the question "where?" relates to two realms mentioned in verse 13 -- the domain of darkness and the kingdom of God's Son.

Twice the section answers the question "how?" regarding peace and reconciliation with God.  Both times the answer is the death of Christ (20, 22).

6.  Note grammatical details (1:9-23)

It is interesting to note the use of perfect tenses and past tenses in certain verses discussing the status of believers in general and the Colossians in particular.

This indicates a settled fact, the position of the believer, in contrast to the believer's present walk and eternal hope.

Note the repeated use of the word "all" in verses 15 - 18, and the term "fullness" in verse 19.

7.  Identify relationships (1:9-23)

Prerequisite: Knowledge of of God's will / spiritual wisdom / understanding must come before one can "walk worthy" (9-10).

Supporting evidence: Christ's being God image, creator, before all, sustainer, head of church, first to rise support Christ having first place (15-18).

Before/after:  (see chart of six stages under step 5 above)
 

QUESTION:  What is the meaning of the phrase "first-born" (verses 15, 18)?

The Greek word translated firstborn (πρωτοτοκος, prötotokos) is used in eight New Testament passages.  In two of them it is obvious that first means first chronologically.

However, in the other six passages the meaning is less obvious. What is the meaning of the phrase "first-born of all creation" (verse 15)?  Some have taken the term "firstborn" to mean that the Son was the Father's first creation and thus less than the Father.  (This was the Arian heresy which troubled the church and gave rise to the first ecumenical council at Nicea in A.D. 325.)   But it cannot mean that Christ is the first among created beings, for it goes on to say twice in the next verse that he created all things.  Also, verse 17 states that he is before all things.  Also, this would contradict both John 1:1 and the "fullness" of deity emphasized in Colossians 1:19 and 2:9.

Rather, the meaning probably lies closer to the Old Testament practice of giving honor to the firstborn son as the primary heir.  So in this passage it probably means that Christ is the "most honored" in relation to all creation.
 

QUESTION:  In what sense do all things "hold together" in Christ (verse 17)?
 
 

8.  Alter the wording (1:9-23)
 

9.  Paraphrase the ICU (1:9-23)

9  Ever since we heard about your response to the gospel, we have kept praying that you would be wise in your understanding of what God wants you to do,
10  so that you may live up to the Lord's desires and thus please him and have good results in everything you do, as you grow in your appreciation of God
11  and become stronger with his wonderful power, stable and patient,
12  thanking the Father who made us able to gain what God has promised his people.
13  For he rescued us from Satan's evil rule and brought us into the realm of his own Son,
14  who redeems us and forgives our sins.
15  The Son gives us a picture of the Father, whom we cannot see.  He enjoys the most honored position in the universe
16  because he created everything above and below, seen and unseen, including all power, government, and rule.  He created it all for himself.
17  He existed before everything and he holds everything together.
18  He is also in charge of all believers, and he is their leader in rising from the dead.  So he deserves the highest honor in every way.
19  It was fitting for him to be fully God,
20  and for the Father to reunite everything to himself by means of the Son's death on the cross, everything both here and above.
21  Even though you used to hate God and live in sin,
22  the Son has brought you back to God by becoming human and dying so that you could be presented to the Father completely sinless and holy,
23  assuming you keep living according to what you believed, solid and sure, staying true to the hope you heard about in the gospel, which has been preached everywhere, and which is my purpose for service.

10.  List the main teachings (1:9-23)

11.  Condense the ICU (1:9-23)

We keep praying for you to live wise and please the Lord.  He has placed us in the kingdom of his Son, who is fully divine and deserves highest honor, and who suffered death for our salvation.

12.  Quiz, etc. (1:9-23)

Step 4 -- Scrutinize Colossians 1:24 - 2:5

2.  Respace the text (1:24 - 2:5, NASB)

The phrase "do my share" in verse 24 is not in the Greek.  This can be seen by comparing the wording of the NASB with a Greek interlinear.  By the way, the phrase does not appear in italics in standard printings of this passage in the NASB.  Although other passages might be a legitimate basis for making a point about each believer doing his part (such as Ephesians 4:16), that notion is not in this verse.

