Colossians and Philemon E-Book

Christopher A. Beetham

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Knowing the Bible
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 109

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week study lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) Reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) "Theological Soundings" identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on each and every page of the Bible. The books of Colossians and Philemon complement each other as two New Testament texts that gloriously display the gospel and its implications for how God's people should live today. Written around the same time, both letters resonate with the apostle Paul's overriding passion to magnify Jesus Christ as the supreme manifestation of God's redemptive purposes.

Leseprobe

COLOSSIANS AND PHILEMON

A 12-WEEK STUDY

Christopher A. Beetham

Knowing the Bible: Colossians and Philemon, A 12-Week Study

Copyright © 2015 by Crossway

Published by Crossway 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Some content used in this study guide has been adapted from the ESV Study Bible (Crossway), copyright 2008 by Crossway, pages 2289–2300 and 2353–2356. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover design: Simplicated Studio

First printing 2015

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-4371-5 EPub ISBN: 978-1-4335-4374-6 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-4372-2 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-4373-9

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CoverNewsletter Sign UpEndorsementsKnowing the Bible SeriesTitle PageCopyright PageContentsSeries Preface: J. I. Packer and Lane T. DennisWeek   1: OverviewCOLOSSIANSWeek   2: Paul’s Greeting of and Thanksgiving for the Colossians (1:1–8)Week   3: Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians (1:9–14)Week   4: The Christ-Hymn and Its Application to the Colossians (1:15–23)Week   5: Paul’s Apostolic Ministry and Its Application to the Colossians (1:24–2:5)Week   6: Paul Confronts the False Teaching (2:6–23)Week   7: Exhortation: Seek Instead the Things of Christ Above (3:1–17)Week   8: Instructions for Relationships both inside and outside the Faith (3:18–4:6)Week   9: The Letter’s Conclusion: Greetings and Final Instructions (4:7–18)PHILEMONWeek 10: Paul’s Greeting of and Thanksgiving for Philemon (vv. 1–7)Week 11: Paul’s Appeal concerning Onesimus (vv. 8–25)Week 12: Summary and ConclusionBack Cover

SERIES PREFACE

KNOWING THE BIBLE, as the series title indicates, was created to help readers know and understand the meaning, the message, and the God of the Bible. Each volume in the series consists of 12 units that progressively take the reader through a clear, concise study of that book of the Bible. In this way, any given volume can fruitfully be used in a 12-week format either in group study, such as in a church-based context, or in individual study. Of course, these 12 studies could be completed in fewer or more than 12 weeks, as convenient, depending on the context in which they are used.

Each study unit gives an overview of the text at hand before digging into it with a series of questions for reflection or discussion. The unit then concludes by highlighting the gospel of grace in each passage (“Gospel Glimpses”), identifying whole-Bible themes that occur in the passage (“Whole-Bible Connections”), and pinpointing Christian doctrines that are affirmed in the passage (“Theological Soundings”).

The final component to each unit is a section for reflecting on personal and practical implications from the passage at hand. The layout provides space for recording responses to the questions proposed, and we think readers need to do this to get the full benefit of the exercise. The series also includes definitions of key words. These definitions are indicated by a note number in the text and are found at the end of each chapter.

Lastly, for help in understanding the Bible in this deeper way, we urge readers to use the ESV Bible and the ESV Study Bible, which are available in various print and digital formats, including online editions at esv.org. The Knowing the Bible series is also available online. 

May the Lord greatly bless your study as you seek to know him through knowing his Word.

J. I. Packer Lane T. Dennis

WEEK 1: OVERVIEW

Getting Acquainted

Paul’s letter to the Colossians is a jewel of Christian Scripture. Only four chapters long, it is easy to read through in one sitting, yet it provides stunning vistas of the perfections of Christ that few other New Testament documents can match in such short space. Its majestic hymn of Christ at 1:15–20 is rivaled only by that of Philippians 2:5–11. The letter therefore provides a feast for the theologian to digest. Yet Colossians also pulsates with a message that, despite the limits of the situation for which it was originally written, remains as relevant and significant as ever.