3.  Outline the ICU (1:24 - 2:5)

IV. My struggle for you and your understanding of God's mystery: Christ in you  (1:24 - 2:5)
      A.  Paul's sufferings and ministry of preaching the mystery, Christ in you  (1:24-27)
      B.  The purpose of Paul's ministry -- completeness, encouragement, & full understanding  (1:28 - 2:5)
            1.  Completeness  (1:28)
            2.  Encouragement and full understanding  (1:29 - 2:3)
            3.  Protection and stability  (2:4-5)

4.  Note the function of this ICU (1:24 - 2:5)

5. Ask six standard questions (1:24 - 2:5)

In 1:26, 27 and 2:2 Paul speaks of a "mystery."  The Greek term is mustërion, μυστηριον, which is usually translated secret or mystery.  What is this mystery?  From this ICU we find the following:

The above is consistent with the way Paul uses the term later in this letter (Colossians 4:3) and with his usage of the term in other letters, such as Romans 16:25 and Ephesians 3:3-6; 6:19.

6.  Note grammatical details (1:24 - 2:5)

7.  Identify relationships (1:24 - 2:5)

8.  Alter the wording (1:24 - 2:5)

9.  Paraphrase the ICU (1:24 - 2:5)

10.  List the main teachings (1:24 - 2:5)

11.  Condense the ICU (1:24 - 2:5)

I gladly minister on behalf of Christ's church, teaching everyone the mystery -- Christ in you, the hope of glory -- so that you may have full understanding and be complete in Christ.

12.  Quiz, etc. (1:24 - 2:5)
 
 

Step 4 -- Scrutinize Colossians 2:6-23

2.  Respace the text (2:6-23, NASB)



3.  Outline the ICU (2:6-23)

 V. Warnings regarding human wisdom and prohibitions in contrast to your new life in Christ  (2:6-23)
      A.  An exhortation to walk in Christ  (6-7)
      B.  Beware human principles and rules for you have something far better in Christ  (8-15)
      C.  Specific warnings  (16-23)
            1.  First, freedom regarding food and special days  (16-17)
            2.  Second, avoiding self-abasement and the worship of angels  (18-19)
            3.  Third, not submitting to outward restrictions  (20-22)
            4.  Evaluation: they appear wise but are ineffective  (23)

For another way to break down this section, see the discussion below under 5,  Asking "Why?".

4.  Note the function of this ICU (2:6-23)

This ICU highlights issues which were not as universal as the issues discussed in the other sections of the book.  It was common for Paul to emphasize such things as his apostleship for the gospel, the Christ's deity and resurrection, salvation based on God's grace obtained through faith in the substitutionary death of Christ, the position of the believer in Christ, and the importance of living a holy life that matches one's position.  However, in this section Paul warns about a specific set of dangers facing the Colossians -- the traditions, observances, worship, and restrictions, mentioned explicitly in verses 8, 16-18, and 21-23.

5. Ask six standard questions (2:6-23)

Asking "When?" reveals a sequence of events which fits well in the six-stage sequence noted for section 1:9-23.  For example, "You were dead" (v. 13) fits in stage 1.  The reference to receiving Christ (v. 6) and being made alive (v. 13) fit in stage 3.  And the "walk" and "being built up" and "growing" (v. 6-7) fit in stage 5.  However, much emphasis is placed on stage 4, the position of the saved.  Whereas the earlier section mentions only that the Colossians were in the kingdom and reconciled, this section adds

Asking "Why?" leads to the following analysis of the structure of the passage:  In verse 8 Paul warns against being taken captive, and in verse 16 he warns against submitting to others' judgment.  These two commands are probably synonymous, with the first being stated more generally, while the second spells out more detail, and verses 9-15 serving as a parenthetical section which supplies the reason why Paul is able to give these two commands.  This parenthetical section emphasizes the fullness of the deity of Christ (verse 9) and the fullness of salvation for the believers (verses 10-15), and should convince the Colossians that what they have in Christ is far better than anything offered by human wisdom, which he characterizes as a shadow, inflated by a fleshly mind, and ineffective (verses 17, 18, and 23).

6.  Note grammatical details (2:6-23)

It appears that the "He" in verses 13, 14, and 15 is the Father ("God, who raised Him from the dead" at the end of verse 12.)

7.  Identify relationships (2:6-23)

8.  Alter the wording (2:6-23)

9.  Paraphrase the ICU (2:6-23)

6  Since you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord, live in him.
7  Become strong in Christ as you build your faith on the firm foundation, as we taught you, and give thanks to God.
8  Watch out lest you get trapped by the sort of empty reasoning which comes from false human ideas rather than being based on Christ.
9  For he is fully God in human form,
10  and he has given you complete salvation, having more authority than anyone else.
11  And he has removed evil from you, something much better than mere circumcision.
12  By being identified with Christ, you have seen death and resurrection with him because you trust in the Father who raised Jesus from the grave.
13  When you were dead because of your sinfulness, God raised you to life with Christ and forgave all those sins.
14  He completely freed you from all the debts that were recorded against you when Christ paid your debt on the cross.
15  He disabled all other authorities and demonstrated his victory over them thru Christ.
16  Thus, you do not need to fear anyone's judgments regarding what you eat or drink or what special days you honor.
17  Such regulations are a poor representation of the reality you have in Christ.
18  Don't let anyone side-track you by claiming he has received a vision and insisting that you should condemn yourself and worship angels.  He is conjuring up such things in his own head
19  instead of learning from Christ, who causes the entire church body with all its parts to grow spiritually.
20  Since Christ has separated you from those false human ideas,
21  why do you still follow all their do's and don'ts as though you were still subject to those rules?
22  These are all fleeting things anyhow, based on mere human notions.
23  All these rules and regulations may look very pious because they bow and scrape, but they have no power to help you live a holy life.

NOTE:  This ICU parallels an earlier ICU, 1:9-23
 

1:9-11 General prayer/exhortation for a holy walk 2:6-7
1:15-20 Emphasis on what God has done for us and how exalted Christ is 2:
1:13,21-22 Reminder of the former life that God saved them from 2:13-14, 20-21

10.  List the main teachings (2:6-23)

It appears that the Colossian "problem" (the unique aspects of the letter, in contrast to the typical commands for holy living) has these elements:

11.  Condense the ICU  (2:6-23)

12.  Quiz, etc.  (2:6-23)

Step 4 -- Scrutinize Colossians 3:1-17

2.  Respace the text  (3:1-17)

3.  Outline the ICU  (3:1-17)

VI. Your resurrection with Christ requires a new life of purity and love for each other  (3:1-17)
      A.  Since you have new life in Christ, seek Godly things  (1-4)
      B.  Put off your old evil desires, actions, and speech  (5-9)
      C.  In unity, put on kindness and forgiveness  (10-13)
      D.  Live in love, harmony, and thankfulness in the name of Jesus  (14-17)
 

Step 5 -- Examine Topics         覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
 

Step 6 -- Synthesize         覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
 

Step 7 -- Compare

For comparison purposes, a few recommended articles and commentaries are suggested below.

Articles

Renwick, Alexander M., "Gnosticism," Baker's Dictionary of Theology (Baker, 1960)

Commentaries

Jones, J. Ithel.  "The Epistle to the Colossians," The New Bible Commentary, 2nd ed.  (Eerdmans, 1954)

Bruce, F. F.  The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians  (Eerdmans, 1984) -- part of The New International Commentary

Barry, Alfred.  "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians," Ellicott's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol 8 (Zondervan, 1959)

Lightfoot, J. B.  Lightfoot's Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul (Hendrickson, 1994) -- a republication of Lightfoot's classic scholarly work which originally appeared in London in 1886 and which is frequently cited by many commentators on the epistles
 

Step 8 -- Apply         覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
 
 

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Copyright © 2001, Ronald W. Leigh