Written at the same time, Philemon is a short companion letter to Colossians. Often neglected, Philemon’s impact is out of all proportion to its size. Twenty-five verses long, Philemon was one of the key biblical texts that guided the church in its struggle for the abolition of slavery in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in the West. Paul’s rhetorical skill, as well as his heart, are clearly on display here as he seeks reconciliation between Philemon and his runaway slave Onesimus. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 2289–2292; 2353–2354; available online at esv.org.)

Placing Colossians and Philemon in the Larger Story

In the beginning, the Creator-King appointed humanity to be his image-bearers, to establish the earth as the realm of the kingdom of God. Heaven and earth would intersect, and God would dwell among a flourishing human community. The will of God would be done on earth as it was in heaven. But humanity rebelled against their King and plunged the world into sin and death. Yet God’s original intention for humanity was not to be thwarted. He called Abraham and promised that from this family all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3). From Abraham descended the nation Israel, which was to carry this blessing to the nations. But the Old Testament story is largely of Israel’s failure to accomplish this vocation. In the fullness of time, however, God sent Jesus, Israel’s ultimate king (“Messiah”), who, having dealt with humanity’s sin forever at his cross and resurrection, took up Israel’s stalled mission. In him, the redeemed people of God—comprised now of Jew and Gentile—take up this vocation of Old Testament Israel, bringing the good news of God’s reign in Christ to the nations. (Paul’s letters to the Colossians and to Philemon fit here.) At the end of history, Jesus will return as the world’s King to consummate God’s original intention for creation and to establish the kingdom of God fully upon the earth in the new creation. Then God will finally and fully dwell among his people forever.

Key Verse

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1).

Date and Historical Background

Paul probably wrote his letters to the Colossians and to Philemon while imprisoned in Rome, about AD 61 (although an imprisonment in Ephesus in the mid-50s must remain a possibility). The apostle had already completed the three missionary journeys recorded in the book of Acts (ca. AD 46–57; see 13:1–21:16). After Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem and two years of imprisonment in Caesarea, a centurion guard escorted Paul by ship to Rome (Acts 21:27–27:1). After a hazardous journey, he arrived there in the spring of AD 60 (Acts 27:2–28:16). Here he lived under house arrest, although he was able to receive guests (Acts 28:17–31). This first Roman imprisonment lasted at least two years (AD 60–62; Acts 28:30). During this time, he wrote not only Colossians and Philemon but also the letters to the Ephesians and the Philippians. Timothy possibly served as his amanuensis (writing secretary) while Paul dictated the letters (Col. 1:1; 4:18; Philem. 1). Tychicus carried the letters from Rome to Colossae as the apostle’s delegate (Col. 4:7–8).

Outline

Colossians

   I. Paul’s Greeting of and Thanksgiving for the Colossians (1:1–8)

A. Paul Greets the Colossian Church (1:1–2)

B. Paul Thanks God for the Colossians’ Faith and Love (1:3–8)

  II. Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians (1:9–14)

A. Paul Prays That God May Fill the Colossians with Knowledge of His Will (1:9)

B. The Goal of Paul’s Prayer: Lives Fully Pleasing to God (1:10a)

C. Attainment of the Goal: The Four Ways to a Life Fully Pleasing to God (1:10b–12a)

D. Reasons to Live a Life Fully Pleasing to God (1:12b–14)

 III. The Christ-Hymn and Its Application to the Colossians (1:15–23)

A. The Christ-Hymn: The Son’s Preeminence over all Creation (1:15–17)

B. The Christ-Hymn: The Son’s Preeminence over the New Creation (1:18–20)

C. The Christ-Hymn Applied: God Has Reconciled the Colossians to Christ (1:21–23)

  IV. Paul’s Apostolic Ministry and Its Application to the Colossians (1:24–2:5)

A. Paul’s Apostolic Suffering and Stewardship on Behalf of the Church (1:24–25)

B. The Mystery of Christ (1:26–27)

C. The Way Paul Fulfills His Apostolic Charge, and Its Goal (1:28–29)

D. Paul’s Apostolic Labor on Behalf of the Colossian Church (2:1–3)

E. The Goal of Paul’s Instruction: “Let No One Deceive You” (2:4–5)

   V. Paul Confronts the False Teaching (2:6–23)

A. “Walk in Him”: Paul’s Programmatic Statement (2:6–7)

B. “See to It That No One Takes You Captive”: The Warning against the Heresy (2:8)

C. Fullness of Salvation in Christ: Four Reasons to Resist the Empty Heresy (2:9–15)

D. “Let No One Condemn You”: Old Covenant Regulations and Visionary Experience (2:16–19)

E. Dead with Christ to Demonic Powers, the Fallen Age, and Man-Made Religion (2:20–23)

  VI. Exhortation: Seek Instead the Things of Christ Above (3:1–17)

A. Reshaping Reality: The Resurrected and Reigning Christ (3:1–4)

B. Strip Off the Fallen Old Humanity, with Its Vices (3:5–11)

C. Put On the New Humanity, with Its Virtues (3:12–17)

 VII. Instructions for Relationships both inside and outside the Faith (3:18–4:6)

A. Wives and Husbands (3:18–19)

B. Children and Parents (3:20–21)

C. Slaves and Masters (3:22–4:1)

D. Exhortation to Missional Prayer (4:2–4)

E. Walk Wisely to Attract Outsiders (4:5–6)

VIII. The Letter’s Conclusion: Greetings and Final Instructions (4:7–18)

Philemon

   I. Paul’s Greeting of and Thanksgiving for Philemon (vv. 1–7)

A. Paul Greets Philemon (vv. 1–3)

B. Paul Thanks God for Philemon’s Love and Faith (vv. 4–7)

  II. Paul’s Appeal concerning Onesimus (vv. 8–25)

A. Paul Begins His Appeal concerning Onesimus (vv. 8–12)

B. Reason for the Appeal: Paul’s Desire to Have Onesimus as a Personal Aide (vv. 13–14)

C. Introducing the New Onesimus: “Beloved Brother” Forever (vv. 15–16)

D. The Appeal Proper (vv. 17–20)

E. Encouragement to Follow Through on the Appeal (vv. 21–22)

F. The Letter’s Conclusion: Greetings and Blessing (vv. 23–25)

As You Get Started

What is your present understanding of how Colossians and Philemon help us to grasp the whole storyline of the Bible?

What is your current understanding of how Colossians and Philemon contribute to Christian theology? How do these letters clarify our understanding of God, Christ, sin, and salvation?

What aspects of the message of Colossians or Philemon remain unclear for you? Are there any specific questions that you hope to have answered through this study?

As You Finish This Unit . . .

Take a moment to ask God to bless you with increased understanding and a transformed heart as you begin this study of Colossians and Philemon.

WEEK 2: PAUL’S GREETINGOFAND THANKSGIVINGFORTHE COLOSSIANS

Colossians 1:1–8

The Place of the Passage

Writing a letter that follows typical Roman convention, Paul begins his correspondence to the Colossian church with a formal greeting (Col. 1:1–2) and a thanksgiving for them (vv. 3–8). He has, however, infused both of these epistolary elements with robust Christian content. Paul writes as an “apostle of Christ Jesus,” thereby establishing his authority as the Colossians’ apostle, despite having neither planted their church nor met them personally (2:1). For the faithful disciples at Colossae, such a letter from the “apostle of the Gentiles” would have been a source of joy, as they sought to remain true to God despite the encroaching “philosophy” with which they had been confronted (2:8). Paul’s thanksgiving to God for their faith in Christ and love for fellow disciples would have honored them. Paul also noted that Epaphras, who first brought the message to them, had handed on to them the true gospel. They could be reassured that they had embraced the genuine apostolic tradition (1:7–8).

The Big Picture